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.

into the restroom to change. I

modesty is too deeply ingrained to allow me to

– and I’m definitely not

is also dressed, though much

Sinclair carrying me despite

day, but it isn’t enough to free

We all gather around the

serious voices, and me feeling

It’s not that they exclude me, I just

of my depth.

Ella?” Sinclair asks,

more than half an hour, debating

to this

lip thoughtfully, trying

nervous habit. Releasing my swollen lip, I

husband?I mean the Princess

right?” I clarify. When the men nod,

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

for her to be gallivanting around another territory with

Henry praises, maintaining a straight-faced expression

out false

the

of trying to understand their motivations, we can

without playing into their

sort

to spin ourselves out of the

– where it

and distract the pack

nods approvingly.

in support, but when

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

this entire situation just

of course not.” Hugo scoffs, “You don’t need

you this is all fucked

I feel like I’m

“Therę’s something bothering me and I just can’t put my

on it.”

beginning that

a political scheme.” I

Prince is too unimaginative to have

and

hand into a fist and swearing up a storm.

isn’t too unimaginative?” Sinclair growls, scanning

faces.

easily. “And while Prince

the type to impulsively

But Lydia wouldn’t have any reservations about getting

of the way.”

saying what I think you are?” I gape, both certain I’ve understood and

believe

what other explanation do we have?”

and pacing back and forth behind the dining table. “If the Prince

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

could make the case for rogues or vengeance

Damon. But poison? That’s

scheme you would think the royal

spun the details in a way that

Damon looking sympathetic.”

“Instead it just seems…

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