Accidental Surrogate for Alpha novel Chapter 254

3rd Person

“Well it seems like you and I are the only singleton’s left in this place.” Cora remarked to Gabriel, watching Isabel and James in their secluded corner of the dinner table. Thankfully they weren’t as obvious about their romance as her sister and Sinclair, whom one could easily become scandalized watching if the pair didn’t realize they had an audience. Isabel and James, on the other hand, had been snuggled together for the better part of an hour, close but not really touching. In truth their proximity isn’t what gave them away, it was their laser focus on one another, not speaking to, or looking at, anyone else. It was as if they were the only two people in the world.

Cora felt a stab of jealousy and immediately forced it away, ashamed of the ugly emotion. Instead she tried to focus on her conversation with the king. “Excuse me, but I happen to be dating a very handsome wolf named Thomas.” Gabriel replied, not sounding the least bit bothered by her assumption.

“Oh.” Cora frowned, obviously disappointed to learn that even the Vanaran king was also part of a couple now. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have assumed,” she apologized sincerely, even as questions flared in the back of her mind. Namely, when she’d become so sentimental that the sight of a single happy couple could make her heart overflow with longing? That learning about another could make her seethe with envy?

“It’s alright.” Gabriel assured her, “It’s intentional. I prefer to keep people guessing about my love life.”

Cora focused enough to scoff in sympathy, “yeah, I imagine there are about a hundred too many opinions weighing in on that particular matter.”

“You can say that again.” Gabriel chuckled, taking a sip of his wine. Then, a mischievous expression came on his face in the form of a small, secretive smile – as if he was about to admit something he shouldn’t. “It’s going well though. One day soon I hope to make it official.”

Cora forced herself to smile. “Congratulations!” Making a relationship official in the shifter world meant a formal claiming – another mating ceremony. She tried to hide the sudden and inexplicable ache that swallowed up her insides, silently wondering if she was becoming unhinged… or perhaps about to get her period. She was never this moody and she couldn’t understand it.

“Thank you, but if it happens it will be after the war.” Gabriel answered, visibly pulling back his own hopes in the favor of realistic expectations.

“Are you sure?” Cora asked, nodding to James and Isabel. “Maybe they have the right idea, to form the bond while they still can.”

It was their last night in Vanara, whether traveling to the Altaran aisles to find Ella’s mother, or back to the continent with Sinclair to face Damon. Either way, they would all be parted by this time tomorrow… and partings during times of war were the worst kind of all. Cora knew there were never any guarantees in life, and she especially knew the toll of the fighting back home. Suddenly an image popped into her mind, a gorey vision from the operating room that afternoon, of a resistance fighter they hadn’t been able to save. Only in her mind’s eye, it was Roger’s face on that lifeless form, rather than the stranger she’d failed to save.

“Cora, are you alright?” Gabriel asked suddenly, concern overtaking him as tears welled on the human’s lashes.

“I’m fine.” She assured him through a thoroughly unconvincing smile. “I just need a moment. Some fresh air.” She gasped, pushing back her chair. She met Ella’s worried gaze and shook her head to ensure her sister wouldn’t follow. Unfortunately there wasn’t anything she could do to prevent Roger from following.

Cora moved stiffly towards the balcony doors, fleeing out onto the terrace. The gardens were still decorated from the previous night, though they were far quieter now. The courtiers and delegations, all the refugees willing and able to fight, everyone was home preparing for the war. Those who weren’t, were back in the dining room trying to enjoy the limited time they had left together. Cora descended into the maze of plants, sucking in great breathes as air as her conscience cruelly narrated the scene. And tonight they’ll all go up to their rooms and hold each tightly and make sweet, sweet love and I’ll be here… looking at a fucking leaf.

Cora grimaced and gave herself a small shake, “Stop it!” She scolded herself. “You’re being a brat. It’s not their fault they’re happy.”

“Talking to yourself, little human?” A familiar and infuriatingly deep voice sounded behind her.

Cora jolted, spinning back to glare at Roger. “You know where I come from, it’s rude to stalk lone women through the darkness and eavesdrop on their private conversations.”

Roger frowned, as if wracking his brains. “No, no we come from the same place and I don’t recall any rules like that. Besides, is it a conversation if you’re having it with yourself?”

Roger flashed his fangs. “Because I’m coming with you.” He declared, in a tone that sent shivers straight down Cora’s spine. “I’m going to be with you every step of the way.” Roger continued as Cora’s shoulder blades collided with the stone, and he loomed over her, taking her cheek in his large hand. “Day and night, for the next few weeks… on an otherwise deserted island chain… with nothing to do but babysit your sister with a dozen other guards.” He purred, and Cora found her lashes falling shut, wondering if he was about to kiss her… then wondering if she’d have the strength to stop him.

He didn’t. “I don’t know about you.” Roger concluded, his dark eyes piercing Cora as she peeked up at him again, nervously licking her lips. His glowing wolf gaze dropped to follow her little pink tongue, and suddenly the Beta was finding his trousers much too tight. “But I’m going to be working hard to think up ways to entertain us through those long hours on the ship, and at the temple.”

Cora’s heart was pounding frantically against her ribs, her thighs reflexively clenched to ease the ache at their center. “Surely a temple dedicated to the Goddess is a very holy and sacred place.” Cora suggested, her voice shaking. “We’ll probably have to be very quiet and respectful while we’re there.”

Roger laughed, a knowing, ominous sort of rumble. “Sweet Cora, is that really what you expect, knowing what you do of our kind?”

Suddenly her mind reverted to the shifter holidays and traditions with which she was familiar, and the few she got to celebrate with Ella this year. She thought of the Solstice, with its bonfires, moon bathing and wild hunt. She thought of the primal, pagan energy of those nights, the way they’re all rooted in ancient magic and basic instincts – the raw sensuality they all seemed to bring to the surface. She thought of the intoxicating force of being alone with Roger in these completely unremarkable settings, and tried to picture them in a place of mystery and power, where all their senses would be heightened further.

And suddenly she understood why Roger looked so very pleased with himself.

It was clear he didn’t expect her to be capable of holding out once they went away together. He planned on making her his own, sooner rather than later. And the most terrifying part of all? Cora had a very bad feeling that he was going to succeed.

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