Accidental Surrogate for Alpha

#Chapter 388 – What Kind of Mate?

Cora

“They think they’re being subtle,” I whisper, smiling as Sinclair closes the RV’s door behind him, the last to ” disappear” from our little circle around the fire.

“I’m not complaining,” Roger murmurs, slipping an arm around my shoulder. “Are you, little mate?”

I laugh lightly at the nickname, shaking my head at him. “It still doesn’t work, Roger,” I say, leaning closer to him, though the camping chairs make it hard to get as close as I’d like to be. “I’ve told you before – I’m not little.”

“Sure you are,” he replies, grinning at me.

“I’m not!” I say, laughing. “Ella’s the little one,” I continue, “I’m tall – I’m not -”

“You’re little to me,” he interrupts, moving his chair closer so that he can tuck his face between my neck and my shoulder, breathing deeply in – I think savoring the way that I smell, which sends a little thrill through me. I lower my own head and breathe in Roger’s own unique scent, letting it flood my senses.

God, does he even know how good he smells? Though he probably does – his sense of smell far outstrips mine.

“What do you mean?” I ask. “Little to you?”

He lifts his head so he can look into my face, only inches from me now. You’re little to me, Cora,” he replies, in that you’re…I don’t know. Quite precious. The way I think of you – I don’t know, I don’t want you to be insulted, but I think of you as…very small,”

“What?” I ask, confused, “why?”

“Because,” he says seriously, shrugging a little, “you’d have to be very tiny, to make a home out of my heart,” he says, tapping lightly at his chest. “As you have done.”

A broad smile stretches across my face and I laugh a little, even though I’m deeply touched at what he’s said. ” Really?” I ask. “That’s what you think of me?”

“Mmhmm,” he says, turning his head a little and considering me from different angles. “My little mate, who I carry around all day in my heart. Even when you’re not physically around I keep you in here. I talk to you, send all kinds of messages. Tell you little jokes.” you I grin. “Do I think they’re funny?”

smiling at

to laugh. “Because if it was me, she’d

and grabbing my arm, tugging me closer. ” Get your ass over here, little mate,”

laugh, resisting and eyeing the flimsy camping chair he’s sitting in. It barely looks like it can hold his huge werewolf form, let alone both of us. We’ll

and making me laugh. ” Sinclair’s rich – he’ll

scowls, but he lets me go – watching me as I move to the camping supplies and pull

before the fire and then gesture towards them, another blanket tucked under my arm. “Better,” he concedes, standing up for

his lap as he does so. “Much better, clever little doctor

my hands on Roger’s face for a second, looking seriously at him before bringing my mouth to his and kissing him, letting myself sink into it, hoping

fight, and we tease – But god, god how I love this man. All of him

as he kisses me back, taking deep breaths as he does so like he’s finally home, like he’s been waiting to do this all day. And I smile, thinking that…perhaps he knows, a little bit. Even if we don’t have a mating bond that we can both feel, that we can pass messages along, like Ella and

head against his chest as he keeps his arms wrapped tight around me. And we’re quiet for a little bit, staring

I say quietly, thinking back on Ella’s conversation

inviting me to ask whatever

think

Cora,” he says, as if it’s a

to let him know that I’m serious. “Do you think I’m your…your mate mate. Like…fated mate. Instead

a little. Then he grins at me and laughs. ” Wait,

hadn’t known there was something to know.” What

head and watching me curiously.” That day out in the

deepens as I start to get frustrated. “Feel

real laugh, a big one that shakes his whole frame. “Cora,” he says, looking back at me with a gentle smile. “You’re my mate. Truly. Fated, done deal. I’ve suspected it for a while for a long time, even though… well, I also denied it for a long time, because I didn’t think my mate could be a human. But I knew for absolute sure that day when you

his chest, “I

you were also being really dumb. Anyway I knew for sure, because that’s when it snapped into place. You and me, Cora? We’re end game. At least, on my side. But,” he considers me again,

I sigh, disappointed. “I didn’t