Page 110 of Finding the Forward: Part One
There was always a risk. The more people who knew, the more likely it could leak before Grif was ready.
“I am worried. But it’s not our choice to make.” Jonas clapped me on the shoulder.
Yet wasn’t it? It wasourpack.
“We’re going to have to prepare for the possibility of this going all the way,” he added. “Which means you and Verity need to get to know each other and be civil. You might even have things in common. If you have a valid objection, I want to hear it. But that comes from getting to know her.” Jonas shoved his hands in his pockets, giving me a measured look.
I scowled. “What do I have in common with a spoiled princess?”
“Verity, spoiled? That’s funny. She’s no more spoiled than you’re a fashionista.” Jonas tugged on my holey T-shirt.
Here I could be myself. For the world, I was someone else. Something else. Armor against the pity.
He had a point. I liked to tell myself that she was spoiled and entitled, but after everything I’d read, that wasn’t true at all.
“We’re about to file the pack paperwork and now you’re talking about adding someone? It’s going to push us back. Sure, Grif is playinggreat,but until you three have a pack contract, you can’t be confident he won’t get traded away from us,” I pressed, so many emotions warring inside me. Jealousy. Anger.Sadness. Knowing I had no right to dictate who Grif dated but wanting to because he was everything to me.
Sure, Jonas and I had talked about eventually adding another alpha to help balance the pack. But her? Now?
“She’s not ready to join us with her current responsibilities. We’ll file as usual, get the contract, and when and if it’s time, we’ll start the process to add her. Which probably won’t be before the end of the season when her sister turns eighteen and is no longer contractually obligated to have a chaperone. Eventually, Veritywillbe ready, so we’ll need to be ready for her,” he told me.
“You have no idea what you’re doing,” I challenged, anger wafting off me from him speaking like this was a done deal.
It was a pack, not a dictatorship.
Jonas snarled, moss scent spicy with anger as he took a step closer to me. “You met her once for five seconds. You don’t even know her.”
“She wants Grif. Do I need to know more?” I yelled back.
A smirk spread across Jonas’ face, eyes dancing with laughter. “That’s the actual issue, then. It has nothing to do with the cows or being trustworthy and reliable.”
“Fuck you.” I glowered, fury boiling inside me. “You can’t make decisions like this on your own.”
“I’m not. Which you’d know if you’d stop avoiding her and see her interact with them.” He took another step toward me. His jacket was off, his collarless black button-down rolled up to the elbows.
“Them? There’s athemnow?” The ire within me exploded, and it came out in a half-shout.
“Either challenge me for head alpha or handle your shit. They want to keep her.” Jonas met my gaze, dominance pouring out of him, trying to gain my submission, my acquiescence.
A whimper came from the kitchen.
“Please, stop fighting,” Dean pleaded as he defrosted steaks in the microwave.
“Sorry, Dean.” I felt like a heel. The room stank of anger and we’d upset our omega.
Shit. This was a fucking mess.
“I don’t know what’s up with you and Grif. But I know you both love each other. If something’s hurting you,talkto him,” Jonas told me.
“AJ, you need to work this out with Grif before this explodes. I don’t think he has any idea that you’re feeling hurt and threatened by Verity’s presence. Verity doesn’t want to hurt or threaten you. She’s nice. Grif can love you both, you know.Talkto him.” Dean got some spices off the rack.
Sure, alphas shared omegas all the time. It made life easier for everyone. More alphas meant more people to protect and dote on the omega. More to help during a heat.
But I hadn’t even gotten to court him yet and now they wanted me toshare?
Unfuckingbelievable.
“There’s nothing to talk about,” I snarled. Talking made things real.
