Lilah stopped clenching her dress and released her grip.
'Fate, huh? It's always left to fate. I just wish...' she wanted to wish. She wanted to hope.
But at that time, the question rang in her head a third time,
'Do you want to live?'
And this time, she did not lie to herself or bring up any excuse. She did not deny her longing any longer and gave it her sincerest best.
'Yes, I want to live. I don't have a life to live right now but I wish to have a life. I wish to live a life I never got to live and never even got to dream of. I...' her eyes grew teary and the emissary wondered what brought her to tears.
Was it the joy of his Lord's attention on her? Or perhaps there was another reason.
He could not fantom what these humans thought on a daily basis.
"And what if I..." She paused, the words hard to say as she knew she was spewing lies. But she chose to say these lies with confidence. "...said I was already betrothed to another?"
Their eyes widened, and Harry wondered if that was news he just hadn't heard of or if Lilah was lying just to get out of this situation.
Patrick was equally flabbergasted. Of course, Lilah wasn't betrothed to anyone. So, why did she lie?
If they found out she was lying, it would be dire.
Lilah held her hands softly, trying to stay composed. She just needed the vampire to believe her words and back off.
She knew it wasn't easy to fight fate but she wanted to... She wanted to try one more time.
In her last life, it was already stated by the medical staff that she wouldn't live past 20 and it was true. She died without reaching 21 even if she fought with all she had.
And in this life, she was destined to die on the night of her 21st birthday. For once... She wanted to live past her destined death. She wanted to be free and not have to worry about fate tying her to an early grave.
She wanted... To live.
"Ha, what betrothal?" Dawn scoffed and Lilah's shoulder lightly flinched. "You're lying. You've never been betrothed in your life."
"I'm not lying, sister." Lilah said, still retaining her composure. "It's true. I... I got betrothed while you were in school."
"What?? That's a lie. No one said anything about--"
"Dawn!" Harry yelled her name and her bones shivered as he glared at her. "Be quiet."
"Oh my, this would be such a predicament then." The emissary said, rubbing his chin. "But it doesn't matter," his lips curled up in a wide grin. "You can just cancel it."
Lilah pursed her lips. She was getting a bit nervous.
If she wanted to continue her lie and insist that the betrothal could not be canceled was if the other party was someone they, the humans as well as the vampires, could not afford to provoke.
And there was only one race.
Did she have to do this? If she called 'his' name then she would be twisting the entire plot and depriving her sister of her happily ever after.
But why did she need to worry about Dawn's happily ever after? Didn't she, Lilah, deserve one, too? If she could live in Dawn's place as it should've been in the novel then she would have no regrets.
Dawn... Such a person did not deserve the kind and loving male lead.
'It's not like I have the right to judge anyone but Dawn is questionable. This time, I want to be the one who gets a happily ever after.'
Lilah had made up her mind.
"I'm afraid it's impossible." Lilah said. "Because my betrothed is none other than the Lycan King, Alpha Kael Blackwood." She said, and the expression on the emissary's face froze as he had just heard something forbidden.
After saying that name, a sudden silence enveloped that big hall that only had the five of them in it.
Lilah could hear her own heartbeat racing. The weight of his name was so heavy that she found herself wondering if she couldn't have come up with a better excuse.
But how could she? This was something she decided on a whim.
She had been preparing herself to die for all these years; it was only at the last minute that she realized that she longed to live more than anyone else.
"Do you dare speak that name in front of me to provoke me?" The emissary asked, his tone laced with vipers.
"I dare not." Lilah calmly said. "But it is the truth. And I believe that's the only way for you to understand my situation. Please, do not put me and my family in a rough situation."
But it was a lie though. How was she going to get out of it if he started asking questions? Just how did she plan to meet the Lycan King anyway?
He was supposed to attend the party and meet with Dawn who was supposed to be sobbing on the balcony, right after the vampires had dragged Lilah away. But the order was all messed up now and she had no idea if the Lycan King would still make it to the party now that it had been interrupted.
"Then are you saying you don't know it's taboo to speak of a werewolf in front of a vampire and vice versa?" He asked, his eyes suddenly glowing with hatred but Lilah kept her cool.
After all, she could not see the expression he had on his face or the look in his eyes. All he did was give her chills and make her dull useless eyes ache.
"I know of that taboo, but I feel it will be even more audacious to hide the fact a secret just because of the taboo. Don't you think so, mister emissary?"
Hearing this, he laughed.
She was innocent. At least, she liked and acted innocent, not knowing of the consequences of the world.
Maybe it was because she had been sheltered but she should learn to take more caution so as not to lose that pretty tongue of hers.
"Alright. I understand. I will not be unreasonable." He said with a sly smile playing on his lips. "But in that case, would you mind answering and telling me where you met with the Lycan King? It's very unusual. And..." He looked at the two behind her, who were having a hard time processing what was going on as well as hiding their expressions. "It looks like your family isn't aware of this." He said and they flinched. "Was it a secret betrothal then?"
His questions came one after the order. It was clear that he did not believe that this family had attracted the wolves. So, he needed to be convinced.
Lilah felt she was in trouble, but before she could even open her mouth to come up with a lie, their father arrived.
"I didn't know we were having such an esteemed guest." He said, staring at the Vampire whose eyes had torn from Lilah and landed on him. "It's not every day we get a visit from someone of noble lineage." He spoke respectfully.