Accidental Surrogate

Plans in Motion Ella “So you two,” Cora says, flicking her gaze between Roger and Sinclair, ” you’re all right now? After fifteen minutes, it’s all cleared up?” Sinclair shrugs. “We kept it pretty cut and dry. He’s on probation.” “No, I’m not,” Roger murmurs, dismissive, shaking his head to Cora.

“He is,” Sinclair growls. Roger just leans down, pretending to whisper in Cora’s ear but speaking loud enough for all of us to hear, “probation doesn’t mean anything. But it made him happy to slap a word on the lack of consequences.” Cora laughs, her face turned up to her mate, and I bite my lip to stifle my own giggle, wanting to be loyal to Sinclair, who just sighs behind me.

“Either way,” Sinclair says, moving on. “Congratulations, Cora,” he says, his focus on her now and his voice sincere. “I’m very happy for you – for both of you. It’s a big event.” “Thank you, Dominic,” Cora says, smiling at him softly and turning her head to the side, clearly touched. I beam at my sister as well. It’s not that I’ve let her off the hook for keeping the baby name a secret when I want to know so terribly badly – but? Well. I’ll bug her about it later.

“We are sorry though,” Cora says, reaching up to take Roger’s hand. “I know that…the wedding meant a lot to you, and that it was going to do good things for the nation. But…” she bites her lip, hesitating, and I can tell that she feels selfish. I open my mouth to protest against this but she continues before I can start. “But – I needed it to be like this, to be personal. I hope that you’ll forgive me.” “There’s nothing to forgive, Cora,” Sinclair murmurs, smiling at her warmly. “I completely understand you’ve done nothing wrong.” And quite suddenly, something comes to me. “Cora,” I say, turning my head to the side and leaning forward. “Does.. anyone else know? About your mark, or your little personal ceremony, besides us four?” She frowns at me, confused. “Well, no,” she says quietly. “I mean, neither of us really have social media or anything -” “Or any friends,” Roger murmurs, a little chagrined, which makes me laugh.

They don’t need friends, they have us!

“Well then,” I say, a big smile breaking out on my face. “Would you consider… doing it anyway?” “What?” Cora asks, confused.

“Well, if no one knows,” I say, my smile growing – because this could work!

“Why not just have the wedding/ mating ceremony publicly, like we thought of before?” “Oh!” she says, surprised, and then she starts to laugh, I think a little inspired by the idea. But then she realizes that she already has her mating mark and her fingers go to it, brushing it “We could get makeup artists to cover it up,” I suggest with a little shrug. ” I’m sure they can do it – they do magical things in the movies.” “Um,” Cora says, looking up at Roger, who just gives her a simple shrug, clearly communicating that it’s her choice. And then she grins, turning back to me.

“Really?” she says, “You think it would work? And – and it would help you?” “It really would, Cora,” Sinclair says warmly behind me. “I think it’s precisely the message we want to send to both our people and some of our honored guests:

think…it will be fun!” “I’m going to mark this side this time,” Roger murmurs, drawing a finger down the opposite side of her throat and shoulder. “See if I like how it looks any better…” She scowls and swats his hand

throw them

take care of the baby and begin to make my plans. He scolds me for it every morning, telling me I need my sleep or that I should wake him up to help but every morning I brush

the same way about him and I’m happy he gets to sleep an extra hour while I take care of things. He needs

in some ways, of the cold, brooding, discerning business man I met at the beginning of all of this. In some ways I lost track of that man I fell in love with in all of our odd

our life comes back together to resemble what it looked

see flashes of him come back. And it’s not that he’s lost the sides of him that he’s shown to me over the past months but…well, he’s just more

I love

for the governors to ratify the claim, and the packs to demonstrate their support by paying fealty at the coronation. It’s all gone

excited about the delegation from Vanara including King Gabriel – but

thing I’m most worried about predictably is that the Atalaxians have

best to spend a little time every day with Sarah and Jessica, usually in the evenings, bringing Rafe with me to chat and play. They’re thriving now, and I think that they’re happy and excited about the future that they’re building for themselves but… Well, I haven’t had the heart to tell them that Xander is in Atalaxia, and that they’re sending a delegation. It’s not that I’m keeping it from them – if they asked, I’d tell them in a minute, of course. But they’re safe here, and moving forward, and I don’t want Sarah to have to worry about the past unless

putting it off, and she keeps not asking so…we’re at a happy little stalemate,

one night, laying naked with my belly pressed to his, a little sweaty and still