L’s POV


    I took a step backward as children came running toward me. Their excited faces lit up as they got closer.


    “I can’t believe we are actually meeting you!” One of the girls said happily. “You are a legend around here!”


    “A legend?” I asked, raising my brows in pure confusion. I nced over at Dee who had a smile on her face. “I don’t understand…”


    “You fought the bad guys and saved that woman!” One of the kids exined. “Everybody is talking about it!”


    “Word travels fast,” Dee said with a shrug. “You are like a hero to the kids.”


    “We want to be just like you!”


    “Teach us how to fight!


    “We want to fight like the incredible L!”


    I must have looked as shocked as I felt because Dee startedughing at my expression as she stood beside me.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    “Can you teach us, L?” One of the kids asked again.


    I always had a soft spot for children and saying no to them didn’t sit right with me. As I stared around at all the eager faces, I knew it would be impossible to refuse them this.


    “Of course, I’ll teach you,” I told them.


    To my surprise, they all started cheering and pping. My face grew incredibly warm at the sudden attention I was receiving.


    Enzo had gone to help some of the men of the pack with setting up the equipment before the bake sale began.


    I was surprised the kids weren’t asking Enzo to be their teacher. He was incredibly skilled inbat, and he was their Alpha.


    I nced over at Enzo in the distance; I was thinking he wasn’t paying any attention to me, but to my surprise I see his eyes wandering in my direction.


    His brows knitted together in such a formation that Iughed out loud; I knew this was going to bother him.


    I turned away from him to face the kids.


    “Let’s pick a day and I’lle to teach you everything I know about fighting,” I tell them.


    They all looked at one another before they began shouting out random days of the week.


    “Tuesday!”


    “Friday!”


    “No, Saturday!!”


    Another smile tugged at my lips.


    “How about Sunday?” I suggest.


    Sunday would be the best time because I don’t have sses or homework usually.


    “Okay!” They all said in unison with more cheering andughing.


    “Okay, children. Let the adults finish setting up for the sale,” Dee saiding around therge table the baked goods sat upon. “Run along and y.”


    “Okay Miss Deanna,” some of them said as they took off toward the yground.


    “Bye Dee! Bye, L!” The others said as they took off as well.


    I stared after them for a long while, shaking my head with dismay written all over my face.


    “It’s sweet that they look up to you,” Dee chuckled.


    “It’s surreal,” I said in return. I nced back over at Enzo who was no longer looking at me. “But why didn’t Enzo tell me that everyone was talking about this?”


    Dee frowned and nced in Enzo’s direction.


    “I don’t think he knew. He’s been in his own little world thest few days,” she exined.


    I turned to face Dee.


    “Because of his mother?”


    She paused what she was doing; I could tell this wasn’t a subject she wanted to talk about. What was it about Enzo’s mother that bought everyone’s silence?


    Dee eventually sighed and peered over at me from her side eyes.


    “Enzo has always been very close to his mother; when he heard that she was hurt, it destroyed him. So, I don’t me him for being in his own little world,” she exined.


    “If he was so close to his mother, why hadn’t he mentioned much about her?” I asked.


    I was finding it hard to believe that he was really that close to her if he doesn’t talk about her that much. I’m close to both my parents and I talk about them all the time.


    Of course, I don’t say that. I just wait patiently for Dee to speak again.


    “Enzo doesn’t talk much about family,” Dee said; she was no longer looking at me. She was hiding something. “I wouldn’t take it personally.”


    “I’m not taking it personally,” I say; but even I don’t believe my words.


    I nced at Enzo onest time and this time, I met his eyes.


    What secrets is he holding?


    …


    Enzo’s POV


    She’s getting toofortable.


    L cannot getfortable in this pack; if she gets toofortable, then she won’t ever leave.


    “Do you really want her to leave?” Max asked with humor in his tone.


    “Yes,” I answered dryly. “If she stays, she will be in danger.”


    “Then, we will protect her.”


    “We can’t always be here to protect her,” I replied.


    “Sure, we can. She’s, our mate. It’s our job to protect her.”


    “Staying away from her is protecting her,” I reminded him.


    “In what world? She’s a Vna. She has the scent and the look. Eventually, they will figure it out and find her without our help.”


    “Hey Alpha, can you move those speakers to that area over there?” Someone asked from a far distance. I managed to pull my eyes away from L’s long enough to go to the speakers.


    As the evening went on, students started to return from the yground upon Dee’s request. Their parents had also arrived and some others from the Calypso pack. Dee started to y this light pop music that had all the kids dancing and singing. I stayed in the distance, keeping a watch over everything as I often did as Alpha.


    I ordered some of my gammas to keep watch in different parts of the schoolyard.


    I didn’t want to be too careful, especially after the attack on my mother. I knew the attackers were still out there somewhere and I refused to let them get past me.


    L was with some of the children, selling the baked goods. She had a smile on her face that lit up brighter than the sun. Her dark hair glistened under the rays as she brushed her fingers through it. She was speaking to some of the women while the children sold baked goods around her.


    L’sugh echoed through the schoolyard, making its way into my ear, and causing Max to howl in delight.


    He was smitten with her, but I knew it couldn’t happen.


    By the end of the evening, the school had reached its goal for profit, and we were ready to leave. L had a huge smile on her face when she returned to my car. It waste in the evening, and I could see just how tired she was.


    I would let her sleep at the packhouse tonight, but then tomorrow, she needs to go back to school.


    The ride back to the packhouse was quiet; L gazed out the window. She was thinking about something.


    What I wouldn’t give to find out what it was.


    Knock it off, Enzo. You can’t go down that rabbit hole.


    I scolded myself.


    I parked the car out front of the packhouse and she quickly got out. It was like she was purposely trying to avoid me.


    She went into the house as if she owned the ce and went straight for the stairs; I followed after her, a little reluctantly. As she reached thest step, she walked toward the room she was in thest time she was there.


    She remembered her way around this ce well.


    I don’t think she noticed that I was following her because once she reached the door and grabbed the handle, I grabbed her arm to stop her, and she looked up at me shocked.


    “Enzo?” She breathed. “I didn’t realize you were there. Were you following me?”


    “Why did youe here?” I asked her, keeping my tone low and my grip on her arm tight.


    She narrowed her eyes at me as she thought about what to say.


    “I’ve already told you… because you weren’t in ss and—”


    “Why did you reallye?” My tone was harsh; I was aware of that.


    Her breathing grew heavy as she kept her eyes locked on mine.


    “I was worried…” she admitted in only a whisper.


    I was only inches from her; I looked down at her plump lips that were open only slightly. Our breathing became unison.


    “You’re incredibly dumb foring here by yourself…”


    “Are… are you saying you were worried?” She asked, her nose and cheek area became pink, and her voice came out breathless.


    I pressed my body against hers until she was pinned between me and the doorframe. She didn’t seem to mind; or at least, she didn’t fight me.


    She nced at my lips, a sparkle in her eyes, she was giving me silent permission.


    This was wrong on so many levels; but at that moment, I didn’t care.


    I leaned down and kissed her.