Surrogate For Alpha Dom

The trip improves by leaps and bounds the moment we stop at the campground for the night.

“Finally,” I sigh, taking a deep breath of the fresh air as I climb down the steps of the RV, my baby curled in my arm and looking around him with bright and interested eyes. “It’s good to be on steady ground again.”

“Remind me never to take you on a boat,” Sinclair murmurs, coming down the stairs behind me. “If you didn’t like this…you won’t respond well to that.”

“Yes sir,” I say passively, smiling down at the baby, who frees one of his arms and reaches out into the cool evening air, clasping his fingers at a firefly who passes close by. I don’t mention that I liked the sea voyage to the desert much more than I liked this, even though the accommodations weren’t as nice.

“What about this?” Sinclair murmurs as he steps down the final step and comes to stand behind me, wrapping his arms around my shoulders. I smile as I lean

back against his chest. “Is the forest an improvement?”

I look around our isolated campsite, lit with grey and blue tones in the dying light

of the day. I smile at what I see, appreciating the cool air and the blinking light of

the fireflies that float lazily through the space.

“Yes,” I say with a decisive nod. “This will do quite well.”

“Good,” Sinclair replies, giving me a quick kiss on the cheek before releasing

me and moving to a luggage compartment low on the RV, I watch as he opens it

and begins pulling out camping gear chairs, a cooler, some bags with extra

snacks and bug spray.

“Oh!” I say, surprised by it all as my mate begins to set it all up around a burnedout ring where a fire goes. “Oh, we’re very prepared.”

“Of course we are,” Roger says, climbing out of the RV with Cora behind him.

When he reaches the ground, Roger flicks the switch that prepares Henry’s little

elevator. “We’re always ready to go glamping in this family.”

I laugh at the term, settling into a chair that Sinclair waves me towards, smiling

down at the baby. “What do you think, Rafe?” I whisper to him. “Do you like

glamping?” He gives a happy little coo in response and I laugh, grinning up at

his father. “I think that’s a yes.”

“Kid has taste,” Sinclair says, winking at me as he continues his work. We’re all

settled around a fire much faster than I thought was possible and I smile as I

watch Sinclair and Roger set a little grill across it, apparently preparing to make

us our dinner as well.

“They only cook,” Henry whispers, leaning over to Cora and I and giving us a

smile, “when it’s outdoors. Otherwise, they’re not interested.”

“Not true!” Sinclair protests, his eyes still on the fire.

“Absolutely true!” Roger chimes in, making us laugh. “If I’m making food, it’s

grilled. Otherwise I’m getting takeout.”

“Guess your baby is gonna eat a lot of hotdogs,” I murmur to Cora.

looks over at me from her

“You know I can’t cook

“Maybe we can make them hire us chefs,” I

pleased at the idea, and we

long into the night the family gathered happily around

talking about nothing and everything, chatting lightly about what

future but not touching on any of

the conversation. We all know that they’re there, after

leave them untouched for

laughter,

little as I bite into a

crisp just the way I like it. “Oh

I chew. “This is so

Sinclair laughs, you’re going

baby – ”

care,” I murmur, shaking my head and refusing to open my eyes

bite. “He won’t mind

again as he comes and lifts Rafe from

to be alone with my s’more anyway. Cora, Roger, and Henry laugh

from me,

and inconsiderate his mother is. I wave a hand at him,

knowing that

s’more and look

Sinclair and his grandchild while

each other, not talking but clearly

here,” Cora says, wrapping her arms around

didn’t think I’d like

as much as this.”

primal about it, isn’t there?” Roger murmurs, raising a hand

Cora’s hair as he

up at the stars and

Roger, beaming at him.

can’t help my own smile from crossing my face as I

stare at each other, I decide that

I stand up from my little camping chair

up at me, curious and I nod my

RV and then towards Roger

follows my gaze and then nods his

puts a hand on his back, leaning down to speak a whispered

as we can

lifted into the RV with a noisy platform –

our way back into the little mobile house, leaving

fire

about,” I say to Sinclair as

him, the baby still curled in his arms.

the little kitchen nook, peering out the window at Roger

through the tinted window.

little spy?” he says, coming to

wanting to give us our own

the bedroom, making some excuse

we both know

sigh, looking up at my mate and

my arms. “But you know

he murmurs, slipping his

the baby and I warmly against him, resting his chin

Cora and Roger, “I never cared as much

brother’s love life until you