The Alpha's forbidden omega mate - Chapter 19: Chapter 19

I threw the empty shoebox on the floor and stomped around the room, clenching my fists so hard they turned white.
That sneaky Isabelle went way too far! Stealing my money hurt, but it was meant to give my baby a good start, and now it was gone!
"You want a fight, Miss Perfect Princess?" I growled, feeling super angry.
"You got it!"
For a second, all I wanted to do was march right up to Isabelle and yell at her.
I was so mad about what she did to my baby's future, I didn't even care what happened to me.
I flung open the door, ready to find Isabelle, but instead, I came face-to-face with a tall figure blocking the doorway.
He stared at me with a serious look, and I stopped dead in my tracks.
"Whoa there, Mama Wolf," Derek said in a deep voice, stopping me with his arms crossed.
"Looking pretty fired up. Where you headed in such a hurry?"
I blinked at him, surprised to see him there. He raised an eyebrow, waiting for an answer.
"Well?" he said. "Spill it before you go off and start a war."
I couldn't speak at first. Instead, I moved aside to let him into the room.
He looked around at the mess, then spotted the empty shoebox on the floor.
He frowned deeply and picked it up, looking at the spilled coins and the box itself. It slowly clicked in his head what happened.
"What in the...?" he mumbled, standing up tall.
"Catrina, tell me this isn't what I think it is."
"It is," I snapped back, anger starting to burn again.
"That box had all the money I saved from being a maid, every single penny for months!"
Derek's jaw tightened. Someone had stolen my tiny savings, the money I desperately needed for the baby. It was the only good thing I had, and now it was gone.
"Who did this?" he growled, his green eyes flashing with anger. "Who would steal from..."
He stopped talking, trying to control his temper. He took a deep breath to calm down.
"Yeah, I figured," Derek said, his jaw still clenched. "That sneaky person who stole your money is probably Isabelle."
I lifted my chin a little, not surprised he guessed it. Actually, hearing him say it made me even angrier.
"That awful, mean..." I started, but Derek held up a hand, though he didn't sound mad at me.
Maybe he even liked that I was standing up for myself, even if it wasn't the smartest thing to do.
He stepped closer, looking at me seriously. "Before you go after her, listen to me. Isabelle Mondragon isn't just a rich girl who loves to be mean. There's more to her than that."
I frowned, suddenly feeling a little nervous. Derek's words sounded kind of scary. But he kept talking, his voice low and serious.
"That she-wolf is a trained killer - possibly the deadliest I've ever seen. Groomed from birth to fight, dominate, and crush any threat without mercy."
My whole body tensed up. Derek made Isabelle sound even worse than I thought! He waited a moment, then spoke even quieter.
"If she stole your money, it means she sees you and your baby as a problem. She might try to hurt you to get rid of you."
I put my hand on my belly, scared. Isabelle had always been mean, but this was too far! Now I remembered things the servants whispered about Isabelle's training.
They said she was really violent, even to her own pack.
Maybe Derek wasn't exaggerating. Maybe that pretty face really hid a dangerous person, ready to attack anyone she saw as a threat.
The thought made me shiver. Derek noticed my fear and his face softened a little.
"See why I came to find you?" he said more gently, a small smile playing on his lips.
"Couldn't let my favorite maid start a fight with the new leader before all the fancy ceremony is done, right?"
I almost forgot about the wedding happening upstairs in my sudden flurry of anger. At this moment, the most important thing in the world was my baby's safety.
"But Derek," I whispered.
"what if she does hurt me? What if she..." My voice got caught in my throat, and I couldn't even say the worst thing I was worried about.
Derek reached out, placing a hand on my shoulder, his touch surprisingly gentle. "Maybe not hurt you directly," he said, his voice low and serious.
"But Isabelle's a master manipulator. She could make your life a living hell in a thousand subtle ways.”
"Besides," he said, stretching out comfortably, "why fight with Isabelle when there are worse people to target?"
Anger flared back up as I realized what he meant. My jaw clenched as I turned to face him.
"I would never do anything to hurt my baby, no matter how mad I am at that...that...mean girl," I said, trying to sound calm.
Derek just rolled his eyes dramatically.
"Sure, sure," Derek said in a fake sweet voice, "you're a perfect angel, all motherly and good. But can we skip the act for a second?"
His smirk annoyed me, even though he was kind of complimenting me. Before I could yell back, Derek sat up straight and held up a hand to calm me down.
"Listen," he said seriously.
"I wouldn't suggest messing with Isabelle if I thought you were about to get in a fistfight. But you know what? There are other ways to get back at someone, ways that might even help you in the future."
We stared at each other for a long time. Derek looked super confident, almost daring me with his face.
I felt angry, scared, and a little curious all at once.
Finally, I sighed heavily and plopped down on the couch next to Derek, even though he was way bigger than me. I wanted to look away from his intense stare, but I forced myself to stay still.
"Okay, fine," I mumbled, putting my hands on my back where it was starting to hurt.
When Derek raised his eyebrow in surprise, I just kept my mouth shut tight.