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.

the restroom to change. I

deeply ingrained to allow me to

I’m definitely not changing in front

Sinclair is also dressed, though much

together, Sinclair carrying

and more every day, but it isn’t enough to

gather around the breakfast table, the men

low, serious voices, and

to understand. It’s not that

of my depth.

Ella?” Sinclair asks, turning his blazing

in circles for more than half an hour,

to this

trying to

Releasing

with Lydia’s husband?I mean the Princess is

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

is he in all this? Even if he doesn’t want her anymore, it must make him

her to be gallivanting around another territory

good point.” Henry praises, maintaining

he’s not giving out false compliments. “Maybe we’ve

this the

understand their motivations, we can

respond without

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

spin ourselves out of the hot seat

– where

them busy and distract the pack

approvingly.

support, but when I

think it’s the best hope we have,

situation just

Hugo scoffs, “You don’t need

tell you this is all fucked six ways

feel like

bothering me

on it.”

you’ve been saying from the beginning that

scheme.”

the Prince is too unimaginative to have

imperceptibly, and then he clenches them shut,

hand into a fist and swearing

too unimaginative?” Sinclair growls, scanning our

faces.

Henry supplies easily. “And while Prince Damon might have

a trophy, he’s not the type to impulsively destroy one

wouldn’t have any reservations about getting

of the way.”

saying what I think you are?” I gape, both certain

believe

as it seems, what other explanation do we have?” Sinclair

the dining table. “If the Prince had lost

beat her to death, I wouldn’t question it. And if

case for rogues or vengeance for

But poison? That’s a

it was a political scheme you would think the

in a way that benefitted

Damon looking sympathetic.”

it just

Sinclair confirms. “If it was planned, then why haven’t they