Chosen To Be The Alpha's Surrogate

**I Malachi I**

The sun's just peeking over the horizon as I pull into the driveway of the mansion, exhaustion weighing heavy on my bones. It's been a long, bloody night of damage control and cover-ups, and all I want is to crawl into bed with Penelope and

forget the world exists for a few hours.

But as soon as I step out of the car, a familiar scent hits me, setting my teeth on edge.

*Elijah.*

My brother's scent, faint but unmistakable, lingers in the air. A growl rumbles deep in my chest as I stride towards the front door, my fatigue forgotten.

The guards snap to attention as I enter, their eyes wary. "Report," I bark, not breaking stride as I head for the stairs.

One of them, young wolf Derek, falls into step beside me. "Your brother stopped by a couple of hours ago, Alpha," he says, his voice tight with tension. "He insisted on seeing the Luna."

I whirl on him, my eyes flashing silver-blue with barely contained rage. "And you let him?" I snarl, my hand shooting out to grab the front of his shirt.

To his credit, he doesn't flinch. "We had no orders to keep him out, sir," he says steadily. "And he outranks us. We couldn't deny him entry without your explicit command."

*Damn it.*

I release him with a frustrated growl, knowing he's right. It's my own damn fault for not anticipating this, for not making it crystal clear that Elijah is to be kept away from Penelope at all costs. "What happened?" I demand as we continue up the stairs. "What did he say to her?"

Derek hesitates, and I can smell the unease rolling off him in waves. "We... we're not sure, Alpha. They spoke privately in the library. But the Luna was... upset afterward. She barely touched her dinner and went to bed early."

Red clouds my vision, rage boiling in my veins. Whatever Elijah said to Penelope, I know it wasn't good. My brother has always excelled at finding weaknesses, at exploiting doubts and fears. And Penelope, for all her strength, is still new to this world. Still vulnerable in ways she doesn't even realize.

"From now on, Elijah is not to be allowed anywhere near her without my express permission," I command, my voice low and deadly. "Understood?"

"Yes, Alpha," Derek nods, breaking off to relay my orders as I continue towards our bedroom.

As I approach, Penelope's scent washes over me, soothing some of the anger roiling in my gut. But there's something off about it, an undercurrent of distress that has my wolf whining in concern.

I ease the door open, slipping inside as quietly as I can. The sight of her curled up in our massive bed, wearing one of my t-shirts, sends a pang through my chest. She looks so small, so vulnerable, and the need to protect her, to shelter her from all the dangers of my world, is overwhelming.

Gently, I lower myself onto the bed beside her, unable to resist the urge to touch her. My hand skims over the curve of her hip, feeling the warmth of her skin through the thin fabric of the shirt. "Penny," I murmur, leaning down to nuzzle the soft skin behind her ear. "Wake up, sweetheart."

She stirs, a soft whimper escaping her as she turns towards me. Her eyes flutter open, hazy with sleep, and for a moment, there's nothing but relief and love in her gaze.

Then, as if remembering something unpleasant, a shadow passes over her face. She tenses under my hand, and the scent of her anxiety spikes.

"Mal?" she whispers, her voice rough with sleep. "You're back."

I frown, not liking the wariness in her tone. "Of course I'm back," I say, keeping my voice low and soothing. "I'll always come back to you, little rabbit."

She doesn't respond, her eyes skittering away from mine. The silence stretches between us, heavy with unspoken words.

"Penny," I say finally, unable to bear it any longer. "What did Elijah say to you?"

She flinches at my brother's name, confirming my worst suspicions. "It's nothing," she mutters, trying to turn away. But I'm having none of it. I catch her chin gently, forcing her to meet my gaze. "Don't lie to me," I growl, softening the words with a gentle stroke of my thumb across her cheek. "I can smell your distress, love. Whatever he said, it's eating you up inside. Talk to me." For a long moment, she just stares at me, her hazel eyes swimming with unshed tears. Then, like a dam breaking, the words come pouring out.

"He told me about Julia," she whispers, and the name hits me like a punch to the gut. "Your true mate. The one you were destined to be with." *Fuck.*

I close my eyes, fighting back a wave of murderous rage. Of course Elijah would bring up Julia. Of course he'd use my past to try and drive a wedge between Penelope and me. "Penny," I start, but she shakes her head, cutting me off.

"He said she left because you couldn't give her children," she continues, her voice trembling. "But now that I'm pregnant... what if she comes back? What if she wants to reclaim her place as your Luna?"

The fear in her voice, the genuine belief that I could ever choose anyone over her, breaks something inside me. With a low growl, I gather her into my arms, crushing her against my chest.

"Listen to me," I say fiercely, my lips brushing her temple. "Julia is my past. You, Penelope, are my future. My mate. The mother of my child. Nothing and no one will ever change that."

She shivers in my arms, her fingers curling into the fabric of my shirt. "But she's your true mate," she argues weakly. "Your destiny. How can I compete with that?"

I pull back just enough to look her in the eye, cupping her face in my hands. "You don't have to compete," I tell her, pouring every ounce of conviction I possess into my words. "Because there is no competition. Julia may have been my destined mate once, but you, Penelope... you're the mate I *chose*. The one I want. The only one I'll ever want for the rest of my life."

A tear slips down her cheek, and I catch it with my thumb. "But what if—"

"No what-ifs," I interrupt, my voice firm. "I love you, Penelope. You. Not because you're carrying my child, not because of some mystical destiny, but because you're you. Stubborn, brave, infuriating, beautiful you."

More tears fall, but there's a glimmer of hope in her eyes now. "You mean that?" she whispers.

"With every fiber of my being," I vow, sealing the promise with a soft, reverent kiss.

When we part, I rest my forehead against hers, breathing in her scent. The anxiety is fading, replaced by a cautious happiness that soothes my frayed nerves.

"I'm going to kill him," I mutter, the rage I've been suppressing bubbling to the surface. "I'm going to rip Elijah apart for putting these doubts in your head."

Penelope's hand comes up to cup my cheek, her touch infinitely gentle. "Don't," she says softly. "He's still your brother."

I snort, shaking my head. "A brother who's trying to destroy my happiness," I growl. "Who's hurting the woman I love."

And suddenly, a new, disturbing thought occurs to me. I pull back, studying Penelope's face intently. "Did he... did he try anything with you?" I ask, the words tasting like ash in my mouth.

Her brow furrows in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Elijah," I clarify, my hands tightening on her waist. "Did he touch you? Make any... inappropriate suggestions?"

Understanding dawns in her eyes, quickly followed by surprise. "No," she says firmly. "Nothing like that. Why would you think...?"

I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding, relief warring with a gnawing suspicion. "Because I know my brother," I say grimly. "And I've seen the way he looks at you."

Penelope's eyes widen, a flush creeping up her neck. "You can't be serious," she says. "Elijah hates me. He's made that perfectly clear."

"He hates what you represent," I correct her. "The fact that I've chosen a human as my mate. But that doesn't mean he's blind to your beauty, your strength." I growl low in my throat, pulling her closer. "And Elijah has always wanted what's mine."

She shakes her head, disbelief clear on her face. "You're imagining things," she insists. "There's no way Elijah would..."

"Trust me, little rabbit," I say darkly. "I know my brother. And I wouldn't put anything past him."

Penelope falls silent, clearly turning this new information over in her mind. I can practically see the wheels turning, her quick mind reassessing every interaction she's had with Elijah in this new light.

"What are we going to do?" she asks finally, her voice small and uncertain.

I tighten my arms around her, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "We're going to be careful," I tell her. "I'm going to make sure Elijah never gets near you again. And you..." I tilt her chin up, meeting her gaze. "You're going to remember that you're mine. My mate. My Luna. And nothing, not Elijah, not Julia, not anyone or anything else in this world, is ever going to change that. Understood?"

She nods, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Understood, Alpha," she murmurs, and the use of my title sends a shiver of pleasure down my spine.

"Good," I growl, nuzzling into the crook of her neck. "Now, I think it's time I remind you just how much you mean to me."

Her breath hitches as I trail kisses along her jaw, her fingers tangling in my hair. "I thought you'd be tired," she gasps as I nip at her earlobe.

I chuckle, low and dark. "I'm never too tired for you, little rabbit," I murmur against her skin. "Never too tired to claim what's mine."