Chapter 124

Victor’s POV

After we watched Daisy and Jennifer walk around to the rear of the cabin, William and I shifted into our human forms and retrieved our clothes from my truck bed.

“What did you want to talk about?” William asked as he pulled on his shirt.

“I think you know what I want to talk about,” I replied. “We need to discuss what’s going on between us with Daisy.”

William silently sat on the porch steps to put on his shoes and socks. I waited until he was finished before speaking because I wanted him to hear every word I said.

“William, we are friends,” I began. “And I would like to remain friends with you. You are a good person, and we have always gotten along well.”

“I’ve always admired you, Victor,” William admitted. “You’ve always known what you wanted, and you worked hard to get these things, but ….”

“But?” I knew what was on his mind, but I needed him to say it first.

“I respect the fact that you and Daisy are engaged,” William began. “But that engagement was arranged before Daisy was found. Daisy and the engagement have never been important to you except to help you become the next leader of the alliance.”

I sat on the step next to him. “The leadership position is important to me. Why wouldn’t it be when I was promised it would be mine and was trained for it all my life.”

“Why does Daisy need to come with that position?” William asked. “Do you think it’s fair to her? You enjoy living the life of a wealthy playboy. Daisy won’t go along with that lifestyle. It would hurt her badly if her mate continued to pursue other women.”

William was right. I had known since I met Daisy that she would never be happy as my mate. She believed in love, happy endings, and traditional relationships.

I grew up watching a different kind of partnership between my parents. It was based on deals and mergers, not emotions. My parents got along well, and with each doing their part, they built a life and home together.

But love had nothing to do with it.

Following their example, my mate would never be my entire life. That meant Daisy would never be happy with me, and she deserved to be happy.

“You want Daisy for your mate,” I said to William. It wasn’t a question. I could plainly see the signs.

“Daisy and I are good friends,” William insisted. “But I want the chance to find out if Daisy and I want to be mates. But you already knew that. That’s why you wouldn’t let her come here with me alone.”

“No,” I objected. “William, the world knows I am her fiancé. I was concerned about reporters or photographers. I don’t want to be humiliated by photos of you and Daisy splashed all over the newspapers.”

I realized I still sounded jealous and added, “It would hurt my public image.”

“You may be fooling yourself,” William said. “You have done everything you can to help Daisy. You are together constantly, and you haven’t been out partying since you met her.”

William’s words made me restless. I stood and walked up the steps and onto the porch. “I haven’t had time to party. Besides, I will soon be the leader of the Alpha Association. It’s time I grew up.”

William shook his head. “You have changed since meeting her, and like me, your wolf feels the mate bond with her. It would be understandable if you had fallen in love with her.”

“I do care about Daisy …about what happens to her. I want her to be happy. But I don’t love her or any other female,” I insisted. “I don’t even believe love exists.”

Love isn’t real. But William’s belief in love made him a better choice to be Daisy’s mate than me. Plus, I promised to help Daisy get William for her lover if she pretended to be my fiancée.

Because of our deal, I should have let them come to the cabin without me. I owed it to her for cooperating with the fake engagement.

But as we discussed the trip to the lake in her office, the thought of her spending a weekend alone with William in a secluded cabin made me feel anxious and angry at the same time.

Probably because of the humiliation I would suffer if anyone took their photo during a moment like the one I saw when Jennifer and I returned from the grocery store this afternoon.

I felt a jolt of anger and honked the truck’s horn when I saw William and Daisy sitting close together with her head on his shoulder as they sat on the dock. It was a romantic moment that made me feel like an intruder.

What if the paparazzi heard she was here and saw them like that? Photos of their moment together would cause a firestorm of gossip.

But I had to keep in mind that I was close to achieving my goal. Alex wanted to hand over the leadership of the Alpha Alliance to me soon.

Therefore, I must let Daisy have what she wanted out of our deal, and that was William.

Why did that thought make me feel uneasy? It had to be Adam’s influence. I refused to be ruled by useless emotions. I would do the right thing for us all.

I turned toward William as he stood and walked onto the porch.

“If Daisy wants you, I promise I won’t stand in the way,” I said. “The choice is hers to make. I would never force her to go through with our wedding if it wasn’t what she wanted. But I want us all to continue being friends no matter what she decides.”

“Thank you, Victor,” William said. “I promise not to do anything that will cause you any embarrassment. I’ll be careful when I am with Daisy not to cause any gossip.”

I clapped him on the shoulder. “Thank you, my friend. All is well between us.”

As we shook hands, I smelled the presence of other wolves nearby. They were close.

“We are being watched,” I told William. “It must be the wolves from the field on the other side of the lake. They followed us.”

“They aren’t just watching,” William said. “Look, here they come from both sides of the cabin.”

William and I stood side-by-side, barring the entrance to the cabin, as three werewolves approached the porch.

Two had fur of a reddish brown, and the other was a steel gray. Although they were Alphas, they weren’t as large as William and I. But it was apparent they were of pure Alpha blood.

They stopped in front of my truck, and one shifted into his human form and approached us. The others stood guard on his flank.

The strong scent flooding the air told me more were nearby. William exchanged a look with me that meant he understood the danger we were in.

Why were they here? It could only mean trouble. Their demeanor and body language was in no way friendly.

William and I must defend Daisy and Jennifer. It was our duty. And the thought of these wolves harming Daisy made me want to shift and tear them apart.

No matter what happened or what these wolves wanted, I must protect her.