“So, what did you want to talk about, Daisy?“ William asked as he pulled out of the school parking lot.“I noticed you don’t talk much to your friends," I said. “ You are a popular football player. Yet you seemed uncomfortable at the pizzeria.”William shrugged. “Those guys I play football with are okay, but I don’t know them very well, and they don’t really know me.”“I know what that’s like,“ I told him. “I spent most of my life with people who were supposed to be my family, yet they barely knew me. And they didn’t really want to know me.““Amy seems like a great friend,“ William said.“I’m lucky to have her,“ I said. “She’s been my only friend and made my life bearable when I lived with my foster family. They didn’t want me after they had their own child. But they were stuck with me.”“I sorta know what you mean. The guys on the football team and my other so-called friends are all Alphas, and they don’t get me. And I think they’re boring, snobbish, and selfish,” William explained.”
I found Alex in the main living room, relaxing in front of the television. I could tell he slept well last night.I entered the room and sat on the couch near him with a big smile.“How was your day, darling?“ Alex asked.“It was okay, but I need to talk to you about something.”“I always have time for you, my darling girl.” He turned off the television set, sat up straight, and put his feet on the floor. “I’m listening, sweetheart.”I decided to go straight to the point. “I’d like you to invite a friend of mine and his family to dinner soon.”“Are you talking about your friend Amy?”“No, there is someone else I’ve made friends with,” I replied. “He’s a wonderful person.”“A young man friend. Hmm,” Alex said to himself. “Who is his family?” Alex asked. “Do I know them?”“William comes from an old Alpha family,” I replied. “They’re good people. They’re loyal to the United Association of Alphas and you.”Alex looked surprised. “Are you referring to young William James?”I nodded. “Yes.”
Alex and I were waiting in the drawing room when William and his parents arrived. William and I exchanged nervous smiles before Alex shook hands with him and his father.Benson made sure everyone was comfortable before serving cocktails, and then he discreetly left the room.I was happy to see Alex get along well with Mr. and Mrs. James. Everyone was relaxed by the time we made our way to the dining room to eat a delicious meal that the cook had prepared.During dessert, Mr. James began to talk about Alex's illness."I am glad to see you looking healthy as usual. We are also constantly searching for new methods of treatment for you," Mr. James said."I will follow the fate that the Moon Goddess has planned for me. I am already grateful enough to find my daughter and have her back," Alex said while patting my shoulder."Will Daisy take over your business one day?" Mr. James asked."I hope she will, but she doesn’t seem that interested in business, and she barely has any time to try any
Victor’s POVI was invited to the dinner with William and his parents, but I thought things would go better for Daisy without me.Instead, I had an extremely rare steak at my favorite restaurant and planned on a quiet evening at home. But as I was getting back into my car, I had the urge to find out if the dinner was successful.After all, it was my idea.But when I got to Alex’s mansion and peeked into the drawing room, I discovered Morton and Lily James were still there, having brandy with Alex.Where were William and Daisy?Feeling like a spy, I backed away from the doorway. Why was I sneaking around Alex’s home, peeking into the rooms?However, I knew I didn’t want to announce myself and be trapped into making small talk with William's parents.They were nice people but incredibly dull.So I went back to the foyer, intending to leave. But the sound of voices at the top of the staircase made me pause in an alcove.I listened to Daisy and William talking as they came downstairs and
“I must go home now,” Victor said as we left the living room. “It’s been a long day. But I’m glad things are working out well for you, Daisy.”“Thank you, Victor,” I said. “I hope things work out for you too.”And I meant it. Victor has been very helpful and kind to me lately. If he wasn’t such a selfish, rich Alpha, maybe I would like him.As we walked to the foyer, William’s father came out of the powder room and spotted us. I felt Victor cringe beside me.“Hello, Victor,” Mr. James said. He had such a booming voice. “It’s nice to see you. But it’s getting late, and I’m afraid we must be going.”“That’s too bad,” Victor said. “I’m sorry to have missed your visit and Alex's dinner, but I had other matters to attend to.”“Have you and Daisy set a date for your wedding?” Mr. James asked Victor as Alex came out of the drawing room.Victor and I exchanged looks while William looked at the floor.I wasn’t sure what to say, and I was pretty sure Victor was afraid I would let it slip that o
Victor and I followed William and Mr. and Mrs. James outside to see them off. I should have grabbed a sweater because the temperature was dropping. It was much cooler than it had been when I was in the garden with William.As I stood next to the James’s car, waiting for Mr. James to finish talking to Victor, I crossed my arms over my chest to keep from shivering.I could see my breath. It blew out of my nose and mouth in plumes, and my glasses began fogging up.Before long, I could barely see out of them, so I took them off and tried to clear the fog with my shirt tail.“Have you ever considered wearing contact lenses, Daisy?” William's mother asked me. “I think you would look much prettier.”I recalled her comments about my wetsuit and where to buy a ball gown and sighed. She may have good intentions, but I was already a bit stressed at the moment.“I think she looks fine with her glasses, Mother,” William said. It was nice to have William stick up for me.But Victor overheard the qu
After school the next afternoon, Victor was waiting in the Lamborghini by the gate. As he helped me into the car, I noticed a small white bag on the car’s dashboard.“That bag is for you,” Victor told me as he climbed behind the steering wheel. “Findlay picked them up from Dr. Martin’s office this afternoon.”“Is that my contact lenses?” I felt pangs of both anxiety and excitement as I picked up the bag and peeked inside.The bag held two plastic cases, each with two round wells that unscrewed and a squirt bottle of contact solution.I knew from an instructional video that the solution was for cleaning and storage of my contacts, but I was surprised to see that there were two pairs of contacts in the bag.“Why two pairs?” I asked.“Because contact lenses have a way of getting dropped and lost,” Victor replied. “You should always have spares.”I opened one of the round wells and briefly peeked inside at a contact lens.The round transparent plastic contact floating in a solution didn’t
“I bet you look terrific in your contacts, Daisy,” Amy told me at school a few days later. We were at our lockers, getting ready to leave for the day.“I know I should be wearing them, but they make my eyes feel dry.” I blinked a few times as I thought of it.“If you don’t wear them, you’re never gonna get used to them,” Amy said. She looked at me sideways for a moment. “Are you sure dry eyes are why you’re not wearing them?”Amy knew me so well. The truth was the contacts weren’t bad to wear most of the time, but I still worried about others thinking I was trying to be somebody I wasn’t.And me showing up at school without glasses would get everybody talking about me again.“Don’t worry, I’ll try again tomorrow,” I said. “And I’ll wear them for sure to the ball. So you’ll get to see me wearing them there.”“I appreciate you letting me wear your green gown,” Amy said. “I think it’ll be fun to dress up for a change.”“I’m glad you’re looking forward to it.” I gave her a side hug. “I ca
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