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 might be a

my human modesty is too deeply ingrained to

definitely not changing in front

is also dressed, though much more formally than I

go downstairs together, Sinclair carrying me despite my protests. My

day, but it isn’t enough to

around the

low, serious voices, and me

not that they exclude

of my depth.

think, Ella?” Sinclair asks, turning

more than half an hour, debating how

to this

lower lip thoughtfully, trying to ignore

nervous habit. Releasing my swollen

happened with Lydia’s husband?I mean

I clarify. When the men

is he in all this? Even if he doesn’t want her anymore,

to be gallivanting around another territory with another

a good point.” Henry praises, maintaining

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

the

motivations,

respond without playing into

all, they’ll be expecting some sort of countermove

but we might be able to spin ourselves out of the

onto them – where

the pack by rustling

approvingly.

hand in support, but when I

think it’s the best

situation just doesn’t

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

you this is all fucked six

feel like

something bothering me and

on it.”

beginning

a political scheme.”

is too unimaginative

and

into a fist and swearing up

isn’t too unimaginative?” Sinclair

faces.

easily. “And while Prince

the type to impulsively destroy one of his

have any reservations about getting the

of the way.”

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

to believe my

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

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

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

attack, you could make the case for rogues or

by Damon. But poison? That’s a

and if it was a political scheme

details in

Damon looking sympathetic.”

agrees. “Instead it just

“If it was planned, then why haven’t they jumped