The Wolf’s Surrogate

by Layla Silver

  "Your tech guy really helped with the projections and graphs, although I couldn't understand half the words he was saying."

  I smiled, knowing exactly what he meant. I had asked Jacob to help Kenneth out with the final part of the proposal, knowing he would do a great job at it. He was the best at what he did, and I knew we had been lucky to have him come on board with the company.

  "That sounds like Jacob, but you get used to him. He gets carried away sometimes, but I'm sure we were all like that when we were fresh out of college."

  Right now, the main focus was perfecting everything on the proposal and have it ready for presentation to different stakeholders. There were several stages to go through before a business could be launched. First we needed financial data analysts to give a report on expected profitability. Then there was the legal aspect of it all. We needed to present a finished product ready for a market test.

  "Did we get it right this time?"

  "Hmm, I think so," I said. "I'll arrange a meeting with my lawyer. She can help iron out some of these issues. I'll have to find out when she's free to take a look at this."

  "Of course."

  I gave him a small smile, knowing that to him, it probably seemed like this whole process was taking too long. I had felt the exact same way when I had started my business, but I now knew the importance of doing everything right from the beginning.

  "I know it has been a long process, but we're almost there," I said as I handed him the laptop and leaned back into my chair. I was just reaching for my beer when the door opened.

  "Oh April, you're back," Kenneth exclaimed, making me look up even as I took a sip.

  My beer found its way back out of my mouth and through my nose as I looked at the young woman in front of me. She was the one from the parking lot, and she was looking at me in the same way I was probably looking at her.

  It was shock.

  "Julian, are you alright?" I heard Kenneth ask.

  I coughed loudly and felt my friend push a napkin into my hand that I used for dabbing around my mouth.

  I couldn't believe my eyes, and yet it was true. She was right there in front of me. The wind had obviously kissed her cheeks which looked rosy in contrast to the rest of her pale skin. I took in her small frame, with everything in just the right proportion. Her neck was slender, leading to a beautifully sized chest beneath her jacket. Her hips flared just a little after her waist, and her legs were long and strong. I could tell that she ran a lot and I could take a wild guess that when she shifted, her Wolf was probably gray. Or mostly white with a hint of gray.

  In short, she was breathtaking. And if she wasn't the cause for my lack of breath, then I probably needed a doctor. One without a plastic cup, but with a plastic mask tied to an oxygen tank this time.

  How had she grown up to be this woman in front of me? The last time I had seen her, she'd been a kid with ugly braces. But there was nothing child-like about her now, she was a fully grown woman who had starred in my award winning performance at the clinic.

  I mentally slapped myself. I had beaten off to the thought of my friend's daughter. This was not going to go well.

  "Nice to see you again, Mr. Rollett," April finally said.

  Hearing her call me that made me feel so old. I wanted her to call me Julian more than anything at that moment, but I had to admit that it was nice to finally hear her voice after she had decided not to speak to me at all in the parking lot. It was soft and feminine, just like the rest of her, and I couldn't help but want to hear more of it.

  "You too, April," I replied, knowing that she obviously had no idea how much I liked seeing her again. "But call me Julian, please."

  I found myself lowering my voice a bit while I maintained eye contact. It was an age old trick I used when I spoke to women that I liked. I just couldn't believe that I was doing it right now, and in front of her father no less.

  She sat down away from the fire but still close to us, and I regretfully noted how the rosy color was starting to disappear from her cheeks. It was a shame really because she would look lovely with a permanent blush all over her body, and I would gladly volunteer to put it there.

  My friend got up to gather our plates and take them away, but I wasn't paying much attention to him anymore; I was focused on his daughter instead. A sliver of shame washed over me as I realized I was trying to find out ways to hit on April. Not only was she much too young for me, but she was also Kenneth's daughter. I really needed to maintain some boundaries.

  "I'm sorry again for the other day," I said in a low voice, not knowing what else to say.

  She nodded. "I'm sorry, too, but no harm done."

  "It's been a long time, and you've changed," I said as a way of explaining why I hadn't recognized her. I mentally kicked myself as the words came out because they had sounded so much better in my head.

  She chose not to respond to that. We were quiet for a heartbeat or two, and I felt the awkwardness begin to set in. I needed to say something, anything really, but I didn't know what. It was like my conversational skills just flew out of the window whenever this girl was involved. Young woman, I corrected myself, she was a young woman now.

  "So are you in college now?" I asked, then promptly congratulated myself for not asking her a stupid question like if she was single or not.

  "Not yet," she replied stiffly, making me wonder if I had said something wrong.

  This was starting to feel really awkward again, but I couldn't keep my mouth shut.

  "What do you plan on studying?"

  Her eyes lit up when she responded, and I realized there were specks of honey gold in her irises. She really had gorgeous eyes, and I wanted to just stare into them for the longest time.

  "Medicine."

  I nodded and smiled. "You must be a hard worker then, that's a lot of time to put into your studies. I'm impressed."

  She blushed slightly, and I reveled in seeing her skin flush like that.

  "Well, I've never thought of it like that. To me, it has always been the fair amount of time I will need to complete my studies and begin helping people. It can't be much longer than the time you put into your business to make it succeed, I suppose?"

  I nodded as I thought about it, liking how she put it across. "I suppose you are right. It's like work but not really work at the same time, just because you are invested in it and it's your passion."

  "Exactly."

  "What are the two of you talking about so intently?" my friend asked as he returned with a smile.

  "Med school," I replied. "You must be so proud of your daughter."

  "Oh, she has her moments," Kenneth chuckled.

  "Gee thanks, dad. You don't have to go overboard with the compliments you know, but tone it down a little for our guest," April said.

  "See what I mean?" Kenneth asked.

  I smiled and nodded at Kenneth's question, enjoying the light banter between father and daughter. I was impressed by April's ambition and obvious sense of humor. It was clear that she would be an interesting person to get to know. Even though she was off-limits, it wasn't wrong to fantasize about what that would be like. Was it?

  Her laugh drew my attention to her lovely mouth, and I almost groaned. Whatever it was her father had said, I wasn't really paying attention anymore. This business deal would be the death of me, of that I was certain. How the heck was I supposed to control myself around her? Kenneth would probably punch me if he knew half the thoughts I was having about his daughter right now.

  "I'll leave you two to it then," she said, casting a shy glance at me. "It was nice seeing you again, Mr. Rollett."

  The way she said it made me believe she had said my last name on purpose just to get on my nerves.

  "You too, April."

  "Aren't you hungry? I made some steak," Kenneth said.

  She shook her head. "Thanks, dad, I'll eat later."

  I watched her walk away until I couldn't anymore without making it too obvious. This was definitely an int
eresting development. For the second time, I felt ashamed of my thoughts and reminded myself that April Grant was too young.

  Now, if only the rest of my body could get that message, everything would be perfect.

  Chapter 10 - April

  Julian Rollett.

  The bane of my existence, the sole star of my daydreams, and all around Mr. Nice Guy. It was difficult to hate him when he was trying to be so nice to me, although he was probably just feeling guilty for our encounter in the parking lot. All that syrupy niceness was him trying to make up for not recognizing me.

  But he'd looked so good when he had smiled at me and shaken my hand. His warmth enveloping me and traveling to the tips of my toes. How could I resist that smile, especially when a dimple made its appearance and tempted me like nothing else ever had? It was like someone had sat down and crafted the perfect man after every specification I had ever had. Then when they were done, the end result was Julian.

  My stupid mind refused to forget him. It was like every time I tried, there was something just waiting to remind me of him. My stupid crush on the guy was getting out of control, and I couldn't make it go away no matter hard I tried, or how far I walked.

  I sipped my water slowly as I walked outside, feeling as much at home here as I did indoors. There was just something about these woods that made me feel at ease and increased my happiness tenfold. It made me wonder if all shifters felt this way. Did all of my kind feel free whenever we stepped outside, whether we shifted or not? And was it something I would pass on to this child?

  I resumed my walking as I turned the thoughts over in my head, feeling one with nature and happy to just forget everything for a little while. With the way I was taking these frequent walks, I had to be the healthiest pregnant woman in the country. All thanks to Julian Rollett.

  I had to be honest with myself, even though it pained me to admit it. One of the reasons I was walking twice as much as I usually did was to get away from the house and keep my mind busy. It was a conscious effort I had to make to get that man out of my head. Because it felt like every time I opened my eyes, he was there. Ready to assault me with that dimpled smile.

  His eyes had twinkled with a knowing smile when he'd looked at me as if he could see how much he affected me. He probably did everything on purpose. Running hands through his hair and making his biceps flex at the same time. Drinking a cold beer so slow and licking his lips afterwards. And my personal favorite, deliberately stretching and making sure his T-shirt rode up a little to expose his toned stomach. It was difficult to choose a favorite though, especially when I just wanted nothing but to run my hands through his hair and find out where the gray ended.

  It was all threatening to drive me mad, and I wondered how much of I could blame on pregnancy hormones.

  Of course, it could all just be in my head. Perhaps I was imagining everything because I was hormonal and starved of attention. Julian might not even be aware that he was driving me insane, or even care. I kicked the stone in front of me as I realized my plan to take a walk to clear my mind was not working today.

  I took the path back home as I focused my mind on something else. The days were moving fast, and I needed to make a decision about school now. Once the baby was born, it was the next chapter in my life. I was very excited that it was finally becoming a reality.

  My hand went to my slight bump as I spoke to the baby. I couldn't wait for it to start moving around in my belly; then I would feel like I really had some company in there. "You must wonder what you got yourself into, huh? I promise I'm not usually like this; I actually have a clear head most of the times when gorgeous men are not invading my home."

  Every book I had read seemed to agree that babies could hear it when you talked or sang to them before they were born. It was a healthy exercise to just speak to them, letting them know someone was waiting for them on the outside.

  "But you are still too little to hear anything, aren't you? Or are you already rolling your eyes at my little monologues?"

  I took another sip of water and smiled to myself when our house finally came into view. All that walking had left me hungry, and I hoped Julian was gone by now. When I saw that his motorcycle was gone, I breathed with relief. I'd had enough of the man for the day and just wanted to relax now.

  My father had left a note on the fridge instructing me to eat something, not that I needed a reminder. My stomach made a noise when I saw the fruit salad dad had left me and I smiled. He'd made it exactly the way I liked it. I took my salad and another bottle of water to the sofa, ignoring the way our living room was still smelling like Julian. He'd sat in the seat I sat next to, and his scent was all over it.

  "So much for escaping distractions," I mumbled with a sigh, putting my legs up and leaning back into my seat as I started eating.

  With my mind somewhat clear from my walk, it was time to get the ball rolling on my college applications. I grabbed my laptop and opened my browser to look for colleges. I wasn't just focusing on a school's reputation, because that was never a guarantee that it would suit an individual's needs and aspirations. Rather I was doing a comprehensive check on everything, including teaching quality. This was one of the biggest decisions of my life, and I didn't want to just go into it blindly.

  "So first, let's check out tuition costs and living expenses. We can't leave that out," I told myself.

  Most of the schools were pretty expensive but offered mostly the same type of courses and learning opportunities as the more affordable colleges. I was also interested in the overall academic focus of the school I would finally choose. While some of the schools were mainly focused on research medicine, and some of them had intense specialty medicine courses, I needed something with a lot of primary care focus. I meant it when I had told Catherine that I wanted to help people, people that I actually saw and came into contact with.

  I bookmarked some of the more affordable schools that offered an attractive curriculum, then checked if they had a platform to chat with current students. It would help if I had a general feel of what the student life was like, and if it was an environment I would want to be a part of. I was also considering Catherine's school, but it was a bit too expensive for my liking.

  I searched for some medical school advice articles, to make sure I wasn't missing anything on my criteria for school selection. There were a number of items that were interesting, and some that weren't really determining factors for me. I made note of the important things and used those to guide me as I continued my research.

  I came across some medical school comparison portals, and I bookmarked those so that I could visit them later when I was doing a more in-depth comparison of my top five schools. I decided to go through some college brochures online, starting with ranking and then location. Most of the schools had amazing facilities, but they were too far away, and I wasn't really interested in starting over somewhere completely different from home. I needed somewhere close to the woods too so I could run.

  "Well, what do we have here?" I wondered out loud.

  I opened a new website for a college that was located not too far from home. The location was perfect for me, of course, since it would allow me to stay close to my father and make sure he was doing alright. Even though the new business setup was keeping him busy and active these days, I still needed to know that he was okay and happy. He would do the same for me, and I knew it's what mom would have wanted.

  The pictures of the campus looked great enough, and I checked out their courses and schedule. Everything seemed to be ideal for me, so I bookmarked it for consideration.

  The next colleges I found were taking me further and further from home, so those were definitely not an option. Which left me with the few options that I had narrowed my search down to. I bookmarked all of them, knowing I would need to make a comprehensive folder for all of them. Comparing entry requirements, costs, and living arrangements, not to mention class schedules. I noted down the deadlines for applications and realized that I need
ed to start working on them as soon as possible. Which meant that I had to get recommendation letters from a couple of the places I had worked at.

  I put aside my now empty salad bowl, settling back into the sofa as I felt sleep starting to push my eyelids down. That was definitely a result of the pregnancy because in my entire adult life I had never taken a nap in the afternoon unless I wasn't feeling well. Now I felt I could sleep just about every afternoon.

  "You are a lazy little avocado, aren't you?" I mumbled, patting my stomach for one last time before I gave in.

  I blamed it on his scent in the room, because I dreamt of Julian shifting and running through the woods with me.

  Chapter 11 - Julian

  I dreamt of green eyes, pale skin, and pink lips for the hundredth time. It was the sweetest kind of torture, and I was torn between wanting it to stop, and praying for the dreams to continue. Because in my dreams those green eyes darkened when my hand trailed down the pale skin and I leaned in to kiss those pink lips. In my dreams I became the man April longed for, and she became the woman I could have.

  I woke up feeling the exact same way that I had the last couple of days, which was a mixture of frustration and a little bit of shame. Frustration over not getting what I wanted and shame for wanting it in the first place. It was a very fine line that I was trying hard not to cross, but it was becoming more and more difficult as the days went by. The more time I spent at Kenneth's house as we worked on our project, the more I saw of April. The more I spoke with her and got to know her. The more I saw her smile and heard her laugh.

  My Wolf had been restless for days now, and it was like a crawling sensation all over my skin. Everything about April was stirring my primal instincts, and it was difficult to hold my Wolf at bay when all he wanted to do was chase, catch, and mate. Whenever she was close, her scent would awaken something within me that I had never felt before. It was more than just lust, I was sure of that. I just didn't have the right word for it yet, and it was only a matter of time before I lost control around the girl.