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.”

know,” Sinclair says, prowling to my side, his eyes fixed on the Atalaxian prince. “Your family keeps such information close

friends. And I very much

Calvin that I’m on his side, and to persuade Sinclair

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

face genuinely pained. “I

Xander’s approach, his refusal to look me in the eye. Calvin sighs deeply as he listens, lifting a hand to rub at his eyes

beg you you to consider that there was and is dissent within our nation. While I’m sure that some

“Then I’d look forward

up,” the prince

his mouth, clear

and bids him a good night as well, a move that adds another tick in his

at this particular moment, I look up at Sinclair. “Is everything

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

frowning, confused. ” What did

head at me a

Dominic!” I say, waving a hand towards the door. “He wants

wants a change,” Sinclair growls, “to get you on his side. He knows you’re soft hearted! He told you about his children who we don’t even know exist – in order

I snap, pointing 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 use it as a

nods his head. “All right, that’s fair,” he murmurs. ” But Ella, we agreed that you’d let me take the lead on these things – that you would allow me to take care of you, to

won’t. But last night you told me to trust my instincts, and they’re telling me to trust him. Prince Calvin – he speaks to me and if this is an in with the Atalaxians? A way to create an alliance, to avoid war, to perhaps even help some