Chosen To Be The Alpha's Surrogate
⊰ 55 ⊱ The Alpha's Resolve

**Malachi **

The scent of her perfume hits me before I even see her face. It's familiar, achingly so, but it doesn't affect me the way it once did. Julia stands before me, as beautiful as ever, her blue eyes sparkling with a mixture of hope and apprehension. "Malachi," she breathes, reaching out to touch my arm.

I step back, maintaining the distance between us. It's strange, this newfound immunity to her presence. Not long ago, the mere thought of her would have sent me spiraling into a pit of longing and despair. Now, I feel nothing but a dull ache, like prodding an old scar.

"Julia," I acknowledge, my voice cool and controlled. "What are you doing here?"

She laughs, a tinkling sound that used to make my heart race. Now it just grates on my nerves. "Can't a girl travel? See the sights, reconnect with old friends?"

I arch an eyebrow, skepticism evident in my tone. "Cut the bullshit, Julia. You've never done anything without an ulterior motive. Why are you really here?"

Her smile falters, a flicker of annoyance crossing her face. "Fine. I heard about your... situation. The human girl, the baby. I was curious."

"Curious?" I repeat, a low growl building in my chest. "Or jealous?"

Julia's eyes narrow, her mask of nonchalance slipping. "Can you blame me? You're so protective of her, this human. It's... unsettling."

I bark out a laugh, harsh and humorless. "Unsettling? That's rich, coming from you. Let's take a little trip down memory lane, shall we?"

She flinches, knowing what's coming, but I press on, my words sharp and cutting.

"You were Elijah's girlfriend first, remember? But the moment you realized he'd never get the throne, you set your sights on me. And I was fool enough to fall for it."

Julia opens her mouth to protest, but I silence her with a look.

"Then, when you thought I might be infertile, you didn't hesitate to jump ship. Married that power-hungry Alpha Blaine, thinking he'd give you the status and pups you so desperately craved." I lean in, my voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "How's that working out for you, Julia? Still barren after all these years?"

She recoils as if I've struck her, tears welling in her eyes. But I feel no sympathy. She made her choices, and now she has to live with them.

"I made a mistake," she whispers, reaching for me again. This time, I let her touch my arm, curious to see if I'll feel anything.

I don't.

"I was young, scared. But if you're not infertile, if you can father children... maybe we could try again?"

For a moment, I'm tempted to laugh in her face. The sheer audacity of her suggestion is almost comical. But then I think of Penelope, of her unwavering loyalty, her fierce love for our unborn child. And more importantly, her willingness to try even when all else seems hopeless. The contrast between her and Julia is stark, and it only strengthens my resolve.

"No," I say, my voice firm and final. "What we had is long gone, Julia. I have a mate now, a *true* mate. And a child on the way. There's no place for you in my life anymore."

She steps back, her face a mixture of hurt and anger. "A human, Malachi? She can't possibly understand our world, our ways. She'll never be accepted by the pack."

My eyes flash, a growl rumbling in my chest. "She understands more than you ever did. She loves me for who I am, not what I can give her. And the pack will accept her because I say they will."

Julia opens her mouth to argue further, but I've had enough. I turn away, effectively dismissing her. "Goodbye, Julia. Don't let the door hit you on the way out."

I stride back towards the banquet hall, my mind already turning to more pressing matters.

*I need to find Penelope, to explain, to reassure her that Julia's presence means nothing.*

As I enter the hall, I spot my father and Elijah in what appears to be a heated argument. Their voices are low, but the tension between them is palpable. I approach, my brow furrowing in concern. *What the hell?*

"What's going on?" I demand, looking between them. "And where's Penelope?"

My father turns to me, his face a mask of guilt and worry. He glances around the room, as if hoping Penelope will materialize out of thin air. "I... I don't know," he admits.

A cold dread settles in my gut. "What do you mean, you don't know? She was just here."

Elijah snorts, his tone bitter. "Oh, she was here alright. Until she overheard us discussing her inadequacies as Luna."

I whirl on him, fury blazing in my eyes. "You did what?"

My brother holds up his hands, a defensive gesture that does nothing to quell my anger. "Don't blame me, brother. I was merely stating the obvious. A human can't be Luna. It's unnatural." The world seems to tilt on its axis as the implications of their words sink in.

*Penelope heard them. She heard them questioning her worth, her place in the pack. In our life.*

"Where is she?" I growl, my voice low and dangerous. Both my father and Elijah take an instinctive step back, recognizing the threat in my tone.

"We don't know," my father says, his voice uncharacteristically small. "She... she ran off. We thought she'd gone back to you."

A roar of rage and fear tears from my throat, causing the entire banquet hall to fall silent. Every eye turns to us, but I couldn't care less about appearances right now. All I can think about is Penelope, alone and hurt, probably feeling betrayed and unwanted.

"You let her leave?" I snarl, advancing on Elijah. "A human, pregnant with my child, and you just let her walk out?"

Elijah's face pales, the gravity of the situation finally seeming to dawn on him. "I... I didn't think she'd actually leave the mansion," he stammers.

*Excuses. Fucking excuses.*

I grab him by the collar, lifting him off his feet with ease and slamming him back into the wall. "You didn't think," I growl. "That's your problem, brother. You never fucking think about anyone but yourself."

My father places a hand on my arm, his touch gentle but firm. "Malachi," he says quietly. "This isn't helping. We need to find her."

*She could be anywhere... Damn it!*

I release Elijah, letting him stumble back. Every second we waste here is a second Penelope gets further away. A second she's out there alone, vulnerable.

I close my eyes, reaching out through our bond. It's faint, so faint it terrifies me, but it's there. She's alive. Scared. Hurt maybe. But alive.

My eyes snap open, a new determination flooding through me. "Gather the pack," I order, my Alpha voice ringing with authority. "We search every inch of the territory. No one rests until she's found."

As the wolves scramble to obey, I turn back to my father and brother, my eyes hard as steel. "If anything happens to her," I say, my voice low and filled with promise, "if any harm comes to her or our child, I will hold you both personally responsible."

Without waiting for a response, I stride towards the exit, my mind already racing.

*Where would she go? How far could she have gotten?*

As I step into the cool night air, a gust of wind carries a faint trace of her scent. My heart clenches, fear and love warring within me.

*Hold on, little rabbit, I'm coming for you. No matter what it takes, I will find you.*

With that thought, I shift, my bones cracking and reforming as I take on my wolf form. The transformation is smooth, practiced, my wolf eager to hunt, to find our mate.

I throw my head back and let out a long, mournful howl. It's a call to the pack, a signal to begin the search. But more than that, it's a promise to Penelope, carried on the night wind.

*I'm coming, little rabbit. I'm coming.*

And with that, I take off into the darkness, the rest of the pack fanning out behind me. This isn't the hunt we signed up for or the way it's supposed to go, but it's happening whether I like it or not. And I won't rest until I have her safe in my arms again.

No matter what it takes.