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
Victor’s POVI had several reports on my desk that my employees were waiting for me to read. But every time I tried, the words didn’t make sense as thoughts of recent events pushed into my mind.I was relieved when Daisy chose me over William. Yet, I was shocked to discover the mate bond between myself and her.The odds of finding your Fated Mate in our modern world were against us. Ninety percent of the world’s population never found their True Mate.But that fact had never bothered me because I wasn’t interested in love or some magical bond.Still, it was hard for me to believe that, despite these odds, I had been engaged to my Fated Mate since we were children. And I hadn't a clue.No… That wasn’t entirely true. I knew I felt some sort of pull toward her soon after we met at her adoptive parents’ house. And I quickly grew to be exceptionally physically attracted to her.Not to mention, Daisy had many admirable qualities, such as honesty, loyalty, humility, and intelligence, that ma
“Your mother-in-law sounds like she was a great lady,” I told Lana. “It’s nice to know you were once in my shoes. “Don’t be surprised if I pour tea into your lap. I seem to be prone to disasters.”“Your visit isn’t over yet,” Lana pointed out and covered her skirt with a linen napkin. “But I’ll make sure I don’t let you pour our tea.”We laughed softly together.I fought to keep the smile on my face when Diana became excited.“Oh, yes! Do you feel them, Daisy? Victor and his wolf are near. I think Victor and Adam are in this house with us!” Her voice quivered with anticipation. “We must go to them.”“Yes, I can see Victor’s face in my mind,” I replied. What was he doing here? Did he know his mother invited me to tea? Or maybe his wolf was searching for mine.I would be happy to visit with him and let Diana spend time with Adam, but I didn’t want Victor to watch while his mother schooled me in Alpha manners and customs.He would distract me from concentrating on his mother’s words.“No
What I’d done? What was William’s mother talking about?Lana saw the confusion on my face and took control of the situation.“Lily, dear, please calm down and tell me what’s wrong,” she said.“How could you not know how she hurt my son,” Lily replied. “I thought we were friends, Lana.”“We are friends, Lily. Why would we not be? I understand you’re upset, and I know why, but there is no need to be this dramatic. Daisy and her wolf chose to continue her engagement with Victor,” Lana told her.“She chose Victor but did not fully reject William. Now he and his wolf are so upset that they left the city!” Lily broke into tears. “I don’t know when I’ll see my son again. He said he must leave for a while to keep from torturing his wolf.”I froze. William went away?Just when I thought everything was finally back to normal, something had to happen to show me it wasn’t that easy.William kept our mate bond, but I chose Victor.He needed time and effort to deal with and calm his wolf.Why was I
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