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

around a ! much faster than I thought was possible and ! anile as

over to Cora and I and giving us

they’re not

protests, his eyes

chimes in, making us laugh. “If I’m making food, it’s

your baby is gonna eat a lot of

sighing. Then she looks over at me from her chair next to mine. “You know

consider.

the night – the family gathered happily around the fire, talking about nothing and everything, 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

is just about laughter, and fun, and

way I

dripping,” Sinclair laughs, “you’re going to get marshmallow all over the

I murmur, shaking my head and refusing to open my eyes as I take another bite – He won’t

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 for how messy and inconsiderate his mother is I wave a hand at him, dismissing him and his words, knowing that

watching them quietly Henry watches Sinclair and his grandchild while

around at our dark Camp 7 didn’t think I’d like sitting outside

dark

primal about pantele Roger murs to sing a hand to play with Cora s

murmurs

at the stars and then turning her head

him.

my own smile from crossing my face as I

decide that that’s my

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

up at me, curious and I nod my head first towards

quietly. My

puts a hand on his back,

one by one, as stealthily as we can – which is not very

platform – the three of

house, leaving Cora and Roger alone by the

think they’re talking about,” I say to Sinclair as he climbs last into

shut behind him, the baby still curled in his arms.

the window at Roger and Cora through

little spy?” he says, coming to sit

own moment, rolls his way back to the bedroom, making

wanting to watch some television, though we both know he doesn’t watch

mate and reaching for my baby, who Sinclair

know I always want

know,” he murmurs, slipping

chin on my

much about the details

them. “Roger’s hot. He

girlfriend drama -”

his body going stiff behind me, just a little

ask, turning to him,