Garrett didn't believe that she could bear it for a long period of time. Berric growled within him and began scolding him. 'What is wrong with you? You didn't get permission!'
'We need to know if she is revolted by our touch,' Garrett responded.
'Your mind games are going to bite us in the ass,' Berric retorted.
Lily felt humiliated, not because of his brazen actions but because of the trace of irony in his voice. She held firm and stared back at him with her head held high.
"You can believe what you want. You can check on me yourself to see if I am pure. Just like you, Alpha Garrett, I mean what I say!"
"What did you call me?" Garrett asked.
He stopped his movements, squinting at her with a trace of displeasure. Was she mocking him?
"Alpha Garrett!" She pretended to be bold, saying, "You're my future husband. Even though you are the second born son, you are still an Alpha. Should I not refer to you by your proper name?"
Garrett could not help but laugh when he heard this self-righteous and vigorous remark.
He had always loathed hearing the title. It was a reminder of a position that he would never claim and the honor that he would never have. Only his father dared to refer to him that way to incite his anger when reprimanding him, but Lily addressing him as Alpha, on the other hand, seemed less insulting and more intimate.
"I don't mind if you call me Alpha," Garrett said abruptly. He pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her and grabbing her rounded rear with his big hands.
Lily was not thin but very shapely. With how plump her bottom is, he felt she was unexpectedly light. Garrett worried about breaking her with his strength. 'This she-wolf can handle us,' Berric said with approval.
They were so close to each other as both were getting familiar with each other's scent. Garrett was half a head taller than her, and she had to look up at his face.
Garrett's burnt face looked rough and frightening with a scar on his eyebrow. It reminded Lily of an old, mature wolf that had seen many fights and was wiser for it. When Garrett stared at her, she could feel his Alpha aura and immediately showed her neck to him in submission.
His sharp eyes on his face were striking, but intimidating. His dark brown eyes looked like the endless sky on a full moon night. They drew her in. When looking into his eyes, Lily didn't feel repulsed or scared. She could accept this man as her mate.
Lily took a deep breath and said frankly, "I have requested all my belongings be brought here. Let us spend the winter together. It will give us time to get to know each other, and if you don't find your true mate, then we will have the mating ceremony in the spring. If your father needs proof, you can mark me."
She blushed as she said the last sentence. The thought of Garrett marking her as his meant that other 'activities' had to happen before that.
She was inexperienced but not dumb. Lily knew that she would sleep in the same bed with this man. It was only a matter of time before things moved forward.
'Is that such a bad thing? Our fated mate betrayed us. We might as well have fun,' Dina said.
'What about his mate? He hasn't found her,' Lily said.
'What about her? That is not our concern right now. We'll deal with that when and if it happens,' Dina countered.
Garrett listened to her and suddenly started to look forward to the future she described, hoping time would move faster. Seeing her shyness, he suddenly wanted to tease her.
"Now that we're engaged, kiss me," Garrett said huskily.
"What?" She was stunned, as if all the blood in her body had poured into her face as she turned bright red in embarrassment. Lily became even more aware of how close they were and the fact that she was in his bed.
Garrett smiled and leaned in closer. He moved so close that his breath tickled Lily's lips. "Didn't you say you were not afraid and we're engaged? Then why are you not willing to kiss your soon-to-be mate?" Garrett asked.
Hearing his words, Lily bit the inside of her cheek. He was obviously testing her again. She wouldn't say no. She would not lose at this game.
Lily growled low in her throat, causing Garrett's eyes to widen. She gripped his face and kissed him. Garrett turned at the last moment so that she would kiss the burned side of his face. Now that she had to prove herself, she chose to do it more persuasively!
Lily licked the side of his face, causing Garrett to jerk back and look at her. She couldn't help but laugh at his shocked expression. Garrett smirked before leaning in and kissing Lily properly. He kissed her deeply and left her breathless.
Garrett was very satisfied with this kiss and wanted to continue kissing her, but then there was a knock on his door.
"Mr. Hunter, you have an important phone call," his secretary said before knocking on the door again.
Garrett sighed and said, "Get some rest."
After Garrett left, Lily still felt breathless from the kiss. It wasn't her first kiss, but Matthew had never kissed her this passionately before.
'Yes, that's the difference between kissing a boy and a man,' Dina explained.
Maybe that was it?
Lily buried her face in the quilt as she attempted to process the complicated feelings coursing through her.
After getting to the study, the secretary handed over a report to Garrett. "As requested, I obtained a private investigator to look into Miss Bray," he explained. "She had a very normal life for the most part."
Garrett nodded and put the report on his desk. As his secretary continued to talk, Adam helped Garrett remove the mask from his face.
Then a perfect face with clear outlines and sharp features showed that his face was not burned at all.