Accidental Surrogate for Alpha

Ella

I hear Sinclair’s footsteps coming up the stairs just past five, and I realize he must have left work at the earliest available opportunity. I’m not complaining, I’ve been so eager to ask him about Mike ever since the police called me, and as unbelievable as it seems I even find myself missing him the more time we spend apart. I think it must be the pup’s craving to be near its father rather than my own interest, because more often than not I’m nervous or on-edge when we’re together. The one exception is when I go to his rooms at bedtime; I haven’t had a single nightmare since he insisted we begin sleeping together, and I look forward to falling asleep in his strong arms every night.

He comes into my rooms without knocking, offering me a wide smile when he sees me cuddled up in bed.

The doctor gave me strict orders to rest today, and after the exhausting ordeal at the hospital, I actually didn’t mind. “Hello trouble.” Sinclair greets me fondly, taking a seat on the edge of my mattress. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine.” I promise, “No more spotting” I blush, but I figure we have to get used to speaking on such familiar terms about my body. Pregnancy does nothing if not steal one’s sense of modesty, as the most personal bodily functions must be discussed to assess the baby’s health.

“I’m glad.” Sinclair sighs with visible relief. “Have you checked your blood pressure?”

“No, I’ve been distracted.” I admit.

“Tsk, tsk,” He teases, retrieving the home monitoring device from my bedside. “Let’s have your arm, gorgeous.

I wait while he settles the cuff around my bicep and presses the machine’s start button. Once the cuff begins to inflate and pressure increases on my arm, I say, “l got a call from the police today.”

Sinclair keeps a perfectly straight face, as if he doesn’t have the first idea what I’m about to say.”

Oh?”

“It seems that Mike turned himself in this afternoon.

“I share, watching him closely. “He came all the way back from the coast and signed a full confession. He’s going to stand trial.”

Sinclair is busy watching the numbers on the machine, but he manages a distracted smile, “that’s wonderful, Ella.”

I wait for him to say more, but he remains silent, avidly focused on taking my vital signs. “You’re really going to pretend like you had nothing to do with it?” I finally burst.

The machine beeps, and Sinclair frowns, loosening the cuff. “Still too high.” He murmurs, looking back up at me. Sinclair scans my features, taking my cheek in his oversized hand. “Are you still feeling stressed?”

“I’m trying to talk to you about something.” I reply, rather than answering him.

I would have done

“He states simply.

special when you’re anything but. “That might be true.” I murmur,

to do it. That rat deserved a lot worse

shows that he does care, and I decide then and there that l’m going to find a way to thank him – whether

the morning sick to my stomach, reminding myself over and over again that morning sickness is a good sign, and I shouldn’t complain. After my fourth bout of nausea, I take a few pillows and books into the bathroom, setting up a makeshift camp on the cold tiles so that I’m not constantly running back and forth. By the afternoon I feel well enough to go out and about, and I eagerly dress and depart, excited to follow through with

unannounced, but when I arrive the elder Alpha greets me with so much hospitality

you don’t mind me dropping by like

course not, my darling. You’re welcome

replies genially. “l was just about to have a late lunch, please

no, I couldn’t impose.”I

a breeding mother who’s spent the morning indisposed.” He observes wryly.

despite myself. “l see you’re as perceptive as your

prefer it if he did not perceive so much.” The old man

in the sitting room as a

confides. “I expect if I were in your shoes I wouldn’t enjoy having someone read my every thought

his father sets me completely at ease. So at ease in fact that I find the words sliding off

Alpha nonsense.” He

laugh, “you and Dominic really are a pair, you

I’m very proud of my son, you know. And

the people we’re deceiving, Sinclair’s father makes me feel the most ashamed for our lies. “Thank you.” I manage to reply, unable to stop myself from confiding, “we’re both so excited for this baby I’m not sure if we’ve even discussed whether we truly are mates. I mean we’re saying it for the campaign of course, but I hardly

shakes his head firmly. “Trust me, Ella. I know my son, and I know a good match when I see it. You two will

to say he has already done so much for me. I’ve been scrambling for some way to thank him, but I’m afraid I don’t know him well enough to know what he’d like best. I was hoping you might help me

come to the right place.” Henry

surprise did you

am.”I explain, “how excited I am to be having this baby together, for all

is that he has a powerful sweet tooth.” Henry intones. “He doesn’t

giggle, “Really?” It seems so strange that the terrifying Alpha wolf might have a secret vice as wholesome as sugar.