I had to get away from Lana and the crowd. I ran out the side door and hurried to the pond pagoda.Sitting on the bench, I wiped my eyes and looked out at the water. Moonlight was flickering in the tiny ripples from the warm night breeze.I was sorry for what I’d said to Lana the second the words popped out of my mouth. She was only trying to help and deserved my respect.But it seemed like all my friends and family had their own ideas of what my wedding should be like. It was making me crazy.Like William and Penny. They knew I loved the lake, and I knew they meant well. Yet, the thought of getting married in shorts on the dock wasn’t what I wanted.However, neither was a reception at the priciest country club in Denhurst, with food by the most expensive and traditional caterer in the area.It was supposed to be my day. Why couldn’t I have it the way I wanted?“Daisy,” Victor said as he appeared on the bridge to the pagoda. “I knew I’d find you here.”His tone was kind. It made me cr
I didn’t know or care where I was going. I drove while my mind replayed all the voices with ideas of what my wedding should be over and over.Didn’t they care what I wanted? Why didn’t they ask me before pressing their ideas on me? I would never do that to another bride.To make it worse, they were friends and family, people who were supposed to care about me. Did they have no respect for my feelings?After an hour of driving over the nearby rural roads, I turned onto the highway, where I could urge the truck to go faster. It calmed the voices in my head and their suggestions for my wedding.Finally, I could think.I guess they all meant well. They probably thought they were helping me. But would any of them have liked me doing that to them?Lana and Lily were thinking similarly, and in a way, they were right. Victor’s wedding should be a serious and dignified ceremony.That’s why I wanted it held in the ancient chapel where the priestess led the ceremony to make him the leader. The
Victor’s POVDaisy burst into tears and ran down the deck stairs to the beach. Her anguish brought forth deep regret for my harsh words, and I followed her.I called her name. But instead of stopping, she ran away from me even faster. When I ran after her, she dashed into the surf.My beloved was already upset. That’s why she came here. So what did I do? I made her feel worse. How could I be such a cad?I taught Daisy how to swim, but the ocean was much different from the pagoda pond on Alex’s estate. And the beach was flagged. I had to reach her before she got into the deep waters.There were warnings against swimming today. The waves were higher than usual, and there were strong, dangerous currents in the waves.I ran as fast as I could to catch up to her. Yet, Daisy was already in water up to her waist, and the waves were pushing her around like a rag doll when they crashed into her.Fear of losing her made me freeze for a moment, and I called her name again.She didn’t respond. In
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
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
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 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
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