Alpha Dom and His Human Surrogate Novel novel Chapter 117

Accidental Surrogate for Alpha by Caroline Above Story Chapter 117

Chapter 117 – Ella Asks Henry for Advice

Ella

When Sinclair and Hugo finally leave for the pack headquarters, Henry and I move into our favorite sitting room, returning to the puzzle we began solving together earlier this week. Seated across from the older wolf, I pretend to scan the scattered puzzle pieces for matches, while really sneaking peeks up at him. “So what do you make of all this?” I ask curiously. “Lydia and the Prince?”

Henry grimaces, “I never liked that woman. But trying to argue with headstrong young Alphas’ convinced they’ve found their mate is like beating your head against a wall.” He offers me a tender smile. “You’ll see soon enough. You can do everything in your power to try and teach your pups the important lessons and prepare them for the real world – but at the end of the day you have to let them make their own mistakes – it’s the only way they learn.”

“Does it ever hurt any less? Or get any easier to watch them go down the wrong path?” I inquire softly.

“Not a damn bit.” Henry shares grimly. However despite his grim look, his eyes sparkle when he looks over at me. “Luckily, that doesn’t seem to be a problem for me anymore. Lydia is out of the picture, my boys are friends again for the first time since losing their mother, and Dominic is on his way to being King.”

“Dominic just told me how his mother died this morning.” I confess, reaching for the old wolf’s gnarled hand. “I’m so sorry you went through that. It must have been terrible for you to be left alone with a pack to rule and two young boys to raise on your own, in the midst of all your grief.”

He nods, “looking back I don’t have the first idea how I survived it. The grief almost destroyed me… and I’m ashamed to say I let it destroy Dominic and Roger’s relationship.” Henry sighs. “I haven’t always been the best father, but I can tell you right now that it was a hell of a lot easier to be one when I had my mate.”

I know what he means. When I thought I was going to be bringing this baby into the world alone, I’d been terrified. Very few people who plan for children expect to end up alone with the responsibility, and though I’d been one of the rare few – it certainly hadn’t been by choice. I was thrilled to finally succeed, but the stakes seemed a thousand times higher without a partner. I’m still afraid of course, but it feels so much better to be part of a team. I know that as long as Sinclair is alive, I will always have someone to lean on and my pup will have two loving parents to guide him through the world.

“I never would have believed I could do it without her, and I’m proud that I managed…” Henry continues, his mouth a quavering line. “but I will never stop being haunted by the knowledge that the wrong parent died… they would have been so much better off if Juliet had been here instead of me.”

“Please don’t say that.” I beg, feeling tears in my eyes for the second time in as many hours.

“Why not? It’s true.” Henry shrugs, his dark eyes shining. “There’s no use denying it or letting ego get in the way. You’ll see that too – nothing humbles you like being a parent.”

My mind scrambles for an argument, not because I want to invalidate his feelings, but because I know in my heart that losing any parent is never the answer. “Has Dominic ever told you about his last conversation with Juliet?” I finally ask, “before the fire started, before everything went wrong?”

Henry thinks for a moment, “No, not that I can recall.”

Slowly, careful to get the details right, I repeat the story Sinclair shared with me this morning. “Dominic’s mother gave him permission to ignore what society dictated,” I summarize at the end. “But he already had the example you provided to guide him. He was only six, and he might always have remembered those words because they were her last, but he lived them because of you. He is the Alpha he is today because of you. Because you showed him every day how to walk the walk.”

“You know that all happened right here?” Henry inquires thoughtfully, his expression far off as he looks around the room. “I moved the boys to a new home after the fire. But when Dominic grew up and made his fortune, he rebuilt the original manor in her honor.”

“I didn’t know,” I admit, looking around the huge mansion. “Was it always this grand?”

Henry chuckles. “It was even grander in my day – Dominic isn’t the only one who did well for himself, you know.”

“I know.” I laugh, snatching up a distinctive puzzle piece belonging to my current focus area. “But I think I got us distracted. I was asking you about Lydia.”

“The world isn’t split up into angels and devils, Ella.” Henry sighs, “It’s full of complicated and flawed individuals with a thousand different motives guiding them forward.”

“I thought… it sounded like the united packs and the Alpha council want stability over everything else though.” I object, rubbing my, suddenly aching, neck.

“Yes, but what is stability?” Henry challenges. “Dominic believes it’s peace, but there are a lot of people out there who see it as preserving the status quo; ensuring that those currently in power remain in power to avoid constant turnover in leadership.”

“Why are you telling me all this?” I ask, my mouth suddenly feeling very dry.

“Because I know my son, I know the way he talks.” Henry answers seriously. “Dominic grew up in this world and he’s suffered the harsh realities it creates. He understands all this even if he doesn’t make it explicit. But you’re not from this world, and I want to make sure you know what you’re truly up against.”

“You’re saying that I shouldn’t a*sume we’re going to win.” I a*sess shakily. “I need to be realistic about the possibility that we’ll lose.”

“Yes, Ella.” Henry confirms sorrowfully. “I hate to say it, but the more we learn about your past, about Lydia’s schemes and all the chaos that has happened in between… this is feeling less and less like a journey to the top, and more like a bomb waiting to explode.”

My hand gravitates protectively towards my belly. “I think I’m going to be sick.”

Henry reaches for me, looking worried now. “I’m sorry, dear one. Should I have kept my mouth shut?”

“No.” I breathe, trying to calm my gag reflex. “I needed to know. And now that I do – I can start to prepare.”