Victor’s POVMy dinner meeting had wrapped up, and I was walking out of Gilded when I spotted William walking toward me.“Victor, I’m glad I ran into you,” he said. “We need to talk about Daisy.”Before I could speak, the valet pulled up with my car. I handed them a tip and told William to climb in.I drove a few blocks to a city park. It was almost dark, so it was easy to find a parking slot.William and I got out of the car, and I beeped on the security system with my key fob before we began to walk through the park.“What’s on your mind?” I asked.“Have you noticed how different Daisy is these days?” he asked.“In what way?” I inquired.“She’s turning into… one of us. And that’s not who Daisy is,” William replied. “All she thinks about anymore is business, contacts, and raising money.”“She recently accomplished something many Alphas only dream about,” I explained. “And she did it while under attack from a leader of the Alpha business world.”“I understand that,” William said. “But
Instead of going to my room, I hurried to the music room and sat on the piano bench. The soft light from the hallway made the freshly waxed antique wood glow.I was upset and didn’t want to talk about it with Jennifer. It wasn’t something she would understand. I knew she would be hovering near my room, waiting for me to get home and get ready for bed.My fingers brushed over the smooth ivory piano keys as my eyes began to mist with tears.I hated being at odds with Victor. He was always good to me, but he made me so angry tonight.My instincts told me that the young Alpha I was speaking to was not to be trusted. I was looking for a way to turn him down gently when Victor swooped in and acted like a jealous jerk.Everyone except the people closest to me have been treating me with respect since I passed the test. But Victor was the worst. He still acted like I was a child who needed to be watched every second.His eyes were on me the entire time we were at the party. At any other time,
I had wanted this to happen for such a long time. I’ve even dreamed about this moment many times.Yet, I couldn’t not notice it made me feel totally different from when Victor almost kissed me.I didn’t understand why, but being almost kissed by Victor felt like being struck by lightning, while with William, it was more like the exhilaration of watching the storm from my balcony.My body responded to him but in a different way.I needed time to think. Maybe I was just frightened by surrendering my first kiss. It should be perfect and with a person I loved and who loved me.William sensed my shift in mood. He released me from his arms, and I pulled away.It was confusing. I always thought I would feel something magical to have a male who looks like William want to kiss me. Like in the movies and in books I’ve read.After all, William is the school’s football star and a muscular blonde Adonis. Many girls would love to be in his arms like I was. They would gladly accept his kiss.Why did
William stopped a moment before I reached his side and turned him to face me.“I want to go with you to the lake,” I said. “Truly I do.” My voice and body were trembling with emotion. “I promise I will go with you unless there is a disaster happening with the company.”I had to make things right with my friends. I knew I had changed, and was still changing, and it must be hard for everyone around me.My closest friends, Amy, William, and Victor, saw I wasn’t the same person I used to be. It had to be hard for them when I didn’t react or think exactly like I used to.They needed to know that just because I was becoming successful and had ambitions, it didn’t mean I didn’t care about them. I still needed them in my life. I had to show them how much they still meant to me.Without my three best friends, my life would be lonely beyond bearing. I realized I must make time for them and make them feel as important as they are to me.“I’m sorry if I seem different to you,” I said in a shaky v
Victor shut the driver's door and walked around to the front of the car.“Daisy, I’m sorry if I seemed angry,” he said. “But you should go inside. It's getting late, and you need your rest.”Frustrated, I put my hands on my hips. “How am I supposed to rest when my friends keep getting mad at me?”I kept going, releasing my anger. “If it’s not Amy making me feel guilty, it’s you or William. I’m doing my best to make everybody happy and keep up with my obligations at the same time.”I was shaking, and I turned away, not wanting Victor to see the tears starting to well in my eyes. But I had enough of feeling guilty.Victor turned me around to face him. “I’m not trying to make you feel guilty. And I’m sorry if I was too bossy earlier. I really was trying to help you.”“Two of the men you were speaking with tonight have horrible reputations as scam artists,” Victor said. “I wanted to spare you the hassle of making a mistake by dealing with them. And getting into a car alone with them could
It was great to see Amy so cheerful the next morning. She greeted me on the bench outside the school with a big smile.“Hey, did you get any sleep last night?” I asked as I slid into the bench next to her.“After we hung up, I slept like a baby,” she replied. “I can’t wait to see your office. It's the first thing I've had to look forward to in weeks.”“Your dad is okay with you going with me?”“Yeah,” she replied. “He’s hoping it snaps me out of my funk over Justin. He said I can hang out with you whenever I want.”“That’s great,” I said. “You’re welcome to spend time at my office with me whenever you feel like it.”It was a relief to see Amy in a more cheerful mood, and I was looking forward to the afternoon with her.Time seemed to slow down after I reported to my homeroom and my school day began. I couldn’t wait for it to be time to leave for my office.The highlight of my school day was seeing William in werewolf history, where we spoke briefly, and although we couldn’t talk in cl
But it was too late.“Debbie is great,” Amy sang as she appeared at my door.Her joyous expression faded when she saw the three Alpha girls standing around my desk.When the trio saw Amy, I could tell they had correctly guessed she was a Beta.They took one look at the second-hand store denim skirt and pink top Amy wore that was devoid of designer labels and instantly decided she wasn’t worth their time.Amy saw it on their faces, and anger and humiliation burned in her soft brown eyes. I used to feel the same way when confronted by Alphas.Sometimes, deep inside, I still did.I knew she was deciding if she should leave. I didn’t blame her. It’s what I would have done.I couldn’t let that happen after I invited her here to spend time with me. It wouldn’t be fair to Amy or me.Plus, she was feeling fragile since her relationship with Justin seemed to be falling apart. She needed me a lot more than the Alpha girls did.Maybe I should let Megan and the others know Amy was dear to me. Tha
“I mean it, Daisy,” Amy said. “Why don’t you like Justin? You’ve never even met him!”“Yes. I don’t know him, Amy, but ….” I began.I had to explain how I discovered he was an Alpha and how Victor and I went to his apartment and demanded he tell Amy the truth.She also needed to know that the result of that meeting was him leaving for the other coast.She would be furious with us both, but I think more so with me. I should have told her the truth from the beginning.“If you don’t know him, how can you not like him?” Amy fumed.“Amy, I'm sorry,” I began again. “It’s not that I don’t like Justin. I don’t know him well enough to say that. But I’m afraid he’s going to hurt you …he has been hurting you, and ….”A loud knock at my door made us both jump.“Come in,” I called, glad for a reprieve. I needed time to think of gentle words to break the news to her and not just blurt out whatever came to my mind.William popped his head into the room, followed by the rest of his fine self.“Hello,
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