Victor’s POVI promised Daisy to tell the truth from now on and hide nothing from her. However, total honesty could make me lose the woman I love. But I made her a promise that I had to keep.“I’ll tell you what happened that made Alex test me, but please give me a chance to explain why it happened,” I said.She sat closer to me. “Okay, I’m listening, but it better be the truth.”“We need to work on trust along with honesty,” I mumbled.Daisy heard me. “I agree with that, and we’ll work on being more trustful. But for now, please tell me what you did to make Alex test you.”“I went to some bars and got drunk,” I told her. It was the truth, just not the entire truth.“Why would you getting drunk make Alex doubt your affection for me?” I heard the doubt in her tone. “There must be more to it than that.”It was harder than I thought it would be to tell Daisy what Alex saw when he walked into Moon Glow that night. I was ashamed of myself for acting the way I did, even if I had a reason fo
William’s POVI hope I’m wrong, but I’m pretty sure Daisy will choose Victor. Even though I denied it to myself, I’ve always thought they had an intense chemistry between them.You can see it whenever they are together. There’s a spark that burns brighter when they are close to each other.Yet, neither would ever admit it. Daisy always insisted they were just good friends. But a guy doesn’t do the things that Victor has done for Daisy unless he cares a great deal for her.“You have a good chance to be her mate,” my wolf told me. “She has been more physical lately, touching you and letting you kiss her.”“Yeah, I thought we were getting close. I thought I was going to be her mate. She’s changed so much since the days she spent staring at me in werewolf history class.”“You should call her,” Mark insisted. “You need to talk to her before it’s too late.”“She wants time alone to think,” I said. “She may get mad if I call her.”“It’s only a phone call,” Mark argued. “If she doesn’t want t
William had gone to a lot of trouble to invite me to the prom. His invitation included many of my favorite things. It showed me how well he knew me.It was a sweet, romantic gesture that should have thrilled me. A short time ago, it would have. But all I could think of was how I was going to tell Victor I couldn’t go to the prom with him.The look in William’s eyes was filled with hope. I couldn’t say no, especially with everyone watching us from the crowded doorways.“Yes, William,” I said loud enough for all to hear. “I will be your prom date.”William grinned from across the table. “Thank you for making me the happiest guy in the world.”“You’re welcome,” I said as I tried to smile back.“Have a taco,” William said. “I got them from the place you like.”I managed a slight smile and took a taco from the platter. It had a D made of tomato on it from the word date. The taco smelled delicious, but I doubted I could eat it.Yet, I managed a few bites after word spread that I said yes to
Hoping for an answer, I backed away from Victor, went to the window, and looked out over the city. I never should have said yes to William’s prom invitation after asking Victor first.Now I had to pick one of them to be my escort. Having two Alpha males show up at my door on prom night would be a disaster.Clearing my mind, I recalled the hopelessness and fear of the moments when I laid alongside the road, too weak and dizzy to get up. Then the memory of strong arms picking me up from the gravel alongside the road flashed through my mind.The Goddess was reminding me of how good and caring William is and that he was her choice for my mate. To choose Victor as my prom date was unthinkable.William saved my life, and he was the Goddess’s choice. He must also be mine.“Victor, there is something you need to know,” I said, thinking it would be best to get it over with quickly. But the words didn’t want to come from my mouth.“Um, William in …invited me to the …the prom today and …and I ac
Victor’s POVMy breath caught in my throat, and my stomach rolled when Daisy said she chose William as her prom date. That had to mean she wanted him for her mate.I wanted to take her in my arms and kiss her until she changed her mind. The connection between us would convince her I was her true mate.But I knew I had to abide by her decision. I cared for her too much to put that kind of pressure on her. This decision had to be her own.It was ironic that I gave William the promposal idea that helped me lose her. This wasn’t how I thought things would turn out. Adam and I were sure I would win her by not pressing her and letting William invite her to the prom.My plan had utterly backfired. Now, I had to live with the consequences.After wishing her well, I left her office and went to my car. The urge to get away from everything was overwhelming.And I wanted to drive …fast. As soon as I was out of the city and on a major highway, I opened up the Lamborghini and just drove.My phone r
From the time I hung up my phone, I began planning the words I would use to tell William I wasn’t going to the prom with him.Hurting William was the last thing I wanted to do. But he had to understand that I asked Victor to go to the prom first. William and I could still have a dance or two at the prom, but Victor had to be my escort.I left my office, said goodnight to the receptionist, and traveled down to the parking garage while rehearsing in my mind what I decided to say to him.I was satisfied that the words I chose were gentle and respectful enough to make him see that I cared about him and make him realize I had to be fair to Victor, too.William’s car was parked near the lower-level elevator doors. I opened the door and slid inside the Mustang before he could get out of the vehicle.William was studying a stack of papers and was startled by my sudden appearance in his car.“Daisy, I didn’t see you get off the elevator.” He wrestled the papers into a big envelope and tucked i
The closer we got to the mansion, the more excited I became. When William pulled the car in front of the house, I struggled to keep myself from leaping out of the Mustang and running inside to find Alex.It was only fair to wait for William. He found this potential miracle, so he should be there to tell Alex.Benson heard us at the front entrance and hurried to ask if William was staying for dinner.“Probably, but don’t worry about that right now,” I said. “Where is Alex?”“He’s in the living room,” Benson replied. “I’m afraid he’s quite tired today.”“We may have something that will make him feel better,” I said with a grin. “You should come with us, Benson. You’ll want to hear what we have to tell Alex.”Benson followed us to the living room, where we found Alex asleep on the recliner. He stirred when the three of us trooped into the room.I knelt by his side. “William and I need to tell you about something he found for you.”Alex gave me a weak smile. “Not a gift? It’s not my birth
Even though I was terrified I would lose Alex this morning, I smiled when he returned from the bathroom.Then, I began to talk about what we would do when he was well again, as Benson made him comfortable on the recliner.“We must do some traveling together,” I said. “I’ve never been farther from the city than Lake Pocono.”“That sounds wonderful, sweetheart,” Alex agreed. “There are several places I would enjoy visiting with you.”Benson tucked another blanket around Alex. “I must wait in the foyer now. The doctor will be here any moment.”Benson left the room, and I pulled a small chair close to my father. I didn’t intend to leave his side until it was over.“Have you made your choice yet between your two suitors?” Alex asked.“Not really,” I replied. “But I’m close to a decision.”Victor and William are both excellent men,” Alex stated. “I approve of either as long as you’re happy.”Our conversation was cut short when Benson returned with Dr. Stedman.“Are you sure you want to do t
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