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

modesty is too deeply ingrained to allow me to strut around

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

is also dressed, though much more formally than

Sinclair carrying me despite my protests.

and more every day, but

around the

low, serious voices, and me feeling like an outsider

I can’t begin to understand. It’s not that they

of my depth.

Ella?” Sinclair asks, turning his blazing emerald

in circles for more

to this

on my lower lip thoughtfully, trying

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

Lydia’s husband?I mean the Princess is

other Alpha, right?” I clarify. When the

he doesn’t want her anymore, it must make him

be gallivanting around another

point.” Henry praises, maintaining a

me that he’s not giving out false compliments.

the wrong

of trying to understand their motivations, we can simply leave it at

without playing into their

expecting some sort of countermove to

might be able to spin ourselves out of the

– where

busy and distract the pack by rustling up her husband

approvingly. “Good idea,

my hand in support, but when I

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

situation

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

tell you this is

I mean, I feel like I’m missing

something bothering me

on it.”

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

a political scheme.”

the Prince is too unimaginative to have

imperceptibly, and

fist and

who isn’t too unimaginative?” Sinclair growls,

faces.

Prince Damon might have

the type to impulsively destroy one of his

Lydia wouldn’t have any reservations about getting

of the way.”

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

believe

other explanation do we have?”

forth behind the

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

attack, you could make the case for rogues or vengeance

poison? That’s

a political scheme you would think the royal family would

and spun the details in

Damon looking sympathetic.”

agrees. “Instead it

planned, then why haven’t they