After I shifted for the very first time, nothing else mattered except the urge to run. My yearning to be outside in the night, racing across the land, was overwhelming. It was far worse than any craving I had ever experienced.“Let’s go,” Diana pleaded. “There is a door to the outside just over there.”Diana was right. I hurried to the door to the left of the dais and growled as I threw myself at the release bar that would unlatch the door.To my relief, the door opened, and I rushed outside.The night was a totally different experience in my wolf form. I could see as well as I could during the day, and I could smell everything around me.And not only the smell of things nearby. Intriguing scents also drifted to my nostrils on the wind.“They smell delicious, don’t they?” Diana said. “We should track them and discover what prey is nearby.”But on my way around the west wing, I passed by the darkened windows of the game room and saw my reflection in the glass.“That can’t be me … I mea
William and Victor’s wolves growled menacingly at each other. The rivalry between the two Alpha wolves felt like sparks flying through the air.They growled louder, bared their teeth, and circled each other as if looking for the opportunity to attack.I held my breath as I waited for them to break into combat. I couldn’t stand knowing that they were fighting about me.What did they think fighting each other would accomplish?When the growling advanced to intense snarls, Diana and I yelled, “Both of you, stop fighting right this minute.”“How dare either of you think something that will affect the rest of my life could be settled with your teeth?”The two wolves immediately separated and sat back on their haunches. But they both still had their ears flattened against their heads, and the tip of William’s tail twitched in agitation.“That’s better,” I told them. “Now listen to me; I will choose my mate. I won’t be fought over like I’m a carnival prize.”Victor’s wolf Adam began to argue
Gradually, all the guests left, and the four of us were left alone in the ballroom. I was glad they were gone.As I watched the last stragglers wander out the door, my anger towards the gossipers deflated, and the full weight of what had happened fell upon me.I followed Alex out the ballroom door and down the long hallway with Victor and William close behind me.They were no longer fighting, but they weren’t speaking either.The looks they exchanged were more awkward than ever, and they did not seem like the same happy Victor and William that I knew.I didn’t blame them for being upset. None of us knew what was going to happen. But this fantastic event was going to change our lives.One she-wolf cannot have two Fated Mates. It wouldn’t work. Jealousy would tear the three of us apart.Before this night, I was unsure how Victor and William felt about me.I knew I had a crush on William but we were still friends. Victor just wanted me to secure his position as our Alpha leader.Now, the
I knew what William wanted to talk about. He looked as edgy as I felt.Hopefully, he wouldn’t say anything that would make my decision harder. Still, I would bet he wanted to ask me about the decision between him and Victor.I was a little hesitant to hear what he had to say.My mind was already spinning while trying to make sense of everything. But the look in his eyes had made it impossible for me to say I didn’t want to talk to him right now.He sat down on the other end of the couch and turned toward me.“I am surprised that you did not choose Victor right away. Isn’t he your fiancé?”I began fidgeting with the fabric of my robe. What could I tell him that wouldn’t betray Victor and the deal we had made?It would be embarrassing for William to know that Victor was helping me attract him in exchange for my agreeing to be Victor’s fake fiancé.It sounded more than a bit silly to me now. I wondered if fate was playing a trick by giving me a double-mate bond with William and Victor be
After my discussion with Diana, I fell into a deep, dreamless sleep. I woke up around noon feeling like I was making the right decision.I took a long shower to clear my mind and then took my time getting ready for my day. I would need all the confidence I could muster.I was putting my hair in a loose ponytail when I heard my cell phone ring. Victor’s name was on the caller ID screen.“Good morning, Daisy,” Victor said after I answered. His voice was light and teasing. “Or should I say good afternoon? I hope you slept well.”“I slept okay,” I said as I applied a little lip gloss. It was the one cosmetic I now used regularly.“I hope William didn’t keep you talking for very long last night. You looked tired when I left.” His super casual tone made me think he was fishing for answers.“We only spoke for a couple of minutes.” I didn’t feel right telling Victor what was on William’s mind, although he could probably guess correctly.I decided to do some fishing myself.“William’s wolf was
Victor was correct. The first event we attended was an opening at the most prestigious art gallery in the city.I always enjoyed seeing paintings and sculptures on public display in the city. So I was looking forward to it.It was definitely not a jeans and T-shirt kind of event, so I wore an outfit from my closet that Jennifer had bought when I first moved into Alex‘s mansion.The teal jumpsuit with rhinestone accents around the collar fit me perfectly. Paired with rhinestone studded kitten-heel sandals, Jennifer said I looked perfect.The way Victor looked at me when he picked me up confirmed her opinion.“That looks very nice on you,” he said. “And I like the way your hair is arranged to one side. You look very chic.”“Thank you, Victor,” I said. “I hope my wardrobe holds out through the blitz of social engagements in the coming weeks.”“It’s a good excuse to go shopping,” he teased. “You haven’t put much of a dent in your debit card balance yet.”We arrived at the gallery and join
I deeply regretted my error of the previous day, and rehashing it in my mind kept me awake until midnight.The next morning, I woke determined to forget about it, and I promised myself I would never commit the same breach of manners again.Just because a lot of Alphas act like jerks it doesn't mean I had to be like them.After breakfast, I decided to study for a while. I had a werewolf history exam coming up. So I headed for the library.I had been studying for about an hour when my phone vibrated. I opened the text message and couldn’t believe who sent it.My heart squirmed in my chest when I read a message from someone claiming to be Lana Klein, Victor’s mother. She extended an invitation to me for tea that afternoon at the Klein Mansion.The woman said she was sorry she missed my ball, but she and Victor’s father had been enjoying a tropical island vacation.It became hard for me to breathe as my panic and excitement crashed in on me. I was invited to Victor’s parents’ house for te
Could my luck get any worse?The woman I was rude to at the art opening is Victor’s mother.I squirmed and felt my legs shake beneath me as Lana Klein continued to look at me over the top of her reading glasses.Should I apologize right away or try to defend my actions? Or should I wait to see what she has to say first?I wasn’t sure if I could speak at all, but Diana advised me to be silent until the older woman spoke again.“You’ll have a better idea of how she feels about you if you wait to see what she has to say,” Diana advised.But Victor’s mother continued to write what appeared to be a letter and ignored me while I stood in front of her, struggling not to fidget.“I can’t believe anyone writes a letter on paper anymore,” I told Diana. “It’s much easier to email someone.”“Mrs. Klein seems to be of the old school,” Diana replied. “The old ways and old manners mean a great deal to her, as they should.”“How long do you think I have to stand here waiting?” I asked Diana. “My anxi
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