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 I

Cora and I and

they’re not

Sinclair protests, his

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

gonna eat a

from her chair next to mine. “You know I can’t

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

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 know

just about laughter,

that Sinclair hands me, the marshmallow burned to a crisp just the way I like it. “Oh my god,” I murmur,

going to get marshmallow all over the baby

head and refusing to open my eyes as

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

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

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

dark

sing

murmurs

at the stars and then turning her head

him.

own smile from crossing my face as I watch them. And then,

decide that that’s my

up from my little camping chair and send a

nod my head first towards the RV and

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

and puts a hand on his back, leaning down to

as stealthily as we can – which

into the RV with a noisy platform – the three of us and

and Roger alone by

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

him, the baby still curled in

at Roger and

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

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

about wanting to watch some television, though we both

my mate and reaching for my baby, who

you know I

he murmurs, slipping his arms low around me and pulling

on my shoulder so that

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

say, still peering out at them. “Roger’s hot. He probably has had

girlfriend drama -”

body going stiff behind me, just a little

turning to him, confused