Alpha Dom and His Human Surrogate

Cora

I narrow my eyes at Roger when he comes upstairs about forty-five minutes later. “Are you going to behave better now?” I ask, my voice tense.

“Yup,” he says, leaning in the doorway with a lazy smile.

I start to laugh as I look over his too – loose stature. “Is it because you’re all drunk?” My eyes shift to Sinclair as he appears in the doorway behind his brother. “Seriously, did you get him all drunk?”

Sinclair, Rafe sitting up in his arms, just gives a little shrug, his mouth pulled up at the corner in a secret smile.

“I am only,” Roger says, smiling as he steps into the room and holding up a hand with his thumb and pointer finger pressed very close together, “a very tiny bit drunk. Just something to steady the nerves.”

Ella laughs next to me before she scoots off the bed.

“All right, then,” she says, gesturing to me as she moves around the bed and reaches to take Rafe from Sinclair. ” Take your spot, Roger. And stop freaking her out, okay?”

“I promise,” Roger mumbles, giving Ella a sloppy little salute before climbing onto the bed and taking her place.

“We’ll be downstairs,” Ella says when I turn my eyes to her. “You just call, and we’ll be right up. Okay?”

I nod to her, smiling a little, grateful that she’s here. Beyond having the power to heal me instantly should anything go wrong, it’s just…really nice to have my sister close by.

Roger sighs as he pulls himself into the spot close on my right and tucks his legs in under the blankets. Then he turns to me, his face serious. “I’m sorry, Cora,” he says quietly.

“Thank you,” I say, my anger fading as I see that he means it. I lift a hand to his cheek, wanting to touch him, wanting him close.

“I just love you so much

“I get it,” I say, nodding.

He nods too, capturing my hand and pressing a kiss to it. “But I didn’t listen to you. And Sinclair made me sit down and listen – which he shouldn’t have to do, so I’m sorry about that. But he explained that you need to be the one freaking out today. So, I have to just… be steady. Is that right?”

say quietly, studying him. “I mean, Roger, it’s not that you can’t feel afraid too – I get

of the room. I’m sorry, Cora – you’re right, we had a plan, we should just trust

now as he slips an arm around my back,

he asks, looking down at my belly and stroking it

quiet. “Or, maybe a little faster now? Four and

he says, pretending a calmness that I know he doesn’t feel. ” That

I start to

asks, turning to

just very sweet, Roger Sinclair,” I murmur, taking his cheeks in my hands and leaning forward

kissing me back. “I’m

lip, feeling significantly calmer now, starting to get…well, maybe a little excited, alongside being terrified. “Do you think

completely bald,” Roger murmurs, a little thoughtlessly as he tucks his head close to mine and takes a deep breath of my scent, “like an old man.” I laugh

you think his

my tongue

that even

me. “These are goddess grandchildren,” he says, grinning at me. “Anything is

“would have shown up

eyes,” he says, holding up a

him. Or at least I smile for a second, before the next contraction starts

me but does his best to stay quiet, his eyes on me throughout the whole

he says quietly

my eyes to his now. And then I smile a little, returning my hand to his cheek. “I hope the baby’s eyes

smirking at me. “Big brown ones, like his

and see,” I reply, dropping my hand from his cheek and wrapping my

turning is attention to the bond that runs between us

the bond as well. “Nah, don’t rush

as he inspects the bond and passes love and comfort and reassurance to the baby, as well as to me. “He’s all

for him out here,”

” Any time you

for the first time? I agree. I’m finally ready – completely ready to bring our baby into the world with a nice, calm,

whole day passes and dusk darkens our windows before my contractions really start to heat up. By then, the house is busy with