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

modesty is too deeply ingrained to allow me

and I’m definitely not changing

dressed, though much more formally

go downstairs together, Sinclair carrying

and more every day, but it

around the breakfast table, the men analyzing these

serious voices, and me feeling

not that they exclude me,

of my depth.

asks, turning his

for more than

to this

gnaw on my lower lip thoughtfully, trying to ignore the flash of emotion

Releasing my swollen lip, I sigh,

with Lydia’s husband?I mean the Princess is

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

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

her to be gallivanting around another

point.” Henry praises, maintaining

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

this the wrong

motivations, we

corrupt and respond without playing

they’ll be expecting some sort of countermove to

be able to spin ourselves out

them –

them busy and distract the pack by rustling up her husband

Hugo nods approvingly. “Good

in support, but when I look over, his

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

situation just doesn’t

not.” Hugo scoffs, “You

this is

mean, I feel

“Therę’s something bothering me and I just

on it.”

saying from the beginning that Princess Angeline’s death felt

a political scheme.”

is too unimaginative

eyes widen almost imperceptibly, and then he clenches them

into a fist and swearing up a

who isn’t too unimaginative?”

faces.

Prince Damon might have

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

any reservations

of the way.”

what I think you are?”

believe

it seems, what other explanation do we have?”

forth behind the dining table. “If the Prince had

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

make the case for rogues or vengeance

poison? That’s a woman’s

it was a political scheme you would think the royal

her death and spun the details in a way

Damon looking sympathetic.”

“Instead it

“If it was planned, then why haven’t