Accidental Surrogate

The Threat of War Ella We’re able to see the true fallout of Xander’s death as the next few days pass, which are…more stressful than I’d like them to be. Cora, luckily, stays at my side through most of it, knowing that I need her support.

“Well,” she says, lounging in bed with me and flicking through her phone ” you’ll be happy to know that incidents of people calling you a hero outweigh those calling you a murderer three to one by this point!” I sigh and throw a pretzel at my sister, giving her a little glare that she returns with a grin. Both of us are lounging around in pajamas because Sinclair has asked me not to leave our suite until things calm down a bit. Rafe lays peacefully in the blankets between us, gurgling and grabbing at his toes.

“Don’t tease me,” I murmur. “You know I hate this.” “You need to get over it, Ells,” Cora murmurs, returning her attention to her phone. “You care way too much about what people think about you. You did what you did for everyone’s good. People just love to have someone to dogpile on. And like I said, there are way more people on your side than those who are against you, so I think it’s all turning out nicely.” “Easy for you to say,” I sigh. “You’re the martyred duchess whose wedding I ruined.” “I know,” she says, flashing me a wicked grin. “No one’s saying anything bad about me, the poor innocent duchess!” I growl a little and toss another pretzel at her, satisfied when this one bounces off of her head.

Both of us turn towards the door when it opens though, and twin smiles light our faces when both Sinclair and Roger come in.

“Hey!” Cora calls, sitting up and waving to her mate. “Welcome to the slumber party!” “I’m jealous,” Roger says as he and Sinclair cross to us. Roger easily slides onto the bed next to Cora, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. “You three look so comfortable. And cozy.” “Yeah well,” I mutter, leaning against Sinclair as he settles on the bed behind me and drops a kiss to my cheek before leaning forward to tickle Rafe’s belly. The baby giggles eagerly, which makes me smile, just a little. “You wouldn’t be so happy about it, Roger, if you were forced to be cozy because you’re on house arrest. Or suite arrest. Or whatever.” “Well, Ella,” Roger says, looking at me with wide, innocent eyes, a wicked grin starting on his mouth. “I mean, you could always, you know, leap out the window if you’re feeling too contained Cora bursts into laugher as I throw a pretzel at Roger now, hard. But he just snatches it out of the air and pops it into his mouth, grinning at me.

“Settle, settle,” Sinclair says with a sigh, wrapping an arm around my waist and pulling me close against him. He rubs his cheek warmly against my head and passes a great deal of warmth and love down the bond, knowing that I need it. It hasn’t been easy on me, these past few days. Even if Tempest article did a great deal of work to shine the truth on the situation?

Well, I know that it’s rather an understatement that I’ve been living up to my nickname.

“Ready for your update, trouble?” Sinclair asks, planting a kiss on my cheek. “Or do we need to bring you more snacks first, so you have something to temper the anxiety?” “Just tell me,” I sigh, popping another pretzel in my mouth. I have indeed been snacking a lot these past few days. Anxious eating has never really been my thing but…well, I’ve never been the focus of international attention before, have I?

been marked as an extension of that order.” “Wow,” Cora says, her eyebrows going up. “How the hell did you manage that?” “It took some doing,” Roger says, ” dad was behind a lot of it. But, as a result, the role of Queen

King does, and no one who truly understands this situation believes that

bed next to my baby. I close my eyes and breathe in Rafe’s sweet baby scent as he reaches out a pudgy little hand and grasps at my cheek, making me smile just a little bit. “Go

shocked, and my own eyes fly open. “Does this mean,” my sister asks, hesitating, ” that…that we’re at war?” “Not yet,” Sinclair says, his voice serious. “They haven’t declared war. They’re just saying that this is an offense worthy of it. It’s…a bullshit move, and everyone knows it – Xander is barely their citizen. But they’re taking advantage of it, trying to back us into a corner so that we give them whatever they want in exchange for not going to war.” My lips draw into a thin line as I stare at my little baby, my sweet Rafe,

War.

for our world right now,

yet, somehow, I’m at

a warm hand that settles on my hip. I look up at him as he shakes his head. ” It’s not your fault Ella. It would have happened no matter what.” “Do you think that’s true?” I ask, holding my mate’s gaze. “I mean, Prince Calvin confirmed as much, the

can see her

says, her

up, because I want to be

Cora says, her mind clearly working through it. “If that was their plan all along, to force your hand, then why on earth would Calvin tell you it? It gives you all the power to point it out – to pass the blame back to them.” “Well, we don’t have any proof,” I say, giving a little shrug. “It was just…a personal conversation. Nothing written, nothing recorded.” “Still,” she says, looking at Sinclair now with a little frown. “It is…odd. Either there’s something else going on here? Where like, the