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,
Victor didn’t see me approach the table until I stood right beside him.I seethed when I saw the woman sitting next to him was even more beautiful up close. She had long, gorgeous, copper-colored hair, deep blue eyes, and huge breasts that she showed off in a severely low-cut and clingy royal blue dress.She was older than Victor, in her early thirties, and diamonds glittered in her ears and at her throat. She was the type of Alpha I disliked the most.Anger flashed through me again when she laid a well-manicured hand on Victor’s bicep once more while laughing at something he said.“That must have been some meeting,” I said, doing my best to control my temper.I took several deep breaths and forced myself to think about something pleasant. I didn’t want to make a scene, but I had to tell Victor I caught him being his old playboy self again.But then Victor looked up at me and smiled! My hands balled into fists at my sides, and my heart raced. Did he have no shame!“Everyone, I would l
I was ready and waiting at six forty-five on Sunday morning. After canceling my plans with Victor the previous evening, I went to bed after a long run and slept until five a.m.I grabbed a piece of toast and a banana from the kitchen before telling Alex goodbye. He was still in bed, but he gave me a wave and a sleepy smile as I backed out of his bedroom.Dressed in Capris, a t-shirt, and a hoodie, I waited outside for William and his family to pick me up.I was determined not to think about Victor all day as I enjoyed the lake and William’s company. I’m sure he didn’t spend his time thinking about me.All he said when I told him I wasn’t going to the party was, “Okay. Get some rest.”“Don’t let him ruin your day,” Diana said. “You need a break from everything, including him. All will be well again in time, Daisy.”“You’re right.” I shook my head and forced him from my mind. The incident at Gray’s told me I needed to distance myself from Victor for a while. We had become much too close
The chauffeur had to drive slowly after he turned onto the dirt drive that led to the cabin. The van couldn’t handle the ruts and rocks of the driveway like Victor’s pickup truck did.Despite his caution, we bounced along for several minutes until the van stopped.When we saw water from a small side window, I unhooked my seatbelt. William and I hurried out of the van and down to the dock as soon as the van stopped in front of the cabin.I put my hands in the air and cheered. I was back, and the lake was as beautiful as the last time I was here.We sat on the dock together, took off our shoes, and soaked our feet while we watched the water. A large trout jumped nearby, and I giggled with delight.We didn’t realize how much time had passed until Lily sent the chauffeur to tell us lunch was ready.“Did the chauffeur make our picnic lunch, or did your mother?” I asked on our way to the table that was set up on the cabin’s front porch.“Neither. Our cook was sitting up front next to the ch
Victor’s POV“Have you heard from Daisy?” I asked Benson when he answered his phone. “Is she home?”I hated to wake him in the middle of the night. But after hearing nothing from her all evening, I texted Daisy at midnight and still got no reply.I thought perhaps she wasn’t answering my phone calls or texts on purpose. My meek and mild fiancée had a temper.Still, it had been a surprise when Daisy canceled going to the party with me last night. I knew she was angry with me over Trina, but ever since this afternoon, I couldn’t shake the feeling she was frightened and in danger.“No, Mr. Klein,” Benson replied. “I’ve been waiting for her to return. She was expected hours ago. Mr. Wilson is concerned there was an accident.”Have you tried calling her?” I asked. Surely, Daisy would answer her phone for Alex or Benson. She wouldn’t worry them like this.“We can’t reach her or Mr. James by phone,” Benson said. I heard the concern in his voice. “We’re thinking about calling the state police
“I have to go to William’s football game this week,” I told Amy as we sat on our bench outside the school. “I promised him I would be there.”“I would go with you if Dad didn’t need me to work after school until six,” Amy insisted. “Cari can’t come in to work her shift until then. It’s a Friday night, and there will be a lot of prep work.”“I miss you. We don’t spend any time together anymore,” I sighed.I did miss my friend. One of us was always busy, and it felt like we were drifting further apart every day. There had to be a way for us to connect again.“We could go to the diner for burgers and then the bookstore sometime,” Amy suggested. “Turn the Page got a shipment of used books this week.”Yay! Amy must miss spending time with me too. And Turn the Page is the best used bookstore in the city. Amy and I went there several times a month in my old life.“That’s a fantastic idea,” I said. “They probably have some terrific old books I could buy to add to Alex's library.”“Does Monday
Jennifer woke me at quarter to six with a tray of sandwiches and sweet tea. It wouldn’t be polite to gobble all the party food like I was starving, and I hadn’t eaten since lunch.But my head was fuzzy from sleep, and I wasn’t the least bit hungry. I took a shower to wake up. The warm water felt good as it washed away the cobwebs from my mind.Afterward, I munched on the sandwiches while Jennifer dried my hair and arranged it in a messy bun that looked great.My teeth were brushed, and my makeup was perfect when it was time to slip on my new sage green cocktail dress. I loved the way the pearl sequins across the skirt caught the light.With the matching kitten heel sandals on my feet, I was ready to go.Victor arrived on time, and we left for the party about a mile away.I spotted Mr. Gray’s pickup truck before I got out of the Lamborghini. The old truck stuck out at a party full of Aston Martins, Mercedes, and Ferraris.But I didn’t see Amy anywhere. “Amy,” I called. “We’re going ins
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