Accidental Surrogate for Alpha

#Chapter 390 – The Temple Ella

It is, indeed, a long climb. Cora and I are panting by the time we get to the top, and even though Sinclair took Rafe from me halfway through the hike I have to take a moment to catch my break when we pull ourselves up to the final level.

Roger has the indecency to look a little smug about the fact that he barely looks winded and Cora gives him a little shove on the shoulder as she works to take a few deep breaths and wipe the sweat from her brow.

Even as I work to bring my heartrate back down, I absolutely marvel at the sight before me.

The Goddess’ temple, like the one in the city, is built completely with white marble. But unlike the one in the city, this one looks…ancient. Vines grow in ropes all over it, looking almost as if the structure is part of the forest itself, having grown up organically from it. The temple is tall and wide, the pillars in front drawing my eyes upward to the slanted roof which curls into a dome. At the very peak of the dome is a golden crescent moon, reaching up towards the sky, glinting in the bright sunlight.

“Wow,” Cora says, standing straight next to me and likewise marveling at the temple. “Mom has some… impressive property.”

“I know, right?” I mutter back, crossing my arms and shaking my head. If someone had told me, when I was a little girl sleeping in my creaky little orphan bed, that my mom lived here…

Well. I probably would have believed them.

But I was a very imaginative child.

“Um,” Roger says, looking anxiously at Cora. “Shall we?”

I smile at him, seeing that he’s eager to move on but also that he wants to give her room to process this experience. It’s more intense for her than it is for him, and I think that it’s very sweet that he realizes this. Roger really has come leaps and bounds as a person from when I first met him.

Sinclair comes to stand next to me and I grin at him and then turn to my baby, taking his hands and speaking to him quietly, asking him how he likes it here and if he’s ready to meet his granny for real this time. Rafe claps and gurgles like he really is excited.

“It’s like he understands sometimes,” I say quietly, smiling up at Sinclair.

“Well,” Sinclair says, grinning proudly down at his son. “He’s very clever.”

to kiss my baby’s forehead. “Yes, he is.

Roger calls to us, crossing his arms over his chest with a smirk. Sinclair just laughs and shakes his

I ask, moving

reaching for my hand. I give it, and, with another deep breath, the five of us begin to walk towards the temple. As

moment, going still at the sight

time

Sinclair behind me, his hand warm against my back, and then a little pulse of comfort

right. This is…this is not the same situation we were in before. This is different, and not every priestess we meet is going to try to take my baby away. Some of them, surely, actually serve

a little and giving us a deep smile as we approach. “Daughters of the Goddess

and I smile at each other and then look back to the woman. “Is she here?” I ask. The

blink at Cora for a second and then, as I realize what she means that she can feel our mother here already – I bite

I could save my child, and Cora, and my mate. Cora realizes

squeezing her hand. “I’m glad you can

then we both turn back

says, smiling around at our whole party and taking a moment to let her gaze linger

And as we go, I wonder if everyone’s heart is pounding as much

inside, is different than the

The architecture is still bright and wide, but you can tell that women live here and treat it as a home. As I look around at the padded benches by the windows, at the well-loved books neatly tucked into alcoves and the little worn stick broom tucked into a corner, I decide quite suddenly that this is my favorite

instead leads us across it to a door at the back. Before she opens it, she turns to us with a warm smile. “Are you ready?” she asks, giving us a moment. to

for the first time. I smile at both of them as I reach for the baby, who

on my shoulder – Cora nods to

her immediately,

far end of the room, glowing with the faint luminescence of moonlight. Her face breaks into a smile as we cross the room, her eyes flashing over all of us but focusing on Cora. I can’t help the tears that well in my eyes when I

mine, but it seems like everything – everything else is my sister. How did I not see it before?

I think the thought, I dismiss it. Because she’s a Goddess, she’s divine. I think…she lets us