Surrogate For Alpha Dom

Cora

I’m a little out of breath when I finally catch up with Roger and Rafe, having had to work hard to keep up with his long wolf stride.

“Rude,” I say when I finally come to a stop next to them. “You couldn’t have waited for me?”

“I’m being rude?” Roger says, raising his eyebrows at me in disbelief. “Cora, you’ve been nothing but unpleasant since the moment we stepped into the forest –”

–

I open my mouth with a little squeak of protest but Roger just rolls his eyes and ignores me, going on anyway. “This is supposed to be a sacred experience for Rafe and for us and you’ve done nothing but moan and complain. So yeah, forgive me if I wanted to get away for a moment and concentrate on the magic of this place

“Oh whatever,” I mumble, reaching out my arms so that he can hand me the baby.

“No

from you

way,” Roger retorts, holding the baby closer to his chest and turning a little away from me. “You don’t get to hold the baby now that we’re at the pool

“Yes I do!” I cry, “the priestess gave him to me!”

“I’m his godparent just as much as you are

—

“(

surprised, both of our mouths falling open. I don’t know how I know it but…well, somehow, I get the sense that the pool – or whatever magic is in it – is irritated with us.

closer, a little embarrassed. Honestly, it never occurred to me that my behavior with

coming closer to the edge. We look at each other, then, united anew at being…well, a little freaked out, suddenly. We’re both very aware that there’s magic in the world, but

say that words that the priestess taught us as part of the

voice ring out across the smooth surface of the silver pool. “We bring to you, tonight, this child, so that he may begin to know

Roger continues,

the full moon itself, beaming brilliantly down on us from above.

increasing and my stomach twisting with the emotion of the moment. Because she is

time Roger does hand him to me,

My heart fills to see Rafe looking up into the sky, to see the light surrounding him as it falls from the moon above and reflects upwards from the mirrored surface of the

have asked us to bring him here to dedicate him to you.

and at the moonlight. It’s a beautiful moment, introducing the child to the world and to all the magic within it. I open

suddenly afraid, but Roger brings a quick hand to

baby back,” he says, peering into the white light of the moon, likewise trying to

my arms trembling a little, and watch the story form in the air.

visual. Like, it’s not like watching a movie projected into smoke in the air. Instead, it’s…felt as much as it is seen, communicated to our hearts and minds as much as our eyes. But suddenly,

the ground, helping her up and brushing the tears from her face. Then, I see him again – older, but still young.- running across a battlefield, fear on his face but courage in every line of his limbs as he pushes himself to do what is right. We’re passed that quite quickly, though, and I see him again

–

and another in his hands, which he slowly lifts to place on the girl’s head as well. She smiles up at him with such love in her eyes and

–

– and a light–haired boy I don’t know, just

–