The Mystical Attraction of Alpha

Ella

I see a yawn stretch over Cora’s face and immediately start to get to my feet. “You’re exhausted,” I say, “we’ll let you get some rest – ”

“No,” Roger says, suddenly a little frantic again. “You guy can’t leave what if – what if the baby cries and Cora sleeps through it – I have no idea what to do ”

I laugh at my brother-in-law and shake my head at him. “We’re not going far, Roger,” I say, pressing myself to Sinclair’s side as he, too, stands up. “We’re going to sleep across the hall after we make sure Henry gets home safe. You’ll be able to shout if you need anything.”

“Oh, thank god,” Roger murmurs, slumping back against the pillows and putting a weary hand over his face.

“So dramatic,” Cora says, rolling her eyes but laughing anyway. I grin at my sister and then move to her side, pressing a kiss to her cheek and blowing one to the sleeping Jesse, my new perfect nephew.

“You guys sleep tight, all right?” I say. “And really – we’re here if you need us. Or even if you want us to take the baby in the rolling bassinet – he can sleep in our room – ”

“We’ll be fine, Ella,” Cora says, rolling her eyes at me now.

“They do this all the time in hospitals, take the baby to the nursery so the mom can get some sleep! I could

“Stop trying to steal my baby,” she laughs, flapping a hand at me, “just because you miss having a newborn.”

“I do,” I sigh, again clutching my hands beneath my chin. “They’re so cute and tiny then…”

“Come and take your meatball, Ella,” Sinclair says on a laugh, holding out my perfect little Rafe to me. And I laugh too, taking Rafe in my arms and holding him tight against my chest.

“You’re perfect too, Rafe,” I say, kissing his head, “no matter how big you get.”

as we pass out of

in the hall, I fall back against

grinning at me as I hold Rafe

so excited,” I say, smiling up at him. “I get to do that again in what, six months!? I love the newborn stage! I love the first night, when you can’t sleep because you can’t bear to close your eyes and stop looking at them! I’m so excited. I’m

stepping forward and running his hand over my hair. I grin up at him, nodding fervently. “Luckily,” he says, raising an eyebrow at me. “I do not at all mind the process of knocking you up.

him a little and covering one of Rafe’s

“We have

a haughty look at my mate over my shoulder, pretending to be more bothered than I am as I open the door to the guest room. “Baby Rafe doesn’t need to hear all of your lewd innuendos about what

murmurs, stepping close to me in the dark of the room and pulling

murmur, my voice low and throaty. ” Because we have competition now for best Sinclair parents.

says, laughing his dark little laugh. “We’ve got them

And my mate kisses me swiftly before giving me a swat on

the baby ready for bed, I’ll make sure dad gets home?” He asks, heading

giving him a quick thumbs up and a wink. Sinclair nods to me, smiling, and heads out the door, leaving

give a tiny shriek of joy. ” You got a new cousin today, and a new bond! What

over to the little changing table

I change his diaper and start to put his pajamas on. “But if you like your new cousin more than your new little sister, just

grins at me, babbling as

yes,” I say, smiling as I pull him up into my arms. “And I’m holding you to it, even though you don’t even really speak

with some of his soft blocks and I lay quietly by his side, talking to

interrupt,” he says, starting to pull off his blazer as he

I say, sitting up a little. ”

I smile when I see his eagerness, knowing he feels precisely the way that I feel: that this is our happy place, when we’re all cozy

sleepy?” he