Chapter 61

Today is the day.

While Jennifer was helping me get ready, a young maid came to my room. She looked as if she wanted to say something, but wasn’t sure if she should.

After she told us what was on her mind, Jennifer scolded her for upsetting me.

“Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything in front of Miss Wilson,” she said to Jennifer. “But I thought you would want to know what terrible things I overheard a few of the guests saying.”

“The nerve of them! It makes me angry that they would say anything bad about my mistress,” Jennifer said.

“I’m used to being talked about,” I said. But being called ugly and having someone wonder if I’m going to show up dressed in a wetsuit for my ball did hurt my feelings.

Why wouldn’t the Alphas stop talking about me or forget the mistakes I made when I first joined their ranks?

Didn’t they understand that I wasn’t raised with the advantages that they had? Why did they have to be so mean?

I felt like crying, but I held back my tears. I wouldn’t walk into the ballroom with red eyes and allow them to know their words had hurt me again.

“Don’t worry, Miss,” Jennifer said. “You’re going to look just lovely. And those awful gossips are going to eat their words.”

“You do look fantastic, Miss Wilson,” the young maid said as she circled me, her face aglow with admiration. “You look like a fairy princess.”

“She is our Alpha Princess,” Jennifer gently corrected her. “And I’m going to make sure everyone at the ball knows it.”

A half hour later, Jennifer put the finishing touches on my hair and makeup a moment before my father entered my bedroom to escort me to the ballroom.

“Oh, my!” Alex exclaimed. “You look even more stunning with your hair styled like that.”

I was shaking with both excitement and fear, but I was ready for the ball.

For the first time, I was appearing outside of my bedroom with my hair in loose waves that fell past my shoulders.

My makeup was flawlessly applied again by Jennifer.

My skin was glowing and dewy, my brows were perfectly arched, and my eyes looked bigger and greener than ever thanks to the mascara, liner, and eyeshadow that gave me what Jennifer called a smokey eye.

I never thought my face could look this good.

The pearl and gold jewelry Victor had chosen for me adorned my neck, ears, and wrist. Each exquisite piece set off the gorgeous cinnamon ball gown to its best advantage.

And the gown clung to me in all the right places. I wasn’t showing a lot of skin, but my figure that I’d always tried to hide because I thought it was too skinny looked amazing in the gown.

I couldn’t believe these curves were mine.

For the first time in my life, I felt beautiful, and I realized how much I did look like my mother. It felt wonderful.

The ballroom doors were open, and I could see a few people talking to each other, but the din of voices told me a large crowd was waiting inside.

As my father and I approached the doorway, the crowd went silent. I held my breath as we stepped inside the ballroom.

The stunned crowd remained silent as Alex led me onto the dance floor.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” Alex announced. “I have the privilege of presenting to you all my daughter, Daisy Alberta Wilson.”

All of our guests began to applaud. Alex held my hand as I curtsied to the crowd.

I felt shaky and hot and cold at the same time from being the center of attention. Part of me wanted to run away and hide, but I didn’t want to disappoint Alex.

And I wanted to show them they were wrong about what they said about me.

“Thank you all for coming to my ball,” I said it calmy with a smile on my face. “It is my honor to have you all here.”

Without hearing me stutter at all, a few people started to whisper. I could see some of them looking at me with a frown, and I tried to look back as peacefully as possible.

I never felt better about being able to talk without stuttering. It was wonderful.

I smiled at Amy, who looked beautiful in her ball gown as she stood beside William. She waved and gave me a big smile.

I knew all the negative comments about me, even though they were partially true, would be considered groundless rumors now.

There is just one thing left … my dancing.

Alex gave the musicians a signal, and the music began.

Because of my father’s poor health, we danced a slow waltz.

Gracefully, we started. I noticed Victor giving me a thumbs up from in the crowd.

A buzz of voices could be heard over the music. I quickly concentrated on my father’s face and tried to ignore the huge crowd watching us dance.

“This is a little frightening, but I truly feel like a princess,” I said as I looked into his eyes.

“For seventeen years, I thought this moment would never come,” Alex said. “I am grateful to the Moon Goddess for the chance to dance with you at your birthday ball.”

“She has been kind to us.” I smiled.

When the dance ended, I was immediately approached by several young men. They were calling my name and holding out their hands for me to dance with them.

The thought of running away flashed through my mind again. But my father squeezed my hand and pointed to Victor, who stood nearby.

Victor pushed through the crowd and extended his hand to me. His expression told the others to back off.

I took his hand, and he pulled me into his arms to dance as music for the foxtrot began.

With all the practices, I didn’t even need to think about my next move as we danced together.

We coordinated our movements with each other so well that everyone was watching us.

“You look exquisite, Daisy,” Victor said. “And you are dancing divinely. I’m very proud of you.”

I blushed a little under my makeup. “Thank you. You look pretty great yourself.” He looked more handsome than ever in his white tie and tails.

The outfit clung to him and all the right places and made his shoulders look even wider.

“I know you don’t enjoy being the center of attention,” he said. “Try to ignore them and enjoy yourself.”

“It’s hard to ignore a crowd this big,” I said. “Who are they? Most of them I’ve never seen in my life.”

Victor gave me a wry grin. “Only the best Alpha families in our society were invited. Most are very wealthy and very snobbish.”

He turned his nose up into the air for emphasis and made me laugh.

“Yet, if they weren’t wearing their expensive clothes, they would look the same as anyone else.”

“I think you may be right,” Victor agreed as he smiled into my eyes. “But don’t tell anyone I said that. I do business with many of them.”

After the foxtrot was over, Victor walked over to claim Amy for the next dance. I gasped as a crowd of men closed in on me again.

“Miss Wilson, would you allow me the honor of the next dance,” they said almost in unison and then repeated themselves when I didn’t respond.

I was shaking as I looked around for my father. There were so many people all around me that I couldn’t have run away, even if I wanted to

I didn’t know any of these men, and I didn’t know what to do. How could I choose one of these strangers over the others when I didn’t want to dance with any of them?

But then, I heard a familiar voice say my name. “Daisy, would you do me the honor of this dance?”

It was William. He extended his hand to me, and I gratefully took it.

“I’d love to dance with you, William.” I took his hand, and he drew me onto the center of the dance floor.

William wore a white tie and tails too. His athletic build also made him look spectacular. He looked like a young blonde Adonis.

I noticed the music playing was a tango and wondered if Victor had anything to do with that coincidence. I saw him grinning at me from across the room as he danced with Amy.

William danced well. And to my surprise, so did I. The tango was just as much fun to dance with William, yet my mind kept wandering back to when I was alone in this ballroom with Victor.

“You dance great,” William said as he bent me in a low dip. “Victor must be an outstanding teacher.”

“He is,” I agreed. If it weren’t for Victor, none of this would be happening. I didn’t realize until now that Victor was my teacher, mentor, and friend.

“You dance rather well yourself,” I said. “You must’ve had lessons, too.”

William laughed. “From the time I was old enough to walk. The children in families like mine are groomed for their positions in society practically from birth.”

“You make it sound unpleasant,” I said. “I would’ve liked to have had dance lessons all my life.”

William sighed. “It wasn't just the dance lessons. You should be grateful that you missed being raised like I was. Some of the expectations my parents had for me were ridiculous. They still are.”

I followed his gaze to the massive fireplace where his parents stood with smiles on their faces. They were talking to another middle-aged, Alpha couple.

By the way all four of them watched us, I was sure they knew William was dancing with me and were pleased.

“Let’s ignore everybody and enjoy the dance,” I suggested. “The tango is one of my favorite dances.”

“Mine too,” William said and spun me to his left. Then he pulled me back into his arms, and, cheek to cheek, we paced the floor.

We concentrated on the music, and I felt myself becoming absorbed in the dance. But as I looked into William’s eyes, I couldn’t help seeing Victor’s face in my mind.