Accidental Surrogate for Alpha

#Chapter 391 – Conversations with the Goddess

Cora

My heart is pounding as I follow my mother into the chamber beyond, as Roger shuts the door behind us. My mother crosses the room with ease almost seeming to float. And then I blink in surprise as I realize that…she probably is floating. I mean, she’s here – she’s corporeal – but it’s all a show, isn’t it? She doesn’t need to walk on her feet if she doesn’t want to.

And something about that idea makes me laugh a little, easing my tension. My mother turns when she hears the sound of my laugher and smiles at me, at both of us, before sitting down before a tiny table with a tray of tea on it.

Roger and I cross the short room together, sitting down across from her. Thoughtfully, Roger pours two cups of tea, which is hot and smells minty and fresh. Then, hesitating at the sight of the third cup, he raises an eyebrow at

my mother. She laughs a little too, and I’m shocked to hear that her laugh sounds just like my own – the same rhythm, the same cadence. Something about that makes me smile.

“Yes, Roger,” she says, nodding towards it. “I can’t drink the tea – but it is nice to have an offering of it.”

Nodding, Roger pours the cup of tea for the Goddess and slides it across the table towards her. Then he places a sugar cube in my teacup – knowing I’ll want it and sits back in his chair, folding his hands in his lap.

“You’ve had a long journey, Cora,” my mother says, looking at me warmly. “In more ways than one.”

“Yes,” I reply, smiling at the understatement in her words. And then I look down at my stomach and place my hands on it, shaking my head. “A journey that has raised…a lot of questions for us.’

“I understand,” she says. “It will bring me a great deal of joy to help you answer those questions, if I can.”

“How much do you know?” I ask, looking back up at her, wondering if I need…like, do I need to tell her that I’m pregnant? Or…

“I know everything,” she says, smiling at us. “Your lives are…open to me. As well as your hearts. I’m very pleased that you have found each other, little mates,” she says, and I grin to hear her use Roger’s pet term for me as if she’s heard it before. Then she turns to smile at Roger, “though I’d have preferred to see it happen sooner. I believe it would have saved you both a great deal of pain.”

credit, blushes and looks down. “Cora’s the smart one,” he sighs, glancing at

Goddess says easily. “You can’t leave everything to your

up at both of us with a determined look on his face, and we both know that he

turns to me then. “You wish to know?” she asks gently. “About the

breathe, leaning forward, eager. “Do you

Cora,” my mother says, looking down at my stomach. “I can hear the heartbeat

– we suspected that, but to hear it from a Goddess’ lips… Roger beams a wide smile at me and reaches out to take

Roger’s hand hard. “Your baby is like you,” my mother says, turning her

from his face. And in my disappointment I realize that we were both hoping very much that our child would be a

mother laughs again, snapping

shaking her head. “You misunderstand me. What I mean to say here is that…hmm,” she looks up at the ceiling as if

heart starts to pound again as

word that you would use for it,” she continues,

Roger’s

eyes back down again and

a smile spreading across her face, “your child is a cross between a human and

trying…trying to comprehend. And something about my confusion makes her laugh – not in a cruel way, but in the delighted way of a mother who watches her

you mean?” I ask, my voice hardly louder than a whisper in my

– your father was a human. But your mother I am the Goddess of the moon, , and of wolves, among other things.” She smiles at me as I begin to understand. “Your soul is

I stare at

all silent for a long moment before I stumble out my answer. “N-no,” I say, looking down at myself, and then closing my eyes and