Surrogate For Alpha Dom

Sinclair

I know the moment that Roger arrives at the bunker because he’s loud as hell, making sure that we all hear him pounding through the metal hallways. I wince a little, groaning and reminding myself that though metal is secure, it is loud.

Roger’s angry footsteps pound down the hallway towards me, towards the conference room at the end of the hall where I’m strategizing with the members of my team who have arrived. Roger knows we’ll be right here and he slams the door open as he strides into the room.

“Where is she “he snarls, looking around, as if he imagines that Cora will be sitting at the desk sorting through the paperwork with the investigative team.

“Oh hey, Roger,” I say casually, standing back and crossing my arms. “How are you?” I know that I shouldn’t piss my brother off any further – I know he’s on the edge as it is – but I’m unable to resist the chance to needle him a little bit. He’s being a dick right now anyway. He deserves it.

“Cut the shit, Dominic,” Roger snaps, his chest heaving a little bit as he stares at me, his fingers. curved like talons at his side. “Where is she.”

“Ellas in our room with the baby-

“Cora,” Roger shouts, his voice ringing through the room and making the rest of us wince. “Where is Cora!?”

“Damn it, Roger,” I say, lifting a hand to cover my ear as his words echo through the room. “Can you cool it? She’s on her way.”

“Where,” he growls, advancing towards me across the room, “where precisely is -”

But as he gets within a foot of me I swiftly raise my hand and smack him in the back of the head like I used to do when we were kids, making him stumble a few steps forward and gasp in outrage

“Would you chill out?” I snarl at Roger, starting to get frustrated with him. “She’s fine, she’s safe, she can’t get here any faster just because you’re freaking out about it.”

Roger spins to glare at me after he finds his feet again and opens his mouth to retort when our father interrupts

“Boys,” dad says, his voice low with the warning we’ve both been familiar with since we were old enough to be scolded We both react to it instinctually, straightening up and turning towards him like we’ve just been caught “Enough of that,” he continues, rolling into the room and looking at us sternly

“Sorry, dad,” we both murmur, and then we look to each other again.

we just concentrate on other things? You standing by the door panting for her like a golden retriever

glares at me but nods once, agreeing to my logic and – I think – wanting something

the table. Then he focuses on me. “Roger updated me,” he says. “I’m so sorry

nod to him. “I am as well. But now we need to

back to me and, together, we focus on our team, coming up with a plan to better. defend against this cult that wants my child and to formulate a counter attack. Because now, after what they did today?

This is war.

Ella

—

up when my door creeks open, expecting Sinclair and hoping a little that he’s brought

my feet and almost leaping across the room to her, Rafe still perched, against my chest looking over my shoulder. Cora slides through the small

wrap my grateful arms around her, “I’m so glad you’re safe. Are you all. right?”

her, to assess her condition. Her body looks fine.

deeply wrong as if I didn’t know it already, from her absence the past five days, her unwillingness to return

her face as she studies me. “Ella – you’re covered in

Honestly, I’d forgotten Then I look back up at her. “Well, none of it’s mine,” I insist and change the

in her hands “You were the one attacked

words and her face are sincere with worry so I nod, taking a minute to reassure her before I get to

with me and fill her in on the events of the afternoon. I watch her eyes go wide and her face go pale as I continue, telling her all about the priest that they captured, and the men who invaded my bedroom, and how they pulled me away from my baby and grabbed him. And then about Sinclair’s intervention, and my own participation in the gory scene.

crazy apocalypse plan, we just had to put it in motion. You were the only wildcard that we had to improvise about, though, and send a car to find you.'”

W

glancing away from me now

lower Rafe back into his little carrier and leaning forward to take her

though I can see her shoulders start to shake with

I murmur, moving closer to her and wrapping my arms around her.

her emotions. I hold her tight and feel a few tears spill out onto my arm.