Accidental Surrogate for Alpha

#Chapter 410 – Assembling the Team

Cora

When I wake up the next morning the dawn sun is already streaming through the windows, and I am absolutely – hands down – the happiest I’ve ever been. I’m curled up against my mate’s side, my hand still on his chest where I placed it when I fell asleep, and when I look up into his face? I see him already smiling down at me.

My mouth bursts into a smile.

“Well,” he says, turning fully towards me now and nudging my nose with his. “That was an incredible dream, wasn’t it?”

“Do you think it was real?” I whisper, desperately, desperately hoping that it was.

“I do,” he replies, nodding. “I don’t think…well, the things that you made up the beach, the landscape…they were all pretty static, no?”

I gasp a little, offended – “It was not static! It was intricate and there was a breeze I could smell the salt -”

“No, Cora,” he says, laughing, “I mean like, unchanging. The things that changed – you, me, the feeling the baby passed to us, and the wolves? Those all seemed very real.”

“Yeah,” I say, relaxing again and snuggling close, tucking my head beneath Roger’s chin. “I think it was real too.”

“He’s a really cute pup,” Roger murmurs, sleepily kissing my hair. ” Way cuter than Rafe.”

“I know, right?” I mumble, yawning. But we don’t have to tell Ella and Dominic that.”

“No way,” he replies. “No need to hurt their feelings. They’ll find out soon enough. We’re quiet for a moment before I ask my next question. “Did that go…how you thought it would?” I ask, hesitant.

“No,” Roger says instantly, laughing. “Honestly, Cora, I thought we were going to have way more sex -”

And then I burst into laughter too, because that’s what I had expected as well. I don’t know what Sinclair told his brother, but from everything Ella has said? It sounds like the dream state has been a place for them to really explore their relationship in a very physical way – after all, they had sex there first, before they ever did with their real bodies.

And while I can certainly see Roger and I using the dream state for that kind of exploration in the future? A part of me is really, really glad that mine and Roger’s experience brought us closer in a different way.

family than I did before we went to sleep. And it’s not that we weren’t a family before – but now

already, that I can’t help but think of him as my son, and me

and turning my face up to his. “I feel exactly

laugh then, curious. “Wait, how do you know

it down the bond,” he murmurs. “Are you

about you. And the baby. So maybe it just…went.” He nods,

take Roger’s hand, giving it a little squeeze and passing a curious little pulse down our mating bond to him, seeing if I can do it intentionally. I’m still not used to this wolf stuff, and

murmurs, pleased. ” You’re

happily. And then I close my eyes and concentrate, still keeping one touch on the bond between me and Roger but also giving a little tap on the bond that I now feel so

the

I can even ask, I see on Roger’s thrilled face

and look down at myself, and send another little nudge, this time with

…Happy? I ask.

feel it ring through me like a bell. Happy! My boy sends back, and I laugh, and

then he curls away again,

choked up, taking my face in his hands and kissing me again. “And I don’t think I’ve ever once been happier, not in my whole

it sounds, to say it so

Ella

her door with a to-go mug of tea in her hands, a big smile on her face. Rafe gives a little squeal

down at my baby, strapped into his car seat, in surprise. “Can you tell when your auntie is near?” I ask, curious. But, obviously, he doesn’t

you’re very bright and chipper today,” I say when Cora opens the door and peers into the car, blinking a bit in surprise at the two extra men in the row of seats behind me, and then at the guard

her door behind her. “Um, what’s all this?” she

to have extra guards,” I say, giving a chagrined little shrug.

says, after smiling around at everyone and saying her hellos as Conner pulls away from the house. “Actually,” she continues, ” Roger had the same idea. Did they coordinate this

that our two

leaning forward and grinning at Cora. “Why are you

you later,” she says, waving a hand at me while she