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.

up at me from his casual position on the

ask, frowning, my baby strapped sleeping to my chest. I put my hands on my hips. “What’s

gracefully unfolding his 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 mines,

in and gasp when I see myself in the mirror. “Oh my god,” I murmur, leaning in to get a good look

see our contrast in the mirror – him the perfect Alpha King, clean-shaved and pressed

then 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

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

from my arms. “Honestly, if this is what we look like after just an afternoon,

attention to it,” he replies, holding the baby away from him a little as he carries him over to his little baby bath. “Hopefully all of the people will be out of those terrible camps and in better situation in a

away from the warmth of my body, starts

hesitate, wondering if I should just take him and let

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

“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

together, before I turn and start the water in the shower for myself. I continue talking to

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

Roger

see his reaction, and Sinclair

I’m not mad, Ella

from my hair. “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 mess up your plans at all? For the coronation, and the coronation

his protest, but my heart swells with the patience I see in my