For a long moment, I didnโt know what to say. Alexโs firm, almost angry tone was new to me. What had he heard about Victor and me to make him respond to me like this?โWeโll be there in a few hours,โ I assured Alex. โBut I donโt think itโs fair to blame us for everything that happened.โโWe will talk about it when I see you,โ Alex insisted, but his tone was milder. โWould you like me to send guards to bring you home?โโI think we can get there without help,โ I replied.โThen Iโll see you and Victor in a few hours,โ Alex said. โSweetheart, I understand you needed to get away, but the problems here arenโt going away on their own.โโI was afraid after being attacked outside the bakery.โ My voice shook with emotion. โWe werenโt thinking clearly.โโI understand, honey,โ Alex said. His voice had completely thawed. โWhy donโt I come to you so we can talk?โโThat would be nice,โ I said, barely holding back tears.โLet me talk to Victor for a moment, and Iโll be there soon,โ Alex assured me. โ
Alex looked at Victor. โDo you agree to my being co-leader?โVictor nodded. I sensed his pride was severely bruised, but he was trying not to show it. I sent him a loving smile and comforting thoughts.โVery well, Councilors,โ Alex told Councilors Getty and Chen. โI accept the role of co-leader of The United Association of Alphas effective immediately.โโGood,โ Councilor Chen said. โPlease get to work on stabilizing the present situation.โโIf you can,โ a smirking Councilor Getty said. I wished I could wipe that smirk from his face. He was another greedy, power-hungry Alpha that Amy and I always despised.โKeep us informed of your progress or setbacks, and let us know if we can be helpful,โ Councilor Chen added. โGood luck.โโYouโll need it,โ Councilor Getty laughed boisterously before ending the video call.Victor stood and ran a hand through his hair. He was suppressing his frustration and anger well. โIโm sorry to have ruined your retirement, Alex. I know you were looking forward t
The first floor looked normal, but an eerie stillness made goosebumps rise on my arms. The only sound was the staccato beeping of smoke alarms coming from all directions.A wide sweeping staircase rose in front of me. It felt ominous, but the kids were up there, and they were in danger. I hurried up to the second floor, taking two steps at a time.At the top of the stairs, the smoke was thick enough to see it floating lazily in the air. I coughed several times and pulled the neckline of my shirt up over my mouth and nose. It helped me breathe a little better.I forced myself to stay calm and reasoned that the kids must be in a room to my left and toward the front of the house.Hurrying down the hallway, I stopped at each door that faced the street and threw the doors open.โHello, Piper,โ I called. โIโm here to help you and Lane get out of the house. Where are you, honey?โโIn here,โ the girl's voice said from further down the hall. โHurry, please. Iโm scared, and itโs hard to breathe
My legs shook as I forced myself to stand my ground. Had Gisele turned on me too?But she was smiling when she walked to my side. โHow brave you are, Miss Wilson. Those children were lucky you were nearby.โโGood job, Daisy,โ another woman said. Similar words were echoed throughout the crowd.They were being nice to me!It had been a long time since Iโd felt acceptance from other Alphas. I must admit it felt much better than being slandered and shunned.โThe blue jeans you like are on sale today,โ Gisele said. She clapped her hands together and smiled. โItโs a pleasure to see you today, Miss Wilson. If you need help finding anything, please let me know.โI was stunned yet grateful to have Alphas begin to thaw toward me.โAnd you were worried theyโd be mean to you,โ Amy whispered.I grinned at her. โAll I had to do was run into a burning building. I wonder if this means I can return to school.โโHi, Daisy,โ Victoria Beecham said as we looked through the jeans. Amy and I went to school
The attorney consultation room at Denhurst Women's Correctional Facility is a dismal concrete block room painted gray.The battered wooden tables and chairs are as uncomfortable as they look, and the sound of the metal door locking behind me sent a chill up my spine.It made me wonder how much worse the prisonerโs cells were.The defendant in the child murder case sat across the table from me and her public defender, Allen Cross.Allen is a good lawyer. He cares about justice, but heโs burned out by the misery he sees every day and the unrepentant criminals he is expected to defend.Marlee Krebs is one of his clients. She is accused of poisoning her own baby.Despite being the only one who could have put antifreeze in her seven-month-old babyโs bottle, Marlee insisted she didnโt do it.โYou have to help me,โ Marlee pleaded. โI would never hurt my baby. I loved Lexi with my whole heart. All I ever wanted was to marry and have kids.โโIf you didnโt do it, how did antifreeze get in your
โDr. Mancini, do you mind repeating what you told me while I record it?โSomething insidious was happening, and Marleeโs life depended on me to expose it.โNot at all,โ he replied.Dr. Mancini repeated what he told me about Lexi dying from MMA. He confirmed he sent the report to the DA and spoke to the coroner, who agreed with him that the baby girl died from natural causes.He then told the camera how his report and test results disappeared from Lexiโs medical records.โCan we try to find the hard copy in the storage room?โ I asked. โIf you tell me where it is, Iโll look for it.โDr. Mancini shook his head.โDue to medical confidentiality laws, no unauthorized persons can enter the medical records storage room. Iโll request copies and let you know when I get them.โโUnless they are gone from the paper file, too,โ I said.โI hope not.โ He shrugged. โBut itโs possible. Iโve never had files go missing before.โI needed that report. If the DA has a copy, why was he still charging Marlee w
The DAโs knees were an inch from my side. If either of us moved, I would be discovered.โIโm with you,โ Diana reminded me. โYou arenโt alone. Donโt be frightened, but be ready to defend yourself. Shift if you need me.โโHurry up,โ the other man growled. โYou didnโt lose the file, did you?โThe desk drawer slid open. โOf course not,โ the DA snapped. โItโs right here.โA pair of expensive loafers walked toward the desk. They stopped beside the DA, and I heard the other man grab the folder.If only I could see who he was. But moving out from under the desk was out of the question.โIโll take care of it,โ the man said. โAnd Iโll make sure that doctor keeps his mouth shut.โOh no! Dr. Mancini is in danger. I had to warn him. First, I had to get out of this office with my life and show the Public Defender the file.The other manโs cologne was musky and overpowering. My throat began to tickle from breathing the fumes.โDonโt cough, Daisy,โ Diana said. โHold it in. Think about running over th
I was sobbing as I clung to the steering wheel when someone tapped on the truck window. I wiped my eyes and sat up straight before opening the door.โSweetheart, whatโs wrong?โ Victor took me in his arms. โWere you attacked again?โI shook my head and searched the center console for a tissue.โIf I tell you why Iโm crying, youโll think Iโm a jerk,โ I said and loudly blew my nose.โIโd never think youโre a jerk,โ Victor caressed a lock of my hair between his thumb and forefinger. โTalk to me, my love.โโAmy and Justin are getting married next Saturday,โ I revealed. โAnd Iโm insanely jealous that itโs not me marrying you.โI began to cry again.โLetโs go for a walk.โ Victor took my hands and pulled me from the truck.As we walked around the side of the mansion, he put an arm around my shoulders.โOur wedding day will come,โ Victor assured me. โWe will know itโs the right time.โโI wish that day were here,โ I grumbled.โThere are things we must do first,โ Victor said. โYou should get you
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