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

whispers, leaning over to Cora

Otherwise, they’re

Sinclair protests, his eyes

true!” Roger chimes in, making us laugh. “If I’m

gonna eat a lot of

me from her chair next to mine. “You know I can’t

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

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

laughter,

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

to get marshmallow

refusing to open my eyes as I

he comes and lifts Rafe from 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

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

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

dark

about pantele Roger murs to sing a hand to play

murmurs

up at the stars and then turning her head to look

him.

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

that that’s

can, I stand up from my little

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

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

and puts a hand on his back,

we can – which is not

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

and Roger alone by

to Sinclair as he climbs last into

still curled in his arms. I’m sitting in the little kitchen

the window at Roger and Cora through

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

moment, rolls his

wanting to watch some television, though we both know

sigh, looking up at my mate and reaching for my baby, who Sinclair passes

know I always want to

know,” he murmurs, slipping his arms low around me and

my shoulder so that he too can

much about the details

say, still peering out at them. “Roger’s

girlfriend drama -”

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

ask, turning