Page 3 of The Wolf's Surrogate

Fred scraped his boot over the concrete without meeting my gaze. “I guess that’s one way to do it.”

“You can’t be serious,” Kylie said flatly. “You want kids, but you don’t want a wife?”

“Why would I need a wife?” I hauled the ladder to the storage room located at the right of the cabin’s entrance. “I could even do a surrogacy, so I don’t have to worry about anyone getting attached to me.”

Kylie practically choked on her words. She fumbled with them for a few seconds until she cleared her throat and said, “But youjustsaid adoption.”

“Either one is fine with me. I want to keep my options open.”

I turned to Fred, who blinked and held one hand up to each of us. “Hey, wow, I’mnotgetting in the middle of this one.”

“Come on,” I groaned. “You’re my buddy. You’re supposed to have my back.”

Fred flushed under Kylie’s stern glare. It appeared to be a critical hit. “Yeah, well, I’ve got hers too. I’ve told you that I can’t get in between this shit, man.”

My jaw tightened as my sister continued to stare at her husband without acknowledging me. Was she sending him signals or something over the air? It wasn’t like she’d end up taking care ofmykid.

“Kylie,” I said softly, “you know I’ve always wanted to be a dad.”

Some of the sharpness in her expression muted. “Yeah, I know.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “I just don’t want you to jump into anything too serious.”

“Why?”

“You just got here.”

I tipped my head back and laughed. “Yeah, three months ago, Ky.”

Her eyes bulged and her nose did that twitchy thing that told me she was miffed. “Right, because—right, the wedding.”

“The ritual,” I corrected her, “which was beautiful. Don’t get me wrong. I love seeing you happy with Fred.”

She swallowed hard enough for me to see the muscles of her throat contract. “But?”

“But nothing.”

A door clicked shut to my right—that would be the entrance to the cabin closing as subtly as possible. Fred had made himself scarce. That was probably for the best.

I turned back to my sister with my arms folded over my chest. “Kylie, I’m sorry. I’m not shitting on your mated marriage thing or whatever.”

“You just hate the idea of mating with anyone. Got it.”

“You didn’t have to say it like that.”

She took off her coat, tucked it over her arm, and shuffled toward me, pausing to rest a hand on my shoulder. “I just want you to be happy, okay? So, just do what makes you happy.”

Family life was weird with her being settled. While I wasn’t complaining about the fact that my sister was finally safe and in a secure relationship, I wasn’t sure how to get along with her without all the high-tension danger stuff surrounding us.

We’d spent our whole lives in the black ops, basically. How were we supposed to get along as regular siblings?

After shucking off the rubber apron and hanging it near the cabin’s entrance, I peered into the kitchen window. I gazed past the collection of miniature succulents and cacti, the vines that framed the glass perfectly like a picture frame. I watched my sister embrace her mate, herhusband, and kiss him affectionately on the forehead.

My inner wolf howled with irritation. Not because my sister was happy. But because I didn’t understand that happiness.

While my pride was still intact, I turned away from the picture-perfect view and wandered down the center aisle, heading for the exit. I passed the sleeping daisies who were peacefully snoozing now that their den mother—my sister—had returned. Outside in the cool afternoon air, I walked undisturbed by the chilly temperature and headed for my home, located just on the other side of the main neighborhood.

And on the way, I looked up every adoption and surrogacy place in the area. Maybe I couldn’t have a mate. Maybe I wasn’tmeantto have a mate. But being a father was in my cards. It had to be.

No matter the obstacle, I would make it happen.

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