#Chapter 16: Falling Short

Can we talk again about our baby? Hand shaking, I tried and failed several times to compose a response. What did Joseph mean by this? Did he actually want to be a part of the baby’s life now, or was he trying again to get me to abort the baby? I wanted to believe in him. My baby deserved a caring family. But he’d betrayed my trust before… “He will not protect us,” my wolf, Lilith, hissed in my mind. I knew that was the truth of it. No one could ever be as protective as Asher. Joseph already had and lost his chance to step up. But Asher didn’t want me. Joseph… Well, Joseph might have changed his mind. “He tried to hurt you and the child,” Lilith spoke with angry hatred. “I will never forgive him.” To appease Lilith, I closed the message without a reply. “I can’t hide from him forever,” I said. But Lilith replied, “He does not deserve your attention.” At cheerleading practice, I followed the others in the latest routine, observed by the coach. The basic moves