Accidental Surrogate for Alpha

Chapter 278 – Back to Work

Ella

When I open my eyes, Sinclair is already gone, despite the fact that he got maybe five hours of total sleep last night. He was gone as soon as his head hit the pillow when we got back to bed. I had taken a moment to nibble on a little madeleine cookie that I’d snuck into the pocket of my robe, but I hadn’t been far behind him.

I stretch leisurely on the bed now, enjoying the ability to extend my legs and arms all the way across it with no gigantic wolf–man to block my path. Of course, I’d rather have him here than not, but we must accept life’s small luxuries when we are granted them.

I take a minute to check in on the baby – still asleep, wrapped in contentment – and then glance around the room, wondering how I want to spend my day. I’m hit with a little pang of despair, though, as I realize that… this is going to be how every day starts for the next three months. And that my options are honestly limited to television, and reading, and whatever I can find on my phone. (4)

I sigh, scolding myself a little for hesitating at a luxury that I’m sure a thousand people would jump at. And it’s not that I would prefer, at all, the sturm and drang of the past couple of months – trying to seize the country back from a mad prince, trying to end a war, worrying if Sinclair was dead, worried if I would die…

No, this was better but….damn it. I have to admit that the boredom is going to be a problem for me. I’ve always been one to spring out of bed, to leap for whatever the day has in store. Even when I was a little girl, I was always up before Cora –

I feel myself perk up at the thought of her. Yes, Cora! I grab my phone, hastily pushing the buttons and giving her a call.

“Cora?” I burst out as soon as she answers the phone.

“Ella!” she shouts, making me laugh. I hope she hasn’t just scared the hell out of one of her patients, screaming in the middle of the office. She’s been busy, I know, seeing a lot of pregnant women whose healthcare was interrupted by the war. “How are you – is everything okay?”

“I’m fine,” I laugh, cheered by the sound of her voice. I lean back against the pillows, getting cozy. Do you want to come over? Hang out?”

“Um ya,” she replies, as if it’s obvious. “But I can’t today, I have a double shift here. But tomorrow, maybe? You don’t have plans to hang out with Sinclair then, do you?”

14

“No,” I sigh, and she laughs at my disappointment. “I’m sending him off to, you know, run his kingdom.” She laughs again and I can’t help the smile that spreads over my face. There’s nothing quite like making your sister laugh.

she wonders. “He’s been calling Sinclair for days, begging him to pay attention to some stuff, complaining that the world’s teetering on the brink of collapse

my lip and feeling guilty. “That’s all my fault – he’s been paying

interrupts, stern. “You

nation, Cora,” I push back. But then, I perk up. “So you have to come over and babysit me, so he can go save the world or whatever. And tell me all about what’s going on with you

at the same time, one too

the other line and I sit

worried. “What’s going

hesitates. “I just…since you’ve been home, he’s been so busy

beg,

been…spending more time

the hell

if it’s obvious. I grimace, realizing that I really never thought to ask and just called him “doctor” in my head. “You know, the one who

my pillows, my eyes

sounding rushed and embarrassed. Then, I hear someone calling her from wherever she is. “I’ve got

as it fades to

his name was

Sinclair

It’s not that I don’t want to do this work – I lead this nation, stitch it

Dominic! It’s bad

“Let’s just get on with it.” He

it had been vulnerable. He had negotiated the

him. My brother really

the next few weeks I’ll have to find a