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.

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,

I’m sure you’re exaggerating – it’s all for Sinclair – ” “No,” she says, serious now. “It’s real, Ella. Wolves and humans alike – they love you.” I look at the floor a little, blushing harder – and I find that even as I desperately hope that it’s true, I

That just seems- “Ready?” Sinclair says, coming over and looking between Cora and

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

looks down at me, and I nod, letting him know that I’m ready. We rehearsed this all, after all. Sinclair will go first, and then me second, and then Cora will take Rafe and she, Roger, and Henry will

the world see us as dignified, serious people who take our responsibilities with 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

collectively, we all

to my lips and then moves to the door, where his 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.

Henry and my pulse begins to speed up as the door before us opens and I hear

forward, moving slowly and deliberately into the room to walk down the long aisle to the throne he

aids smile at me, waving me gently forward. I move just to 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 – the aids wave at me, signaling me