idental Surrogate For Alpha Novel Chapter 23
E
I must have misheard him. He can’t truly mean that he wants me to move into his rooms. Does he
really think I’m that much of a baby, that I need constant watching?
“But it was only one dream.” I protest, my voice still shaky, “I swear it’s not a big deal.”
Sinir purrs again, and I feel my insides melting against my will. “Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t. I just want
you to sleep easily.” Before I can stop him, he’s lifting me into my arms.
“Sinir–” He interrupts me with a growl, and I quickly amend myself, “Dominic this really isn’t
necessary. I can sleep on my own.”
“I’m sure you can.” He concedes. “But I want you close.”
“And what about what I want?” The words slip out before I can stop them, and Sinir pauses, looking
down at me with an appraising look.
“And what do you want, E?” He asks huskily, his deep voice reverberating down my spine.
“I–” I open my mouth to tell him I want to be alone, in my own space and without his intimidating
presence. However somehow I can’t make the wordse. Why is it that I can’t seem to stop myself
from speaking when I don’t want to, then can’t make myself talk when I do? What is this man doing to
me?
Sinir smirks. “You know the problem, don’t you?” He taunts, and I can only shake my head in reply.
“You can’t lie to me. The pup is making you more and more like a wolf, and wolves can’t lie to their
Alpha’s, not directly at least.”
The breath seems to evaporate from my lungs, I can’t lie to him? My eyes go wide as I realize the
implications of this, and I want to protest that such a thing isn’t fair, people are entitled to their secrets!
“But you’re not my Alpha.” I finally protest, my voice sounding very small indeed.
Sinir cocks a brow. “Aren’t I?” After a beat he continues towards the door, as if this settles the
matter. I don’t know why I don’t object further – maybe because he’s clearly made up his mind, maybe
because I don’t really want him to change it. I let him carry me out into the hall, flushing scarlet when I
see so many guards waiting outside my room. Had all these men heard me screaming like a baby?
Surely I hadn’t spoken or said anything while unconscious?
“Do you always have this many guards posted at night?” I squeak.
“This pup is the most important thing to me in the world.” Sinir responds simply. “You can expect lots
of guards to be around from now on.”
Of course. I think, It’s all for the pup. I’m just an afterthought. Will I ever be anything more?
I don’t need to ask Sinir to know the answer – it’s already painfully obvious: No. In a world of
mystically powerful beings like wolves, a human like me could never be anything but an afterthought.
The only reason he’s putting up with me at all is the pregnancy. And honestly, the only reason I’m
putting up with him is our arrangement… so why does it hurt so much?
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The next morning I wake up to find a maid setting down a room service tray by my bedside, stacked
high with my favorite foods. At first the smell of fruit and oatmeal has my stomach growling, but before I
can so much as raise a spoon to my lips, a wave of nausea overtakes me. I rush to the bathroom and
retch, groaning pitifully.
When I finally finish with the joys of pregnancy, I return to Sinir’s sprawling, king sized bed. The food
which looked so appetizing a moment ago just makes my stomach churn now, but I notice a folded note
on the tray. My name is scrawled across the front in the swooping handwriting I now recognize as
Sinir’s.
E,
I’ve arranged an interview for you this morning, with the leading news outlets in the area. We’ve been
getting a lot of requests and the reporter promised you would only have to answer questions of which I
approved. Call me if you have any questions. I’ll see you tonight.
Yours,
Dominic
An interview?! I’ve never given an interview in my life! And this won’t even be an interview as myself,
this will be an interview under cover, pretending to be apletely different person, apletely
different species! What kind of questions are they going to ask, what on earth am I going to say to
them? What am I going to wear?
Two hourster, I’m seated in front of an intimidating man in a sharp looking suit, feeling very small and
out of ce. A camera is poised on my face, and I’m trying to look serene – rather than panicked. I
found a pretty sweater dress in the wardrobe Sinir procured for me, and decided that simple
elegance was the best foot forward. Now I wonder if I miscalcted, the reporter is watching me with
sharp eyes, and I can already feel myself blushing.
“So E, it wille as no surprise to you that many shifters in the Moon Valley Pack and beyond are
very curious about you.” He begins obliquely. “With you by his side, the Alpha is poised to be our
next King, yet no one knows anything about you.”
“I can understand how that might worry some pack members.” I smile gently, trying to appear confident
and self-assured.
“How did you and Dominic meet?” He presses. “When did it happen, I’d love to hear the whole story?”
Sinir and I had discussed this at length, even before this interview arose. “Well it will be obvious to
all those in the know that we aren’t fated, but I can’t help thinking that the Goddess didn’t y a hand in
our meeting. For years my family in the Shadow Pack insisted we had no other rtions – apparently
my parents cut ties with the Moon Valley before I was even born. It wasn’t until they passed away that I
learned about my cousins here – including Aileen Corentin.”
We’d decided the story should be as close to the truth as possible, so my fake identity is an orphan just
like I am in reality. “I came to visit her after making contact, and of course she’s the wife of Beta Hugo.
One day I was having lunch with Aileen and Hugo and Dominic walked in… and the rest is history.”
“But you haven’t known each other very long, is that correct?” The reporter inquires.
“Yes,” I confirm. “But when it’s true love, it doesn’t take long for the heart to recognize its mate. And
then we were blessed with a pup without even trying.”
“Some pack members might be worried that youe from such a humble background, you have no
experience leading.” The reporter states bluntly. “How would you respond to their fears?”
This was a question Sinir hadn’t prepared me for in our earlier discussions regarding our cover. We
decided on what we would tell people about how we met, nothing more. “I would say that great leaders
come from all kinds of backgrounds, and in fact my humble origins give me insight into the needs of
everyday shifters in a way that an aristocratic upbringing would not. I’m in touch with what regr
people want and need, and I can speak for them with empathy and understanding, representing their
voices in a forum where they often left out.”
The reporter arches his brows, and I know I’ve impressed him. Take that! I think triumphantly. People
always assume I don’t have a brain in my head because I’m young and attractive, not to mention I
chose to work caring for children. But I’m no fool, and hopefully this will help the shifters see that.
“And what do you think our society needs most at this time in history, what is the biggest issue the
future King and Queen need to address?” He asks.
I navigate his questions with more or less difficulty for the next half hour, feeling better about some
responses than others, and praying that I haven’t put my foot in my mouth. I think I’ve done well, but
I’mpletely exhausted. At first part of me was excited to pretend to be someone other than myself –
almost like ying dress up or make believe. However that initial interest disappeared very quickly,
when I realized just how stressful it is to constantly be acting.
I know what it’s like to put up walls around myself, but this is the first time I’ve ever been forced to
tantly lie to those around me, to try to pass myself off as someone else. All at once, the gravity of
this deal I’ve struck ms into me. If I’m exhausted now, how am I going to feel when I’ve been doing
this for months? Years? Can I really do this for the rest of my life? What will happen if the truthes
out? What will people do when they learn I’m a fraud?
Because, I realize, that’s what I am. This isn’t just a game or a y we’re performing, I’m actively
deceiving people. I’m campaigning to take up a public office, and lying every step of the way. Guilt and
worry assails me in a tidal wave, this is wrong! I think frantically. I have to talk to Sinir.