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.

putting a hand on his chest and shoving him back. Though

complies, laughing and falling back a bit. “I said sleep.

his hands up. “I promise,” he says, “I just want to

right,” 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,

steady look. “Really, we will.” And then she takes Roger’s hand and walks

to Sinclair’s side as we watch them disappear form our sight. “I’m so happy,” I say, leaning against his chest and sighing contentedly. He wraps

says, holding me tight against him.

for a moment, considering all the

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

of my neck. “You almost died like, four times since we’ve been together. How is

looking sincerely up at

that we loved each other, and especially that I was

it was always smooth sailing.”

down into my eyes. “But their love is a big

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

hope so,” I sigh, resting my head against his chest and closing my eyes. “That’s

both of them.”

days pass with that seeming like a very

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

closer. To see the tiny

to see the way she turns her face

of his dark, wry

Cora takes me by the shoulders and gives me a little shake,

back

head back on my neck and groaning. “Just stay here

need you!”

”

says, taking her hands back and folding her arms across her chest.

a little love bubble with Roger so that

something.”

raising my eyebrows at her and

laughs, shaking her head at me. “I’m not changing my mind,

a little to hear her say it 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

go deal with all of that! Okay?”

looking petulantly down at my shoes. “Did

glancing up at her.

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

But I need to be

say, stepping forward and rubbing her on the