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

and falling back a bit.

“I just want to see my mate

I say, narrowing my eyes and then giving Cora a peck on her cheek. “We’ll figure it all out when you wake up, okay?” I say, giving her a little nudge

will,” she agrees, giving me a steady look. “Really, we will.” And then she

disappear form our sight. “I’m so happy,” I say, leaning against his chest and sighing contentedly. He wraps his arms

holding me tight against him. “They’re idiots for not doing it

considering all the things that held them back in the first

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

feel him shake his head against the back of my neck. “You almost

looking sincerely up at him. “We always had Rafe. And

loved each other, and especially that I was a

us, it was always smooth sailing.”

mean,” he says, looking calmly down into my eyes.

to me. “Like ours.

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

both of them.”

five days pass with that seeming like a very

reasons why they can’t

the tiny little touches he places on

ear, to see the way she

of his dark, wry little

on day six, Cora takes me by the shoulders

back to the clinic.

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

need you!”

”

her hands back

keep me in a little love bubble with Roger so

something.”

raising my eyebrows at her and giving her a too–innocent smile.

changing my mind, Ella. I’m in love with him.”

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

deal with all of

shoes.

I ask, glancing

a guilty hand to her forehead and shading her eyes, embarrassed. “I

be a

forward and rubbing her on the arm in what I hope