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.

nothing else,” he says, his eyes flicking between

an end. I sigh,

finality, letting Sinclair know he’s free from my

the room, my eyes on my

Sinclair says slowly, admonishing. I look into his

Roger because she thinks he wants children they can’t have. If

as he processes this information. “And what’s Cora’s page about

didn’t let me get information that

little, staring into space and considering it. “Actually, I don’t know…” He brings his eyes back

pillows. “If they’re all too stupid enough to not talk to each other about it, then I am going

Sinclair sighs, leaning back on the chair. “I guess I shouldn’t have expected any

his little head. “Don’t worry, baby,” I whisper to him.

to counter me. He

of the day. But Cora finally gave us the go–ahead when Rafe’s final set of tests

I 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

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

sharp tears. “Oh, I miss them…” I bite my lip against the sudden rush of feelings, overwhelmed by all the

by the shoulders and moving the baby and I towards the stairs. “We’re way too tired for this – if you get into all these cards now, you’ll cry yourself

it as Sinclair guides me up the stairs, a steady hand on my

will be there in the morning,” Sinclair says, steady, yawning. “Now? Bed.”

door to our bedroom, though, my eyes

exhausted but wanting to be there for me. “What is it this time? What’s

my voice trembling a little, looking between him and the baby. “Just…we’re bringing him home for the first time, Dominic. Putting him to sleep in his own little bed. It’s

much as mind as he confirms this. I know, 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

all a dream to me. And that every moment of it