Accidental Surrogate for Alpha

Ella

Sinclair and I stay up late into the night talking, reveling in this new discovery. I’d believed our dream date would give us closure, but it turns out it wasn’t the end at all – it was the beginning.

“It’s no wonder you’ve been feeling so off-kilter.”

Sinclair consoles, trailing his fingers up and down my naked back.

When he’d started stripping me, I thought we were going to make love again something I was only too eager to experience outside of my dreams.

Unfortunately he’d informed me that his wolf wouldn’t be able to resist marking me for real, so we’d better wait until we know it’s safe. Of course as soon as he mentioned claiming me, the little voice in my head had gone wild with excitement.

I’d attempted to change his mind, showing off my curves and plying him with kisses. However when my hand snuck down to close around his hard length, he’d put a quick stop to my tricks, seizing the offending limbs and pinning me in place. I’d whined and growled, but he only growled back, giving my bottom a few hard swats. Now I’m sprawled across his chest, chastised and sulking, and he clearly thinks he can make me feel better by sympathizing – the tyrant. “It’s not just the pregnancy or the stress. You’ve finally found your own kind, and your inner wolf has been coming out more and more.”

I sniff, preparing to argue, but then his words sink in. My inner wolf.. the little voice in my head.. she’s the one that’s been urging me to behave so oddly lately. I can never recall her being so vocal before, or so unreasonable. I always assumed it was my conscience, but in hindsight… are consciences usually so defiant? Do they usually have personalities of their own, and feel separate and part of you at the same time?

Suddenly I remember how that same inner voice had cried out her joy at being free when I shifted in the dream. Conscience? I think hesitantly. Are… are you my wolf?

Well duh. She responds dryly. It certainly took you long enough to figure it out.

Why didn’t you tell me! I exclaim in reply, exasperated.

I thought you knew! You’re always talking to me!

She counters hotly.

is watching me closely, a knowing look on his face.

voice.” I share softly,

nods. “When you grow up among wolves your elders teach you that voice is your inner animal, that’s part of

all real, then why did I ever shift when I was old enough,

“But I think it’s likely that someone did

I inquire,

and something happens to their parents, then the pup will be placed with a relative or a shifter family willing to foster them. Our children are incredibly important to us, and it would be neglect of the worst kind to knowingly let them be raised among humans. The only time it happens is when the parents didn’t have any connections in the shifter world, usually they’re rogues or outside their own territory.

not sure where this is going. “So maybe my

his head. “Sweetheart, I looked into your records at the orphanage when

weren’t any names in the file – which shouldn’t have been allowed, but it’s part of why I never entertained the idea that you might be a wolf. I thought if you were dormant it would have shown years ago, and that no shifters would ever give their pup to the

surprises me how

like this with children. Still, I don’t know any orphan who hasn’t concocted a fantasy that their parents would come for them one day. No

didn’t you

was in the past, and that it would only hurt you.” Sinclair frowns, using the pad of his thumb to wipe away a rogue tear. “But now that we know the truth… it suggests that something much bigger is going on here, Ella. I think your parents must have been trying to hide you for some reason, and they cut you off from your wolf to make

do we find out for sure?”I ask, not sure how to feel about this idea. Is it worse to just be abandoned, or for people who are supposed to love you most, to intentionally cut you off from your true

need his comfort. “We get a DNA test, to start.” He

myself sitting in the familiar doctor’s office, with two very serious looking wolves towering over me. The nearest one, Sinclair, looks as if he’s trying to glower the physician into

sure whether it’s to soothe him or

The doctor confirms, “You’re

“Then why didn’t I know, why can’t I shift?”

“All this test tells us is that you have shifter DNA. I can refer you to a geneticist to try and decipher a particular family line, traits, whether you’re an alpha or omega, but unless someone else in your

inner wolf completely?” Sinclair questions. “It’s obviously been

probably have to wait until your pup is born.” The physician informs us. As soon as your wolf does wake, you’ll probably go into your first shift. Normally it’s perfectly safe for breeding she-wolves to shift because it’s instantaneous. But a first shift breaks all the bones and tears muscles