Chapter 77

I couldn’t breathe. Aimee knew who I was. Aimee knew I was pregnant.

“Hey! Hey, it’s okay.” Aimee placed her hand on my shoulder. “Breathe with me, alright?”

I did as she asked, following as she exaggerated each breath, in and out. In and out.

Eventually, slowly, my panic subsided into moderate anxiety, much more manageable.

“You know… about me…” I waved to my stomach.

She nodded. “Sorry,” she said. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I don’t mean you any harm. Either of you. I was just so grateful to you, and so… happy about everything that’s happened. I was hoping we could be friends?”

Hope filled her eyes at her question.

I took a moment, letting the words settle over me. She didn’t mean harm. She wanted to be friends.

I thought of Nicole and Asher. Nicole, who was distancing herself from me because of some unknown rumors. Asher, who I hadn’t talked to since our latest argument.

Truth was, I could use more friends.

“Okay,” I said.

“Great!” She clapped her hands together. “I’m so relieved you agreed. Not just because you seem like a really cool person, but also because I can help. I’ve been where you are. I won’t let you make the same mistakes.”

“I won’t.” I’d already firmly decided against getting an abortion.

“Good,” she said, face turning serious. “Then we need to think of a way to get Asher to step up and do more for you.”

I blinked, surprised. “Huh?”

Asher sometimes struggled to be emotionally available with me, but I wouldn’t say he needed to step up. The man was constantly protecting me. Even if he was in the middle of something, he would drop it all if I needed him.

“I had always heard such good things about him before.” Aimee propped a hand on her hip. “I guess you can’t believe everything you hear.”

“Aimee,” I said. “What are you talking about?” Asher was a good guy! He was arguably the best guy.

She leaned in close and whispered, “The baby.”

When that cleared none of the confusion I was certain showed on my face, she added, “Asher’s the baby’s father.”

At once, I was transported to a beautiful world where Asher, not Joseph, was the biological father of my baby. Where Joseph had initially skirted from responsibility, Asher would have taken charge right from the start.

I imagined nervously going into his room. He’d have known something was wrong just by looking at me. He could always tell, somehow.

“I’m pregnant,” I’d have told him.

That mask he wore would have cracked clean in half. I didn’t know if he would have been proud, or even happy. Regardless, he would have pulled into me into the safety of his embrace and rained soft kisses on my forehead.

“I’ll keep you safe,” he’d have said. “You and the baby both. For the rest of your lives.”

Slowly, I released my hold on the wonderful fantasy, letting reality creep back in.

Asher wasn’t the father. Joseph was.

And they were both fighting later today. The winner would stay in the life of my baby and I. The loser had to leave it.

“Did I misunderstand?” Aimee asked. “You seemed a thousand miles away just now.”

“I was,” I admitted. Then I softly shook my head. “Asher isn’t…” The father. I didn’t say it aloud.

“Oh. I’m sorry! When I saw you in the crowd and he was there… And in the messages you said… Well, I guess I connected all the wrong dots.”

“It’s okay,” I told her.

She nodded. “If not him, then…?”

“I can’t say.” I wasn’t ready for her to know. To go from thinking its Asher to knowing its Joseph was too big a drop.

I felt embarrassed that Joseph was the father. If it had been Asher…

It didn’t matter now.

“Friends don’t pry,” Aimee said, giving me a soft smile.

I was grateful to her. I wondered if, as a friend, she wouldn’t mind doing something else for me.

“Say, Aimee. There’s this challenge tonight…” I worried my hands together. “Do you think you’d want to go with me? I have to go but… honestly, I’m nervous to go alone.”

She watched me like a hawk, taking in my every gesture.

Everyone knew about the challenge and the two guys involved. The terms themselves were still a secret though, known only by the competitors, me, and the Academy officials overseeing the match.

She wouldn’t know I was involved unless I told her. But I could see the cogs turning in her eyes. She was smart. She’d probably already pieced it together.

If she did, she didn’t say so.

“Of course I’ll go with you,” she said, like that alone settled the matter.

And just like that, I knew she was going to be a good friend.

Since a formal challenge was treated as an official event at the Academy, a boxer’s ring had been built in the center of the gymnasium. The bleachers had been set up and arranged for the best views.

Aimee and I arrived fifteen minutes early, but the bleachers already overflowed with people.

“I’ll find us some seats,” Aimee said. “Maybe you should go wish Asher good luck.”

She nudged me toward the entrance of the locker rooms, half hidden now behind the bleachers. A tall figure leaned against the wall there, wearing boxing shorts. Barefoot and no shirt.

Asher.

I nodded at Aimee, and she headed up into the bleachers.

Then I walked around behind them and approached Asher.

Without a shirt, all of his delicious muscles were on full display. I could see every ridge of his pecs, and curve of his abs. His wide shoulders, his tapered waist.

Asher had the most attractive, fit body I had ever seen. Power coursed under those muscles, visible in every flex – every deliberate movement.

Knowing he was so strong made the times he was gentle with me extra special. With the power of his wolf, he could crush anything with his bare hands. Yet he held me like I was made of glass.

Warmth spread through my chest.

We’d fought, last time we had been together. But it was obvious he cared about me, in his own way. I never should have accused him of that.

Just because he didn’t return my romantic feelings… I shouldn’t have taken that out on him.

Resolved to apologize, I walked closer.

As I neared him, I saw his water bottle, discarded, rolling across the floor. He held a towel to his forehead, covering most of his face.

“Asher?”

He didn’t reply.

Now that I was closer, the way he leaned against the wall looked like it was supporting him.

I bent down and picked up his water bottle. I brought it to him.

When he saw it, he knocked it from my hands. It fell back down on the floor.

“Asher,” I said again.

He blinked, surprised, like he hadn’t seen me until just now, even though I had been the one holding out the bottle.

Lowering the towel, he reveal an unfocused pair of eyes on a confused face.

Something wasn’t right.

“Asher. Are you okay? What’s wrong?” I placed my hand on his bicep. He blinked slowly at me, then dragged his gaze to where I touched him.

“Cynthia?”

“I’m here,” I said. “What’s wrong with you?”

“I don’t know.” He pressed hard into the wall. “I feel… weak. I think…”

His voice trailed. I waited for him to finish.

“I think I’ve been drugged.”