Accidental Surrogate

Ella

“As happy as this is,” Sinclair says, folding his arms over his chest and looking around at the four of us. “And it is happy,” he says, looking at Cora and Roger to let them know that he’s sincere. They nod their understanding. “We do still have a problem on our hands,” he says, nodding to Rafe

in my arms.

“Yes,” I say, looking eagerly up at Cora. “Henry found out some more about the cult – I’ll tell you

all about it. It’s…not good,” I say, with a little grimace.

“Oh,” she says, drawing her brows together. “Okay – yes, I want to hear everything.” I nod, tugging at her waist so that she’ll follow me into the house. Sinclair and Roger come close behind.

“Did you find anything else out?” Sinclair asks Roger.

“No,” Roger replies, a little apologetic. “Just what we sent you from the library. Was it useful?”

“Incredibly,” Sinclair confirms, thankful. “But yes, we found out more…”

”

My mate and I take Roger and Cora into the little office and tell them everything, seating Rafe in

a little swing that we’ve placed there temporarily since we’ve been spending so much time here.

working on this issue. They’re both as horrified as we were to discover that we likely have

someone in our midst who is working for the cult, who either has already betrayed us or will soon.

Though both wrack their minds they, like us, can’t come up with a viable candidate for who it is.

“We need more information,” Sinclair growls, thoughtful, as he flips through what paperwork his

investigators have produced for the case, as if he might find something else there. I nod, agreeing,

but I look at Cora and see her fading a bit.

“You haven’t slept, have you?” I ask, concerned.

She smiles at me, apologetic, but shakes her head. “I’m sorry, Ella,” she says. “I want to help but I

think…”

“Upstairs,” I say, my voice definitive, swatting her on the rear. “Immediately, sleep.”

“I’ll take her,” Roger says, stepping forward to take Cora by the arm.

on his chest and shoving him back. Though I’m not actually strong

Roger complies, laughing and falling back a bit. “I said sleep. Not

up. “I promise,” he says, “I just want to see my

then giving Cora a peck on her cheek. “We’ll figure it

will.” And then she takes Roger’s hand and

as we watch them disappear form our sight. “I’m so happy,” I say, leaning against his chest and sighing contentedly. He wraps his arms around my shoulders, dipping his head to give me a kiss on the cheek.

against him. “They’re idiots for not

moment, considering all the things that held

easy for them,” I sigh. “Not like it was for

against the back of my neck. “You almost died like, four times since we’ve been

sincerely up at him. “We always had

figured out that we loved each other, and especially that I was a

with us, it was always smooth

looking calmly down into my eyes. “But their love

he says, nodding to me. “Like ours.

his chest and closing my eyes. “That’s all I want.

both of them.”

with that seeming like a very real possibility.

partially because I keep making up reasons why they can’t go, and it fills my

see the tiny little touches he places on

down to say something in her ear, to see the way she turns her face up to

of his dark, wry

on day six, Cora takes me by the shoulders

go back to the

I whine, tiling my head back on my neck and groaning. “Just stay

need you!”

”

her hands back and

keep me in a little love bubble

something.”

eyebrows at her and

her head at me. “I’m not changing my mind, Ella. I’m in

it but she holds a finger up, stopping me. “But I have a life. And a boyfriend who I never

go deal with all

my shoes. “Did you seriously never

I ask, glancing up

says, raising a guilty hand to her forehead and shading her eyes,

But I need to be

on the arm in what I hope is a comforting way.