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

a ! much faster than I thought was

leaning over to Cora and I and giving

Otherwise, they’re not

true!” Sinclair protests, his eyes still on

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

baby is gonna eat a lot of hotdogs,” I murmur

she adds, sighing. Then she looks over at me from her chair next to mine. “You know I can’t

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

talking about nothing and everything, chatting lightly about what we’ll be doing in our mutual future but not touching on any of

just about laughter, and fun, and spending time

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

Sinclair laughs, “you’re going to get marshmallow all over the

don’t care,” I murmur, shaking my head and refusing to open

and Henry laugh as well as Sinclair walks

my s’more and look around at my family, watching them quietly Henry watches Sinclair and his grandchild while Cora and

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

dark

Roger murs to sing a hand to play with Cora

murmurs

up at the stars and then turning her head to look

him.

face as I watch them. And then, as

I decide that

up from my little camping chair and send a

curious and I nod my head first towards the RV and

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

hand on his back, leaning down to speak

stealthily as we can – which is not very stealthy,

the three of us and the baby make

alone by the fire to

say to Sinclair as he

curled in his

the window at Roger and Cora through the

he says, coming to sit with me on the plush

our own moment, rolls his way back

to watch some television, though we both know

reaching for my baby, who Sinclair

you know I always

laughs. “Do you know,” he murmurs, slipping his arms low around me and pulling

against hin, resting his chin on my shoulder so

the details of my brother’s love

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

girlfriend drama -”

Sinclair asks, his body going stiff behind

turning