Accidental Surrogate for Alpha novel Chapter 86

Sinclair

The world is fuzzy when I wake.

I sit up, instantly on edge. My wolf knows something is wrong, not that this is any great feat of instinct. I don’t recognize my surroundings, and I have no recollection of falling asleep. The last thing I remember is being at the ‘have a drink with the Alpha’ event and talking about fatherhood with my constituents.

How much time has passed? I wonder, my thoughts trapped in a strange fog. I feel hungover, but I can’t imagine I had enough alcohol to render me in such a state. It’s already light out, and why do I smell…

“Lydia!” I exclaim, scanning the space for my ex-wife. The entire room reeks of her, and belatedly I realize we’re in a hotel. I can sense her presence in the other room, but as I slide from bed I realize I’m completely naked.

She appears in the doorway of the bathroom, leaning against the frame. She’s wearing my dress shirt from last night. It’s unbuttoned from collar to hem, making it clear that she’s nude underneath. I’m sure she intended it to give me tantalizing flashes of her tan skin, but I feel no attraction for her at all. My wolf is roaring in my head, my hackles raising defensively when Lydia flashes her fangs in a lethal grin. “Good morning, lover.”

“What have you done?” I snarl, not bothering to hide my outrage and disgust. Slowly, so slowly I feel furious with my own dull wits, a picture is forming in my mind. The puzzle pieces are slowly clicking into place. I feel so groggy, achy and nauseous, not because I’m hungover, but because I was drugged.

That metallic taste in my drink. I realize angrily, wishing I’d had the sense to walk out of the pub the moment I realized something was off. I glance again to the windows, realizing it must be morning already. I have no memory of last night and no way of knowing what I did in my drugged state. Did she give me something that unhinged me enough that I would actually sleep with her? Did I make a scene when I left the bar?

“Dominic, I haven’t done anything!” Lydia exclaims, looking offended. “Don’t you remember? We ran into each other after your event last night. I guess without your little pet hanging on your arm you were finally able to remember why we’re so good together.”

Ella! I think suddenly. I promised her I’d be home in time for dinner, she must be so worried! “Where’s my phone?” I demand sharply.

Lydia’s mouth drops open, and some of her haughtiness sleeps away. “Seriously?!” She bursts out, “that’s all it takes, one mention of the little bitch and you just forget I exist?”

Without thinking, I lunge for Lydia, my claws and fangs extended, my shoulders shaking with the effort of holding off the urge to shift. I stop myself short of reaching for her, though my wolf is sorely tempted. “Don’t you ever talk about Ella that way. In fact, keep her name and any other foul nicknames you come up with, out of your mouth completely.”

“What are you doing?” Lydia sputters, flinching and backing away from me. “I’m your mate. You can’t…. This isn’t…”

“You think I can’t threaten you? You think I can’t hurt you if you endanger my family?” I snap. “You aren’t my mate anymore, Lydia, and you weren’t ever worthy of being Luna even when you had the title.” Despite my words, even I’m shocked at how easy I find it to show aggression to her. Everything I know about fated mates has taught me that I shouldn’t be able to stomach raising a hand against her, but it’s almost as if she and Ella have traded places in my heart. Now my wolf only cares for protecting the mother of our pup, even if it means protecting her from my once-fated mate.