Alpha Dom and His Human Surrogate

Ella

It takes me just a little over an hour to realize that I hate road trips.

“Oh my god,” I murmur to Cora as the vibrations of the gigantic RV continue to shake through us, making poor Rafe grumble uncomfortably. “Is it night yet? Can we stop?”

“You’re being a baby, Ella,” my sister replies, looking up at me with a smirk, jumping her red king over three of Roger’s black checkers and capturing them. “It’s fun!”

“You’re only having fun because you’re kicking Roger’s ass for the third time at that game,” I murmur, sighing as I glance out the window.

“Seriously,” Roger sighs, leaning back against the white leather of the kitchenette’s booth. “You

–

should quit that, Cora. For Ella’s sake she’s trying to enjoy herself.” He runs a frustrated hand through his hair, staring at the board.

“Yes,” Cora replies, laughing. “For Ella’s sake, I’ll go easy on you.”

“I just thought it would be prettier,” I sigh, looking out the window at the endless highway miles Like, purple mountains majesty. Fruited plains. Etcetera.” Instead, it’s just hour after hour of looking at cars, and asphalt, and the sad little pine scrub that borders the highways.

“Maybe when we get further out,” Cora offers, hopeful.

“Nah,” Roger replies, making his next move on the checker’s board. “After the forest it’s all corn

for days.”

I groan, leaning my head back. “I hate corn.”

“No, you don’t,” Cora chides, instantly making her next move on the board and capturing two more of Roger’s pieces. He gasps in protest and then slumps back again.

“How are you doing this,” he murmurs, studying the board. “Are you a witch?”

“Maybe,” she says with a shrug. “Guess we have to ask mom.

I smile at her then, bouncing my fussy baby in my arms. And I inhale a deep breath, silently ordering myself to cheer up because even if I decidedly do not like riding in the RV, I’m still excited to take this trip for my sister, to get her the answers she so desperately wants.

17

Eventually Cora and I retire with the baby to the bedroom where Sinclair suggests I might not feel the movement of the RV as much The boys all stay together up front, studying maps and discussing ridiculous things like terrain and gas mileage things they find endlessly fascinating for some weird boy reason Rut I shrug and leave them to it Gora and I curl up in the incredibly

between us.

laughing and talking with my sister, reconnecting with her and with the peace that I’ve been missing from my life since that terrible day when those men broke through my

all really over?” I ask her in a quiet moment as the sun starts to sink to

horizon.

“I think….well, Ella, I think we picked mates with big lives. I think we’re going. to have to snatch at moments of peace whenever we have them because the next challenge is always coming.

–

we dumb?” I ask quietly. “Did we choose wrong? I mean neither of them are our fated mates. We picked this…. should we have chosen

at her in surprise to see her smiling and

I ask, sitting up straight. “Cora, I was a nanny I was ready to be

says, waving a hand at me in dismissal. “That was just the start of your story, Ella, always. Yes, you were always going to be a mom,” she says, cocking her head to the side, “but…you were never going to stop helping people. I think it kind of makes sense that you ended up being such a

right. That this was perhaps always the life I wanted, even if I want to

“I’m actually I’m not sure if Roger isn’t my fated

ask, my eyes going wide “But you’re

frowning “But Ella, this thing between us,” she says, shaking her head “It feels really big I don’t

feel a mating bond snap into place?” I

says, turning back to me “But Roger said first, when we were out in

day, and she blushes a little and

to know. “What did

–

Cora replies, giving a little shrug. “But the

as my mate. Just…that I

say, impressed, a little jealous. I have no hesitations about Sinclair as my

between us is far beyond

–

it’s an experience I’ll never have. “Well,” I continue, “did you ask

she says, shrugging

“Why not?”

don’t want

say simply, scooching forward on the bed, ready to jump

gasps, grabbing my

looking

laughs, tugging me back down. “That’s between me

now! Since you told

“Lay down,