I had to find out what was happening with my best friend’s boyfriend.Was Justin, her mystery boyfriend, Trey Brown’s cousin and an Alpha. If so, why would he lie to her about being a Beta unless he was using her?I had butterflies in my stomach as the chauffeur let me off outside the school. Somehow, I had to protect my friend, but Amy’s love for Justin wouldn’t make it easy.Amy was waiting for me in our spot. I approached her with my practiced smile. She was too busy looking at her phone screen to notice my cheerful expression wasn’t genuine.“Talking to Justin already this morning?” I asked as casually as I could.“Uh-huh,” she replied as she typed a response into her phone. “How was your dork party?” Amy asked me.“It was okay,” I answered. “I ate the most delicious sandwich.”“That’s good.” She typed another response.“What did you do last night?” I had to find out for sure if it was Justin I met last night without Amy suspecting what I was doing.“I worked with Dad for a couple
We arrived at the mansion before the ambulance. As soon as Victor stopped the car, I ran inside.Alex was still lying on the living room floor. Benson had covered him with a light throw to keep him warm and stood nearby wringing his hands.“How is he?” I asked and rushed to kneel next to Alex.“His breathing is very shallow, but his heart is still beating,” Benson replied. “The ambulance should be here any minute to take him to the hospital.”Victor entered the room and kneeled beside me. He put an arm around my shoulders as I held Alex‘s hand.“I love you, Father,” I told Alex.“I can’t lose you yet. Please, stay with me.”But Alex didn’t answer me or move. He was pale and barely breathing.Tears ran down my face as I leaned against Victor to avoid falling over.Even though I knew Alex was ill, it was a shock to see him lying on the floor like this. I couldn’t imagine my life without him now. He couldn’t die yet.Jennifer led the ambulance crew into the room. I stood between her and V
I picked up the landline receiver in the upstairs hallway. “Hello. This is Daisy Wilson. How is my father?”My heart pounded as I waited for the answer.“Stay calm, Daisy,” Diana told me. “No matter what, you will be okay, and you won’t be alone.”Victor caught up with me and stood by my side. “How is he?”I looked up at him with tears rolling down my cheeks as I waited for the doctor to speak.“Thank you, doctor,” I said into the phone before hanging up. It took me a moment before I could speak again.“Daisy. What happened?” Victor asked.“Alex woke up,” I told him. “He is in a natural sleep now. He’s still very ill. But he is doing better than they expected. We can see him tomorrow.”“That’s good news,” Victor said and hugged me.“I must tell the servants,” I said. “They love my father too.”I saw Benson smile for the first time when I told him Alex was out of immediate danger.“That’s wonderful news,” he said. “Thank you for letting me know. The cook prepared dinner if you and Mr.
Unable to stand the suspense, Victor and I left the party and returned to the mansion.After hurrying inside, we found Alex still awake and talking to Benson. He looked tired and surprised to see us.“You didn’t have to hurry home right away,” Alex scolded. “I sleep off and on, both day and night. I’m just as likely to be awake at midnight as I am at nine o’clock.”“We thought you wanted to speak to us about something important,” Victor said.“It is important,” Alex replied. “But there's nothing that must be done tonight.”“We’re here now.” I sat next to the bed and took Alex’s hand. “Please tell us what’s on your mind.”Alex appeared to be exhausted, and his pale complexion worried me. Yet, determination shone bright in his eyes. I knew he wouldn’t rest until he spoke to us and was satisfied.Alex took a shaky breath and tried to sit up. “Daisy needs to become fully acquainted with Wilson, Inc. I want her trained to take over for me as soon as possible.”“Victor has already started t
“This isn’t Alex’s office building,” I told Victor as he pulled into a strange parking garage.He picked me up after breakfast this morning after promising me a surprise.Where was he taking me?He parked in an underground parking garage that looked much like the one at Wilson, Inc’s headquarters and helped me out of the car.“This isn’t another one of Alex’s buildings, is it?” I asked before stepping onto an elevator.“Nope.” Victor grinned. “This is the building where I work. It’s the offices of Klein Enterprises.”“Wow! It’s as big as Alex’s building,” I said as the elevator zoomed to the top floor. “I’m glad you’re showing me where you work, but why are we here?”“I’m interviewing the COO of Daley’s Electronics, and I wanted you to sit in on the meeting,” Victor replied.“What’s a COO?”“Chief Operating Officer,” Victor explained. “They’re sometimes called the vice president of a company. They’re the second in command and work closely with supervisors and department heads during d
After Alex fell asleep, I still hadn’t heard from Victor, so I texted him. There was no way I could sleep tonight until I spoke to him.Could those men really stop me from running the company?I couldn’t sit still, so I left Alex’s bedroom to walk the halls of the mansion.I ended up in the ballroom, looking at the portraits of my ancestors that hung in gilded frames in a long row across one wall.I stopped in front of the portrait of my great-grandfather, Blake Colby Wilson.Earlier, Alex had compared me to this serious, professional-looking man who was his grandfather.He had to be teasing. How could I fill the shoes of this man?Maybe those men from the Board of Directors were right about me. But even if I could run the business, they may not let me try because I’m a young woman.I walked across the room to the portrait of my parents and looked up at my mother’s face.From everything I’ve been told about her, she was more than beautiful. She was caring, intelligent, and incredibly
After a decent night’s sleep, I climbed out of bed and got ready for school. Jennifer entered my room in time to help me with my hair and makeup.“There’s some kind of a ruckus outside,” she told me as she dried my hair with a round brush.“What do you mean?”“It sounds like a bunch of voices just outside the front door,” she replied. “Benson went out to deal with it, and he didn’t look happy.”“I better go down and see what’s going on,” I said.Jennifer rushed to get me ready to leave for school, and I went downstairs.As I was crossing the foyer, I heard the sound of many voices shouting questions at the same time outside the mansion’s front entrance.Panic raced through me. I had heard that sound once before when Victor had to use his Alpha voice to save me from being crushed outside the school.It was the sound of dozens of reporters shouting questions.Why were they here? Victor released a statement when Alex was in the hospital and another when he came home. What would make them
When the school day was over, I couldn’t leave because the reporters had returned.I watched them through the safety glass at the school's front entrance. There seemed to be more of them than there were this morning.How could I reach the gate to meet Victor with the reporters waiting to pounce on me?I texted Victor and told him I couldn’t leave the school because reporters had me trapped inside the building.He instructed me to wait inside the school for him.I was curious as to what he was going to do. The last time he used his Alpha voice to get them to stop crushing me. What was his plan this time?Within a few minutes, he came through the double doors and motioned for me to follow him outside.Instead of football players, Victor brought the police. At least twenty officers held the crowd of reporters and onlookers back while Victor and I walked to his car safely.As the reporters continued to shout questions, Victor and I sped away from the school and toward Alex’s office buildi
I woke to the enticing scent of dark roast coffee. I stretched and realized I had slept more than I thought I would that previous night. The smell of coffee grew stronger, and I felt steam on my nose.Opening my eyes, I saw Amy standing over me, waving a mug under my nose. “Wakey wakey,” she crooned. “It’s your wedding day. Victor expects to see you at the chapel in two hours.”I reached for the mug and took a sip. The coffee was laced with dark chocolate almond milk and a touch of steamed heavy cream.“Mmm, thanks, Amy. It’s just the way I like it,” I said. “This is such a treat.” I stretched again and took another sip.“Enjoy it, but don’t dawdle in bed,” Amy put her makeup bag on the nightstand. “You need to get in the shower and wash your hair. Anna will be here to help us soon.”After waiting for this day to come for so long, I was both ecstatic and a little nervous that something would go wrong.“Is it really going to happen?” I asked my best friend. “Am I really going to be his
Kayla kept her word. The estate that we named Juniper Acres because of the dozens of Juniper trees on the grounds became ours a few days after my talk with her.I liked the small trees. They had a pleasant, fresh, and woodsy scent, and the blue/ green berries were pretty and had many uses.Besides making arrangements for our wedding, Victor and I spent the last three weeks getting our mansion ready for us to move in. It was a labor of love, knowing it was all ours.We painted some of the rooms in different colors that we preferred. I especially liked the shade of yellow that we painted our breakfast room.Like Alex’s mansion, our breakfast room had many windows facing east for plenty of natural sunlight. We would enjoy our mornings together, enjoying our first cup of coffee in the room.The living room now had comfy, overstuffed furniture in light blue and walnut. The carpets and drapes were neutral colors that set off the polished wooden floors.It was an inviting room. I looked forw
Victor called the realtor while I stood beside him with my fingers crossed. There had to be a way to fix the snag, whatever it was. The estate was perfect for us. We couldn’t lose it.I heard the realtor’s voice when she answered his call. “Victor, I’m sorry for giving you bad news.”“What’s the problem?” Victor asked. His voice was calm, but I saw the tension on his face.“The current owners of the Juniper Lane estate are two granddaughters of previous deceased owners. One of the young women refuses to sell to Miss Wilson.”Puzzled, Victor and I looked at each other.“Why?” Victor asked.“She claims Miss Wilson did something to cause her problems in the past,” the realtor responded. “I can’t change her mind. She refuses to sign the papers to finalize the sale.“Does she know the size of the offer we made?” Victor asked as I searched my memory for the identity of the granddaughter.But I couldn’t think of who I had angered that much. I shrugged at Victor and did a palms up.“Who is sh
“I’m sorry,” I said and knelt down to pick up the pieces of broken glass.“That’s alright, Miss Wilson,” Benson said. “Thomas will take care of the mess.” He motioned to a footman. “Let me get you another glass of tea.”“Are you okay, Daisy?” Cassidy asked. “We shouldn’t have shocked you with the news in front of guests.”I shook my head and tried to smile. “No, I’m fine. I was just surprised. Congratulations. I’m happy for both of you.” But was I? I had been an only child since Alex found me.Even though I knew Alex would continue to love me, my only experience with having a sibling wasn’t a positive one. Andrea enjoyed making my life miserable.So, I wasn’t sure how I felt about having a half-sister or brother. However, I was sure Alex and Cassidy wouldn’t treat me like the Smiths, and I’m optimistic the baby wouldn’t be like Andrea.But what would change in my life?“Are you sure, sweetheart?” Alex asked. He looked concerned, and even though I had been shocked, I didn’t want to spo
Victor’s POVDaisy was terrified. I could tell she was afraid her stutter would return. If she was scared enough, it could happen. She needed my love and support.I stepped forward to kiss her cheek and whispered in her ear, “No matter what, I love you. But you can do this. I’m right here with you. Pick one person in the crowd and talk to them.”Daisy gave me a weak smile, and I saw her take a deep, trembling breath. She looked out at the crowd of strange faces, and I knew the instant she saw someone she recognized.It was Amy, standing with Justin, William, and Penny among the sea of reporters. They must have heard about the press conference and come to support us. They were true friends.I sensed Daisy was relaxing, and she began to speak.“When I was seventeen, I worked in a restaurant owned by my best friend’s father. While waiting on customers and bussing tables, I dreamed of going to college and getting my law degree.“I wanted to use that degree to help the werewolf classes who
Victor and I freshened up while trying to think about what we wanted to say. Then we went back downstairs and watched the reporters and news anchors arrive outside the mansion.“There are so many,” I said. “I’ve never seen this many reporters at once before.”“They are coming from other cities to be here,” Shane said. “Your and Victor’s vision for the future is big news. There are rumors that Victor is going to quit the leadership, and you’re moving away from Denhurst.”Findlay snorted. “I heard that rumor, along with several crazier ones. I think the people need to be reassured of your good intentions for everyone.”“I can understand that,” Victor said. “How about you, Daisy?”All I could do was nod. I understood, but I was growing nervous about going out there in front of such a large crowd of reporters and photographers. There were so many. It was like a sea of people forming over the vast front lawn.My hands began to tremble when the estate staff began moving the temporary stage
I cried all the way back to the mansion. Amy remained silent, patting my arm occasionally and handing me tissues when I needed them.She pulled into the driveway and to the front entrance before she spoke.“It looks like Alex has company,” she said. “Who’s limos are they?”I punched the seat. “That one is Lana’s, and the one pulling in next to us is Lily James’s. The nerve of that pushy woman. She followed us!”“But look, Daisy,” Amy pointed toward the front doors. “Victor is here.”I wiped my eyes and saw Victor coming toward me. He opened the car door and took me into his arms.“Don’t cry, sweetheart,” he crooned. “Gisele called and told me what happened. So I had Findlay call everyone here for a quick meeting to set them all straight.”I stopped crying and nodded even though I wasn’t sure it would help.“This nonsense will stop now,” Victor took my hand and helped me from the car.We waited for Amy to put the baby in the stroller before going inside.I looked around the foyer, unab
Victor’s mouth opened, but no words came out at first. Then he shook off his surprise.“Are you serious?” he asked.“Yes, I’ve been thinking about it for weeks,” I replied.Why did Victor look so shocked? During the few times we had spoken about kids, he said he wanted a family.Tears stung my eyes, and I turned away from him. “Maybe I shouldn’t have brought it up.”Victor gently turned me around. “I know you’ve been upset since Amy had the baby, but I didn’t know it was because you want one too.”“When I first held Brendre, I felt such a rush of love that it was all I could think about for days,” I explained. “I never thought much of babies before. I think it's because my adoptive parents rejected me when they had their own baby.”“That makes sense.” Victor took my hand and started walking down the beach again. “Anyone would feel that way.”“Holding Amy’s baby made me realize I very much want to be a mother,” I said. “And I don’t want to wait a long time to start our family.”“What a
Daisy’s POVI couldn't believe Victor was leaving. Couldn’t he stay with me at the beach house for just one day?An emptiness in the pit of my stomach started when he turned to leave. It grew after he went out the door. Through our bond, I felt his painful, churning emotions and wondered if he was finished with me.I couldn’t lose him! I’d return to Denhurst this minute and marry him in any ceremony his mother wanted. The only thing that really mattered about my wedding was Victor must be the groom.I had to stop him from leaving. I needed to know what was on his mind and in his heart.Running out the door after him, I saw him climb into his car and start the engine.“No!” I cried as I jumped in front of the Lamborghini. “Don’t leave me, Victor. I love you!”The Lamborghini’s engine stopped, and Victor leaped out of the driver’s seat. He hurried to my side.“Why won’t you stay with me?” I asked.“I thought you wanted to be here alone,” Victor replied. His body was trembling with emoti