Surrogate For Alpha Dom

Ella

I go rigid at the idea of this dark god giving my daughter anything.

“No,” I gasp, attempting to push myself away from him – but I struggle to move

“Fear not, moon daughter,” he says, the corner of his lip tilting up. “I do not give curses to those who are my chosen ones – only gifts.”

And with that shadows begin to swirl in his hand. My eyes go wide as they build and build into an orb of smoke and shade.

“No!” I protest again, my voice a little breathless this time.

“Careful, girl,” he growls, taking a step closer, bending over me now. “If you anger me, I will not be so eager to bestow my gift. You would not to incur my ire for your life, instead of a blessing for hers, would you?”

I cringe away from him, not knowing what to do – not knowing which will be worse-

The God of Darkness stretches out his hand over me and the shadows begin to spill down from his fingers, surrounding me.

“A blessing,” he murmurs, “for the first granddaughter of the moon from her benefactor. Long may she live, dwelling in darkness as well as light.”

The shadows, when they touch me, are soft – gentler than I imagined they’d be, like velvet or mist. When I breathe, they flow into me through my nose and my mouth. I gasp, worried – but the smoke, it tastes faintly of…of mint, and cool mornings, and it soothes my aching throat…

I look up at the God in wonder, tilting my head at him.

“See?” he says softly. “Not all that dwells in darkness is wicked.”

And then he smiles at me – a wayward, vicious thing – and gives another short bow before

Before he disappears.

world –

abruptly in front of me now, shining a light

clear my thoughts. “Are you – “he spins his head to Cora, “is she

um I’m

hands, studying me with horror on her features. “Ella, they went all black you were frozen

my mouth. As I exhale I run my hands over my stomach and

She’s just as strong – just as uncomfortable, ready to be

wanting to explain and the feeling of the next contraction coming steadily on. “It was it was really weird, all right, but right now?” I shake my head at

snaps immediately back into doctor mode, moving down on the bed to position herself between my knees, nodding. “All right, Ella,” she says, pulling me a little lower so that I’m flatter on my back now. “When

and press my eyes shut, passing all of my emotions down our bond – my fear, and my shock, but alongside it my conviction that…that I’m okay, right now, and so is the baby

his voice low as he sits up and puts his hands my shoulders.

me, and my sister ready to welcome my little

hour later, our little baby

the tears dripping down my face as I peer at my baby, reaching out a finger to stroke her teeny tiny fingers, her perfect little nose.

perfect,” Sinclair breathes, tucked close behind me, peering

breaths. “Oh god,

next to me and stroke a hand over her little head. We’re quiet for a long moment as I press my child against the skin of my

“And I

murmurs, his voice

a single finger, “I’d be the best.” She leans forward, kissing me on the cheek. “I’ll give you two a couple of minute, all right? Go break the news to the drunk

up and kiss my sister as well as she scrunches her nose at me and turns to the door, taking the team of nurses with her. Everyone did such a wonderful

want to shout my thanks out after them, all I can do is stare down at

study her face and he wraps his arms around me, doing the

looks just like you,

little shocked. “Dominic, she’s all