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

than I thought was possible and ! anile as I

over to Cora and I and giving

they’re

his eyes still

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

a lot of hotdogs,” I murmur to

she looks over at me from her chair next to

consider. She raises her eyebrows, pleased at the

the night – the family gathered happily around the fire, talking 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 all know that they’re there, after all – and we all

about laughter, and fun, and

hands me, the marshmallow burned to a crisp just the way I like it. “Oh my god,” I murmur, closing my eyes as

laughs, “you’re going to get

open my eyes as I take another bite – He

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

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

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

dark

pantele Roger murs to sing a hand to play with Cora

murmurs

then

him.

as I watch

I decide that

from my little camping chair and send a pulse down my

nod my head first

who begin talking quietly. My mate follows my gaze and

to his father and puts a hand on

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

– the three of us and the baby make

alone

I say to Sinclair as he climbs last into

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

at Roger and Cora through

their business, little spy?” he says, coming to sit

moment, rolls his way back

television, though

looking up at my mate and reaching for

know I

slipping his arms low around

warmly against hin, resting his chin on my shoulder so that he

the details of

peering out at them. “Roger’s hot. He probably has

girlfriend drama -”

his body going stiff behind me,

ask, turning to