I turned away from the TV to keep my foster family from noticing my interest in the news. I especially didn’t want Andrea to see me staring at the handsome Alpha male who was the missing girl’s fiancé.
I could still hear the reporter's words as he delivered the story. His voice seemed to echo through my mind.
“So, I have a message for all you girls who will soon be eighteen,” the reporter said. “If you have thick eyebrows and naturally curly hair, please call the number at the bottom of the screen. You could be Alberta Wilson, the heiress of dying billionaire Alex Wilson.”
“You should call the number, Daisy.” Cecilia tugged on a lock of my wild, unruly hair. “Maybe this is your real family.”
Andrea let out a whoop of mocking laughter that made me cringe.
“Daisy ... a missing heiress!” Andrea laughed again. “Alex Wilson is the leader of The United Association of Alphas.” She rolled her eyes. “No way is Daisy an Alpha.”
“Sweetheart, stop it.” Cecilia winked at her daughter. “There’s no way to know if Daisy has Alpha blood before her first shift on her eighteenth birthday.”
I acted as if I didn’t see Cecilia's wink or Andrea’s smirk. I was used to this kind of treatment from them. But it didn’t make it right or make it hurt any less.
I shook my head at Cecilia. Andrea was right. I was no Alpha Princess.
There are many girls my age with thick eyebrows and curly hair. Checking to see if I’m a missing heiress would be even more ridiculous than throwing away my money playing the lottery.
I was working and saving my money. After college, I’ll get a good job and have my own home. It was the only way to be totally independent and never rely on others again.
Besides, I didn't want to be an Alpha. I’ve heard stories about how they stuck together to exploit Betas and Omegas while trying to satisfy their greed and lust for power and wealth.
“No, thank you. That life is not for me,” I whispered to myself just before the phone rang.
“It’s your geeky, little friend,” Andrea said and tossed the phone into my lap.
I ignored the insult and put the phone to my ear. “Hello.”
“Hey, Daisy,” Amy said. “Sorry again for your birthday…Dad wants to ask you something I think you’ll like.”
“Daisy? It’s Alan Gray.”
Mr. Gray was Amy’s father and my boss. I genuinely liked him because he was a kind man and sometimes treated me better than my own foster parents.
“Hey, Mr. Gray, what’s going on?” I said.
“Tomorrow is Saturday. I know you’re working the lunch and afternoon shifts, but I need somebody to work the dinner shift too. Leah needs the day off to attend her grandmother’s funeral."
“Extra hours would be great,” I replied.
“I worry about you working too hard,” Mr. Gray sighed.
“I'll be fine,” I assured him, touched that he cared.
“Then we’ll see you tomorrow,” he said and hung up.
More work was exactly what I wanted. It was the only way to escape this life and build a better future for myself.
I tossed and turned most of the night, unable to get the Alberta Wilson story or Victor Klein out of my mind. Both made me feel a strange pull in my soul.
Warm sunshine woke me the following day. It had to be late morning. Panicked, I leaped from the bed and hurried to get ready for work. Then I rushed downstairs to the kitchen.
“You should be on your way to work by now,” Cecilia said with her hands on her hips.
“I … I know,” I replied. “I couldn’t get to sleep until almost dawn.”
“You’ll have to eat while you walk to work.” She handed me two slices of toast that sat on the table.
“Thanks.” I took the toast from Cecilia before rushing out the back door.
I nibbled on the toast as I walked. It was cold and tasted strange, but I was hungry enough not to care. By the time I arrived at the restaurant, both pieces were gone.
With the sun warming my skin and fresh air cooling my lungs, I couldn’t help stopping outside the restaurant’s front door. A few moments to enjoy the moment before going inside to begin work was irresistible. It would be dark by the time I came outside again.
The sound of a crowd across the street caught my attention as I reached for the door handle. A deep, masculine voice could be heard above all the others. Scanning the crowd to see who he was, I gasped.
The missing heiress’s fiancé was speaking to the large crowd! Victor Klein was pure Alpha as he captivated his audience with his charm. Everyone hung on his every word. I was fascinated about by him too.
“This entire neighborhood will be improved at no cost to any of you,” he promised the cheering crowd. “And all expenses for the renovations will be paid for by me.”
Wow. Maybe not every Alpha is a greedy jerk. Victor clearly wants to help the werewolf neighborhood and make their homes and businesses better.
I envied the way Victor easily spoke in front of his audience. He was so masterful, so confident. And it was a pleasure to look at his handsome face, muscular body, and broad shoulders.
He was masculine perfection. Watching how his sensual mouth moved as he spoke made me tingle in a way I didn’t understand.
Mr. Gray appeared at the restaurant door. “I was getting worried about you, Daisy. You’re usually early for your shift.”
“S … Sorry,” I stuttered like I always do when I’m nervous. “I … um … overslept.” I looked back at Victor. “Isn’t it wonderful what he’s doing for the local werewolves?”
Mr. Gray frowned. “Victor Klein does nothing for others,” he said and motioned me inside.
“But I … I heard him tell everyone he’s going to pay for improvements to this neighborhood.”
“He didn’t tell the crowd that he owns every building on this street,” he said. “And I’ve been warned that I need to shut down the restaurant while the improvements are being made, and afterward, everyone's rent will be doubled.”
“Victor is going to make a fortune!” I exclaimed. I felt so stupid. Victor was exactly what I expected from a wealthy Alpha.
Mr. Gray gave a huge sigh and put on his chef's hat.“Time to get to work,” he said warmly.
The restaurant soon filled with the lunch crowd. I hurried from table to table, giving the best service to my customers that I could. But I began to feel sick in my stomach, and it made it hard to concentrate on my work. Can toast go bad?
As I was bussing a table, I saw a couple being seated at a booth in my area. Grabbing menus, I braced myself before approaching them.
It would be hard to talk to them because the attractive couple looked like rich Alphas. They always made me more nervous.
“Hi, I’m Daisy, and I’ll be your server today.” I managed to keep my voice from shaking, but my queasy stomach fluttered when I looked into the man’s eyes.
It was Victor Klein.
“Hello, Daisy,” Victor replied with a smile that took my breath away.
I stuttered again while taking their drink order and stumbled away in a daze. I needed to calm down before I returned to his table.
I mustered the courage to deliver their drinks. But I blushed at the sight of the female Alpha slipping off one high-heeled pump to caress Victor’s ankle with her toes. It seemed like such an intimate gesture.
“The profit margin is fantastic,” Victor told the female Alpha. “The U.A.A. will be pleased.” He didn’t acknowledge the feminine toes rubbing his ankle, yet there was a hint of a smile on his sensual lips.
Poor Alberta. If she’s found, she will be shackled to a greedy player. I quickly served Victor and his companion their drinks, took their food order, and moved on to check on another table.
Keeping busy, I tried not to stare at the Alpha pair as they ate. I was growing more nauseated and wanted this long day to be over. It was a relief when Victor signaled me for his check.
“Was everything okay?” I asked as I handed him his bill.
“Yes, thank you.” Victor stood, pulled out his wallet, and placed enough cash to pay the bill, plus a two-hundred-dollar tip on my serving tray.
“I … I’ll be right back with your change,” I stammered before heading for the cash register.
Victor and the female Alpha were gone when I returned to their table. It felt wrong to keep all the money, but a sudden gurgle in my stomach made me rush to the hallway where the bathrooms were located.
I forgot all about my stomach when I spotted a man in the hall coming my way. It was Victor.
My mind spun. Should I thank him for the tip and offer him his change? Did I have the courage to talk to him?
His sensual smile widened as he drew closer. I opened my mouth to speak, but I couldn’t utter a word. Instead, the contents of my stomach gushed from my throat.
