Accidental Surrogate

Chapter 437: Meeting the Prince
Ella
Sinclair moves away at Roger’s side as Cora comes to mine. We both fuss over the baby for a moment, checking to ensure that
he doesn’t need anything, but when we’re sure that he’s ready to go I turn him in my arms so that he can look out at all of the
people who have come to visit us on this big weekend.
Cora, Rafe and I head into the room together with Conner close behind us, as planned. We decided to split up on this one
always staying in sight of our mates, but giving people the opportunity to come and speak with us privately if they’re so inclined.
The strategy works. A great variety of people come and introduce themselves to Cora and I, and I’m pleased to see that the
majority of these people are women.
I smile a little smugly inside, glad that I was right that the women who attend our coronation as part of these delegations who
might feel awkward or shy approaching the gigantic, intimidating Sinclair brothers feel differently about approaching two women,
one pregnant and the other holding a baby.
The result, to my pleasure, is a great deal of happy chat. I meet a variety of fascinating women who are all eager to tell me about
their lives, their plans for their nations’ futures, the collaborations that they’re excited to pursue with us. At each turn Cora and I
are genuinely enthusiastic, wanting to work with these people to make our world a better place.
“Wow,” I say to Cora after we part ways with a dowager Queen and her granddaughter, who is the next in line to her own throne.
“It’s...incredible. I had no idea that most of these nations and people even existed.” “I know,” she murmurs, running a hand over
her hair and looking around. “I feel like we need to go back to school, Ella – we’re not nearly prepared enough for our positions in
this nation. We need some serious history lessons.” “Well, you go to school,” I murmur, sighing. “And just give me the wikipedia
version of whatever you learn, okay? Because I am done with schooling.” “You were good at school!” Cora protests, a little
appalled.
“I was good,” I say, looking at her with raised eyebrows, “but I wasn’t addicted to it, like you were. Honestly, Cora, you’d still be in
school if there were more degrees to get.” “Well,” she sighs, putting her hands on her hips for a second and tiling her head to the
side for a second. “That’s probably true...” I laugh, smiling at my clever sister, and then Rafe gives a sad little cry. Curious, I look
down at him and instantly smell something very unpleasant.

“Oh, geeze,” I murmur, realizing that he needs to be changed. I look anxiously over my shoulder, wondering where the closest
bathroom is that has a changing area Honestly, it’s my house now – I should know this stuff – “Here,” Cora says, reaching for
Rafe. ” Let me.” “Cora, I can’t -” “Let me,” she insists, taking Rafe from my arms. “You’re needed here more than I am – go talk
with Roger and Sinclair, and Conner and I will take the baby to be changed. All right? It’s going to take a long time and the
Queen should be present to...do Queen stuff.” “All right,” I sigh, though I hate handing my baby off to her for the second time
today. Rafe doesn’t seem displeased, though, smiling happily up at his aunting and reaching out his hands for her, trying to grab
her cheeks. Cora laughs and sends me a quick wink before turning to Conner and letting him know the plan.
I turn then, looking for my mate, and seeing him across the room speaking with a bunch of Alphas with Henry and Roger by his
side – I set off towards him.
I take the long way around, hoping to disappear a bit into the shadows at the sides of the room and avoid anyone in the center of
the room pulling me for a chat.
And I almost, almost make it – honestly, I’m about three-fourths of the way there – when someone steps into my path, clearly
wishing a word.
I sigh a bit inwardly but take a deep breath, putting on my Queen expression – calm, smiling, interested as I look up to see who
desires a moment of my time.
But my smile falters a bit when I realize that it’s...him.
“My Queen,” the Prince of Atalaxia says, giving me a sharp, formal bow. ” It is a pleasure to meet you.” I go a little still, my smile
increasing a little at the irony of this because... He stands straight and looks at me then, staring at me for a moment, clearly
waiting for a response. But I just stand in silence, not knowing what to say.
Then, I’m a little shocked to see a smile pull at the corners of his lips.
“Can I take your silence to mean...” he says quietly, “that it is not precisely a pleasure for you?” And damn me but... Something
about the way he says it his self-deprecation, the warmth in his voice... I feel my smile growing.
“I have to say,” I reply, a little laugh on my voice now. “That whether or not it is a pleasure to speak with you, highness, is...
complicated to say the least.” He bows his head a little, nodding, and I hear him huff a sad little laugh under his breath.
“Honestly, I warned them against bringing that man, surprising you all like that -” “Then why did you do it?” I ask, taking a step
forward, wanting to look up into his face – He raises his eyes to mine again and I’m shocked again by their color and clarity – by
the light blue-violet color of them, such a surprise under such a dark head of silky black hair.

“I don’t know,” he replies, shaking his head and slipping his hands into his pockets as he takes a deep breath. ” They spent hours
deciding on it on precisely what to do, what to say. I promise – it was a very deliberate choice.” “And were you not privy to those
meetings?” I ask, raising an eyebrow at him, wanting to push him for more information.
“I am my father’s sixth son, Highness,” the prince sighs, shaking his head, again smiling that sad little smile at me. “I am a
figurehead at best on this mission, and privy to nothing important. You’ll have to forgive me for that. I wish I could tell you more.” I
stare at him now, my eyes narrowing a little bit because...honestly, I can’t put my finger on it -but something about the way he
says that makes me believe him. I believe that if he could tell me more, he honestly would.
He smiles at me again, and I realize that I’ve been silent for about thirty seconds now. I blink and stand up straighter, a little
embarrassed, but he just grins at me an expression that causes a single dimple to curl onto one cheek. Then, he holds out a
hand.
“I’m Calvin,” he says. “And honestly, your highness, it is...more than a pleasure to meet you. I hope you believe me on that.”
Slowly, I reach out, my eyes still on his face, and I reach out my hand to slip it into his, accepting this small gesture of friendship.
I open my mouth to introduce myself but – Before I can A pulse runs through me when my palm meets his, like the sound of a
deep bass note resonating through my chest It thrums through me, chased by something sharper – lighter – a second pulse, like
lightening jumping through me, a spark that runs through my veins I jump, working to pull my hand away, but before I can his
fingers close around my hand, holding it tight.
Any expression – polite, or kind, or happy – falls from his face as he stares at me in shock.
We stand there, palm to palm, for a long, long moment. A moment too long, frankly, until I hear someone clear their throat next to
me.
And then I look up into my mate’s green eyes, his stern face, with my palm pressed tight in another man’s hand. Our enemy’s
hand.
“Ella,” Sinclair says, his eyes flicking to the Prince next to me, “are you...all right?” “Yes!” I say, suddenly gasping in a deep
breath and pulling my hand from Calvin’s – honestly, I hadn’t realized that I’d stopped breathing – “Yes, Dominic,” I say again,
regaining my equanimity and smiling up at him, taking a step closer to his side. “I was just...greeting our guest,” I say, gesturing
towards the prince.
Sinclair turns his expression to the Prince, his eyes dark.