Surrogate For Alpha Dom

Ella

The morning of the moon ceremony finds me, unsurprisingly, in the kitchen. Eating.

Rafe is with me this time, giggling happily as I dance happily around the room with him, singing about how delicious carrots are as I pour some baby carrots out from their bag onto a plate and begin to munch on them..

–

I’m just getting to the part of the song – which I’m making up as I go along about how they’re good for your vision and help you make friends with rabbits when I hear an odd, familiar sound out in the hall.

I gasp, spinning towards the door as the mechanical hum grows louder, and I’m nearly run over when Henry wheels into the room.

“Henry!” I gasp, tears instantly lining my eyes, stumbling in my hurry to hug him close, almost falling into his lap.

“Steady, girl!” Henry laughs, putting out his hands to catch me and help me find my feet, laughing a little. He beams up at me and I’m laughing too, shaking my head at myself as I lean down to give him a proper hug and then a kiss on both cheeks.

“We missed you so much!” I gush, my heart in my throat as I pull away. “I’m so glad you’re home and in time! A miracle!”

“Certainly took some doing,” he says, raising his eyebrows at me. “I rode in a cargo plane to get here – this little man had better impress.” He shifts his gaze, then, to the baby in my arms.

“Oh!” I say, standing up straight and remembering my manners. “Henry, may I please have the pleasure of introducing you to your grandchild?”

“Nothing would give me more joy,” he replies, his own eyes wet now.

to be

at the baby. “He’s a beauty, Ella. Wonderful.” He shakes his head, staring at my son. Though I’m overwhelmed by the moment, part of me reflects that I’m glad Henry met Rafe while

hear footsteps on the stairs and look towards the door, smiling when I see

1. it.

step back as Henry turns his chair, raising one arm towards his son, the baby still held in the other. Sinclair bends down low to give his father

and the kitchen is filled with happy noise for the next few minutes as we all buzz around each other, trying to do nice things for each other and make sure everyone’s

1/3

I laugh after a minute, raising my

between Henry and Sinclair, “go into the living room, take the baby, and

tray heaped with coffee and

wonderful, Ella,” Henry says fondly, looking

room.

casually, putting the tray down on the coffee table and sitting close

if it’s all the

deeply to see the bond

looks like you,” Henry says, smiling at my mate. “You, too, were a little

a pleasant half hour catching up, with Henry telling us all about the harrows of his travel back to us, how much he wanted to get here in time for the ceremony. He also catches us up on the lives of our friends who we unfortunately had to left behind, and surprises us by telling us that Isabel, James,

gasp, excited.

between us. “It wasn’t a

says, smiling at me. “I didn’t want

say, my eyes filling with tears again at the thought of seeing

the door. He’s torn, I know, between wanting to spend time with his dad and the duties I know

nudge and a smile. “We’re perfectly all right

sure?” he asks, glancing at me first and then

Then he smiles and pats the arm chair next to him. “You