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.

else,” he says, his eyes flicking

at an end. I sigh, nodding,

he’s free from my

leaves the room, my eyes on my baby.

Sinclair says slowly, admonishing. I look into his eyes,

thinks he wants children they can’t have. If

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

ask, still bristling that he didn’t let me get information

eyes back to me, though. “Either way, that’s a conversation

too stupid enough to not talk to each

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

little head. “Don’t worry, baby,” I whisper to him. “I’ll teach you my

little laugh in his chair, but doesn’t bother to counter

time we finally get home, all three of us exhausted by the activities of the day. But Cora finally gave us the go–ahead when Rafe’s

I see the variety of gift baskets and flowers waiting for us. “Oh,” I say, fascinated, moving forward to look at them all. Then

he checks 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 from James and Isabel…”

eyes suddenly filled with sharp tears. “Oh, I miss them…” I bite my lip 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

towards the stairs. “We’re way too tired for this – if you get into all these cards now, you’ll cry yourself to

teddy bear!” I cry, looking over my shoulder at it as Sinclair guides me up the stairs, a steady hand

will be there in the morning,” Sinclair

the door to our bedroom, though, my eyes fill with tears again as I look up at my mate.

but wanting to be there

baby. “Just…we’re bringing him home for the first time, Dominic. Putting him to sleep

says, simply. And so I rest my body against him – against the warm, steady bulk of him, grateful – again – to have

And that every moment of it – even one as simple as this is