Accidental Surrogate

King and Queen Ella “I’m glad we did that,” I say later that afternoon as Sinclair pulls our car around to the front entrance of the palace.

“I couldn’t stand to say goodbye to that house if it was to a stranger.

Too many memories there.” ” I agree,” Sinclair says, parking directly out front in what feels…well, feels too informal for the future King’s first entrance to the palace, his new home.

” Doesn’t this place have like, a garage?” I murmur, looking into the back seat to check on little Rafe, who is happily chewing on the sleeve of his little baby hoodie and staring at himself in a mirror attached to his car seat.

“I… think so…” Sinclair says, and I look up in surprise to see him grimacing at me a little.

“I’ve only really been here for state occasions,” he says, shrugging.” And the birth of our child,” I point out.

“Well for that,” he says, “wealsojust parked out front.” “True true,” I say, turning away to my door.

“I guess we’ll figure it all out.

Yes, we will,” he murmurs, getting out of the car and opening the back seat to lift out Rafe’s carrier.

While I wait for them to come around to my side, I stare up at the gorgeous palace in front of me.

“I can’t believe this is going to be my home,” I murmur.

“I can’t believe I’m going to be a King,” he sighs.

I look up at him, studying the lines of his handsome face.

“Yeah,” I agree.

“Me neither.” Sinclair laughs and shakes his head down at me.

“Well, I would hope thatyouwould try to chuff me up a little bit there.” I laugh and take his arm, squeezing it.

“Well, you know I think you cando it,” I say, grinning, “and that I don’t think anyone else could do it any better.

I just,” I consider it for a moment, shaking my head.

“I don’t know.

I’m not going to be able to get used to people calling you King.” “Will you be able to get used to people calling you Queen?” he asks, brow arched.

I laugh up into his face at the ridiculousness of it.

“Absolutely not,” I reply.

“They’ll all just have to call me Ella, or I’ll walk right past them without realizing that they’re talking to me.” “You don’t do so poorly responding to Luna,” he says, pulling his arm from my grip and wrapping it around my shoulder to pull me close.

Yes, but that feels more real,” I say quietly.

“I…know what a Luna’s supposed to do.

I want to protect my pack, help them in all things.” “I imagine Queen is much the same,” he says softly.

“You’ll get used to it.

up at him, but then my face falls slack with

I say,

get acrown?” “It’s technically not yours,” he replies,

belongs to the nation to

the excitement on

take me immediately to the vault with the

I use a box cutter to cut the tape on probably my fortieth box and start to unload all

playpen, Rafe lets out a little squeal that

Rafe,” I call to

“I agree.

cruel.” “I am not,” Sinclair laughs, coming into the room with a little tray of food for

“I’m just following the.

rules.

not really a Kingdom precisely anymore the jewels belong to

to wear them until the people have officially given them

bed, “onlyon state occasions.” “Again,” I sigh, pausing to look up at him, “this is a rule that I will choose, in

wearing that crown,

huffs a laugh,

“Fine,” he says.

exception can

to start,” I say primly, turning back to my

and eat,” he says, taking the fancy lids off of our plates of

starting to hire people to refill the palace

the kitchens are and it feels strange already to be waited on like

“I’m not hungry yet,” I say to Sinclair, laying out Rafe’s clothes on the floor in neat piles and

moved in.” I do take a moment, though,

the last time we were here?” I ask quietly, taking

suits our taste a bit better, but still…I’ll never forget the day

murmurs, biting into his sandwich and watching

you still want us to be our bedroom? We have options.” ” Yes,” I say with a little

“I’m sure.

I smile at

you are a King!” “Not yet, he says,

keep saying that,” I reply, frowning at

fact that the coronation will

everything to

head, a little angry, “they took liberties with the privileges of

wasn’t right.” ” I know,” I say quietly, watching my whole-hearted mate struggle with

be better.” “I hope I can

he looks over at

be as well, when his turn

then my face bursts into

crawling over to his little

not be, he’s so sweet!” Sinclair smiles at me but

mother thought they were too cute to do anything wrong.” Yes,” I sigh, standing and reaching down to pick up my baby and carry him over to his poor worried

little love down the bond to him that

best, Rafe,” Sinclair says

after a moment as I