Alpha Dom and His Human Surrogate

Ella

“So you two,” Cora says, flicking her gaze between Roger and Sinclair, ” you’re all right now? After fifteen minutes, it’s all cleared up?”

Sinclair shrugs. “We kept it pretty cut and dry. He’s on probation.”

“No, I’m not,” Roger murmurs, dismissive, shaking his head to Cora.

“He is,” Sinclair growls. Roger just leans down, pretending to whisper in Cora’s ear but speaking loud enough for all of us to hear, “probation doesn’t mean anything. But it made him happy to slap a word on the lack of consequences.”

Cora laughs, her face turned up to her mate, and I bite my lip to stifle my own giggle, wanting to be loyal to Sinclair, who just sighs behind me.

“Either way,” Sinclair says, moving on. “Congratulations, Cora,” he says, his focus on her now and his voice sincere. “I’m very happy for you – for both of you. It’s a big event.”

“Thank you, Dominic,” Cora says, smiling at him softly and turning her head to the side, clearly touched. I beam at my sister as well. It’s not that I’ve let her off the hook for keeping the baby name a secret when I want to know so terribly badly – but? Well. I’ll bug her about it later.

“We are sorry though,” Cora says, reaching up to take Roger’s hand. “I know that…the wedding meant a lot to you, and that it was going to do good things for the nation. But…” she bites her lip, hesitating, and I can tell that she feels selfish. I open my mouth to protest against this but she continues before I can start. “But – I needed it to be like this, to be personal. I hope that you’ll forgive me.”

“There’s nothing to forgive, Cora,” Sinclair murmurs, smiling at her warmly. “I completely understand you’ve done nothing wrong.”

And quite suddenly, something comes to me. “Cora,” I say, turning my head to the side and leaning forward. “Does.. anyone else know? About your mark, or your little personal ceremony, besides us four?”

She frowns at me, confused. “Well, no,” she says quietly. “I mean, neither of us really have social media or anything -”

“Or any friends,” Roger murmurs, a little chagrined, which makes me laugh. They don’t need friends, they have us!

I say, a big smile breaking out on my face. “Would

“What?” Cora asks, confused.

this could work! “Why not just have the wedding/

she starts to laugh, I think a little inspired by the idea. But then she realizes that

could get makeup artists to cover it up,” I suggest with a little shrug. ” I’m sure they can do it –

choice. And then she grins, turning back to me. “Really?” she

warmly behind me. “I think it’s precisely the message we want to send to both our people and some of our honored guests: that humans are equals in our eyes, that they’re part of our family. But, if you’d rather not –

face. “No, I want

this side this time,” Roger murmurs, drawing a finger down the opposite side of her throat and

mean it. Cora hasn’t had nearly enough of Roger, and I doubt she ever will. I hug my baby close and grin at both of them, so

to throw

to take care of the baby and begin to make my plans. He scolds

and I’m happy he gets to

he’s ever been. He reminds me, in some ways, of the cold, brooding, discerning business man I met at the beginning of all of this. In some ways I lost track of that man I fell in love with in all of our odd adventures in Vanara, and in the bunker, and in

see flashes of him come back. And it’s not that he’s lost

possible, I love him even more than I ever

contested it. Now all that’s left is for the governors to ratify the claim, and the packs to demonstrate their support by paying fealty at the coronation. It’s all gone smoothly, as Sinclair predicted it would, and so we’ve moved forward with the plans. Delegations from all the neighboring countries are set to begin arriving in our beautiful Moon Valley over the course of the

I’m most excited about the delegation from Vanara including King Gabriel –

Atalaxians have indeed signaled

the evenings, bringing Rafe with me to chat and play. They’re thriving now, and I think that they’re happy and excited about

It’s not that I’m keeping it from them – if they asked, I’d tell them in a minute, of course. But they’re safe here, and moving forward, and I don’t want Sarah to have to worry about the past

I keep putting it off, and she keeps not asking so…we’re at

Atalaxians be like?” I ask Sinclair one night, laying naked with my

he murmurs, tracing a lazy hand down my back. “I do my best work, and you want to ask about the