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.

him, but then my face falls slack with shock when he slowly

I say, my eyes going

acrown?” “It’s technically not yours,”

nation to be passed from

the throne,” he grins widely at me, seeing the excitement on my face,

Sinclair does not take me immediately to the vault with the crown jewels and let me wear my tiara while I

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

from me in his little playpen, Rafe lets out a little squeal that

you, Prince Rafe,”

“I agree.

being cruel.” “I am not,” Sinclair laughs, coming into the room

“I’m just following the.

rules.

not really a Kingdom precisely anymore the

to wear them until the people have officially given them to

the bed, “onlyon state occasions.” “Again,” I sigh, pausing to look up at him, “this is a rule that I will choose, in my wisdom as Queen, not to follow.” And then I send him a mental image down the bond of when, precisely, I plan to be wearing that

just how good I’ll look wearing that crown, and

huffs a laugh, grinning at

“Fine,” he says.

can be

start,” I say primly, turning back to my

the fancy lids off of our plates

people to refill the

don’t even know where the kitchens are and it

Just… wander the halls, starving, searching for the kitchens? “I’m not hungry yet,” I say to Sinclair, laying out Rafe’s clothes on the floor in neat piles and then disassembling the

in.” I do take a

we were here?” I ask quietly, taking in

of the furniture replaced with that which suits our taste a bit better, but still…I’ll never forget the day we brought our baby into the

biting into

We have

“I’m sure.

I

sure – and you are

saying that,” I reply, frowning at

something wrong? Are you… doubting the fact that the coronation will

just…want everything to

little angry, “they took liberties with the privileges of this position that they

say quietly, watching my whole-hearted mate struggle

“I hope I can be,” he

looks over at

to be as well, when his turn comes.” “Rafe?” I say, turning to my

then my face bursts

laugh, crawling over to his little playpen

he’s so sweet!” Sinclair smiles at me

baby whose mother thought they were too cute to do anything wrong.” Yes,” I sigh,

him right.” I kiss my baby on his head, sending a little love down the bond to

Rafe,” Sinclair

after a moment as I raise my baby to my shoulder and hold him