Accidental Surrogate

The Crowd’s Approval Ella We move immediately to the grand hall of the palace, where we met our delegates a few nights ago. Sinclair and I wait quietly in a little room off the side of the entrance for everyone from the first room to move to their chairs in the second, where there are already thousands of people waiting. While there was only room in the first chamber for a small selection of our population, the grand hall is much larger.

And it’s packed.

I squeal a little bit with excitement as I peek through a little velvet curtain that covers a window on the door, excited to see so many people gathered to celebrate with us. I lift Rafe so he can see too, but then I feel a hand on my shoulder and turn to see my sister’s beaming face.

“Ella!” she laughs as I squeal and wrap my free arm around her. She wraps her arms tight around me, rocking me back and forth. “I’m so happy for you both,” she murmurs into my shoulder, laughing a little. ” Unanimous! It’s unprecedented!” “Happy for all of us!” I laugh, pulling back to grin at her a little. Rafe reaches for her, happy, and Cora gives him a kiss and a cuddle, but doesn’t take him from me. Not yet.

I glance behind Cora to see Roger happy at Sinclair’s side, their father with them. They’re speaking with a couple of the Royal aids, who are showing them something on an ipad.

“What is that?” I ask.

footage from outside,” Cora says, still smiling. “It’s crazy out there, Ella. The streets are filled.” “Oh,” I say, my expression suddenly falling with worry as I glance towards the door. “Is that…safe?” “No, the crowds are all really happy,” Cora says, her eyebrows going up. There aren’t a ton of humans, but those who are there are celebrating.” She takes a moment to smile at me softly. ” They’ve done a lot of analysis and polling, Ella, and they say that the humans were largely convinced to support Sinclair’s reign because of you.” “What?” I ask, confused. I mean – I haven’t even been in the public eye for long – “Yeah,” she says, nodding eagerly.

now. “It’s real, Ella. Wolves and humans

I mean I want the people to know that I love them and I’m going to help them. But beloved? That just seems- “Ready?” Sinclair says, coming over and looking between Cora and

“Just because you don’t get a crown.” “It’s true,” he sighs, pretending grief. “I just get a stupid necklace.” “It’s a livery collar,” Cora sighs, rolling her eyes and moving to his side, looping her arm in his. “If you call it a necklace again I’m going to smack you.” “If we kill them now,” Roger says in a false stage whisper, loud enough for us to hear, “we can take it all, Cora!” Cora and I burst out laughing at this clear joke, but Sinclair just glares at his brother and shoves him on his shoulder. “Don’t even think about it, Rog,” he growls. “You don’t want the work.” “Truth, brother,” Roger says, clapping Sinclair cheerfully on the shoulder. “Your life is safe with me.” “Boys?” Henry says, rolling over and looking sternly up at his sons. “If you’re done kidding around? We have a coronation to

after all. Sinclair will go first, and then me second, and then Cora will take Rafe and she, Roger, and Henry will go down the long aisle to the front of the room, where the thrones sit. It’s all been

that they deserve. And I agree with him – as much

all

aids are waiting to give him any final briefs. I exhale a deep breath and stand behind him, passing Rafe to Cora after giving him a kiss on the cheek. The baby grumbles a little but goes to her and I spread my hands down over my velvet dress, hoping to hell that I’m not all

pulse begins to speed up as the

deliberately into the room to walk down the long aisle to the throne he has claimed with

not letting the people see me yet – as was planned – and, when the count reaches the two-minute mark – meaning that Sinclair has reached the throne – the aids wave at me, signaling me