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

I thought was possible and

to Cora

they’re not

protests, his eyes

making us laugh. “If I’m making food, it’s grilled. Otherwise. I’m

baby is gonna eat a lot of hotdogs,”

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

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

about nothing and everything, chatting lightly about what we’ll be doing in our mutual future but not touching on any of the big, scary subjects that lurk behind the conversation. We

is just about laughter, and fun, and spending time

me, the marshmallow burned to a crisp just the way

Sinclair laughs, “you’re going to get marshmallow all over

refusing to open my eyes as I

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 him, dismissing him

look around at my family, watching them quietly Henry watches Sinclair and his

Cora says, wrapping her arms around herself and smiling around at our dark Camp 7 didn’t think

dark

sing a hand to play

murmurs

looking up at the stars and then turning her head to

him.

my own smile from crossing my face as I watch

that that’s

from my little

He looks up at me, curious and I nod my head first towards the RV

quietly. My mate follows

a hand on

can – which

with a noisy platform – the

alone by the fire to have

do you think they’re talking about,” I say to Sinclair

baby still curled in his arms. I’m

window at Roger and Cora through the tinted

says, coming to

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

though we both

up at my mate and reaching for my baby,

know I always want

murmurs, slipping

I warmly against hin, resting his chin on my

the details of

not,” I say, still peering out at them. “Roger’s hot. He probably has had lots

girlfriend drama -”

hot?” Sinclair asks, his body going stiff behind me,

ask, turning to