Accidental Surrogate for Alpha novel Chapter 137

Ella

My grief keeps me awake far longer than I’m sure I could have managed otherwise. I’m alone, so I don’t bother trying to quiet my keening, wailing my despair into the night air. I’m not sure how long it will take for the shift to take hold, but I pray that the violent transformation will generate enough heat and energy to allow me to survive. The possibility that it might fail seeps into my mind and suddenly I wonder if I should have just let myself fall asleep, rather than meeting my end in agony.

Oh Goddess, I should have taken the herb hours ago. I think woefully. Now it’s probably too late.

This thought only makes me cry harder, but there’s also a growing kernel of warmth in my belly, pulsing inside me and radiating the strangest sensations through my body. Suddenly the entire forest explodes into a cacophony of sound – chirping crickets, croaking frogs, the low hoot of an owl, and other things I can scarcely recognize. I can hear small animals scurrying below the snowpack, and the sound of the wind rustling through the trees for miles away. It’s too overwhelming, and I’m amazed by the images that appear in my mind, explaining each sound with a clarity I couldn’t have possibly imagined. It’s almost as though I can see sound… and I realize this must be how it is for wolves all the time. The herb is working.

Then I hear something else, pounding footprints crunching through the snow. “No! No, no, no.” I moan desperately, my mind slowly piecing together the puzzle of information. If I hear footsteps it means… it means either Sinclair or the Prince has finally caught up with me. Either way… I’m going to be found imminently, which means I didn’t have to take the herb after all. I find the strength to push my body up on my hands and knees, sticking my fingers down my throat and trying to make myself vomit… to undo the horrible mistake.

That’s how Sinclair found me a few minutes later, sobbing and gagging, begging the Goddess to take back my rash actions. “Ella!” He shouts, racing towards me. “Oh thank the stars.” His voice pierces my skull at a terrifying volume, and I clamp my hands over my ears, crying out.

“Ella, it’s okay, I’m here.” Sinclair assures me, misunderstanding my pain. His voice is still too loud, but the pain in my heart is even more excruciating than the pain in my head.

“No,” I cry again, my chest heaving. “No, you… You’re t-too la -late.”

Sinclair crashes onto his knees in the snow beside me, wearing head to toe tactical gear that no doubt kept him perfectly warm through his own alpine trek. His arms reach for me, but I jerk away from him, my adrenaline spiking again now that my baby’s life is in unnecessary danger. I’m crying so hard I can’t catch my breath, but I still can’t make myself vomit. The surreal power swirling in my stomach only grows stronger, and I know there’s no reversing this. I jerk my head to Sinclair, and he reels back when he sees my wide, glowing eyes.

“I thought… I thought I was dying.” I try to explain, my words coming out babbled and slurred. “I didn’t th-think… I had… a ch-choice.”

Understanding makes Sinclair’s brilliant green eyes go wide with alarm and pain. He swears under his breath, looking over his shoulder at his second in command. “We need an extraction right now. Call for a chopper.” I hear the man pulling out his phone and the dial tone is as loud as a blaring fog horn.

I’m shaking my head as Sinclair reaches for me again, my words unintelligible in the height of my anguish. “It’s okay, baby. It’s gonna be okay.” Sinclair croons, dragging me into his embrace even though I fight tooth and nail. “Come on, let’s get you warm.” He unzips his coat and pulls me against his overheated body before zipping it up again.

The man on the phone is speaking now, giving our location, and I’m amazed to discover I can detect the pilot’s voice just as easily. Sinclair’s heart beat is pounding against my ear, and the sounds of his men’s hearts and breath fill my head as well. “Too loud.” I whimper, “It’s too loud.”