Alpha Dom and His Human Surrogate

Chapter 306 – Old Friends

Ella

Two hours later, Sinclair and I welcome our friends back to our house for a casual breakfast and coffee

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or mimosas, according to preference to celebrate Rafe’s moonlight baptism. I can tell our guests are dragging – they’ve been up all night, after all – but spirits are high.

“Wow,” I say, leaning back against Sinclair’s chest with a croissant in one hand, a cup of coffee in the other. Rafe, thankfully, is asleep in his little recline stroller. Usually I’d put him to bed in his crib, but I want people to be able to say goodbye if they have to leave. “I can’t believe everyone I still up,” I say, peering around at our friends and family. “I mean, I know we’re on baby time so normal hours mean nothing anymore, but everyone else…”

“It’s a special occasion,” Sinclair murmurs; lowering his face to my hair and taking a long sniff of my scent. “We’re used to it. In wolf culture shifter children are rarer than we’d like, so we take the time to celebrate them when they’re born.”

“That’s so nice…” I say, sniffing a little, my eyes filling with tears.

“What?” Sinclair asks, pulling away from me a little, shocked. “Are you – why are you crying –

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I swat at him, laughing a little. “What! Hormones! I’m tired! Leave me be.” Then I brush the tears off my cheeks, smiling despite them. I’m just overwhelmed and grateful, honestly, for all the love that our family has shown our baby. “It really is a beautiful tradition,” I murmur, and Sinclair kisses my cheek before moving away to talk to some of the Alphas who have come to see their new prince.

my side to take his place. “Hi, mama,” she says, giving me a warm smile as she wraps an arm around my waist. “How are

my arms around her again, “how are you? How are James,

know that her words are

guest rooms?” I ask Isabel quickly, taking

“I’m so glad we could be here and meet the baby – but we both want to get home. We have…a lot of work to do there.” Her face changes, then, and I feel

I ask, anxious, tugging her hand and urging her to tell me. She nods to a little love seat in the corner and I follow her there, Rafe’s

as private as we

a little sad, “I know that you’ve been distracted – and there’s nothing wrong with that you’ve had such a hard pregnancy, and I know that the birth wasn’t easy on you either – you really shouldn’t have been paying attention

hold on her hand, “please just tell me –“My stomach is roiling with guilt to think that

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after the last days of the war when you were away on the boat. It’s nothing

no idea where he was, if he was cared for – my heart wrenches to think of it. Isabel notes my paling face, my

to where Sinclair is standing. “I’m sorry maybe I shouldn’t have told you –”

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with a new determination on my face. “I need to know, Isabel -I’m getting strong, I need to do this sort of work. If Sinclair intends to lead these people, I don’t intend to stay home and be a happy

feel that way. That’s why I told you – not because …well, Ella, if you’re still healing, you

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I take a deep breath, still worried but touched by my friend’s concern. She knows me so well. “Thank you, love,” I say, giving her a little smile. “I’ll take

voice and looking

not understanding, but giving her the space to work through her

completely, to enslave them if he could. Sinclair, we know, wants

nod, understanding her, remembering the councils during the