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

—

“(

I turn to it, surprised, both of our mouths falling open. I don’t know how I know it but…well, somehow,

pool, taking a step closer, a little embarrassed. Honestly, it never occurred to me that my behavior with Roger right now was being…watched.

at being…well, a little freaked out, suddenly. We’re both very aware that there’s magic in the world, but sometimes when you’re confronted with it so

and start to say that words that the priestess taught us

pool. “We bring to

the spirit of your grace,” Roger continues, his own resonant voice sending shivers down my spine. The light coming off the pool brightens

upwards through the trees and am treated by the sight of the full moon itself, beaming brilliantly down on us from above. Hey, mom,

the moment. Because she is here,

this time Roger does hand him to me, letting me take the baby and

moonlight streams down onto the baby, growing brighter as the moments pass. My heart fills to see Rafe looking up into the sky, to see the

Rafe Sinclair,” Roger says softly, reverent. “His parents, Ella and Dominic, have asked us to bring him here to

the baby, and at Roger, and at the moonlight. It’s a beautiful moment, introducing the child to the world and to all the magic within it. I open my mouth to say something, to tell Roger

brings a quick hand to my waist,

moon, likewise

out, my arms trembling a

the air. Instead, it’s…felt as much as it is seen, communicated

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 with that girl – though she’s older now too – laughing. And though I know there’s no reason for me to know it, I sense – somehow that she,

–

place on the girl’s head as well. She smiles up at him with such love in her eyes and then the door to the room bursts open, his family spilling in

–

don’t know, just about Rafe’s age-

–