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.

hand on his chest and shoving him back.

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

says, “I just want to see my mate

a peck on her cheek. “We’ll figure it all out when you wake up, okay?” I say, giving her a little nudge towards

giving me a steady look. “Really, we will.” And then she takes Roger’s hand and walks out the door and up the stairs with him.

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

tight against him. “They’re idiots for not

anything for a moment, considering all the things that held them back

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

and I can feel him shake his head against the back of my neck. “You almost died like, four

say, turning in his arms and looking sincerely up at him. “We always had

figured out that we loved each other, and especially that I was a wolf too, then…”

with us, it

what you mean,” he says, looking calmly down into

me. “Like ours. They’re going to work it

chest and closing

both of them.”

pass with that seeming like a very

making up reasons why they can’t go, and it fills

growing closer. To see the tiny little touches he places on her back when

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

dark, wry little jokes.

Cora takes me by the shoulders and gives me a

go back to

whine, tiling my head back on my neck

need you!”

”

taking her hands back and

little love bubble with Roger

something.”

at her and

me. “I’m not changing my mind, Ella. I’m in love with him.”

but she holds a finger up, stopping me. “But I have a life. And a boyfriend who I never broke up with. And a job that requires me to actually

go deal with all of

my shoes. “Did

I ask, glancing

to her forehead and shading

to be a big girl and

say, stepping forward and rubbing her on the