Chapter 9: Chapter Eight

News

Edgar drove at lightning speed to Central Park.

“Slow down, Edgar,” Harry said. He held onto the edges of his seat. “You’re going to get us both killed.”

“I won’t get us killed,” Edgar assured him. He couldn’t afford to miss his meeting with the man in Central Park. He had so many questions. Had he really found Elena’s phone? Or had he robbed her, or worse, kidnapped her? That last thought sent shivers up and down his spine. He didn’t love Elena, but he’d grown rather fond of her.

He screeched the car to a halt when he neared a red traffic light.

“We’re almost there,” Harry said. He peered out the window as they neared Central Park. “I don’t see anyone.”

Edgar found a parking space. Where would they even begin searching? He needed to use his wolf senses to find the man who had Elena’s phone. He closed his eyes and took deep breaths. If this man truly had Elena’s phone, he’d sniff Elena’s scent.

Yes. There it was. Edgar opened his eyes and followed the scent. He spotted a man near a pay phone. The man noticed Edgar rushing towards him. His eyes widened in recognition. How did the man know him? Edgar wondered. The man ran into a crowd of joggers.

“Edgar!” Harry shouted.

Edgar ignored him. He was about to run across the street when a fleet of police cars with their sirens on rushed past.

Dammit! Edgar punched the air. He’d come so close and still lost the guy!

***

Three weeks later…

Three weeks had passed since the mysterious phone call from Elena’s phone. Harry and Edgar were on their way to Elena’s office to see if she’d returned. Edgar’s phone rang just as the car stopped moving.

“Hello?” He greeted without checking the caller ID.

“Mr. Callen, it’s Celine.”

The witch? What did she want? “Yes?”

“Remember the surrogate I hired for you?” she said, her voice growing happier with each passing moment.

“Yes,” Edgar said, wondering what the witch was on about. “Listen, I don’t have time for games. I’m on a tight schedule. Why don’t you get to the point?”

“I’m sorry if I called you at an inconvenient moment,” Celine said. “I wanted to let you know your surrogate just called me. She seems to be pregnant. I’ll leave it to you to confirm and pay me the agreed amount.”

Cars honked their horns behind him when the traffic light turned green.

“What?” Edgar said, stunned.

“Your surrogate is pregnant. Congratulations,” Celine said. “I’m sending you her location. You need to see her for yourself and confirm her pregnancy with your own medical team. I’ll expect to hear from you before the end of the day.” Celine ended the call.

“Edgar.” Harry shook his hand. “What happened? Who was that.”

Edgar shrugged his hand off and drove. He pulled into a parking bay near one of the museums. “Listen, I want you to check the office alone. I need to attend to something urgent.”

“What’s going on?” Harry asked, concerned.

Edgar unlocked the door for him. “I’ll tell you about it this afternoon.”

Harry sighed and alighted Edgar’s car. “Okay.”

Edgar followed the directions on his phone’s map and headed toward Alia’s home.

Damn, she lived in such a rundown neighborhood. He couldn’t let the woman carrying his heir live in such a derelict place. He wrinkled his nose when he reached his destination. Was the building covered in dampness, or was it mold? Disgusting. He rushed up the staircase – the building didn’t have an elevator. Alia would never manage here as her pregnancy progressed.

He banged on her door.

Nobody answered. Something crashed to the floor inside. Panic shook him. He turned the doorknob, hoping she hadn’t locked it. It opened.

“Alia!” he shouted.

She was trying to walk to the couch. She swayed.

Edgar grabbed her before she hit the cold, tiled floor. His heart physically hurt seeing her so weak. Was his baby doing this to her? He’d anticipated complications with a human carrying a cub, but this? Was it fair to put a surrogate through this? He lay her down on her couch and called his physician.

“Carlos, my surrogate, is a few days pregnant, and she just passed out. How soon can you get here?” He checked her pulse while waiting for Dr. Carlos Andretti to reply.

“Can you send me your location? I’ll be right there.”

Edgar sent Carlos Alia’s address and waited. He wet a dishtowel and placed it on her forehead, hoping she’d wake up. There was so much to discuss now that she’d confirmed her pregnancy. Her safety, for one. Then her diet. She needed a new apartment. This dump she lived in simply wouldn’t do. He sent one email after another between checking on Alia and waiting for Carlos to arrive. he had to have her moved out of here at the soonest. She needed a nurse to take care of her while her human body adapted to carrying his werewolf baby for the next nine months. His head spun from the thousands of things he needed to take care of. He needed to prioritize Alia’s safety. The pack couldn’t know his heir had finally taken life in a human surrogate’s body. He also wanted to be the one who told Elena the news. He didn’t want to risk the news being leaked through the grapevine.

He glanced out the window every now and then, checking if Carlos had found his way. What was taking him so long? And why wasn’t Alia waking up? She would have never conceived if her body hadn’t been strong enough to carry his baby full term. Unless her body needed to get used to carrying new life, werewolf life.

He jumped when Alia moaned.

“Alia? Can you hear me?” he asked.

“Hmm,” she replied. She tried opening her eyes, but it seemed like too much of an effort for her.

“Alia, can you hear me?” He crouched on the floor beside her. “My physician is on his way. You’re going to be okay.” He stroked her face, silently willing her to wake up. He realized at that moment he didn’t want her life to be compromised because of his baby. If getting an heir meant losing Alia, then how would he live with himself? Would he have to choose between his baby and his surrogate? What if only one of them survived?

No. He needed both his baby and his surrogate. He wouldn’t compromise. Carlos and Celine would have to do everything in their power to save both Alia and his unborn child. He didn’t care how much it cost him.

He pulled out his phone from his jeans pocket and called Carlos again. “Where the hell are you? What’s taking you so long?”

“I’m almost at the location you sent me,” Carlos said.

“Hurry up,” Edgar shouted, “Alia isn’t doing too well.”

“I’m entering the parking lot of the apartment building,” Carlos said, “I’ll see you in a few minutes.”

Edgar ended the call and sat on the floor next to Alia. She had to be okay. She just had to.

Carlos burst inside the small, run-down apartment moments later, accompanied by a nurse. “This is no place for a pregnant woman,” Carlos said, eyeing the mold on the ceiling in disgust.

“I know. I needed you to check on her first before I took her to my home,” Edgar said.

“That’s a good idea. First, I need to check her vitals. I’ve arranged for medics to transport your surrogate—”

“Alia, her name is Alia.” Edgar corrected him.

“I am sorry. I’ve arranged for my team of medics to transport Alia to a private medical facility.”

Edgar nodded. Her pregnancy would attract a lot of attention in the supernatural world. He couldn’t risk having her treated at a hospital anyone could walk into. He had to protect her with his life until his baby was born.

***