Accidental Surrogate for Alpha

#Chapter 386 – The Long…Long Road

Ella

It takes me just a little over an hour to realize that…I hate road trips.

“Oh my god,” I murmur to Cora as the vibrations of the gigantic RV continue to shake through us, making poor Rafe grumble uncomfortably. “Is it night yet? Can we stop?”

“You’re being a baby, Ella,” my sister replies, looking up at me with a smirk, jumping her red king over three of Roger’s black checkers and capturing them. “It’s fun!”

“You’re only having fun because you’re kicking Roger’s ass for the third time at that game,” I murmur, sighing as I glance out the window.

“Seriously,” Roger sighs, leaning back against the white leather of the kitchenette’s booth. “You should quit that, Cora. For Ella’s sake – she’s trying to enjoy herself.” He runs a frustrated hand through his hair, staring at the board.

“Yes,” Cora replies, laughing. “For Ella’s sake, I’ll go easy on you.”

“I just thought it would be prettier,” I sigh, looking out the window at the endless highway miles. “Like, purple mountains majesty. Fruited plains. Etcetera.” Instead, it’s just hour after hour of looking at cars, and asphalt, and the sad little pine scrub that borders the highways.

“Maybe when we get further out,” Cora offers, hopeful. “Nah,” Roger replies, making his next move on the checker’s board. “After the forest it’s all corn for days.”

I groan, leaning my head back. “I hate corn.”

“No, you don’t,” Cora chides, instantly making her next move on the board and capturing two more of Roger’s pieces. He gasps in protest and then slumps back again.

“How are you doing this,” he murmurs, studying the board. “Are you a witch?”

says with a shrug.” Guess we have to

fussy baby in my arms. And I inhale a deep breath, silently ordering myself to cheer up because even if I decidedly do not like riding in the RV, I’m still excited to take this trip for my sister, to get her the answers she so desperately

RV as much. The boys all stay together up front, studying maps and discussing ridiculous things like terrain and gas mileage things. they find endlessly fascinating for some weird boy reason. But I shrug and leave them to it. Cora and I curl up in the incredibly comfortable bed and spend our time chatting, watching movies, and

the back of the RV, laughing and talking with my sister, reconnecting with her and with

I ask her in a quiet moment as the sun starts to sink to

with big lives. I think we’re going to have to snatch at moments of peace

down at my napping baby, trailing a little finger down his belly. “Are we dumb?” I ask quietly. ” Did we choose wrong? I mean – neither of them are our fated mates.

up at her in surprise to

I ask, sitting up straight, ” Cora, I was a nanny – I was ready to be a broke single

always going to be a mom,” she says, cocking her head to the side, “but…you were never going to stop helping people. I think it kind of makes sense that you

considering what she’s saying. And I guess…well, I guess I think she’s right. That this was perhaps always the life I wanted, even

voice dropping lower. “I’m actually…I’m not sure

going wide. ” But you’re a

us,” she says, shaking her

bond snap into place?” I

said it first, when we were out in that rainstorm – that day when we had to stop

little and rolls her eyes.

way he said it so

what’s between us is far beyond anything he had with his own fated mate. But still – it’s an experience I’ll never have. “Well,” I continue, “did you ask

she says, shrugging

“Why not?”

“Well, I’ll go ask -” I say simply, scooching forward on the bed,