Page 26 of Fated Despite the Moon

"Is your baby kicking? Mine kicks all the time. I feel like he's gonna kick his way out before his due date."

Kicking? That was her baby kicking? Makayla smiled, and for a moment she wished she had someone special to share the moment with. Her mind traveled to Derek but she pushed the thought away as soon as it came. Her thoughts moved to Caleb. If she gave him a chance, maybe next time he’d want to feel the little stirrings within her.

She looked to Dakota. "Can you help me with something?"

"Sure."

Makayla picked up the squash and zucchini. "Can you teach me something to do with these?"

* * *

Caleb satat a table outside the church looking over a report as his father pulled up in his truck and approached him.

"I think the roof is going to need to be replaced completely on the old church," Caleb called.

"There's no saving it?"

Caleb laughed and shook his head. His dad always wanted to save the past.

"Dad. Some things are worth saving. Some aren't."

His dad sat across from him. "That's very true." The weight of his father's penetrating stare fell on Caleb like a slab of granite.

Caleb set down the report. "Griff told you."

"No. But this is a small town, Caleb. You know that. So, when my son's truck is parked in his brother's driveway all night, less than two weeks after his new bride arrives, people notice."

He should have known his dad would hear.

"What's going on?" asked Jeremiah.

Caleb rubbed his face. "I took a mate from Los Angeles who I hadn't seen since she was a kid, and I brought her to my world and thought everything was just going to work out from day one."

Jeremiah shrugged. "I think that's a pretty good analysis."

"I knew it would be difficult, dad, but I just had no idea how hard it would be. She doesn't talk to me, or do anything around the house. She doesn't cook, except for this morning, when she made me a breakfast that almost killed me. And this." He tapped the brown paper bag. "I'm afraid to even try it."

Jeremiah chuckled. "When I mated your mother she couldn't cook, either."

"Yeah, well, at least she seemed to like you."

His dad shook his head. "Caleb. I warned you before you said yes to this—"

Caleb threw up his hands. "I know. I know. I just... I think she really doesn't like me. It's almost like everything about me disgusts her. Even the baby—"

His dad sat forward suddenly. "What about the baby? Is something wrong?"

"I don't know. She won't go to the doctor. She won't let me get near her. I can hear the heartbeat so I know the baby is at least alive in there, but it's stressing me out. It's like not only does she not want me, she doesn't want the baby, either."

Jeremiah sat back, pursed his lips, and folded his arms over his chest.

Caleb’s wolf groaned. They knew that look. His dad was trying to weigh his words carefully.

"The relationship between the two of you is expected to be hard. But to not take care of your young, that's something completely different. I'll speak to your mom. Maybe she can do something."

Caleb nodded. Though he hated bringing his parents, or anyone into his problems, he'd take all the help he could get this time.

Jeremiah motioned toward the bag. "So, what's in that bag, anyway?"

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