Page 6 of Having the Dragon's Baby

Rachel shook it. “You as well.”

Sylvia opened her office door for Rachel to enter. “I’m so glad you chose to accept our request.”

Rachel walked into the roomy office and took a seat opposite Sylvia’s desk as the representative took her own and flipped open a leather-bound book, pulling out a sheet with Rachel’s info on it.

“So, tell me, Rachel. You’re here looking to be a surrogate for a shifter, correct?”

“Uh, yes. My friend actually recommended me. I’ve been wanting to be a mother for a while, but I never heard of the agency until now … through my friend,” Rachel stuttered out in explanation.

Sylvia smiled and set her pen down before folding her hands on her desk. “That’s not a problem. Between the information we had you fill out before our interview and what we have been told by your friend, it sounds like you would be a great candidate for our agency. In fact, we might already have a possible match for you.”

Rachel was speechless. She wasn’t even sure if she wanted to do this. Everything had happened so fast that she really hadn’t had time to fully think it through. She was just here to get a feel for the land. And now, they already had a match for her?

Sylvia smiled warmly. “I can tell you weren’t ready to be set up so quickly, especially not knowing much about us.”

Rachel nodded, thankful that Sylvia was perceptive enough to not be offended by Rachel’s reaction.

“No worries. First, let's start with your role here. You would be a surrogate for a shifter. In this case, a very powerful shifter, and honestly, we don’t get a lot of this specific variety, but you seem like a strong fit for him.”

Rachel’s curiosity got the best of her. “What sort of shifter is he?”

Sylvia smiled again. “He’s a dragon. The alpha of the local thunder who is in need of an heir since he is an only child. The agency may be quick with its turnaround process, but it is precise.”

Rachel felt her eyes widen. No kidding…

“You two would meet and decide if you want to move further. He, of course, would get the final say about whether he chooses you for a surrogate. Just because we match the best we can doesn’t always guarantee the shifter connects with the potential partner in the way we hope.”

“A dragon?” Rachel was still stuck on that aspect.

She had met a lot of shifters in her day, especially at the diner, but she never knew for sure what they were most of the time. Honestly, she didn’t even know if she had met a dragon before, but her adventurous side spoke loud and clear that this might be worth trying for the experience if nothing else.

Rachel quieted her wild side and thought about what else Sylvia had said about how the male would choose if they should proceed. But at least they first met each other in person to see if they thought they were compatible, not just on paper.

“Okay.” Rachel nodded. “That all makes sense. How involved will I be in our child’s life, and how do we go about … creating it?”

“How involved you are will depend on the shifter and their intentions, as well as yours. Again, he gets the say, but you have the right to say no. Most shifters don’t have a problem with the mother being involved with their child. In fact, they often prefer it. As for the making of the child, that will be between you and the shifter. Literally.” Sylvia paused, obviously waiting for a reaction from Rachel before continuing. “Your child will be made the old-fashioned way.”

That was what Rachel had assumed, but hearing it seemed so forward. Especially given the day and age they lived in.

She swallowed the lump in her throat. “If you don’t mind, may I ask why it’s not like other surrogate agencies where it's all done in a lab?”

“It’s actually very simple. The shifter wants to make sure it is his genes and traits that are being passed along, as well as the potential mother’s. That’s why our interview process is so specific and extensive. It also allows for more effective results, given that you two need to be comfortable enough to sleep with each other more than once. The success is proof enough for that reason alone.”

It all made sense. Especially since the shifters wanted their shared genes passed on and not tampered with. She didn’t blame them for not putting their future in the hands of a human lab.

“How involved will I be with the thunder?”

“Depends on what the alpha wants. They are all very family-oriented, so I suspect you will have dealings with them on a regular basis as long as the alpha permits it. As for specifics, I can’t really say. I’m also aware that you are quite comfortable with shifters and have a general knowledge of them.”

Rachel adjusted herself in her seat, trying to not show her sudden onset of cold sweating. “That’s correct. I don’t know any species specifics, but I do have some knowledge.”

Cold sweat aside, she was more than intrigued by this situation. It called out to her as the change that she had been looking for, but she was still full of fear and doubt about actually going through with it. She just didn’t want the fear to run her life and make her miss out, but it did make her hesitant.

“That’s good to know.” Sylvia nodded. “We’ll send you all the information, should you choose to proceed, and then your match will be able to fill in any blanks you have or specifics about his particular thunder.”

She couldn’t stop herself from suddenly blurting out. “I don’t really know how to feel about all of this. Don’t get me wrong. This sounds like a great opportunity, but I don’t want to jump into anything just because I want a child. You’ve answered my questions beautifully. I just … I don’t know. This whole process is foreign to me and hard to comprehend, that’s all.”

That was the best explanation Rachel could give. She wasn’t one to admit that she had doubts or fears about anything, so she went with her rendition of the truth. She was scared and nervous about it all, sure. But she also didn’t want to completely blow her chances either. She waited to see how her words hit her interviewer.

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