Page 147 of Finding the Forward: Part Two
“Make me.” She smirked. Derva threw a punch and Grif caught her wrist before she landed it.
“Derva, I’m sorry your sister is in a bad spot. I feel for her and the kids, but what Chet did was wrong,” Grif told her.
“Get off!” She flailed, jerking her hand back.
Derva stumbled backwards. I side-stepped to avoid her. She tripped over my crutch and sprawled on the ground, something ripping.
“Are you okay?” Freddie helped her up.
“You smug, stuck-up, life-ruining bitch.” Derva launched herself at me, pushing me back into the heat lamp, knocking it over as she grabbed the filmy scarf around my neck.
Ow. Fabric tore as I tripped. The heat lamp made a crashing sound, me nearly avoiding it. My leg throbbed.
Shit. I wasn’t expecting to get into a girl fight with Derva today.
Grif grabbed my arm to balance me. I smacked Derva with my crutch as she tried to throw a punch. I didn’t want to hurt her, but I needed her to not try to hurt us.
Frustration and anger at hertrying to hurt my matebubbled up inside me. “Derva,stop trying to attack us.”
The air sizzled with alpha command and her movements froze mid gesture.
“Oh fuuuck,” Freddie murmured, standing back and watching.
I did it. I’d actually barked someone. Grif squeezed my shoulder.
“How dare you? You’re not better than me.” Derva’s face contorted in surprise as her hand flopped to her side.
“Don’t. Hurt. My. Mate.” I growled. “It’s shitty and I’m sorry everything has impacted your family, but neither your dad nor Chet were innocent.”
“Wow, you got them both out here. Good for you, Derv. You can have her. Though you already destroyed her stupid research,” a voice said just beyond the fence separating the ballroom patio from the hotel gardens.
I couldn’t see who it was. But I could guess. Chet’s wife. Derva’s big sister, Winnie. Wow, I’d never made the connection.
Winnie had moved to New York to work for a big marketing firm and often used her connections to get Derva modeling work. She probably met Chet at a party. I remembered Coach talking about his daughter’s wedding.
Wait,Dervahad gotten Samantha to destroy my research? That made sense. Not only did she hate me, but she could destroy something of mine the way I ruined her dad’s career.
“She fucking deserved that for what she did to our Dad. That fucking bitch barked me! You didn’t tell me she was a real alpha.” Derva slugged Freddie. She turned to me, lips curving into a sneer. “I wish you would’ve stayed in obscurity where a washed-up, basic bitch like you belongs. But no. You had to date famous people, didn’t you? You’re such an attention whore.”
“No, she’s not,” Grif snapped.
“Winnie’s here? Why did you attack them, Derv? I know you’re still mad about your dad. But, um,laws.” Freddie looked exasperated in the dim light.
“Honestly, I was never that broken up about Dad going to jail. Because hedidget creepy with my friends. That’s why I moved out.” Winnie moved closer to the fence.
Still, all I could see was someone in a hoodie, about Derva’s height but curvier.
“But Chet. I love Chet. They won’t even tell me where he is. You ruined my life, Griffin McGraff. We havechildren.” Her voice hit an epic pitch. The fear, apprehension, and hatred wafted off her in a spicy, acrid cocktail.
“Grif, I think it’s time to go.” I tugged on his sleeve, getting a hint of his concern through the bond. Derva blocked the door to the ballroom atrium with her body.
I’d knock her over if I had to. Sure, she was a beta, but I needed to protect my omega.
“I don’t think so.” Winnie’s hands raised. Something glinted on the other side of the fence and I caught a whiff of her fear, her anger… her desperation.
I pivoted in front of Grif as I pushed him in the opposite direction, shielding him with my body. A shot rang out and something pierced my shoulder. Pain exploded through me and I lost my balance.
“No,” someone else yelled. “You’re ruining everything, you dumb bitch.”
