Chosen To Be The Alpha's Surrogate
⊰ 36 ⊱ Unwelcome Memories

**I Penelope I**

The soft glow of the café's lights casts a warm hue over the intimate space, the aroma of freshly baked pastries and rich coffee filling the air. I sit across from Darnell, a slice of decadent chocolate cake untouched before me. It's been three days since Malachi left to handle some pack business, and the weight of his absence sits heavy on my chest.

"You gonna eat that, or just stare at it?" Darnell's gruff voice breaks through my reverie.

I blink, forcing a small smile. "Sorry, Nell. I guess I'm not as hungry as I thought."

He leans back in his chair, studying me with those keen eyes that always seem to see right through me. "This was supposed to cheer you up, kid. You've been moping around ever since your baby daddy left town."

I wince at his choice of words. "He's not just my 'baby daddy,' Nell. Malachi is..." I trail off, unsure how to explain the complexity of our relationship without revealing the supernatural world I've become a part of.

Darnell holds up his hands in surrender. "I know, I know. He's important, powerful, all that jazz. But right now, he's not here, and you are. So how about we forget about all that Alpha stuff for a while and just enjoy some good company and better dessert?"

His words bring a genuine smile to my face. This is why I love Darnell - his ability to cut through the bullshit and remind me of simpler times. "You're right," I concede, picking up my fork. "Let's just enjoy the moment."

As we talk and laugh, sharing stories and catching up, I feel a weight lifting from my shoulders. For a brief, blissful time, I'm not the human mate of an Alpha werewolf, carrying the next heir to a supernatural throne. I'm just Penelope, sharing dessert with an old friend.

But as the evening wears on, a memory suddenly surfaces, unbidden and unwelcome. The relaxed atmosphere of the café fades away, replaced by the dark, dank alley of my past.

I'm fifteen again, giggling nervously with my friends as we sneak out of the orphanage. The thrill of rebellion courses through my veins, making me feel invincible. Until a rough hand grabs me, pulling me into the shadows. The stench of alcohol and unwashed body assaults my senses as a man, easily twice my age, presses me against the cold brick wall.

"No," I whimper, but my voice is lost in the sound of my friends' retreating footsteps. They haven't noticed I'm gone. No one's coming to save me.

"Pen? Penelope!"

I jolt back to the present, Darnell's concerned face swimming into focus. "You okay? You went white as a sheet there for a second."

I swallow hard, the taste of bile bitter in my throat. "I... I need some air," I manage to choke out, pushing back from the table. "I'll be right back."

Before Darnell can protest, I'm on my feet, making a beeline for the café's back door. The cool night air hits me like a slap to the face as I stumble into the alley behind the building. I lean against the wall, taking deep, gulping breaths. *Why now?* I wonder, pressing a hand to my swollen belly. *Why am I always haunted by these memories?*

The baby kicks, as if sensing my distress, and I force myself to calm down. "It's okay, little one," I murmur. "Mama's okay. We're safe."

But even as the words leave my mouth, I hear the café's back door slam shut. Before I can react, rough hands grab me, yanking me further into the shadows. Panic surges through me, but it's quickly replaced by a different kind of fear as I catch their scent.

I don't know how I know it, but it's like a smell, a feeling... one that I've somehow become familiar with.

*Shifters.*

There are four of them, their eyes glowing unnaturally in the dim light. I struggle against their grip, but it's useless-they're far stronger than any human, far stronger than me.

"Let me go," I demand, my voice steadier than I feel. "I'm carrying the Alpha's child. You have no right to touch me."

One of the men, clearly the leader, steps forward. His lips curl into a cruel smile. "Oh, we know exactly who you are, little human. Why do you think we're here?"

Before I can process his words, pain explodes across my face as his fist connects with my cheek. I taste blood, my head spinning from the force of the blow. I reel back, but I can't myself against the wall, one hand steady on the brick and the other on my belly.

But even as I stare at the face of danger, something inside me, some stubborn, defiant part that's always been there, refuses to cower. I spit blood at his feet, meeting his gaze with a glare of my own.

I'm getting really fucking tired of being pushed around.

"Is that the best you can do?" I taunt, my voice rough. "You're not the first to hit me, and you won't be the last. Your technique could use some work, though."

The leader's eyes widen in surprise, then narrow with interest. "Well, well," he purrs, grabbing my chin roughly. "This one's got spirit. I can see why the Alpha keeps you around."

I jerk my face away from his touch, disgust and fear warring in my gut. But I force myself to stay calm, to think. Malachi has taught me enough about pack politics to know that these men aren't here on a whim. This is calculated, planned. "What do you want?" I demand, trying to keep my voice steady. "If you're after Malachi, using me won't work. He'll tear you apart."

The leader laughs, a harsh, grating sound that sends chills down my spine. "Oh, we're counting on it, sweetheart. But by the time he finds you, it'll be too late."

His words send a fresh wave of fear through me, but I push it down. I can't let them see how terrified I am. I have to be strong, for my baby, for Malachi. "You're making a mistake," I warn, my mind racing for a way out of this. "Whatever you're planning, it won't work. Malachi is stronger than you know." "Maybe," the leader concedes with a shrug. "But we're about to find out just how strong he really is when it comes to protecting what's his."

As he speaks, I see movement in the shadows behind him. My heart leaps into my throat, torn between hope and fear. Is it help, or more enemies? *Malachi... please, save me.*