"This is unacceptable! This can not happen again," Garrett growled as he rubbed his face wearily and stood up from his desk.
Garrett and Adam had spent the entire Christmas Eve hunched over their desks, diligently working to fix the reports left behind by an incompetent employee. Garrett had noticed the errors by chance and spent hours trying to get the right figures. Adam only joined in when he came to his office after Garrett was not returning his calls or responding through the pack link.
"You could have let me deal with this mess. You could've been at home with Lily," Adam yawned from his place on the loveseat in the corner of his office.
"It wouldn't be fair to you either," Garrett said. "We need to fire whoever did these reports. This could've been disastrous."
"You already fired him,"
"What?"
"Ben, the accountant. You already fired him."
Garrett reached for the edge of the desk but stopped himself. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Garrett wanted to throw the desk across the room but that wouldn't solve anything.
"Father's actions still fucking with me even now," Garrett groaned.
"On the bright side, we saved Christmas for all of our employees," Adam said with a shrug.
This was true. Garrett did feel a sense of relief and accomplishment. He always valued his employees whether they were wolves or not. Garrett would be damned if he turned out anything like his father. He wanted his employees to feel valued and he was going to stick to his promise to ensure that happened.
Garrett turned on the t.v. to play some music on Mebox while they cleaned up the mess they had created. The news video of the latest incident with Brandy and Lily was paused as he didn't finish watching it when he noticed the errors. "I meant to ask you about this. What is the situation with this?"
"Oh, that," Adam frowned at the screen. "My mistake Alpha. I didn't see anyone recording."
"Apparently, the boutique owner wanted to get ahead of this PR disaster and released the footage after firing the cashier. That's not what I am concerned about. Why didn't you stop this from escalating?" Garrett explained.
"She had it covered," Adam said simply with a shrug. "That brat wouldn't have dared touch her not with so many witnesses around. I can't believe they fired the cashier."
"Don't underestimate a power crazed she-wolf, Adam," Garrett said firmly.
"Understood," Adam said.
Adam had the luxury of not having to deal with a power struggle personally. Garrett was well aware what power-crazed she-wolves were capable of. He was related to one. Lily was the punching bag of her family. Usually, those situations didn't resolve without bloodshed.
"The money I gave them to keep them from harassing Lily, it seems, has been invested properly. They have enough power to push their weight around. The boutique owner didn't want to lose business. Their decision makes sense but it was wrong. I have already sent an offer letter to the cashier to work as an admin assistant," Garrett continued.
"Lily would be happy to hear that. In any case, the little Luna seems to be good at avoiding unnecessary confrontations. I don't think we will have to worry too much. You have made it very clear that their harassment is unacceptable," Adam stated. "It would be even better if you go ahead and mark her. Then by our laws they will have no wiggle room."
"I plan to keep my promise to Lily. Their interference will not force me to break that promise," Garrett declared.
Adam nodded as he shouldered his bag. "Nor should it, but what are we doing here still talking? It's Christmas. We should be heading home."
"What do you plan on doing tonight other than drinking and eating yourself into a coma?" Garrett asked as they exited his office.
"Annoy my little sister. She has herself a little boyfriend now. I can't wait to embarrass her. What about you? What do you have planned with Lily?"
"I don't have any plans, to be honest. I'll bring her gifts and then order takeout."
Adam regarded him for a moment looking at him as if he had grown a second head. "Have you forgotten about Lily? She's waiting at the villa for you."
Garrett's brows furrowed. "She would've gone home to celebrate with her family."
"The same family that practically tried to ruin her life. The same family that made it very clear they want no association with her," Adam responded. "I don't think so. Brandy is damn insufferable. She would rather drown than deal with her little sister and her enabling parents."
Garrett felt even worse now for being away for Christmas Eve. "I need to get home."
"Yes, you do, my Alpha. You need to open up more with her. Take a chance with her. She is clearly not going to leave," Adam suggested before clapping Garrett on the back.
The loud buzzing of her phone interrupted the music playing on her phone, disturbing Lily's mini karaoke session in the shower. "Ugh, that was the best part," Lily growned as she was in the middle of belting out her favorite song. Since the moment was ruined, she turned the shower off and got out.
The last items of her holiday feast were finished 15 mins ago. Once Adam texted her to tell her he would be dropping Garrett off, she made a mad dash to clean up and get ready. After carefully picking the dress she wanted to wear, Lily went to shower the aches and pain from cooking for a full day off.
'I hope he likes this,' she thought as she was toweling herself off.
'He doesn't have a choice. All the work we put into this. If he doesn't, you better let me have control, so I can shovel the food down his throat,' Dina said, causing Lily to laugh.
Again, her phone began buzzing loudly on the bed next to her. 'Who is that? Can't be Adam. Wouldn't be Tiffany because I just talked to her,' Lily wondered.
'Ignore it,' Dina said firmly.
Lily ignored Dina and answered the phone anyway.
"Hello?"
"Hello, my dear daughter. Merry Christmas. How are you?"