The Mystical Attraction of Alpha

Ella

“Cora,” I scold, frowning, “you know I don’t’ feel that way – ”

“Well I know you’d never say it,” she protests, sighing. “But I do get that this union between a wolf and a human that, symbolically, it’s important. And even if you’re not disappointed that it could be…disappointing.”

“I want you to have the mating ceremony you want, Cora,” I reply, steady in my truth here. “Especially in the case of something as important as this.” I give her hand a little squeeze before pulling mine away. “But if you’d like to consider a middle path…maybe you could let me show you what I was thinking?”

She turns her head to look up at me, surprised. “You’ve been…planning?”

“Just a little,” I say, unable to keep the eagerness out of my voice. “Just late at night when Sinclair is asleep and I can’t sleep, or I get up to feed Rafe – ”

“You’ve been loosing sleep over this!?”

“No!” I protest, but then I hesitate. ” Well, not much.”

“Ella!”

“Just – can I show you what I was thinking!?” I plead, “sister to sister!? And then, if you hate it, you can say no.” A wide grin comes to my face then. “But I think you’re going to like it.”

Cora gives a big sigh, leaning back into her seat and closing her eyes. ” Fine, Ella,” she says. “But this is not a yes.”

“I didn’t think it was!” I say, newly excited. Because honestly…it’s gorgeous, and I can’t wait to show her my plans.

looks up at me from his casual position on the bed –

I ask, frowning, my baby strapped sleeping to my chest. I

his pockets and smirks as he looks me up and down. “I just didn’t realize I was mated to someone who spends their days toiling in the mines, is

gasp when I see myself in the mirror. “Oh my god,” I murmur, leaning in to get a good look at the very real layer of dusty dark brown grime that’s covering me from head to foot. “Honestly, why did they let me into the palace

see our contrast in the mirror – him the perfect Alpha King, clean-shaved

in a light layer of brown dust. “Oh my god!” I exclaim again, immediately beginning to ruffle his hair and moaning as a little puff

him,” Sinclair chuckles, reaching out to unstrap the baby from me.

Dominic,” I murmur, helping him take the baby from my arms. “Honestly, if this is what we look like after just

little as he carries him over to his little baby bath. “Hopefully all of the people will be out of those terrible camps

now that he’s away from the warmth of my body, starts

to him. I hesitate, wondering if I should just take him and let

little for once he’s the happiest baby in the world, it doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong.” Then, as I begin to strip out of my clothes, Sinclair takes off Rafe’s little outfit as well, tossing it into

little pieces of baby clothing disappear into the basket, “he’ll probably be too big to wear those by the

and prepares to start bathing him. Rafe still fusses unhappily but

and start the water in the shower for myself. I continue talking to Sinclair as I climb into the hot stream, relishing the feel of it against my tired

shoulder, starting to shampoo my hair. “I don’t think she’s into it, Dominic.

But yeah, Roger told me pretty much the same

see his reaction, and

I’m not mad, Ella –

shaking my head and turning away to rinse the shampoo from my hair. “That’s not what I mean I know that you’d never be mad at them for wanting a different kind of mating ceremony. But…does it mess up your plans at all? For the