Alpha Dom and His Human Surrogate

Ella

Sinclair moves away at Roger’s side as Cora comes to mine. We both fuss over the baby for a moment, checking to ensure that he doesn’t need anything, but when we’re sure that he’s ready to go I turn him in my arms so that he can look out at all of the people who have come to visit us on this big weekend.

Cora, Rafe and I head into the room together with Conner close behind us, as planned. We decided to split up on this one always staying in sight of our mates, but giving people the opportunity to come and speak with us privately if they’re so inclined.

The strategy works. A great variety of people come and introduce themselves to Cora and I, and I’m pleased to see that the majority of these people are women. I smile a little smugly inside, glad that I was right that the women who attend our coronation as part of these delegations who might feel awkward or shy approaching the gigantic, intimidating Sinclair brothers feel differently about approaching two women, one pregnant and the other holding a baby.

The result, to my pleasure, is a great deal of happy chat. I meet a variety of fascinating women who are all eager to tell me about their lives, their plans for their nations’ futures, the collaborations that they’re excited to pursue with us. At each turn Cora and I are genuinely enthusiastic, wanting to work with these people to make our world a better place.

“Wow,” I say to Cora after we part ways with a dowager Queen and her granddaughter, who is the next in line to her own throne. “It’s…incredible. I had no idea that most of these nations and people even existed.”

“I know,” she murmurs, running a hand over her hair and looking around. “I feel like we need to go back to school, Ella – we’re not nearly prepared enough for our positions in this nation. We need some serious history lessons.”

“Well, you go to school,” I murmur, sighing. “And just give me the wikipedia version of whatever you learn, okay? Because I am done with schooling.”

“You were good at school!” Cora protests, a little appalled.

“I was good,” I say, looking at her with raised eyebrows, “but I wasn’t addicted to it, like you were. Honestly, Cora, you’d still be in school if there were more degrees to get.”

“Well,” she sighs, putting her hands on her hips for a second and tiling her head to the side for a second. “That’s probably true…”

I laugh, smiling at my clever sister, and then Rafe gives a sad little cry. Curious, I look down at him and instantly smell something very unpleasant.

“Oh, geeze,” I murmur, realizing that he needs to be changed. I look anxiously over my shoulder, wondering where the closest bathroom is that has a changing area

– I

for

“Cora, I can’t -”

she insists, taking Rafe from my arms. “You’re needed here more than I am – go talk with Roger and Sinclair, and Conner and I will take the baby to be changed. All right? It’s going to

baby off to her for the second time today. Rafe doesn’t seem displeased, though, smiling happily up at his aunting and reaching out his

my mate, and seeing him across the room speaking with a bunch of Alphas with Henry and Roger

at the sides of the room and avoid anyone in the center of the room pulling

almost, almost make it – honestly, I’m about three-fourths of the way there – when someone steps into my path,

a deep breath, putting on my Queen expression – calm, smiling, interested as I look

smile falters a bit when I realize

a sharp, formal bow. ” It is a

a little still, my smile increasing a

moment, clearly waiting for a response. But I just stand in silence, not

mean…” he says quietly, “that it is not precisely a

And damn me but…

the way he says it

my

to say,” I reply, a little laugh on my voice now. “That whether or not it is a pleasure to speak

hear him huff a sad little laugh under his breath. “Honestly, I warned them against bringing that

why did you do it?” I ask, taking a step forward, wanting to look up into his face

their color and clarity – by the light blue-violet color of

his hands into his pockets as he takes a deep breath. ” They spent hours deciding on it on precisely

to those meetings?” I ask, raising an eyebrow at him, wanting to push him for