Surrogate for the CEO Alpha

MayaFor one terrifying second, my mind refused to process what I was seeing.Brian Silverman, the Alpha every werewolf in this company respected without question, lay crumpled beside his desk, looking nothing like the composed, untouchable man I had spent the last three years working for. The sight sent a wave of cold panic crashing over me, because Brian wasn't a man who lost control. He was the kind of man who walked into a room and owned it, whose calm authority alone was enough to silence an argument. Seeing him sprawled across the hardwood floor made my heart stop."Mr. Brian!"My clutch slipped from my shoulder as I hurried across the room, dropping to my knees beside him so quickly that the impact sent a sharp sting through my legs. My hands hovered uncertainly above him, torn between the desperate urge to touch him and the irrational fear that the moment I did, everything happening before me would become undeniably real.A thin line of blood trickled from a cut near his temp

BrianThe Council Hall had stood long before I was born.Built from black stone and timber cut from the oldest forest in the territory, it wasn't the tallest building in the capital, but it was undoubtedly the most intimidating. Every Alpha who ruled the Northern Territories answered to the Werewolf Council, and every important decision that shaped our kind had been made within these walls.I had walked through its doors countless times over the years.Today, felt different. The massive wooden doors swung open, and Ethan stepped in beside me without saying a word. The long chamber stretched ahead, lit by towering chandeliers that cast a warm glow over the polished stone floor. Twelve Elders occupied the semicircular table at the far end, each dressed in dark ceremonial robes marked with the crest of their respective packs.The Head Elder, Elder Magnus folded his hands on the table."Alpha Brian Silverman."I inclined my head."Elders."His sharp eyes swept over me."I trust you've re

BrianThe words lingered between us long after Maya had spoken them."I'll be your surrogate."For several long moments, I simply looked at her, convinced I had misunderstood what she'd just said. Of all the possibilities I had considered before asking her to research surrogacy agencies, this wasn't one of them, and it certainly wasn't an answer I had expected to hear from the woman standing quietly in front of my desk.I slowly set the file in my hand aside before meeting her eyes."Maya, humans and werewolves aren't compatible."She didn't look offended by the statement, nor did she seem surprised that I had dismissed the idea so quickly."I know that's what everyone believes," she replied calmly."It's more than a belief," I said, shaking my head. "It's biology."She remained silent for a moment, gathering her thoughts before speaking again."I've read about a few documented cases over the years," she said. "Not many, but they exist. The pregnancies were considered exceptionally ra

MayaThe silence that followed my confession lasted only a few seconds, but it felt long enough to make me question whether telling my mother had been the right decision.I had known exactly how she would react before I drove across town to her apartment. Even so, a part of me had hoped that hearing the decision from me instead of through pack gossip would soften the blow. It didn't.She stared at the copy of the surrogacy contract resting on the coffee table as though it were something poisonous."You actually signed it.""Yes I did.""You agreed to carry a werewolf's child.""Yes."She looked up at me so quickly that her chair scraped against the wooden floor."Have you completely lost your mind, Maya?"I remained where I was, clasping my hands together to stop myself from fidgeting."I knew you wouldn't agree.""Agree?" she repeated, letting out a disbelieving laugh. "You think this is about agreement? Those creatures are dangerous. They always have been.""They're not creatures."

Maya It seemed the moment we crossed the cabin door, Brian turned into a different person.The Alpha who carried the weight of an entire pack on his shoulders and the CEO whose schedule was planned down to the minute disappeared somewhere between the drive and our arrival. In his place stood a man who looked... lighter, as though leaving New York behind had allowed him to breathe again.While he carried our bags upstairs, I wandered onto the balcony.The view stole the words from my mouth.The lake stretched endlessly before me, its surface shimmering beneath the afternoon sun as a gentle breeze rippled across the water. Pine trees surrounded the cabin like silent guardians, and somewhere in the distance, birds called to one another. It was peaceful in a way the city could never be.I rested my hands against the wooden railing and closed my eyes, letting the fresh mountain air fill my lungs."I could get used to this.""So could I."Brian's voice came from directly behind me.I hadn'