Alpha Dom and His Human Surrogate

Ella

The trip improves by leaps and bounds the moment we stop at the campground for the night.

“Finally,” I sigh, taking a deep breath of the fresh air as I climb down the steps of the RV, my

baby curled in my arm and looking around him with bright and interested eyes. “It’s good to be on

steady ground again.”

“Remind me never to take you on a boat,” Sinclair murmurs, coming down the stairs behind me.

If you didn’t like this…you won’t respond well to that.”

“Yes sir,” I say passively, smiling down at the baby, who frees one of his arms and reaches out

into the cool evening air, clasping his fingers at a firefly who passes close by. I don’t mention that

I liked the sea voyage to the desert much more than I liked this, even though the accommodations

weren’t as nice.

“What about this?” Sinclair murmurs as he steps down the final step and comes to stand behind

me, wrapping his arms around my shoulders. I smile as I lean back against his chest. “Is the forest

an improvement?”

I look around our isolated campsite, lit with grey and blue tones in the dying light of the day. I

smile at what I see, appreciating the cool air and the blinking light of the fireflies that float lazily

through the space.

“Yes,” I say with a decisive nod. “This will do quite well.”

“Good,” Sinclair replies, giving me a quick kiss on the cheek before releasing me and moving to a luggage compartment low on the RV. I watch as he opens it and begins pulling out camping gear – chairs, a cooler, some bags with extra snacks and bug spray.

“Oh!” I say, surprised by it all as my mate begins to set it all up around a burned-out ring where a

fire goes. “Oh, we’re very prepared.”

“Of course we are,” Roger says, climbing out of the RV with Cora behind him. When he reaches. the ground, Roger flicks the switch that prepares Henry’s little elevator. “We’re always ready to go

glamping in this family.”

I laugh at the term, settling into a chair that Sinclair waves me towards, smiling down at the baby “What do you think, Rafe?” I whisper to him “Do you like glamping?” He gives a happy little coo in response and I laugh, grinning up at his father. “I think that’s a yes

“Kid has taste,” Sinclair says, winking at me as he continues his work

around a ! much faster than I thought

cook,” Henry whispers, leaning over to Cora and I and giving us a smile, “when

they’re not

Sinclair protests, his eyes still on

“If I’m making food, it’s

gonna eat a lot

she looks over at me from

make them hire us chefs,” I consider. She raises her eyebrows, pleased at

what we’ll be doing in our mutual future but not touching on any of the big, scary subjects that lurk behind the conversation.

just about laughter, and fun, and spending time

the way I

“you’re going to

and refusing to open my eyes as I take another bite – He

again as he comes and lifts Rafe from my arms I let him, wanting to be alone. with my s’more anyway Cora, Roger, and Henry laugh as well as Sinclair walks Rafe away from me, apologizing in a loud murmur for how messy and inconsiderate his mother is I wave

Sinclair and his grandchild while Cora and Roger sit close to each other, not

and smiling around at our dark Camp 7 didn’t think I’d like sitting outside

dark

primal about pantele Roger murs to sing a hand to play with Cora

murmurs

and then turning her head

him.

face as I watch them. And then, as

that

up from my little camping chair and send a

at me, curious and I nod my

begin talking quietly. My mate follows my gaze and then nods

a hand on his back, leaning down to speak a whispered

stealthily as we can – which is not

– the

and Roger alone by the fire to have a moment

I say to Sinclair as he climbs last into

shut behind him, the baby still curled in his

at Roger and

their business, little spy?” he says, coming to sit with me on the plush leather.

moment, rolls his way back

about wanting to watch some television, though we

at my mate and reaching for

I

laughs. “Do you know,” he murmurs, slipping his arms low around

on my shoulder so that he

about the details of my brother’s love life

at them. “Roger’s hot. He probably has had lots

girlfriend drama -”

going

I ask, turning to