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
By the time I got out the Foster’s front door, Amy was almost to her dad’s truck.“Amy, wait,” I yelled as I ran toward her. “Please, I need to talk to you.”Amy struggled to unlock the truck door, but her hands shook so badly that she dropped the keys. “I don’t want to talk to you, Daisy.” She bent over and picked up the truck keys from the asphalt. “Leave me alone.”Making it to her side, I realized I was shaking just as much as Amy. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think they would do that to you.”“Is it your first day dealing with Alphas?” Amy asked, her eyes wide and glistening with tears. “You knew some of them would bully me if they had the chance, and you gave them that chance.”Amy’s lips quivered as she spoke. “I didn’t want to come to this stupid party. But I came for you,” she sobbed. “They called me horrible names that I … I can’t repeat.”Her sobs tore at my soul. I moved to put my arms around her, but she backed away.“I saw you watching.” She wiped away her tears with the back of
William called after I was home to tell me Amy was okay. He saw the truck parked behind Gray’s, and he saw her going in the back door to her family’s apartment above the restaurant.But when he called Amy’s name, she hurried inside and closed the door.I was relieved Amy was safe, but I mourned the loss of my friend. There had to be a way to win back her trust and make her see I really did care about her.I stayed home the rest of the weekend, spending time with Alex and going for runs with Diana.“Be patient and give Amy some space,” she told me on our Sunday evening run. “Eventually, she will forgive you, and you can rebuild your bond with her.”“I hope so,” I said. “I miss her already.”When I arrived at school Monday morning, my eyes immediately zeroed in on the bench under the tree where we always met each morning.It was empty.I walked over and sat down anyway, hoping Amy was running late. In my mind, I could see her hurrying toward me and plopping down on the bench while compl
Victor drained his coffee cup. “I have an errand to run near here. I’ll be back by five to take you home or maybe out to do something fun since you hid at home all weekend.”I glanced at the clock. “That sounds good. I have a meeting in ten minutes, but it should be wrapped up in a half hour.”I didn’t tell Victor any details about this meeting because I wanted him to be surprised when I pulled off a great deal for the company. I found someone in need of an investor for a profitable venture.“See you soon,” Victor said as he headed for the elevators.Soon after he left, a young Alpha named Ronald Shoup arrived. The receptionist showed him into my office and brought us coffee and water before returning to her desk.Ronald and I at a party a few weeks ago when he made me the offer, and he followed up with a meeting last week here in my office.“Did you have the contract drawn up?” I asked. I didn’t want to sound overly eager, but closing my first big deal was exciting.I wanted to exami
I wanted to run forever.Running through the high grasses or tracking small creatures in the woods kept me from thinking about Amy and my near humiliation at the hands of the parasite.For hours, Victor and I and our wolves enjoyed each other’s company and the joy of being a part of nature without any conversation to distract us.It was well after dark when we raced one last time around the field before leaping into the pagoda pond to cool off.Victor's wolf followed me into the water, and we paddled around until Victor suddenly shifted human.“What time is it?” he asked. “I’m starving.”When I didn’t answer, he swam closer, and I shifted too.“Daisy, don’t feel bad about what happened with the parasite,” Victor said. “But you need to trust your instincts more. Stop doubting yourself and start doubting strangers instead.”“I won’t be trusting anybody again,” I assured him. “Ronald cured me of that.”“There are plenty of people you can trust in this world,” Victor assured me. “Don’t le
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