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.

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

human modesty is too deeply ingrained to allow me to

I’m definitely not changing in front of

emerge, Sinclair is also dressed, though

Sinclair carrying me

improving more and more every day, but it

all gather around the breakfast

and me feeling like

It’s not that they exclude me, I just

of my depth.

Sinclair asks, turning his blazing emerald

more than

respond to

gnaw on my lower lip thoughtfully, trying to ignore the

as he observes the nervous habit. Releasing my swollen lip,

mean the Princess

I clarify.

Even if he doesn’t want her anymore, it must make

her to be gallivanting around another territory with

praises, maintaining a

out false

the wrong

understand their motivations,

corrupt and respond without playing

some sort of countermove to challenge

be able to spin ourselves out of the

onto them – where

them busy and distract the pack

Hugo nods approvingly.

squeezes my hand in support, but when I look over, his

with worry.”I still don’t like it. I think it’s the best

this entire situation just doesn’t seem

“You don’t need to convene

this is all fucked six ways to

I feel like

replies drying. “Therę’s something bothering me and I just

on it.”

saying from the beginning that Princess Angeline’s death felt off

a political scheme.” I

Prince is too unimaginative

and then he

and

too unimaginative?” Sinclair growls, scanning our

faces.

while Prince Damon might have seen his mate

than a trophy, he’s not the type

wouldn’t have any reservations about

of the way.”

are?” I gape,

to believe my

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

back and forth behind the dining table. “If

I wouldn’t question it. And if there was some sort

make the case

by Damon. But poison? That’s

was a political scheme you would think the

and spun the details in a way that benefitted the

Damon looking sympathetic.”

it

confirms. “If it was planned, then why