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

ingrained to allow

does – and I’m definitely not changing in front of

dressed, though much more formally than

Sinclair carrying

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

gather around the breakfast

in low, serious voices, and

can’t begin to understand. It’s not that they exclude me, I just feel so

of my depth.

you think, Ella?” Sinclair asks,

for more than half an

respond to this

on my lower lip thoughtfully, trying

he observes the nervous habit. Releasing my swollen

husband?I mean the Princess is dead,

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

he

to be gallivanting around

point.” Henry praises, maintaining a straight-faced expression

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

the wrong

their motivations, we can

respond without playing into their

some sort of countermove to challenge

ourselves out of the hot seat and

them – where

the pack by

nods approvingly. “Good

but when I

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

this entire situation just doesn’t seem

not.” Hugo scoffs, “You don’t need to convene a

is all fucked six

mean, I feel like I’m

replies drying. “Therę’s something bothering me and I just can’t put

on it.”

beginning that Princess Angeline’s death

a political scheme.”

Prince is too unimaginative to have orchestrated.”

eyes widen almost imperceptibly, and then he

into a fist and swearing up

who isn’t too unimaginative?”

faces.

supplies easily. “And while Prince Damon might have seen his

more than a trophy, he’s not the type

Lydia wouldn’t have any reservations about getting the Princess

of the way.”

you are?”

believe

it seems, what other explanation do we

behind the dining table. “If the Prince

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

you could make the case for rogues or vengeance for

Damon. But poison? That’s a woman’s

it was a political scheme you would

the details in a way that benefitted the campaign

Damon looking sympathetic.”

agrees. “Instead it

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