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

settled around a ! much faster than I thought was possible and !

leaning over to Cora and I

they’re

true!” Sinclair protests, his

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

is gonna eat a

me from her chair next to

make them hire us chefs,” I consider. She

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 simultaneously decide to leave them untouched for

laughter, and fun, and

into a smore that 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.

“you’re going to get

open my eyes as I take another bite – He

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 him, dismissing him

finish my s’more 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 this

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

dark

primal about pantele Roger murs to sing a

murmurs

stars and then turning her head to look

him.

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

I decide that

I stand up from my little camping chair and send a pulse down my bond

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

and Cora, who begin talking quietly. My mate follows my gaze

walks to his father and puts a hand on his back, leaning down to

by one, as stealthily as we can – which is not very stealthy, considering Henry

the RV with a noisy platform – the three of us and the baby make our way

alone by the

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

him, the baby still curled in

Roger

business, little spy?” he says, coming to

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

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

mate and reaching for my

you know I always want to

murmurs, slipping his arms low around

hin, resting his chin on my shoulder so that he too can

as much about the details of my brother’s love life until you

out at them.

girlfriend drama -”

going stiff behind me, just a

ask, turning to him, confused