Chosen To Be The Alpha's Surrogate

**I Penelope I**

As I stand here with Julia's grip around my arm, I want to scream for help, but I know it's useless. Screaming will only make it worse. I'll draw attention to us, and the last thing we want is to be found by the wolves hunting right now. *They'll kill each other and the two of us in the process.*

"Julia, please," I try one last time. "Think about what you're doing. This isn't just about me or you anymore. I'm carrying a child-*Malachi's* child. Are you really willing to put an innocent life at risk?"

For a moment, I see a flicker of doubt in her eyes. But it's quickly replaced by a steely determination. "You don't understand," she says, her voice low and intense. "This is my last chance. My only chance to reclaim what should have been mine." "And what about what Malachi wants?" I counter. "Doesn't his choice matter?"

Julia's laugh is bitter. "His choice? You think he chose you? You're nothing but a convenient solution to his problem. A human womb to carry his heir."

Her words cut deep, playing on every insecurity I've battled since being thrust into this life. But I refuse to let her see how much they affect me.

"You're wrong," I say, my voice stronger than I feel. "Malachi loves me. And I love him-*all* of him, not just the parts that are convenient or beneficial to me."

"Love?" Julia scoffs. "What do you know about love? You know nothing about the bond between true mates. You can't even begin to comprehend the depth of what Malachi and I shared."

"*Shared*," I emphasize. "Past tense. Because you left him. You abandoned him when he needed you most. How is that love?"

My words seem to strike a nerve. Her grip on my arm tightens painfully, and I can't suppress a whimper of pain. "You know nothing about why I left," she hisses. "You couldn't possibly understand the choices I had to make."

*She's not letting go. She's going to get us killed.*

"Then help me understand," I plead, trying a different approach, hoping I can gain some ground through sympathy. "Tell me your side of the story. But please, not like this. Not here, not now." *Come on. Just let me go...*

For a moment, I think I've gotten through to her. Her grip loosens slightly, and I see a flicker of uncertainty in her eyes. But then the sound of rushing wind and snapping twigs reaches us the wolves are getting closer. Panic flares in Julia's eyes. "It's too late," she says, more to herself than to me. "He's coming. We have to do this now."

She pulls me with her, dragging me towards the dock. I dig my heels in, fighting with every ounce of strength I possess. But it's no use her strength far outmatches mine.

"Julia, stop!" I cry out, fear making my voice shrill. "This isn't going to solve anything!"

But she's beyond reason now, her eyes wild with desperation. As we reach the end of the dock, she spins me around to face the woods, her arm like an iron band across my chest.

"We'll let fate decide," she says, her breath hot against my ear. "If Malachi truly loves you, if you're truly meant to be his mate, then his wolf will choose you. But if not..."

She doesn't finish the sentence. She doesn't have to. The implication is clear-if Malachi's wolf chooses her, I'm as good as dead.

I close my eyes, fighting back tears of fear and frustration. This isn't how it was supposed to be. This night was meant to be a celebration of my bond with Malachi, a chance for us to deepen our connection. Instead, I'm trapped in a nightmare. The sounds of the approaching wolves grow louder. Any moment now, Malachi will burst through the treeline.

*Will he recognize me? Will his wolf see past Julia's manipulations?*

As the seconds tick by, doubt begins to creep in.

*What if she's right? What if Malachi's wolf doesn't choose me?*

...

*No. I can't let myself think like that.*

I have to believe in Malachi, in our love, in the family we're creating together. I have to trust that the connection we share is strong enough to withstand this test.

I take a deep breath, steadying myself.

The forest suddenly goes quiet, an unnatural stillness settling over the lake. Then, with a sound like thunder, a massive wolf bursts from the treeline. Its fur is jet black, its eyes glowing with an otherworldly blue light. *Malachi.*

For a moment, time seems to stand still. The wolf-Malachi-stands at the edge of the clearing, his gaze locked on us. I can feel the rapid rise and fall of Julia's chest against my back, her breath coming in quick, anxious pants. *This is it.*

Everything hangs in the balance as Malachi's wolf takes in the scene before him. I want to call out, to beg him to recognize me, but I know it's useless. This isn't about words or rational thought. This is about instinct, about the deepest, most primal connections.

Malachi starts stalking towards us, his movements fluid and predatory. Low growls and snarls rumble from his chest, sending shivers down my spine. Behind me, I feel Julia's grip loosen, then release entirely. "Feel free to run now," she taunts, her voice laced with cruel amusement.

But I know I can't. Malachi might kill me if I do. The primal part of him, the wolf, sees running as an invitation to chase, to hunt. And right now, I'm not sure if I'd be prey or mate in his eyes.

We both stand there, at the edge of the dock, with nowhere to go. The water laps at the wooden planks beneath our feet, a gentle sound that under different circumstances I'd find relaxing. Malachi continues to approach, closing the distance between us with each measured step. Now he's merely a foot away, his massive form blocking any hope of escape.

He sniffs me first, his cold nose brushing against my skin. A growl rumbles through him, and my heart sinks. Then he turns to Julia, inhaling deeply. He lingers on her scent for what feels like an eternity, far longer than he did with me. Julia takes this as a sign, and slowly, she kneels down, her voice soft and filled with longing. "It's me, Mal... I'm here."

Tears prick at my eyes as I watch Malachi nuzzle his snout into Julia's neck, taking in her scent.

*This can't be happening. It can't end like this...*

But then Malachi turns to look at me, and the growl that escapes him chills me to my core. There's no gentleness in his eyes, no recognition. Just a wild, primal hunger that terrifies me.

He starts stalking towards me, and I back up instinctively until I feel the rough wood of the dock's support pillar against my back. I'm trapped.

"Malachi, please," I sob, tears flowing freely now. "It's me. It's Penny. Please stop."

But my words fall on deaf ears. It's like he doesn't even recognize me. The wolf has taken over completely, driven by instincts I can't begin to understand.

I know I don't have many choices left. I could jump into the water behind me and try to swim away, but I can't swim. The thought of drowning, of my baby never having a chance at life, is too horrifying to contemplate. Then I remember what Malachi told me about the Hunt. About the act of complete and utter surrender. It's a long shot, I know, but it's all I have left.

Taking a deep breath, I slowly lower myself to my knees.

Malachi snarls at my movements, the sound so vicious that another sob escapes me. "Please, Malachi," I beg one last time. "It's me, Penny."

I flinch as he takes another threatening step towards me. With my heart pounding so hard I can feel it in my throat, I tilt my head to the side, baring my neck where the mating mark resides. It's the ultimate gesture of submission, one that I pray will reach through to the man I love, trapped somewhere inside this beast.

He continues to growl, but the sound is less aggressive now. This seems to be working, taming him. He gets closer to my neck, his breath hot against my skin as he sniffs the mark. The growl transitions into a softer purr, and hope blooms in my chest.

*That's it. He recognizes me, at least.*

Unable to resist, I turn my head just slightly, wanting to look into his eyes, to see if my Malachi is there. But the instant I do, I know it's a mistake. He growls, the sound more ferocious than ever, and before I can react, he bites down on my neck. The pain is immediate and overwhelming. His teeth sink deep, so deep that for a moment, my entire body goes numb with shock. I can't move, can't breathe, can't think. The world narrows down to this single point of agony, to the feeling of Malachi's teeth in my flesh.

Is this how it ends? After everything we've been through, everything we've fought for, will I die here on this dock, at the hands-or rather, the teeth of the man I love?

As darkness starts to creep in at the edges of my vision, one last, desperate thought flashes through my mind:

*Our baby. Please, let our baby be okay.*

Then, everything fades to black.