Jennifer and I were enjoying the drive. It was a beautiful afternoon with lots of sunshine and a few fluffy clouds dotting the deep blue sky.With William giving Victor directions, I saw signs for Lake Pocono after we were on the road for almost two hours.Victor turned off the highway onto a road that led to a small town. We passed a grocery store, a post office, a hardware store, a police station, and several homes.The road became narrower and tree-lined as we continued out of the town. A moment later, I was thrilled when we saw blue water between the trees. It was the lake!“Watch for a blue mailbox on this side of the road,” William said. “The driveway to our lake house is directly across from it.”We were almost there!All four of us watched the side of the road, looking for the blue mailbox.Jennifer saw it first. “There it is!”We all chuckled at her enthusiasm, but I felt the same way. I couldn’t wait to get there.Victor turned back the narrow dirt lane that wound closer and
After I announced my decision, nobody argued with me. Yet the tension in the cabin continued to build as nighttime came closer.We ate our delicious supper of cheeseburgers and potato salad washed down with iced tea while William told us the history of the lake.“The town was built in the early 1800s by a group of Alphas who rented the land near here to Betas for farming,” he said.“The lakefront property was sold to other Alphas for vacation homes about a hundred years ago, and now there are about two dozen cabins around the lake.”“Betas in this area still farm the land or live within the town, working in the shops and stores.”“Has your family owned the property for a long time?” Victor asked.“No,” William replied. “My parents bought it last year as an investment. When I left the city after Daisy’s ball, it was the first time I had been here.”After the meal, I taught the guys dishwashing skills before we all went onto the porch to watch the sunset over the lake.It was stunning.
Victor’s POVAfter we watched Daisy and Jennifer walk around to the rear of the cabin, William and I shifted into our human forms and retrieved our clothes from my truck bed.“What did you want to talk about?” William asked as he pulled on his shirt.“I think you know what I want to talk about,” I replied. “We need to discuss what’s going on between us with Daisy.”William silently sat on the porch steps to put on his shoes and socks. I waited until he was finished before speaking because I wanted him to hear every word I said.“William, we are friends,” I began. “And I would like to remain friends with you. You are a good person, and we have always gotten along well.”“I’ve always admired you, Victor,” William admitted. “You’ve always known what you wanted, and you worked hard to get these things, but ….”“But?” I knew what was on his mind, but I needed him to say it first.“I respect the fact that you and Daisy are engaged,” William began. “But that engagement was arranged before Da
I couldn’t stand not knowing what William and Victor were talking about. I didn’t want to be nosy, but I couldn’t help being curious.I listened to the latter part of their conversation through the open window of the darkened living room and discovered they were talking about me.It was no surprise that Victor sensed William’s desire to explore a relationship with me. However, I thought William’s idea that Victor was in love with me was absurd.Besides Amy, these two men were my best friends. I was glad they would stay friends with each other.It was also a relief that they understood I would choose my mate. But there were so many changes in my life that I wasn’t ready to take a mate yet.It was just as well. No matter my feelings, my deal with Victor must be fulfilled. I was his fiancée until he became the leader of the Alpha Alliance.The scent of the other werewolves drifted to my nostrils a second after Victor mentioned it. It had to be the wolves from the field across the lake.W
I woke up early, feeling rested and ready for the day. The cabin was silent as I crept to the bathroom.After getting dressed, I went downstairs. Victor was sound asleep in the chair with his feet on the coffee table.I went to the kitchen and got a glass of juice and a banana before slipping out the back door.At the edge of the dock, I sat down to drink my juice, eat my banana, and watch the morning sun glimmer off the tiny ripples that spread across the lake.I just finished my banana when a strange pair of sneakers appeared at my side. I looked up and saw a girl who appeared to be about my age.She had a pretty face surrounded by gorgeous auburn hair. She was petite with a curvy figure and was dressed in shorts and a sweatshirt that advertised a baseball team.“Mind if I sit with you?” The girl asked. She had a brilliant smile that made me smile too.“Sure,” I replied and moved my glass of juice closer to me.“I’m Lexi,” she said and put out her hand for me to shake.I shook her h
Panic coursed through me when I heard Victor’s words. Everyone had been so friendly to us at the barbecue. Why would they be following us now?Maybe it was a trap. I could hear and smell the wolves running behind us too.With my body quivering, I looked around for a place to shift in private.“Over here, Miss,” Jennifer called. “Come behind this pine tree with me to shift.”I hurried behind the low-hanging boughs and kicked off my sneakers. But before I could remove anything else, I heard a girl calling my name.“Daisy, where are you?” It was Lexi. “Wait for me.”“Who’s with you, Lexi?” I asked. “Just my cousin, Cara. My brothers were following you, but I told them to go home, or I would tell Dad.”I came out from behind the pine tree and found Lexi and another petite young girl with auburn hair.“But we smelled wolves behind us,” I said. It didn’t make sense.“Yeah. Lucas and Liam shifted before they followed you,” Lexi explained. “They can be buttheads, but they wouldn’t hurt you. T
We did as Alex asked, and we found him at his desk in his home office, looking every inch the CEO.It was the first time I had seen him in one of his expensive suits since he had been admitted to the hospital. He was cleanly shaven, and not a hair on his head was out of place.His computer was running in front of him.“I have one of my lawyers going to the meeting,” Alex said. “He’s going to make sure they put me on screen.”We sat down where we couldn’t be seen by the computer’s web camera and waited. I couldn’t help bouncing my leg with anticipation.Finally, the computer came to life, and I could hear John Cameron’s voice. “Alex, you shouldn’t have gotten out of bed for this meeting.“ he said.“I’m fine,” Alex said. “But thank you for your concern, John.” Alex’s voice was strong and confident. “What is the purpose of this sudden meeting on a Sunday night?”“Evidently, you’ve heard what it’s about, or you wouldn’t be sitting in on the meeting,” John Cameron snapped.“Yes, I heard,”
I didn’t want to visit Justin and be the cause of him breaking my best friend’s heart. But how could I allow him to keep lying to her?Why would he want her to think he was a Beta instead of an Alpha unless he was trying to fit in and use her?I cringed when I met Amy outside the school, and she asked me what I had wanted to talk about the previous evening.I couldn’t tell her I was going to visit her lying boyfriend to get him to confess to her he was an Alpha.It felt kind of wrong to interfere this way. But I love Amy and can’t stand the thought of her being used.“I had a fight with Victor, and I needed to talk about it,” I replied. It was the truth, just not the whole truth.“Are you sure?” Amy asked. “It sounded like something worse was going on than you guys fighting again.”“Yeah, everything’s okay,” I said, feeling guilty for not telling her I was checking out her boyfriend that afternoon. But it was for her own good.The bell rang before I had to say anything else, and we ma
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