Accidental Surrogate for Alpha novel Chapter 477

#Chapter 477- Labor

Cora

I narrow my eyes at Roger when he comes upstairs about forty-five minutes later. “Are you going to behave better now?” I ask, my voice tense.

“Yup,” he says, leaning in the doorway with a lazy smile.

I start to laugh as I look over his too – loose stature. “Is it because you’re all drunk?” My eyes shift to Sinclair as he appears in the doorway behind his brother. “Seriously, did you get him all drunk?”

Sinclair, Rafe sitting up in his arms, just gives a little shrug, his mouth pulled up at the corner in a secret smile.

“I am only,” Roger says, smiling as he steps into the room and holding up a hand with his thumb and pointer finger pressed very close together, “a very tiny bit drunk. Just something to steady the nerves.”

Ella laughs next to me before she scoots off the bed.

“All right, then,” she says, gesturing to me as she moves around the bed and reaches to take Rafe from Sinclair. ” Take your spot, Roger. And stop freaking her out, okay?”

“I promise,” Roger mumbles, giving Ella a sloppy little salute before climbing onto the bed and taking her place.

“We’ll be downstairs,” Ella says when I turn my eyes to her. “You just call, and we’ll be right up. Okay?”

I nod to her, smiling a little, grateful that she’s here. Beyond having the power to heal me instantly should anything go wrong, it’s just…really nice to have my sister close by.

Roger sighs as he pulls himself into the spot close on my right and tucks his legs in under the blankets. Then he turns to me, his face serious. “I’m sorry, Cora,” he says quietly.

“Thank you,” I say, my anger fading as I see that he means it. I lift a hand to his cheek, wanting to touch him, wanting him close.

“I just love you so much

“I get it,” I say, nodding.

He nods too, capturing my hand and pressing a kiss to it. “But I didn’t listen to you. And Sinclair made me sit down and listen – which he shouldn’t have to do, so I’m sorry about that. But he explained that you need to be the one freaking out today. So, I have to just… be steady. Is that right?”

“It’s closer,” I say quietly, studying him. “I mean, Roger, it’s not that you can’t feel afraid too – I get that it’s a big day-”

He nods, agreeing with me. “But I was taking all the air out of the room. I’m sorry, Cora – you’re right, we had a plan, we should just trust it. Everything’s going to be fine, yeah?”

“Yeah,” I say, a little smile coming to my lips now as he slips an arm around my back, tugging me close.

“How far apart are the contractions?” he asks, looking down at my belly and stroking it softly with his hands.

“Still five minutes,” I answer, my voice quiet. “Or, maybe a little faster now? Four and a half?”

“Cool, cool,” he says, pretending a calmness that I know he doesn’t feel. ” That is all very cool…”

Suddenly, I start to laugh.

“What?” Roger asks, turning to grin at me.

“You’re just very sweet, Roger Sinclair,” I murmur, taking his cheeks in my hands and leaning forward to press a kiss to his mouth. “Trying to do everything right.”

“Well, I have to try, don’t I,” he murmurs against my lips, kissing me back. “I’m going to be a dad in a few hours.”

“To a real cutie,” I say, leaning back and smiling down at my belly. And I bite my lip, feeling significantly calmer now, starting to get…well, maybe a little excited, alongside being terrified. “Do you think he’ll have any hair?”

“Nah, completely bald,” Roger murmurs, a little thoughtlessly as he tucks his head close to mine and takes a deep breath of my scent, “like an old man.” I laugh again, harder this time.

“And what color do you think his eyes will be?” I ask.

“Purple,” he replies, making me click my tongue and pull away to glare at him.

“How would that even be possible!?”

He grins at me. “These are goddess grandchildren,” he says, grinning at me. “Anything is possible. The baby could have wings.”

“That,” I say, rolling my eyes, “would have shown up on an ultrasound.”

“But purple eyes,” he says, holding up a finger, “would not.”