Alpha Dom and His Human Surrogate by Caroline Above Story

Chapter 352 – Duke

Ella

“D-duke?” I stutter out, completely overwhelmed by the information, my eyes going wide. “There are dukes? And I had I have an uncle!?”

“I’m sorry,” Henry says, and I can see the guilt written all over his face. “I overlooked this – honestly, no one has heard from him in years – and, considering what we think he was actually getting up to, it makes a great deal of sense that he wanted everyone to believe that.”

“Who,” I say, frantic now, looking between Henry, and Sinclair, and Roger – Cora, I see, looking at me with worried eyes, but I know she doesn’t have any answers – “who is he?”

“Relax, Ella,” Sinclair murmurs to me, leaning close. “It’s all right -”

“It is absolutely not all right -“I snap, not wanting to be mean but completely panicked right now. “My father is dead but I have an uncle? Seriously? And no one told me?”

Henry continues to hang his head, shaking a little, and I instantly feel guilty. It’s not his fault – it’s so complicated, the politics, and why would he tell me about an uncle if he hadn’t spoken to the man in 30 years had genuinely a*sumed he was dead –

“I’m sorry, Henry,” I say quickly, leaning forward to put a hand on his arm. “I’m so sorry – I’m behaving so poorly – ”

back up to me. “Your reaction is absolutely correct. I have failed you in this.” His eyes shift to Sinclair now. And you,

no one any good. No one blames you, dad and Ella, you don’t have anything to apologize for. We all know this is a lot. So, can we please?” he says, pausing now to look

Henry’s arm a little squeeze to let him know I don’t blame him for any of it, and that I love him dearly and am grateful for him every day. At least, I hope he gets all that from a squeeze, but the little smile he sends me suggests that he understood at least part

table now so that we can decide to do something, instead of just talking about it. I smile at him a little, loving my all-action

Either way, Xander was recognized, but he was never the favored son. That is why

quips, and I’m shocked to find a smile on my mouth as he delicately raises his brows, looking up

while Sinclair growls and Cora elbows Roger not-too-gently in the stomach to get him to stop, I grin at my brother-in-law, grateful for the

brother rather than a real player. When Xavier died, Xander…he wasn’t even considered for the throne. No

Henry adds, “was perhaps… the mistake.

what?” I ask, confused

the throne when his brother died but he coveted it anyway 1 that Xander wanted it, perhaps his whole life, and certainly after his brother died, but when no one mentioned him as a potential heir he started to devise a new plan to get

“To – to reclaim the

baby, the grandson of a King.

Who benefits from Rafe being born? The

since I was a child – I, too, thought he died in quiet obscurity. He’s taken great pains, I think, to ensure that everyone a*sumed that he did. He is playing the long game – we’re

still wanting more details. “Can you – I mean -” I exhale quickly, closing my eyes and gathering my thoughts, “is the a*sumption that we’re making here that Xander wanted Rafe to be born so that he would be a legitimate heir to

he must have found a way, somehow, to communicate your existence to

me?” I ask, brisk.