Alpha Dom and His Human Surrogate by Caroline Above Story

#Chapter 303 – Dedicated to the Goddess

Ella

As a group, we head together into the darkness of the forest.

“Did we have to go somewhere so creepy for this?” I ask Sinclair, looking warily around the woods. Usually my wolf thrills to be under the canopy of the trees, but today, I can feel her wary inside

1. me.

“It’s a sacred space,” Sinclair explains, smiling down at me, placing one hand on my back to ensure that I don’t trip over any errant roots. “Are you feeling it too? The magic in the air?”

“How could I miss it,” I murmur, looking around. “This place is… thick with it.”

–

It’s true – I can’t see anything in the air around us, but I’m certainly aware that this place is sacred. Either because it was always a special place, or made special due to the repeated process of bringing children here with the intent of dedication, this patch of forest is unique. Even the trees around us are just a little different – their trunks darker, thicker. The way that the branches twine up towards the sky is more elegantly twisted than I’ve seen elsewhere.

Overall it’s not a bad feeling just…different.

I glance over my shoulder at Cora, who I can see is uncomfortable. She’s the only human in the party today and, even though she doesn’t have a wolf who can sense the magic like mine can, I can tell that she, too, senses the difference of this place. I give her a warm smile which she returns, coming closer to my side.

“This place is weird,” she says softly, rubbing her hands up and down her arms as if she’s cold. “Scared,” I correct. “But yeah, sacred and weird.”

into the woods, worn flat enough by the pa*sing of thousands of feet over the years that Henry’s chair has no trouble pa*sing down it. When we lose sight of

the temple. We murmur our greetings when we come close and she bends down to smile at Rafe, who is still asleep

he slept in the nursery for a few hours. Since then, I haven’t been further than one room away from him, and even that I kept as short

of my motherly instincts scream at me to take my baby home and curl up warm and safe in bed, but the priestess gives me a warm smile, perhaps reading my mind. My wolf gives me a little nudge with

I feel Sinclair’s hand press more firmly

a request for me to hand him over to her. Sighing, I do, and then I wrap my arms around Sinclair’s waist, resting my head against his chest. I know that Cora and Roger will take

who starts to fuss in her arms, and then nods to Cora and Roger, who each take a step forward. She holds the baby carefully against her as she

front of our gathered group of family

for dedication?” she calls out, her

Sinclair responds, his voice resonant and strong.

our intent. Then, she continues. ” And who will carry this boy to meet the

”

mate’s face gives nothing away. I turn to Cora, then, who looks just as surprised as me. The priestess nods to Roger and Cora in turn and then crosses to them, placing my baby in my sister’s arms. “Take him,” she says, waving a

as well, less sure about what to say

nods again and steps aside so that

forest. I watch them until they are swallowed by darkness, my heart in my throat. And then, when I can’t see them anymore, I

Cora

frustrated as I trip again over another root, “that they’d spend a little more time clearing the

to me,” Roger replies, wanting to be helpful but irritated,

at him a little in the dark. “The priestess gave the baby to me, she wants me

not what she meant, Cora,” Roger replies, his voice a little crabby. “And she’s not going to be

”