Alpha Dom and His Human Surrogate

“Ella,” Clavin says, his voice thick with emotion. His hand continues its path, reaching for me, his fingers brushing the velvet sleeve of my gown before I can pull away.

“What,” I whisper, taking a few steps back, wanting space between us. “What was that?”

“I don’t – ”

Before he can finish though, we both turn towards the darkened doorway to the balcony. I instantly recognize the silhouette I see there as my mate’s and breathe out a breath of relief.

I mean it’s not that I think that Calvin or I did anything wrong, or that Calvin was going to hurt me, but whatever passed between us? It was strange.

And suddenly as I remember the pulse that happened last night, when Calvin touched my hand – I want my mate here, now, at my side.

“Is everything all right out here?” Sinclair growls, his voice low and full of the threat that his words don’t carry.

He takes a step forward into the darkness as Calvin takes a step away from me and bows to him, both a formality shown to a king and a display of deference to an Alpha who thinks he might sense a threat to his mate.

“Everything is fine, Dominic,” I say, holding out a hand to him, doing my best to keep my voice light though I suspect I’m failing a little bit. “Prince Calvin was just telling me about his children. Did you know that he has a son just older than Rafe? And his daughter is three.”

on the Atalaxian prince. “Your family keeps such information close to their chest,

confirms, his voice formal and quiet now. “Though, we do share it with our closest friends. And I very

I say, hoping my words assure Calvin that I’m on his side, and to persuade Sinclair that no matter what he sensed, Calvin has not done

know if this is going to be possible,” Sinclair says quietly, his voice grumbling and stern as he stands close at my side, pressing his hands into his pockets and looking Calvin up and down. “Especially after the stunts your delegation has been pulling with Xander. He upset Ella very much

sighs and looks at me, his face genuinely pained. “I was

sighs deeply as he listens, lifting a hand to rub at his

I beg you you to consider that there was and is dissent within our nation. While I’m sure that some of our delegation encouraged Xander and support his

“Then I’d look forward

set it up,” the

clear that that’s his

towards the door. When he reaches it, he clasps Conner on the shoulder and bids him a good night as well, a move that adds another tick in his favor as far as I’m concerned. I quite like it when persons of power make a

knowing that’s less important at this particular moment, I look

ask you the same,” he says, looming over me a bit,

ask, frowning, confused. ” What did I

here, Ella?” Sinclair says, shaking his head at me a little. “Having private conversations

hand towards the

you he wants a change,” Sinclair growls, “to get you on his side. He knows you’re soft hearted!

a finger up into his face. “I may be soft-hearted, Dominic, but that’s something you value about me. You can’t have it both ways – you can’t love that about me and then

that you’d let me take the lead on these things – that you would allow me to take

my instincts, and they’re telling me to trust him. Prince Calvin – he speaks to me and if this is an in with