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

I thought was possible

Henry whispers, leaning over to Cora and I and giving us a smile,

they’re

protests, his eyes still on the

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

your baby is gonna eat a lot of

she looks over at me from her chair next to mine.

us chefs,” I consider. She raises

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

about laughter, and fun, and

way I like it. “Oh my god,” I murmur, closing my

dripping,” Sinclair laughs, “you’re going to get

head and refusing to open my

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

them quietly Henry watches Sinclair and his grandchild while Cora and Roger sit close to each

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

dark

sing

murmurs

looking up at the stars and then turning her head to look at Roger,

him.

as I watch them. And then, as

that that’s my

up from my little camping chair

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

and Cora, who begin talking quietly. My mate follows my gaze and

hand on

can – which is not very stealthy,

the three of us and the baby make our way

little mobile house, leaving Cora and Roger alone by

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

still curled in his arms. I’m sitting in the little

Roger and Cora through the

business, little spy?” he says, coming to sit with me on the plush leather.

wanting to give us our own moment, rolls his way back

television, though we both know

my mate and reaching for my

know I always want to

you know,” he murmurs, slipping

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

details

out at them. “Roger’s hot. He probably

girlfriend drama -”

body going stiff behind me, just

I ask, turning to