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

cook,” Henry whispers, leaning over to Cora and I and giving

they’re

protests, his

making us laugh. “If

a lot of hotdogs,” I murmur to

sighing. Then she looks over at me from her chair next

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

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

just about laughter, and fun,

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

dripping,” Sinclair laughs, “you’re going to get marshmallow

and refusing to open

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

watching them quietly Henry watches Sinclair and his grandchild while Cora and Roger sit close to each other, not talking but clearly connected in

out here Cora says, wrapping her 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 as much

dark

about pantele Roger murs to sing

murmurs

then turning her

him.

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

decide that that’s my

up from my little camping chair and send a pulse

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

talking quietly. My mate follows my gaze and then

a hand on his back, leaning down to

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

platform – the three of us and the baby make

mobile house, leaving Cora and Roger alone by

talking about,” I say to

the baby still curled in his arms. I’m sitting

Roger and Cora through the tinted

says, coming to sit with me on the plush leather.

own moment, rolls his way back to the

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

mate and reaching

I always want to

murmurs, slipping his arms low around me and pulling

resting his chin on my shoulder so that he too can look out

details of my brother’s love life until you

peering out at them. “Roger’s hot.

girlfriend drama -”

his body going stiff behind me, just a little

turning to him, confused