Accidental Surrogate for Alpha

#Chapter 172 - Separation

Ella

When Sinclair left, all my wolf wanted to do was climb up to the highest tower of the Prince's palace and howl into the sky, to cry out for our mate until our combined voices went hoarse. Instead I allowed myself a single hour of wallowing - I climbed into a bubble bath, turned on the saddest song I could find and cried until my tears ran dry. Afterwards I pulled myself together and got dressed, even though I could feel Sinclair slipping further and further away with every minute that passed.

We've never been this far apart since my wolf woke, and I'm amazed by how keenly I can feel his absence. As he drove away, Sinclair's beloved voice continued to sound in my mind, I love you, Ella. I love you, Rafe. But it faded in perfect synchrony with the widening gulf between our hearts, and eventually it went completely silent. Now the only way we'll be able to communicate through our bond is in dreams, otherwise we're stuck with the technologies I knew as a human: cell phones and emails.

I know the best thing for my agitated wolf is to keep busy, so I start my day by meeting Cora and Gabriel in the King's study, to begin planning the political summit Sinclair suggested. My sister is still half-asleep and sulking about the fact that Sinclair left Roger behind as added protection for us, but she offers me a sympathetic squeeze all the same. "How are you doing?" She murmurs, her arms locked around my back.

"Well I mate it out of bed and I’m not crying anymore... so better than expected." I confess, burying my face in her neck.

"Tsk, poor thing." Cora replies, rubbing my back. A note of humor enters her voice then, "My intrepid wolf sister, brought to her knees by a boy. I never thought I'd see the day." She teases, even though this isn't truly a fair assessment.

Sometimes I think my big sister is blinded by the relationship we had as children, because though she's remarkably perceptive about my personality in many ways, there are other facets that go over her head completely. She sees the protector, the martyr who suffered without complaint and then shut out all the pain for so many years. She doesn't see the love-starved girl so desperate for affection that she settled for scraps from a scoundrel. No, in fact if there's one of us who avoids attachments at all costs- it's her. Even as I think it, two new scents enter the room, as if they heard my inner musings and appeared to prove me right.

"If I were you, I wouldn't let Dominic hear you call him a 'boy'." Roger's husky voice has Cora pulling abruptly away from me, a scowl on her pretty face. He and Henry are framed in the doorway, though my sister doesn’t seem to notice my father-in-law at all. Her full focus is on Roger.

"What are you doing here?" Cora inquires rudely.

I give her a little pinch on her arm, and she yelps and pinches me back," Hey!"

in a low mutter, even though I know the men

chest and refusing to look at the wolf now grinning at her

the decency to wipe the smirk from his face. "Alright." Gabriel chuckles, taking the opportunity to steer us back to the matter at hand. "Let's talk about the summit, we've got a lot of work to do and not much time to make

the details Sinclair

turn up we’ll be looking at about twenty pack leaders with their mates, betas and guards." The King explains. "We have gatherings of this sort a couple of times a year, so luckily my staff is well versed

rough cots in the camp near the air field. "What exactly is the palace's

each delegation will

better lodging for the refugees from the continent. I hate leaving them in such stark conditions." I frown. "I was wondering if we might be able to put them up here, though I know that's a

reminder, and the palace isn't exactly the warmest environment. I would suggest finding local families willing to offer their guest rooms so that the refugees can have a sort of home stay. Between us, we could find a way

idea." I agree, "and it would also help them integrate into the community here, to feel accepted. If there’s resistance to their presence among your own pack, this would also be an important way to build support. It would be especially good for the orphans." I add, my mind returning to the children. "Maybe we could even place some of the parents who lost pups with the

you'll have a time convincing Isabel

The orphan tent has become something of a sanctuary under her leadership, and I doubt she'll want to relinquish her new babies to other families. "I'll talk to her." I vow, "besides it’s good to have someone like Isabel in charge of placing the children anyway,

full of understanding, appreciation and bitter memory. 'You can't be too

of our challenges with the pack leaders at the summer. If Damon continues to expel people

outside of the capital. No shifter would begrudge the wolves fleeing his violence, but some of the leaders will be worried about the strain on their resources. I can think of a few particularly stingy Alphas who will require significant

don't know the first thing about my mate's finances. I know he's a billionaire, but I don’t truly understand the extent of his wealth or liquidity - especially after fleeing the continent. My father-in-law turns to me now, 'You two might have to make some hard decisions between winning the

back to the King." And the rest of the summit? What do we need to

One or two might withhold judgement to see which way the others vote - to follow the popular tide as it were." Gabriel explains. "Still, I think I can fairly predict who will be for and against you. It will be