“Where did you get that dress, freak,” Bella hissed. “Did you steal it?”I glanced at the mocking faces surrounding me and shook my head. Why wouldn’t they leave me alone? I didn’t do anything to deserve this.“I said, where did you get that dress?” Bella repeated. She signaled the other girls, and the circle around me tightened.“My … my fah … fah … father gave it to me,” I stammered. Why did my stutter always get worse when it was vital for me to speak clearly?“Your fah … fah … father couldn’t afford that dress,” Bella said, mocking me. “Stop lying.”I didn’t understand. Why were they making a big deal over a dress? It was a pretty dress, but it was nothing to get mad over.“I’m not … not.. ly....” I was tempted to tell them my father was Alex Wilson, but they did not let me finish my words.“What brand is that dress? Who designed it? Do you know?” Bella demanded.I shook my head again. “I told you, my fah … father bah … bought it for me.” And I didn’t care who designed it. I was u
With more and more people staring at us, Victor, and the expensive sports car, Amy became uncomfortable too. After I introduced her to Victor, she quickly found an excuse and went home.After she was out of sight, I pulled Victor aside. “What are you doing here?” I asked and realized I wasn’t stuttering again.I was still jumpy and nervous from everything that happened lately, but something about Victor made it easier for me to speak around him.“I’m here to pick up my gorgeous fiancée from school,” Victor said with a boyish grin that made me smile.“Aren’t you glad to see me?” he asked, his grin widening. “Look how jealous your classmates are of you. No other girl at this school has an incredibly hot guy in a Ferrari picking them up.”“I'm so lucky,” I said, fighting the urge to roll my eyes.Victor took my hand and kissed it. “Come with me, dear Daisy, and I’ll show you how lucky you are.” He looked at me, waggled his eyebrows, and smiled into my eyes.I pulled my hand out of his gr
The following morning I woke before my alarm. I stretched and rolled over in the soft, comfortable bed. Staring at my bedroom ceiling, I thought about my conversation with Victor the previous afternoon.“You can’t be serious about a fake engagement,” I told Victor.“I’m very serious,” he replied. “What do you have to lose, Daisy? We both know you want William. Stop accepting what life hands you, and go after what you want.”“It sounds risky,” I said. “What if you’re just tricking me into marrying you?”Victor laughed. “To be honest with you, I would prefer being a single billionaire leader instead of being a married one. You clearly don’t want an open marriage, and I can't picture myself staying with one person for my entire life.”Victor’s proposal was shocking and exciting. He seemed sure I could have William as my lover. I wanted to say yes, but I told Victor I needed to think about it first.That’s when Victor suggested I try what he had in mind before we told my father I would ma
Victor gently lowered me to my feet. Everything was blurry, but I could make out the shapes of the crowd. Except for a few students who had to be Alphas, everyone present was kneeling; their heads lowered while showing their necks.It was the submissive posture among werewolves.This was the first time I heard the aggressive, dominant voice Victor used to save me. It was rarely heard in modern werewolf society.Modern Alpha leaders promoted an equal society and didn’t want the lower classes to think Alphas still considered themselves their superiors.I realized I was clinging to Victor’s arm and released it. Taking a step back, I saw he was looking at me instead of the Betas kneeling on the ground. He seemed to be staring at my face. Feeling self-conscious, I tried not to squint.Victor released the Betas from his power and found my glasses. Both the frames and the lenses were crushed.“Oh, no!” I exclaimed. “I’m practically blind without them.”Victor tossed them in a trash can and g
Victor's POVWanting to relax before going home, I ordered another drink and asked the waiter to clear the table.Seeing William and Daisy walking together from behind was slightly uncomfortable for me. But what I felt toward the girl who had been chosen to be my future wife could be ignored.I handled everything reasonably well today. If things happen as expected, I should receive Daisy's reply to my proposal today or tomorrow.A lot will depend on Daisy and how effectively she used the opportunity I gave her. She needed to make a good impression on William during the car ride. But I wondered if she was capable of intriguing William with conversation.Her stutter was unfortunate and must be overcome. It happens whenever she is nervous or feels overwhelmed, but there are ways to improve a speech impediment. I made a mental note to have Findlay look into it.Yet, there was something special about the girl. Daisy seemed quite good at worming her way into a man’s mind. Her innocence made
Daisy’s POVMy heart pounded with excitement. William was taking me home! I had to seize the opportunity and make an impression on him instead of turning to stone.From watching him speak with Victor, I could tell William was very different from Victor.Victor liked all kinds of, what I would describe as extravagant stuff, while William was much more low-key. Victor was talkative, and he always wore his typical breathtaking smile no matter who he talked to.William, on the other hand, didn't talk much and barely showed his feelings. He didn't seem to care much about other people's affairs, but he always answered questions in a polite and gentle way.I needed to draw William out and get him to talk to me. But was I a good enough speaker to do it? The heck with my stutter. I had to try. Sitting silently beside him in his car wouldn’t make him like me better.“What cuh … college are you … you attending after gra … graduation?” I asked. I was cringing inside after each word, but I refused
I had another werewolf history class today, and I was looking forward to it even more than usual.After all, this would be the first time William and I had a class together since he drove me home. I wonder if he would talk to me again.I got to class early and tried to stay calm while I waited for William to arrive.After watching the door for over five minutes before he entered the room.“Hello, Daisy,” he said and sat at the desk next to me.Yes! He had softened his attitude toward me. Plus, the people who were still talking about me behind my back had to notice my new friendlier relationship with William.We didn’t talk during class, but I was ecstatic to have William sitting next to me. Yet, he was such a distraction that I had trouble concentrating on what the teacher was saying.I heard Miss Grant calling on other kids to answer questions, but I couldn’t focus on what she was saying. I kept glancing at William, admiring his handsome profile and how his blond hair glistened with
Victor was waiting for me in another cool sports car parked in front of the school. The silver Lamborghini was a beautiful machine, but it had to have cost a fortune. Victor really liked to spend his money.“I bought the car today,” Victor said with a proud smile. “Do you like it?”“It’s great,” I said. It would have been meant to say no or make a big deal over the price of a car. It was Victor’s money. Who was I to judge how he spent it?“Where are we going?” I asked as Victor climbed behind the car’s steering wheel.“You’ll see.” He started the engine and gave me a sly smile.Victor drove for over a half hour. I was mesmerized by the expert way he handled the car and didn’t notice much of the scenery until he pulled in front of a beautiful villa. The sign told me it was the workshop of a famous fashion designer.I didn’t know there was such a thing as designer swimsuits. Rich people constantly surprise me.Inside the villa, several staff members immediately flocked to Victor’s side.