The Mystical Attraction of Alpha

Ella

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 burned-out 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

settled around a ! much faster than I thought

leaning over to Cora and I and giving us a

Otherwise, they’re

protests, his eyes still

us laugh. “If I’m making food, it’s grilled. Otherwise. I’m

is gonna eat a lot

she looks over at me from her chair next

chefs,” I consider. She raises her eyebrows, pleased

chatting lightly about what we’ll be doing in our mutual future but not touching on any of the big, scary subjects that lurk behind the conversation. We all know that they’re there, after all – and we

about laughter, and

just the way I like it. “Oh my god,” I murmur, closing my eyes as

going to get marshmallow all over

and refusing to open my eyes as I take another

Rafe from my arms I let him, wanting to be alone. with my s’more anyway Cora, Roger, and Henry laugh as well as Sinclair walks Rafe away from me, apologizing in a loud murmur

his grandchild while

smiling around at our dark Camp 7 didn’t think

dark

murs to sing a hand to play

murmurs

stars and then turning her head to look at Roger, beaming

him.

crossing my face as I watch them. And then, as they stare

that that’s my

as I can, I stand up from my little camping chair and send

I nod my head first towards the RV and then

quietly. My mate follows my gaze and then nods

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

stealthily as we can – which is not very

the

little mobile house, leaving Cora and Roger alone by the fire to have a moment to

do you think they’re talking about,” I say to Sinclair as

him, the baby still curled in his arms.

at Roger and Cora

their business, little spy?” he says, coming to sit with me

own moment, rolls his

watch some television, though we both know he

my mate and reaching for

you know I always want

slipping his arms low around me and

chin on my shoulder

much about the details of my brother’s love life until you came along

at them. “Roger’s hot. He probably has had lots

girlfriend drama -”

body going

ask, turning to