Accidental Surrogate for Alpha

Sinclair

“Hmm, where oh where could my little pup be?”

My mother’s velvety voice sounds just on the other side of the cabinet where I’m hiding. I press my hands over my mouth to try and silence my giggles, but a few small sounds still escape.

“Aha!” Mom whips open the cabinets two doors down, shouting with triumph only to soften her tone into another thoughtful hum. “Not in there.”

She muses aloud, and I can almost see her rubbing her chin in thought.

As she moves closer I climb along the shelves, clambering over towels and wash rags to settle in the cabinet she just searched and found empty. A shaft of light bursts into the dark cupboards as my mother pulls open the doors where I’d just been sitting, another delighted cry on her lips.

She doesn’t seem disappointed to have failed again, on the contrary she sounds impressed.

Ahh, he’s a sneaky little sausage.” She observes sagely, “That’s very good. All the best hunters can track their targets as silently as a ghost.” I can hear her footsteps circling, and I know she can smell me in the room, but I’m doing my best to outsmart her.

“In fact the very best predators can sometimes trick their prey into thinking they’re the ones doing the hunting… when really they’re about to be someone’s dinner!” Her voice rises at the end as she lunges for another cupboard. It’s getting harder and harder to hide my giggles as she fails to find me, but I know she’s enjoying this just as much as I am. I shift again, crawling silently to the very last cupboard in the man sion’s huge laundry room.

“What was that!” My mother’s voice sharpens, and I can see her freezing through a small crack in the door. “Oh I wish my fierce little wolf was here to protect me! I think I’m being watched.” She frets loudly. “I certainly hope something terrible isn’t about to jump out and scare me.”

Right on cue I leap out of the cupboard with a ferocious roar, pouncing on her and toppling her right to the ground. She cries out dramatically, throwing her arm over her eyes to protect herself from the terrible sight of her attacker. “Oh no! A Vicious rogue, please don’t eat me!” She begs, “I have pups!”

“Mommy it’s me!” I laugh hysterically, trying to pull her arm away from her face.

spark in her green eyes. “Such a rascal – scaring me that way.” She prowls toward me, waggling her fingers in obvious threat. I back away, my pudgy hands outstretched in preparation to ward off the imminent attack. “And you know what happens to pups who play tricks on their Mommies don’t you? They get a visit from the tickle monster!” She lashes out and snatches me up, her hands fluttering

hands. When I’m laughing so hard I can no longer breathe, I pounce again, putting a stop to the tickle monster’s relentless assault. I’m only six, but my mother is so little that I already stand as tall as her shoulder, and

boy,” she murmurs,

I’m a fierce hunter.” I correct her indignantly, rolling my eyes

pred-ters are

She inquires,

“Alpha warriors don’t come home from battle and run to their Mommies for cuddles. They go drink

do you know about drinking and kissing she-wolves?” My mother counters, playfully narrowing her eyes. “Have you been sneaking out to the pub at night?” She gasps,

doesn’t need to know

probably overreact to learn how fast I’m growing

fingertips up and down my back, “The best Alphas and the best warriors are the ones who know that fighting is a last resort. They don’t do it because it’s tough or manly, they do it because they have to protect their pack. They do it for love of their family and people – nothing else.” She explains sternly. “You can’t ever forget that duty, or that your power is a grave responsibility. Love is not a bad word, and sweetness is not weakness – these things are your greatest strengths. You have to promise me that you never stop coming to me for cuddles no matter how old you get, that you’ll never hold yourself back from showing the people in your life how much you care about them. Never lose

in order to be strong. I don’t want to stop hugging my Mom, I just thought that it wasn’t allowed in order to be a real

agree easily, thinking of my father then. He’s always touching and flirting with Mommy, and always tells Roger and me how much he loves us. He makes time to play with us and read bedtime stories, and always comforts us when we’re hurt or scared. He never shames us for those feelings, even if the rest of the world makes those things seem wrong. But then again, he’s the most powerful wolf in the pack, so if he can do it, it must not be wrong.

and she immediately jumps to her feet. She sets me on the ground and leads me up the stairs, her eyes scanning the manor around us with hawkish intensity. When we reach the front hallway, with the door only a few meters away, she releases me and nudges me towards the exit. “Get outside, baby. Go straight to the

about you?” I ask anxiously, my heart

explains, gazing towards the upper stories. “Just go sweetheart, I’ll be

the sound of a cat yowling in the distance. Oh no! Pancake! I think

and deeper into the smokey house, until I can actually see the flames climbing up the outer walls. Fear slices through

closed, and there hadn’t been another way out, but I still find myself scolding the young tabby. “Pancake what are you doing? Don’t you know bout fire alarms? They mean you have to get outs!” Shaking my head, I scoop up the fluffy creature, “What are

riotous flames. A wall of fire is blocking the door, and all I can

other to hold Pancake still, when I hear my