The Mystical Attraction of Alpha

I gasp a few hours later when I see the gigantic RV that rolls up out front of the clinic.

“Seriously?” Hanks says, crossing his arms over his chest and staring at it, somewhere between

impressed and revolted by the extravagance. “The gas mileage on that thing must be horrible -”

“Ohhh,” I say, laughing and swatting him on the arm with one hand, the other holding Rafe’s carrier where he’s already bundled and ready. “Don’t spoil my fun, Hank – you’re just jealous

because you’re not coming.”

“Yes,” Hank murmurs, giving me a good-natured side eye. “Yes, there’s absolutely nothing I want more in the world than to be cooped up in a tin can with Roger and Cora for forty-eight hours.

You’re right.”

I laugh when I consider this point, stepping closer to Hank and wrapping him in a one-armed hug that he’d probably rather avoid. But we’ve grown a lot closer in the past few days, working

–

together, and well? If he’s going to be my friend, then he’s going to have to get used to a great

deal of affection.

“You’ll be all right here when we’re gone?” I ask, pulling away.

“Ah, don’t worry about me,” Hank says with a little smirk and a shrug. “You guys have bigger

things on your plate.”

“When I come back,” I say, looking at him seriously now, hoping he understands how much he means to me to all of us. “We’re going to do big things, okay? Help a lot of people. With the gift,

and with your skills.”

“That’s all I want, Ella,” Hank says seriously, giving me a nod and a little smile that’s likely the most emotion I’m going to see from him anytime soon. But then his eyes drift to Cora and Roger who come through the door of the clinic and I know…well, I know that what Hank says about this being all he wants is a little bit of a lie. And my heart aches for him because I know now, for sure, that he’ll never get it.

I purse my lips a little, trying not to let him see me pity him. But he catches me in the act.

“Don’t,” Hank sighs, shaking his head at me. “I’m good, Ella I really am.”

“I know,” I say, putting a hand out to his shoulder. He gives me a sad little smirk before turning back into the clinic intent, clearly on busying his mind so that he doesn’t have to think about her Cora and Roger call brief goodbyes to Hank before coming to my side to admire the RV

“It’s huge,” Cora says, her eyes wide

“It’s not so big,” Roger says ich & shrug But Cora and I both all our eyes at him as Sinclan parks

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this with a whole fancy vehicle

so incredibly excited I

Sinclair asks, opening the door to the living compartment of

metal platform that lowers itself to the

wheel onto it.

I say, taking Cora’s hand and pulling her with me to Sinclair’s side. “Is it nice? Are there enough beds? Is there

head as Henry maneuvers himself onto the lift. “Just go in, Ella,” he says, nodding towards the door with the short flight of stairs. “Explore. Let

surprised.”

suggests, hurrying up the steps and gasping with excitement again as I look around.

her eyes as wide as mine as she

bathroom that makes the most of the minimal space allotted to it. But I really gasp when I see the bedroom

down with him on the bed

says, smirking at me from the doorway. “What do you

“Huh?” I ask, confused.

bed,” she says, her wicked

gasp, and then I groan as I remember Sinclair’s promise to her – a

in the doorway behind Cora. “The couches transform – one into a queen for

tossing my head back and settling deeper into the pillows. “Can I sleep in here. with Cora and Roger? I won’t take up much space you can take the baby

past Sinclair into the room with little travel bags filled with his and Cora’s stuff which isn’t much, considering we haven’t had access to any of our

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to keep the mischief out of her eyes even though she pretends she’s serious. “I’m pregnant. I need my

at her for

growl, making them all laugh as I huff my way back to the living room. “But

better be comfortable,” I say

back into the

Cora a

already settled himself at the front of the RV, locking his chair into a space where the passenger seat should be. He gives me a little wave before turning back to a set of maps. I take a moment to admire the ingenuity of the vehicle and how cleverly it’s

for someone in a

shoulder and looking down at Rafe, still in

him a big smile. “How long do you think it will take to get

To the temple?”

get there sometime tomorrow,” Henry calls over his shoulder

agreement.

I say with surprise. “So where

we get. It’s part of the adventure, and part of staying anonymous. No reservations for people

be staying.”

you think,” I say, glancing out the