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.

because of you.” “What?” I ask, confused. I mean – I

it’s all for Sinclair – ” “No,” she says, serious now. “It’s real, Ella. Wolves and humans

to help them. But beloved? That just seems- “Ready?” Sinclair says, coming over and looking between Cora

Roger laughs, ” She’s been waiting to get her hands on that crown for weeks now.” “Don’t be jealous, Roger,” I say, raising my chin at him and pretending to be haughty. “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

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

gravity that they deserve. And I agree with him – as much as our family likes to joke around and tease, I know that in our hearts we’re all determined to show the people of our nation the respect they

we all pull

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

in line behind me with Henry and my pulse begins to speed up as the door before us opens and I hear the crowd

and then moves forward, moving slowly and deliberately into the room to walk down

the edge of the door, 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 –