Accidental Surrogate for Alpha novel Chapter 23

Ella

I must have misheard him. He can’t truly mean that he wants me to move into his rooms. Does he really think I’m that much of a baby, that I need constant watching?

“But it was only one dream.” I protest, my voice still shaky, “I swear it’s not a big deal.”

Sinclair purrs again, and I feel my insides melting against my will. “Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t. I just want you to sleep easily.” Before I can stop him, he’s lifting me into my arms.

“Sinclair–” He interrupts me with a growl, and I quickly amend myself, “Dominic this really isn’t necessary. I can sleep on my own.”

“I’m sure you can.” He concedes. “But I want you close.”

“And what about what I want?” The words slip out before I can stop them, and Sinclair pauses, looking down at me with an appraising look.

“And what do you want, Ella?” He asks huskily, his deep voice reverberating down my spine.

“I–” I open my mouth to tell him I want to be alone, in my own space and without his intimidating presence. However somehow I can’t make the words come. Why is it that I can’t seem to stop myself from speaking when I don’t want to, then can’t make myself talk when I do? What is this man doing to me?

Sinclair smirks. “You know the problem, don’t you?” He taunts, and I can only shake my head in reply. “You can’t lie to me. The pup is making you more and more like a wolf, and wolves can’t lie to their Alpha’s, not directly at least.”

The breath seems to evaporate from my lungs, I can’t lie to him? My eyes go wide as I realize the implications of this, and I want to protest that such a thing isn’t fair, people are entitled to their secrets! “But you’re not my Alpha.” I finally protest, my voice sounding very small indeed.

Sinclair cocks a brow. “Aren’t I?” After a beat he continues towards the door, as if this settles the matter. I don’t know why I don’t object further – maybe because he’s clearly made up his mind, maybe because I don’t really want him to change it. I let him carry me out into the hall, flushing scarlet when I see so many guards waiting outside my room. Had all these men heard me screaming like a baby? Surely I hadn’t spoken or said anything while unconscious?

“Do you always have this many guards posted at night?” I squeak.

“This pup is the most important thing to me in the world.” Sinclair responds simply. “You can expect lots of guards to be around from now on.”

Of course. I think, It’s all for the pup. I’m just an afterthought. Will I ever be anything more?

I don’t need to ask Sinclair to know the answer – it’s already painfully obvious: No. In a world of mystically powerful beings like wolves, a human like me could never be anything but an afterthought. The only reason he’s putting up with me at all is the pregnancy. And honestly, the only reason I’m putting up with him is our arrangement… so why does it hurt so much?

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The next morning I wake up to find a maid setting down a room service tray by my bedside, stacked high with my favorite foods. At first the smell of fruit and oatmeal has my stomach growling, but before I can so much as raise a spoon to my lips, a wave of nausea overtakes me. I rush to the bathroom and retch, groaning pitifully.

When I finally finish with the joys of pregnancy, I return to Sinclair’s sprawling, king sized bed. The food which looked so appetizing a moment ago just makes my stomach churn now, but I notice a folded note on the tray. My name is scrawled across the front in the swooping handwriting I now recognize as Sinclair’s.