Accidental Surrogate for Alpha

#Chapter 450 – Grasping at Straws

Ella

Sinclair walks Cora and I swiftly back to our suite of rooms, Rafe still bundled safely in Cora’s arms. When we get there, Sinclair gives me a swift kiss on my head, already looking down the hall.

“I’m going to catch up with Roger,” he murmurs. “We’ll send dad to you whenever we find him -”

“Why,” I say, grabbing his hand, worried. “Why don’t you all just come here?”

Sinclair shakes his head as he looks down at me. “We need eyes on Xander we have to talk to the staff, see if anyone knows where he went. I promise – we’ll both come to you as soon as we have more information. All right?”

I bite my lip but I nod, not liking it but trusting him. With his own nod of assurance, Sinclair strides away.

“Come on, bride,” I say, pushing the door open to my room and allowing Cora to sweep through with my baby and her long train. “Let’s get you changed into something more comfortable.”

“Oh, thank goodness,” Cora sighs. “I mean, this dress is fantastic, but it’s heavy.”

“Oh, you poor thing, in fifty pounds of silk and satin,” I murmur sarcastically, kicking off my heels and leading all of us into the closet. Before I do anything, though, I take my sweet baby from my sister and lower him down into the wheeled bassinet that’s waiting there for him. I’ll transfer him to his real crib later, but he’s perfectly happy taking a little nap here before I change him.

“He’s such an easy baby,” Cora says with a sigh as I move behind her and start to un-do all of the buttons that run down her back. “How did you get so lucky?”

“He’s just an angel,” I say, my voice overly doting, making us laugh. “But seriously,” I say, “I think wolf babies are just different. A lot less crying, a lot more understanding between parents and child even when they’re that young. It’s incredibly convenient.”

“I hope that’s true,” Cora says, her hand absently going to her own stomach. “I don’t have as much patience as you, so if this kid isn’t as easy as Rafey here? We’re going to have trouble.”

“You’ll be great,” I say, grinning at her as I finish with the buttons and she starts to shimmy out of the dress. As she does I move to lift the soft white sweatsuit I had made for her off the shelf. Cora gasps when she sees it. “Ella!” she says, hands on her hips. “You didn’t!”

says Mrs. Sinclair on the back,” I say, grinning and

– you’re Mrs. Sinclair too! And

into her hands. “If you don’t think I had

and starting to pull it

and reaching for some soft clothes myself. “Plus, we get to have the same name now, officially. Isn’t

time in our lives,” she says, laughing.” Sisters in

cool as I do, and we both laugh with the pleasure

be left in peace, and I murmur my apology before tucking him in

you think Xander’s planning?” I ask, sitting down next to my sister on the new little loveseat that Sinclair and I put at the end of the bed. Considering that we use this room more than we thought we would to

little couch and facing me. ” Nothing good, obviously but…” she turns her head to the side, considering. “Well, if you were Xander, what would you

posit, glancing

very definite move in marking Rafe as his heir. It kind of makes that option null

you mean?”

says slowly, and I my eyes go wide even at the hypothetical thought. She moves on quickly. “Either way,” Cora continues, “Rafe is already Sinclair’s heir to his throne. There’s no way for Xander to really claim Rafe as his own now as part of Xavier’s line. Rafe’s thoroughly a Sinclair, just like us. If Rafe inherits,

say, reaching out a foot to nudge her on the knee, insisting she

and nudge her again, letting

I say softly, “you

says softly, her eyes un- focusing a little as she accesses the strategic part of her mind. “I think that while Xander hasn’t made it easy, the Sinclairs have successfully countered every move that he’s made. We’ve got him

left, and if he’s realizing as we perhaps have that the Atalaxians have brought him here less as an important player and more as a pawn that they can use to spark

that his time and

So, he’s scrambling.

do?” I wonder

whatever straws are left to him,” Cora says softly, clearly thinking it through as she

his home here, and his rights – we’d have him