The Mystical Attraction of Alpha

Ella

It is, indeed, a long climb. Cora and I are panting by the time we get to the top, and even though

Sinclair took Rafe from me halfway through the hike I have to take a moment to catch my break

when we pull ourselves up to the final level.

Roger has the indecency to look a little smug about the fact that he barely looks winded and Cora

gives him a little shove on the shoulder as she works to take a few deep breaths and wipe the

sweat from her brow.

Even as I work to bring my heartrate back down, I absolutely marvel at the sight before me.

The Goddess’ temple, like the one in the city, is built completely with white marble. But unlike

the one in the city, this one looks….ancient. Vines grow in ropes all over it, looking almost as if the

structure is part of the forest itself, having grown up organically from it. The temple is tall and

wide, the pillars in front drawing my eyes upward to the slanted roof which curls into a dome. At

the very peak of the dome is a golden crescent moon, reaching up towards the sky, glinting in the

bright sunlight.

“Wow,” Cora says, standing straight next to me and likewise marveling at the temple. “Mom has

some….impressive property.”

“I know, right?” I mutter back, crossing my arms and shaking my head. If someone had told me,

when I was a little girl sleeping in my creaky little orphan bed, that my mom lived here…

Well. I probably would have believed them.

But I was a very imaginative child.

“Um,” Roger says, looking anxiously at Cora. “Shall we?”

I smile at him, seeing that he’s eager to move on but also that he wants to give her room to process this experience. It’s more intense for her than it is for him, and I think that it’s very sweet that he realizes this. Roger really has come leaps and bounds as a person from when I first met

him

Sinclair comes to stand next to me and I grin at him and then turn to my baby, taking his hands

how he likes it here

real this time Rafe claps and gurgles like he really

he understands sometimes,” I say quietly, smiling

Sinclair says, grinning proudly down at

baby’s forehead “Yes, he is. The most clever baby the

about…five more months,” Roger

chest with a smirk.

and shakes his head, letting it

you ready, Cora?” I ask,

she says, giving me a nod and reaching for my hand. I give it, and, with another deep. breath, the five of us begin

comes out of

moment, going still at the

last time I saw

warm against my back, and then a little pulse of comfort. comes down the bond and I exhale, skipping forward a little to stay at Cora’s

he’s right. This is…this is not the same situation we were in

to try to take my baby

serve my mother.

giving us

of the Goddess – you are welcome here. And you are

and then look back to

Cora turns to me with a frown. “Can’t

1

I realize what she means that she can

my lip, feeling

—

used the magic

that I could save my child, and Cora, and my mate. Cora realizes this very

but I just shake my head and work hard to

smile

squeezing her hand “I’m glad you can feel her for

to me, sympathetic, and then we both

smiling around at our whole party

baby, admiring him

temple And as we go, I wonder a

desert temple. was elegantly sparse, and the city temple was sweeping and impressive, this one is…cozy. The architecture is still bright and wide, but you can tell that women live here and treat it as a home. As I look around at the padded benches by the windows, at the well-loved books neatly tucked into alcoves and the little worn stick broom tucked into a corner, I decide quite suddenly that

across it to a door at the back. Before she opens it, she turns to

comes to stand behind her, straightening his shoulders, his face very serious. He is, after all, about to be introduced to his mate’s mother as such for the first time. I smile at both of them as I reach for the baby, who Sinclair helps me unbuckle from the carrier. I don’t know

–

all ready and Sinclair has placed a warm hand on my shoulder – Cora nods to the priestess who opens the door and leads us

immediately, we

the far end of the room, glowing with the faint luminescence of moonlight. Her face breaks into a smile as we cross the room, her eyes flashing over all of us but focusing on Cora. I can’t help the tears that well in my eyes when I see her, as I

as I look