CHAPTER 8 The Engagement Will be Canceled

Lily stared at the reporter. Her facial expression changed from shock to anger as she lost her composure. "How dare you say something so horrid? Do you have no morals?" Lily asked.

"The same could be asked of you. It is a valid question," the reporter sneered. He was positive that he had finally caught Lily in a lie. He'd make a fortune from his article.

"You must be behind on the news," Lily explained calmly. "Even though I am under no obligation to explain anything to you, I will tell you why they will accept me." She paused for dramatic tension before willing herself to say, "Garrett is my second chance mate."

The reporters all gasped in amazement. A second chance mate was uncommon. It meant that the individual had been truly blessed by the Goddess and that the rejection of the previous mate bond was valid.

"That… that is impossible. Someone like you could never have a second chance mate and you don't hold a mate mark either, you…"the reporter responded, still reeling from his big misstep. The other reporters began to feel awkward at this point. They had no idea what to ask next. It was frowned upon to even inquire about the mate mark. They were hired to extract vital information from her, and as far as they could tell, they succeeded.

"There are other places that a mate mark can be," Lily said coyly. "Now, if you'll excuse me, my future husband will be picking me up." She smiled gracefully and moved past the gathering of reporters to stand at the curb.

"Since Mr. Hunter cares so much about you, why did he leave you alone? Why did he not send a car to pick you up?" the third reporter asked, determined to not be outwitted.

Lily froze when she heard this. "Who said he didn't?" she replied as she turned around. "In five minutes, the driver will arrive. I wanted a driver because I didn't want anyone to notice us."

"Really? Well, then we'll just wait here," the reporter sneered.

Lily nodded, keeping her cool even though her heart was pounding. She played her hand too aggressively. She pulled out her phone and started browsing through her contacts.

Fortunately, none of the reporters dared to look at what she was doing on her phone. It didn't make a difference. Lily had few acquaintances, and her dearest friend had already left town.

A black Rolls-Royce pulled up in front of her just as she was about to panic. The driver emerged from the vehicle, dressed in a tuxedo. He walked over to her side and bowed. "Miss Bray, please get in the car," the driver requested as he opened the back seat passenger door. "Mr. Hunter is expecting you at the villa."

Lily didn't hesitate and hurried into the car. Once the door closed behind her and the tinted windows shielded her, Lily breathed a sigh of relief as she relaxed back into the seat.

The driver hurriedly re-entered the vehicle and drove away. "I didn't anticipate Miss Bray to be so astute, sir. She handled the media quite well and maintained her dignity even when they insulted you," the driver stated.

"Hmm," Garrett responded over Bluetooth. A smile rose from the corner of his mouth. In the privacy of his office. Why did he feel proud when Lily said the two words: my mate?

The driver knew Garrett long enough to understand his tone. He was intrigued by the young she-wolf. He didn't see her just as a contracted mate, but something entirely else.

"I want all her information, and find out what type of man she prefers," Garrett instructed.

"Yes sir,"

The news of Lily's interaction with Garrett at the hotel quickly circulated throughout social media. Jack was quickly informed by his receptionist. It was bad enough that Lily had made a fool of one of his sons, but the she-wolf seemed to have no problem retaliating against those who had mistreated her. It was starting to seem like Jack had picked the wrong she-wolf for the future Luna of his pack.

"She has every right to be angry," Kelly commented as she sat down with a cup of tea next to her husband. "How terrible to discover that your sister snatched your fated mate from you. If someone tried to take you from me, Jack, I'd be ready to kill. You should be a little more sympathetic to the girl."

"Her childish outburst could have serious consequences. She knew that she would not be with Matthew, and she made a scene anyway. We need to seem as a united front, not as some Jerry Springer scandal," Jack contended. When he switched on the television to watch the news, he was surprised to find Lily defending Garrett.

Kelly squeezed her mug in anticipation of seeing how Lily handled the reporters. She squealed when she heard Lily declaring Garrett to be her guy. "See! She is not putting us down! This is the kind of daughter-in-law we need, not some mate stealer!"

"Hmmph. We must appropriately welcome her to the pack. Please notify our son that we will be expecting them both for dinner," Jack said.

Lily was bewildered as she stood in front of a villa. She didn't expect to actually be brought to his villa. The door opened, and she was led inside.

"Hello, Miss Bray. My name is Adam. I am Mr. Hunter's housekeeper. Mr. Hunter had to take a call, but he'll be right back to join you for dinner. Do you want something to drink while you wait?" the old man standing in front of her said.

Lily was overcome with remorse. She didn't want to have supper with Garrett. She stated those things merely to save face.

'We've arrived. So, let's see how it goes. He's going to be our mate no matter what,' Dina, her wolf, whispered softly. 'Do not do something foolish. I'm still too weak to defend both of us.'

"A jack and coke," Lily said. She'd need a strong drink to get through the night.