Chapter 237

Since Alex was driving himself again, I borrowed Joe and the limo to pick up Amy and go to William’s last football game.

“Wow, we’re traveling in style today,” Amy commented as she climbed into the back of the car with me. “It must be nice to be an Alpha.”

Knowing what Amy would discover later this evening, I ignored the remark and hoped she would take the news well that she was at least half Alpha.

She settled into the seat and stared at me. “You look different. I expected you to look a bit rough after surviving a boat explosion and a hurricane, but you’re glowing!”

I held up my left hand and showed her my engagement ring.

“You and Victor are engaged for real!” she gushed. “Congratulations!” She looked me over again. “You did it, didn’t you? You had sex with him.”

I blushed. “Yes, I did, and it was fantastic.”

Amy buckled her seatbelt. “I knew you looked different. Did it hurt? How did he propose? You gotta tell me everything.”

I began answering her questions. “It hurt at first, but the pain was over quickly, and then it was so worth it. When you’re ready for sex, don’t be afraid. If you’re with the right guy, it’s wonderful.”

Amy giggled. “I wanted to do it with Justin on prom night, but he thinks we should wait until after I graduate. So where did Victor propose to you?”

“We were on a deck overlooking the ocean,” I replied. “The moon and stars were out, and he got down on one knee and everything.”

“That sounds so romantic, and your ring is fabulous,” she sighed. “You are lucky to have things work out this well.”

“It was a night I’ll never forget,” I agreed. Then I told her about my days at the shore, including the shark scare while we were floating in the life raft.

“I would have died of fright if a shark bumped into my butt while I was sitting in a tiny rubber boat,” Amy declared. “You’ve become much braver than me. The whole couple of days you endured would have done me in.”

“I had help getting through it,” I said. “Victor also gave me this while we were at the beach house.” I pulled out the moonstone pendant that was nestled under my shirt. “I swear it makes me feel calmer.”

Amy examined the necklace. “I’ve heard moonstones have magical properties. You should look it up online. In any case, it’s a gorgeous necklace.”

Joe pulled the limousine in front of the school, and we climbed out and began walking to the athletic field.

“Have you heard from William?” Amy asked.

“Not since the rejection ceremony,” I replied. “It will be nice to see him today.”

We found seats on the bleachers where we would be able to see everything and sat down.

It was a good game, and our school’s team won. Amy and I cheered loud enough that William spotted us in the crowd and waved.

William scored four touchdowns out of six for our team, and they won by twenty-one points. He was immediately swept away by adoring fans and his fellow players. So I sent him a text congratulating him on another great game.

Before the crowd cleared enough for us to climb down from the bleachers, I received a return text from him. “Meet me outside the locker room in fifteen minutes. I have news.”

It took almost that long for us to make our way to the locker room door. William appeared soon after we got there.

“Daisy,” he grinned. “And Amy. It’s good to see you both.”

“You look happy.” I returned his smile.

“I am.” William looked around at the people hanging around the locker room door. “Let’s walk, and I’ll tell you all about it.”

“Let’s walk to the front of the school,” I suggested. “Joe is waiting for us in the limo.”

We walked, and after steering us away from the crowds, he began to speak.

“I thought a lot about what you said, and I now know that I truly love football. My wanting to play the game professionally doesn’t have anything to do with my family, although I would be miserable behind a desk for the rest of my life.”

“Anyhow, I got a terrific offer to sign with the Hayburg Hunters, and I decided I’m going to do it.”

“That’s fantastic,” I said. “It’s not that far away that you can’t visit everyone here. Maybe we will come to see one of your home games in Hayburg. I've never seen a live professional game.”

“Hayburg is a great town,” he said. “I visited the city and met a lot of nice people. I even met a girl.”

“Ooh, tell us all about her,” Amy said. “What’s her name?”

“Her name is Penny,” he replied. “She works at the Hayburg stadium, selling tickets and cleaning.”

Amy and I exchange glances. Alphas didn’t work jobs like those. It didn’t matter to us as long as she was good to William, but Lily James would be appalled if William took a poor Beta girl home.

“Yes. Penny is a Beta,” William said. “But I don’t care. My mom might, but I don’t. Penny is a warm, wonderful person.”

William pulled out his wallet and showed us a photo of an attractive young girl with strawberry-blonde hair, blue eyes, and a nice smile.

“She’s beautiful,” I said, and I meant it. The girl was perfect for William. They would be a stunning couple. “I’m so happy for you, William.”

I meant what I said, but there was a part of me that was jealous. Not of his relationship with a pretty Beta girl. But William had figured out exactly what he wanted, and he went out and got it.

He was achieving his dreams while my future was still in limbo. Sure, I had my fated mate. But there was much more I had always wanted to accomplish, and I needed to do much of it before I married.

My dream of being a pro bono attorney for Betas and Omegas was still alive in my heart. As soon as our graduation was over, I would begin applying to universities with a solid pre-law program.

Victor promised we could have a long engagement. We could marry after I got my law degree.

We got to the limousine, and William held the door for us to climb inside. We promised to keep in touch, and Amy and I left for Gray’s restaurant.

I was pleased to see Mr. Gray hired a sous chef and an assistant who could keep the kitchen running while we went upstairs to the Gray’s apartment for some privacy while we talked.

“Amy, sweetheart.” Mr. Gray asked Amy to sit across the small kitchen table from him and took her hands. “There’s something I should have told you long ago, but I never found the right time.”

Amy’s face turned pale. “Are you sick? You haven’t been yourself lately.”

“No, I’m not sick, honey,” he replied. “I’ve been afraid of your reaction when I tell you something. Please forgive me for not having the courage to tell you before this.”

I wished Mr. Gray would just tell her and get it over with. Amy was becoming frightened.

“What?” Amy demanded. “If you don’t tell me now, I will get mad.”

Mr. Gray looked at the table and began telling Amy about the newborn baby left on the doorstep of the mansion where his wife worked as a maid.

“Oh, the poor baby,” Amy crooned. “It sounds like Mom. She was always trying to help people. And she loved babies. What happened to the poor little thing?”

“Sweetheart, that baby was you,” he replied. “Brenna brought you home, and we adopted you a few months later.

Amy shook her head. “No, that can’t be true. Is this a joke?”

“No, honey,” it’s no joke,” Mr. Gray told her.

“I went all my life not knowing,” Amy said. “Why are you telling me now?”

“Because your first shift will happen at midnight on your birthday,” he replied.

“Yeah, I know. What does that matter?” she asked. The news she was adopted has taken first place in her mind.

Mr. Gray and I braced ourselves for Amy’s reaction to his next words. With Amy’s intense dislike of most Alphas, I was afraid she may become irrational. It would definitely be a shock.

“It matters because it means you are either an Alpha or a hybrid wolf,” he said. “We’ll know as soon as you shift for the first time.”

Amy’s mouth dropped open, and her eyes bulged. “No freaking way!”