Alpha Dom and His Human Surrogate - Season 5 Episode 97

Henry then takes a deep breath and looks at the children. “I’ve become very intrigued,” he begins, “the idea of ​​children having bonds with each other; bonds like those between siblings and cousins, it’s unusual. I actually thought it was unique, but it’s not.”

My eyebrows rise as I listen with interest.

“The children have created between themselves… a triangle of sorts,” Henry murmurs, looking at the three of them. “There have been rare examples of individuals having multiple predestined mating bonds (my son, interestingly enough, among them).”

I lean back against my partner, who wraps his arm around me tighter.

“But this,” Henry says, pointing at Ariel, Rafe, and Jesse, “three people bonded together naturally, each with the other two.” He shakes his head. “I have yet to find any examples of this happening naturally. Although there are those who have… forged such connections.”

“Really?” Roger asks, raising his eyebrows.

“Usually in religious ceremonies,” Henry says, folding his hands in his lap and looking around us, “in the wilds of the north. Two people who are already bound, either by fate or choice, usually through mating, would magically forge a bond with a third, either by will or by obligation.

“For what reason,” Cora asks, shaking her head. “Like… plural marriage? Or something?”

“No,” Henry replies, shaking his head at her. “This is usually done in communities where those undergoing the ceremony have long taken vows of chastity. No, they do it for the power that results from the bond, which is said to be… unique.”

“This is so strange,” I mutter, looking at my children. I mean, I’m well aware that my children and nephew are special, but…

“The magics of the North are strange,” Henry says with a sigh, shaking his head and shrugging. “They’re also tight-lipped as to what the results of such a bonding actually are. But I do imagine it’s closer to the kinds of powers wielded by the dark priests we spent much of our time challenging last year. Spells cast at a price, rather than gifts bestowed by the goddess and used freely with little effort.”

“But since the bond between the children was… natural,” Sinclair murmurs, speaking his thoughts out loud, “can we assume that any powers that result from them would be… easier to wield?”

“I have no idea,” Henry says with a sigh, smiling again at his grandchildren and granddaughter. “Though I hope for their sake that it does. Those bonds forged and the resulting magic did not come without a price.”

“Oh, dear,” I murmur, sighing and looking down at my precious new baby. She can barely stay awake, let alone wield big, powerful magics. “What are you going to do, little one?”

“All sorts of good things,” Sinclair murmurs to me, though I can hear the worry in his voice.

“I’m sorry I don’t have more definitive answers,” Henry says with a sigh, looking genuinely apologetic.

“It’s okay, Dad,” Roger says, smiling at him. “It’s more than we knew before. Besides, these kids are going to have to learn to figure it out.”

“And the Goddess said to trust them,” Cora says, shrugging and standing up, lifting Jesse into her arms and smiling at him. “So, I’m going to let them worry about it.”

I smile at my sister and realize that honestly, this is probably the best method. I mean we’re moms, there’s definitely no way we don’t worry. But what can we do? Cora and Roger are right: we just need to raise them right and trust that they’ll figure it out.

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“You’re not leaving, are you?” I ask, sitting up straight when I see Roger stand up as well. “No, stay! We can get food!” But I yawn even as I finish my sentence.

“We’re leaving,” Cora says, with a gentle smile, “because Jesse needs a nap and so do you. And the little princess over there is already asleep.”

I look down at my arms and realize that Cora is right: Ariel fell asleep without me noticing.

“Oh, shoot,” I murmur. “I wanted to feed her…”

“We’ll leave you to it,” Cora says, leaning in and kissing me on the cheek. “I’m just a phone call away from anything you need, sis.”

“Thanks, Cor,” I murmur, smiling at her and hugging Roger as well when he bends down to say goodbye to the baby. I wave to them as they walk out the door, Henry watching over them as they leave.

“Will you at least stay, Henry?” I ask, leaning back against Sinclair.

“I’m afraid I should go too,” he says as Rafe stands up and wobbles over him, holding out his chubby arms and begging to be picked up. Henry laughs and complies, lifting my little meatball onto his lap. “That is, if this one lets me.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“He just sits on top of you,” I say dryly, “you’ll be too heavy to get out of here.”

“A fate I’ll happily accept,” Henry murmurs, pulling Rafe onto his lap and holding him tight, pressing his cheek into Rafe’s dark hair. “He looks a lot like his father at this age. It’s like getting my little one back.”

My heart swells hearing Henry talk about Rafe like that, and I feel Sinclair’s own surge of emotion in our bond.

“That one, though,” Henry says, looking at the sleeping Ariel in my arms. “She’s very precious to me too, because I don’t know her.”

“What do you mean?” I ask, tilting my head curiously.

“I never had a daughter,” he sighs, looking at my little girl with her tiny fur of golden white hair. Then he turns his eyes to Sinclair. “Your mother and I tried to have another; she desperately wanted a girl, you know? But the Goddess decided two was enough.”

“I didn’t know,” Sinclair says, his voice a little thick with emotion.

“Yes,” Henry says, raising his eyebrows as his gaze falls back on Ariel. “So, this is the fulfillment of a wish little Sinclair had made a long time ago. I always wondered what she was like.”

I grit my teeth to keep the tears from stinging my eyes, not wanting Henry to think I’m sad or pitying him. It’s just… I never knew he wanted that, I never knew my

sweet daughter would mean so much to him.

“You know?” Henry says, cocking his head, and I lean forward, listening intently. “I never thought she’d be blonde.”

I burst out laughing at this, as does my partner, and I wipe away the small tears that spring from my eyes. “Well, we don’t know if she’ll stay blonde,” I say, smiling and shaking my head. “Her hair might get darker…”

“No, Ella,” Henry says, raising his eyes to me. “It’s clear that this is your daughter. She will have her mother’s beauty, which includes your unique hair. She is a Sinclair in name… but she is her mother born again.”

“She has to have a part of me,” Sinclair murmurs, a little jealous, leaning in to look at her.

“Time will tell,” Henry says, leaning back in his chair. Rafe mumbles something, looking at his grandfather, who smiles at him and runs a hand through his head. “Either way, I’m very glad to be their grandfather. I’m very glad I get to watch them grow up, Goddess willing.”

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I nod, accepting the sentiment, thinking that the children are lucky to have such an enthusiastic and dedicated grandfather.

“I would like,” Henry says, I think now a little lost in thought, “to be able to play with them more, to be able to participate more in helping you pick them up, throwing them down, running, walking. But,” she shrugs, “when the kids are old enough to stand on the back of the chair, at least they’ll always have someone to carry them around…”

“Oh my god,” I say, the words spilling out of my mouth. “Oh my god,” I sit up straight, looking at Henry, my eyes falling to his legs, because honestly, I don’t even notice his chair anymore, nor do I think

of him as someone whose abilities are hampered.

Or of me as someone who is capable of doing anything about it.

Henry looks at me, his eyebrows raised in surprise as I hurry but carefully shift Ariel into Sinclair’s arms, my partner looking at me curiously as well.

“Henry,” I breathe, reaching out to him and taking his hand. “Why didn’t you say something before? Why didn’t you… I’m so sorry? Why didn’t I think of…?”

“What are you talking about, Ella?” he asks, frowning at me a little. Even Rafe gives a curious little squeal.

“I’m so stupid,” I say, closing my eyes, frantically searching for my gift. “If I can heal you, why can’t anyone…?”

“Oh, Ella,” Henry says, pulling his hand out of mine. Shocked, I open my eyes and look into his. “Ella, darling, I don’t think it works like that.” NôvelDrama.Org content rights.

“What?” I ask, surprised.

“I don’t think your gift can heal what’s already healed,” he says, shaking his head at me. “A disability like this isn’t an injury. Your gift, from what I’ve learned from using it, heals what’s wrong with my body. But what happened to me so long ago… I’ve already healed. My body is just different now; I’m not sick.”

“Oh,” I say, the logic of that hitting me like a slap in the face. I bite my lip and lower my eyes. “Well, would you let me try?”

“Of course, darling,” he murmurs, returning my hand.

And then I close my eyes, access my gift, and breathe softly as it runs through Henry. It weaves a few little things that I think are natural with age, but as it moves through him…

He’s right.

There’s nothing sick or injured in Henry’s legs or spine. The wounds have healed long ago – maybe not the way we would have liked but… his body has already done the work.

job my gift would have done, as best it could.

Disappointment must be all over my face, because when I open my eyes, Henry clicks his tongue and pulls his chair closer, cupping my cheek in his palm. “Thanks for wanting to try, Ella. But, really, I’m not unhappy with my life in this chair. I’m a blessed man and as much as I would have liked to run around with my grandchildren… well, I’m a little too old for that anyway, aren’t I?”

“You’re not,” I say, wrinkling my nose at him.

“Well,” Henry laughs, smiling at me as Sinclair sits forward, squeezing close to my side. “At least I get to keep up with them, which is probably just as good.”

I smile at him, nodding, and lean back to rest my head on Sinclair’s shoulder as I do so.

“You’re going to be the best grandpa, Henry,” I say, sighing a little as I smile at him. “They’re lucky to have you.”

“And I’m lucky to have you,” he says, smiling at Rafe and winking at my son. “

What do you think, little one? Should we go to the kitchens? Have a snack?”

In response to his fifth favorite word – behind only Mom, Dad, Jesse, and breakfast – Rafe’s little face lights up and he throws his hands up in the air, giving a squeal of excitement. We all laugh and Henry raises an eyebrow at us. When Sinclair nods, Rafe and his grandfather walk away and embark on a little adventure.

And I lean back against my partner, holding my lucky little girl in my arms.