Alpha Dom and His Human Surrogate

Coral

Ella and I work the rest of the morning, me making the big decisions about who needs the most medical care next and taking Rafe from her when she’s working. I watch every time she heals someone, unable to tear my eyes away from it. And while I thought I would be jealous – honestly, my sister is doing better work then I ever have as a doctor – I can only feel thrilled that we have this incredible tool in our hands.

Especially, especially considering that Roger came to tell me a few hours ago that they plan to attack tonight. That he and Sinclair are, again, going to put their lives on the line to stop this horrible man who wants to hurt our family.

Just the bare idea that Ella can help if they come home in pieces….

I close my eyes for a moment – Rafe sleeping in my arms while Ella settles down and starts talking with her next patient – dismissing the thought. Because if I start to think about what could happen tonight…

I’ll never be able to let him go. I feel a warm presence beside me as my eyes are closed and smile a little, because I know immediately who it is. And I’m gratified to find that I was right when I open my eyes and see my beautiful mate standing there next to me, smiling down into my face.

“Hello, gorgeous,” Roger says softly.

“Are you talking to me?” I ask, “or the baby?”

“Well,” Roger says, looking down and pretending to consider little sleeping Rafe, “I mean he’s cute, but I’m not sure I’d go so far as to say gorgeous.

I laugh a little, shaking my head, but Roger just smiles at me again and raises a hand to my cheek. “How are you holding up?”

him with a grin and

started. “Can you take

taking my eyes away.

wanted a moment to check in with you before we start getting

I nod, reaching out to

to talk to our mates and she agrees eagerly, taking the baby and hurrying out of the room to find Sinclair. Roger takes my hand and we follow after her, heading towards our own shabby little barracks room to

enter our room, instead just closing the door and leading me over to the bed. I’m pleased by this – pleased that I want what he wants in this moment, which is just a quiet minute alone with him. Roger lays down first and then I lay my body close

wanting to know. Roger takes a deep breath and, even though I can’t see him, I know that he’s closing his eyes, concentrating on his bond with the baby and

he continues. “I think this baby is going to be a workhorse like you. It’s getting all sorts

chest. “What,” I ask, “do you want the baby to be lazy like

“I am not lazy. I merely…prioritize and enjoy my down time. You could benefit from some

quiet moments alone with him. “I think

dramatically, “one of the Reina sisters, admitting

” I think that I have in my life thrown myself into my work as a way to feel like I was…doing something. Being productive. Being useful. But I think…” I hesitate now, trying to put my thoughts together. “I think this little baby is going to have enough of

you mean?” Roger asks worried but

be born – because he has royal blood, and goddess blood, and Sinclair blood. And while our baby

sighs, nodding. “That we were kind of forced off the road by an insane storm the day you were