The Mystical Attraction of Alpha

Ella

Someone must have called ahead because when we pull up to the refugee camp I see Isabel standing outside the gates, her arms crossed over her chest and a big smile on her face. I give a little squeal of excitement when I see her, my hand immediately going to the lever on the car door. “Seriously, Ella,” Cora murmurs, grabbing my other wrist. “Let’s not leap out of the moving vehicle just because we see our friends.” “Ohhh,” I say, tossing her a little glare over my shoulder.

“I’m not that dumb, Cora -” “You’ve done it before,” she sighs. “Once!” I snap, giving her a real glare and then quickly moving to unbuckle myself and then Rafe, getting him strapped to my chest as fast as I can when the car stops. The result of the delay is that Isabel pulls open my door the moment I turn around, ready to grab the handle again. “Ella!” she shouts, laughing already, and I burst out of the car, wrapping my friend in a one-armed hug, kind of regretting that I already strapped Rafe to me so that I can’t hold her properly.

“Isabel!” I gasp, giving her a big kiss on the cheek. “It issogood to see you!”

“And you, friend,” she says, sighing a little in relief that looks like it was a long time coming. “We were all going crazy when we didn’t hear from you for so long and we got some of the details, but no one really knows what happened? Some kind of…attack?” ” It’s an insane story,” I say, rolling my eyes as Cora and Conner come around the car. “I’ll tell you all about it, but it needs a long telling, so maybe…not now,” I say, glancing over at the refugee camp. “All right,” she nods, still looking at me.

“But you’re okay? Things are…steady?” “We’re fine, everyone’s fine,” I say, running a hand over my baby’s hair. “Things are steady for now.” I give a little shrug, letting her know that that’s all we’ve got. She smiles at me and nods, understanding, and then takes a moment to fuss over Rafe, telling him how big he got, and then giving Cora a kiss on the cheek as well. As Isabel hugs Cora, she pauses and steps back, looking down at her- belly. “Are you…”

not sure I’m used to people

little. “Listen, it’s complicated. But yeah…. I’m a human with a wolf soul and I’m pregnant

blushing to be called out. “God,” she

Isabel says, smirking at her. And then she turns her attention to Conner. “And who are you?” “A bit of a new addition,” he says, rubbing his hair awkwardly but giving her a smile anyway. “My name is Conner, I’m a sergeant in

him up and down as she folds her arms over her chest. Conner, bless him, blushes bright red as I burst into laugher and shove my friend on her shoulder. “Isabel!” I laugh, shaking my head at her. “You’d have bitten my head off if I asked that of you the moment I met you.” “Well, I’m different now,” she says, grinning at me. “More romantic, now

towards the gates. “We’ll see what we can do about that.” And then, together, Isabel walks us towards the gates. As we pass through them, I see her mood change just

frown at her. “Please,” I say, shaking my head. ” Don’t hold back. We want to help -we have resources now -” “I know,” she says, placing a hand on my arm. “I just these people have been through a lot. This is not going to be a walk in the park.” “That’s

begin to

heart to its core, that heat fades from me the deeper we get into the camp. Isabel gives us a thorough tour, taking us down row after row of tents where families live together, scrapping together their world as best they can. “How did

separate,’ Isabel says, turning to me with narrowed eyes. ” Theydemandedseparate

the war and don’t have family to take them in, or have no way to get to that family, or who otherwise don’t have access to the resources they need to get their lives back together.” “Why