Alpha Dom and His Human Surrogate by Caroline Above Story

Chapter 498 – Baptizing the Princess

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Three weeks later (Ariel was born under a waning quarter moon, not a new moon

like her brother and cousin), I am anxious in the forest, with my little girl in my arms.

“I feel some anxiety,” Cora says, smiling at me too happily as she

She comes to my side, dressed in a beautiful silver dress, with Jesse awake and

interested in his hip.

“I wasn't this anxious when Rafe walked in,” he sighed, reaching out to touch the

Jesse's nose with the tip of his finger, making him laugh. “I mean, don't get me wrong,

I was anxious, but it's the complicated little foreshadowing of this one that has me

exalted".

“I know,” Cora says, wrinkling her nose maliciously. “I can't wait, revenge is

real-"

“Don't you dare,” I say, looking at her and pointing my finger at her. “You're trying to curse

deliberately to my daughter just because your Jesse has some strange shadow magic in

path…"

"I never!" Cora says, laughing and pushing my finger away. “I just like to make fun of

you, Ella. Did you hear that, Ariel? she says, leaning down to smile at her goddaughter. "I hope that you

"The future is pleasant, safe and boring, for your mother's sake."

“Oh, hold your tongue,” I mutter, frowning and pulling Ariel away from her aunt. "No

I want her life to be boring, I just want…” I sigh, looking at the girl who has everything.

 

 

my heart. “I just want everything to be very good and for her to be safe… but also

May you have some adventures along the way.”

“That's a great question,” Sinclair says, coming to my side with a glass of champagne in his hand.

one hand and Rafe sitting on his hip. “Especially for a girl named Baby

“Trouble.”

I smile when I hear the nickname, considering that… well, it's kind of true, even if

the name until now has been a bit of a joke.

Honestly, we've called her Ariel since very little, she has problems with the baby, the

most of the time. Or Princess Trouble. Or Princess Baby Bubble Problem. EITHER

any combination of them that inspires us at this moment. And, well, she

hasn't really lived up to it – not yet. Rafe – was a tough newborn,

less during the first two weeks. But Ariel?

God, she's been a bit like a dream.

I can only hope that his nickname remains ironic for the rest of his days, but I know that

It's too much to wait.

Rafe leans eagerly from his father's hip, reaches for his sister, and

He spits out a series of excited syllables that begin with “ba!”

“Do you like your sister, little one?” Cora says, laughing and putting a hand on her chest.

Rafe to prevent him from escaping from his father's arms with excitement.

“We think you're trying to say baby,” I say, smiling at my son, the pleasure and

pride fills me from head to toe. I mean, I know every mother is proud of her

 

 

children. But Rafe…he really is such a sweet baby and smart kid, he always wants to

be close to me, close to Ariel.

And his dad too, of course, but Rafe and me? We really have a bond

special.

“It's okay,” says Roger, with his own baby in his arm and a glass of champagne in his hand.

hand, just like his brother. “Almost time! Are we ready to do this?”

“Don't talk about this like it's a sports game, Roger,” I say, raising my head.

chin at him playfully. “It is a sacred ritual. Please act with the gravity that is

deserves.”

“It's the third one, Ella,” Roger says, rolling his eyes playfully. “It is

getting old…”

“You're destined to be a father of six, Roger,” I say, rolling my eyes.

“Tell me that when we get to your sixth baptism…”

“Right then we're just going to walk around the backyard in our pajamas,” he murmurs,

pointing first to the baby in my arms and then to Cora, silently indicating that

I should give it to him. "We're going to drink beer and we're going to hold the baby to the moon."

on a kitchen towel, we will use a plastic baby pool instead of the

sacred pond…”

“We're not,” Cora scoffs, gently taking Ariel into her arms as Sinclair

and I laugh. Roger smiles and leans down to kiss me on the cheek before handing me over to

Jesse.

“You know I'm joking, right, Ells?” he whispers.

 

 

I smile at my brother-in-law and gently pat his cheek. "In case of doubt,

“Roger,” he sighed, “I always assume you’re joking.”

“That's why you're my favorite sister-in-law,” he says, ruffling Jesse's hair before turning away.

towards the priestess of the Goddess, who begins to call everyone to order. "Now what

start this party!”

Cora

I smile at my perfect little niece, who is looking with interest at the dark forest. "List

to meet your grandmother, little one?” He whispered to her, hugging her and kissing her forehead. "She is

“Nice to meet you, she told me.”

Ariel gives a little squeak, which sounds so much like a response that it makes me laugh.

Roger laughs too and puts an arm around my shoulders. “Do you remember the last time

Were we here?” She murmurs and I look at him.

“Yes,” I say, smiling. “We fight all the time. He was completely ready to

push you into that pond.”

“Oh, I tell you again,” he says, nodding fervently. “It was that, or grab you and kiss you; No

I knew what I wanted more. Maybe they'll both push you into the pond, jump after you,

grab you, kiss you until we both drown..."

I laugh, shaking my head. “Well, we know which one you chose in the end.”

“Well, you were crying so much,” he says, rolling his eyes in feigned tiredness,

“I didn't know how else to make you stop…”

 

 

“Oh, idiot,” I sigh, laughing and stopping for a second, wrapping my hand around

around the lapel of his jacket and pulling him toward me. “Can't you say something

nice for once?”

“What do you want to hear, Cora?” She asks, smiling at me and taking my face in her hands.

“That it was the happiest moment of my life up to that point? What had been

waiting to kiss you for months and then having to actively avoid grabbing you and

Kiss you every time you entered a room?

My smile grows. “Something like that,” he murmured, and tugged at his coat a little, pulling him down.

for our second kiss in this forest, which is as good as the first.

“I love you so much, Cora,” he sighs as he pulls away, his eyelids heavy as he looks at me.

stare at the face.

“I love you too, Roger,” I say, smiling at him, conveying every ounce of love I have.

I feel our bond so you know I mean it. Because we joke, but

God, I love this man.

Roger leans in for another kiss, but a silver light comes on at the edge of my face.

vision.

“Oh,” I say, raising my eyebrows as I settle the baby in my arms and turn to face the

light. “I think mom is getting impatient.”

“Well, then,” Roger says, his arm still around my shoulder, “I don't

Let us make the Goddess wait.”

So, together, my partner and I carried our little goddaughter to the edge of the

pool that forms between the trees. I smile to see that this is different this time.

 

 

surrounded by rocks, with a small waterfall falling on the edge. Secret and peaceful,

like a hidden hot spring.

Roger nods at me and I step forward, holding the baby,

unwrapping it and holding it up to the moonlight that floods the grove from

above. And then he and I say the sacred words, dedicating our sweet Ariel to his

grandmother the Goddess, promising to love and protect her all our lives.

The moonlight gets brighter as we talk, and I feel it wash over me

a warmth and satisfaction that I know comes from my mother, who is really

pleased with her granddaughter.

When the words end, our attention shifts because, as before, the

premonition begins to take shape in the air over the water. And as we watch, Roger

and my eyes widen.

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