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

I thought was possible and

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

Otherwise, they’re

Sinclair protests, his eyes still on the

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

eat a lot

over at me from her chair next to mine. “You know I

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

tonight is just about laughter, and fun, and spending

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

Sinclair laughs, “you’re going to

murmur, shaking my head and refusing to open my

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 him, dismissing him and his words,

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

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

dark

murs to sing a hand to play with Cora

murmurs

and then turning her head to

him.

face as I watch them. And

decide that

quiet as I can, I stand up from my little camping chair and send a pulse down my bond

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

begin talking quietly. My

father and puts a hand on his back, leaning

as stealthily as we can – which is not

the RV with a noisy platform – the three of us and the

and Roger alone by the fire to have

talking about,” I say to Sinclair as he climbs last into the

in his arms. I’m sitting in the

the window at Roger and Cora through the

coming to sit with me on the plush

our own moment, rolls his way back

some television, though we

reaching for my

you know I always

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

my shoulder so that he too can look out

about the details of my brother’s love life

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

girlfriend drama -”

asks, his body going stiff behind me,

I ask, turning to