Accidental Surrogate for Alpha

#Chapter 166 - Kindred Spirits

3rd Person

When Cora walked into the palace's opulent dining room, she expected to find the table packed with people. Ever since they'd arrived in Vanara, Gabriel had been entertaining different statesmen and potential allies for the war, in addition to their own party. However this night the dining room was almost entirely empty. Not only were Gabriel and his coterie of powerful friends absent, but so were Ella, Sinclair and Henry. Only Roger sat at the long, shining table, a glass of amber liquid in his hand.

"Where is everyone?" Cora asked, standing frozen in the doorway.

"The King had a prior engagement - some charity gala for the hospital." Roger answered, not looking the least bit surprised to see the lovely human. "Dad was exhausted and decided to take supper in his rooms, but I don't have any idea about Dom and Ella."

"Oh." Cora replied simply, relieved by the thought that her sister would probably arrive any moment. After he'd badgered her with personal questions on their excursion into the capital, the last thing Cora wanted was to be alone with Roger all evening long. She didn't like the way he looked at her, the way his eyes darkened and his attention lingered with unnerving focus. He made her feel as if she were a particularly scrumptious rabbit bound for his hungry wolf belly, but only after he'd chased and taunted her to exhaustion.

She gingerly crossed to the table, painfully aware of the way his eyes followed her every move. She sat down and made a show of spreading her napkin over her lap, refusing to look at the wolf seated across from her." So, how was your day?" She asked, striving for some semblance of small talk to kill the time.

When Roger didn't respond, Cora finally dragged her eyes from her empty plate to look up at him. When her gaze finally reached his face, he offered her a knowing smirk. "Oh, so you can look at me." He teased, "I was beginning to worry."

She narrowed her eyes, not caring for being called out when she was only responding to his behavior. Still, not one for confrontations, she muttered a sulky, "sorry."

"Are you?" Roger inquired slyly, "because you look annoyed."

the words out through gritted teeth. She glanced to the door for the dozenth time,

flashing his fangs. "I hope not for my sake - I’d much rather have your

people whose reactions she could not predict. She didn't mind sharing complaints or venting with Ella, who she knew would always love her unconditionally, but this man was another matter entirely.

and it struck him that while their struggles might be different, Cora was far from unscathed by their difficult upbringing. He decided to give her a push." Come on, what’s the worst

was sometimes met with terrible things. Luckily Cora recovered rather quickly. She crossed her arms over her chest, unintentionally pressing her breasts together, and notched her pert chin upward. "You know, I think you're trying to provoke me. Politeness is a perfectly normal default among people who don't know each other

in his eyes. "We’re practically family -

the gall of the man, he betrayed his father and

doubted he even believed his own words, the way he’d been looking at her

"And she's all you've ever needed, hmm?

together, Roger seemed intent on interrogating her deep personal feelings? "Why do you keep asking me these things?" She exclaimed,

head to try and catch her eye, but failing.

why?" Cora repeated in exasperation, peering up at him at last. 'What interest could you possibly have

disgruntled human with cool detachment. "Why shouldn't I?

see a kindred spirit in you. I see someone who landed in many of the same circumstances I did, but rather than letting them define you or pollute your heart, you found a way to turn them into strengths and make your own way in the

fought the urge to scoff. ‘You don't know me as well as you think you

Now that he'd captured Cora's gaze, he was determined not to break

my own ambitions, the freedom to dedicate myself to my school work without any ghosts hanging over my head." Cora's mouth flattened into a hard

for a moment, but Roger waited patiently, sensing she wasn't finished. "And if anything proves just how fucked in the head I am, it's that I can't even take a compliment. Because while you might tell me I’m clever and beautiful, all I can think is that I'll never be as clever and beautiful as she