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.

eyes flicking between Sinclair and I

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

room, my eyes on my

slowly, admonishing. I look into

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, then what’s the point?”

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

that he didn’t let me get information that I very much

don’t know…” He brings his eyes back to me, though. “Either way, that’s a conversation between Cora and Roger. Or Cora and Hank.

me,” I murmur, settling back onto the pillows. “If they’re all too stupid enough to not talk to

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

“Don’t worry, baby,” I whisper to

but doesn’t bother to counter me. He

exhausted by the activities of the day. But Cora finally

flowers waiting for us. “Oh,” I say, fascinated, moving

of them. “ They look to be presents from friends and well–wishers. See?” He points to one filled with

against the sudden rush of feelings, overwhelmed by all the love in the room when I’ve been so distracted – I haven’t even kept

stairs. “We’re way too tired for this

looking over my shoulder at it as Sinclair guides me up the stairs, a steady hand on

morning,” Sinclair says, steady,

to his wisdom and allowing myself to be shepherded upstairs. When we reach the door to

between his fingers, exhausted but wanting to be there for

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 just…” I shrug, not really

speaking to my soul as 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 –

is all a dream to me. And that every moment of it – even one as simple as this is a miracle.