Chapter 66

The journey to the beach house was a mixture of excitement and nerves, swirling like a whirlwind in my chest.

James, Lucas, and I decided to travel together in the car while Victoria told us she would meet us there with her friend.

The car was alive with chatter, laughter, and the occasional debate about conspiracy theories, thanks to James -- he kept us entertained the entire time.

The scenery outside shifted from city skyscrapers to quaint, rural towns, until finally, the breathtaking coastline greeted us.

The oceanside was so powerful, the scent of sun and sand greeted my nostrils.

James drove the car up a long unfished driveway, leading up to a bright blue beach house.

As we got closer and closer to the beach house, my eyes widened in awe.

It was a two-story beauty, painted in soothing shades of white and blue that perfectly mirrored the sea.

And as I jumped out of the car, stretching my tired and aching limbs, the sound of crashing waves gave a melodic soundtrack to our arrival.

"Wow, this is unreal," I murmured, a mixture of surprise and excitement in my voice.

Lucas shot me a grin, his eyes filled with pride. "You like it?"

"Who wouldn't like this?" James asked, getting out of the car.

"I'm glad you guys like it." Lucas smiled. "Thought it would be a nice change."

I nodded, walking around the car and feeling the gentle ocean breeze ruffle my hair, carrying the salty scent that instantly relaxed me.

Just as I was getting comfortable, another car pulled up next to us and I noticed two girls inside.

Victoria and her friend.

Victoria gets out of the car with a large sunhat on her head and sunglasses five times too large for her head. She looked like she was dripping in sophistication and wealth.

"It smells amazing out here!" Victoria's friend beamed as she got out of the passenger seat.

My first impression of her was that she was beautiful. She had light blonde hair that bounced with every step she took. Her face was also very kind, quite a contrast to Victoria who had more of an intense beauty.

Victoria went to greet James and Lucas while her friend came up to me.

"Shana, right?" She said with a friendly grin.

When I went to shake her hand, she shook her head, offering me her arms instead. "Sorry, I'm a hugger!"

Her hug caught me completely off guard, and I couldn't understand how she got along with Victoria if she was this nice right off the bat.

"My name's Emily, by the way," Emily said. "Victoria mentioned you."

I nodded, surprised that Victoria had even brought me up. "Yes, that's me."

"Don't let Victoria's attitude get to you," Emily advised in a friendly tone. "She can be a handful sometimes, but deep down, she means well."

I appreciated the warning and was glad to know I wasn't the only one who noticed Victoria's behavior. "Thanks for the heads-up."

Emily continued, "I managed to convince Victoria to let you and James tag along. As long as I could come too, of course."

"Really? You did that?" Shana asked, intrigued by Emily's influence over Victoria.

Emily chuckled. "Yeah, Victoria and I go way back. I know how to work my charm on her."

"How long have you known each other?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"Our parents are friends, and Alpha families usually stick close together." Emily shrugged. "We weren't friends by choice at first, but I love Victoria as if she was my own sister. We've known each other since preschool."

"Wow," I murmured. "That's going pretty far back..."

"I know!" Emily giggled. "She's my closest friend."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Victoria making her way over to the two of us.

When she stopped in front of me, Victoria lowered her sunglasses, giving me a once-over. "Shana, nice to see you again."

Her tone suggested anything but joy in seeing me.

"Oh, come on!" Emily grabbed Victoria's arm, slinging her arm around hers. "We're all friends here. Let's remember that we're here to have fun!"

"I didn't even say anything wrong," Victoria said defensively.

"You're demeanor and eyes said it all," Emily gave her a pointed stare. "Anyway, let's go check out the house! I'm dying to see the inside of it."

The five of us took all our bags out of the cars and made our way to the beach house.

When Lucas finally managed to unlock the door, I was speechless by the sight in front of me - to say the least.

"Whoa," James gasped beside me, a large grin taking over his face. "This place is insane!"

The interior of the beach house was equally impressive as the outside.

Everything looked polished and clean as if no one had ever set foot in there before. The walls and floors were white, and modern decorations were scattered about.

The living area was spacious, adorned with large windows that framed stunning views of the beach. I could see the blue, crystal-colored water and the white, sandy beach.

It felt so calm and peaceful in here...

I could already feel the tension of everyday life start to unravel as I spotted cozy couches, beach-themed decor, and even a reading nook by the window.

"You sure we can't stay here longer than five days?" James asked Lucas as he dropped his bags on the floor. "Because I would stay here for the rest of my life if I could."

"If you wanted to buy this place, it probably costs a fortune," Lucas chimed in, walking ahead of us toward the windows.

It was strange seeing him in such a different element. It looked as if this house was his... as if he belonged here, in the world of the rich and powerful.

"How much are we talking?" James asked, picking up a random vase decoration. "Half a million? Two million?"

"Way more than that," Victoria spoke. "We're right on the beach, and this house has six bedrooms."

"Ten million?" James continued.

"Well think about it more realistically," Emily spoke. "Lucas comes from a family of billionaires, and so does Victoria..."

"Fifty million?" James asked again.

I started laughing. "James, what does it matter? There's no way you can afford a fifty-million-dollar beach house."

"Not yet I can't." James looked at me with a raised brow. "Just give me ten years, Shana, and this house is all mine."

"What are you going to do in ten years to make over fifty million dollars?" Lucas asked with amusement.

"Yeah," Victoria said. "I'd love to hear this."

"Nobody has any faith in me..." James shook his head. "When I have more money than all of you combined, don't come crawling back to me, asking to spend time at my beach house."

"What about me?" Emily said. "I didn't say anything."

"Okay, fine." James nodded. "Only Emily can stay here."

Emily punched the air in excitement as the rest of us laughed.

"I'd love to see what you make of yourself one day." Victoria's voice dripped with sarcasm. "But I guess we'll have to see, won't we?"

As James and Victoria stared each other down, I could sense some unresolved tension there.

"Why don't we hit the beach?" James asked, finally breaking away from his staring contest with Victoria. "I'm dying to dip my toes in the sand after that long drive."