Alpha Dom and His Human Surrogate

“What do you mean I made it snow?” Cora frowns at me as she bustles around the kitchen, making mimosas. ” That’s ridiculous – you must have imagined it.”

“It totally snowed!” I protest, laughing and shaking my head at her, turning to Sinclair at the table for support.

“It did,” he says, raising his eyebrows at Cora even as he hands Rafe another slice of apple. “”The news is completely baffled by the sudden cold-snap that immediately disappeared by morning. They’re calling it the duke’s miracle.”

“What!?” Cora gasps, spinning to stare at Sinclair wide-eyed.

“That’s so cool,” Roger says, grinning at baby Jesse in his arms, who peers up at his dad with sleepy eyes.” Mom’s magic, Jesse,” he whispers. ” It’s very cool.”

“You guys are just teasing me,” Cora sighs, leaning against the counter as I turn the knob on the stove, cutting off the fire beneath the pan of eggs, sausage, and bacon that I’ve finished frying up.

“Dominic is dead serious,” I say, nodding to Cora eagerly with raised eyebrows. “Seriously, word got to the media that the nation’s beloved duchess had her baby and that night it snowed unseasonably early – people are freaking out.” I laugh a little as I starting to portion our breakfast out onto plates.

“Oh my god,” Cora says, covering her face with her hands. “I didn’t even mean to do that – do you really think it was me?”

“You tend to affect the weather when you’re emotional,” Roger says, grinning at his magical mate with a happy shrug. “I think it makes a lot of sense.”

“Oh, that’s so weird,” Cora says with a sigh, shaking her head at Roger and then at me. “People are going to start figuring out what we can do, Ella,” she says. “We’re going to need to have some sort of story.”

“I think my secrets kind of already out,” I say, giving a little grimace. ”

And why do we have to tell anyone anything? Just let the rumors fly – it’s not anyone’s business but ours.”

“Yeah,” Cora says, rolling her eyes at me before turning back to her previous task of adding the world’s tiniest amount of orange juice to nearly-full glasses of champagne. “Until they burn us at the stake for being witches or something.”

“We won’t let them do that,” Sinclair murmurs, smirking a little as he focuses his attention on Rafe’s breakfast.

at Cora as if it’s inconsequential, “it’s not

at this and

Roger and Sinclair first, who murmur their thanks. “I guess you’re right and it doesn’t really matter at least

of mimosa and taking one for herself, raising it to all of us in a toast. The rest

I fake mine, just letting the bubbles of the champagne press against my lips before putting the drink down on the counter, neatly tucked away

to toast my nephew’s

much better. Still, it’s Cora’s day, and I don’t want to steal her thunder just yet. Not that I think she’d mind, just…one happy

he sleep?” I ask, raising my chin

Cora says, crossing her arms and frowning

smiling at her a little. “He’ll find

me a little

her, remembering that habit in the early days of a new baby.

says, laughing already and glancing over at Roger, “are already

Cora,” Roger says, looking at her completely unashamed of himself. “It is self-care. I will not apologize

for now,” she throws at him, though she smiles. I grin, truly appreciating their teasing relationship. “You need to be a little

during the day,” Roger says, gesturing to the baby cradled in

will certainly do his share of childcare without complaint, day or night. He’ll just tease Cora about it more, mostly

take care of the baby all day,” Sinclair asks, turning mischievous

you run the military from the

says, grinning down at Jesse like it’s obvious. “Never too early to

as much as I probably should. These Sinclair dads

quietly if the same will be true when there’s a girl in the picture. Would Roger have said the same thing – that it’s never too early for the child to get used to a war room if Jesse had been

big Alpha boys who are barely a year older than her, and I’m damn well going to have a word with them if they try to cut her out of their activities

but keeping his eyes on Rafe

letting him see my light worry but also letting him know that it’s not about anything big.