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

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

they’re not

his eyes still on the

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

a lot of hotdogs,” I murmur

at me from her chair next to mine.

hire us chefs,” I consider. She

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 simultaneously decide to leave them

tonight is just about laughter,

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

“you’re going to get marshmallow all over the

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

walks Rafe away from me, apologizing in a loud murmur for how messy and inconsiderate his mother

quietly Henry watches Sinclair and his grandchild while Cora and Roger sit

our dark Camp 7

dark

about pantele Roger murs to sing a hand to

murmurs

up at the stars and then turning her head to look at

him.

as I watch them. And then, as

I decide that

I can, I stand up from my little

nod my head first towards

who begin talking quietly. My mate follows

puts a hand on his back,

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

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

and Roger alone

talking about,” I say to Sinclair as he climbs

still curled in his arms.

the window at Roger and

little spy?” he says, coming

own moment, rolls

television, though

and reaching for my baby, who Sinclair passes into

know I always

you know,” he murmurs, slipping his arms low around

on my shoulder so that he too can look

details of my brother’s love life

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

girlfriend drama -”

hot?” Sinclair asks, his body going stiff behind

turning