The Mystical Attraction of Alpha

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.”

on the ship?”

bow looking out at the desert – honestly, a little pissed off at being left behind. Sinclair sent me to protect Ella, and there’s frankly nowhere I wanted

when I hear

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

a little, begging him to focus, and he looks at

little, looking down at our joined hands, “she

ask, a little breathless, but some part of me

still a little startled by the experience. “Your mother, Cora. Except…at the time, I didn’t know she was

met her, and me, but she had only spoken to Ella beyond a brief introduction that Ella insisted on giving us.

that she’s my mother too? And that she only spoke to Ella in the temple, and then went to

a little through my nose, disappointed. Why

of why I didn’t want to tell you, Cora,” he continues, his face all sympathy. “I knew

what did she do?” I ask, pushing past

says, “like she did in the temple. Instead, it

know that it’s okay. That he can tell me. So Roger turns back to me

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 Dominic had just made

concentrating on nothing else

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

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

I lean forward, finally getting it. “Oh, so you stopped calling me

it fucking broke my heart to do it because I loved you I was obsessed with

при

7

before she said anything to me I didn’t even care about kids –

–

was always Dominic who was dying to be a dad,

say again,

because the goddess told me to be. I want –” He pauses He pauses his confused language for a moment and steadies himself, choosing

tells me, pausing to ensure that I hear him, “and I

–

because I do. I really get it. Honestly, I’m kind of in the same boat – I was likewise unsure if I wanted

I wanted

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

–

something you feel compelled to do it – and I thought she was telling me to run from you, when she probably was telling me to run to you to take you directly