Accidental Surrogate

Chapter 416-Awake Ella

I’m up very early the next morning, my mind instantly on poor Sarah, poor Jessica, somewhere in the palace, probably worried about what on earth is coming next.

I slowly pull my body from its warm place at Sinclair’s side, grimacing as I try not to disturb him as much as I can – he’s so cute, my big tough Alpha, all vulnerable and sleeping and

“Just go, Ella,” he murmurs, his eyes still shut. I laugh a little, softly –

Because of course he felt me go every sense is attuned to me, to my safety. his

“All right, Dominic,” I murmur, leaning in to press a very soft kiss to his mouth. “But you stay asleep.”

“Noo problem,” he whispers, and then turns over as I roll to my side of the bed and quickly stand up. I give him a little glance over my shoulder – admiring the tanned muscles of his back for just a second – before leaning down to pick up my little baby.

Rafe is, as he usually is, awake and quiet, waiting for me to come and get him as I always do.

“Lovely little baby,” I murmur to him, nudging him with my nose as I take him over to his changing table to get him started for his day. “How did I get so lucky as to have such a good boy? Not even crying in the morning, so his mama can rest.”

Rafe gives a happy little squeal that makes me laugh, but it also makes me glance over my shoulder at my mate- because I don’t want to wake him. But Sinclair stays still, his shoulders moving gently with his soft breathing. Good – I want him to get his rest.

I change Rafe as quickly as I can and then take him into our gigantic closet to feed him while I pick out my clothes for the day. When Rafe’s finished eating I’m about to put him into his car seat so that I can take a shower, but a dark shadow falls over me.

“Give him here,” Sinclair murmurs, and I turn to smile at him as I hand the baby over.

“How did you know?” I ask, curious.

says, smirking

“What!?”

the bond,” Sinclair clarifies, leaning close to give me a kiss on the cheek. “He

as I peer at my

way of letting his parents know what he wants and needs.” Then he heads back to the bed

ones in the sunny breakfast room in which we’ll be meeting Sarah and Jessica. I tab my fingers on the table, staring at the door, before

he’s fielding about a thousand messages from the hundreds of ventures

than sit still, I take Rafe from the table to a small living area on the far side of the room and spread out a little blanket for us so that we can have a little play time

and cheerful – god, I can barely believe that he’s mine. He’s fulfilled every wish I ever had about a mom – and beyond that, has allowed me to access a level of love and joy that I honestly didn’t know I was

raspberry on his little

feel a pulse down our bond –

little pudgy hands to touch my cheeks and my nose. As he does, I smile so hard it hurts. “Little baby Rafe,” I murmur, kissing his hands. “You are

and I jump a little and then laugh when I see Sinclair standing above us, his arms crossed over his chest in mock

harder,

at him. ” You’d better knock it off, kid – it used to be me she talked to that way

so that he sits on the floor next to

bringing his face close to mine and then dropping his head slightly so that he can run his lips over the skin of my neck. “Just make sure you always keep me at the top of your list of men

well you do at that once

pretend she’s

his lips on my skin. “Oh sure,” I say, sarcastic, “you’d just love that. A little girl trapsing around with Rafe and Cora’s son, getting into all the messes that boys do? There’s no part of you that

daughter?

say, soft now, pulling my head back a little to look into his face. “Your daughter would be strong enough to handle that, to handle anything. You’d make her strong, like you do me

little then, the way his eyes go soft as he looks at me, truly hears my words. “Trouble,” he growls, lifting hand to my cheek and resting his forehead against mine, ” you’re the heart of everything. There is