I was downstairs wearing a pastel green cocktail dress while I waited with Alex for Victor to arrive. I told Alex we needed to speak to him before we left for the ambassador’s party.When Benson showed Victor into the living room, Alex greeted him warmly.“How are you, Victor?” Alex asked. “Daisy tells me you have something you want to speak to me about.”Victor sat next to me on the couch. “I’d like you to announce our engagement as soon as possible. There are some individuals among the Alpha males who are pursuing your daughter for her inheritance.”Alex was quiet for a long moment. “I see,” he said. “Does this attention bother my daughter?”“Yes, I hate it,” I told him. “One of them trapped me in a bathroom at the Phillips’ ball and tried to kiss me.”Alex’s face grew pale. “And you think a formal announcement would help the situation?”“Yes,” Victor replied. “Daisy would be safer from these encounters, and I would have more authority to protect her as her official fiancé.”Alex ra
The dinner party to announce my engagement to Victor was an hour away.I was lying across my bed in my plush bathrobe after showering while Jennifer rummaged through my closet, searching for the perfect pair of shoes to go with the dress I chose to wear tonight.“What about this pair, Miss?” Jennifer asked.Before I could answer her, my phone rang. The caller ID told me it was Debbie, my personal assistant at my mother’s charity foundation.Debbie and I had become well acquainted over the last week. She filled me in on the details of the day-to-day operations that even Victor did not know.I liked her very much. She respected me and my opinions and didn’t look down on me if I didn’t know something.I answered the call. “Hello, Debbie.”“I’m sorry to bother you before your dinner party,” she apologized. “But I needed to ask a quick question.”“Did you want the invitations for next month’s charity auction sent out first thing Monday morning, or do you want to wait until after the articl
William went straight to my father. “Mr. Wilson, I apologize for showing up at your dinner party uninvited.”“Nonsense. William, you are always welcome in my home,” Alex told him. “I’m glad to see you have returned to us.”Mrs. James couldn’t control herself any longer and jumped to her feet. She threw her arms around William’s neck. “William, I’m so happy to see you. Please tell me you are staying.”He returned his mother’s embrace and wiped away her happy tears. “I’m staying. I’m sorry if you were worried, but I’m back now, Mother.”“How did you know we were here?” his father asked after he shook his son’s hand.“The staff at our house told me you were here. So I had to come here to tell you I have returned to the city. From your letters, I knew you were eager for my return.”“It’s wonderful to have you back, son,” Mr. James said. “We’ll talk more later.”“It's great to be back, “ William said. He glanced across the table at me and smiled. “Daisy, it’s wonderful to see you. And you
William and I went into the living room, and I closed the door behind us. We sat on the couch, and I waited for him to speak.He nervously rubbed the palms of his hands on his slacks as he gathered his thoughts.Then he looked up at me with a smile that reached his sky-blue eyes. “It is good to be back. I did a lot of thinking while I was gone, about us and about you.”“That’s what I thought. It made me feel guilty that you left town over me,” I said. “I hope you’re doing better.”“Don’t feel guilty. I’m fine,” he said, but he still looked a little sad. “My wolf gets restless and craves Diana, but he understands the situation better now. We both do.”We were both silent for a moment.“Daisy, when you rejected me, you said you had to remain engaged to Victor because you have a deal with him.”“Yes, that’s true,” I said. “And I still can’t go back on my word.” I hope that wasn’t what he wanted to talk about because I didn’t want to disappoint him again.“I know you would never go back o
Victor noticed William’s eyes on me from across the table. “What were you two talking about?” he inquired.“We were just catching up,” William replied. “It was easier to speak privately than to yell across the table.”It was apparent that Victor wasn’t convinced, but he nodded slowly.“Everything is fine,” I assured him.Victor leaned closer and whispered into my ear, “Then we are still engaged?”“If we’re not, I am at the wrong party,” I teased. “Of course, we’re still engaged.”Victor’s fake smile turned genuine. “Glad to hear it.” He turned his attention to William. “Are you sticking around now?”“I’m not going anywhere,” William declared to his mother’s delight.I was glad to hear it too.“Daisy changed quite a bit while I was gone,” William said. “She looks even more beautiful, and she is much more confident.”“I’ve been learning about my mother’s charity foundation,” I told him. “I’m going to start running it soon.”“You’re doing a good job now,” Victor said. “I told your father
“Never correct your elders in public,” I told Lana while she was quizzing me on werewolf rules of etiquette. “Who came up with that rule, an elder, right?”Lana fought back a smile. “Most likely. Nevertheless, you must follow the rule. It’s important in our society to respect your elders.”“I respect them, but they’re not always right,” I said.“Agreed, and if it’s regarding something important, you privately present your facts to them, with proof of your argument,” she added.Lana and I had enjoyed a delicious lunch together on her patio, and now we were going over some rules of etiquette that Victor had gone over with me last week.“What is the main rule concerning acceptable ways to raise money for your foundation?” she asked.I like how she called it my foundation. I guess it is mine now even though I can’t run it by myself yet.“Never directly ask for money; instead, express the need for donations,” I said.“Correct. You saw that in action while we were networking at the ambassad
Victor drove us deeper into the country to a spot in the hills that overlooked the river below.He turned off the car and turned to me. “What’s on your mind?”“I never thought about how our agreement would affect the people around us,” I said.“What do you mean?” Victor responded. “How does whether or not we ever get married affect anyone else but us?”“If your parents find out the truth, they will probably realize we were faking all the time and be disappointed in both of us,” I replied. “I’ve gotten close to your mother, and I don’t think I can handle her being upset over me.”I needed to vent, and he was the only person who could listen to me.“How are they going to find out?” Victor demanded.“You haven’t said anything have you?”“Of course not,” I replied. “I could never face them again if they knew we’ve been lying to them…lying to everyone.”“Why are you worried about this now? Our fake engagement has been happening for months, practically since I met you.”“I didn’t know your p
William and I hurried outside and scurried to the rose garden.“Do you always shift in the rose garden?” William asked.“Yes,” I replied. It’s close to the house, and the roses offer the privacy that I need to be comfortable while I shift, and the bushes keep my clothes off the ground.”“The pavilion in the center of the pond would be ideal also, or are you still afraid of the water.”“I’m not afraid of it anymore,” I informed him. “I learned to swim in that pond while you were away.”“That’s wonderful,” William said. “I’m glad. You’ll be much safer now around water. I Will never forget the day you almost drowned in my parent’s pool.”“Me either, although I’d rather forget it,” I sighed. The roses were now in sight.“Have you taken many runs out here?” he asked. “It is a lovely place, and there is a lot of room to run.”I didn’t want to mention Victor right now, so I avoided his name. “I’ve come out here several evenings for a run, and I swam in the pond once.”“I hope you didn’t try