Surrogate For Alpha Dom

Cora

“It’s all right,” Roger says, his eyes going wide as he takes in my pale face, my scared expression and realizes that he’s freaked me out for the third or fourth time today. “It’s not – it’s not bad, I was just kind of a dick – it was a misunderstanding –”

“What?” I ask, more confused now than ever.

–

“Listen,” he says, leaning in towards me. “Just let me tell you, all right? II was going to tell you at some point, definitely not like this but…” he sighs, looking into my face and then down at my stomach, and then back up into my eyes. “I think that… if we’re going to start on this new part

–

–

of our lives – this parent thing – well,” he says, giving me a charming little half–smile and a

shrug. “We should be on the same page, right?”

I nod, agreeing, but looking at him a little askance. “Did you not think that we should…go into our mating? On the same page?”

He sighs and runs a hand through his hair. “It’s a little different, Cora – because it didn’t matter – I didn’t think we could have kids

་་

I frown at him – not mad or angry, but confused…

“Listen, let me just tell it,” he says, leaning forward and looking at me with pleading eyes.

“Okay,” I say, quite simply, taking his hands and leaning even closer to press a kiss to his mouthr letting him know that I’m listening with an open heart.

“Okay,” Roger says again, taking a deep breath before he begins. “Do you remember… when you and Ella went into the desert with her mother, Regina?”

“Reina,” I correct softly, and he laughs.

“Right,” he says, shaking his head. “Those names are so easy to mix up. Anyway – you three were out on your girls trip, and my choice was either to hang out with those priests in the temple, or go back on to the ship all alone.”

Ismirk at him, knowing precisely which one he chose. He sees my smile and laughs a little.

“Yeah,” he says, grinning at me. “I chose solitude. Or at least…I thought I did.”

the ship?” I ask,

desert – honestly, a little pissed off at being left behind. Sinclair sent me to protect Ella,

I hear this, but I don’t

brighter. And at first I thought that I was just crazy or drunk I mean, the captain gave me a little of his whiskey when he saw

to focus, and he

faltering a little, looking down at our joined hands, “she was

breathless, but some part of me

his eyes wide and still a little startled by the experience. “Your mother, Cora. Except…at

try to keep my face steady but honestly…some part of me is a little jealous. We all met the goddess that night in the temple with Ella – Roger met her, and me, but she had only spoken to Ella beyond a brief introduction that Ella insisted on giving us. And at the time it had made sense – Ella was her daughter, the one

she only spoke to Ella in the temple, and then went to Roger later that night for a little chat?

sigh a little through my nose, disappointed. Why does she want to

know,” Roger murmurs, reaching forward and brushing my cheek with his thumb. “It’s half of why I didn’t want to tell you, Cora,” he continues, his

past my jealousy and truly wanting to

form,” he says, “like she did in the temple. Instead, it was just…a vision of sorts, more like the

he can tell me. So Roger turns back to me and looks at me directly, not holding anything

That my future was not in war and politics, as my brother’s was – and you have to realize, that that was devastating to hear at the time, considering that we were in a war – and

understanding, concentrating on nothing

it – because it wasn’t precisely words – but that for

having children, and being a dad, and raising my kids

with surprise. And then I lean forward, finally getting it. “Oh, so you stopped calling

could have kids, Cora…” he whispers, clutching my hands tightly. “And it fucking broke my heart to do it because I loved you

при

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to me I didn’t even care about

–

was dying to be a

again, my eyes going wide.

me to be.

me, pausing to ensure that I hear him,

–

the same boat – I was likewise unsure

else I wanted in the

you stopped calling me,” I whisper, “because you thought…my mom

–

you to do something you feel compelled to do it – and I