Accidental Surrogate

Ella Immediately, I tear myself away from him. “What!?” I gasp, appalled at the idea.

His face falls in horror, in disappointment. “Ella, I – ” But I don’t say another word to him. Instead, I spin and hurry back into the dining room as fast as I can. Conner, seeing me coming, is immediately on his feet, a growl in his throat.

“What’s wrong,” he snaps as I press myself to his side, his arm going instinctually around me, protecting me. “What did he do?” “Nothing,” I breathe, glancing back at Calvin who looks at me with a hand over his mouth, as if he could cup the words he just said into his palm and shove them back down his throat. “Can we just…can we go home?” “Did he touch you!?” Conner snaps, looking at me, appalled.

“No, Conner!” I say, my voice breaking as I look up at him a little desperately.

“It’s fine – it’s all fine! Can we just go!?” His eyes sweep over me as his growl intensifies, but when he sees that I really am all right he’s immediately in action, moving me quickly to a fire exit next to the elevator and hastily pushing open the door, ushering me quickly down the set of stairs as he lifts his phone to his ear, calling the car and telling it to be ready right now.

The hostess gasps a little as we burst out of the staircase, but Conner ignores her as he ushers me out of the restaurant and over to our car, which immediately pulls up to the curve.

My whole body is still shaking with the intensity of the last few minutes. It might even be trembling harder now, because while I started to tremble because of whatever thing is between Calvin and I, I’m starting to shake harder now as I try to work through the implications of this.

“Luna,” Conner says, his voice worried as he helps me duck into the car and then climbs in after me, shutting the door. “Are you all right!?” “Um,” I say, looking up at him, wrapping my arms around myself.

His eyes go wide when I don’t immediately say “yes.” Frantic, he barks at the driver to go and then slips off his jacket and wraps it tightly around my shoulders, using his hands to chafe at my arms, trying to warm me up. And while honestly it does nothing – I mean, I’m not actually cold.

– I appreciate his efforts, his desire to help.

lean into my friend a little just a little, murmuring a thank-you as I pull the jacket tight around me and tumble into my

Mate!

I shake my head, trying to figure it out. Because Sinclair – I know he’s my mate, my fated mate, and that what we have is so much deeper than just a chosen mate. I mean, our connection, our finding each other, our family – it was fated, envisioned for us even

I bite my lip

had a fated mate before me. And it hadn’t been a good fit but they had been sure: the bond was there, she was his fated mate, and

it make sense that I

agony of the idea, leaning my head against Conner,

The driver glances back at my bodyguard with wide

be home, with my mate and

Right. Now.

gets me home, helping me out of the car in the garages below the palace and escorting me through the halls. But as we approach my door I lift a hand, placing it flat on his

I murmur, stopping and starting to shrug

very short space between us and the door to my suite

you’re our Luna, and our Queen – I’d do anything for you -” “And I’m very grateful for that,” I say, handing his jacket back to him. “But Sinclair is going to be…volatile this evening,” I say, my lips pressing into a thin line. “And

did that asshole do to

for twenty-four hours or so.” Conner laughs a little, but he also goes a little pale. “All right,” he murmurs, nodding. Then he looks again at the door to my room. “Are you sure you – ” “I can walk ten feet by myself, Conner,” I say, rolling my eyes a little, and I hear him laugh as I wave over my

dark, which makes sense, because it’s very late now, and the baby is asleep – “Ella?” Sinclair asks, and I don’t even jump as my eyes move to where he’s sitting in a chair by the window, fully dressed, clearly waiting for me. He stands, already intuiting that something’s

sigh, pressing the door shut