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

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

you, doctor,” he says with finality, letting Sinclair know he’s free from

Hank leaves the room, my eyes on my baby.

says slowly, admonishing. I look into his eyes, still mad.

thinks he wants children they can’t have. If Hank

he processes this information. “And what’s Cora’s page about kids?”

still bristling that he didn’t let me

“Actually, I don’t know…” He brings his eyes back to me, though. “Either way, that’s a conversation between

“If they’re all too stupid enough to not talk

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

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

to counter me. He knows it would be a

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

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 do all this?” I ask, my

says, his eyebrows also raised in interest as 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

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 up with everyone

by the shoulders and moving the baby and I towards the stairs. “We’re way too

as Sinclair guides me up the stairs, a steady hand

be there in the morning,” Sinclair says, steady, yawning.

his wisdom and allowing myself to be shepherded upstairs. When we reach the door to our bedroom, though, my eyes fill with tears again as I look up

he murmurs, taking my chin between his fingers, exhausted but wanting to be there for me. “What is it this time?

time, Dominic. Putting him to sleep in his own little bed. It’s just…” I shrug, not really knowing how to put all of my emotions into words. “It’s big.”

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

dream to me. And that every moment