Accidental Surrogate for Alpha

#Chapter 305 – The Goddess’s Light

Cora

I’m a little out of breath when I finally catch up with Roger and Rafe, having had to work hard to keep up with his long wolf stride.

“Rude,” I say when I finally come to a stop next to them. “You couldn’t have waited for me?”

“I’m being rude?” Roger says, raising his eyebrows at me in disbelief. “Cora, you’ve been nothing but unpleasant since the moment we stepped into the forest –”

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I open my mouth with a little squeak of protest but Roger just rolls his eyes and ignores me, going on anyway. “This is supposed to be a sacred experience for Rafe and for us and you’ve done nothing but moan and complain. So yeah, forgive me if I wanted to get away for a moment and concentrate on the magic of this place

“Oh whatever,” I mumble, reaching out my arms so that he can hand me the baby.

“No from you way,” Roger retorts, holding the baby closer to his chest and turning a little away from me. “You don’t get to hold the baby now that we’re at the pool

“Yes I do!” I cry, “the priestess gave him to me!”

“I’m his godparent just as much as you are

—

But suddenly, there’s a flare in the light from the pool, and Roger and I turn to it, surprised, both of our mouths falling open. I don’t know how I know it but…well, somehow, I get the sense that the pool – or whatever magic is in it – is irritated with us.

the pool, taking a step closer, a little embarrassed. Honestly, it never occurred to me that my behavior with Roger

other, then, united anew at being…well, a little freaked out, suddenly. We’re both very aware that there’s magic in the world, but sometimes when you’re

a deep breath, then, nodding to him, and start to say that words that

voice ring out across the smooth surface of the silver pool. “We bring to you, tonight, this child, so that he may

your light, and in doing so, let you see him and bring him into the spirit of your grace,” Roger continues, his own resonant voice sending shivers down my spine. The light coming off the pool brightens – slower this time, though, as if

beaming brilliantly down on us from above.

Because she is here, now, with us – ready to meet

does hand him to me, letting me take the

sky, to see

reverent. “His parents, Ella and Dominic, have asked us to bring him here to dedicate him to

the world and to all the magic within it. I open my mouth to say something, to tell Roger that I’m sorry, and that I’m glad I’m here with him to do this, when suddenly

afraid, but Roger brings a quick hand to

into the white light of the moon, likewise trying to make it out. “If

the baby out, my arms trembling a little, and watch the story form

it’s not like watching a movie projected into smoke in the air. Instead, it’s…felt as much as it is seen, communicated to our hearts and minds as much as our eyes. But suddenly,

in every line of his limbs as he pushes himself to do what is right. We’re passed that quite quickly, though, and I see him again with that girl – though she’s older now too – laughing. And though I know there’s no reason for me to know it, I sense – somehow that she, like me, has no

–

on the girl’s head as well. She smiles up at him with such love in her eyes and then the door to the room bursts

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don’t know,

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