The Mystical Attraction of Alpha

Ella

The next day, Cora and Roger come over early. Roger and Sinclair head out, their faces solemn, to speak with their aids and their advisors regarding how to respond to the news we know is inevitably coming. Our reconnaissance teams told us that the Atalaxian delegation did indeed return home last night and were apparently in council until dawn.

Which suggests that at any moment now, they’ll declare war.

Sinclair, I know, is spending a great deal of time deciding how to publicly respond. I think that he and Roger right now are recording a message that will go out to the nation as soon as the war is declared. But Cora and I?

Well.

We’re just…being moms.

“Ella,” she says, sighing and holding Rafe out towards me in my closet, wrinkling her nose. “I think you precious future King needs to be changed.”

I sigh, my sweater only half over my head. “So? Go change him.”

When I pull my sweater down and settle it neatly over my stomach, I see her grinning at me, my baby still outstretched in her arms. “Nope,” she says, shaking her head. “Your baby, your diaper.”

“You’re going to regret that policy,” I say, taking Rafe from her with raised brows, “in juuuuust about three and a half months, Cora.”

“And for three and a half months, I will be diaper free!” she calls after me with a laugh as I carry my smelly baby over to his changing table in the bedroom.

Rafe grins at me, looking honestly a little proud of himself, and I can’t help but laugh as I lay him down and quickly change him. “Little Rafe,” I coo, smiling down into his perfect face and tickling his belly, “getting so big! Do you want to try an apple today? Or some avocado?”

As I finish changing Rafe, Cora comes out of the closet, changed into a comfortable set of my clothes. She came to the palace today in more formal clothing, but as soon as Sinclair let her know that she probably wouldn’t be required to appear or speak she immediately expressed her intention to change.

going to where her little baby bump is clearly

rolling her eyes and laughing as she comes over to me. ” I’m getting

area through the next door and settle onto the couch. “Trust me, you’ll know you’re

she tucks them up beneath her on the couch, her hands going to either side of her belly. “It just goes so

my eyebrows. “I

smiling down at her little baby-to-be.”

my baby close to my chest, turning him a little so he can look

results in a pup,” Cora murmurs, and I laugh at her displeased

just you trying to control the chaos, sis,” I murmur, resting my head against my baby’s. ” And with children – and this family?” I shake my head a little. “Maybe it’s better to just lean into the unknown. There’s no way of predicting or controlling what will come

sighs, looking up at me now. “With war on the horizon? And Roger looking like he’s going to be in the midst of it all?” she shakes her head. “Forgive me, Ella, if I lean into my

say anything else, though, the door opens and Roger and Sinclair come through, their hands shockingly empty of tablets, phones, paperwork – any of the usual accoutrements of running the nation that

up at my mate as he comes

we can do,” he murmurs. “Budge

draping her legs over the side of the armchair on which he settles. I lean back against my mate, pleased when he slips an arm around me. My smile grows when I see Roger press a

turning a little to look at Sinclair, finding his eyes already on

remote and presses a few buttons, turning on the television that hangs on the far wall. The channel immediately turns to

WAR DECARED

knows, Sinclair presses mute and wraps his arms more tightly around me. I sigh, pressing myself against him, and then I dip my head again to press another kiss

tried so hard to avoid

they have the upper hand,” “Sinclair replies, and I can feel him shake his head, feel his disappointment down the bond. “It’s a gamble – but if they win? The rewards will be worth it. Moon Valley is incredibly valuable, both in

means they’ll fight very hard to take it,” Roger sighs. “It’s going

down at the top of Rafe’s head, so