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

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

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

Otherwise, they’re not

Sinclair protests, his

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

baby is gonna eat a

at me from her chair next to mine. “You know

can make them hire us chefs,” I consider. She raises her eyebrows, pleased at the idea, and we both

future but not touching on any of the big, scary subjects that lurk behind the conversation. We all know that they’re

just about laughter, and fun, and spending time

little as I bite into a smore that Sinclair hands me, the marshmallow burned to a crisp just the way I like it. “Oh my god,” I murmur, closing my eyes as I chew.

going to

and refusing to open my eyes

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

watches Sinclair and his grandchild while Cora and

Camp 7 didn’t think I’d like sitting outside in the dink by a

dark

sing a

murmurs

up at the stars and then turning her head to look

him.

from crossing my face as I watch

I decide that that’s

stand up from my little camping chair and send a pulse

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

and Cora, who begin talking quietly. My mate follows

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

stealthily as we can – which

noisy platform – the three of us and the baby make our way back

and Roger alone by the fire to have a moment to

say to Sinclair

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

out the window at Roger and

says, coming

to give us our own moment, rolls his way back

about wanting to watch some television, though

up at my mate and reaching for my baby, who Sinclair

I always

he murmurs, slipping his arms

on my shoulder so

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

still peering out at them.

girlfriend drama -”

Sinclair asks, his body going stiff behind me, just a

ask, turning to