Chosen To Be The Alpha's Surrogate
⊰ 42 ⊱ Promises in the Dark

**I Malachi I**

The house is quiet as I help Penelope settle onto our bed. It's around her usual evening nap time, but something's off. She's been distant since we left the parenting class, a palpable anxiety radiating off her in waves that my wolf senses can't ignore.

"Comfortable?" I ask, adjusting a pillow behind her back.

Penelope nods, but her smile doesn't reach her eyes. "Yeah, thanks."

I hesitate for a moment, torn between giving her space and pressing the issue. In the end, my need to comfort her wins out. I lie down beside her, pulling her gently into my arms. Her body is tense against mine, so unlike the way she usually melts into my embrace.

"Relax, little rabbit," I murmur, running my fingers through her hair. I begin to massage her scalp, a trick I've learned that usually helps her unwind. But today, even this doesn't seem to be enough.

*What's going on in that head of yours, Penny?*

Finally, I can't take it anymore. "Penny," I say softly, "what's going on? You seem distant since the class."

She's quiet for so long I think she might not answer. Then, in a small voice, she says, "Did you see that poster? The one about werewolf baby sizes?"

I furrow my brows, thinking back. "I don't think so. Why?"

Penelope takes a shaky breath. "They're huge, Mal. So much bigger than human babies. I... I don't know if I can do it. What if... what if I don't survive?"

The fear in her voice hits me like a physical blow. My arms tighten around her instinctively, as if I could shield her from her own thoughts.

"Hey," I say firmly, tilting her chin up so she meets my eyes. "Everything is going to be okay. I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure nothing happens to you."

But I can see the doubt lingering in her gaze. "You can't control everything, Malachi," she whispers.

I swallow hard, fighting against the surge of helplessness her words provoke. She's right, of course. For all my strength, all my power as Alpha, there are things beyond my control. But I refuse to accept that this could be one of them. "Listen to me," I say, pouring every ounce of conviction I possess into my words. "I refuse to believe that fate would bring us together only to tear us apart. I know it in my bones, Penny. Everything is going to be okay."

As I speak, I can feel some of the tension leaving her body. Her scent, which had been soured by fear, begins to sweeten. It's a small change, but it eases something in my chest that I hadn't even realized was tight. "You really believe that?" she asks, her voice small but hopeful.

I nod, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "With every fiber of my being."

As she settles against me, her breathing evening out as she drifts towards sleep, I'm struck by a sudden realization. Her emotions, her fears and hopes, they affect me on a level I've never experienced before. It's as if her mood directly influences my own, a connection so deep it bypasses conscious thought.

The intensity of it surprises me. I've always been in control, always the steady rock for others to lean on. But with Penelope, it's different. Her joy lifts me higher than I've ever been, and her pain... her pain cuts me to the quick. *Because we are bonded... truly bonded.*

I press a kiss to the top of her head, taking in her scent. I had intended to get up once she fell asleep, to return to the mountain of work waiting in my office. But as I lie here, listening to her steady breathing, feeling the gentle swell of her belly pressed against me, I find my own eyes growing heavy.

*Just a few minutes. Just a short rest.*

The next time I open my eyes, the room is bathed in the soft glow of evening light. I blink, disoriented for a moment. Then I realize what woke me Penelope's absence. The bed beside me is empty, the sheets cool to the touch. Instantly, I'm alert, my wolf surging to the surface with a growl of concern.

*Where is she? How long has she been gone?*

I'm out of bed in a flash, my mind racing through worst-case scenarios.

*Has she been taken? Did she leave on her own? Should I alert the pack?*

I'm halfway to the door, ready to sound the alarm, when a noise from downstairs catches my attention. The soft clinking of dishes, a cabinet opening and closing. Relief washes over me, followed quickly by a wave of self-recrimination. *I'm overreacting, letting my fears get the better of me. I need to stay in control, for both our sakes.*

Taking a deep breath to calm my racing heart, I make my way down to the kitchen. There I find Penelope, looking small and vulnerable in one of my old t-shirts, the same one I helped her into earlier, rummaging through the fridge. "Hey," I say softly, not wanting to startle her.

She turns, a sheepish smile on her face. "Hey yourself. Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you. I just got hungry."

The normalcy of the moment, after my brief panic, makes me want to laugh and cry at the same time. Instead, I move to her side, pressing a kiss to her temple. "Let me fix you something."

I gather yogurt, berries, and whipped cream, assembling a bowl of the familiar sweet treat she's been craving lately. As I work, Penelope settles at the kitchen island, watching me with a soft expression that makes my heart clench. "You okay?" I ask, sliding the bowl in front of her.

She nods, digging into the yogurt with enthusiasm. "Mmhmm. Just having trouble sleeping through the night now that I'm so big. It's hard to get comfortable."

I frown, hating the thought of her lying awake, uncomfortable and alone. "Why don't you wake me?"

Penelope shrugs, not meeting my eyes. "You work so hard. I didn't want to bother you."

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut.

*Have I been so wrapped up in pack business, in trying to keep her safe, that I've been completely neglecting her?*

"Penny," I say, reaching across the counter to take her hand. "You're never a bother. *Never*. I'll stay up with you, okay? Until you fall back asleep."

She looks up at me, surprise and hope warring in her eyes. "But... your work..."

I shake my head firmly. "Work can wait. I'm done for the evening. It's long past time I take a moment to spend with you."

In the next moment, to my shock, her eyes fill with tears. Before I can ask what's wrong, she's crying in earnest, big, heaving sobs that shake her whole body.

Panic floods through me.

*What did I say? What did I do wrong?*

I round the counter, gathering her into my arms, my mind racing.

*Is this normal pregnancy behavior? Should I be worried?*

As I hold her, murmuring soothing nonsense and stroking her back, I can't help but wonder if I've somehow managed to mess this up too.

*Am I not giving her enough attention? Too much?*

But most importantly: How do I balance being an Alpha with being the mate and father she needs?

The questions swirl in my mind, unanswered and daunting. But as Penelope's sobs gradually quiet, her body relaxing against mine, I push them aside. Right now, *this* is what matters. This moment, this woman, our child. Everything else can wait.