Accidental Surrogate

Friendship Across Boundaries Ella I ignore the soft growl that rumbles from the doorway, though Calvin glances briefly in that direction.

“No, Calvin,” I say, shaking my head softly. “We did a little bit of research this afternoon. And I’m sorry to say it if it makes you sad, but you’re not my mate.” “What?” he breathes, confused, his eyebrows knitting together. “But – ” “Why do you think you are?” I ask, honestly conflicted now.

And Calvin sweetly and awkwardly blushes, looking down at the carpet. ” My wolf is…pretty convinced, Ella,” he murmurs, probably fully aware that the words are enough to set Sinclair off again.

“Really?” I ask, pushing now,” Because my wolf – she says that you’re important to me, but she wasn’t sure enough to give it the name mate. And everyone else I’ve asked, Calvin…they were sure. Is your wolf absolutely positive?” He sighs now, looking down at his hands as he perhaps consults with his wolf inside. “It’s…the strongest connection I’ve ever felt, Ella,” he murmurs. “With anyone. Is it…is it not enough? Even if my wolf feels a little bit of doubt, and can’t give you a certain yes?” And suddenly my heart breaks for this man who I realize is…lonely. Who had an arranged marriage to a woman I’m not sure he loves, who is surrounded by a Kingdom full of people whose deepest beliefs he at least doubts, if not outright disbelieves. Calvin – he saw the bond between us and he grasped at it desperately, wanting it.

Wanting the different life I potentially offered one with love in it, and a new world full of different ideas.

My heart – it absolutely breaks for him, and down the bond I feel Sinclair’s own pity as he feels my emotions along with me.

But still I can’t love him just because he wants me to. I have a mate whom I love very, very much.

“Maybe it would be enough,” I say softly, “in a different time, a different… life.

But Calvin, we asked and had it confirmed. You’re not my mate – I only have one. And it’s Dominic.” Calvin looks up at me now, his face twisted in confusion. “Who on earth would you ask about that?” “Well,” I say, smiling a little bit. ” She’s not precisely on earth -” Ella, Dominic says down our bond in warning. Because the Atalaxians – they don’t know anything about my divine origins right now, or at least we don’t think they do. We honestly don’t know how much Xander told him, but since they didn’t bring it my or Cora’s powers in the peace talks as a negotiating point, we’re assuming Xander kept any knowledge of or lineage and our gifts to himself.

deserves to know, Dominic, I reply as Calvin

Calvin?” I ask quietly, leaning forward and raising

little pulse of truth down…down what I can only assume is a new bond between myself and this prince. My lips part in surprise as Calvin stares at me in confusion, feeling it too, and then I feel almost a sigh down my bond with

Goddess being my biological mother, and contacting her today, and everything she said

end of it, Calvin stares at me

Sinclair lets out another low growl from the doorway, letting Calvin know that he needs to watch himself, but I ignore him,

that pulse between us. Until the glow forms between our hands, eventually raising sparks in the air. We both stare at it

door. “I’m sorry… I realize what I did was selfish, and hasty, and it likely caused you a great deal of stress.” “Stop,” I say, scootching forward across the couch now so that we sit close together. “Calvin, you have nothing to be embarrassed about – ” He huffs a laugh, looking down into his lap. “I was ready to leave my wife, Ella,” he murmurs, “to leave my entire country behind-” “No,” I interrupt, and he looks up to see me shaking my head. “You’d have gone home, Calvin. For your children. And eventually, you would have figured out that what’s between us? It’s special, but it’s friendship. And you’d have been

arms, glaring at both of us. Rafe lets out a little happy squeal and waves his hand, clearly choosing to respond to my emotions instead of his father’s.

should go,” Calvin murmurs, starting

so much left here we need to explore – “Yes,” Sinclair and Calvin say at once, making

hands up and admitting when I’ve been

that. The Goddess has wrought a bond between us, though it may be a mystery why for a long, long time.” “And you’ll always have a friend in Atalaxia, though I may be the only one,” he says with a little shrug. Then he looks over

a hand on his shoulder, feeling the little pulse pass through me like a zap of electricity. Calvin grins at me a little when he feels it

so I take my