Surrogate For Alpha Dom

Home with Baby Ella

I hear Sinclair sigh heavily next to me, murmuring “Ella…”

But I ignore him, my eyes fasted on Hank, who blushes a deep red at the door and looks down at his shoes. I don’t say a word, though, or make this any easier on him. Instead, I wait patiently for an answer.

“Cora is,” he murmurs, awkward, “very special to me…

“I would imagine so,” I reply, my voice harder than I think I expected it to be. “She’s a very special person.”

Hank sighs and raises his eyes seriously to mine. I hold his gaze steadily.

“I’m very serious about Cora,” he says evenly. “I want to build a life with her. But we are moving…slowly. We both want to make sure that this is right.”

My heart warms when I hear him say that he wants to build a life with her, but still – what does that mean? I hold my baby closer to me and shift in my seat.

“And do you want to have childre-”

“Ella!” Sinclair bursts in, his voice angry, a hand on my arm.

“What!” I cry, turning to him with a frown. “It’s a legitimate question!”

“It’s none of your business!” He hisses back to me, his eyes wide and appalled.

–

my sister’s business is

My frown deepens as I open my mouth to object to my mate business, after all – but Hank clears his throat, bringing my attention back to him.

there’s nothing else,” he says, his eyes flicking between Sinclair and I

questioning is at an end. I sigh, nodding, as Sinclair

he says with finality, letting Sinclair know he’s free from my interrogation. “We’ll look forward to seeing you

as Hank leaves the room, my eyes on

Sinclair says slowly, admonishing. I look into

to know, Sinclair. She’s not with Roger because she thinks he wants children they can’t have. If Hank also isn’t on the same page with her about kids,

in surprise as he processes this information. “And what’s Cora’s page about kids?” he asks. “Does

Roger?” I ask, still bristling that he didn’t let me

He brings his eyes back to me, though. “Either way, that’s a conversation between Cora

settling back onto the pillows. “If they’re all too stupid enough to

leaning back on the chair. “I guess I shouldn’t have expected

baby. Then, I kiss him on his little head. “Don’t worry, baby,”

laugh in his chair, but doesn’t bother to counter me. He knows

home, all three of us exhausted by the activities of the day. But Cora finally gave us

gasp a little when I see the variety of gift baskets and flowers waiting for us. “Oh,” I say, fascinated, moving forward to look at them all. Then I look up at my mate. “Did you

some tags on a few of them. “ They look to be presents from friends and well–wishers. See?” He points to one filled with hand–drawn cards set neatly around a fluffy teddy bear. “This one’s

against the sudden rush of feelings, overwhelmed by all the love in the room

way too tired for this – if you get into all these cards now, you’ll cry yourself

bear!” I cry, looking over my shoulder at it as Sinclair guides me up the

the morning,” Sinclair says,

When we reach the door to our bedroom, though, my eyes fill with tears again as I look up

his fingers, exhausted but wanting to be there for me. “What

time, Dominic. Putting him to sleep in his own little bed. It’s just…” I shrug, not

he says, simply. And so I rest my body against him – against the warm, steady bulk of him, grateful – again – to have a mate who understands me so completely. Who doesn’t think I’m crazy or

to me. And that every moment of it – even one