Alpha Dom and His Human Surrogate

Ella

It is, indeed, a long climb. Cora and I are panting by the time we get to the top, and even though

Sinclair took Rafe from me halfway through the hike I have to take a moment to catch my break

when we pull ourselves up to the final level.

Roger has the indecency to look a little smug about the fact that he barely looks winded and Cora

gives him a little shove on the shoulder as she works to take a few deep breaths and wipe the

sweat from her brow.

Even as I work to bring my heartrate back down, I absolutely marvel at the sight before me.

The Goddess’ temple, like the one in the city, is built completely with white marble. But unlike

the one in the city, this one looks….ancient. Vines grow in ropes all over it, looking almost as if the

structure is part of the forest itself, having grown up organically from it. The temple is tall and

wide, the pillars in front drawing my eyes upward to the slanted roof which curls into a dome. At

the very peak of the dome is a golden crescent moon, reaching up towards the sky, glinting in the

bright sunlight.

“Wow,” Cora says, standing straight next to me and likewise marveling at the temple. “Mom has

some….impressive property.”

“I know, right?” I mutter back, crossing my arms and shaking my head. If someone had told me,

when I was a little girl sleeping in my creaky little orphan bed, that my mom lived here…

Well. I probably would have believed them.

But I was a very imaginative child.

“Um,” Roger says, looking anxiously at Cora. “Shall we?”

I smile at him, seeing that he’s eager to move on but also that he wants to give her room to process this experience. It’s more intense for her than it is for him, and I think that it’s very sweet that he realizes this. Roger really has come leaps and bounds as a person from when I first met

him

Sinclair comes to stand next to me and I grin at him and then turn to my baby, taking his hands

speaking to him quietly, asking him how he likes it here and if he’s ready to meet his

real this time Rafe claps and gurgles

understands sometimes,” I say quietly, smiling

proudly down

kiss my baby’s forehead

can keep that title for about…five more months,” Roger calls to us,

chest with a smirk.

just laughs and shakes

you ready, Cora?” I ask, moving again to

and reaching for my hand. I give it, and, with another deep.

out of

for a moment, going still

the last time

feel Sinclair behind me, his hand warm against my back, and then a little pulse of

right. This is…this is not the same situation we were in before. This

to take my baby

serve my mother.

little and giving us a deep smile as we approach.

are welcome here. And you are right

look back to the

Cora turns to me with a frown.

1

blink at Cora for a second and then, as I realize what she

already I bite my lip, feeling a very

—

her. I used up our bond used the magic of it to unbind my wolf and

my child, and Cora, and

concern, but I just shake my

smile

her hand “I’m glad you can

sympathetic, and then we both tum back to the

around at our whole party

linger on the baby, admiring him “Please, do come inside

group, we follow the priestess into my mother’s temple And as we go, I wonder a everyone’s

ones that we’ve been in before. While the desert temple. was elegantly sparse, and the city temple was sweeping and impressive, this one is…cozy. The architecture is still bright and wide, but you can tell that women live here and treat it as a home. As I look around at the padded benches by the windows, at the well-loved books neatly tucked into alcoves and the little worn stick broom tucked into a

pause in the middle of the large central room of the temple, the space beneath the dome, but instead leads us across it to a door at the back. Before she opens it, she turns to us

behind her, straightening his shoulders, his face very serious. He is, after all, about to be introduced to his mate’s mother as such for the first time. I smile at both of them as I reach for the baby, who Sinclair helps me unbuckle from the carrier. I don’t know why I do it, but somehow I want Rafe quite

–

warm hand on my shoulder – Cora

see her immediately, we all do

the room, her eyes flashing over all of us but focusing on Cora. I can’t help the tears that well in my eyes when

And this time, as I look at her