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

all settled around a ! much faster than I thought was possible and

only cook,” Henry whispers, leaning over to Cora and I

Otherwise, they’re not

Sinclair protests, his eyes still on the

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

gonna eat a lot of

looks over at me from her chair

chefs,” I consider. She raises

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

is just about laughter, and

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

to get marshmallow

my head and refusing to open my eyes as I take another bite

walks Rafe away from me, apologizing in a loud murmur for how messy and inconsiderate his

them quietly Henry watches Sinclair and his grandchild

herself and smiling around at our dark Camp 7 didn’t think I’d like sitting outside in the

dark

sing a hand to play

murmurs

and then turning her head to look

him.

my own smile from crossing my face as I watch

I decide that that’s

from my little camping chair and send a pulse down my bond

me, curious and I nod my head first

begin talking quietly. My mate follows my gaze

father and puts a hand

by one, as stealthily as we can – which is not very stealthy, considering Henry has

the RV with a noisy platform – the three of

and Roger alone

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

in his arms. I’m sitting in the little

out the window at Roger and Cora through

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

us our own moment, rolls his way back to the bedroom,

about wanting to watch some television, though we both know he

up at my mate and reaching for my baby, who

know I always want

“Do you know,” he murmurs, slipping his

warmly against hin, resting his chin on my shoulder so that he too

Roger, “I never cared as much about the details of my brother’s love

not,” I say, still peering out at them. “Roger’s

girlfriend drama -”

hot?” Sinclair asks, his body going stiff behind me,

I ask, turning