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

much faster than I thought

only cook,” Henry whispers, leaning over to Cora and I and

Otherwise, they’re not

true!” Sinclair protests, his eyes

us laugh. “If I’m

eat a

she adds, sighing. Then she looks over at me from her chair next to mine. “You know

chefs,” I consider. She raises her eyebrows, pleased at the idea,

chatting lightly about what we’ll be doing in our mutual future but not touching on any

just about laughter, and fun, and spending

Sinclair hands me, the marshmallow burned to a crisp just the way I like it. “Oh my god,” I murmur, closing my eyes as I chew. “This is so good, I can barely stand

laughs, “you’re going to get marshmallow

shaking my head and refusing to open my eyes as I take another bite – He won’t mind

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 a hand at

and look around at my family, watching them quietly Henry watches Sinclair and his grandchild while Cora and Roger sit close to each other, not talking but clearly connected in

here Cora says, wrapping her arms around herself and smiling around at our dark Camp 7 didn’t think I’d like sitting outside in

dark

pantele Roger murs to sing a hand to play

murmurs

stars and then turning

him.

as I watch them. And then, as they stare at

decide that

quiet as I can, I stand up from my little

curious and I nod

talking quietly. My mate

a hand on his back, leaning down to speak

one by one, as stealthily as we can – which

with a noisy platform – the three of

Cora and Roger alone by

talking about,” I say to Sinclair as he climbs last into the

baby still curled in his arms. I’m sitting

out the window at Roger and Cora through

little spy?” he says, coming to sit with

us our own moment, rolls his way back to the bedroom, making

about wanting to watch some television, though we both know he doesn’t

and reaching for my baby, who Sinclair passes

know I always want to

murmurs, slipping his

my shoulder so that he too

the details of my brother’s

them. “Roger’s hot. He

girlfriend drama -”

Sinclair asks, his body going stiff

I ask, turning to him,