Accidental Surrogate for Alpha

Chapter 422- Bath Time

Ella

“Cora,” I scold, frowning, “you know I don’t’ feel that way – ”

“Well I know you’d never say it,” she protests, sighing. “But I do get that this union between a wolf and a human that, symbolically, it’s important. And even if you’re not disappointed that it could be…disappointing.”

“I want you to have the mating ceremony you want, Cora,” I reply, steady in my truth here. “Especially in the case of something as important as this.” I give her hand a little squeeze before pulling mine away. “But if you’d like to consider a middle path…maybe you could let me show you what I was thinking?”

She turns her head to look up at me, surprised. “You’ve been…planning?”

“Just a little,” I say, unable to keep the eagerness out of my voice. “Just late at night when Sinclair is asleep and I can’t sleep, or I get up to feed Rafe – ”

“You’ve been loosing sleep over this!?”

“No!” I protest, but then I hesitate. ” Well, not much.”

“Ella!”

“Just – can I show you what I was thinking!?” I plead, “sister to sister!? And then, if you hate it, you can say no.” A wide grin comes to my face then. “But I think you’re going to like it.”

Cora gives a big sigh, leaning back into her seat and closing her eyes. ” Fine, Ella,” she says. “But this is not a yes.”

“I didn’t think it was!” I say, newly excited. Because honestly…it’s gorgeous, and I can’t wait to show her my plans.

me from his casual position on the bed – looking down

strapped sleeping to my chest. I

gigantic self and standing up from the bed. Then he slips his hands into his pockets and smirks as he looks me up and down. “I just didn’t realize I was mated to someone who spends their days toiling in the

and gasp when I see myself in the mirror. “Oh my god,” I murmur, leaning

comes to stand behind me. I groan when I see our contrast in the mirror – him the perfect

I gasp when my eyes light on little Rafe, who is likewise covered in a light layer of brown dust. “Oh my god!” I exclaim again, immediately beginning to ruffle his hair and moaning as a little puff of dust explodes into the air. “Ohhh, little baby! Mommy’s

dirt won’t hurt him,” Sinclair chuckles, reaching out to unstrap

him take the baby from my arms. “Honestly, if this is what we look like after just an afternoon, imagine how

baby bath. “Hopefully all of the people will be out of those terrible camps and

that he’s away from the warmth of my body, starts to cry a little

I say, my heart going out to him. I hesitate, wondering if I should just take him and let him sleep dirty honestly, I can’t stand to

Ella,” Sinclair murmurs, smirking at me and laying the baby down in his bath. “Let him cry a little for once he’s the happiest baby in the world, it doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong.” Then, as I begin to strip out of my clothes, Sinclair takes off Rafe’s little outfit as

of baby clothing disappear into the basket, “he’ll probably be

Rafe’s naked belly, proud, as he turns on the warm water and prepares to start bathing him. Rafe still fusses unhappily but reaches for his father’s

turn and start the water in the shower for myself. I continue talking to Sinclair as I climb into the hot stream, relishing the feel of it

over my shoulder, starting to shampoo my hair. “I don’t think she’s

yeah, Roger told me pretty much

reaction, and Sinclair shoots me a

course I’m not mad,

“That’s not what I mean I know that you’d never be mad at them for wanting a different kind of mating ceremony. But…does it

gently clean the baby, making soft, warm noises to little Rafe as he does. Rafe, tired, lets his father know his protest, but my heart swells with the patience I see in my mate as he washes his baby, explaining softly to him that he’s sorry he has to take a bath so late at night,