Finding Your True Mate

Chapter 18

Michelle's POV

(a couple of minutes before the gun shot)

When my dad finally cut to the chased and told me who was trying to kill me I was shocked. When Derek started to growl I saw my dad’s eyes look immediately to Derek to see if he was going to lose it. I knew I had to go over to him to calm him down. When Derek had me in arm length distance he pulled me to him and gave me a bear hug. I think this was his way of saying as long as your with me nothing bad is going to happen.  I welcomed his comfort and leaned into his warmth. What I wasn’t expecting was what happened next.

Being thrown to the ground wasn’t what I expected. At first I didn’t understand what was going on. IT didn’t register to me that a shot was fired and my father was hit until Derek forced me to stay down. I fought with him to let me up. Seeing my dad touch his chest and have a confused look on his face brought me back to reality. I screamed “NO” and stretched my hand towards him. I didn’t want him to die because at that moment I didn’t care that he wasn’t my real father at that moment I just wanted to run to him and save him.

I could almost touch his hand when he stopped moving all together. He whispered something like ‘needing sleep’ and ‘he was really tired’. “Daddy please open your eyes. Don’t die on me. I need you.” Derek whispered in my ear.

“I’m sorry baby, I’m so sorry.”

“Let me go…He needs me.”

“I can’t not until I know whoever shot in the house is gone.” I tried to elbow him in the face and push him off me. Why didn’t he understand? “I hate you Derek.” I felt his body freeze and then he turned me so I facing him.

“You don’t mean that Michelle. I know your upset and pissed the hell off right now, but you need to understand your safety comes first.” I looked up into his eye and saw sincerity and love. Derek was really worried about me. But I didn’t care about my safety my dad was dying. Tears were flowing out of my eyes and he whipped them away with the pads of his thumbs. He started to co to me telling me ‘it’s okay, he’s sorry, he’s here for me’ and all his words made me cry harder.

Derek started to get up and he extended his hand to me. I took his hand because I needed all the support I was going to get. He pulled me to my feet and pushed me behind him. He walked around my room on high alert. He sniffed the air and growled. “Whoever was here is gone, but I caught his scent, so next time I smell it I’ll know he’s around.”

I run past him and fall on my knees in front of my dad. I’m scared to touch him. I’m scared to see if this is reality. I carefully raise my hand to his neck. When I feel nothing moving under my hand my body stops functioning and I get this cold chilly feeling. “Derek…..Derek. I can’t feel his heartbeat.” He walked towards us and kneels down and checks his neck just like I did.

“I’m sorry Michelle, but he’s not with us anymore.” I look at Derek “No, no, no this can’t be happening he can’t be dead. I know he’s alive” I look back down at my dad. His face looks paler and there’s blood all over my floor but I don’t care about any of that. I hug my dad so tight peppering his face with kisses. “Please come back to me. I’m not ready to be alone. I need you” Then I felt someone’s hand on my back at first I thought it was Derek, but then that hand squeezed me in a hug and I looked down and saw my dad’s eyes open.

“Michelle you don’t weigh as much as you used to when you were little honey. You’re going to have to get off me.” My eyes were deceiving me. I couldn’t speak my mouth was gapped open

“Daddy?” He smiled at me and wiped the remaining tears away from my face.

“Hey princess.” Hearing my childhood pet name brought back a lot of memories and I became so confused.