When I woke up this morning, I remembered it was Friday, and a jolt of panic rushed through me. The pool party is tomorrow, and Iโm already feeling jittery. But Iโm also looking forward to it.I wish I was more confident and felt like a real Alpha. It would make fitting into my new life easier. But inside, I still felt like the old Daisy.It feels like Iโm merely pretending to be a member of the dominant group of werewolves, no matter how pretty my glasses are or how much my clothes cost.When I arrived at school, Amy was waiting for me in our usual spot.โWhatโs up?โ Amy asked. โYou look frazzled.โโTomorrow is the pool party,โ I reminded her. โIโm kinda nervous.โโDonโt be,โ Amy said. โYouโre going to have a wonderful time. Itโll be great.โโI hope so.โ I gave her a side hug. โIโm excited, and I want to go. But thinking about what could go wrong makes me feel half sick.โโNothing is going to go wrong,โ Amy insisted. โAfter tomorrow, youโll wonder why you were nervous.โ She knew exac
"Why are you wearing the wetsuit?" Victor demanded as we stood in front of Alexโs mansion. โYou've got a beautiful new swimsuit that looks amazing on you, yet youโre wearing that โฆ thing to Williamโs party.โโThe wetsuit is more comfortable for me,โ I said. โI was too self-conscious in that skimpy swimsuit.โโDo you have any idea how ridiculous you look?โ Victor asked me. He ran a hand through his thick, black hair and leaned against his car. โWeโre going to a pool party, not a deep sea expedition.โVictor paced around the car twice.โGet in the car. Thereโs no time to argue with you, or for you to change your outfit even if you were willing to be reasonable.โ He opened the passenger door for me.โI donโt care who doesnโt like it,โ I said. โI wasnโt comfortable showing that much skin, and I'm tired of trying to be somebody Iโm not.โโYouโve set yourself up to be ridiculed in front of William. He wonโt want to be associated with you after this.โ Victor started the car. โDonโt say I did
My heart was pounding, but I tried not to show how terrified I was. Bella is a bully, and showing fear would only make her bolder. If I remained calm, maybe she would tire of trying to torment me and go away.But Bella was on a mission.โLook at you. You are such an unbelievable dork,โ Bella said with another laugh. โOnly you would wear a freaking wetsuit to a pool party. Does it hurt to be this stupid?โโPluh โฆ please, jus โฆ just lah โฆ leave me alone,โ I stammered. โI โฆ I didnโt do โฆ do any โฆ anything to you.โ I tried to walk away, but she grabbed my arm and spun me around.โYou didnโt do anything to me!โ Bella repeated. She positioned herself, nose to nose, in front of me.Smelling a strong drink on her breath, I looked down at the ground. The hate in her eyes was terrifying.โBecause of you, you freak, I was transferred to an all-girls school,โ Bella said hotly. โDo you know what itโs like? I have to wear a freaking uniform, and the teachers are so strict we get detention just for
The weight of the water became lighter as the surface came closer. Hands grabbed my arms as my head broke the surface.It was William. He was kneeling on deck helping pull me from the water.Then who was my rescuer?As William helped lift me to the pool deck and placed me on my side, Victor climbed from the water.Pool water rushed from my mouth as I coughed and sputtered.โDaisy, are you okay?โ Victor asked. โHow did you fall in the water?โI couldnโt speak as I continued to cough up water. Victor had saved me. He now sat on the pool deck in front of me while William was behind me.โShe didnโt fall,โ Mrs. James said. โI was inside ensuring the kitchen staff had prepared enough food when I heard a commotion near the pool house. I looked out a window and saw the Burrows girl bullying Daisy. I saw her push her into the pool.โโAre you sure Bella pushed her?โ William asked his mother. He looked around the pool house for Bella, but she was gone.โYes,โ Mrs. James insisted. โBut I saw Dais
โThanks for your help, Victor, but I can walk into the house on my own,โ I said as I made my way to the front entrance of Alexโs mansion.Moving slowly in my bare feet, I held closed the ugly hospital robe I was wearing with one hand. I couldnโt believe the difference a few hours made in my life.Even though I was nervous, I had been looking forward to the pool party. Now I just wanted this day to end and forget it ever happened.After almost drowning, I agreed to go to the hospital and let a doctor check me out, but I refused to stay. I wanted to go home, and I never wanted to see the wetsuit that a nurse had helped me remove ever again.I saw my reflection in the front door glass and cringed. I looked even worse than I felt. Besides the ugly hospital robe I wore, my hair was frizzed out to maximum volume, my complexion was still pasty, and there were dark circles under my eyes.Iโve never looked worse.โAt least lean on me, Daisy. Please,โ Victor said. โYouโre tired, and youโve been
I had a good night's sleep and was feeling better this morning, but I was horrified about the prospect of getting up and attempting to dance in front of three hundred guests.I found Alex in his private workspace in the morning.โI...I canโt dance,โ I told him. โYou d โฆdonโt want anyone to see me d โฆdance.โCouldnโt he tell Iโm an awkward, uncoordinated mess who should never attempt to sully a dance floor?โIโve s โฆseen ballroom dan โฆdancing on television,โ I said, recalling the elegant, graceful couples and how they moved in unison across a dance floor. โBut I โฆI can't do it.โโNonsense,โ Alex replied. โIโll hire a dance instructor. Youโll learn how to dance. Your mother and I loved to dance together. Itโs fun. Youโll see. Just try it, sweetheart.โI sighed. I couldn't say no to Alex. I could tell he wanted the best for me.Maybe it would turn out better than the pool party. But even before Bella pushed me into the pool, the party had been a disaster for me.That was my fault. I am a
I groaned when I saw Victorโs Lamborghini outside the gate after school the next day.โIs learning how to dance that terrible?โ Amy asked with a chuckle.โYes,โ I replied. โYou didnโt see my last dance instructor lying on the floor with a broken arm. The poor man was in pain.โโWell, you say you donโt like Victor,โ Amy teased. โSo you shouldnโt care as much if he gets hurt.โโI would care if he got hurt because of me,โ I said. โBut itโs more than that. Iโm tired of Victor watching me make a fool of myself.โโThen donโt do it,โ Amy advised. โNobody can make you take dance lessons.โโThe ball means too much to Alex,โ I said with a sigh. โI need to try my best.โโThatโs all anybody can ask of you.โ Amy gave me a side hug. โSee you tomorrow, Daisy.โโSee you,โ I said and walked to the Lamborghini.โHow was your day?โ Victor asked as he helped me into the car and closed the door.โFine,โ I replied and crossed my arms over my chest. Part of me resented being forced to do something I didnโt
Victorโs POV.Why did I want to kiss her so badly?My body throbbed with need as my mouth moved closer to her upturned lips. Daisyโs perfect body was pressed against mine, and the urge to ravish her was stronger than Iโd felt with any other woman.Yet, I didnโt dare touch her in that way. It would be a mistake that could cost me my bachelorhood or the leadership role I craved.How could this shy, innocent, and unsophisticated girl have such a powerful effect on me simply by holding her in my arms?Daisy wasnโt anywhere close to my type. My ideal woman is beautiful, high-maintenance, and ambitious.Daisy wasnโt high maintenance, and her ambitions were the opposite of mine.However, I knew Daisy could easily be considered beautiful on the surface if she tried to improve her looks.But I didnโt believe laziness kept Daisy from trying to look her best. Other peopleโs cruelty has eroded her self-confidence to the point that she thought she was ugly.Words can cause more damage than people
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. โWakey wakey,โ she crooned. โItโs your wedding day. Victor expects to see you at the chapel in two hours.โI reached for the mug and took a sip. The coffee was laced with dark chocolate almond milk and a touch of steamed heavy cream.โMmm, thanks, Amy. Itโs just the way I like it,โ I said. โThis is such a treat.โ I stretched again and took another sip.โEnjoy it, but donโt dawdle in bed,โ Amy put her makeup bag on the nightstand. โYou need to get in the shower and wash your hair. Anna will be here to help us soon.โAfter waiting for this day to come for so long, I was both ecstatic and a little nervous that something would go wrong.โIs it really going to happen?โ I asked my best friend. โAm 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 Alexโs 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 couldnโt lose it.I heard the realtorโs voice when she answered his call. โVictor, Iโm sorry for giving you bad news.โโWhatโs the problem?โ Victor asked. His voice was calm, but I saw the tension on his face.โThe 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.โPuzzled, Victor and I looked at each other.โWhy?โ Victor asked.โShe claims Miss Wilson did something to cause her problems in the past,โ the realtor responded. โI canโt change her mind. She refuses to sign the papers to finalize the sale.โDoes she know the size of the offer we made?โ Victor asked as I searched my memory for the identity of the granddaughter.But I couldnโt think of who I had angered that much. I shrugged at Victor and did a palms up.โWho is sh
โIโm sorry,โ I said and knelt down to pick up the pieces of broken glass.โThatโs alright, Miss Wilson,โ Benson said. โThomas will take care of the mess.โ He motioned to a footman. โLet me get you another glass of tea.โโAre you okay, Daisy?โ Cassidy asked. โWe shouldnโt have shocked you with the news in front of guests.โI shook my head and tried to smile. โNo, Iโm fine. I was just surprised. Congratulations. Iโm happy for both of you.โ 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 wasnโt a positive one. Andrea enjoyed making my life miserable.So, I wasnโt sure how I felt about having a half-sister or brother. However, I was sure Alex and Cassidy wouldnโt treat me like the Smiths, and Iโm optimistic the baby wouldnโt be like Andrea.But what would change in my life?โAre you sure, sweetheart?โ Alex asked. He looked concerned, and even though I had been shocked, I didnโt want to spo
Victorโs 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, โNo matter what, I love you. But you can do this. Iโm right here with you. Pick one person in the crowd and talk to them.โDaisy 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.โWhen I was seventeen, I worked in a restaurant owned by my best friendโs father. While waiting on customers and bussing tables, I dreamed of going to college and getting my law degree.โI 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.โThere are so many,โ I said. โIโve never seen this many reporters at once before.โโThey are coming from other cities to be here,โ Shane said. โYour and Victorโs vision for the future is big news. There are rumors that Victor is going to quit the leadership, and youโre moving away from Denhurst.โFindlay snorted. โI heard that rumor, along with several crazier ones. I think the people need to be reassured of your good intentions for everyone.โโI can understand that,โ Victor said. โHow about you, Daisy?โAll 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.โIt looks like Alex has company,โ she said. โWhoโs limos are they?โI punched the seat. โThat one is Lanaโs, and the one pulling in next to us is Lily Jamesโs. The nerve of that pushy woman. She followed us!โโBut look, Daisy,โ Amy pointed toward the front doors. โVictor is here.โI wiped my eyes and saw Victor coming toward me. He opened the car door and took me into his arms.โDonโt cry, sweetheart,โ he crooned. โGisele called and told me what happened. So I had Findlay call everyone here for a quick meeting to set them all straight.โI stopped crying and nodded even though I wasnโt sure it would help.โThis nonsense will stop now,โ 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
Victorโs mouth opened, but no words came out at first. Then he shook off his surprise.โAre you serious?โ he asked.โYes, Iโve been thinking about it for weeks,โ 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. โMaybe I shouldnโt have brought it up.โVictor gently turned me around. โI know youโve been upset since Amy had the baby, but I didnโt know it was because you want one too.โโWhen I first held Brendre, I felt such a rush of love that it was all I could think about for days,โ I explained. โI never thought much of babies before. I think it's because my adoptive parents rejected me when they had their own baby.โโThat makes sense.โ Victor took my hand and started walking down the beach again. โAnyone would feel that way.โโHolding Amyโs baby made me realize I very much want to be a mother,โ I said. โAnd I donโt want to wait a long time to start our family.โโWhat a
Daisyโs POVI couldn't believe Victor was leaving. Couldnโt 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 couldnโt lose him! Iโd 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.โNo!โ I cried as I jumped in front of the Lamborghini. โDonโt leave me, Victor. I love you!โThe Lamborghiniโs engine stopped, and Victor leaped out of the driverโs seat. He hurried to my side.โWhy wonโt you stay with me?โ I asked.โI thought you wanted to be here alone,โ Victor replied. His body was trembling with emoti