All Chapters of Surrogate for My Sister's Mate: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

ROSENTINE“Are you alright?” Beta Owen asked, breaking the long silence between us as we walked. I blinked and met his gaze, managing a smile as I nodded.Deep down, though, I felt anything but okay.So much was happening at once, and my thoughts just kept looping and never settling. I knew Alpha Bastian had mentioned that the reason he chose me was because I resembled his mate, but it had never crossed my mind, not even for a second, that he meant my sister.Even now, I couldn’t really wrap my head around any of it. I was really glad to see my sister alive, but seeing her fragile and sick really broke my heart. I couldn’t help but feel ashamed and guilty.It almost felt wrong to even think about getting close to her again, since no matter how I tried to look at it, I was part of the reason she’d ended up like that.“This is too much,” I muttered as I stopped walking, closed my eyes, and tried to breathe, but it caught in my throat, raw and rough. Just then, everything blurred as tear

ROSENTINEEating alone at the long table felt like being dropped into a well and left there, the silence echoing back at me no matter how I tried to fill it with clinks of silverware or the halfhearted scraping of my fork against the plate.I used to sit by myself all the time back in my old pack, barely noticing the emptiness, but ever since I’d stumbled into the warmth of shared meals here, I’d gotten used to having someone across from me while having random conversations.Now, I was eating alone again, and that made the loneliness seep in, slowly, painfully.“Do you not like the food, Lady Rosentine?” Hana’s asked, jolting me from my thoughts.“Ah, no, I like it. I just have a lot on my mind.” I tried to smile, a real one, not wanting to add another worry to her plate.It was a relief, honestly, that she hadn’t changed around me. Just like Beta Owen, she still treated me the same. She’d even told me herself she didn’t believe the rumors swirling through the pack, and she’d promised

ROSENTINEThe sound of water dripping steadily from the faucet, rippling into the tub where I sat submerged, echoed around the bathroom like the tick of a clock. I closed my eyes, feeling myself relaxed after the tiring day.Funny, I hadn’t really done anything strenuous. No running laps or lifting boxes. Still, my body felt wrung out. Maybe that was what mental exhaustion did—it seeped in deeper than sore muscles ever could.But even though I desperately needed a break, the idea of just… resting? It made my skin crawl, which was why, a few minutes later, once the warm water washed the fatigue and stress away, I climbed out of the tub and headed to the closet to slip on my nightgown.I was halfway through towel-drying my hair when a sudden knock rattled the door. My heart jumped, beating faster and faster, because I knew it was Alpha Bastian.Now that he was here, I realized, too late, that I’d forgotten to ask my sister what she really thought about all this setup. About her mate com

OWEN“Are you okay?” I asked, glancing at Rosentine, who sat beside me in the backseat, so quiet I wondered if she was even breathing.She turned to me, lips curving into a shaky smile, nodding to convince me, but I could see right through it.From the moment I saw her, I’d been keeping a close eye on her. There was just something about her presence; it was gentle and easy, but she also looked so much like Bastian’s mate.I’d had a hunch he’d choose her, though I never imagined they’d turn out to be sisters. Since then, observing Rosentine became a habit, which was why I could tell whether she was lying or not.“What happened earlier? Why does Bastian look pissed?” I asked, even though I’d already witnessed everything from the window.I’d seen Rosentine and Rosalia in the garden, watched them walk together, and saw the moment Rosalia tumbled onto the ground all on her own. I couldn’t hear what they’d been talking about, but the way the maid looked at Rosentine told me something—they we

BASTIAN“What?” Rosentine blinked, like my words had hit her square in the face. For a heartbeat, she just stared, probably weighing her options and wondering if she should agree to what I’d suggested not.I let her have that moment to think. My mind, though, was already drifting back, replaying the conversation I’d had with Owen in my study earlier.Hearing him question me if there was a problem with him and Rosentine having a relationship had struck me harder than I’d care to admit. Sure, I’d noticed them getting closer these past few days, but seeing him touch her so casually, so openly, right in front of me—it grated on something deep inside.I was on the verge of losing my composure, but then, almost like he sensed it, Owen just led her out. And the moment the door closed behind her, he turned, catching me off guard with his question if I liked Rosentine.At that moment, I couldn’t answer. Not then. Maybe not even now, because I myself wasn’t sure of what exactly I was feeling. A