Accidental Surrogate

Cora

I don’t really notice when Ella leaves. I’m too busy crying.

I think I scare Roger again when I start, because it’s just a few tears at first, but then suddenly I’m blubbering against his shoulder because it feels like every single emotion I’ve ever had – every single one – is racing through me at once.

–

“Cora,” Roger whispers, concerned, pulling me to him. But when I don’t stop he just holds me tight, shushing me and rubbing a hand up and down my back. Then, when I continue, he slowly walks backwards with me in his arms until his legs hit the bed, and then he sits down, pulling me into his lap, and lays back, taking me with him.

I start to calm down then, curled against Roger’s body, breathing in the warm scent of him as he makes soft comforting noises and kisses my head and whispers to me that it’s all right and that I’m lovely.

I’m embarrassed when I get myself together – seriously, the guy finds out that he’s going to be a dad and all I do is cry about it for five solid minutes – but when I look up at him he gives me a gentle smile, like he doesn’t mind at all.

“I’m so sorry, Roger,” I murmur.

“What?” he asks. “Cora, I’m the one who grabbed you and flipped out and spontaneously transformed into my wolf in a panic –”

“Yes,” I concede, nodding, but still feeling guilty. “But Roger, I didn’t call you for five days

“That’s all right Cora,” Roger replies, dismissing it way too easily as he strokes my hair.

And I shake my head at him as I realize that he’s just completely overwhelmed by his excitement about the baby right now – that he’s willing to forgive me anything in this moment because he’s not thinking straight. But then his hand pauses on my hair and I see him start to figure it out. “Wait,” he says, hesitating and looking at me more seriously. “Cora, why didn’t you call me for five days?”

–

to talk about my other sex partners with my mate. Especially now, when he’s probably newly volatile and protective with his

you came into this room right now, and sensed

his eyes going wide as he stares at me.

smell the baby’s bloodline, and had no reason to assume that I – unlike literally any other human woman – could, somehow, carry

staring the ceiling and I think sorting

—

– I was a coward. I just… I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t want to face it,

asks, his voice quiet,

I answer,

been…incredibly difficult for me. And I love you – I don’t think I’d ever find another mate – but,” he sighs and puts a hand over his face as he shakes his head, admitting

–

baby….it would have put an incredible strain

long pause. “It’s…not someone else’s child. It’s yours.” The

that’s right,” Roger replies, moving his hand down his face and looking at me, a little smile on his mouth. “So…do we even need to…think about

you want to?” I ask, curious.

lot…” he

head to the

on his chest. Then he takes my face in his hands again. “There’s nothing to forgive. I don’t I don’t care if you’ve had a romantic past – we weren’t even together when you slept with him. I didn’t like it, but I’d never

—

eyes I realize that that’s a completely human emotion – that wolves, unlike humans, are not precious about chastity or prude about sex. They’re incredibly fierce about their mates, of course, but….we weren’t mated when

I care about,” Roger says, shaking his head slowly from side to side as he stares at me, “is our future. All right? Me, you, and this… weird little baby…” he

stomach again, suddenly scared that

“No, Cora –‘ Roger says quickly,