Chapter 79

I hurried to the car and gave Victor a big smile as he held the door for me while I climbed into the Lamborghini.

Diana felt Adam nearby, and she was like a wolf hurling herself against the walls of a cage. Her excitement was contagious. It was making me jittery.

“You need to calm down, Diana.” I laughed. “You and Adam don’t want to distract Victor and get us into an accident, do you?”

“Of course not,” Diana said. “It’s just difficult not to be able to greet Adam properly.”

Both of the wolves calmed down, and they seemed content to be close together as they let Victor and I speak.

“Are you going to tell me why you looked sad as you were walking away from the school?” Victor asked.

I was impressed that he noticed. He seemed to care about me more than my best friend did today. But I wasn’t sure if I wanted to talk about it.

“It’s more than one thing,” I said as the Lamborghini pulled away from the curb. “I’m sure these things never happened to you, so I doubt you’d understand.”

“Please, tell me more. I don’t like seeing you upset.” His softened tone made me feel like he cared about me. Victor was trustworthy, and I needed to tell somebody about my day.

“The school gossips are working overtime spreading rumors about me. They say that I’m lying about having a double-mate bond, and they even had to bring up what I now call ‘the great wetsuit incident.’”

Victor suppressed a smile.“I love that you can laugh about that now.”

I gave him side eye because I wasn’t laughing. I now know I looked ridiculous in that thing, but that doesn’t mean I want it thrown in my face constantly.”

“Sorry,” Victor said.“You’re right. You said there is more than one thing. What else is on your mind?”

“It’s Amy,” I replied. “She met a guy a couple of weeks ago, and now she thinks she’s in love with him. She ignores me and spends all of her time calling and texting with him.”

Victor paused to think a moment before speaking. “Are you feeling left out of her life, or are you concerned for her future?”

It was my turn to stop and think. “I guess it’s both.”

I did feel left out when she ignored me for Justin. But I was also concerned that he would take advantage of her or hurt her.

“I need to meet Justin and try to get a sense of what kind of person he really is,” I said.

“Then you need to tell Amy that.” Victor pulled in front of an ice cream shop. “Don’t tell her you’re afraid this Justin guy is no good. She’ll get defensive of him right away if you do.”

“I thought the same thing.” I looked around the small gravel parking lot Victor had pulled into with the Lamborghini.

“Why are we at the ice cream shop?” I asked. I was surprised, but the thought of ice cream sounded good.

“With the rough day you’ve had, I thought you could use a little ice cream,” Victor said. “I’m having a chocolate milkshake. What would you like?”

“Are you going to eat ice cream?” Looking at Victor’s incredibly hard body, I never would have suspected he ever ate ice cream.

“I’m not going to sit here and watch you eat it,” he replied and got out of the car. “Come on. It’s my treat. A little milkshake never hurt anybody.”

With the first smile I had on my face all day, I followed Victor into the ice cream shop.

After we enjoyed our thick, chocolatey milkshakes, Victor took me for a ride over the hills before returning to Alex’s mansion.

“Do you feel better yet?” he asked as he opened my car door for me.

“A little,” I said. The bad parts of the day were fading away. Sometimes ice cream can work miracles.

“What else can I do to cheer you up?” Victor looked at me with one eyebrow raised higher than the other.

“I miss dancing after school with you,” I said. “How about one more dance lesson?”

He smiled. “Why not. I’ve got some time to spare until after dinner.”

At the thought of dancing again with Victor, I felt as excited as Diana when she sensed Adam nearby.

We told Alex I was home and hurried to the ballroom. The fact that Victor was eager to dance, too, made me feel good. He must enjoy our dancing as much as I did.

Victor grabbed the sound system’s remote and started the music. I could feel Diana’s relief as I stepped into his arms.

I thought it felt pretty good too.

The touch of his hand on mine made me tingle. There was an attraction… a pull between us that was stronger than before my ball.

I stopped thinking and just let myself feel him near me and the places where our bodies touched.

His breath gently washed against my neck, and the gentle pressure of his hand on my back kept me pressed against his masculine body.

“Diana, it’s wonderful to finally be with you,” Adam said.

“I was beginning to think it would never happen,” Diana agreed. “But I could feel you whenever you were near.”

“Just like I could feel you,” Adam said softly. “I feel as if I’ve known you forever.”

“Perhaps you have,” Diana replied. “The Moon Goddess doesn’t make mistakes. We are perfect mates in this time and perhaps in many others.”

“I can’t wait to run free with you, Diana. We must get them to shift together.”

“Please, Victor and Daisy,” Adam pleaded. “Have mercy on us. We need time together. Keeping Fated Mates apart is cruel.”

“Be satisfied we are together for now,” Victor told them. “There will come a time soon when Daisy and I will shift, and we will all run free.”

“Victor is right,” I agreed. “It is almost time for dinner with Alex. But we will do as you ask soon.”

As much as I wanted to run in the woods with Victor, it was a level of intimacy that I wasn’t quite ready for. I would explain it to Diana later.

Victor and I danced until Benson arrived in the ballroom to announce dinner was ready to be served.

Our wolves remained silent, content to be near one another as Victor and I sat side-by-side, eating our meal.

“Daisy, my mother told me to remind you about the Phillips’ ball Friday night and the Starlight luncheon on Saturday.”

“Are you talking about Dan and Mary Phillips?” Alex asked.

I knew the Phillips family lived a few miles from here on the same street as Victor‘s parents.

“Yes,” Victor replied. Friday night is the ball to celebrate their thirtieth anniversary.”

How wonderful to be married for that long. I wondered if they were still as happy as they were on their wedding day.

I thought of my mother’s ball gown that had been stored in the attic for years. Jennifer was having it cleaned and was checking to see if it needed repairs.

If it was ready, I would wear it to the Phillips’ ball. I couldn’t wait to see how the gown looked on me. Maybe Jennifer could style my hair like my mother’s hair was in the portrait.

“Wonderful. I’m looking forward to attending,” I told Victor.