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

a ! much faster than I thought was possible and

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

Otherwise, they’re not

his eyes still on

true!” Roger chimes in, making us laugh. “If I’m making food, it’s grilled. Otherwise. I’m getting

is gonna eat a lot of

over at me from her chair

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

we’ll be doing in our mutual future but not touching on any of the big, scary subjects that lurk behind the conversation. We all know that they’re there, after all – and we all

about laughter, and fun, and spending

a smore that Sinclair hands me, the marshmallow burned to a crisp just the way I like it. “Oh my god,” I

to get marshmallow all over the baby

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

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

quietly Henry watches Sinclair and his grandchild while Cora and Roger sit close to each other,

arms around herself and smiling around at our dark Camp 7 didn’t think I’d like sitting outside in the dink by a tie

dark

pantele Roger murs to sing a hand to play with Cora

murmurs

she says, looking up at the stars and then turning

him.

my own smile from crossing my face as I watch them. And

that

I can, I stand up from my little camping chair and send a pulse

nod my head first towards

and Cora, who begin talking quietly. My mate

walks to his father and puts a hand

– which is not very stealthy, considering Henry

the three of us and the baby make our way

alone by the fire to have a

you think they’re talking about,” I say to Sinclair as he climbs

shut behind him, the baby still curled in his arms. I’m sitting in the little

out the window at Roger and Cora through the

he says, coming

own moment, rolls his way back to

watch some television, though we

I sigh, looking up at my mate and reaching

I always want to

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

on my

about the details of my brother’s

not,” I say, still peering out at them. “Roger’s hot.

girlfriend drama -”

asks, his body going stiff behind me, just a

ask, turning to him, confused