Surrogate For Alpha Dom

Ella

Hugo, Sinclair and I are all staring at the television with wide eyes and slack jaws,

unable to process the images flitting across the screen. It seems like every time we

manage to take a few steps forward, Lydia and the Prince find a way to send us

reeling back – and this is no exception.

“This doesn’t make any sense.” Hugo expresses, obviously overwhelmed. “Why would

he risk losing the pack’s sympathy by parading around another Woman so soon after

his wife’s death?”

“Trust me, Hugo – Damon isn’t the one calling the shots here. This is all Lydia.”

Sinclair states gruffly. “She’s going to force her way onto the throne one way or

another. Right now she’s playing the doting friend, but mark my words, by the time the

election ends she’ll be in his bed.”

“How bad is this?’ I ask, looking up at Sinclair’s handsome face, “Does she have

information that could hurt you?”

Sinclair Squeezes my shoulders, “She knows some secrets.” He relates, “but luckily

nothing I could imagine as a smoking gun. In fact most of what she knows would be

more harmful to the Prince things like my father’s attack, Things the public believes

were accidents but our private investigators proved malicious.” His mouth flattens into

a hard line. “The real danger is that she knows how we think, how we operate. Not to

mention that the Prince doesn’t have more than two brain cells to rub together, but

Lydia has plenty.”

“So what do we do?” I ask anxiously, my head replaying the news reel over and over

again. “My bed rest isn’t common knowledge, and they’re making it sound like my

absence from the public eye is suspicious. Do we tell everyone about my condition?

Or do we make an appearance?”

“I’m afraid making an appearance might play right into their hands. This could be

some sort of attempt to lure us out of hiding.” Hugo advises, looking very grim indeed.

In the distance I hear the front door open and close – a fact which comes as quite a

surprise, since my hearing has never been so sharp before.

Wheels roll over the door jam, and then Henry’s voice floats up toward us, “Good

Morning!”

“Henry!” I exclaim, both taken aback yet unsurprised we stayed in bed so long.

Sinclair’s father has been coming over almost every day since we agreed to be

invalids together, and he’s been an invaluable help, since I learned my true identity.

some loungewear and disappear into the restroom to change. I might be

my human modesty is too deeply ingrained

Sinclair does – and I’m definitely

dressed, though much more formally than I

downstairs together, Sinclair carrying me despite my protests.

more and more every day, but it

We all gather around the breakfast table, the men analyzing

serious voices, and me

can’t begin to understand. It’s not that they exclude me,

of my depth.

Sinclair asks, turning his blazing emerald eyes

going around in circles for more than

respond to

lower lip thoughtfully, trying to ignore the flash of emotion

Releasing

Lydia’s husband?I mean the Princess is

other Alpha, right?” I clarify. When the men nod,

Even if he doesn’t want her anymore,

be gallivanting around another territory with another

a good point.” Henry praises, maintaining a

giving out false compliments. “Maybe we’ve

this the

of trying to understand their motivations,

corrupt and respond without playing into their

they’ll be expecting some sort of countermove to challenge the

spin ourselves out of the hot seat and refocus

– where

and distract the pack by

nods approvingly. “Good idea,

support, but when I look over, his features

don’t like it. I think it’s the best

situation just doesn’t seem

not.” Hugo scoffs, “You don’t

you this is all fucked six ways to

I mean, I feel

“Therę’s something bothering me and

on it.”

been saying from the beginning that

political scheme.”

the Prince is too unimaginative to

and then he clenches them

fist and swearing

know who isn’t too unimaginative?” Sinclair growls,

faces.

Prince Damon

not the type to impulsively destroy one

Lydia wouldn’t have any reservations about

of the way.”

you saying what I think you are?”

to believe

other explanation do we have?” Sinclair inquires, rising

and forth behind the dining table. “If the Prince had lost

wouldn’t question it. And if there was some

you could make the case for rogues or vengeance

poison? That’s a woman’s

scheme you would think the

her death and spun the details in a way that

Damon looking sympathetic.”

it just

planned, then why haven’t they