The Panther's Surrogate: A Paranormal Pregnancy Romance by Angela Foxxe Read Free Book Online Page A

angrily. “Don’t play me for a fool, Josie Night-Hawk. I knew the moment you left this island what was going on. I just needed to wait until you came back to get the confirmation. Kheem was all too eager to run away and rendezvous with you. Should have been smarter.”
    “Should have been smarter, indeed,” Jamar said, shaking his head scornfully at the pair of caught Shifters. “The King would like an audience with the two of you. Please bring the child with you.”
    “Promise me that there will be no harm brought to Ony,” Josie said to Wahir who was without a doubt, the most honorable man on the island.
    Wahir had killed many people and he had fought in many battles, but it had forged in him a righteous fury for the truth and the justice of the world. If there was anyone on this island who would die trying to save a child that wasn’t their own, it was Wahir. If only the Hunters knew that about Shifters.
    Wahir looked at her in silence for a moment, sizing her up and trying his hardest not to show a drop of emotion. He was one of the few in the Lion Clan who hadn’t tried to get her to sleep with him. He was a good man and she knew that her abstaining from sleeping her way to prominence was something he respected in her as well. Most women Shifters whore themselves out for safety, recognition, or power. Josie hadn’t been like that. Hopefully, that was enough to buy the favor of Wahir.
    “Bring the child,” he said in a less demanding voice.
    They met in a smaller conference room, just large enough for them to feel like they were being formally judged, but not large enough to draw suspicion. Jonathan was in the room with King Ronald and they had Jamar watch the hallway to ensure that there were no spies coming to eavesdrop on the meeting. King Ronald was sitting down, wearing the managerial suit that he wore for work at the Royal Palace. He looked positively impressive sitting in his dark gray suit and his fingers steepled before him. His eyes looked at Josie like she had committed some grievous crime against him. He had always fantasized about her and Josie knew that this probably did look like something terrible in his eyes.
    He was probably deeply cut and offended by the fact that she had agreed to be the surrogate for another and not him. His eyes never once flicked to Kheem. Josie found that unnerving.
    Was he willing to kill Kheem?
    “I am disappointed in this façade,” King Ronald said with a grave voice that sounded like thunder and gravel. “I am very disappointed in the fact that you are willing to go to such great lengths to deceive me after all that I have done for you. After everything that I have willingly given you to protect and to ensure you are safe. Is this how you reward me, Josie? I have given you everything you need. I have given you sanctuary from those who would harm you and this is my repayment?”
    “King Ronald, please,” Josie tried to plead with him.
    “I will not hear it,” King Ronald raised his hand. His hand hung in the air like a giant meteor just hovering over the surface of the earth, waiting to impact and kill everyone. She watched as it slowly lowered to the top of the table and folded with his left hand. “You know, I had often discussed I was interested in taking you as my own surrogate—an honor that I believed to be worthy of your actions.
    You were a pure woman who deserved such a laurel for your beliefs and your conduct. You have served the island well, but now I see I was deceived. You have been cavorting with this lesser man from a smaller Clan and you have spat in my face. You have lied to me and you have broken my heart, Josie.
    Now, I cannot take you as a surrogate. A surrogate is an honorable position. A woman is chosen to be worthy of carrying on the bloodline of a Clan. You cannot take this honor for yourself without the consent of the Clans and the King of the Council.
    But that is not the least offense that we have before us. You have broken the