Accidental Surrogate for Alpha

#Chapter 411 Ella Inside the Camp

“You, the future Queen,” Hank says, shaking his head at me, “asked me to be here, and already your friend Isabel is sniffing around me like I’m some kind of convict? Just because I’m a human?”

“What?” I ask, confused, glancing over at her. “Isabel Isabel is on our side in this, Hank – she wants to help humans too -”

“It’s not about what she wants, or she thinks she wants,” Hank says, shaking his head and catching my gaze, making me listen to him. “It’s about generations of families telling wolves to keep separate from humans, to not tell them their secrets. And then it’s about the very recent shock that humans have experienced, realizing that wolves are real – and having their world absolutely destroyed by that knowledge.”

“So…” I say, frowning, starting to understand. “Do you do you not want to help? Do you want to leave?”

“No” he says, surprised, “No, Ella, I want to help very much. I just think you need to be prepared for the kind of reception you’re going to get if you walk in there with fifteen wolves in tow. Especially if they, like Isabel, have good intentions but still see humans as inherently different at best, or at worst as dangerous, or untrustworthy.”

“Isabel doesn’t think that,” I snap, instantly defensive.

“She certainly didn’t trust me,” Hank says, shrugging, his eyes apologetic.” And again, Ella, you asked me to be here.”

I sigh, murmuring that I’ll talk to her, but then something else he said rings in my head. “Wait, fifteen?” I ask, confused and looking over my shoulder. “Where are you getting fifteen wolves from? We only brought four guards…and Isabel…”

Hank sighs and then nods to the two black cars in the parking lot that I didn’t notice. And then, as I look at them, the doors open and men begin to spill out. I groan, realizing that Sinclair sent more ahead of us.

“Okay,” I sigh, looking back at Hank. “I take your point. How do you think we should do this?”

“I think,” he says carefully, looking over at our group, “you should let me and Cora take the lead. And leave the vast majority of your guys at the gate, telling them to come in only in an emergency.”

“Sinclair will flip if I go in without a guard,” I say, shaking my head.

“Two,” he says, holding up as many fingers for me to see. “One for you, one for Cora. And Ella? Pick nice ones, okay?”

sigh, and nod, and

Anthony, and a new one named Theo who has a radio line to the men waiting outside the gate open at all times. He also

Theo, resting a hand on his arm and looking up

to me and then looks down at his phone. “Alpha Sinclair said you’d say that,” he says with a little bit

my hand

Theo says, giving me a little smile as

Hank and Cora, who are consulting with Isabel.” Okay!” I say. “Let’s

felt it would bolster the wolves to see me visiting,

the children’s medical tent. “Their

passively, “we are predators to their prey, after

stopping and putting a hand on her arm. “Do you

“I…I just heard what I said. Forgive me, Ella,” she continues, clearly contrite and embarrassed, “I…I

cocking my head to the side. “I’m sure you’re not alone in that. And that plenty of humans have a lot of ideas about what wolves are

waiting for us at the entrance to the tent. Both of the doctors arms are crossed in frustration, clearly eager to get to

heart is in the right place, Isabel. I know you and

nodding, Isabel takes my arm and we join Conner, Cora and Hank, the two guards following behind. Without a word, we all pass into the tent and my

immediately going to my mouth as another

teeth with frustration because these poor people they clearly need so much

one is…five

Cora says, turning angry eyes to me. I nod, agreeing completely as Hank strides away,

striding off herself, Isabel going with her.

you,

say, and then I nod to Theo as well, who is likewise assigned to my duty. And, with that as our final

me attending to those first. The guards stay to the side as best they