《My Professor Is My Alpha Mate》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 L¡¯s POV Today I had my first kiss. It wasn¡¯t nned. It was also with aplete stranger. I¡¯ve always had my first kiss envisioned from the moment I learned what real love was. I imagined the sparks we would feel as we share that passionate moment. I imagined what my wolf would feel like when she recognizes him as our mate. Going to arge college, I thought I would at least find one person that would make me want to give him everything my heart had to offer. But I never felt what my mother felt for my father. I¡¯ve had a boyfriend for a couple of months, but it still never felt right. I keep thinking that when I turn 18 and get my wolf, maybe she would recognize him as our mate. Maybe he¡¯s the one I¡¯m supposed to be with for the rest of my life, even if I don¡¯t see it yet. But the moon goddess thought otherwise. As I walked through the halls of my school, Hig Shifter Academy, I paused when a familiar sense washed over me. My boyfriend, Scott, was nearby, and he wasn¡¯t alone. The halls were growing quiet as students went to ss. It was only the sounds my heartbeat left as I made my way around the corner, only pausing when I heard a familiar giggle of a she-wolf, Sarah, and the husky growls of Scott. ¡°You are so naughty, Scott,¡± Sarah chuckled. ¡°Only for you, babe,¡± he replied, muffled as her lips closed around his. At that moment, I felt sick to my stomach. My next ss, ceramics, was with Scott. I didn¡¯t even want to take that ss, but he thought it would be fun to take a ss together. I was an art student, so I agreed. As I stepped away, I paused as I saw a tall and broad gentleman across the hall, staring in my direction. Our eyes met only briefly and I had to admit that he was strikingly handsome. ¡°Oh, Scott. Stop it. You know we can¡¯t be seen together. What if your girlfriend finds us?¡± ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°She¡¯s in ss. She¡¯s neverte. You don¡¯t need to worry.¡± My heart was heavy in my chest, but also a wave of fury and resentment crossed me. A crease formed between the gentlemen¡¯s brows. I realized tears had escaped my eyes. They weren¡¯t so much as tears of heartbreak, more like tears of disappointment. I wiped my face with the back of my hand and was about to walk past him. I didn¡¯t want anyone to see me like this. Just as Scott came around the corner, I felt him freezing as he saw me. Sarah stood beside him, and I heard her gasp. I met her beautiful blue eyes. ¡°L?¡± Scott breathed, staring at me in shock ¡°What are you¡ª¡± Before he could get the entire question out, I turned to the gentleman beside me, cing my hands on his shoulders and pulling him toward me. He went easily, though his eyes showed nothing but confusion. I closed my eyes tightly so I wouldn¡¯t have to see his expression any longer. Then, our lips touched. His lips were soft, and they tasted so sweet, almost like marshmallows. However, his lips remained unmoving. His hands restedzily by his sides, though mine movedfortably around his neck. My heart was beating rapidly in my chest. I had no idea what I was doing. I¡¯m not sure why I did it; maybe to hurt Scott. Maybe because I was sick of holding out for something that might never be good enough inparison to the role models I grew up with. Either way, I seized the moment. Though, I had no idea who this man was. I pulled away from him, breathlessly gazing up at his grey eyes. They were growing darker as he stared into me. I wasn¡¯t sure what lingered in his gaze, but he didn¡¯t pull away from me. My hands continued to rest behind his neck, and I realized I was pressing my body into him. My face grew warm as I stepped away, touching my fingers to my lips. That was my first-ever kiss. What. Did. I. Do? ¡°I need to get to ss,¡± he said, his tone was low and almost husky. That was the first thing he¡¯s ever said to me. I was too stunned at my own actions to even ask him what his name was. But I nodded, brushing my dark hair out of my face with my fingers. Scott and Sarah had already gone to ss. I turned away from him, without saying anything and went in the direction of the main office. All I could think about at that moment was getting out of my next ss. I couldn¡¯t face Scott again after that. Even as I walked away, I could feel the gentlemen¡¯s eyes on the back of my head, watching me. ¡­ ¡°Unfortunately, there¡¯s only one ss avable. All other seats are filled,¡± the receptionist, at the main office, said, ncing at herputer. ¡°And what ss would that be?¡± I asked, trying to keep the tears from resurfacing in my eyes. ¡°Shifting and Combat,¡± she answered, staring up at me. ¡°Would that be all right?¡± Shifting? I had yet to obtain my wolf; so, that ss might be difficult. However, I was skilled inbat. ¡°Anything but ceramics,¡± I said to her in return. She frowned for a moment. ¡°Is everything all right, L? You aren¡¯t being bullied in that ss, are you?¡± She asked. ¡°I can give your father¡ª¡± ¡°No!¡± I said quickly; thest thing I wanted was for my father to find anything out about what had happened. He was the head of the Alpha Committee and worked closely with Scott¡¯s dad, another Alpha. ¡°It¡¯s nothing like that,¡± I assured her. She looked unconvinced, but she nodded just the same as she looked back at herputer, typing away. She soon printed out a new schedule, handing it to me. ¡°You are now in Shifting and Combat 101 with Professor Enzo. It¡¯s in the school arena. You can head there right now.¡± The arena was on the opposite end of the school; I¡¯ve only been there a few times to practice my combatting. But how was I going to get through a semester of shifting sses when I couldn¡¯t even shift? My 18(th) birthday was only a few days away; I was supposed to be heading home for the weekend to celebrate with my family. I thought I would have obtained my wolf by now, but I was mistaken. I was the youngest wolf to get epted into the Hig Shifting Academy; one of thergest schools for werewolf and bear shifters. I was also the only one who didn¡¯t have a wolf yet. But that didn¡¯t mean I was incapable. Like my mother, I am a Vna wolf. Vnas are more powerful than regr wolves. The moon goddess had gifted us with many different abilities. Although, I haven¡¯t received these abilities just yet. However, I¡¯ve studied and practiced my entire life, with some of the greatest gamma warriors and my father, on how to fight and defend myself. I reached the arena and stood outside the doors; I could already hear the growling of wolves as they practiced theirbat with one another. Stepping inside, my eyes scanned the area briefly. Not one wolf was paying me any attention, they were fixated on each other. They wererge and ferocious looking; it reminded me of the gamma training I used to watch growing up. Stepping further into the arena, I allowed the door to shut firmly behind me. The biggest wolf stood on the far side of the arena, overlooking thebat unfolding before him. That had to have been the professor. He was a beautiful dark wolf that almost looked blue from the crystal lighting that danced off his thick fur. His dark eyes scanned the arena briefly before theynded on mine. He looked oddly familiar; it wasn¡¯t until he shifted back into his human form that I realized who he was. It was him¡­ The man I kissed only moments ago in the hallway. The man I had given my first kiss to, was my professor Chapter 2 Chapter 2 L¡¯s POV I couldn¡¯t believe that the man I had shared my first kiss with was my professor. Suddenly, it felt like the arena wasn¡¯t big enough. Professor Enzo was extremely handsome and incredibly muscr. I ran my eyes from his gorgeous grey eyes down to his incredible 8 pack abs. His arms wererge, and I could see small veins appearing around his biceps. His dark, wavy hair was kind of shaggy, dancing around his broad and manly features. He had sweat beading on his forehead and dripping down the side of his face, and some more sweat on his chest, dripping down his torso. My face instantly began to redden as he walked toward me. ¡°Can I help you with something?¡± He asked, raising his brows, and meeting my eyes. ¡°Sorry; I just transferred to this ss,¡± I say to him, showing him my printed schedule. ¡°I¡¯m L¡­¡± He looked at the schedule briefly; silence growing thick between us as he pulled his eyes from the schedule and back onto my face. ¡°You can join the other students,¡± he said, turning away from me. My eyes widened as I nced at the others who were still fighting in their wolf forms. I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat. ¡°Actually, I can¡¯t shift,¡± I say quickly before he¡¯s able to walk away. He freezes; for a moment, I thought I heard a low growl in the dept of his throat. ¡°What?¡± He asked in a disbelieving and slightly annoyed, tone. He turned back and I saw that his grey eyes were now dark and threatening. ¡°What do you mean you can¡¯t shift?¡± ¡°I mean¡­ I haven¡¯t gotten my wolf yet,¡± I tell him, biting my lip hard. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? He nced down at my mouth, staring as I chewed my bottom lip nervously. I could feel heat This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. circting my features. My heart was pounding so quickly and loudly against my chest, I thought he would be able to hear it. ¡°Why are you in a shifting andbat ss if you can¡¯t shift?¡± ¡°I¡¯m good atbat,¡± I answer. ¡°Just because I don¡¯t have a wolf doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m not capable. I¡¯ve been practicing my entire life. Let me show you what I can do.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have time to babysit,¡± he muttered, sounding incredibly annoyed. ¡°Besides,¡± he added. ¡°I don¡¯t have a partner for you. All my students fight in their wolf forms.¡± ¡°I can train with her,¡± a she-wolf said as she shifted back into her human form. She had a kind face; her hair was short and dark. Her eyes were big and brown, with longshes. She was looking at me fondly with a sweet smile. ¡°I don¡¯t mind,¡± she said again, pulling her eyes from me to look at Professor Enzo. ¡°Fine,¡± he said. He walked away without another word. ¡°I¡¯m Ba,¡± she said, holding her hand out for me to shake. I took it, returning her smile. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you,¡± I say in return. ¡°I¡¯m L.¡± ¡°Oh, trust me, I know exactly who you are. I also hear you are one of the best fighters in this school. Professor E. would have been stupid to turn you away.¡± I couldn¡¯t help butugh at her words; this was my first year at this school and I suppose I shouldn¡¯t be surprised that word travels fast. I¡¯m known around Elysium for mybat and clever mind, but we weren¡¯t in Elysium. We were in Hig. Thergest city outside of Elysium. ¡°I appreciate your kind words,¡± I say in return, and I meant that. She went to say something else, but her words fell short when we heard another, more familiar, voice. ¡°Well, look who it is,¡± Sarah scoffed. ¡°If it isn¡¯t the little slut;ing to y with the big dogs?¡± I rose my brows; she was calling me a slut? After I just caught her making out with my boyfriend? ¡°Though I shouldn¡¯t be surprised,¡± she said, her tone growing icy as she nced behind her shoulder at Professor Enzo who was staring in our direction with a crease forming between his brows and his frown deepening. ¡°Considering how much you like Professor Enzo; it¡¯s a no-brainer that you¡¯d transfer to his ss.¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to practice mybat skills, like everyone else.¡± This made herugh. ¡°Please; the only skills you are practicing are the skills with your lips.¡± ¡°She¡¯s actually a very capable fighter,¡± Ba chimed in. ¡°That¡¯s riching from a lowly Omega,¡± Sarah sneered, causing Ba to flinch. ¡°Your kind shouldn¡¯t even be allowed at this school.¡± Ba looked genuinely hurt by her words. ¡°Ew Sarah, why are you even talking to that Omega?¡± Another girl said, stepping beside her. Both girlsughed and I saw Ba¡¯s face reddening as she lowered her gaze. ¡°Omegas are nothing but trash,¡± Sarah agreed. ¡°But what¡¯s worse than an Omega is someone who can¡¯t even shift into their wolf. It¡¯s no wonder your boyfriend wanted my lips instead of yours.¡± I stepped in front of Ba, blocking her out of sight of the other wolves. ¡°What gives you the right to decide if an Omega is capable or not? I happened to have seen her fight only moments ago and she seemed quite capable to me. It¡¯s my understanding that we are at this school to learn. So, let¡¯s not cause issues for one another,¡± I said, staring around at their faces. ¡°As for my boyfriend goes¡­¡± I say, meeting Sarah¡¯s eyes. ¡°He¡¯s clearly not man enough to be able to handle me. So, he¡¯s all yours.¡± Without another word, I grab Ba¡¯s wrist and pull her along with me to a different part of the arena and away from the nasty she-wolves. I got another glimpse of Professor Enzo as we passed, and I thought I saw a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. ¡°Thank you for standing up for me,¡± Ba said in a low tone once we were a distance away. ¡°I¡¯m used to being bullied though. Omegas aren¡¯t typically liked around here¡­¡± I rose my brows at her, confused. ¡°Why?¡± I asked. ¡°Some of the best wolves I know are Omegas. They are incredibly kind and genuine. Don¡¯t let bullies like that make you think otherwise.¡± She beamed a wide smile at me; I could tell she felt a lot better. ¡°It¡¯s obvious some people here don¡¯t recognize you as Alpha Bastien¡¯s daughter. Let¡¯s show them what you can do!¡± I smiled at her words; that sounded like a perfect idea. I couldn¡¯t shift into my wolf form, which meant, I needed to wow them in other ways. I faced Ba, getting into the stance I was mostfortable in. Soon, we were both fighting. She managed to dodge most of my attacks. However, I was holding back a lot. I didn¡¯t want to hurt her. I dodged her attacks with ease; she couldn¡¯t evene close to me. I could feel the eyes of the other students on me, their mouths gaping as I did an acrobatic move. Something I¡¯m sure none of them were expecting. I did a front flip, kicking my legs out and purposely missing Ba by a hair. Though, it frightened her enough to stumble backward and lose her footing. I grabbed a sphere off the wall of weapons, twirling it in my hands quickly, doing a somersault and twirl move. She dodged the first attack thinking I was aiming for her head when I was actually aiming for her feet. So, she tried to dodge but instead tripped, falling to the ground again. I stepped, lightly, on her chest, pinning her to the ground with the sphere pointed directly at her. She stared up at me with awe; everybody gasped. I looked around, almost forgetting that there was an audience. None of them spoke for a long while until a couple of them pped. Then, almost everyone started cheering. Everyone except Sarah and her friend. I smiled pleased, taking my foot off Ba, and helping her to her feet. ¡°That was incredible!¡± She breathed, staring at me with wide eyes. ¡°It was nothing,¡± I shrugged, putting the sphere back on the rack. I turned to see Professor Enzo staring at me; his arms folded across his chest and his face expressionless. Before I could approach him and ask him what he thought, I heard beeping going across the arena. I frowned as I realized it was everybody¡¯s phone. As they all went to check their phones, I heard the gasps and saw the shocked expressions. Ba covered her mouth with her hand as she stared at her own phone. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I asked, ncing over her shoulder. As soon as I saw what they were all looking at, my heart plummeted into my stomach. It was a picture of me¡­ kissing¡­ Professor Enzo. Chapter 3 Chapter 3 L¡¯s POV ¡°Everybody needs to get off their phones!¡± Professor Enzo¡¯s voice was deep and boomed across the arena. I couldn¡¯t even move; my entire body felt frozen as I stared at the picture on Ba¡¯s phone. I nced around the arena only to be met with a bunch of curious and shocked expressions. Everybody was staring at me. Sarah and her friend were chuckling as they were ring at me. ¡°That¡¯s one way to get ahead¡­¡± I heard her muttering. Professor Enzo grabbed Ba¡¯s phone to look at the photo; I hadn¡¯t even realized he was approaching us. His jaw twitched as he took in the photo. ¡°This is terrible photoshop skills,¡± he said, shaking his head as he gave Ba her phone back. ¡°You can clearly see the outlining around my body. Someone is really trying hard to spread nasty rumors.¡± Everybody pulled their eyes from me to look back at the picture, assessing it. ¡°He¡¯s right¡­ this is terrible photoshop,¡± someone murmured. ¡°How pathetic. Why go to that many lengths to spread this kind of rumor?¡± another said, shaking their head. Sarah¡¯s mouth was nothing more than a thin line as her obvious n was unraveling. I couldn¡¯t help the smile that twitched at the corner of my mouth. ¡°I almost thought for a minute that you actually kissed Professor Enzo,¡± Baughed from beside me, averting my attention from Sarah to her. ¡°Although, I wouldn¡¯t have been surprised. He¡¯s so handsome. Anyone would be lucky to be able to kiss him. A lot of women around here want to.¡± ¡°Really?¡± I asked, raising my brows. ¡°Because of how handsome he is?¡± ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? ¡°That and because he¡¯s very young; he¡¯s only 23,¡± Ba exins. My eyes widened; I knew he looked young, but I didn¡¯t think he was that young. ¡°He¡¯s also the strongest and toughest professor at this school. Which is to be expected considering he is an Alpha.¡± ¡°He¡¯s an Alpha?¡± I asked in surprise; I had no idea. He must know my father then. I couldn¡¯t help but look back at Professor Enzo who was busy showing some students new moves. N?velDrama.Org ? content. ¡°Yes,¡± Ba answered. ¡°I believe he¡¯s the Alpha of the Calypso Pack.¡± The Calypso Pack. That was the pack my mother was born in; her parents were from the Calypso Pack. I remembered, from when I was young, that their former Alpha was ise, the most powerful shifter in the universe. I wondered how Enzo became their Alpha. The thought was quickly brushed from my mind as ss concluded. ¡°I¡¯m starving¡­¡± Ba said as she gathered her belongings. ¡°We should get some lunch.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be there in a minute,¡± I tell her, ncing over my shoulder at Enzo who was typing something on his phone. He had a stern expression; his eyebrow twitching only slightly. ¡°I need to talk to the professor about something.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Ba said giving me a half-wave. ¡°Then I¡¯ll see you in a bit.¡± She turned and left the arena with the others, leaving me alone with Professor Enzo. ¡°Professor?¡± I say, stepping closer to him. He nced up at his phone to look at me, narrowing his eyes. ¡°I just wanted to say that I¡¯m sorry for this mess¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s been dealt with,¡± he muttered, showing me his phone. ¡°I got the picture taken down.¡± I rose my brows in shock; that was so quick. When he saw my shocked expression, a smirk appeared on his lips. ¡°I know the guy who runs this tform,¡± he exined. ¡°He took it down without question.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± I said to him, feeling an overwhelming sense of relief. I went to turn away, but his voice stopped me. ¡°I was trying to figure out why you looked so familiar to me and then when I saw you fighting, I realized who you were,¡± he said. I could feel his eyes on the back of my head and knew how intently he was staring at me even before I turned around to face him. ¡°You are Alpha Bastien¡¯s daughter.¡± It wasn¡¯t a question. I nodded my head once. ¡°You know my father?¡± ¡°He¡¯s one of the strongest and fiercest Alphas,¡± Enzo said; his expression was hard to read. ¡°I can tell that you¡¯ve trained under him.¡± ¡°For my entire life,¡± I say, staring down at the ground almost sheepishly. I wasn¡¯t sure why I was feeling embarrassed suddenly. ¡°My father is my role model¡­ as is my mother.¡± He said nothing to that; he just stared at me for another short while. Soon, he turned away to clean up his belongings. I stood there for a moment, unsure of what to say. ¡°I¡¯m actually having a birthday party this weekend,¡± I tell him before I could grasp what I was saying. His body tensed for a moment, and he looked over his shoulder to nce at me. ¡°A lot of Alphas will be there. I¡¯m turning 18, so it¡¯ll be a big bash in Elysium. You¡¯re invited, of course. All Alphas are.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Another smirk appeared on his lips, causing my heart to somersault. ¡°Yes,¡± I answer, pleased that my voice didn¡¯t sound strained. ¡°Of course, you don¡¯t have to. But I figured I¡¯d offer the invite.¡± When he didn¡¯t say anything in response, I took that as my cue to leave. I turned away, feeling awkward, and started to walk toward the exit. ¡°Should I bring anything?¡± He asked before I could leave. I paused; my breathing got caught in my throat. ¡°Just yourself,¡± I say, instantly regretting howme I sounded. I left without another word. ¡­ ¡°I can¡¯t believe my daughter is turning 18,¡± my mother breathed as she wrapped me in her arms. I smiled into her embrace. It felt good to be home after a few weeks of living at the academy. Hig Shifter Academy was about an hour¡¯s drive from Elysium, so I had to live in a dorm room. I tried toe home most weekends though. ¡°How do you feel? Any changes?¡± My father asked, eyeing my features carefully. I thought about it for a moment before answering; typically, when a wolf was about to make an appearance, it could be felt. I shook my head, sighing in defeat. ¡°I feel the same,¡± I answer. ¡°Maybe I won¡¯t get a wolf.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that,¡± my mother said with a frown. ¡°You¡¯ll get your wolf and you¡¯ll be stronger than ever.¡± ¡°Your mother is right, L bean,¡± my father chimed in. ¡°It¡¯s in your DNA.¡± I knew they were right; I was just being impatient. I wanted my wolf so badly that it was driving me insane. I was hoping that once I got my wolf, I would be able to sense my mate and get Scott¡¯s betrayal out of my mind. I looked between my parents who loved one another so much; it pulled at my heart. Even after everything they¡¯ve been through in their entire lives, they always stood by each other. My father said that a mate bond is the strongest form ofpanionship. He¡¯s proved that repeatedly; even when my mother pulled away, he always went after her. He never gave up. He¡¯s loved her unconditionally and I admired that so much. I aspired to have that more than anything. But without a wolf, I felt like that was impossible. ¡°Guests will be arriving soon, L bean,¡± my mother said, giving me a fond smile. I stared myself over in the mirror onest time; I was wearing a silky pink and ck dress that flowed evenly around my knees. My father had already gone to greet some of the Alphas that already arrived. My mother stood behind me, staring at me fondly with tears welling up in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m so proud of you, you know,¡± she breathed, wrapping her arms around me, and giving me a tight hug. The two of us looked a lot alike; I had her dark hair and fair features. Most importantly, I had her Vna eyes. One violet and the other blue. She released me and draped an arm through mine, pulling me along with her toward my bedroom door. I could already hear the guests piling into the foyer of the packhouse. ¡°Oh, I forgot to mention. I invited my professor as well,¡± I tell her. She paused for a moment and nced at me. ¡°Actually, he¡¯s the Alpha of the Calypso Pack. Enzo.¡± She rose her brows. ¡°Alpha Enzo is your professor?¡± She asked; she didn¡¯t sound displeased, just surprised. ¡°I never took him as the kind to be a professor.¡± ¡°Do you know him well?¡± I asked, peering up at her. She thought about it for a moment before answering. ¡°As well as I can I suppose. He¡¯s the son of the former Alpha of the Calypso Pack, ise. Chapter 4 Chapter 4 L¡¯s POV My mother took one look at my face and startedughing. ¡°Why do you look like you¡¯ve seen a ghost?¡± She asked. ¡°Enzo is ise¡¯s son?¡± I asked; I waspletely and utterly shocked. ¡°I had no idea he had kids.¡± My mother nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t think Enzo was ever close to his father,¡± she exined. ¡°I believe he lived with his mother in a different pack. When his father died, he went back to Calypso. Being ise¡¯s only living rtive and all.¡± ¡°If I had known he was ise¡¯s son, I wouldn¡¯t have invited him. I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡± ¡°Sorry? Why are you sorry? I¡¯m d you invited him. Your father will be pleased. He rather likes Enzo. Said he has a good head on his shoulder. He¡¯s nothing like his father, that¡¯s for sure.¡± ¡°So, we trust him?¡± I asked, raising my brows. ¡°L bean, we can¡¯t fault Enzo for something his father did. You should know that better than anyone.¡± She gave me a small smile, staring around my concerned face. She ced a hand on my shoulder, causing me to meet her eyes. ¡°I promise, if there¡¯s something you need to be concerned with, I will tell you,¡± she said gently. ¡°But for right now, there isn¡¯t. Enzo is not a viin. Those days are behind us.¡± I felt better knowing she wasn¡¯t worried. I trusted my mother more than anyone. ¡°So, when were you going to tell me about Scott?¡± My mother asked as we made our way out of the apartment. I paused and turned to her. ¡°How did you know about that?¡± I asked. One of her eyebrows went straight up as she looked me over. ¡°I¡¯m your mother; you can¡¯t hide things from me,¡± she replies. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? I wanted tough; she always knew when something was going on. ¡°Does dad know?¡± I asked. ¡°Do you not want him to know?¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t want to make the Alphamittee weird is all,¡± I tell her. ¡°Because Scott¡¯s dad is a member¡­¡± ¡°Your father is extremely professional. He would let something like that intervene with his work,¡± she said in return. ¡°But I won¡¯t say anything if you don¡¯t want me to. I¡¯m assuming we won¡¯t be expecting Scott tonight then.¡± It wasn¡¯t a question. I turned away and walked down the stairs to greet the guests that have arrived. The first person I saw wasn¡¯t surprising. Brianna. My best friend. She ran to me, wrapping her arms around me, and nearly knocked me off my feet. Iughed at her excitement. ¡°Oh my goddess, L!¡± She cooed happily, twirling me around. ¡°You look stunning! How do you feel? Do you feel 18?¡± I sighed, shaking my head. ¡°I feel the same as I always had,¡± I tell her. ¡°I was hoping I was going to get my wolf today¡­¡± ¡°You still might,¡± she assured me, giving me a broad smile. ¡°The day is still young. Regardless, you are going to get your wolf and it¡¯s going to be glorious when you do!¡± Brianna had gotten her wolf a couple of months ago and she hasn¡¯t stopped talking about it. She describes it as having a real genuine best friend who knows you from the inside and out. Then, she paused when she saw my face and added, ¡°no offense. It¡¯s just different¡­ you know.¡± I assured her that I didn¡¯t take offense to that, and I knew what she meant. My mother told me about a time she thought she lost her wolf for good. It was like losing a part of herself. Her mind was so quiet, and she felt so lonely. ¡°Your father made me feel less lonely,¡± she added. That was exactly the kind of love I wanted; I wanted someone to make me feel less lonely even if I didn¡¯t have a wolf. But I also really wanted to meet my wolf. I wondered what she would look like. What she would sound like. I wondered what her name would be. Soon, the packhouse was filled with those I love; my mother brought out a huge cake. It was red velvet with chocte frosting; my absolute favorite vor. When everyone sang happy birthday, I grew tearyeyed. For a moment, I forgot all about Scott¡¯s betrayal. I forgot all about my wasted first kiss. Until he walked in. At first, it was just the strong scent of marshmallows, but then I saw him standing at the doorway of our packhouse. He wore a dark button-down zer and dress pants. His hair was still shaggy, but he wasn¡¯t covered in sweat this time. He was greeted by a few Alphas, including my father. I watched as the two shook hands; my father had said something to him that I couldn¡¯t hear. My mother stood by my side instantly. ¡°Enzo¡¯s looking rather nice tonight,¡± she said from beside me. ¡°Yeah, he is,¡± I admitted to her. ¡°I wasn¡¯t really thinking he was going to show up.¡± ¡°Your Alpha Bastien¡¯s daughter; of course, he¡¯s going to show up when invited. Almost every Alpha is here.¡± I thought about our shared kiss a couple of days ago and my face grew warm at the memory. But then I remembered that Enzo was ise¡¯s son. I don¡¯t think he knew what had gone down with his father and my parents. I don¡¯t even know if Enzo knew that I was a Vna wolf. We aren¡¯t thatmon, and most don¡¯t know what we look like at first nce. I wondered if that would even matter to him. I always had this strong idea of what true love would look like. My parents have true love; that was always the vision I had for myself. I wanted someone who loved me just as much as I loved them. Who would do anything for me. Someone that would die for me. But I don¡¯t envision Enzo being that person. And I wasn¡¯t even sure why. I guess I never really envisioned Scott being that person either. Enzo¡¯s eyes scanned the room briefly as the Alphas continued talking to him. It was like he was looking for something. As soon as his eyesnded on me, it was like he found it. His eyes darkened only slightly. I gave him a polite smile, hoping that my face didn¡¯t reveal my thoughts. His face remained expressionless though; he eventually pulled his eyes away from me to speak to the other Alphas. The nerve of that guy. It was my birthday, and he couldn¡¯t evene over to greet me? ¡°Happy birthday, kiddo,¡± my uncle Aiden, the beta of the pack, said as he approached. He gave me a quick hug. ¡°Thanks,¡± I say to him with a broad smile. ¡°How did you manage to get Alpha Enzo to show up?¡± He asked, following my gaze to Enzo who still paid me no attention. ¡°That guy hates parties.¡± ¡°How do you hate parties?¡± I asked, raising my brows. ¡°He¡¯s always been odd like that. Ever since he was a kid. He¡¯s always only had one focus and that was to get to the top. I admire his ambitions honestly, but it would be nice to see him smile once in a while.¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t smile?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen him smile,¡± Aiden answered. The only type of smile I¡¯ve seen him do was smirking. I thought he¡¯se close to a real smile when I told Sarah off in the middle of his ss, but I was probably mistaken. As I looked back over at Enzo, he was looking directly at me. ¡­ Third Person POV ¡°Shepletely embarrassed me in the ss,¡± Sarah cried to her new boy-toy Scott. She doesn¡¯t think of Scott as her boyfriend, she just wanted to see if she could steal him away from L. Which she did. Ever since L started going to the academy, everyone¡¯s attention has always been on L. Sarah used to be the best student and now it was L. Sarah used to be the center of attention, but now all anyone ever talks about is L. She doesn¡¯t care that L is Alpha Bastien¡¯s daughter; she doesn¡¯t have a wolf so that makes her a nobody in Sarah¡¯s eyes. She¡¯s worse than an Omega. ¡°You should have heard what she said to me, Scott,¡± Sarah continued to huff. ¡°She also said that you weren¡¯t man enough to handle her.¡± ¡°Says someone who wouldn¡¯t put out,¡± Scott said with an eye roll. ¡°Just forget about her. Who needs her.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right¡­¡± Sarah agreed. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m going to stand for it.¡± ¡°What does that mean? What are you nning on doing? ¡°I overheard her talking to Professor Enzo after ss today. She invited him to her birthday party.¡± ¡°Okay?¡± Scott urged. ¡°I think it¡¯s time we crash a partyN?velDrama.Org ? content. Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Enzo¡¯s POV 12 year earlier ¡°Enzo¡­?¡± My mother woke me up during the night, tears filling her big brown eyes, and dripping delicately off her long and darkshes. I groggily woke, to find her standing over me. ¡°Mom?¡± I asked, peering at her through the dark of the night. It was cold; we didn¡¯t have much heat in our small home. We didn¡¯t have much money to afford heat, but my mother never made it seem like we were poor. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I whispered to her, not wanting to wake the others that resided in the house. ¡°Your father is dead¡­¡± she said softly, her voice quivering. She was frightened. But of what? ¡°He¡¯s gone, sweetheart,¡± she said again. From what I had heard of my father, he wasn¡¯t a good man. He left my mother pregnant, rejecting her, and forcing her to live in another pack. She would often refer to him as a monster. ¡°You are the only living rtive left¡­¡± She continued. ¡°His Beta ising to collect you. You must go with him¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± I asked, sitting up quickly in bed; she shushed me, wrapping her arms around me. ¡°I know this is sudden. But you must be the Alpha of Calypso. I never wanted this for you so soon, my baby.¡± I had no idea what it meant to run a pack and be an Alpha. I was at a loss for words, and I had to admit, I was terrified. It was only yesterday that I was running around with my friends and being a kid. Now this time tomorrow, I would be in a whole different pack and acting as a leader. None of this was making sense to me. ¡°You¡¯ll being with me, won¡¯t you?¡± I asked, my words trembling. She cried harder and shook her head, holding me tighter. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t,¡± she told me hoarsely. ¡°My ce is here. And yours is there. You are going to be an incredible Alpha, Enzo. Way better than your father ever was. You are going to do amazing things with your life¡­¡± ¡°I can¡¯t just leave you,¡± I whispered, tears filling my own eyes. I didn¡¯t often cry, even at a young age. But the thought of leaving my mother behind in this hell hole tied my stomach into arge knot. ¡°I need you to listen to me,¡± she whispered, taking my face into her hands. ¡°Your father had done a lot of wrong in his life. He hurt a lot of people. You¡¯ll probably hear a lot about him once you get to Calypso. He¡¯s the reason wolves like us live like this¡­ because he wanted so much that he took everything from everyone. But you, my darling Enzo, can restore things and make things better for all of us¡­¡± ¡°But how? I¡¯m only 9¡­¡± I said, I couldn¡¯t keep the worry out of my tone. ¡°What can I do to help? Why can¡¯t youe with me?¡± ¡°Your father has made it too dangerous. There are those who still wish to do us harm. His followers are now scrambled, still lurking in the shadows. But you can make things better. You can bring them to light. You can work hard and be more powerful than your father ever was. You can protect those who live like us¡­ You can use your powers for good.¡± ¡°I promise,¡± I whispered, hugging my mother tightly. ¡°I won¡¯t let you down. When I get to the top, and I will get to the top, I wille back for you. I will punish those who did us wrong and I won¡¯t stop until this kingdom is safe again. I will undo what father did.¡± ¡­ ¡°Alpha Enzo? Did you hear me?¡± The voice of Bastien interrupted my train of thought. I nced around at the conference table that the other Alphas on themittee were gathered around. They were discussing the Shifting and Combat course at the Hig Shifting Academy and how the original professor had died during a rogue attack. Bastien, the head of themittee, was about to appoint a new professor. I already knew he was going to appoint me; he would have been stupid not to. I was one of the strongest and best Alphas for the job. Besides Bastien, I was the toughest and fiercest Alpha to walk our lands. But I still had a long way to go before I outranked my estranged father who died when I was 9. ¡°You need me to take over as the professor,¡± I said, leaning back in my seat. It wasn¡¯t a question, nor was it an offer. Bastien looked at the others who had fallen silent long ago. ¡°Yes,¡± Bastien answered. ¡°Would you be willing to do that?¡± I didn¡¯t have a choice; I was the youngest Alpha on themittee. And the newest. I was still technically on the probationary period, and I couldn¡¯t refuse them if I wanted to climb my way to the top. However, the thought of teaching annoyed me. It was impossible to teach students to do what I do. Surely, their amateurbat will get to me. But just the same, I nodded my head. ¡°Yes, sir,¡± I finally said after a long pause. ¡°The student council will want to speak with you. I¡¯ll let them know to expect you.¡± The meeting concluded and I could already hear the others speaking about going to the local pubter that evening. ¡°Alpha Enzo, you going to join us for once?¡± One of the Alphas asked, hitting me on the back of my shoulder. ¡°Or are you going toe up with someme excuse?¡± ¡°Yeah, Enzo. Come on! It¡¯s Friday. Let¡¯s have some fun. You are still young. Live while you can!¡± Thest thing I wanted to do was go to the pub with a bunch of drunk Alphas. What I really wanted to do was return home and read a book and rest for the evening. I was exhausted from training and This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. meetings all day. I don¡¯t usually have time for myself and when I do, I don¡¯t like spending it with those I spend all day with. ¡°I¡¯ll pass,¡± I say to them as I finish packing my stuff in my briefcase. ¡°Maybe next time.¡± I always say, ¡°maybe next time¡± knowing I don¡¯t mean those words. They don¡¯t argue though; they look at one another with a frown before leaving the conference room. ¡°Hey Enzo, wake up,¡± I hear Bastien behind me, following me out of the door. I slow my pace so he can catch up. ¡°I really appreciate you taking one for the team. I know teaching isn¡¯t your thing, but I think this might be good for you.¡± ¡°I appreciate the opportunity,¡± I say to him, and in a way, I meant that. I could prove myself to him and to others. I could practice my skills and better myself. ¡°Honestly, maybe it won¡¯t be that bad,¡± I smirked. Bastienughed, pping me on the back. ¡°You might even have fun,¡± he told me with a grin. ¡°I couldn¡¯t think of a better Alpha for the job. I can already tell; you¡¯re going to do great things. I¡¯m d to finally have you on themittee. Enjoy your weekend. The student council will be expecting you at the academy on Monday, bright and early!¡± ¡­ I took Bastien¡¯s words to heart; he believed that I could do great things in my future. Just as my mother believed. I didn¡¯t want to let either of them down. But still, there was a part of me that worried if I was going to do any better than my father. My mother was right; as soon as I became the Alpha of the Calypso Pack, I started hearing rumors about my father. Things I never heard before; things I don¡¯t even think my mother knew. Like the fact that my father died because of his love for a Vna wolf. I never even heard of a Vna wolf before and there was a part of me that didn¡¯t believe they existed. As far as I knew, it was only a myth. But I¡¯ve heard the story from different sources. My father had fallen in love with a Vna and because of that, he lost his life. It was love that made the most powerful shifter in the universe weak. I wasn¡¯t sure if it was because Vnas were the most powerful type of wolves in the world, or because of love itself. But either way, I swore to never allow what happened to my father to happen to me. Which meant I vowed to never fall in love. Itplicated things when I stepped into the house of Alpha Bastien, on the night of his daughter, L¡¯s, 18(th) birthday, and my wolf was in awe of her beauty. His husky whisper made my entire body freeze and my skin crawl. ¡°I can feel her¡­ our mate¡­¡± Shit. Chapter 6 Chapter 6 L¡¯s POV I wasn¡¯t feeling good. I don¡¯t know if it was something I ate; perhaps I had too much cake. Or maybe it was too much to drink. I only had a couple of sses of wine at most. But I was suddenly feeling lightheaded. I was also feeling a wave of heat crossing my features. My heartbeat was heavy, and I needed to sit down before Ipletely passed out. ¡°L bean, why don¡¯t I take you to your room so you can lie down,¡± my mother suggested, sitting beside me on the couch. I was faced with a few concerned eyes as I tried to maintain my breathing. ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± I tell her. I would hate to leave my own party early. My parent¡¯s worked so hard to make this evening perfect and I didn¡¯t want to disappoint them. ¡°You are burning up, you might have a fever.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to be rude,¡± I say, looking up at her. ¡°Some Alpha¡¯s traveled far to be here.¡± ¡°Your health is my only concern right now.¡± I knew there was no arguing with her; though, I wasn¡¯t sure I was going to be able to make it to bed on my own. I was feeling extremely dizzy. As soon as I stood up, I nearly fell over again. I stared at the wine ss on the table; I only took a few sips of it before I started getting sick. I waspletely fine earlier; I wondered what was wrong all of a sudden. My mother wrapped an arm around me to keep me steady. We walked through the mound of guests who were watching me with the same concerned expressions as my mother. As we walked toward the stairs of the packhouse, my eyes found Enzo¡¯s from across the room. He was watching me as well, even though another Alpha was speaking to him. It didn¡¯t seem as if Enzo was paying him any attention. His eyes darkened as he took in my face. I managed to look away as my mother guided me up the stairs. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? As we reached my room, my mother tucked me into bed, adjusting my pillow. ¡°I¡¯m going to call a doctor,¡± she insisted. ¡°You are burning up.¡± I must have fallen asleep at some point because when I woke up, there was a man standing over me. I recognized him as our pack doctor. There was a cool cloth over my head, soothing my burning features. I felt a small sting in my arm as I moved, and I realized there was an IV in my arm with some liquid oozing into my body. ¡°Oh good, you¡¯re awake,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯ve been asleep all night.¡± ¡°All night?¡± I gasped. ¡°But the party¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid the party¡¯s over. But you don¡¯t need to worry, your family took care of everything.¡± I felt a wave of disappointment; I couldn¡¯t believe I missed the rest of my 18(th) birthday. I didn¡¯t even get my wolf yet. ¡°What happened to me?¡± I asked, staring up at the doctor. ¡°You¡¯ve been poisoned by wolfbane,¡± the doctor told me; my heart plummeted into the pit of my stomach. I was poisoned? Who would do such a thing? ¡°I don¡¯t understand¡­¡± I said hoarsely. ¡°I was poisoned?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid so,¡± he said, eyeing me carefully. ¡°Was there anybody unusual at your party? Somebody, you didn¡¯t know?¡± I shook my head, trying to recall the events ofst night. ¡°No, I knew everybody there. They were all my friends and family¡­¡± I said to him. Before the doctor could ask any more questions, there was a knock on my door. Brianna poked her head in. I wasn¡¯t expecting to see her here this morning and I was relieved that she was. The doctor left us alone to catch up. ¡°Were you really poisoned?¡± She asked, crawling into bed beside me. ¡°I guess so,¡± I tell her. ¡°I just remember taking some sips of wine and then feeling sick. I don¡¯t remember much after that.¡± ¡°Your mom took you to bed and then called the doctor,¡± Brianna told me. ¡°I thought I saw Scott lurking around with some blonde girl too. I almost approached him and asked him what he was doing with that hussy.¡± ¡°Wait¡­ Scott was here?¡± I asked, raising my brows. The blonde girl must have been Sarah. What were they even doing here? I hadn¡¯t told anyone, including Brianna, that Scott and I broke up. ¡°Yes; like I said, with a blonde chick,¡± she said with an eye roll. ¡°I know he¡¯s your boyfriend, but I don¡¯t trust him¡­ I think he¡¯s up to no good honestly.¡± ¡°We actually broke up,¡± I told her; her eyes widened in shock. ¡°You broke up and you didn¡¯t tell me? When did this happen?¡± ¡°Yesterday morning,¡± I told her, shaking my head at the memory. ¡°I caught him kissing somebody else.¡± ¡°That blonde girl?¡± She gasped, her eyes wide. I nodded once. ¡°What were they even doing here? Do you think they had something to do with the poison?¡± I didn¡¯t want to tell her that I suspected as much, but the look on my face gave it away. ¡°We need to tell somebody! We need to tell your father. That¡¯s not okay, L.¡± I knew she was right, but I couldn¡¯t just use them based on a hunch. Though, it was weird that they would show up to my birthday party. But on the other hand, I knew Scott¡¯s dad, being an Alpha, was also here. My bedroom door opened, and my father came into my room. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± He asked with a concerned tone. ¡°A little better,¡± I said, which was the truth. I wasn¡¯t feeling as sick as I wasst night. ¡°We are getting your wine ss tested for fingerprints; I¡¯m just waiting for the results. Whoever did this will face the consequences,¡± he assured me. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. ¡°What about Scott and that blonde girl he was with? They should be suspects number 1 and 2,¡± Brianna said, folding her arms across my chest. My father rose his brows and looked at me carefully. ¡°You and Scott broke up?¡± He asked. I nodded once, staring down at my hands. ¡°I don¡¯t see why he would try to poison me though. But I don¡¯t think his new girlfriend likes me that much.¡± ¡°What¡¯s not to like?¡± My father asked. ¡°If anything, she¡¯s probably just jealous of you. Your mother had a share of jealous she-wolves to deal with as well. So, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising. But I will investigate Scott and this girl. What¡¯s her name?¡± ¡°Sarah,¡± I answer. ¡°I¡¯ll look into it,¡± he assured me. ¡°Meanwhile, you¡¯ll need to rest for a couple of days. It was a high dosage. Thankfully, wolfbane isn¡¯t fatal to you. But it is to your wolf. If you were meant to get your wolf yesterday, that will dy the process.¡± ¡°What?¡± I asked, my mouth nearly dropping. ¡°You mean I could have gotten my wolf if it wasn¡¯t for this poison?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid so,¡± he answered. ¡°Wolfbane is extremely damaging to your wolf. It typically makes your wolf sick and weak. You haven¡¯t gotten her yet, so she can¡¯t be killed. But it¡¯s going to keep her away until it¡¯s fully gone from your system.¡± My heart felt heavy as he spoke those words. My poor wolf¡­ I sat up in bed, allowing the cloth that was ced on my head to fall onto myp. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, L bean. Wolves are extremely strong. Especially a Vna wolf. She¡¯ll be okay,¡± he told me, reading my expression. ¡°When I find out who did this, I will make them answer for their crimes.¡± ¡°Okay; thank you, dad,¡± I said, giving him a smile. Handing him the cloth, I added, ¡°Can you thank the doctor for me? This cold cloth really helped my fever.¡± He let out a lowugh, shaking his head. ¡°Oh, it wasn¡¯t the doctor that put the cloth on your head,¡± my father said as he turned away. ¡°It was Alpha Enzo. He was watching over youst night.¡± Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Third Person POV It was easy getting into L¡¯s party when Scott¡¯s dad was there. Scott and Sarah didn¡¯t even need an excuse to attend. Actually, Scott¡¯s father insisted that he showed up. Sarah spent the better part of her morning picking wolfbane from her personal garden. She turned the wolfbane into a powder and ced it in a small vile she wore around her neck, tucking it into her shirt; hidden and out of sight. Sarah wanted to destroy any chances of L getting her wolf on her birthday. Even though L was skilled inbat, she would still be known as lesser without her wolf. Sarah would remain superior in her wolf form. As they got there, L was mingling with her guests andughing. It annoyed Sarah. She took note that L had a wine ss that was ced on the table before her. ¡°So, what exactly are we doing here?¡± Scott asked; she hadn¡¯t told him her n, other than to crash the party. ¡°We are here to support the birthday girl,¡± Sarah said with a pleasant smile. ¡°Why? We broke up. Remember? I left her for you.¡± That wasn¡¯t how Sarah remembered it. Technically L was the one who left him. Though, the details didn¡¯t matter that much. Sarah didn¡¯t really have that big of an attachment to him. But Scott¡¯s father was an Alpha, which meant Sarah could only gain from her rtionship with him. It also didn¡¯t hurt that he was handsome and looked good on her arm. ¡°You¡¯re going to be an Alpha one day, Scott. L is Alpha Bastien¡¯s daughter. We are here for the same reason the other Alphas are here. To make a good impression and get ahead. Now go mingle with some of the Alphas.¡± ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? He rolled his eyes as he disappeared through the crowd. L has yet to notice either of them there. She took a small sip of her wine before cing it back down on the table, turning her back to speak with someone behind her. Sarah took that moment as an opportunity to spike her drink. She unplugged the vile of wolfbane as she walked toward L¡¯s table. L wasn¡¯t paying attention, nor was the person she was talking to. Without even touching the ss, Sarah managed to tap a few drops of the wolfbane dusting into the wine, watching it dissolve instantly. A smile yed on her lips as she continued walking. ¡­ Enzo¡¯s POV ¡°Get this cup tested for fingerprints right away,¡± I heard Bastien ordering his Beta. ¡°I also want it tested for DNA.¡± His beta slipped on a pair of gloves before taking the cup. ¡°I need a list of every guest here,¡± Bastien ordered one of the workers. ¡°Nobody leaves without their names written on the list.¡± ¡°We need to go upstairs,¡± my wolf, Max, urged. ¡°Our mate is ill and she¡¯s going to need us.¡± ¡°Alpha Bastien?¡± I said, ignoring Max¡¯s words. ¡°Oh, hey Enzo. I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t really talk¡ª¡± ¡°Was it poisoning?¡± I asked before he could finish speaking. Bastien narrowed his eyes at me. ¡°I believe so, but we won¡¯t know until the doctor looks at her. He should be here soon,¡± Bastien exined. ¡°What can I do to help?¡± ¡°You can make sure nobody gets into her room,¡± Bastien suggested. ¡°I have guards outside, but I need her door watched as well.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll head upstairs right now.¡±Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. ¡°You are a good man, Enzo,¡± Bastien said, patting me on the back before walking away. As I made my way up the stairs, I felt the urgency of my wolf. He wanted more than anything to see L, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to go into her room. I stood outside of her room, pressing my back against her door and basking in her loving scent of honeysuckle. This was exactly what I didn¡¯t want; I was already feeling distracted by this girl. I thought back to when she kissed me yesterday morning; my wolf didn¡¯t sense her as a mate then. However, he still felt drawn to her in a way he¡¯s never felt before. ¡°She was supposed to get her wolf today,¡± Max exined. ¡°I could feel her nearby. As soon as I felt her, I knew she was our mate. But the poison is blocking her now. She¡¯s there¡­ but she¡¯s also not there at the same time.¡± ¡°That sounds like the work of wolfbane,¡± I say in return to my wolf. ¡°Which means in a few days once the wolfbane is out of her system, she¡¯s going to feel us as her mate. It¡¯s going toplicate things.¡± The door of L¡¯s room opened, and Luna Selene stepped into the hallway. She paused when she saw me lurking outside the door. ¡°Is everything okay, Alpha?¡± She asked, narrowing her eyes at me. She looked exactly like L; or rather, L looked exactly like her. They both had dark and gorgeous hair and the same strange colored eyes. It was almost surreal. ¡°Alpha Bastien ordered me to stand guard to make sure nobody gets in,¡± I answered, keeping my tone even. ¡°I see,¡± Selene said; there was worry in her eyes. ¡°The doctor will be here shortly. Can you let me know once he¡¯s here? I¡¯m going downstairs to speak to my husband. I think she¡¯s been poisoned. Her symptoms seem odd¡­¡± ¡°Of course,¡± I tell her. She gives me a small smile before leaving. ¡°Now is our chance¡­¡± Max urged once again. ¡°Let¡¯s go into her room and see our mate.¡± He was relentless. Nheless, I decided to go in and check on her. As I opened her door, her scent became even more potent. Shey on her bed with her eyes closed; her face was still red, and she had beads of sweat on her forehead. She had a fever. She whimpered softly as if she was in pain and wiggled in bed, trying to find some sort offort. I reached my hand out to her, cing it gently on her forehead. She seemed to have soothed from just my touch alone. She sighed, reaching her own hands up and cing them on top of my hand, keeping it in ce. I swallowed the lump in my throat as I scanned her delicate body. She was still in her dress; she looked stunning tonight. She still looked stunning, even when she wasn¡¯t well. She opened her eyes slightly and peered over at me. ¡°Professor Enzo?¡± She whispered in a weak, and yet sleepy, state. ¡°Just rest,¡± I tell her, keeping my tone low. I was about to pull my hand away and walk out the door, but she tightened her grip, keeping me in ce. She was strong for someone who was just poisoned, and half awake. ¡°Don¡¯t leave¡­¡± she whimpered. ¡°Your hand feels nice¡­ it¡¯s nice and cold¡­¡± ¡°I can get you a cold cloth,¡± I tell her. She shakes her head, beads of sweat forming under my hand from her forehead. ¡°No¡­ this is nice¡­¡± she says, closing her eyes again. ¡°You¡¯re so handsome¡­¡± she murmured. I rose my brows at her words. ¡°Painfully handsome. Why are you so¡ª¡± Her words were cut off as she started drifting back to sleep. I blinked a couple of times, still staring at her. I was surprised that she was so forward; then again, a high enough dosage of wolfbane tends to cause delusion. I pulled my hand away from her; her body had gone limp as sleep overtook her. I went to her bathroom and gabbed a cloth, soaking it with cold water. When I put it over her head, I saw the redness in her face begin to fade away. She sighed in relief, a small and weakened smile tugging at her lips. ¡°That feels nice¡­¡± she whispered. I was about to turn and leave once again, but her voice stopped me in my tracks. ¡°You were my first kiss¡­¡± she murmured. I knew she was inexperienced, but that kiss in the hallway was her first? ¡°You were my first kiss¡­ professor Enzo¡­¡± she said again in a murmur. ¡°You kissed¡­ a¡­ Vna¡­¡± She drifted off to sleep before her sentence wasplete; I stared at her in shock,pletely frozen. What was she about to say? Chapter 8 Chapter 8 Enzo¡¯s POV Was she about to tell me she was a Vna wolf? No. It wasn¡¯t possible. Vna wolves were said to be the most powerful creatures in the universe. L might have been talented, but she certainly wasn¡¯t powerful. But still, the girl was undeniably strange. But what¡¯s most strange is how captivating she is. L wiggled ufortably in her bed; I found myself wanting to take care of her. I adjusted her nket to cover her entire body and fixed her pillow. If she was really a Vna wolf, could she use her powers to manipte my wolf? ¡°Don¡¯t say such cruel things about our mate,¡± Max whined. ¡°If she is our mate, it would be better if I just reject her,¡± I say to him in return, much to his dismay. ¡°It¡¯ll be better for her too¡­¡± I thought of my mother and how she remained in that horrid town. They were rogues, living under no leadership. Most of them were too afraid to return to the kingdom, my mother included. My father¡¯s followers still lurked in ournds, even as Bastien took charge to protect the kingdom with some of the other Alphas. The problem was nobody was going to be as powerful as my father. Nobody except for his offspring. Protecting this kingdom, and protecting those my father had hurt, was up to me. Having a mate would only be a distraction. The innocence and vulnerability in L¡¯s eyes after our kiss proved that I couldn¡¯t possibly give myself to her. If she knew we were mates, it would only cause her disappointment. I would only break her heart. There was a knock on her door, bringing me out of my thoughts. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. ¡°Enzo? I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d still be here,¡± Bastien said. He came into the room followed by a short man with a white trench coat. ¡°This is the doctor. He¡¯s just going to examine her. You don¡¯t have to stay. I appreciate you for keeping watch of her.¡± I stared between the two of them, trying to find the words to say. I knew I should leave, but Max didn¡¯t want to. I wasn¡¯t sure I wanted to. I nced back down at L who remained sleeping. I couldn¡¯t let history repeat itself. ¡°Just take care of her, okay?¡± I said to the doctor, keeping my eyes on L. ¡°I¡¯ll do what I can,¡± the doctor said. I turned away and began to walk out the door, I paused for a moment, standing beside Bastien. ¡°She didn¡¯t deserve this,¡± I murmured, anger boiling in me. ¡°No, she didn¡¯t¡­¡± Bastien agreed, his tone just as hard. That was ourst word exchanged before I left. ¡­ L¡¯s POV ¡°Where is Alpha Enzo now?¡± I asked, staring up at my father who had just told me that Enzo watched over mest night. ¡°He left when the doctor arrived.¡± ¡°Did you ask him to take care of me?¡± I asked. My father shook his head with a small frown. ¡°I told him to watch the door and to make sure no strangers enter,¡± he exined. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask him to sit by your side. He did that on his own.¡± My father turned to leave just as my face turned a dark shade of red. I was d my father didn¡¯t see my expression because it would have given my emotions away instantly. He paused at the doorway though and without looking at me, he said, ¡°Enzo is different from most of the Alphas. He¡¯s young, but he¡¯s incredibly serious. He doesn¡¯t have fun often or let himself feel normal emotions. It¡¯s almost like he¡¯s holding onto something he can¡¯t let go of¡­¡± He paused for a moment to gather his thoughts. ¡°The reason I wanted him to teach at this school wasn¡¯t that he was the best for the job, it was because I thought it might be good for him to be around others and do what he loves. I thought maybe he could have a little fun and still work towards his future. He has his father¡¯s ambitions, but he certainly isn¡¯t his father. I¡¯m aiming to make sure he doesn¡¯t end up like his father.¡± ¡°You care for him,¡± I said, peering up at my dad. He turned to look at me and he nodded once. ¡°I took his father from him,¡± he said, a little sadness in his tone. ¡°I feel it¡¯s my duty to make sure he ends up in the right direction.¡± My father left my room without another word. I touched my lips with my fingertips, remembering how Enzo¡¯s lips felt against mine. It was a brief kiss, but it was my first kiss. That wasn¡¯t how envisioned my first kiss at all, and he certainly wasn¡¯t whom I envisioned it with. It upset me that I blew my chances at the perfect first kiss. Enzo wasn¡¯t somebody who could love me like my dad loved my mom. Enzo was somebody who was more focused on his work than anything else. As my father said, he¡¯s a driven Alpha who has huge goals. He doesn¡¯t allow himself to have normal feelings. He¡¯s closed off and preserved. He doesn¡¯t smile or have fun. He¡¯s extremely focused on his ambitions. Though I respected that, he isn¡¯t someone who would give his heart out to me. He isn¡¯t someone who could love me in the way I want. He isn¡¯t someone I would consider a mate. A knock on my door dismissed the thoughts roaming around my mind. ¡°Come in.¡± The door opened slightly, and I saw a blonde head of hair popping in, making me smile. Another blonde head of hair, but shorter in length, popped in second. The twins; my 14-year-old brother and sister. Corinne and Flynn. ¡°Mom wanted us to check on you and bring you this soup,¡± Corinne says, walking toward me with a bowl of soup. It smelled like chicken noodles, my favorite. ¡°And I brought you some tea,¡± Flynn says with a mug of tea. ¡°With a dash of milk; just how you like it.¡± I smiled at both. Flynn is training to be the next Alpha. Corinne always wanted to be a gamma. She already started her training, and she is pretty good. Before I left for college, I would often train with her as well. She was a good opponent and learned quickly. ¡°Thank you,¡± I say to them. They both crawl onto each side of my bed, tucking themselves under the covers. ¡°Who do you think tried to poison you?¡± Corinne asked. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± I lied. ¡°Whoever they are, I¡¯m sure they are long gone.¡± ¡°I hope so¡­¡± she said, sounding a bit worried. I wrap an arm around each of them and hug them close to me. ¡°It would have sucked if you died.¡± This made meugh. ¡°Yeah¡­ I¡¯m d you didn¡¯t die,¡± Flynn agreed, peering up at me. ¡°I would have killed whoever did this if you did¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I would have died that easily. But let¡¯s be thankful it didn¡¯te to that,¡± I say to them. My mom opened my door, peering at the twins with a deepened frown. Folding her arms across her chest, she said, ¡°I thought I told you to drop off soup and tea and then let her rest. Not crawl into bed with her and bother her.¡± Both the twins groaned as they slid out of my bed. ¡°Sorry mom,¡± they both said in unison. Even when my mother acted stern, I could still see the humor in her eyes. In this case, she couldn¡¯t even keep the smile off her face. She watched as they left my room. ¡°Eat up and get then get some rest,¡± she ordered, giving me a knowing smile. ¡°Yes, mom,¡± I said as she left my room. ¡­ 2 dayster I had to miss 2 days of sses. It was going to take forever to catch up on everything. Thankfully, Rachel, my dormmate, was able to gather my homework and take some extra notes in our shared sses. As much as I loved being with my family, I couldn¡¯t wait to get back to school. I already had my things packed and ready to depart. It was going to take an hour to drive to Hig; I wasn¡¯t looking forward to that. My father had said yesterday that I needed to be extra careful when I return to school in case the person who poisoned me was there. They couldn¡¯t uncover any fingerprints, there were no witnesses, and there was no DNA that proved Scott and Sara had anything to do with this. ¡°I don¡¯t feelfortable with you taking your car back. Whoever tried to poison you could have done something to your car too. I¡¯m going to take it apart and examine it thoroughly before you drive it.¡± ¡°How am I going to get back to school?¡± ¡°Alpha Enzo is on his way. He¡¯s going to drive you.¡± Chapter 9 Chapter 9 L¡¯s POV Why did it have to be Professor Enzo thates to pick me up? How was I going to get through an entire drive back to campus? It was an hour away. He showed up a few minutes after I finished packing. I could hear him speaking to my father in the foyer of the packhouse. ¡°Thanks again for taking her back to school. I don¡¯t want to take any chances,¡± my father said to him. ¡°Any leads on who could have done this?¡± ¡°None yet; she thinks it could have been her ex-boyfriend though. Or possibly the girl he was with. I don¡¯t have any evidence on that though.¡± ¡°I can look into it as the school,¡± Enzo offered. ¡°I appreciate that. Report to me any findings. I might send some of my men there too. Just to be safe.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll keep in touch,¡± Enzo said, shaking my father¡¯s hand. ¡°I know I can count on you,¡± my father said in return. I cleared my throat as I made my way down the stairs; they both turned to look at me. My father with a worried look and Enzo¡­ well ¡­ Enzo once again had no expression on his face. ¡°If anything happens, I need you to tell me right away,¡± my father said, wrapping me in a hug. ¡°I know,¡± I told him. ¡°I will. And don¡¯t forget, I can defend myself too. I learned from the best.¡± This made him smile. ¡°I know,¡± he said in return. ¡°I love you, L bean.¡± ¡°I love you too.¡± ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? I turned just as my mom came into the area; she held her arms out for me to run into them. I did without hesitation. Once I finished saying goodbye to my parents, I said goodbye to the twins. Hugging them both tightly. I slid into the passenger side of Enzo¡¯s car; I was already feeling awkward by the time he got into the driver¡¯s side and drove off. I thought about what my father had said about Enzo not being like a normal Alpha. I wondered if it was because of his father; I wanted to know what his rtionship with ise was. My mother doesn¡¯t seem to think he had any rtionship. But it only got me more curious. His car smelled like him. It was the scent of marshmallows, and maybe a little cinnamon. I hadn¡¯t noticed the cinnamon before. The scent was getting stronger though and it nearly made my mouth water. It was a weird feeling. My face grew warm the longer the scent lingered. I peered over at him and saw his sideplexion. It was almost like he was glowing a little. Had that glow always been there? ¡°Why are you staring at me?¡± I hadn¡¯t realized how long I¡¯d been staring at him until he spoke. I quickly averted my eyes to stare out the window. The trees were whipping past us rather quickly. ¡°Thank you for taking me back to school,¡± I said to him. ¡°It was your father¡¯s request.¡± ¡°Right; but still,¡± I say, lowering my tone slightly. He didn¡¯t say anything more. After what felt like a lifetime, he finally spoke. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± ¡°Better,¡± I answer. ¡°The doctor said I made a quick recovery.¡± ¡°Good.¡± I cleared my throat and peered over at him. ¡°I heard that you watched over me¡­¡± My voice sounded so far away. His jaw seemed to have tensed at my words; even his knuckles were growing white as he clutched the steering wheel. ¡°Thank you for that, as well.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do much of anything.¡± Even his tone was expressionless. What was his deal? After another beat, I asked, ¡°How long have you been the Alpha of the Calypso pack?¡± He was silent for a moment; I almost didn¡¯t think he was going to answer me. ¡°Since I was 16.¡± ¡°I see¡­ and who was the Alpha before you?¡± ¡°My father.¡± After another beat of silence he added, ¡°He died when I was 9. The beta took me in, and we ran the pack together until I was of age.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± I breathed. That made sense. ¡°My grandparents were originally from the Calypso pack.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure why I told him that; he rose his brows though. ¡°Were they?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I answer. ¡°My mother was also born there. But left when she was only an infant. I heard they are a very powerful pack.¡± ¡°My father was a very powerful Alpha.¡± ¡°Were you close to him?¡± I nearly pped myself as soon as that question left my mouth. ¡°No.¡± I was relieved by his answer. ¡°My turn,¡± he said, surprising me. Before I could ask him what he meant, he asked, ¡°Why did you transfer to my ss when you don¡¯t have a wolf?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be getting my wolf soon,¡± I reminded him. ¡°But why did you transfer now? A few weeks into the school year.¡± How much should I tell him? He was honest with me, so maybe I should be honest with him. ¡°My ssst was with my ex-boyfriend,¡± I confess. ¡°I caught him with someone else. Though, I didn¡¯t know she was also in your ss¡­¡± Looking at him from the side, it almost seemed as if his eyebrow twitched. ¡°That boy who was in the halls when you¡­¡± he paused, not finishing his sentence. I nodded. ¡°Yes,¡± I admit. ¡°That was the reason why I¡­¡± I paused, also not finishing my sentence. ¡°I see,¡± he said, his tone seemed to have hardened slightly. ¡°And this boy is no longer in your life?¡± ¡°No,¡± I said firmly. ¡°He¡¯s no longer in my life.¡± We both stayed silent after that. He parked his car once we got to the school, and I got out quickly, unloading my suitcase from his trunk. As I walked toward the building, I paused as a headache formed at my temple. I winced in pain, making a small sound of distress. It came out of nowhere and halted me in my tracks. ¡°Are you okay?¡± He asked, staring around my face. ¡°I think so,¡± I say, my tone slightly strained. ¡°Just a headache.¡± I was about to walk away, but his hand closed around my wrist, stopping me. ¡°You should go to the infirmary,¡± he said, keeping his tone low. ¡°You were just poisoned. It could be a lasting side effect.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­¡± I tell him again. However, he didn¡¯t look convinced. ¡°I¡¯ll take you myself.¡± Why did he even care? Another ping of pain coursed through my head, causing me to wince. ¡°Okay¡­¡± I tell him, pulling my arm away. ¡°I¡¯ll go to the nurse.¡± I was kind of expecting him to follow me, but he didn¡¯t. ¡­ ¡°I don¡¯t see anything wrong,¡± the nurse said, staring at the scans she justpleted. ¡°But you are wee to rest here for a little while. I¡¯ll give you some pain medicine.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± I say to her in return. ¡°I heard you recently consumed wolfbane. It could be a side effect. I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll go away shortly,¡± she said, handing me a couple of Tylenol and a ss of water. I popped the medication into my mouth and sipped on the water. The cold water felt nice, and I was starting to feel better already. ¡°Get some rest,¡± she said before she walked back toward her desk. ¡°I¡¯m going to write out an incident report and send it to your parents.¡± I sat up quickly, I was about to stop her. I didn¡¯t want my parents to know about this; it would only cause them to worry. However, another wave of pain coursed through my head, and I whimpered, laying back down. On second thought, maybe they should know. I closed my eyes tightly, taking in a steady breath. It¡¯ll go away soon. I kept telling myself. I just needed a little rest. Just as I started to drift off to sleep, my mind started to ease, and my body rxed. An overwhelming sense washed over me and all I could smell at that moment was honeysuckle and maybe the soft scent of an ocean. I could practically smell the salt water and feel the sand under my toes. A light breeze tickled my features as the blue skies came into view. I gasped as a gorgeous white wolf ran toward me; one eye was violet, and the other was blue, resembling my own. She ran through the pink sand, leaping high in the air and allowing the sun¡¯s rays to wash over her snow-white fur. As shended in front of me, I felt the uncontroble urge to reach my hand out to her and brush my fingers through her softness. And then, she spoke. ¡°Hello, L. I¡¯m Valentina. Your wolf.¡±This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Chapter 10 Chapter 10 L¡¯s POV Valentine bowed her head to me, a smile ying on her long mouth and her white, razor-sharp, teeth being revealed. She was big and glorious; I had never seen anything like her before. This ce was so life-like and incredible as well. I could practically feel the mist of the ocean on my features and the light breeze brushing through my hair. It felt so freeing as I could finally breathe. There was no pain and there were no anxieties. It was just happiness and love all around me. Most importantly, there was my wolf right in front of my eyes. ¡°Valentina¡­¡± I whispered, running my hand down her soft fur, allowing it to tickle my palms. I had no idea having a wolf would feel like this. I already loved her so much. ¡°You are so beautiful, L. I¡¯m so d to finally meet you. I¡¯ve been waiting to appear for some time now¡­¡± she paused. ¡°But I couldn¡¯t¡­¡± It was surreal; her mouth wasn¡¯t moving when she spoke, but I could hear her words echoing in my mind. ¡°The wolfbane,¡± I told her. ¡°It was keeping you locked away.¡± I wanted to say more to her; I wanted to spend more time with her. But I felt a cold cloth being draped over my head, taking me away from the warmth of this beach. Darkness began to close around, and my wolf started to disappear. Panic set in and I reached my hand out to grasp for her, but I only got a fist full of air. ¡°Valentina!¡± I cried to her. But it was toote; my eyes opened, and I was gasping for air, sitting up in the infirmary bed. The nurse was standing over me, looking startled. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, what did you say?¡± The nurse asked, appearing worried. ¡°You passed out; you were getting warm. I thought you might be getting a fever.¡± Tears burned in my eyes. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. ¡°She¡¯s gone¡­¡± I whispered hoarsely. ¡°She¡¯s gone¡­¡± ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? I couldn¡¯t keep the tears from escaping; soon, they were streaming down my face. ¡°Oh dear¡­¡± she said, narrowing her eyes at me. ¡°Who¡¯s gone? What happened?¡± ¡°My¡­my¡­¡± I stammered. I couldn¡¯t even get the words out of my mouth. I hupped as more tears soaked my features. Closing my eyes tightly as I mourned the loss of my wolf. This wasn¡¯t fair¡­ I just got her. Why was she taken from me so soon? What had happened? ¡°Don¡¯t cry, L¡­ I¡¯m not gone. I¡¯m here¡­¡± I heard her voice roaming through my mind, echoing as it did before. My eyes shot open as I looked around the room. I didn¡¯t see her. ¡°If you close your eyes and envision me¡­ you¡¯ll see me. But you¡¯ll always be able to hear me. Soon, you¡¯ll be able to shift into me. But I must warn you. Your first shift will be incredibly painful. There¡¯s so much for us both to learn.¡± ¡°Valentina¡­¡± I spoke into my mind; my own words echoing through my head. I could hear my wolf chuckle. ¡°You can call me Val if it¡¯s easier. I¡¯m so d to finally be here. I can see the world through your eyes. I can experience everything you experience.¡± My heart was beating heavily in my chest. I wasn¡¯t sure I could contain it. I had a wolf; I finally had a wolf. ¡°L?¡± The nurse said, still staring at me with concern. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I answer right away. ¡°I¡¯m more than okay. I finally have my wolf.¡± She looked shocked by the news; covering her mouth with her hands as she gasped. ¡°What? Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± I said, tears falling from my eyes. This time, they were tears of pure happiness and bliss. My heart was so overjoyed. ¡°I¡¯m calling your parents right away,¡± she told me. ¡°It can¡¯t wait much longer. Oh, L, this is incredible news. Wait right here.¡± I wasn¡¯t going anywhere; I wasn¡¯t even sure I could walk straight at this point. This was so overwhelming; I wasn¡¯t even sure what to do with myself. I couldn¡¯t wait to tell my family. I couldn¡¯t wait to tell my friends. I couldn¡¯t wait to tell¡ª Professor Enzo popped into my mind and my heart skipped a beat. Why did I want to tell him anything? It¡¯s not like he would care. Though, that meant I would be able to participate fully in his ss. That meant I would be even stronger. Does this also mean I could get my Vna abilities? I had so many questions, and I felt like I didn¡¯t have enough time. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s true!¡± The nurse said happily into the phone. ¡°I¡¯ll let her talk to you now, Alpha!¡± She went to me with a phone; I knew my father was on the other end. ¡°Hi dad,¡± I said cheerfully. ¡°My daughter finally got her wolf!¡± My dad boasted. ¡°Oh, L bean. This is incredible news. We need to celebrate. Your mother wants to make dinner thising weekend. Would you be able toe home?¡± ¡°I can make that happen,¡± I told him. ¡°I¡¯ll have Professor Enzo drive you again. Perhaps he can join us.¡± My eyes widened at his suggestion; before I could protest, my mother was on the phone. ¡°Oh, L! How does it feel? What is her name? What does she look like?¡± ¡°She looks like your wolf,¡± I chuckled. ¡°Snow-white fur and she has my eyes. She¡¯s so beautiful, mom and she¡¯s kind and gentle. Her name is Valentina.¡± ¡°What a beautiful name. This is going to be the beginning of a beautiful journey for you, my love.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but smile at her words. ¡°I know¡­¡± ¡°You can¡¯t shift yet though. You¡¯ll need to wait until you are home. The process is incredibly painful and you¡¯ll need the support of your pack to get through it,¡± she warned. ¡°I love you so much. I¡¯ll see you soon!¡± ¡°Bye, mom,¡± I said, hanging up the phone. I handed the phone back to the nurse and thanked her. ¡°You can rest for a bit more before you leave if you¡¯d like,¡± she told me. ¡°I think I¡¯m okay now. My headache is gone. I¡¯m going to return to my dorm.¡± I couldn¡¯t wait to tell my roommate Rachel about this; I also wanted to tell my new friend, andbat partner, Ba. I slid out of bed and started putting my shoes back on when I smelled a familiar and strong scent roaming through the air. I could see Val sniffing the air through my mind¡¯s eyes; she was loving the scent, basking in it and ravishing every detail of it. She could smell the marshmallows and the cinnamon, and it was making her mouth water. ¡°What is that glorious scent?¡± She breathed as she continued sniffing the air. I already knew who it was before he entered the infirmary. His eyes were darker than I had ever seen them before. His breathing was rash, and I could see his wolf¡¯s fangs threatening his lips. A low growl escaped through the dept of his throat. It almost looked like he was losing control of his wolf. What was his problem? And why couldn¡¯t I look away from him? ¡°L¡­¡± Val breathed in awe; I had a feeling she was about to answer my question. ¡°That¡¯s¡­. that¡¯s our mate¡­¡± Chapter 11 Chapter 11 Enzo¡¯s POV She was looking at me like she had seen a ghost. The color in her face was gone and her oddly colored eyes were wide. Max could sense that she received her wolf and insisted that we go and see her right now. But as I stood in the doorway of the infirmary, staring into her eyes, I realized I probably shouldn¡¯t havee here. It was taking everything I had to keep Max at bay; he wanted to rip himself from me and run to our mate. He was saying how beautiful her wolf was and how much he wanted to bask her in loving scent. She no longer just smelled like honeysuckle; I could almost smell the scent of the ocean too. There was an odd smell of salt water; it wasforting. It was like standing at the beach without the hassle of the sand or birds. She was at a loss for words; I¡¯m sure she wasn¡¯t expecting that I, her professor, would turn out to be her mate. I probably wasn¡¯t at all how she envisioned her mate. I wouldn¡¯t me her if she ran in the opposite direction. However, she stood frozen. ¡°Good evening, Alpha Enzo,¡± the nurse said from her desk, peering over at me. I didn¡¯t look away from L as I greeted the nurse. L seemed to have swallowed a lump in her throat; she tugged at her fingers almost nervously and without tearing her eyes away from mine, she said, ¡°I should be getting back to my dorm. Rachel will be wondering where I am.¡± Rachel must be her dormmate. I said nothing as she walked past me, nearing the door that I stood in front of. ¡°Please, excuse me,¡± she said, standing before me. Reluctantly, I stepped aside. Without another word, she walked out the door. This couldn¡¯t be happening to me right now. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? ¡­ L¡¯s POV My heart was thudding violently in my chest as I ran from the infirmary. That couldn¡¯t have been right. Enzo couldn¡¯t have been my mate. Could he? This wasn¡¯t how I envisioned finding my mate would be like. It was filled with uncertainty and doubt, not love and excitement. I wanted what my parents had. What my uncle ke and Aunt Sophie had. Enzo couldn¡¯t give me that kind of love. His priorities were on his duties and while I respected that, he would never be able to give me the love I desire. I don¡¯t even think he would want to. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Valined; her voice echoing through my mind. ¡°That¡¯s our mate! We need to go back!¡± ¡°No,¡± I said more firmly than I intended. I couldn¡¯t bring myself to face him after finding out this new information. It had to have been a mistake. Oh goddess, please tell me you¡¯ve made a mistake. As I went back to my dorm room, Rachel was lying on her bed. She was doodling in her notebook with headphones on, kicking her foot to the beat of her music. She had an unusual style to her; she wore colorful clothing that fit tightly around her perfectly formed figure. She wasn¡¯t afraid to show skin and I admired that about her. She had tattoos along her thighs, stomach, and arms. Her hair was short, in a pixie style. She was naturally blonde but had light blue streaks going through her hair. Rachel also wasn¡¯t a wolf; she was a bear. As I walked into the dorm, her dark blue gaze shifted from her notebook and to my face. She stared around my ghostly face for a moment, with a timid frown as she sat up, perching herself on her knees with a curious gaze. ¡°What happened?¡± She asked, narrowing her eyes at me. Should I tell her that I found my mate and he happened to be my professor? No. I couldn¡¯t tell anybody. ¡°I was poisoned,¡± I tell her that instead. I hadn¡¯t had a chance to tell her because everything happened so quickly. Her eyes widened in shock. ¡°What?¡± She gasped. ¡°What do you mean you were poisoned?¡± ¡°It was wolfbane,¡± I exin. ¡°Somebody at my party tried to poison me with wolfbane.¡± ¡°Oh, you mean the party I wasn¡¯t invited to?¡± She asked, raising her brows. ¡°Happy birthday by the way.¡± ¡°You were invited,¡± I reminded her, my voice firm and slightly annoyed. ¡°You said you wouldn¡¯t be caught dead in Elysium.¡± ¡°Oh, right,¡± she said with a lightugh. Rachel always had something against Elysium; she never told me why though. She just said that bears weren¡¯t typically wee in that region, despite me telling her that wasn¡¯t true. I knew there was more to the story, but I never pried. She would tell me on her own time. Rachel was also incredibly forgetful and would often forget former conversations. Such as her refusal to attend my birthday party. ¡°Who would poison you?¡± She asked, keeping her eyes locked on my face. I went across the room to my bed and sat down. My familiar quilt cushioned me as I rested. ¡°I think it was Sarah,¡± I tell her. ¡°I¡¯m not sure why she would do something like that though.¡± ¡°Stealing your boyfriend wasn¡¯t enough? Now she has to try to kill you?¡± ¡°Wolfbane wouldn¡¯t kill me,¡± I exin. ¡°It made me ill, sure. But it¡¯s meant to hurt the wolf, not the person.¡± ¡°So, she was trying to make it so you don¡¯t get your wolf?¡± ¡°Seems that way.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fucked up, L,¡± Rachel scoffed. ¡°She shouldn¡¯t be allowed back at this school.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no proof she did anything. Nobody saw her do it and there were no prints,¡± I told her. ¡°But my father is still investigating. I¡¯m hoping he¡¯ll find something. I feel like she¡¯s watching me¡­¡± ¡°Talk about creepy,¡± Rachel shuddered, shaking her head. ¡°It¡¯s insane how she can get away with shit like that. It shouldn¡¯t be allowed.¡± ¡°What are we going to do?¡± I asked. ¡°From what I hear, her father basically funds this school. Even if she did get caught, she¡¯ll only get a p on the wrist.¡± ¡°But your father is Alpha Bastien. That has to count for something.¡± I shake my head with a small frown. ¡°There are still those above my father; even though he is the head of themittee,¡± I tell her. ¡°There are wolves more powerful, and I don¡¯t mean in strength. I mean in fortune. There¡¯s an order to this kingdom. Everybody has a status, and everybody has a job. Sarah¡¯s father happens to be the money and money can buy anything.¡± ¡°That¡¯s unfair,¡± Rachel sighs, folding her arms across her chest. Before I could say anything more, I heard my cell phone ringing on my bedside table. As I nced at the screen, my frown deepened. What the hell did he want? ¡°Hello?¡± I say into the phone. ¡°L!¡± Scott¡¯s words slurred into the phone. ¡°L¡­ I need you¡­¡± He was drunk and I could hear the sounds of the pub in the background. ¡°L¡­ please,e see me,¡± Scott whined. ¡°You¡¯re drunk,¡± I told him, annoyed. ¡°You should go home.¡± ¡°Nooooo¡­¡± he desperatelyined. ¡°I made a mistake, L. I need you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to the pub, Scott,¡± I told him, meeting Rachel¡¯s eyes. ¡°Please, don¡¯t call me anymo¡ª¡± ¡°You need toe here!!¡± He growled; his tone had changed from whining, to angry. ¡°Scott I¡ª¡± ¡°You need to get here now, or I¡¯m going to kill myself.¡±Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Chapter 12 Chapter 12 L¡¯s POV ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± Rachel shouted as I hung up the phone with Scott. I began toward the door. ¡°You can¡¯t just go there. He could be dangerous.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t let him hurt himself,¡± I say as I grab my coat. ¡°It¡¯s not your problem to fix, L,¡± she told me, following closely behind. I paused to look at her. ¡°He called me; I¡¯m now in his recent phone record. He made it my problem.¡± She didn¡¯t look convinced so I added, ¡°You didn¡¯t hear him a minute ago¡­ he sounded like he was in pain.¡± ¡°Fine, but I¡¯ming with you,¡± Rachel said with finality, grabbing her own coat. I gave her a thankful smile before leaving the room. I really didn¡¯t like pubs; any kind of bar I tried to stay clear of. I wasn¡¯t much of a drinker, and I certainly didn¡¯t like hanging around drunk people. But from when I dated Scott, I remembered that he enjoyed going to any kind of bar that he could find. He would often drag me to them, and I¡¯d have a miserable time. By the end of the night, I always had to drag Scott out of the bar. I guess now that we are broken up, things aren¡¯t much different. It made me wonder where his new girlfriend, Sarah, was. This should be her job now. ¡°There he is,¡± Rachel muttered, pointing at the bar. Scott was surrounded by a bunch of empty sses and practically hanging off his bar stool. I sighed before approaching him. ¡°Scott?¡± I said, cing my hand on his back. He jerked in the seat, nearly falling over as he opened his eyes, fixating his gaze on me. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? ¡°You came,¡± he said in a slurred whisper; instantly the scent of beer and whisky hit my nose, causing me to wince. ¡°I should have never cheated on you. Please, forgive me L¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just get you home, Scott,¡± I said to him, trying to help him off the stool. He leaned against me for support. ¡°I want to treat you so good, baby¡­ I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡± he soundedpletely out of it. ¡°What¡¯s he even saying?¡± Rachel whispered from beside me. I gave her a shrug. ¡°I have no idea, but grab his other arm and help me get him out of here.¡± She grabbed his other arm and together we started walking toward the exit. As soon as we reached the door, I heard his friends cheering and howling at us. ¡°Yeah, Scott!! Get some action!!¡± ¡°Ow ow!!¡± I rolled my eyes as I pushed open the door. I had never been more relieved to be outside than I did at that moment. ¡°I¡¯ll go get the car,¡± Rachel said, releasing Scott¡¯s arm. ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± She disappeared down the street toward her waiting car. When we arrived, there wasn¡¯t any other parking. I stood with Scott, leaning against me, waiting for Rachel¡¯s return when he started murmuring something against my ear. ¡°I love you, L. Please forgive me¡­¡± ¡°Scott, you are talking nonsense,¡± I tell him. The image of him with Sarah in the halls invaded my mind. The memory of that feeling; the heaviness I had felt in my heart. That moment of weakness where all I wanted to do was cry. The betrayal I felt. He lifted his head off my shoulder so he could take in my face. ¡°Look at me,¡± he ordered. When I didn¡¯t respond, his anger was sudden. He grabbed my face with force and made me look into his dark and hungry eyes, catching my breath in N?velDrama.Org ? content. my throat. ¡°I said look at me,¡± he growled. ¡°Scott¡ª¡± ¡°You never pleased me,¡± he said between his teeth. ¡°Then I see you kissing that Professor guy. Do you have any idea how that made me feel?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I upset you, however¡ª¡± ¡°You are such a tease,¡± he continued, interrupting me. ¡°Now I want what you deprived me.¡± I wasn¡¯t afraid of Scott, but there was something in his eyes that sent a chill down my spine; my heart thudded violently against my chest and suddenly, I felt frozen. He grabbed onto my wrist, pulling me toward him. As his arms closed around my body, I realized what was happening. Before I could wrap my mind around what he was doing, he was already pushing me against the brick building that sat behind us. I felt a jolt of pain going up my spine from the force of my body hitting the building. ¡°Scott, what the hell!¡± I growled at him. ¡°I told you; I want what you deprived me. All. Of. It.¡± ¡°You¡¯re delusional,¡± I said in return, cing my hands on his chest, and getting ready to push him away. ¡°Get away from me,¡± I warned through my teeth. ¡°Don¡¯t fight it, baby,¡± he murmured. His mouth neared mine and I moved my head; I felt his slimy and whisky-encrusted tongue on my face. Just as I was about to shove him, I saw a hand on his shoulder, yanking him away from me. I didn¡¯t even realize anyone else was there. He turned around and looked up only to be faced with Alpha Enzo. ¡°Our mate!!¡± Val cooed excitedly. I couldn¡¯t mistake the fury in his eyes and the low growl that escaped his throat as he stared down at Scott. He kept his hand firmly on his shoulder and it seemed he was continuing to apply pressure until Scott was nearly squirming with difort. There was a part of me that wanted to intervene and get Scott out of Enzo¡¯s grasp, but another part of me just wanted to let it happen. I felt disgusted with Scott for trying to have his way with me and deserved whatever Enzo was going to do with him. ¡°You¡¯re drunk,¡± Enzo said in a deep and threatening tone. ¡°If I wasn¡¯t a professor, I would kick your ass right now.¡± I could see Scott visibly trembling. I went to say something, but Enzo spoke again. ¡°What are you doing out at thiste hour?¡± He was still staring at Scott, but I knew his question was for me. ¡°Scott called me drunk. I was worried so I came to bring him home,¡± I answer, rubbing my swore wrist. ¡°He hurt your wrist.¡± It wasn¡¯t a question, nor was he looking at me still. I looked down at the redness around my wrist. This wasn¡¯t much of anything; I¡¯ve had worse injuries. I went to tell him that I was fine, but the sounds of Rachel¡¯s car horn stopped me. She was waving us over from the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°Can you help me get him in the car?¡± I asked, peering up at Enzo. His body was tense, but he didn¡¯t argue. He kept his hold on Scott and escorted him into the backseat of the car as I slide into the passenger seat. I was expecting Enzo to leave after that, but to my surprise, he also got into the backseat of the car as well, keeping his hold on Enzo as Rachel pulled away from the bar. What was he even doing at the pub? Once we got back to the academy, Rachel parked the car and peered over at me. ¡°Are you going to be okay?¡± She asked. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I told her with a small smile. ¡°Thank you for being here. You can go back to our dorm though. I can handle it from here.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± She asked, raising her brows. She peered in the backseat at Professor Enzo who stayed quiet with Scott leaning against him, completely asleep. ¡°Yes,¡± I assure her. She nods before we all get out of the car. It didn¡¯t take long to reach Scott¡¯s room. Enzo refused to leave me alone with him and honestly, I didn¡¯t really want to be alone with him. Not after what he just tried to do. Once Enzo dropped Scott off on his bed, we turned to leave, only pausing when we heard Scott¡¯s drunken murmurs. ¡°Don¡¯t leave¡­¡± he murmured. ¡°L¡­¡± I pressed my lips firmly together; I wanted to tell him off, but I knew no good woulde from that while he was still drunk. He wouldn¡¯t even remember it in the morning. I went toward his door with Enzo behind me. ¡°Sarah¡­¡± Scott breathed in a half-sleep state of mind. ¡°Sarah¡­ poisoned¡­ you¡­¡± I froze, turning to him. His eyes were opened slightly, and he was looking directly at me. ¡°Why would she do something like that?¡± I asked. For a moment, I thought I saw a glimmer of humor in his eyes and a smirk appears on his lips. But then he closed his eyes, and I knew he was drifting off to sleep. ¡°Scott, why would she poison me?¡± I demanded to know. He gave a soft scoff. ¡°She knows¡­¡± he breathed. ¡°You¡¯re a Vna¡­¡± Chapter 13 Chapter 13 L¡¯s POV By the time I could form words out of my mouth, Scott was already snoring. I stood frozen at the door, just staring at him. That¡¯s all I could think to do. Hearing his words caused my heart to ache. She hated me because I was a Vna wolf. I know my kind isn¡¯t epted by some; they find us dangerous and threatening. But I have never tried to pose a threat to anyone. I stand up for what I believe in and help those in need. I¡¯m far from dangerous but I know not all in our world see it that way. ¡°What did he just say?¡± Enzo asked; for a moment, I forget he was standing near me. I saw theplete confusion on his face. I didn¡¯t want to stay in Scott¡¯s room any longer, so I left. As we got into the empty halls, I turned to him, trying to keep the tears out of my eyes. ¡°Please don¡¯t tell my father,¡± I managed to utter as I stared up at him. ¡°What did he mean that you are a Vna? Is that true?¡± His tone seemed cold. ¡°I never want to hurt anybody,¡± I whispered. ¡°If Sarah hates me because of what I am¡­¡± my voice trailed off. ¡°Because you are a Vna¡­¡± he said the ¡°Vna¡± like it was a bad taste on his tongue; the cruelty of his tone caused me to flinch. That was all I needed to know. ¡°I¡¯m not any different than I was a moment ago before you knew,¡± I told him, meeting his dark eyes. ¡°I¡¯m still me and if that¡¯s the reason why Sarah hates me, then I need to speak with her and set the record straight.¡± Enzo seemed to be at a loss for words, but that onlysted briefly. He soon sighed, shaking his head with dismay written all over his face. ¡°You expect me to keep something like this from your father?¡± He asked. ¡°He would have my head if he found out that I knew who poisoned his daughter.¡± ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? ¡°I don¡¯t want there to be any issues. Involving my father would make her despise me even more. I came to this school because I wanted to make a difference in this world. I wanted to spread a little bit of good everywhere. I want Sarah to know that I¡¯m not a threat to her. I don¡¯t wish her harm and I don¡¯t wish punishment on her. I¡¯m hoping to start a clean te.¡± ¡°Your father would¡ª¡± ¡°Please,¡± I say, touching his bicep; he froze as he stared down at my hand. ¡°I must believe that there is still good in her. Punishing her won¡¯t bring the good out; it¡¯ll only make her resent us.¡± I could see his jaw tightening as he stared around my face, he didn¡¯t say anything though. He pulled his arm away from my hand and started down the hallway. Did he hate me now too? I brushed the thought out of my mind and went to find Sarah. Usually, she hangs out in the student lounge across campus. Sarah and her friends upied the couch and loveseat. ¡°Can we talk for a minute?¡± I asked as I approached. She frowns as she peers up at me; her friends glimpsed at one another with strange looks before chuckling. I ignored them and fixated my attention on Sarah. ¡°Please,¡± I added. She looked me over carefully for a moment; her face remained expressionless. She finally stood from her ce on the couch and went with me to a more private area. She folded her arms across her chest. ¡°This better be good to pull me away like that,¡± she muttered. I turned around to face her; I took in a steady breath, trying to ease the nervousness building in the pit of my stomach. I wasn¡¯t usually nervous confronting somebody, but standing before me was a woman who genuinely hated me enough to want to cause me harm. She poisoned me because I was a Vna wolf. It made me wonder how many other students here hated me for what I am. I nced around briefly, and it didn¡¯t seem, anyone, besides Sarah¡¯s friends, was looking in our direction. ¡°I just wanted to clear the air,¡± I said, keeping my tone low and my eyes fixated on her features. She was very beautiful that much was obvious; she was also experienced. It was no wonder Scott wanted her. ¡°I don¡¯t want there to be any bad blood between us.¡± She rose her brows, a hint of amusement in her icy gaze. ¡°Oh, is that right?¡± She sneered. ¡°And what makes you think there¡¯s bad blood?¡± ¡°Because you tried to poison me,¡± I say in a hushed whisper, keeping my eyes on hers. ¡°That¡¯s quite the usation.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not an usation, it¡¯s the truth. Scott told me everything.¡± ¡°And what exactly did Scott say?¡± She asked, a smirk appearing on her red and glossy lips. ¡°That you poisoned me because of what I am.¡± ¡°Oh, you mean the fact that you are a Vna?¡± She snickered. ¡°Have you ever stopped to think that maybe I¡¯m not the only one who knows what you are? Maybe I¡¯m not the only one who doesn¡¯t like you?¡± ¡°Look, I¡¯m not here to argue with you,¡± I say to her. ¡°I just wanted to tell you that I don¡¯t wish harm on anyone, especially not you, Sarah. I want us to be able to get along.¡± She scoffed loudly at my words. ¡°You aren¡¯t as perfect as you think you are,¡± she shot back with an eye roll. Her words had taken me by surprise; I had never tried to paint myself as perfect. I do the best I can with what I have. I worked hard to have the talents and abilities that I have. I¡¯m good at what I do, and I care for those around me, but I¡¯m also wed like everyone else. I¡¯m far from perfect and I¡¯ve epted that. My mother had taught me at a young age that Vnas won¡¯t always be epted. But those were only words until now. I was starting to understand what she meant. ¡°I¡¯m not going to tell my father¡ª¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s generous of you,¡± Sarah said with sarcasm oozing from her tone. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you think you know, but you are wrong. I had nothing to do with the poison. If my father needs toe and set the record straight for me, then I¡¯ll give him a call. You know he funds this school? Right?¡± I knew this information already; her father was incredibly rich and well-known around the kingdom. My father might have power as head of the Alpha Committee, but Sarah¡¯s father had money and owned a lot of areas. Including this school. ¡°It¡¯s my understanding that you are here on a full schrship,¡± Sarah continued; it wasn¡¯t a question. ¡°It¡¯d be a shame if it was revoked.¡± ¡°She can¡¯t be serious?!¡± Val gasped in my mind. ¡°Don¡¯t let her speak to you like this!¡± Val was right; I took a step closer to Sarah so only she could hear my voice. ¡°A schrship might have gotten me in the doors, but that¡¯s not what¡¯s keeping me at this academy. It¡¯s my skills, my talents, and my brain. It¡¯s also my willpower to keep going. I don¡¯t need the schrship to keep me here and I don¡¯t need money. I deserve to be here like any other student, and I will continue to prove myself every single day. So, go ahead and tell your father to revoke my schrship because I can promise you, that won¡¯t keep me away.¡± She looked disgusted by my words, but I wasn¡¯t backing down. I could feel how proud Val was and that alone pleased me. ¡°We¡¯ll see about that,¡± she muttered. I knew at that point the conversation was over; she turned away and went back to her group. ¡­Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Enzo¡¯s POV I had expected that L was a Vna since she brought it up once in her delusional state. But now it was confirmed. Even if I wanted her, I couldn¡¯t get involved with a Vna. ¡°Our mate is strong-minded; that¡¯s so sexy,¡± Max said, pleased with what we had just overheard from around the corner. I supposed curiosity got the best of me; she wanted to speak with Sarah by herself and I wanted to know what it was she was going to say. I had to admit that I was pleased as well with her strong stance. However, I knew she-wolves like Sarah, and I knew only bad woulde from her. Especially considering that she knew L was a Vna wolf as well. She already hurt L once; I wasn¡¯t going to let her do it again. Please, don¡¯t tell my father. She had said those words less than 20 minutes ago. Why wouldn¡¯t she want this woman punished? Was she really that naive? Thinking there was good in this woman? ¡°Alpha Bastien¡­¡± I said through a mindlink. ¡°I have a lead on who poisoned your daughter, I think you¡¯ll want to hear about it.¡± Chapter 14 Chapter 14 Enzo¡¯s POV ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± Bastien asked once I exined what happened with Sarah. ¡°Why would L want to keep this from me?¡± ¡°She thinks there¡¯s good in Sarah and doesn¡¯t think that punishing her will do her any good. For whatever reason, she just wants peace.¡± ¡°Yeah, that sounds like something she would say,¡± Bastien sighed. ¡°Even so, this is still a punishable crime, even if L made a speedy recovery. But I¡¯m afraid without proper proof, I won¡¯t be able to do anything.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you speak to the board?¡± I asked. ¡°Or maybe I can speak to them¡ª¡± ¡°And then what? It¡¯ll get dismissed if we go to them without proper proof. Not to mention Sarah¡¯s father basically owns that school. If he gets word that his daughter is being used of a crime, he won¡¯t stop fighting us. If we want to proceed in punishing her, we need actual proof of the crime.¡± ¡°What about pictures?¡± I asked. ¡°Were there any photos taken at the party?¡± ¡°There were some that took pictures yes. We already looked through them and nothing. There was also a photographer there as well. Their photos haven¡¯t been developed yet. But they are working on it.¡± ¡°A photographer?¡± I asked. ¡°What¡¯s the name of thepany?¡± ¡°Photos by Leah,¡± Bastien answered. ¡°She¡¯s a great photographer. She¡¯s working on developing the photos. Hopefully, they will be ready for viewing next week.¡± ¡°The photographer could have captured something in the background of her pictures,¡± Max mimicked my thoughts. ¡°We need to get our hands on the photos.¡± ¡°Oh, Enzo. Before I let you go, I¡¯ve been wanting to ask if you¡¯d be able to bring L home on Saturday. Selene wants to have a feast for her to celebrate her wolf¡¯s arrival. Of course, you¡¯re also invited to the feast if you bring her. I still have her car so she can¡¯t get here on her own.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll bring her,¡± I agreed. ¡°But I¡¯ll pass on the feast. I appreciate the invite.¡± ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? ¡°The invite will stand if you change your mind,¡± Bastien said. ¡°If youe across any new information let me know. I¡¯ll see you Saturday.¡± He ended the mindlink without another word. ¡­ As soon as I entered thebat center, I could smell L¡¯s delicious scent of honeysuckle, making my mouth water. Max was growing excited within me. I didn¡¯t have time to be messing around with a woman. Especially a student, Alpha Bastien¡¯s daughter, and a Vna wolf. The thought of rejection has been heavily crossing my mind since finding out she was my mate. But now that I know she¡¯s a Vna, it seems to be the obvious choice. On the other hand, themittee has been on my case about not having a mate; if word got out that I had a mate and rejected her, it would make me look like a failed Alpha. ¡°That¡¯s not all you care about,¡± Max teased. ¡°Admit that you are curious about our young mate.¡± ¡°I might be curious, but that doesn¡¯t change the facts.¡± The arena was filled with growls and howls as students fought with one another. I made my way to the front, to my usual spot, and watched as my students continued practicing the moves, I have recently taught them. ¡°Enough,¡± I growled, my voice booming through the arena and causing everyone to stop what they were doing. ¡°We are going to practice shifting quickly before an attack. You never know when you will be attacked in your human form, and you need to be prepared.¡± I scanned the room briefly before my eyesnded on a pretty boy jock in the back. He was too busy flirting with one of the girls to notice that I was scowling at him. But everyone else noticed and they had wary looks in their eyes as my lip curled up. I stepped down from my ce in the front and walked quickly toward this boy; his name was Justin. As I walked toward him, the crowd in front of him parted ways to let me through. A growl escaped from the depth of my throat. Nobody dared to say a word. Just as Justin finally noticed something was off with the aura in the room, I was shifting in my wolf and lunging at him. He saw me just in time, but he wasn¡¯t quick enough. I had already shoved him to the ground, my wolf¡¯s canines snapping in his face and missing him by only a hair. I growled loudly; fury boiling throughout my body, and I knew it was seen clearly through my wolf¡¯s eyes. When he got angry, they were auburn red. Justin was shaking on the ground; he wouldn¡¯t dare to struggle against me and that pleased me. I liked bringing terror to those I attack. Unfortunately, he was a student, and I couldn¡¯t actually do any harm to him. The fear evident in his eyes was enough satisfaction. I released him, letting him scurry away as I turned back to the others who were watching me withrge and frightened eyes. My gaze fell upon L who stood a bit of a distance from me; she didn¡¯t look frightened like the others. She only rose her brows and folded her arms across her chest. Are you challenging me, little wolf? I thought to myself, trying to keep the smirk off my face. Even in my wolf firm, my smirks were obvious. ¡°As I said¡­¡± I said, looking around at my students. ¡°You need to be prepared for any attack. Justin wasn¡¯t prepared. But I¡¯m sure next time he will be¡­.¡± I paused and turned to look at a very frightened jock. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°Yes, professor,¡± Justin said with a quivering voice. ¡°This is what we are going to spend today doing. Practicing how tobat shift. The ones being attacked needs to be in their human forms and as soon as they are attacked, they shift into their wolf form. Switch off who gets attacked and who does the shifting.¡± I nced over at L who was still eyeing me carefully. ¡°Obviously Ba will be doing the shifting in your case,¡± I add for her alone. She thinks about it for a moment, but then she nods her head once. She just got her wolf, but she has yet to shift. Her first shift would be incredibly painful and not something she should do in front of other students. I turn away from her and go back to the front of the room, standing on my tform so I can oversee my students. Their shifting was getting faster and stronger each time they practiced. The students attacking their partners would wait a substantial amount of time before performing their attack on their partners who kept their backs turned. As soon as their partners felt an attack was near, they shifted into their wolf forms and counter-attacked. For the most part, the students shifting were able to counterattack or block the initial attack from their partners. Most students¡­ ept Ba. Regardless of how fast she was at shifting and counterattacking, L, in her human form, was always a step ahead of her and managed to beat her every time. They tried it at least a dozen times. ¡°How are you this good?¡± Ba asked, breathlessly. She didn¡¯t sound annoyed, more inspired than anything. ¡°I¡¯ve had good trainers,¡± L chuckled. ¡°You¡¯ll get better. I can train with you some more if you¡¯d like the practice.¡± ¡°You¡¯d do that?¡± Ba asked, surprised. ¡°Of course,¡± L said in return. ¡°I would love to help you. This stuff is important; you should learn to defend yourself the best you can.¡± Ba gave her a fond smile just as my phone began ringing. ¡°What?¡± I asked into the phone, knowing it was my Beta Ethan, from the Calypso Pack. ¡°We have a problem,¡± Ethan said, sounding a bit worried. ¡°Then deal with it. I¡¯m in ss.¡± ¡°There have been some home invasions around our pack,¡± Ethan continued quickly. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. ¡°What?¡± I asked, my tone hardening. ¡°What do you mean by home invasions?¡± ¡°I mean there have been a series of break-ins. I¡¯m not sure who¡¯s doing it¡­ but there have been reports of thievery as well.¡± ¡°Shit,¡± I mutter, trying to keep my voice down to not alert my students. I met L¡¯s eyes who were now looking at me with a frown; she knew something was wrong. ¡°I¡¯ll be there tomorrow to look into it.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Ethan said. ¡°I¡¯ll let everyone know.¡± ¡°Ethan,¡± I said before he hung up the phone; my ey Chapter 15 Chapter 15 L¡¯s POV ¡°Remind me again why you have to go to the Calypso pack tonight?¡± Rachel asked, watching me pack my suitcase from her bed. ¡°Because Professor Enzo is my ride to my pack,¡± I tell her. ¡°Per my father¡¯s orders¡­¡± I add. ¡°So, why go to his pack?¡± ¡°I guess there¡¯s an issue there he needs to address,¡± I exin. ¡°The dinner my mom is having isn¡¯t until tomorrow. So, we are going to the Calypso pack tonight so he can address whatever is happening there. Then, we are leaving for Elysium tomorrow.¡± Before she could say anything more, there was a knock on our door. I went to answer it and saw Enzo standing before me, holding his own suitcase. ¡°Are you ready?¡± He asked, his face remaining expressionless. ¡°Almost,¡± I answer, I let him inside my dorm as I finish packing my suitcase. Rachel was standing to her feet quickly, adjusting her closing and giving Enzo a quick bow of respect. ¡°Hello, Professor,¡± she said quickly. He didn¡¯t respond to her; he looked her over briefly before fixating his eyes back on me. ¡°Hurry up,¡± he muttered, turning away and stepping outside the door. Rachel¡¯s smile fell as soon as Enzo¡¯s back was turned. She slumped back on her bed and peered over at me. ¡°I don¡¯t know how you can stand being around him for that long,¡± she muttered. ¡°He¡¯s heartless.¡± I couldn¡¯t tell Rachel that Enzo was my mate; I couldn¡¯t tell anybody. Instead, I forced a smile on my face and zipped my suitcase. ¡­ ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? The Calypso Pack was only 30 minutes away from Hig. Most of the car drive was quiet, with maybe an asionalmentary from Enzo about the weather or traffic. But no conversation worth of value. The packhouse was big, but not as big as the one for the Nova Pack. Enzo parked the car out front; a couple of men met us outside, bowing to Enzo as we got out of the car. ¡°Can you take our luggage out of the trunk?¡± Enzo asked one of the men. ¡°You can bring mine to my room and hers to the guest room.¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± the men said, hurrying to the trunk of the car. Another man with a fiery red mane of hair came outside; he looked worried as he approached Enzo. ¡°There was another break in this morning,¡± he said, stopping only a little ways from us. ¡°The jewelry shop. Owner says they stole one of their most valuable sapphire nes.¡± ¡°Have they looked at the camera footage?¡± ¡°Yes, and as did I. But their faces are hard to see.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll head over there now and take a look for myself,¡± Enzo said; he nced at me briefly. ¡°Can you just get her settled in? Don¡¯t let her leave.¡± I frowned, peering up at him. ¡°You know I can hear you, right?¡± I asked; I didn¡¯t like being talked about while I was standing there, and I certainly didn¡¯t like to be ordered to stay somewhere I wasn¡¯t familiar with. ¡°Just stay here,¡± he muttered, narrowing his eyes at me. ¡°I won¡¯t be long.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I said in return. He nced back at the red-headed man, and asked, ¡°Has there been any more mention of these thieves other than the jewelry shop?¡± ¡°Today? No,¡± the man answered. ¡°But yesterday they stole from a woman¡¯s house. Took some of her jewelry and personal antiques. Oh, and some money she had saved away for a rainy day. Luckily, she wasn¡¯t home during this invasion, so nobody was hurt.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll pay her a visit as well. Write out a statement to the pack members and let them know that I¡¯m N?velDrama.Org ? content. on the case and as long as I¡¯m here, nobody is in danger,¡± Enzo ordered. ¡°I¡¯ll get on that right away. I¡¯m realizing quickly that this man must be the Beta of the pack. Enzo nced at me onest time before saying, ¡°I¡¯ll be right back. Just stay out of trouble.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure what he was insinuating but I wasn¡¯t liking it. I didn¡¯t say that to him though; instead, I said, with as much sarcasm as I can muster, ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The red-headed man and I stared after his car as he drove quickly away. I turned to the man, giving him a worried look. His look matched mine. ¡°Let¡¯s get you inside,¡± he said, sighing, as he turned toward the front doors. I nodded, following closely behind him. ¡°I¡¯m Ethan by the way; the Beta.¡± I was right, he was the Beta. ¡°I¡¯m L,¡± I answer. He paused as soon as we reached the inside of the house; he looked at me, a curious look in his eyes and his brows raised. ¡°Alpha Bastien¡¯s daughter?¡± So, he¡¯s heard of me too. I nod once. ¡°Why are you with Enzo?¡± He surprised me by asking. ¡°He¡¯s my professor,¡± I told him. ¡°My father wanted him to take me to our pack tomorrow. So, I¡¯m just here for the ride.¡± ¡°I see,¡± he said; though it didn¡¯t look like my answer was good enough. He turned away and started toward the stairs on the far side of the front room. One of the doors swung open and a short, and plump-looking older woman came running through it. She was holding a tter of tea. She paused when she saw Beta Ethan and me staring at her. ¡°Did I just miss him?¡± She asked, eyeing Ethan carefully. ¡°He¡¯s not here for a social visit,¡± Ethan told her; he sounded a bit harsh, but this woman didn¡¯t seem to mind it. ¡°He went to investigate the invasions.¡± ¡°Damn,¡± she muttered. ¡°I made him tea; I was hoping he¡¯d at least have a cup before he left. He¡¯s always so stressed out.¡± ¡°He¡¯s the Alpha. Of course, he¡¯s stressed,¡± Ethan muttered. I shot him a look; I didn¡¯t like how he was speaking to her. She seemed kind and it was nice that she went out of her way to make her Alpha tea. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t mean to be rude. I didn¡¯t notice you there, dear,¡± she said, her eyes soft as she looked at me. ¡°I¡¯m Deanna, the house mother. Most call me Dee.¡± ¡°House mother?¡± I asked, raising my brows. I had never heard of one of those, but it sounded comforting. ¡°It¡¯s just a fancy word for head servant,¡± she said, a fond smile on her lips. ¡°I basically take care of those in the packhouse as though they are my children. I oversee all the workers here. I also do all the cooking.¡± ¡°That sounds really nice,¡± I say, returning her kind smile. ¡°I hope they treat you good here,¡± I add, giving Ethan side eyes. Her smile widens as she understood what I was getting at. ¡°As good as they can,¡± she says in return. She nced down at her tea. ¡°I made this for Alpha Enzo. But seeming he¡¯s not here, why don¡¯t you take it.¡± She stepped toward me, handing me the tter. I bow my head slightly to her. ¡°Thank you so much, Dee. I could use some tea right about now,¡± I say to her. Her smile widens. ¡°If you get hungry, just let me know. I¡¯m can cook you something delicious to eat,¡± she offered. Before I could thank her again, Ethan interrupted. ¡°This is fun and all, but I have orders to bring her to her room,¡± Ethan said, walking toward the stairs. I roll my eyes, making it known to Dee and she gave me a chuckle in return. I went with Ethan upstairs; he stopped in front of a door and turned to face me. ¡°This is the guest room. You¡¯ll stay in there for tonight. I¡¯ll be down the hall in Enzo¡¯s study if you need anything.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± I say, with uncertainty in my tone. I entered the room and took in the floral design; it was a in room but telling from the vanity, I could tell it used to be somebody¡¯s actual bedroom. My suitcase was beside therge king-sized bed. On the far side of the room was a big bay window with a nook; I was amazed that it overlooked the ocean. I had no idea we were this close to the ocean. It was beautiful and very blue looking. I went over to the vanity when I saw there were a couple of pictures hanging in the mirror. I paused when I nced at the pictures. My entire body froze as I recognized the woman in one of the pictures. ¡°Grandma Corinne¡­?¡± She was in this very room. Did my grandmother live here? With Enzo¡¯s father? Chapter 16 Chapter 16 L¡¯s POV In the picture, my grandmother, Corinne, was sitting in this same vanity, in this room. I frowned and nced around. Could this have been my grandmothers¡¯ old room? Did she live in this packhouse? My mother never mentioned that my grandparents lived in the packhouse. I couldn¡¯t get over how beautiful my grandmother was; she looked exactly like my mother. It made me sad that she was no longer around. I wished I could have met her. I continued rummaging through the other pictures that upied the mirror and saw that there was another one with my grandmother, standing beside my grandfather, James. They looked so happy and in love. This was the kind of love story I wanted. Minus the dying and the being held captive by the Alpha for years. I wondered how long after this photo was taken my grandfather was held captive and my grandmother died. It made me feel sick to think about it. I ced the pictures on the vanity; it was strange that they were just sitting there. As if this room hasn¡¯t been touched since my grandmother lived in it. I went toward the small table across the room where I ced the tter of tea and took a sip. The tea was still so hot, and it tasted delicious. There was a small cup of milk on the tter as well as a couple of sugar cubes. It was perfect. Enzo was investigating the invasions around his pack; I would be lying if I said I wasn¡¯t a bit worried about that. This many invasions in one pack were umon and I wondered what it was stemming from. I had an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach as I thought about it. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? There was a light knock on my door, bringing my mind back to the here and the now. ¡°Come in,¡± I said from across the room. I was pleased to see Dee standing at the doorway; she had a pleasant smile and a kind look in her eyes. ¡°Sorry to bother you, miss L. But I wanted to ask if I could get you anything. Maybe some food?¡± I smiled my appreciation to her. ¡°How about I help you in the kitchen, Dee,¡± I say to her in return, walking toward the door. She rose her brows. ¡°Oh, no¡­ it¡¯s okay,¡± she said with a light chuckle. ¡°I¡¯m used to cooking by myself.¡± ¡°I¡¯m pretty handy with a knife, you know,¡± I say walking into the hallway. Her entire body seemed to have frozen at my words, making meugh. ¡°I honestly don¡¯t mind. I need something to do. What are we making?¡± She gushed into a grin as she spoke. ¡°I was thinking stew?¡± She asked, following me down the stairs. ¡°Sounds delicious. I love a good stew. My mother has an amazing recipe. Of course, I don¡¯t want to mess with your own recipe.¡± ¡°Maybe we couldbine them?¡± She suggested. ¡°I¡¯m always looking for ways to improve my recipes.¡± ¡°I would like that,¡± I said with a smile. We made our way into the kitchen. It was huge and extremely clean and very organized. I could tell she doesn¡¯t let many in the kitchen. She already had most of the ingredients ced on the counter. I went straight to the vegetables scattered across the counter and began washing them while she set up the equipment. ¡°It¡¯s strange having help in here,¡± she admitted. ¡°I¡¯m so used to being alone most of the time.¡± ¡°Nobody should be alone all the time,¡± I tell her. ¡°It¡¯s nice to havepany once in a while.¡± ¡°You are very kind, Miss L,¡± she breathed. I began cutting the vegetables while she made the broth. She rose her brows as she noticed how fast I was going. ¡°Who taught you that?¡± ¡°My mother,¡± I answered. ¡°She cooks wonderful meals.¡± She gathered the vegetables and ced them in the pot she was cooking in. I grabbed some ingredients that my mother uses and started sprinkling them in the pot as well. ¡°So, you¡¯ve been the house mother for long?¡± I asked, peering over at her. She had a thoughtful look to her that I admired. ¡°For over a decade,¡± she finally spoke. ¡°I was here when Enzo¡¯s father was here.¡± ¡°Wow,¡± I breathed. ¡°So, you knew Enzo when he was a boy?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she answered. ¡°He was only 9 when I met him. He was a thin pup, and he was terrified of being here without his mum.¡± She looked saddened by the memory. ¡°I knew he would need a mother to help him get through, so I cared for him like he was my own.¡± ¡°You¡¯re like his mother?¡± I asked, raising my brows. ¡°And yet you are treated like the help.¡± Sheughed at my wording. ¡°I don¡¯t do anything I don¡¯t want to. I enjoy being a mother figure to not just Enzo, but to the pack too. This packhouse would go hungry if I wasn¡¯t here. Theirundry would go undone, the flowers would all wilt, and nothing would get cleaned. Everything I do, I do out of love. Not just for the pack, but for Enzo too.¡± ¡°He¡¯s lucky to have you in his corner,¡± I said fondly, and I meant that. ¡°He might be a little hard around the edges, but his heart is in the right ce,¡± she continued. It was nice to hear that from someone who knows him so well, but it made me wonder what happened to Enzo¡¯s actual mother. I wanted to ask, but something inside of me told me not to. ¡°He is full of mystery,¡± Val said in wonder. ¡°It smells delicious already,¡± I breathed, peering into the pot of stew; my mouth was watering. I didn¡¯t even realize how hungry I was until I smelled this food. ¡°We make a great team,¡± she chuckled. ¡°I hope Alpha Enzo brings you around more.¡± Once we finished cooking, we poured some stew into a couple of different bowls. ¡°I¡¯m going to bring this to Beta Ethan,¡± she said before leaving the kitchen. I grabbed a bowl for myself and sat at the center counter with the stools. I waited for her to return before I started eating. She frowned when she saw my untouched bowl. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you eaten yet?¡± ¡°I was waiting for you,¡± I said, raising my brows. ¡°It¡¯s rude to eat when your party isn¡¯t eating yet.¡± Sheughed as she grabbed a bowl for herself and a couple of sses of water for each of us. She sat beside me on the other stool and together we both ate. We were mainly quiet as we enjoyed the delicious vors of the stew. Both our recipes worked really well together, and I was proud to create a dish with someone I was now considering a friend. A few others, who live in the packhouse, entered the kitchen and started grabbing their own servings. Most of them said nothing to us; some muttered ¡°Hello, Dee,¡± as they took their servings. Some even said, ¡°Thanks, Dee,¡± before leaving the kitchen with their bowls. ¡°Hopefully there will be enough left for the Alpha,¡± I say to her with augh. ¡°Oh, I already set some aside for him,¡± she said, matching myugh. That was smart. After we finished eating, I helped her clean. ¡°You really don¡¯t need to help,¡± she said fondly. ¡°I don¡¯t mind,¡± I say in return. She paused for a moment as she took in my face. ¡°You know, you¡¯re the first woman Alpha Enzo has ever brought home,¡± she said, ncing at me as I dried the dishes she handed to me. ¡°The first?¡± I said, surprised. ¡°He¡¯s a very handsome Alpha. How is that possible?¡± ¡°He was never interested in dating before,¡± she said, a small frown ced on her lips. ¡°He always said that rtionships make you weak. As a small boy, he always had these big ambitions in life. Having a mate would just get in his way. At least, ording to him, it would.¡± I felt my heart falling into my stomach at her words; I wasn¡¯t sure why that upset me so much. Maybe This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. because I could feel Val lowering her gaze, saddened by the harsh reality. Our mate doesn¡¯t want a mate. Chapter 17 Chapter 17 Enzo¡¯s POV ¡°Alpha¡­ thank you foring. I¡¯ve been so frightened. I haven¡¯t opened the shop all day because I was worried they would just return,¡± said the Jewelry shop owner, Eliza. She was practically trembling when I entered the shop. ¡°Tell me everything that happened,¡± I ordered, following her toward the camera room. ¡°They walked in, they were wearing masks and hoods. A couple of them had guns. Said they¡¯d shoot me if I didn¡¯tply. Then, they took the sapphire ne and left.¡± ¡°Only the ne?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she answered. ¡°It¡¯s the most valuable item in the store.¡± ¡°Let me see the footage.¡± She typed something from the keyboard attached to the monitors and soon the image of the thieves popped up on the screen. As I got a better look, I took notice of everything I could see. Their dark sweatshirts and worn-out jeans; their dark masks. The cameras are old, so the images were a bit pixted. They looked to be my height, if not a little shorter. I watched as one of the guys went straight for the ne. It was like he was on a mission to get that ne and only that ne. ¡°Do you have any idea who it could be?¡± Eliza asked, tears filling her eyes. ¡°Yes,¡± I answered, ncing back at her. ¡°Street rats.¡± I also knew exactly how to find them. ¡­ L¡¯s POV ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? By the time I returned to the guest bedroom, or maybe it was my grandmother¡¯s old bedroom, my heart was aching. I wasn¡¯t entirely sure where it wasing from though. I could hear Val whimpering though and I knew it had to do with Enzo. She really liked him. ¡°Our mate doesn¡¯t want a mate¡­¡± she breathed. ¡°How could that be possible?¡± I wanted to console her, but I wasn¡¯t sure what to say to make her feel any better. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s for the best,¡± I found myself saying. ¡°Enzo isn¡¯t exactly the type I saw myself being with.¡± ¡°Or maybe he¡¯s exactly the type,¡± Val said in return. ¡°We could change his mind and make him see that having a mate would make him stronger!¡± I didn¡¯t deserve to have to convince someone to love me; it should be effortless. I wanted the kind of story that my father and mother had. That my uncle ke and aunt Sophie had. That my grandparent¡¯s had. I wasn¡¯t going to get that kind of story from Enzo if all he cared about was power. He might not be exactly like his father, but he was still after the same goals. He wanted power and sess; I couldn¡¯t me him for that. It¡¯s his ambitions and I admired that he knew what he wanted; that much was clear. But it made me wonder how much room was there in his life to take on a romantic rtionship. That wasn¡¯t the kind of rtionship I wanted. If he was so against mates, why hasn¡¯t he rejected me yet? Iy on the bed, staring at the ceiling. I also didn¡¯t want somebody who thinks that it was okay to lock me inside the packhouse whenever they want. I wasn¡¯t the kind of girl who enjoyed staying inside for hours at a time. I was an explorer; I loved traveling, seeing new things, and going to different ces. The outside world had never scared me. I learned to defend myself for a reason. Like right now, for example, I was staying inside this room that once belonged to my grandmother, in a pack that my grandparents and my mother once belonged to, and I haven¡¯t even gone exploring the pack to find out more information about my family. It was my right to see where my family hade from. I wasn¡¯t going to get an opportunity like this often and I needed to make the most of it. I sat up in bed, staring outside the bay window with a frown. It was the perfect view of the ocean; I¡¯d never even seen the ocean before. Elysium was on the other side, which was facing the opposite direction of the ocean. I went toward the bay window and pushed it open; I could already smell the salt from the water and it was the most soothing thing in the world. It reminded me of that ce in my mind¡¯s eye where I saw my wolf for the first time. I wanted to feel the sand beneath my toes and feel the cold waters. I¡¯m sure Enzo wouldn¡¯t miss me if I was gone for only a little while; he probably wouldn¡¯t even notice. I stared over the ledge of the window; I was on the second floor. I could climb down easily if I had a good footing on the ledge. I swung my legs over the window and grabbed the ledge that sat on the outside of the building. There were a couple more ledges going down that I couldnd on. I ended up making it to the ground quickly and easily. I stared up at my opened window, satisfied that I got out undetected. It was dark, so the shadows would surely keep me hidden. It didn¡¯t take long to get to the ocean; I allowed my feet to get buried in the warm and pink sand. It felt nice and unfamiliar. I took in a steady breath as the cold breeze washed through my features. The water wasn¡¯t as cold as I expected, but it still felt nice as I buried my toes. I smiled up at the moon, thanking the moon goddess for blessing me with this opportunity. The closest I had ever gotten to the beach was the big pond in Hig. It was near the school, so on nice days the students would go and enjoy some beach fun. I¡¯m not sure how long I stayed at the beach. It almost seemed as if life was standing still. I could have been here for a couple of minutes, or I could have been here for a couple of hours. Either way, I was enjoying everything life had to offer and I wasn¡¯t sorry about it. But still, I couldn¡¯t help but think about Enzo as well. ¡°If he doesn¡¯t want a mate, would he soon reject us?¡± I found myself asking. ¡°He could¡­¡± Val admitted, sadness clear in her tone. ¡°He¡¯s an Alpha though, he would have to be the one to reject us.¡± I knew that already. I wouldn¡¯t be able to reject him. I¡¯ve heard that being rejected was the most painful thing a wolf can experience. It¡¯s worse than normal heartbreak; thankfully, I wasn¡¯t marked by him, so the rejection should be a quick process. ¡°What do you think he¡¯s waiting for?¡± I asked. ¡°I think maybe he doesn¡¯t want to reject us,¡± Val said, hope now lingering behind her words. ¡°Perhaps we make him curious.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure if that was enough. If he rejected me, would I get a new mate? Or would I be doomed to spend the rest of eternity alone? I wish I knew for sure what was going to happen. I wanted to ask more questions, but I heard screaminging from the direction of the town, making me sit up quickly and look wildly around. The screams pierced through the night; it was a woman and it sounded as if she was in pain. I stood quickly to my feet when I heard her frantic words. ¡°Stop it! Let me go, you assholes!!¡±Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Chapter 18 Chapter 18 L¡¯s POV My feet were working in overdrive; as soon as I heard her plead for help, I knew I needed to get there as soon as I could. The town wasn¡¯t far from the beach; I climbed over the fence that separated the beach from the rest of the town and made my way through the dark streets only lit by a couple of street lights. It waste, so there weren¡¯t many cars on the road, but I had to pause for a moment for a car to pass before quickly crossing the street. I picked up speed as her screaming grew louder. ¡°Please, stop!! I did nothing wrong. You can take what you need, but please leave me alone!!¡± She was sobbing as she pleaded those words. I couldn¡¯t hear what her attackers were saying, their tones were deep and mushed into one low sound. I did hear someughing though. Whatever they were doing to her, they were enjoying themselves. Her pleading was now drowned out by the sounds of her crying. As I rounded one of the corners in the town, leading to a dark alley, I saw about 4 men, wearing ck sweatshirts with hoods over their heads. One guy was crouched on the ground, rummaging through the woman¡¯s purse and the other 3 were pressing her against the wall. She waspletely naked; her clothing was ripped to shreds around her feet. She looked young, maybe in her early twenties. Her entire body was trembling, and she was sobbing as her attackers groped and taunted her. ¡°Hey!¡± I shouted to them, clenching my fists as fury rose through me. The guy rummaging through the purse looked up at me; his eyes were dark and sent a shiver throughout my body, but I kept my stance, keeping my eyes locked on his. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? ¡°That isn¡¯t yours,¡± I said through my teeth. I nced at the others who were now looking in my direction as the girl remained pressed against the wall, trembling, and sobbing uncontrobly. ¡°Get away from that woman,¡± I growled. They looked at one another briefly before bursting intoughter. ¡°Mind your own business, girlie,¡± one of them said. ¡°Maybe she wants a little action too,¡± another said with a roar ofughter. ¡°Take your hands off her,¡± I said, my tone remaining even and firm. I knew I could take them all if I had to; I was hoping it wouldn¡¯t resort to that though. ¡°Seems we made her mad¡­¡± I heard one of them say as he continued tough. ¡°This could be fun.¡± They had now released the woman and were facing my direction entirely. I noticed there was a backpack leaning against the wall; I¡¯m assuming it belonged to one of them. Only their eyes were visible; they wore dark masks, along with their hoods, so I couldn¡¯t see their faces. ¡°Why are you attacking an innocent woman?¡± I asked, narrowing my eyes at them. ¡°What has she done to deserve such treatment?¡± ¡°You have no idea whom you are dealing with,¡± one of them hissed, his tone darkening. Theirughter had faded and now all there was left was a dark aura. ¡°Maybe we should show her what we are made of,¡± another said, a gleam of humor sparkling in his dark gaze. As they neared, I could smell the whisky on their breath. Who were these assholes? One of the men grabbed onto my arm and pulled me into his tight embrace. I didn¡¯t fight him; at least not yet. I wanted them to think I was weak. I wanted them to think they had a chance. I felt his cold fingers tracing down my spine until he was only inches from my butt. Another guy pressed himself into my backside, I could feel his hardness pressing into my lower leg as he wrapped his arms around my waist, keeping me in ce. They think they have me right where they want me. ¡°Let¡¯s get these clothes off you,¡± the guy behind me whispered into my ear. I drove my elbow into his stomach, making him gasp for breath. Simultaneously, I kicked my foot and rammed the guy in front of me in his crotch making him buckle over in pain. I grabbed the guy who was behind me from his arms and did a back flip over his entire body until I was behind himpletely. I stuck my fists up as the others realized what was happening. I was ready to fight. ¡­ Enzo¡¯s POV Street rats tend to hang out in dark areas, such as alleys. They were easier to find at night because that¡¯s when they came out the most. Luckily, the sun had set a while ago. ¡°Please¡­ someone help¡­!¡± I heard the cries of a womaning from downtown. I shifted into my wolf form, allowing Max full control and we sprinted toward the town. She continued to cry, but it was being drowned out byughter and taunting. As I got closer, I smelled the scent of honeysuckle and then the scent of blood. ¡°Our mate¡­¡± Max breathed. L? What the hell was she doing?! I ran faster through the streets; her scent growing stronger the closer we got. Rounding the corner I saw the street rats wearing the same ck hoodies they were wearing in the camera footage at the jewelry store. The woman who was crying for help was pressing herself against the wall, sobbing and trembling in fear. I scanned the scene until my eyes fell on L. She was fighting. And winning. She was small inparison, but she looked 10x stronger. She was fighting even better than she was in ss. It seemed as if these men were mortified and embarrassed to be getting their asses kicked by a she-wolf. She had beads of sweat forming on her forehead; herplexion was practically glowing. The rays of the moon were dancing off her fair skin and her dark hair was stered with sweat, around her reddened features. I had already called for some of my gammas to arrest these assholes; I was just waiting for them to arrive. I noticed a backpack leaning against the wall of the ally. That was the same backpack they shoved the ne from the jewelry store into. L still hadn¡¯t noticed me as I went around the scene and grabbed the bag, uncovering the sapphire ne. The backpack also contained other jewels and money. The gammas arrived shortly after. The thieves tried to escape, but the gammas were too fast for them. At first, they fought. But they were no match; plus, they were badly beaten and already weak from L alone. I nced over at L and noticed she was nowforting the naked woman, who was still huddling against the wall and sobbing. L had taken her coat off and ced it around the woman¡¯s naked body. ¡°You are safe now¡­¡± she murmured to the woman. ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­¡± The woman continued to sob. I found myself staring at L. I couldn¡¯t help it and Max didn¡¯t want to look away. Even when I was no longer in my wolf form, I couldn¡¯t help but keep my eyes on L as she providedfort and warmth to this woman. Was she always like this? There was a lot to unyer about this little wolf, that was for sure. One of my gammas approached them and spoke to L for a brief moment before he took the woman in his arms and carried her to his waiting car. N?velDrama.Org ? content. ¡°I¡¯m going to bring her to the hospital,¡± he said to me as he passed. I revealed to him the sapphire ne I recovered from the backpack. ¡°Bring this back to the jewelry shop too.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± the Gamma said, taking the ne before returning to his car with the woman. I looked back at L, fixating my gaze on her. She was now looking at me, her face reddening as I approached. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I left the packhouse¡­¡± she breathed. ¡°I just needed some air¡­¡± she paused for a moment and when I didn¡¯t say anything, she lowered her gaze and started to walk past me. ¡°I¡¯ll head back there now.¡¯ Before she could fully walk past me, I grabbed onto her arm, forcing her to stop. She looked up at me with wide eyes just as blood trickled from her forehead and down the side of her face. ¡°You¡¯ve been injured.¡± Chapter 19 Chapter 19 L¡¯s POV I hadn¡¯t even realized I was cut until I saw the look on Enzo¡¯s face when he told me I was hurt. Then I felt a small sting on my forehead and the blood trickling down the side of my face. His eyes were dark and fixated on my features. I¡¯ve honestly had worse injuries; this was minor inparison. But I don¡¯t tell him that. Instead, he does something I wasn¡¯t expecting. He wrapped an arm around me and lifted me into his arms, cradling me like a child. My heart leaped in my chest and my eyes widened as I gazed up at him. He was going to walk me back to the packhouse. ¡°I can walk you know,¡± I tell him. ¡°This will be faster.¡± Before I could ask him how on earth this would be faster; he starts to run. He wasn¡¯t even in his wolf form; he was just sprinting with me in his arms. I wrap my arms around his neck to steady myself, pressing my face against his chest and breathing in his amazing scent. Val was inplete bliss. I had to keep reminding her that this wasn¡¯t the guy we wanted as a mate. Based on what Dee had said, he was incapable of real love. I could only imagine what we must have looked like to those passing by. We quickly made it back to the packhouse, and Beta Ethan was the first to greet us when we entered. ¡°I thought I told you to keep her here,¡± Enzo muttered as he passed his Beta. ¡°I didn¡¯t know she had left¡­¡± Ethan said in return. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Enzo ignored him and walked with me up the stairs, keeping his hold on me and not letting me walk on my own. I thought we would have gone into the bathroom or something, but instead, he took me right back to the guest room. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? He finally released me onto the bed. Without saying anything, he went into the attached bathroom. I took in a deep breath to steady my rapid heartbeat and my anxious wolf. My palms were growing sweaty; this feeling wasn¡¯t something I was familiar with, and I didn¡¯t particrly like it. Especially when it contained Enzo. I wanted to ask him why he hasn¡¯t rejected me yet, but then there was a part of me that feared what he would say. I wasn¡¯t sure I wanted to know his answer. It would only hurt Val. Enzo returned momentster with a cloth, a small bowl of water, and a first aid kid. He sat the supplies beside me on the bed and grabbed a chair so he could sit in front of me. I said nothing as he soaked the cloth in the warm water before cing it on my wound. The warmth of the water felt nice, but his fingertips grazing my skin felt even better. It was like small electric jolts, like tingles, that spread across my features. It brought goosebumps to my arms and a small chill down my spine. But the chill wasn¡¯t a bad feeling; it was like a tickle. It was my wolf wiggling in delight; I could tell how pleased she was. Enzo looked so focused on cleaning my wound; there was a small crease between his brows as he fixated his gaze on my forehead. He bit onto his bottom lip gently as he concentrated. I couldn¡¯t help but stare at his full lips and bite my own. He was so close to me that I thought for sure he would be able to hear my heartbeat. He smelled so amazing. I wanted to lean over and kiss him. I remembered how soft and delicate his lips were when I kissed him that time in the hallway. I thought that was a waste of a first kiss; I didn¡¯t know he was my mate at the time. But maybe¡ª This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. ¡°What are you staring at?¡± I heard his deep, and almost husky, tone asking, bringing me out of my trance. I blinked a couple of times, meeting his eyes. My face warmed under the intensity of his gaze. ¡°Nothing,¡± I said. ¡°You really don¡¯t need to do this¡­¡± I say, reaching for the cloth that he had ced on my head. My fingertips touched his and they froze. ¡°It¡¯ll heal fast,¡± he said, keeping his eyes on mine. ¡°But I don¡¯t want it to get infected. Your father would have my head. I promised I would get you Elysium safely¡­¡± Of course, he was doing this for my father. I gave him a small smile and didn¡¯t say anything more as he smeared some clear jelly on the wound. I was hoping the disappointment wasn¡¯t showing on my face; and if it was, he didn¡¯t point it out. He ced a bandage on my forehead and gave it onest look. ¡°What part of ¡®stay out of trouble,¡¯ didn¡¯t you understand?¡± He then asked, narrowing his eyes at me. He wasn¡¯t seriously upset with me, was he? ¡°What?¡± I asked, raising my brows. ¡°What were you doing out at this hour?¡± ¡°I wanted fresh air,¡± I told him. ¡°I don¡¯t like staying inside for long.¡± ¡°It was stupid,¡± he muttered. He then pulled away from me to clean up his supplies. I stared at him dumbfounded. ¡°Excuse me, but if I hadn¡¯t had left, I wouldn¡¯t have found that woman who¡ª¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have gotten hurt.¡± ¡°I saved that woman¡¯s life¡­ a ¡®thank you¡¯ would be nice,¡± I shot back, trying not to get too angry with him. I knew he was just worried that something would happen to me because my father would kill him. He was doing his job protecting me; I couldn¡¯t fault him for that. But still, I saved that woman¡¯s life. The least he could do was thank me. ¡°I would have had that handled,¡± he said; he was purposely not meeting my eyes. ¡°By the time you showed up, it would have been toote. You saw the state of that woman. It was worse when I got there.¡± He looked like he wanted to argue more, but he didn¡¯t. Instead, he took his supplies back to the bathroom and cleaned up. When he returned, I had curled up on the bed with my legs pressed to my chest. I was feeling sad all of a sudden; my heart was heavy, and I just wanted to cry. I should be happy that I was seeing my family tomorrow, but I didn¡¯t feel happy right now. I just felt¡­ sad. I didn¡¯t want to cry in front of him though; I held back the tears. He was staring at me for a long while like he was trying to read my face. There was a small frown on his face, and he cocked his head to the side. He sighed, shaking his head. ¡°Thank you.¡± I nced up at him, surprised by his words. His eyes had softened. ¡°What?¡± I asked, unsure if I heard him correctly. ¡°Don¡¯t make me repeat it,¡± he muttered. He turned to the door and grabbed the doorknob but paused. ¡°If you weren¡¯t there¡­ things would have been worse. I¡¯m d you were there¡­ even if you did get hurt.¡± I was quiet, unsure of what to say. I wasn¡¯t expecting this from him. So, I stared at the back of his head with my mouth hanging open. Just as he pulled the door open, I couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Why haven¡¯t you rejected me yet?¡± Chapter 20 Chapter 20 L¡¯s POV ¡°You don¡¯t want a mate¡­¡± I continued, keeping my eyes on the back of my head; his entire demeanor had changed at that moment. ¡°So, why haven¡¯t you rejected me?¡± ¡°Do you wish for me to do so now?¡± He asked, turning to nce at me. His face was hard to read; I wasn¡¯t sure how to answer that. ¡°If you don¡¯t wish to be with me then¡­¡± ¡°You are my student; it¡¯s moreplicated than that,¡± he said quickly, silencing my words. ¡°If word gets out that I rejected my mate, it will make me look bad as an Alpha.¡± ¡°So, you are trying to protect your image?¡± I asked, raising my brows. I was trying to keep the hurt out of my tone, but I knew he could see the disappointment in my eyes. ¡°Is that the only reason?¡± I thought maybe he would say something else, but his features hardened as he stared around my face. ¡°Something like that,¡± he muttered, before turning away and leaving the room. Leaving me with only my thoughts and the soft cries of my wolf. ¡­ I couldn¡¯t sleep all night. In the morning, Dee had made us breakfast before we got dressed and left for Elysium. ¡°Dee was nice,¡± I tell him as we drove away from the Calypso Pack. I was trying not to think about our conversation fromst night. ¡°She seemed to like you too,¡± he said, his tone emotionless. Not that it was surprising. ¡°She said she was like a mother figure for you,¡± I found myself saying. ¡°You talked about me?¡± He didn¡¯t sound mad; maybe a little curious. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? My face warmed just the same. ¡°She was the one who brought you up,¡± I rified. ¡°You are important to her.¡± He remained quiet; his gaze fixated on the open road before us. His hands clutched the steering wheel tightly. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat. ¡°What happened to your actual mother?¡± I dared to ask. His jaw clenched and I thought I saw one of his eyebrows twitching. ¡°I don¡¯t talk about it.¡± I took that as my cue to stop talking. The rest of the drive was quiet; I was relieved to see the Nova Packhouse in the distance. That meant I got to see my family and could distance myself from Enzo. I wasn¡¯t sure how much more of this I could take. Enzo parked the car out front, and I quickly got out to be greeted by my mother who was running toward me with her arms open wide. Iughed as she wrapped me in her embrace. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you, L bean,¡± she breathed. ¡°You saw mest week,¡± I chuckled, hugging her back. ¡°Yes, but that feels like an eternity ago¡­.¡± She paused as she held me at arm¡¯s length. ¡°You have your wolf! I¡¯m so incredibly happy for you, my love.¡± I was excited to eat my mother¡¯s homemade cooking tonight, but I was even more excited to shift into my wolf for the first time. ¡°Tonight, you and I will go for a run in our wolf forms,¡± she said, reading my thoughts. My dad was the next to greet me; he kissed the top of my head before turning to Enzo. ¡°Thanks for getting her here,¡± my dad said to him, shaking his hand. Enzo only nodded his head. ¡°I¡¯ve set up a guest room for you. You can make yourselffortable. As I said, you are wee to join us for dinner if you change your mind,¡± my father said to him. I frowned and nced at Enzo; I was assuming he wasing to dinner regardless. Did he not want to? He seemed to have tensed at my father¡¯s words. ¡°Yes, Enzo. I do hope you join us,¡± My mother said, peering over at him with a fond smile. ¡°I¡¯m making a huge feast with plenty of food.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Enzo said, bowing his head to her. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it. I¡¯m going to set myself up in a room and get some work done. I just caught some thieves in my pack yesterday and I need to file some paperwork for the police station.¡± My father frowned. ¡°Thieves?¡± He asked, raising his brows. ¡°Yes, there have been invasions from some street rats,¡± Enzo exined. My father motioned for Enzo to follow him inside. ¡°Walk and talk with me; tell me everything.¡± Enzo went with him without hesitation. My mother stared after them with a worried look in her eyes. ¡°Was anyone seriously hurt?¡± She asked me as we went inside. ¡°There was a woman yesterday that was being harassed,¡± I tell her. ¡°I found her about to be¡­¡± I paused, not able to get the words out. ¡°She was naked¡­¡± I continued. My mother¡¯s eyes widened as she stared around my face. ¡°What happened with her?¡± Once I finished telling my mom the entire story, she just looked at me for a long while, taking me in. She had a look in her eyes as she tried to figure out what she should say at that moment. Then, she gave me a small smile and put an arm around my shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m proud of you for helping someone in need,¡± she said to me. ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re okay.¡± After we talked for a little longer, I went upstairs to my bedroom so I can put my stuff away. I could already smell the delicious foods my mother was cooking in the kitchen. I had a lightly fitted dress picked out for dinner. It would also be a good fit for when I shift for the first time. It¡¯s easy to get in and out of. It was best to take clothes off before shifting because clothing tends to get destroyed in the process. Once I finished dressing, I started doing my hair. I figured I would just leave it down and maybe curl it a little. While I was doing that, my bedroom door swung open. I smiled as I peered through the mirror and saw Brianna. ¡°What¡¯s her name?!¡± She asked, plopping down on my bed. I knew she was asking about my wolf. ¡°Valentina,¡± I answer. ¡°I call her Val.¡± ¡°That¡¯s so pretty! What does she look like?¡± ¡°Just like my mother¡¯s wolf,¡± I chuckle. ¡°She¡¯s beautiful.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see her. Are you nervous about your first shift?¡± ¡°I¡¯m more excited than anything.¡± I knew a first shift was incredibly painful; bones practically break in the process, but I was excited to finally be able to be a whole wolf. I heard there was nothing quite like it and I couldn¡¯t wait to experience it. ¡°We¡¯ll have to go running together. I¡¯m so excited for you,¡± she said with a grin. ¡°I think dinner will be ready shortly. Are youing downstairs?¡± ¡°I will in a minute. There¡¯s someone I need to speak to first,¡± I told her; she nods and disappears out of my room. ¡­ Enzo¡¯s POV ¡°Your pack isn¡¯t the only one that¡¯s been invaded recently,¡± Bastien said, leaning over my shoulder to look at the report I was creating. ¡°I¡¯m worried this might have something to do with your father¡¯s men. I¡¯ll let the Alphas know to be on the lookout for any strange activities.¡± ¡°I was hoping I was just my pack and that my father didn¡¯t have anything to do with this,¡± I admitted. ¡°But it¡¯s a possibility. Street rats loved him. Is there anything you need me to do?¡± Bastien ced a hand on my shoulder. ¡°Not yet, son. But I¡¯ll let you know. Just got a mindlink from Luna that dinner is ready. Are youing?¡± ¡°I think I¡¯m just going to finish this and get some sleep. I¡¯m tired after today.¡± ¡°Okay, suit yourself,¡± Bastien said without another word. As I finished writing out my reports, only a few minutes had passed before I heard a knock on the door. ¡°Yes?¡± I asked, waiting for the door to open. It opened slightly and standing in the doorway was L. Chapter 21 Chapter 21 L¡¯s POV My legs were on autopilot. The thought of enjoying arge feast with my friends and family, with Enzo sitting in the guest bedroom, was unsettling in my stomach. I didn¡¯t want to pretend that Enzo wasn¡¯t here. I felt it would have been unfair to him. I knocked on the door to the room he upied, feeling a wave of nerves surfacing in my chest. ¡°Come in,¡± he muttered from inside. I opened the door, peering into the room. He sat at the desk across the room with hisptop propped open. I should have known he would be working. He looked engrossed in whatever he was typing out on hisputer. I couldn¡¯t help but stare at him, taking in the masculine glow that danced around his features. He was biting on his bottom lip as he concentrated, causing me to bite onto my own. He nced up from theputer, his eyes narrowed as he stared around my body. He took in my appearance it seemed before his eyes fell upon my gaze. ¡°Are you going to be joining us for dinner?¡± I asked, pulling my mind together. He rose his brows as if he was surprised by the invite. ¡°I have things to take care of,¡± he exined; his tone was kept low and unbothered. ¡°I get that,¡± I said, ncing at hisptop. ¡°But even you need a break, Professor.¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t get these documents in¡ª¡± ¡°Your entire pack will fall apart?¡± I asked, teasingly. He frowned, staring at my face for a moment longer. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? ¡°I¡¯m sure whatever it is, it can wait untilter,¡± I tell him. ¡°Please, join us for dinner. My mother made so much food. It would mean a lot to her if¡ª¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± ¡°Why do you want me to attend this dinner?¡± Enzo asked; he was now leaning back in his chair with a small glimmer of amusement in his eyes. ¡°Why is it so important to you that I¡¯m there?¡± I felt my face warming at his words. He was being arrogant; I straightened my stance and turned toward the door. ¡°Suit yourself; if you don¡¯t want to eat then I won¡¯t force you.¡± As I walked toward the door, I heard him standing on his feet. ¡°I suppose I am a little hungry.¡± ¡­ The entire dining room smelled absolutely delicious when we entered. The long dining table was covered in a different variety of foods. Everybody stood to greet me as I took my seat; Enzo sat at the other end of the dining table, stuffed between the twins. He looked so awkward I could help the smile that tugged at my lips. ¡°There she is!¡± Uncle ke said as he gave me a one-armed hug. ¡°How do you feel?¡± ¡°Excited,¡± I said with a toothy smile. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m actually going to shift today.¡± ¡°Believe it, kiddo,¡± he said, sitting down beside me. ¡°It¡¯s going to be a painful transition though. Make sure you take it slow.¡± ¡°Our L bean is incredibly strong. She¡¯ll be able to handle it,¡± my father said with a wink. At that point, he nced down the table at Enzo. ¡°I¡¯m d you were able to make it to dinner.¡± Enzo gave him a head nod but didn¡¯t say anything in return. ¡°Let¡¯s eat before it gets cold,¡± my mother ordered. As we ate, my father peered over at me. ¡°Your mother told me that you were the one who caught those thieves.¡± I nodded through a mouthful of food. ¡°I heard a woman crying for help,¡± I tell them. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure what else to do. I ran in their direction and saw them terrorizing her.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s this woman now?¡± My father asked, peering down at the table at Enzo. ¡°The hospital,¡± he answered. ¡°My men personally brought her there.¡± ¡°Nice work to you both.¡± We continued eating with minor chatter before we all headed outside. The air was cool as the sun set in the far distance. The moon was rising by the time we reached the back patio. I could see the forest in the distance; the forest I would soon be shifting in. My heart was racing against my chest; I was starting to get nervous. Or maybe I was just overly excited. I knew Val was eager to be released and stretch her legs. Most of those we had dinner with were standing outside as well. Except for the twin, and Uncle Don. Also except for Enzo who was nowhere to be seen. ¡­ Enzo¡¯s POV I was stuffed between a girl and a boy who looked oddly alike and sat across from arge man who kept giving me a death re. I kept reminding myself that I just had to get through dinner and then I could return to the guest room and continue my work. With any luck, I won¡¯t have any more encounters with anyone tonight and I can leave first thing in the morning. Bastien said that L can drive her own car back to campus, so it¡¯s not like she needs me to stick around. It¡¯s better if I didn¡¯t stick around her anyways. ¡°You don¡¯t even want to see her first shift?¡± Max asked. ¡°No,¡± I answered. ¡°Once she shifts, her powers will probably be unlocked soon after. It¡¯ll be better if we N?velDrama.Org ? content. aren¡¯t around for it.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re her teacher?¡± The boy beside me asked, peering up at me. ¡°What kind of teacher are you?¡± ¡°Combat and shifting.¡± ¡°I see. My sister is insanely good atbat. She helps me train. Maybe one day you¡¯ll be my teacher too. I need to learn everything I can before I be the next Alpha.¡± ¡°You still have a long way to go, Flynn,¡± the girl on the other side of me said. ¡°You aren¡¯t even as good as me inbat.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true. I¡¯m way better,¡± the boy, Flynn argued. ¡°As if,¡± the girl said, flipping her long blonde hair behind her shoulders. ¡°Which is fine because you aren¡¯t the one training to be head Gamma. When you¡¯re the Alpha, I¡¯ll be here to protect you, little brother.¡± ¡°You¡¯re only 5 minutes older than me, Corrine,¡± Flynn muttered. The girl, Corinne, peered up at me next. ¡°I¡¯ve been training with my uncle Don; he¡¯s the head Gamma. One day, I¡¯m going to take his ce,¡± she exined. It seems this family was full of fighters; it was no wonder that L was so good at what she does. The man across from me who has been giving me deathly res, leaned across the table, narrowing his eyes at Corrine. ¡°You still have a long way to go as well before you can take my ce, young one,¡± he said, a grin appearing on his mouth. ¡°Bet,¡± sheughed. I managed to drown out the rest of their conversation; I wasn¡¯t sure why they were telling me any of this. It¡¯s not like I really cared. I nced down at the table, expecting to see L talking amongst her family, but instead, she was quietly peering over at me. Was she watching our conversation? As I finished my meal, I started to think about that photographer that captured L¡¯s birthday party. Her contact information must be in this packhouse somewhere. I would assume probably in Bastien¡¯s office. It would be best to do a little digging while he was preupied with L¡¯s first shift. So, once everyone headed outside, I went straight upstairs and into Bastien¡¯s office. He had papers scattered across his desk, none of which seemed relevant to what I was looking for until I came across a small book of contacts. As I flipped through the contacts, I paused when I saw ¡°Leah¡¯s Photography.¡± This was it. I grabbed my cell phone and dialed the number. ¡°Hello?¡± A woman said on the other end of the phone. ¡°Is this Leah, from Leah¡¯s Photography?¡± Chapter 22 Chapter 22 L¡¯s POV I didn¡¯t feel the pain at first; the cracking of my bones sounded through the night, echoing across the trees. The sound was a lot worse than I could have ever imagined. The sound was what made me wince at first. I caught the worried eyes of my mom as I heard more cracking; my arms were twisted in a position unimaginable. She made my brother and sister stay at the house while a few of us stood in the woods. She was sending me light and energy from her powers, trying to keep my mind upied and my body calm. It wasn¡¯t until my neck twisted and my entire form fell to the ground that I really started feeling the pain. I couldn¡¯t even hear my wolf speaking; I felt her canines ripping through my mouth. My teeth were growing, just as my mouth began to shift form. I screamed as the pain began to course through my entire body. My mother had told me to keep breathing, but I was finding it difficult to maintain my breath. My heartbeat was speeding up to a point where I thought it was going to bust through my chest. I dug my fingers, which were growingrge and growing white fur, into the dirt that surrounded me. My nails were bleeding as ws formed through my flesh. It was like my skin was being forcefully peeled off my body. Tears burned in my eyes. I knew this was going to be a painful experience, but I thought I was prepared for it. They had told me that it was only the first shift that was truly painful, but I was starting to doubt that. I couldn¡¯t imagine that shifts after this would be much easier. As I fought to catch my breath, a growl escaped from the dept of my throat. I had never heard my wolf growl like this before, but she was really struggling to maintain herself. She was trying to get me through this as painlessly as possible. I was beginning to grow defeated. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? My bodyy limp on the ground, jerking around involuntarily. I felt the soft hands of my mother on my back, trying to provide me some sort offort, but it was ripped away when my father took her arm and pulled her away from me. ¡°Stay back,¡± he warned her. Their voices became distant. I managed to glimpse into her tearful eyes. I knew she hated watching this. I screamed again as I felt my spine breaking its way through my back. My muscles were growing, and I was soon starting to feel stronger despite being in so much pain. I¡¯ve heard that the first shift could take an entire night toplete. My mother¡¯s didn¡¯tst that long though and I was hoping mine wouldn¡¯t either. Just when I thought I couldn¡¯t handle any more of this extreme pain, it was over. I remained gasping, kneeling to the ground, but I was now in my entire wolf form. I couldn¡¯t look down at my body, I could only look straight ahead. My vision was so clear that I felt like I was looking through a telescope; I could see for miles, and so perfectly clear too. I could hear everything as well; my senses were heightened, and it made me look around wildly as I tried to get a glimpse of everything. It was like I was still me, but at the same time, I wasn¡¯t. ¡°It feels so good to be free!¡± I heard Val echoing in my mind. As soon as I was in my wolf form, the pain was gone instantly. Like it was never there, to begin with. ¡°L bean, are you okay?¡± I heard my mother¡¯s voice echoing in my mind and realized she had shifted into her wolf form as well. My father stood beside her in his wolf form, a look of pride in his dark eyes. ¡°I¡¯m better than okay,¡± I replied, finally able to catch my breath. Brianna, Uncle ke, Aunt Sophie, and Uncle Aiden were all in their wolf forms as well. Each of them has different colors and different sizes. Brianna was quick to be by my side. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. ¡°Let¡¯s go for a run!¡± She finally said, excitedly. I couldn¡¯t wait to go for my first run. Without saying anything, I turned in a random direction and began sprinting. ¡­ Enzo¡¯s POV ¡°Is this Leah, from Leah¡¯s Photography?¡± ¡°Speaking,¡± the young woman, Leah, said on the other end. ¡°Hello, this is Alpha Enzo of the Calypso Pack. How are you doing this evening?¡± ¡°I¡¯m well, Alpha. Is there something I can do for you? Do you need photos taken? I can book you an appointment. I have an openingter this week unless you need it more urgently¡ª¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not the reason I am calling,¡± I say, stopping her words. She pauses for a moment. ¡°Oh, then how can I help you?¡± ¡°You have recently taken photos for a party held by Alpha Bastien, for his daughter L, at the Nova Pack. Is that correct?¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± she says in return. ¡°The photos haven¡¯t been developed yet. I¡¯m a little behind. But they should be ready within the next day or two¡­¡± ¡°Once they are developed, would you mind giving me a call? I would like a copy of each picture; unedited if possible.¡± She was quiet for a moment. ¡°May I ask what the reasoning is?¡± ¡°As you might know there was an incident at the party and there might be a clue as to who had done it via your pictures. Alpha Bastien has trusted me to get to the bottom of it. I would like to see the images as soon as you can get them developed. The sooner, the better.¡± ¡°Oh of course,¡± she breathed. ¡°I would be happy to help. I¡¯ll make sure to get them developed as soon as I can, and I¡¯ll give you a call. Is this the correct number you would like me to call?¡± ¡°Yes, that would be great. I really appreciate it.¡± ¡°Of course, Alpha.¡± Without another word, he hung up the phone. Now, I just had to wait; there had to be some kind of evidence in those photos that proved that Sarah was the one who poisoned L. Once I got the evidence I needed, I would be able to bring it to the school board. Sarah¡¯s father wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything about it if I had proper evidence. I left Bastien¡¯s office without touching anything else. Thankfully, nobody noticed me entering or leaving the office. I made my way down the stairs and outside; L and her family were already gone. Max could sense, a moment ago, that L was in a great deal of pain. It was probably better if we didn¡¯t see that happening; I¡¯m not so sure Max would be able to keep his cool if he saw L shifting for the first time. The pain that L felt thankfully didn¡¯tst too long though. In some cases, the first shift could take hours, maybe even an entire night. But in her case, it only took a few minutes before she was running through the forest in her wolf form. The scent of honeysuckle and salt water was wafting through the air; it was even more potent now that she was in her wolf form. Max wanted to join her, but I refrained from shifting. ¡°Alpha!¡± Beta Ethan said in a mindlink. ¡°There¡¯s been an emergency. You need to go to our pack hospital!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s your mother¡­ she¡¯s been attacked.¡± Chapter 23 Chapter 23 L¡¯s POV I returned home, feeling a rush of adrenaline. I had never felt as exhrated as I did since shifting and running through the forest in my wolf form. I was expecting to see Enzo when I returned to the packhouse, but he wasn¡¯t anywhere in sight. ¡°His car is gone,¡± my father said, peering out front with a frown. ¡°He left?¡± I asked, furrowing my brows together. ¡°Without saying anything?¡± ¡°Perhaps there was another issue at his pack,¡± my mother suggested with a shrug. ¡°Yeah, I wouldn¡¯t worry too much about Enzo. He can take care of himself. Besides, you can take your car back to school tomorrow. I checked it thoroughly. It hasn¡¯t been touched.¡± I nodded, forcing a smile, but it didn¡¯t meet my eyes. I felt an unsettled feeling in the pit of my stomach by the time I reached my room. Where did Enzo go? I was disappointed the next morning when Enzo hadn¡¯t returned. The guest room, and all his belongings, were gone. He really just left without saying anything to me. ¡°We¡¯ll see him at the academy,¡± Val assured me. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much about it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not worried about it,¡± I say in return; but even I wasn¡¯t believing those words. ¡°You can¡¯t lie to me¡­ I¡¯m a part of you,¡± she reminded me. I gave my family a hug before departing into my car and leaving for the academy. I was d to be able to drive myself. I made a mental note to ask Enzo why he would just leave like this. However, as soon as I pulled into the parking lot of the school, I couldn¡¯t even sense him. I frowned as I got out of the car. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? Was he not here? ¡°How was your first shift?!¡± Rachel asked as soon as I got back to my dorm. ¡°Painful,¡± I tell her. ¡°But exhrating.¡± ¡°Are you going to go all ¡®full wolf¡¯ on me anytime soon?¡± ¡°I might,¡± I teased. ¡°Better watch your back.¡± We both chuckled. ¡­ I went to the arena to meet with Ba, early the next morning, so we can start our training session. I told her I would help her practice herbat so she can better protect herself. She eagerly waited for me with a broad smile on her face. I smiled in return, pleased to see her. ¡°Did you shift?¡± She asked with wide and curious eyes. I nodded. ¡°I¡¯m a little nervous to do it again,¡± I admitted. ¡°But I¡¯ll practice more during ss.¡± ¡°I can help you if you want. I¡¯m decent at shifting,¡± she said with a shrug. ¡°I¡¯ll take you up on that,¡± I chuckled. Just then, I heard the door of the arena mming shut and then an annoyed scoff echoed through the room. ¡°Ew, look what the wolf dragged in. A slut and her omega.¡± ¡­ Enzo¡¯s POV I said nothing to anyone as I left Elysium. I got into my car and drove as quickly as I could. It took a little over an hour to get back to Calypso. I didn¡¯t bother going to my packhouse, I went straight to the hospital. Beta Ethan was standing in the waiting room as I rushed in. ¡°What do you mean she was attacked?¡± I asked. ¡°She was beaten and dragged to the border. Someone recognized her and brought her here. We took her to the hospital right away. She was barely conscious,¡± Ethan exined. ¡°I should have been alerted immediately,¡± I said, shoving past him. I felt a wave of fury crossing through me and all I wanted at that moment was to see my mother. This was my fault; I should have never left her there. I knew she would be in danger if she stayed there without my support, and I still allowed her to live in the rogue territory. Thest time I saw her was a few months ago; I made it a point to visit her when I could. ¡°I informed you as soon as I knew for sure who she was,¡± Ethan tried to exin, following me as I made my way toward one of the doctors. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to worry you for nothing and it¡¯s not like I¡¯m that familiar with what your mother looks like. You never bring her around.¡± ¡°Regardless of who she is, I should always be alerted when there is an attack near our pack.¡± ¡°I apologize,¡± Ethan said, lowering his gaze. Once the doctor noticed me approaching, he straightened his stance and grabbed the clipboard off the counter. ¡°Alpha, your mother is going to be just fine. She¡¯s currently resting and¡ª¡± ¡°Where is she?¡± I demanded to know, cutting off his words. ¡°She¡¯s in room 175. It¡¯s just down the hall¡­¡± He managed to get out before I walked past him and toward the rooms. Ethan stopped following me once I neared the room my mother upied. I barged into the room, sealing the door shut behind me. My mother was left alone; she was hooked up to a bunch of machines and her face was bruised terribly. She had w marks down her neck and bite marks on her ears. Her eyes were ck and blue; she had bandages along her jawline and a brace around her neck. She had both a leg and an arm in a cast. She was breathing, though her breath was shallow, and her eyes remained closed. It broke my heart to see my mother in such a position, but I wasn¡¯t surprised that she was attacked. I knew this would happen eventually if I wasn¡¯t there to protect her. I sat at her bedside, grabbing onto the hand that didn¡¯t look so damaged. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Her eyes suddenly opened. She was awake. ¡°Enzo¡­¡± she whispered. ¡°Don¡¯t try to speak, mom,¡± I said to her, lowering my gaze. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry I wasn¡¯t there. This should have never happened to you.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t your fault, my love,¡± she whispered. ¡°The doctors say I will be fine.¡± ¡°What happened? Who did this to you¡­?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter¡ª¡± ¡°It matters to me. Tell me what happened, mom.¡± She was quiet for a moment as she stared around my serious face. I wasn¡¯t going to give in; I needed to know who had the nerve to hurt my mother like this. ¡°I crossed the border¡­¡± she whispered. ¡°It was stupid, and I knew better. But we needed supplies¡ª¡± ¡°You should have called me. I could have gotten you anything you needed¡­¡± I tell her; trying not to sound too harsh. I didn¡¯t want to frighten my mother, but my emotions were getting the best of me quickly. ¡°I know,¡± she breathed, ncing away from me. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have been so careless. Especially knowing what was out there. I didn¡¯t think they would be able to sense me so easily¡­ not since¡­¡± her voice trailed off, not wanting to finish her sentence. She didn¡¯t need to finish it; I knew what she was going to say. ¡°Did they catch your sent? Is that how they found you?¡± My mother gave me a weak nod. ¡°I should have known it was still a possibility¡­¡± she breathed, tears welling in her eyes as she gazed up at me. ¡°I knew the medication took away my abilities¡­ but it will never take away the scent.¡± ¡°Mom¡ª¡± ¡°Regardless of what I do to hide from your father and his men, it¡¯ll never be enough. They will always come after me. They will always find me. They will always know that I am a Vna wolf¡­¡± Chapter 24 Chapter 24 L¡¯s POV Sarah stood in front of us with her arms folded across her chest a glimmer of amusement on her face, but there was also a hint of darkness in her eyes. I could feel Ba¡¯s tension from beside me; she felt ufortable around Sarah. That much was obvious. I really try to coexist with Sarah, despite the fact that she stole my boyfriend and quite obviously poisoned me. But it was clear she didn¡¯t want to coexist with me. ¡°We are practicing, Sarah. Is there something you want?¡± I asked, raising my brows in her direction. ¡°I just wanted to inform you that my father is looking into your schrship as we speak. You¡¯ll be getting a call from the board soon enough.¡± This didn¡¯t bother me; I had told her before that I didn¡¯t need the schrship to stay in this school. The school valued my work and wasn¡¯t going to kick me out that easily. Especially not with my father being the head of the Alphamittee. They would speak with him before doing anything. Sarah was delusional to think otherwise. ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± I tell her, unbothered. ¡°Your father can do what he wants. Now, if you mind, we were in the middle of something.¡± I turned back to Ba who was staring at me with wide and worried eyes. I began to show her the same move again and she followed me with her eyes. I felt a firm hand on my shoulder, whipping me around to face Sarah. ¡°You think you¡¯re so perfect. You are so pathetic,¡± Sarah seethed. ¡°You have no business being in this school and I¡¯m going to make sure everybody sees that.¡± ¡°Take your hand off me,¡± I said in a low tone, meeting her icy gaze. She smirked. ¡°Or what?¡± She scoffed. ¡°Going to use your Vna abilities on me? It¡¯s not like you can shift into your wolf. Loser.¡± ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? I continued to stare at her; I wasn¡¯t entirely sure what to do that wouldn¡¯t get me in trouble. I didn¡¯t want to fight her at the school, but I suppose if there was a good enough ce to fight her, then the arena would be the best ce. I pressed my lips firmly together and stood with my feet a couple of inches apart. This only made herugh. ¡°Awe, are you trying to fight me? How cute,¡± she said, narrowing her eyes at me in return. ¡°Trust me, that¡¯s not something you want to do.¡± Her eyes began to glow golden as the face of her wolf became apparent to me. She knows how capable of a fighter I am, even in my human form; I¡¯m surprised she tries to challenge me. She has no idea that I¡¯m finally able to shift into my wolf. But that wasn¡¯t something I wanted to do in front of her. Not yet anyway. I clenched my fists; I really didn¡¯t want to do this. I could hurt her. She shifted into her wolf, growling loudly through the arena and lunging at me. I managed to dodge her attack with ease. She went to attack me again, but this time, she didn¡¯t get the chance. The entire building began to shake, causing her to stop in her tracks. I kept my eyes on hers the entire time, unsure of what was happening around me. But soon the lights in the arena were so bright that they were practically blinding. I could hardly see Sarah anymore because she was being drowned out by the lights. The building continued to shake as the moonlight from outside peered into the window, shattering the ss with its thick rays, and causing us both to jump in shock. ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± Sarah asked, taking a step away from me. I realized she was shifting back into her human form and fear lingered in her tone. I didn¡¯t have an answer for her because I wasn¡¯t sure either. My heart was pounding so quickly against my chest that I worried it was going to jump from my body. I met the frightened eyes of Ba who was trying to shield herself from the mayhem going on around her. I watched as shadows emerged from the ground and began shifting into shapes that I had never seen before. My eyes widened; I couldn¡¯t believe what I was seeing. Neither could Sarah and Ba; they both gasped loudly as they stared at me. ¡°You¡¯re doing this?!¡± Ba gasped. ¡°I knew you were dangerous!¡± She cried. ¡°N¡­no¡­¡± I stammered, unsure of how to stop this mayhem. The ground continued to shake, and the brightness continued to seep into the arena. ¡°Whatever you¡¯re doing, knock it off!!¡± She cried frantically. I had no idea how to stop this from happening. My entire body shook in fear; I closed my eyes, begging for this torment to end. Oh goddess, help me stop this mess. I took in a steady breath and tried my best to center my mind. Then, everything went silent. Only the sounds of Ba and Sarah whimpering remained. I opened my eyes and saw that they were both staring at me with wide and rmed eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know what just happened,¡± I whispered to them both. ¡°I do,¡± Sarah said, shoving past me. ¡°You¡¯re an even bigger freak than I thought. You are dangerous. I¡¯m telling my father everything.¡± She ran out of the arena quickly, leaving only Ba and I left. Ba stared at me withrge eyes, unsure of what to say at that moment. ¡°You¡¯re a Vna?¡± She asked in a whisper. ¡°Yes,¡± I managed to answer, staring down at my hands. What have I done? Where did that evene from? ¡°Our abilities have been activated once we shifted for the first time,¡± Val exined. ¡°It¡¯s only going to get stronger unless we learn to control it.¡± My mother failed to warn me that it was going to be like this. I could have seriously hurt somebody, and Ba was staring at me like I was some kind of monster. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to scare you,¡± I say to her in a calm tone. ¡°I don¡¯t know where any of that came from¡­¡± ¡°Are you dangerous like Sarah said?¡± She asked, searching my face with her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± I told her. ¡°I think I just let my emotions get the best of me. I¡¯ll learn to control it¡­¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me you were a Vna wolf¡­¡± Ba said, furrowing her brows again. ¡°How do I know this won¡¯t happen again? How do I know you won¡¯t turn your powers against me? I¡¯m yourbat partner.¡± ¡°I need you to trust me,¡± I told her, eyeing her carefully. ¡°I promise, I¡¯ll do everything I can to control these abilities. I think I just need to speak to my mother. She will know what to do.¡± ¡°Your mother is also a Vna?¡± I nodded once. ¡°And she¡¯s way more experienced,¡± I exined. ¡°She can help me.¡± Ba seemed to have rxed. Before I could grab my phone to call my mom, the arena began to flood with more people. Ipletely lost track of time; the ss was starting soon. I felt relieved to get a little bit of a distraction. I wasn¡¯t surprised to see that Sarah wasn¡¯t in ss. She was probably on the phone with her father telling him how dangerous I am. I wondered if he would believe her. Pretty soon, word would get back to my own father. I had to brush the thought out of my mind in order to get through the rest of this ss though. Pretty soon I would be able to see Enzo again; admittedly, my wolf was craving Enzo and I was a little excited to see him as well. I wanted to ask him why he disappeared so suddenly yesterday. However, I was shocked to find someone other than Enzo walking into the arena momentster. She was a young woman with tight clothing and a look of determination on her face as she scanned the students. ¡°Hello everybody. My name is Professor Connie. I¡¯ll be your substitute teacher for the time being.¡± My heart fell into my stomach. Substitute teacher? Where was Professor Enzo?N?velDrama.Org ? content. Chapter 25 Chapter 25 L¡¯s POV I was able to get through ss without any other issues containing my powers, but I couldn¡¯t help but think about Enzo¡¯s whereabouts the entire time. Even Ba could tell I was distracted because she was able to get a few attacks in. ¡°Are you okay?¡± She asked, eyeing me carefully. ¡°Are you worried about Sarah?¡± ¡°A little,¡± I lied. ¡°I just don¡¯t want her to think I¡¯m dangerous.¡± Ba went to say something, but we were interrupted by Professor Connie behind us. ¡°You must be L. I¡¯ve heard a lot about you. I look forward to getting to know you a little better,¡± she said with a fond smile. I frowned and stared back at her. ¡°I thought you were only here for a few days,¡± I say, trying not to sound too rude but I couldn¡¯t help myself. ¡°I¡¯m not really sure how long I¡¯ll be here for,¡± she admitted. ¡°He didn¡¯t really specify. But I was told you are one of the bestbat students. I¡¯m eager to see what you can really do.¡± ¡°I appreciate that,¡± I said in return. I paused for a moment as I stared around her face. ¡°Do you happen to know where Professor Enzo is? It¡¯s odd that he took off without a word to his students.¡± She frowned and shook her head. ¡°Family issues from my understanding,¡± she exined with a shrug. ¡°It sounded urgent when he called me on the phone though. He asked if I could take over the ss for the time being but didn¡¯t really specify much more.¡± A knot formed in my stomach, and I suddenly wasn¡¯t feeling so well. He called her? Who was this woman to him? ¡°Thank you,¡± I said to her, forcing a smile on my lips as I turned away. ¡°I should be going.¡± ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? I left without another word. What kind of family problems would keep Enzo froming to work? I roamed through the halls, feeling almost like a ghost. I ignored most of those who walked past me; I heard some saying hello to me, but they sounded so distant, and I felt so hollow. This feeling was unfamiliar and strange to me. Is this what having a mate was like? Feeling this overwhelming sense of dread whenever I wasn¡¯t around him? Why couldn¡¯t he just reject me already? ¡°Do you honestly want him to reject you?¡± Val purred within me. ¡°Kind of,¡± I answered honestly. ¡°Enzo could never love me¡­ it¡¯s foolish to think otherwise.¡± ¡°Why do you think so little of him?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think little of him. I respect him very much actually,¡± I answered. ¡°But the truth of the matter is, he doesn¡¯t want a mate. He certainly wouldn¡¯t want a Vna as a mate. You saw his face when he found out the truth¡­¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you a little bit curious about him?¡± ¡°Of course, I am,¡± I said in return. ¡°But we are after different things in life. We are very different and that was clear to see. Besides, he¡¯s, my professor. What kind of rtionship could we really have?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t the board understand that he is your mate?¡± I went to answer, but a new voice cut through my thoughts. ¡°Oh, hello, L.¡± I turned to see Miss Grace standing at the doorway of her ssroom. My art professor and my assigned guidance counselor. ¡°Hello, Miss Grace,¡± I say with a kind smile. ¡°Don¡¯t forget that this semester¡¯s big project is due in a few days. A painting of your inspiration or role model. I can¡¯t wait to see the work you have done.¡± I have been working for thest couple of weeks on a family portrait. It¡¯s kept in my dorm room under a silk nket and ready for viewing. I couldn¡¯t wait for her to see it as well; it counts for half of my grade for this semester. ¡°You¡¯re going to love it,¡± I tell her. I pause before walking away. ¡°Miss Grace, as my guidance counselor, could you grant me permission to take the next couple of days off from my courses?¡± I asked, raising my eyes to meet hers. She frowned for a moment, thinking about my request. ¡°I could, yes,¡± she answered with some hesitation. ¡°But why would you want me to do that?¡± She asked, cocking her head to the side. ¡°There has been an emergency at home that I need to tend to. My family said it was fine if I couldn¡¯t get the time off. But I wanted to ask anyways. I¡¯ll be back before the due date of the project.¡± She thought about it for a moment longer before nodding. ¡°Have one of your peers collect your homework for you in your absence so do you don¡¯t fall behind. Swing by my officeter and I¡¯ll get you that permission slip.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± I say to her before passing her in the halls. I hated lying to her, but I needed to find out what was going on with Enzo before Ipletely lost my mind. There was no way I would be able to concentrate on my lessons without knowing the truth. I had to go to the Calypso pack and find him. ¡­ Enzo¡¯s POV ¡°You haven¡¯t left my side in over 24 hours, darling,¡± my mother said, peering up at me from her hospital bed. ¡°You look exhausted. You should go home and get some rest.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I told her, shaking my head. ¡°Not until you are back on your feet.¡± ¡°That could take a while; I don¡¯t heal as quickly anymore. Besides, I¡¯m already feeling stronger than I did Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. yesterday,¡± she assured me. ¡°Don¡¯t you have a job to do? You¡¯re not just an Alpha, you¡¯re also a professor.¡± ¡°I asked a friend to take care of the ss for me until I return,¡± I exined. This was true; I called Connie, a friend of mine, yesterday and asked if she could substitute for me. As long as the ss is being taught, it¡¯s not like anyone would notice my absence. ¡°Are sure nobody would notice your absence?¡± Max teased. ¡°You can¡¯t think of one person who would care. Perhaps someone you ditched the day prior without saying a word too?¡± Per usual, I chose to ignore my wolf. I wasn¡¯t going to think about L right now. I couldn¡¯t. ¡°What is it?¡± My mother asked, raising her brows at my expression. She always knew how to read me well. ¡°Something is bothering you.¡± That wasn¡¯t a question. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I assured her, kissing her gently on the forehead. ¡°I just wish you would let me protect you ande home with me to my pack. I can keep you safe.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t just abandon the others, Enzo,¡± she breathed. ¡°They need me, and I need them. They are my family too.¡± It pained me to hear those words from my mother, but I understood. As long as my father¡¯s men were out there, hunting for Vnas, my mother and the others weren¡¯t safe. Years ago, my mother, a Vna wolf, had taken medication to get rid of her abilities. Same with those who live with her in the rogue territory. She feared my father so much that she was willing to take away a part of herself to hide from him. These men are dangerous when ites to Vnas and as long as they are around, Vna wolves aren¡¯t safe. L isn¡¯t safe. I couldn¡¯t be with L knowing the danger I would bring to her life. These men are constantly watching my every move. If they knew that L was a Vna, it¡¯ll be her in this hospital bed next. Or worse. Now that L had her wolf, her Vna scent was going to be more evident. I didn¡¯t have the time to waste. She needed to stay as invisible as possible. Not only would having her as a mate cause me to be distracted frompleting my duties, but I would bring her a world of danger. That was something I wasn¡¯t willing to risk. I stood from my mother¡¯s bedside. My mind was officially made up. She narrowed her eyes at me, confused by my expression, I¡¯m sure. ¡°What is it?¡± She asked, furrowing her brows together. ¡°I¡¯ll be back tomorrow,¡± I told her. ¡°I¡¯m going to return home for the night.¡± I said my goodnights before leaving; I needed to return to the academy and find L. I needed to officially reject her. Chapter 26 Chapter 26 L¡¯s POV ¡°L?¡± Ethan said, staring at me in surprise as I stood outside the Calypso packhouse. I felt my face grow warm as he stared at me. I wasn¡¯t sure how I was going to exin why I was here. Do I tell him I was worried about Enzo? No. I couldn¡¯t say that. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± He finally asked after it was clear that I wasn¡¯t going to speak. ¡°Professor Enzo wasn¡¯t in ss today and I wanted to make sure he was okay,¡± I answered. My voice sounded distant and small when I spoke. I hated that I was feeling weak right now. Ethan raised his brows as he stared around my face. ¡°You traveled this far to check on him?¡± He asked. I wasn¡¯t sure how to answer that, but thankfully, he didn¡¯t wait for me to do so. ¡°He has some family problems,¡± he exined. ¡°He¡¯s been at the hospital all morning with his mother.¡± Now it was my turn to raise my brows; I rose my gaze to meet his and saw the serious expression on his face. ¡°His mother?¡± I asked. Enzo hasn¡¯t really spoken about his mother. I didn¡¯t think she was even in the picture. What could have happened to her? Ethan stepped aside so I could enter the packhouse; though, I wasn¡¯t sure I wanted to at that point. I felt foolish for being there right now. I shouldn¡¯t be prying into Enzo¡¯s family affairs. From the look on Ethan¡¯s face, I could tell that it was a very serious matter, and it wasn¡¯t my business. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? But he motioned with his head for me to enter. I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat and Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. stepped inside. ¡°There¡¯s been a terrible attack the other night and he had to rush to the hospital,¡± Ethan continued to exin. The other night? It must have been the night of the feast. That¡¯s why he left as quickly as he did and without a word. ¡°Is his mother okay?¡± ¡°She should be fine,¡± Ethan answered. ¡°Just a lot of bruises. I think he¡¯s nning oning back this afternoon if you want to stick around and wait for him.¡± ¡°That would be nice,¡± I say in return. Before Ethan had the chance of saying anything more, the door of the kitchen opened, and Dee stood at the entryway. She had flour and chocte all over her clothing and skin, including her face. She looked incredibly panicked and winded. Her eyes fell on mine and she looked almost relieved for a moment. ¡°Oh, good, I thought I heard your voice. How are you at baking?¡± She asked. I rose my brows. ¡°Decent I suppose,¡± I shrugged. ¡°Perfect, grab an apron and help me in the kitchen,¡± she said, grabbing my arm and pulling me along with her. I turned back to Ethan who just shook his head with dismay written all over his face. As I went into the kitchen, I paused when I saw that the counters were aplete mess. I frowned as I stared around all the pots and pans that Dee had scattered across her usually wlessly clean stainlesssteel counters. There was flour smeared upon surfaces, including the ground, and dirty utensils in the sink. Despite the mess though, the kitchen smelled amazing. It smelled like a bunch of baked goods at once. Like a bakery. ¡°The bake sale for the grade school is this afternoon and I promised I would make the food for the sale. I¡¯m way behind on the deadline though,¡± Dee said with a worried look on her face. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Dee,¡± I said with a chuckle. ¡°I don¡¯t mind helping.¡± I grabbed an apron off the hook on the far side of the kitchen and we got to work. We baked brownies, cookies, cupcakes, and muffins. As we continued to bake, Dee started ying some music on the speaker. She shuffled through some songs beforending on an upbeat tune. She started to sing it in a low voice, not thinking I could hear her. She had a nice voice. I watched as she began swaying her hips from side to side, making me smile. I mimicked her movements, also swaying my hips as we traveled around the kitchen, cleaning up the mess while the baked goods were in the oven. She noticed me dancing along with her and she started tough, which made meugh as well. Together, we danced and sang. Twirling around the kitchen without a care in the world. I only stopped when I realized Enzo was standing at the door. His dark gaze poured into me, causing my entire body to freeze. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting you to return so soon,¡± Dee chuckled as she stood by my side. ¡°We were just baking for the bake sale this afternoon. L was nice enough to give me a helping hand. I¡¯m not as quick with baking as I used to be.¡± Enzo¡¯s eyes never left mine. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you at the academy?¡± He asked in a low tone. ¡°I took some time off,¡± I tell him, proud that my voice didn¡¯te off as nervous as I felt. ¡°I got permission first.¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t havee here.¡± His words caused me to flinch, which was visibly noticeable for Dee who nced at me with a small and curious frown. ¡°Why exactly shouldn¡¯t she havee here?¡± Dee asked, ncing back at Enzo. ¡°Because she should be in school, that¡¯s why,¡± he answered. ¡°I¡¯m already ahead of most of my ssmates. I can take a day or two off,¡± I tell them both. He looked like he wanted to protest, but he didn¡¯t. He nced at Dee momentarily. ¡°I¡¯m going to steal her for the time being,¡± he told her; my heart fell into my stomach. This was it¡­ he was going to take me away and reject me. I heard being rejected was incredibly painful. I had to prepare myself. Dee nodded to him, a worried frown still on her face. ¡°Don¡¯t be too harsh on her. I like having her around.¡± She gave me a wink as she said that. He didn¡¯t answer her; instead, he turned back to me and said, ¡°Come with me.¡± I took in a steady breath as I followed him out of the kitchen. He walked down this long corridor that led to a wide set of double doors. My heart was racing rapidly in my chest, unsure of where he was taking me. Enzo paused as he reached the set of doors and he turned toward me. ¡°I need a favor,¡± he surprised me by saying; his tone turned from hardened in front of Dee, to soft once we were alone. I met his eyes and saw that they were also softened. Whatever this favor was, it must have been serious. ¡°Okay?¡± I urged him to continue. ¡°My mother is in the hospital for the next unforeseen future, and I would like to give her something to brighten things a little. She¡¯s always loved art and I wanted to make her something she could really enjoy.¡± I was an art major, so it would make sense that he woulde to me for this kind of thing. I¡¯m assuming he wanted me to paint a picture for his mother. Without another word, he turned toward the double doors and pushed them open, revealing arge and glorious art studio. I gasped as I walked inside. I instantly smelled the scent of paint. Canvases wereying everywhere on top of arge white tarp; not to mention mountains of paint cans. There were also beautiful paintings all over the walls and I wondered who created them. Enzo turned back to me and narrowed his eyes. ¡°The problem is, I don¡¯t paint. Which is where I need your help,¡± he continued. I gazed up at him in amazement. ¡°You want me to paint a picture for your mother?¡± I asked, raising my brows. He nodded his head once. ¡°Of course, I would love to help,¡± I tell him. I felt pleased that he feltfortable enough with me to ask me for this favor. Dare I say, I felt honored. ¡°What do you think she would like? Perhaps a beautiful forest with a lot of flowers and sunlight?¡± Or maybe the moonlight?¡± ¡°Actually, I want it to be a portrait.¡± I scrunched my brows together as I looked at him. ¡°A portrait?¡± I asked. ¡°Of who?¡± There was a moment of pause where he chose his next words very carefully. ¡°Of me, L. I want you to paint a portrait of me.¡± Chapter 27 Chapter 27 Enzo¡¯s POV I sat on the loveseat on the far side of the art gallery while L sat in front of her canvas. She had this perplexed look in her eyes as she fixated her gaze on her painting. I had given her some old clothes so she wouldn¡¯t get paint all over her outfit, along with an apron. Her tongue was out slightly, touching the top of her lip, as she often did while concentrating. I had taken note of that while watching her. She bit onto her bottom lip slightly, tugging at it between her teeth. I watched as it grew red and swollen from the intensity of her bite and I wondered at what point she would release it. She had paint smeared on her features as she sttered the brush across the canvas. It¡¯s been a couple of hours since we began the painting; she had to have been almost done by now. ¡°What happened to you wanting to reject her?¡± Max asked with a little humor in his voice. It was true that I was nning on going to the academy to reject her, but as I got close to the packhouse, I started thinking about my mother and what I could do to make her morefortable. She deserved to have something nice, and she always said she wished she had more pictures of me. ¡°You can¡¯t reject her after you ask this type of favor from her,¡± Max said, shaking hisrge canine head. I could see him clearly in my mind¡¯s eyes. Rejecting her would definitely be harder now; I set myself up for that. But I ignored my wolf, not having a proper answer for him. L finally ced the paintbrush down gently and leaned back in her chair, taking in her work. There was a faint smile on her face as she scanned the picture with her eyes. ¡°This is probably my best work yet,¡± she said, meeting my eyes. I stood to my feet and walked around the canvas to look at the painting and I couldn¡¯t believe my eyes. It was like a photograph; it was the most glorious painting I had ever seen. She even captured that couch I was sitting on and the background pictures as well. She included a couple of flowers on the table that sat beside the couch. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? ¡°It¡¯s perfect,¡± I said in only a whisper. Her face lit up as she peered up at me. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. ¡°I hope your mother likes it,¡± she said. ¡°And I hope that she gets well soon.¡± I tensed at her words, but I didn¡¯t say anything in response. ¡°Thank you for your work,¡± I said to her in the most professional way I could manage. ¡°I can pay you for the service.¡± She rose her brows, but she shook her head. ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary,¡± she said with a light chuckle. I went to grab the painting, but she stepped in front of it quickly. ¡°Let it dry. It¡¯s still wet,¡± she scolded. Oh. Right. I nodded and turned away from her; we hadn¡¯t spoken during the entire painting process and I wasn¡¯t nning on sticking around and speaking to her now. I was still upset that she came all the way to the Calypso pack by herself. Without any protection or guards with her. She was incredibly stupid for acting so carelessly. She¡¯s aware of the dangers around the world; especially knowing what she is. I couldn¡¯t keep the aggravation off my face, and I was afraid that if I turned to face her, she would see it clear as day. That wasn¡¯t something I was going to exin to her. Not right now. ¡°Professor?¡± I heard her small voice behind me before I had the chance to reach the door. I froze before grabbing the door handle. Something about her voice sent a warmth through my entire body. ¡°What happened with your mother? Why was she beaten so badly?¡± Who had told her that my mother was beaten? I pressed my lips firmly together as more aggravation and annoyance surfaced within me; it must have been Dee. I would have to have a talk with her about speaking about my personal affairs. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± I answered. ¡°I¡¯m dealing with it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t doubt that; but why would they target your mother? What did she do to them?¡± My entire jaw tensed; it wasn¡¯t about what she did to them, it was about what she is. It¡¯s about what L is. If I wasn¡¯t careful, the same thing could happen to L. I don¡¯t think I could live with myself if anything like that happened to her. ¡°Enzo?¡± L spoke my name so effortlessly like she¡¯s done it a thousand times before. I realized I was standing with my back toward her and not saying anything for a long while. I turned to face her, meeting the concerned look in her oddly colored eyes. ¡°My mother did nothing to them. It¡¯s a dangerous world, L. Things like this happen.¡± She furrowed her brows together as she processed what I had just said before she shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t believe that,¡± she said in return. ¡°There might be bad people, but the world itself isn¡¯t dangerous. Not when there are people out there to protect it.¡± ¡°Look around!¡± I nearly shouted, waving my arms around dramatically. ¡°There¡¯s nobody here to protect the world. At least not yet.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± L said firmly, folding her arms across her chest. ¡°My father is one of the greatest men I know, and he¡¯s set out every day to protect the world from men like your father.¡± As soon as those words left her lips, I could tell she regretted them. She gasped and covered her mouth with the palms of her hands, peering up at me. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that,¡± she said in only a whisper. ¡°Yes, you did,¡± I said, keeping my eyes steadily on hers. ¡°And you¡¯re right. My father was a terrible man. The world needs protecting from those like him.¡± She dropped her hands to her sides; at this point, it almost looked like she wanted to cry. I wondered what was running through her mind. ¡°Was it his men that hurt your mother?¡± I was surprised by her question; she was incredibly smart, and I knew I couldn¡¯t keep something like that from her for long. ¡°What do you know about his men?¡± I asked in return. She lowered her gaze. ¡°I know they are still out there; terrorizing those like me. But they also fear my father and mother after what happened with ise. So, they typically stay out of Elysium. But I know they are still out there¡­ they don¡¯t just go away like that.¡± She really was smart. ¡°My parents shield me from them because they don¡¯t want me to worry about the rest of the world right now. They want me to worry about myself and my education. But I¡¯m not stupid¡­ I know they are out there, and I know there are other Vnas out there too. But what I don¡¯t understand is why your mother was targeted by them.¡± She wasn¡¯t going to give up until I answered her question. ¡°My mother was hunting them. She¡¯s a bounty hunter. They found her first.¡± I was lying. She knew I was lying. The look on her face proved that she could see through my lie. But she was also smart enough to know that I didn¡¯t want to tell her the truth. She looked as though she was going to say something more. But she didn¡¯t. I turned back toward the door to leave and then she spoke again. ¡°Can we go to the bake sale?¡± ¡­ L¡¯s POV ¡°Ouch¡­¡± Val said within me. ¡°I didn¡¯t think our mate would be a liar.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think he¡¯d be our professor either, but here we are,¡± I say in return, trying to brush the previous conversation out of my mind. I couldn¡¯t believe he could just lie to me so effortlessly. His mother wasn¡¯t a bounty hunter; I could tell he was lying from the look in his eyes. He should know, more than anything, that mates can see through each other¡¯s lies. Hearing that his mother was attacked by ise¡¯s men gave me an unsettled feeling in the pit of my stomach. Enzo hadn¡¯t said a word about it since our conversation in the art gallery. That was over two hours ago. We pulled up to therge elementary school in the middle of the town and I already saw Dee in the distance setting everything up for the bake sale. ¡°Oh, my goddess!¡± I heard the voice of a small child in the distance as I approached. ¡°It¡¯s her!¡± Another child yelled, pointing directly at me. ¡°It¡¯s L!!!¡± Chapter 28 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¡ª¡± ¡°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. Chapter 29 Chapter 29 Enzo¡¯s POV What the hell was I doing? Everything about her just tastes and smells so good. Her lips are soft and sweet. I thought she would try to push me off her, but she didn¡¯t. She stood limp against the wall; he eyes fluttered shut as soon as I made contact with her. I bit onto her bottom lip; something I¡¯ve been wanting to do for a while. I nibbled on it; drawing it firmly into my mouth and sucking on it like it was a piece of candy. Once I released it, I paused the kiss. I didn¡¯t push it any further than that. As much as I wanted to continue the embrace, I had to stop myself. She was breathing heavily; I watched as her chest heaved up and down. Her eyes remained closed, and her fairplexion was turning cherry red. ¡°Our mate is growing extremely warm. If you aren¡¯t careful, she will go into heat.¡± No. I couldn¡¯t let that happen. I had to get out of here. ¡°Take a cold shower,¡± I muttered. I left without another word. ¡­ L¡¯s POV ¡°Oh, my goddess!!!¡± Val screamed, rattling my brain. ¡°What just happened?¡± I gasped; I opened my eyes and Enzo was gone. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? My heart was racing rapidly against my chest and my entire body trembled. I held my arms together, Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. trying to keep myself still. My legs felt likeplete jelly; I thought I was going to fall over if I even attempted to move. ¡°He kissed us! Our mate kissed us!!¡± Val reyed the events in my mind. I could still feel his lips against mine. He tasted so good. Why would he kiss me like that? ¡°I thought he wanted to reject us,¡± I murmured. My entire body was incredibly warm; way warmer than it¡¯s ever been before. The more I thought about Enzo, the more my mouth watered. Why did he have such an effect on my body like this? ¡°I do believe we are beginning our estrus,¡± Val exined. ¡°It¡¯s what happens when wee of age.¡± I¡¯ve heard of this, of course. It meant I was going into heat soon if I didn¡¯t do something about it quickly. Take a cold shower. His words yed again in my mind and I was suddenly realizing what he meant. I gasped loudly; covering my mouth with my hands as realization struck me. He knew I was going into heat. I felt all sorts of humiliated at that moment. I just wanted to run away and hide for a lifetime. I slid back into the guest room before anyone else could see what was going on with me. Thest thing I wanted was for Dee to walk around the corner and see that I was going into heat. As soon as I was back in thefort of the room sealed away from those around me, I slid into the bathroom and stripped off all my clothing. I couldn¡¯t get them off fast enough; the longer I waited, the hotter my body became. This was so embarrassing. I could hear Val chuckling in my mind as I scrambled to turn on the shower, running the icy water through my fingers and sighing at the relief it brought me. I stepped fully into the shower, allowing the cold water to soothe my steamed flesh. Once I was sure the heat had gone away, I got out of the shower and wrapped my now frigid body with a warm towel. ¡°I wonder what Enzo¡¯s mother is like,¡± I found myself saying to Val as I made my way back into the room to search for my nightgown. ¡°I wonder if she¡¯s as cold as Enzo.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think our mate is cold,¡± Val said in return. ¡°I think he¡¯s misunderstood. It¡¯s kind of sexy. Don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Misunderstood isn¡¯t what we want for a mate,¡± I reminded her. ¡°We want someone who understands and epts us for who we are. We want someone who can love us unconditionally. Enzo isn¡¯t that kind of guy.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know that yet. We¡¯ve hardly even scratched the surface.¡± ¡°He¡¯s our professor. He could lose his job if word got out about this.¡± ¡°He can¡¯t help who his mate is. The board will understand,¡± Val said; I knew she was shrugging nonchntly as she said that. ¡°Maybe the board would¡­ but would my father?¡± I wanted to believe that my father liked Enzo enough to be okay with him being my mate. But I wasn¡¯t so sure. He was ise¡¯s son after all. The same ise who tried to kill my father and marry my mother so he can have a Vna wolf to himself. Out of everyone who could have been my mate, why did it have to be ise¡¯s son? ¡­ Morning came quickly. I hadn¡¯t even realized I fell asleep until I heard a loud knocking on the door. I groggily lifted my head to peer out the window and saw the faint outlining of the sun shining through the closed blinds. It was still very early. I forced myself out of bed and made my way to the door, forgetting that I was only wearing a light and loose-fitting nightgown that left no mystery of whaty underneath. At the right angle, my entire naked body could be seen. As soon as I opened the door and saw Enzo staring at me with wide and shocked eyes, I knew he was standing at that right angle. He scanned my body briefly before refocusing on my face. ¡°Get dressed, we need to leave soon,¡± he said, turning away from me quickly. At that point, I realized what had happened and I jumped backward, covering my body with my arms. My face grew warm again and I had to turn away before he noticed it. ¡°Where are we going?¡± I managed to squeak. ¡°I¡¯m bringing you back to school.¡± I didn¡¯t argue with him; I knew his mind was made up. Enzo was waiting for me downstairs once I got dressed. He was holding the portrait I had painted of him. ¡°I was thinking that maybe it would be nice to add a couple more flowers and maybe my mothers¡¯ name engraved somewhere on it?¡± He said as I approached him. I rose my brows up at him. ¡°Are you asking if I could do that for you?¡± I asked. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be saying this if I wasn¡¯t,¡± he said, meeting my eyes. ¡°I would be appreciative.¡± A smile tugged at my lips as I took the portrait from him. I liked when he asked me for favors; even though I knew how ufortable it made him. ¡°I¡¯ll work on it tonight and have it to you by tomorrow,¡± I tell him. He nodded his head, but he didn¡¯t smile. I¡¯ve heard that he doesn¡¯t often smile, which almost makes me determined to get him to smile at least once. Enzo took me back to school in my car; he said he wanted to make sure I actually went back. He was nning on staying in his room for the night and then Beta Ethan would being in tomorrow to pick him up. It was probably a good thing that I went back to school; I wanted to make a few adjustments to my own painting for my project in the morning. This was going to be half my grade for this semester, and I needed to make sure it was good enough to present. The next morning, Enzo was nowhere to be found. My art ss was starting soon; he would have to wait to get his painting until after ss. I shrugged off the thought and took my project to the ss. ¡°I¡¯m excited to see what you have for me,¡± Miss Grace said as I entered the room. I ced my draped painting on the table with the others and took my seat. One by one, each student stood and presented their projects. They were met with ¡°ooooh!¡± and ¡°aaaaaah!¡± Along with a round of apuse. By the time they got to me, the room fell silent. They knew I was one of the best painters, so they saved mine forst as the finale. I stood to my feet and made my way to the front of the ss. ¡°L, tell us about your painting,¡± Miss Grace said with a fond smile. ¡°Well, the theme that was given to me was ¡®role models.¡¯ So, I wanted to paint my inspiration in life,¡± I exined. I grabbed the cloth that covered my project. ¡°I hope you like it,¡± I said as I tugged at the cloth, revealing my painting. Everybody in the room gasped, and I saw a bunch of shocked faces, including Miss Grace. The entire room waspletely silent; I couldn¡¯t even hear anyone breathing. This wasn¡¯t the reaction I thought my painting would have. I furrowed my brows together, wondering what was so shocking until I looked at the painting and gasped as well. What was supposed to be a family portrait, was actually a portrait of Enzo. I grabbed the wrong painting. Chapter 30 Chapter 30 L¡¯s POV ¡°Is that Professor Enzo?¡± Miss Grace asked in a whisper as she slowly stood to her feet. I felt the blood rushing to my head as I stared at the portrait of Enzo. This meant the painting I had for this ss was still in my room. How did I make such a terrible mistake like this? ¡°He¡¯s so handsome,¡± Val breathed lovingly as we took in the picture. I did a really good job at capturing every one of Enzo¡¯s charming features. He had so much personality in his dark eyes that made my stomach flip. I had to think of something to say, and quickly. ¡°Yes,¡± I answered, turning toward the ss of startled and curious eyes. ¡°This is Alpha Enzo. He¡¯s incredibly inspirational. He¡¯s the youngest Alpha and my father speaks highly of him. He has huge ambitions. I also found out recently that he¡¯s caring for his ill mother, on top of being an incredible professor. I don¡¯t know how he has time to sleep, honestly. But I find myself wanting to be like him. He might not be my biggest inspiration, but I am inspired by him. I¡¯m honored to have him as my professor.¡± There was a long pause of silence as everyone processed what I had said, I was hoping I was convincing enough. Soon, the silence ended with a round of apuse; some students even stood to give me a standing ovation. A flood of relief washed over me, and I felt my body rx. I smiled at the excited faces. Even Miss Grace seemed pleased. Her eyes lit up for a moment as she took in my portrait. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. ¡°You are certainly correct,¡± she said, still eyeing the picture. ¡°He really is an incredible man. Very nice job capturing that, L.¡± ¡°Thank you, Miss Grace,¡± I said with a smile. ¡°Do you think we can speak after ss?¡± I frowned instantly; she was still looking at the picture, fondly, and it started to make me feel a little uneasy. There was a part of me that wanted me to step in front of the picture and shield her eyes from Enzo, but I didn¡¯t. I stood my ground and managed to give her a head nod. ¡°Yes, of course,¡± I said in return. Without thinking, I grabbed the sheet and ced it over the painting, watching as Miss Grace blinked a few times, breaking out of her trance. She forced a stered smile when she realized I was staring at her. ¡°You can take your seat now,¡± she instructed. I nodded once and went back to my seat. What was that? Why was she staring at my painting like that? And why did I care so much? ¡°Miss Grace is certainly beautiful. I wonder if Enzo notices that as well,¡± Val chirped in my ear. I ignored her, not wanting to grow jealous over someone who doesn¡¯t care for me. I shook the thought out of my head and sat through the rest of the ss. By the end of ss, everyone went straight into the halls as soon as the bell rang, leaving me alone in the room with Miss Grace. ¡°You wanted to speak to me?¡± I asked as I went toward her desk. She nced up at me from herputer and gave me a sweet smile; the same smile she often gives me if I pass her in the halls or say hi to her at lunch. ¡°Yes; I really wanted to emphasis how gorgeous your portrait is,¡± she breathed. ¡°Though, I find it a bit inappropriate to use your professor as your muse,¡± she admitted, a small frown now evident on her lips. I frowned as well. ¡°I apologize. I just wanted to think outside the box. Everyone was expecting I would paint my family and I almost did. But I really wanted to shock and wow everyone,¡± I lied, but it sounded convincing enough. She thought about that for a moment before sheughed. ¡°You certainly aplished that,¡± she said, shaking her head stillughing. ¡°And Enzo was okay with this?¡± She asked, eyeing me carefully. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have done this without his permission,¡± I lied again; I hated lying but she couldn¡¯t know the truth. ¡°I¡¯ve just known him for a while and he¡¯s never been the type to model for a painting,¡± she said thoughtfully. This made me frown even more; how well did she know him exactly? I kind of wanted to ask, but I didn¡¯t find that to be appropriate. Would Enzo tell me if I asked him? ¡°But anyways, I wanted to nominate this painting to be chosen for the Hig art show next week,¡± she said, a wide smile on her face. ¡°I think it has a real shot at winning.¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± I asked, my eyes wide and rmed. ¡°Yes,¡± she chuckled. ¡°You don¡¯t think Enzo would mind, do you? I could always ask him and¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ll talk to him,¡± I said a little too quickly. ¡°Can I let you know tomorrow?¡± She nodded, staring at me carefully. ¡°Yes; the sooner the better.¡± I nodded my head before scurrying out of the ssroom. She wanted to nominate Enzo¡¯s portrait, the one I painted for his mother, to the art show? How was I going to exin this to Enzo? ¡­ Enzo¡¯s POV ¡°Hello, Alpha Enzo?¡± Leah said into the phone. I woke up early to my phone ringing and it was Leah¡¯s photography. She told me she would call me once the photos were ready for viewing. ¡°Yes,¡± I answered. ¡°Do you have the photos?¡± ¡°Yes, they are all set. Would you like to swing by my studio this morning?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be there soon,¡± I said before hanging up. It was still early, so, I knew L was most likely still sleeping. I would have to wait to get that portrait from her. I mindlinked Ethan toe to pick me up and bring me to Leah¡¯s studio. He arrived within the hour, and we went straight to the studio. Leah was much younger than I thought she would be. She looked around L¡¯s age. It was no wonder I didn¡¯t notice her at the time of the party because she blended in with most of the guests. She had a kind smile when I entered the studio. ¡°Good morning, Alpha,¡± she said, motioning for me to join her at her desk. ¡°I have the photos for you, just as you requested.¡± ¡°I really appreciate that,¡± I said to her. She grabbed the stack of photos from an envelope and handed them to me. ¡°I haven¡¯t even given them to Alpha Bastien yet,¡± she admitted. ¡°I wanted to edit and make them perfect before I presented them to him. But you wanted the unedited version.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I confirmed. ¡°I¡¯m looking for something specific.¡± ¡°For the person who poisoned L?¡± I didn¡¯t entertain her with an answer. There were a lot of photos of L and seeing her in the palms of my hands excited Max. I tried to keep him calm enough to focus. We weren¡¯t here to gaze at photos of L. We were looking for the person who poisoned her. I went through the entire stack of photos, almost feeling defeated until I got to thest picture. I paused. It was a picture of L on the couch; she was talking to one of her friends and she had a wide smile on her face. Behind her was the ss that got drugged and leaning over it, was none other than Sarah. This was it. I finally had proof that Sarah poisoned her Chapter 31 Chapter 31 L¡¯s POV I can¡¯t believe I messed up so badly that I presented Enzo¡¯s portrait as my project in ss. He was never going to forgive me for this. Maybe if I switched the portraits after hours. I sat in the student lounge which was oddly empty, and I could gather my thoughts. I was doing some homework, but I found it difficult to concentrate. I still hadn¡¯t heard from Enzo all morning or afternoon and I was starting to wonder if he was going to return. He had to return; I still had his portrait. He would want that back so he could give it to his mother. Unless something happened¡­. Just as I was about to pull out my phone, I felt his presence. His scent roamed through the lounge causing my heart to pick up speed. Val perked her head up, taking in his scent as it grew more potent. I turned and saw him taking long strides through the lounge and in my direction. My mouth hung open when his aura was practically glowing around him. His dark eyes poured into me and I saw a smirk appearing on his lips. How was it possible for him to get even more attractive whenever I see him? ¡°Let¡¯s go¡­ we are going to bete,¡± he spoke as if we had a previous conversation. I frowned, narrowing my eyes at him. ¡°Late for what?¡± He rose his brows, surprised by my question. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? ¡°They didn¡¯t tell you?¡± ¡°Tell me what?¡± ¡°The school board is having a trial this evening. I have evidence that it was Sarah that poisoned you. Your father will be attending as will hers. You were supposed to be informed an hour ago when everything got situated. We need you to testify.¡± I stood to my feet quickly, staring down at the jeans and blouse I was wearing. I certainly wasn¡¯t dressed for a trial. I couldn¡¯t believe I wasn¡¯t informed of this. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Who was supposed to tell me? Before I could ask, Enzo rolled his eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s go. We can¡¯t bete for this.¡± I nodded and followed him out of the lounge and into the halls. The campus courtroom was across the school grounds and in a separate building. We don¡¯t have an actual judge, so the council is the one who decides who¡¯s innocent and guilty and they decide what the punishment will be. When I entered the courtroom, following Enzo, my eyes fell on Sarah in the front of the room. She was seated in a chair beside arge man that presented himself as someone of importance. Of course, I knew he was her father. My father sat on the other side of the courtroom near the school board, who sat in a row of chairs at the head of the courtroom. My father¡¯s eyes fell on me, and he gave me a small and reassuring smile that made me calm down. Enzo walked with me till I sat in the chair beside my father, he handed my father a folder that I assumed was the evidence before walking across to the other side of the room. ¡°L, thank you for joining us,¡± one of the boards said, peering down at me. ¡°Thank you. I was only told about this trial a few moments ago,¡± I exined. ¡°L, we ask that you tell us the truth about the night of your birthday. Do you remember that night clearly?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I said with a head nod, ncing back at Sarah. ¡°I remember everything.¡± ¡°So, walk us through your night.¡± ¡°It started off amazing. I was joined by family and friends to celebrate my 18(th) birthday. I didn¡¯t even know that Sarah and my ex-boyfriend were there. But even so, I wouldn¡¯t have minded. My ex¡¯s father is an Alpha and also attended. I wouldn¡¯t have found it weird to see them. As the night went on, I started to feel extremely sick. Lightheaded, nausea, shortness of breath, a rapid heartbeat, and a fever. I thought I was going to pass out. I was also feeling a strange loopiness; like a little drunk but I¡¯ve only had a few sips of wine.¡± I paused for a moment as I gathered my thoughts. The courtroom remained quiet while I continued. ¡°Then, my mother brought me to bed and called the doctor,¡± I went on to say. ¡°I was told that I was poisoned. That was when I found out from a third party that Sarah was also at the party. But we didn¡¯t have proof that it was her that poisoned me¡­¡± The board nced over at my father. He had the folder that Enzo had given him in his hands. ¡°And you have the proof of this serious usation?¡± They asked. My father nodded, standing, and stepping toward their seated area. He shuffled through some of the papers in the folder before cing them on the table before them. My father took his seat beside me while they conversated. For what felt like an eternity, the board examined the photos presented to them. They were whispering and talking amongst themselves. At one point, they brought my father, the head of the Alpha committee, in to speak to them in private as well. My heart was racing at lightning speed; I couldn¡¯t help but look over at a very tense Sarah. She was avoiding my eyes. I didn¡¯t want this to escte to a trial; I wanted to handle the situation on my own, but she wouldn¡¯t give me the time of day to talk. After a long while, they called her father over to speak with them as well. Enzo didn¡¯t seem as worried though. He was leaning against the wall on the far side of the courtroom, his eyes falling upon me and darkening. What did the darkening of his eyes mean? For some reason, I was finding it hard to look away from him. Why was he so attractive? ¡°Okay, we¡¯vee up with a conclusion,¡± one of the board members said. My father took his seat beside mine; I didn¡¯t look particrly pleased, which gave me a heavy heart. ¡°Due to some unusual circumstances, we aren¡¯t going to expel Sarah. Instead, we will give her a month¡¯s suspension. Once she returns, she will be monitored on school grounds to ensure no more incidents happen under our noses. If another ill attempt happens, we will be obligated to expel you. Are we understood, Sarah?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Sarah answered, her tone hard. ¡°We will see you in a month. You are all dismissed now.¡± Everyone stood from their ces and one by one they began leaving the courtroom. My father remained, along with Sarah¡¯s father. ¡°I hope there are no hard feelings, Alpha Bastien. Kids will be kids,¡± her father said, reaching his hand out to shake. My father stared at the hand for a moment, I knew he didn¡¯t want to shake it. But he did anyways. ¡°Just make sure my daughter doesn¡¯t get harmed in this way again,¡± my father said, his tone dark and threatening. ¡°Understood.¡± They parted ways; Sarah gave me onest icy look before she left. I realized Enzo had already gone and I couldn¡¯t help the empty feeling in the pit of my stomach. Once again, he left without saying a word to me. Why did he keep doing that? ¡­ Enzo¡¯s POV There was no point in staying in the courtroom after that verdict. I had never felt this wave of fury before. ¡°It¡¯s because that asshole basically owns the school. So, they went easy on her,¡± Max hissed. I went back to the academy center; I wanted to blow off some steam in the arena. If I didn¡¯t, somebody was going to get hurt. ¡°Alpha Enzo! Do you have a moment?¡± I paused when I saw the Art teacher, Miss Grace, standing outside her ssroom. I really didn¡¯t want to have a conversation with anybody, but I didn¡¯t have a real excuse to give her. ¡°Sure,¡± I said, joining her in her ssroom. ¡°I just wanted to thank you for being so kind to one of my students, L. She really looks up to you and I admire that so much. To be honest, I was a little surprised that you let her paint you for her project. But it came out so well!¡± I frowned. ¡°What are you talking about? Paint me?¡± She narrowed her eyes, a frown forming on her lips. ¡°Um, yes,¡± she said, furring her brows together. ¡°Did you not give her permission to paint you? She said you were aware of it and encouraged her.¡± ¡°Show me.¡± There was hesitation for a moment but then she turned and walked toward the row of covered paintings until she reached one of the biggest ones in the center. She unveiled the painting and my heart plummeted into my stomach at the sight of it. It was a painting of me. It was my portrait. Chapter 32 Chapter 32 Enzo¡¯s POV This portrait was supposed to be a gift to my mother, and she used it for her art project. Was this her n this whole time? Did she ever intend to give this portrait back to me? How could she think this was okay? Now everyone was going to think I gave her special favors. The look Miss Grace was giving me was of concern; it was clear she had no idea that I was blindsided like this. If I told her the truth, then L would get in trouble, and she would fail this ss. Painting meant a lot to her as an Art major. I couldn¡¯t take that away from her. ¡°Oh yes,¡± I said, taking a step away from the painting. ¡°I forgot she painted that. It was a while ago. Good for her though for getting a good grade.¡± Miss Grace rose her brows. ¡°So, you really did permit her to use this painting as her project? You¡¯re okay with this?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think L is the type to lie, do you? I¡¯ve only been her professor for a short time, but she seems like a good student. I¡¯m d she looks up to me as not only her professor but an Alpha too.¡± Miss Grace seemed to have rxed at my words, which was exactly my goal. ¡°I should get going though. Thank you for informing me of this,¡± I said as I turned away and walked toward the door. ¡°Be gentle on our mate,¡± Max warned. ¡°There might be an exnation.¡± ¡°Whatever this exnation is¡­ it better be good.¡± ¡­ ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? L¡¯s POV ¡°L? Are you okay?¡± Rachel asked, peering over at me as I leaned against the wall. I was suddenly feeling incredibly dizzy. My heart was racing quickly in my chest. It¡¯s been a couple of hours since the trial ended, and Sarah had just left the campus with her father. I didn¡¯t eat or drink anything all night, so maybe that was why I was feeling sick. I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat and reached for the nearby chair. We were in the student lounge and students were beginning to fill the area. Rachel helped me get to a seat; I could see the concern in her eyes as she sat next to me. ¡°Just breathe,¡± she coached. ¡°What got you feeling this way? You were fine a few minutes ago?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± I said, shaking my head and trying to get my thoughts clear. I just felt like I had this overwhelming sensation lurking inside of me, begging to be released. But how could I exin that to Rachel? ¡°Could it be the full moon?¡± She asked, I raised my brows and met her eyes. ¡°I know that can affect a werewolf. This is your first full moon as a full wolf. Maybe you¡¯re having a reaction to it.¡± ¡°It makes sense,¡± Val agreed. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s our Vna abilities surfacing and building up.¡± Oh no. Could it be because I¡¯m a Vna? What did that even intel? Before I could ask my wolf any questions, I started to feel electricity jolting from my fingertips. I gasped, hiding my hands behind my back before Rachel had the chance to see them as well. I tried not to look like I was in pain, but the electricity was powerful against my flesh. This wasn¡¯t good. If I couldn¡¯t control my powers in this lounge, that meant that everybody in here was going to be in danger. ¡°I have to go,¡± I said quickly; I stood up, startling Rachel. ¡°We just got here¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I said as I ran toward the exit. ¡°I¡¯ll see youter!¡± I knew she was calling after me, but I was long gone and I wasn¡¯t nning on stopping. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. ¡­ Third Person POV Back in Elysium, in the Nova Packhouse, Selene finished cooking dinner for her twin children. It was only the three of them this evening. Bastien was spending the night in Hig. It wasn¡¯t often that Selene got to spend this much time alone with her other children, so she made it a point to make their favorite foods for a small feast. They both seemed to enjoy it because they gobbled it up quickly. The twins, Corrine, and Flynn named after Selene¡¯s mother, and Bastien¡¯s best friend, who sadly passed away, were splitting images of Bastien. They both had the same beachy blonde hair and blue eyes. It made Selene smile looking between the two of them. She was proud of all her children. L was working on her career as an artist; she also has a strong goal of protecting Vna wolves from those who wish them danger. She¡¯s been learning to strengthen herbat skills even though she¡¯s already so good at it. Pretty soon, she will have to work to strengthen her Vna abilities as well. The world is still such a scary ce for Vna to lurk. ise still has men that support him long after his death. They wish to cause harm to Vnas, and it makes Selene much more worried for L¡¯s safety. But she also knows that L can handle her own. Flynn has been working hard to follow in his father¡¯s footsteps. He¡¯s going to be the next Alpha once Bastien retires. Corrinne was working alongside Donovan to be a gamma warrior. She wishes to protect Flynn during his journey as Alpha and be his number one warrior. It makes Selene proud to see her children following the same path and sticking together during this journey. But still, a ping of anxiety surfaced in Selene¡¯s stomach as she watched the twins finish their meals. She frowned, ncing out therge window that overlooked the night sky. The moon wasrge and full, shining down on Elysium and lighting everything up. It would have been a peaceful night, but something didn¡¯t feel right. ¡°Mom?¡± Corrine asked, peering up at her. ¡°Is everything okay?¡± That wasn¡¯t a question she knew the answer to. She thought about calling L, but there was something inside of her telling her not to. She knew that tonight was L¡¯s first full moon as a full wolf; she wondered if this was going to mess with L¡¯s abilities as well. She hasn¡¯t trained in how to control them yet and this could be a challenge for her. ¡°Mom?¡± Corrine said again, worry in her tone. ¡°Everything is fine,¡± she lied as she stood to her feet. ¡°I¡¯m going to be leaving for the evening. Uncle Aiden will be here if you need anything.¡± ¡°Where are you going?¡± Flynn asked, watching as Selene made her way to the doorway. ¡°I need to make sure your sister is okay.¡± ¡­ It didn¡¯t take long for Selene to reach the academy. The wind was incredibly powerful the closer Selene got. She traveled in her wolf form and as the academy came into view, she paused. This feeling in the pit of her stomach grew that much more overwhelming. ¡°She¡¯s not at the school,¡± her wolf eximed. ¡°The woods!¡± In the distance, there was a woond area. There was a dark aura circling it, and the moonlight appeared to be extra strong in that area. Selene, in her wolf form, sprinted as fast as she could until she reached the opening of the forest. She walked inside, she realized it wasn¡¯t a dark aura circling the forest, it was shadows. Sitting in the center of these rapidly moving shadows, with her knees pressed to her chest and tears falling down her features, was L. Chapter 33 Chapter 33 L¡¯s POV I didn¡¯t know where else to go other than the forest. As soon as the electricity left my fingers and the shadows lifted from the ground, I knew I needed to iste myself until it ended. I covered my head and ran from the school; I needed to get far away. But not too far. I still needed to be in a reachable area in case I needed somebody. What I wouldn¡¯t give to have my mother with me right now. She would know exactly what to do at this moment. I couldn¡¯t stop the tears from falling down my face. This was humiliating. I am L. The daughter of Bastien and Selene. I was good at so much stuff and rarely failed. So, why was I struggling with this thing that¡¯s supposed to be a part of who I am? Val had no answers for me which worried me that much more. Was I seriously just on my own with this? I felt a little better when I reached the forest. I kicked off my shoes and crouched to the ground. I felt ground, surrounded by woond trees and dirt. My toes sunk into the dry dirt; I felt in touch with nature. The forest always made me feel safer even before I got my wolf. The dirt helped keep the electricity in my body, but not much more. The shadows were still emerging from the ground, circling me. It felt like they were growingrger, surrounding the entire forest. My heart was racing heavily in my chest. What if I couldn¡¯t stop this? ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? The intensity of the moonlight was almost too much for me to handle. I had to duck my head in myp to shield my eyes from the bright rays. More tears pooled in my eyes. Val was busy trying toe up with a solution, and I was starting to feel hopeless. ¡°L?¡± I heard the familiar andforting sounds of my mother¡¯s voice emerging through the darkness. The moonlight danced off her bright and worried features, reflecting her lc and blue eyes. A frown was ced on her lips as she neared me. ¡°Mom?¡± I asked hoarsely. ¡°Oh, L bean,¡± she breathed, picking up her pace. She kneeled on the ground before me, reaching her hands out to grasp mine. ¡°Just breathe, L. It¡¯s going to be okay. Just take in a deep breath,¡± she said as she took in a deep breath herself. I met her eyes and I saw how the worry was lessening in her gaze. Her hands were warm, which sent a warmth through my body. Having her here wasforting; for a moment, I didn¡¯t believe she was actually here. I thought maybe she was a figment of my imagination. Or maybe I summoned her? How did she know I needed her here? ¡°L¡­¡± she instructed, her tone firm as she kept her eyes locked on mine. ¡°Take in a deep breath.¡± I did as she said, taking a much-needed deep breath. I realized at that moment that I wasn¡¯t sure I was breathing until that point at all. The deeper breaths I took, the calmer my body became. Once my body was calm, the shadows started to take form in the ground once again and the moonlight rays weren¡¯t as intense. ¡°There you go,¡± she said fondly with a kind smile. ¡°If you lose control of your emotions, your abilities will be harder to manage. It¡¯s important to stay calm and keep breathing during these situations¡­.¡± I nodded, blinking away the stray tears that had formed in my eyes. I was so happy to see her. She really was here. ¡°Oh, Mom,¡± I cried, throwing my arms around her and burying my face in her chest. The sound of her heartbeat wasforting as she held me close. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry I didn¡¯t prepare you for this,¡± she whispered in my ear. ¡°I didn¡¯t think it would be this bad. But now that I know you have your full abilities, I can help you. I can coach you¡­¡± ¡°You can?¡± I sniffled, peering up at her. She gave me a softugh and nodded. ¡°Of course, L. Do you think I learned how to manage my abilities on my own? I had a wonderful friend who helped me. You were still so little, but she was a good friend of mine. She was a witch. She taught me about my abilities and coached me through how to use them.¡± I vaguely remember a woman my mother used to hang out with, and I remembered sensing such a strong powering from her whenever she was around. But the memory was distant. ¡°You aren¡¯t alone, and you don¡¯t have to do this alone,¡± my mother assured me. She cupped my face in her hands and brought my gaze up to meet hers. ¡°I love you.¡± ¡°I love you too,¡± I said in return. ¡­ Enzo¡¯s POV L wasn¡¯t in the lunchroom or the student lounge. It was nearing dinner time and she was nowhere to be seen. It didn¡¯t even smell like she was on campus. Where could she have gone to? It was infuriating that she thought it was okay to use my portrait as her school project. She must have been out of her mind. I spent time practicing mybat skills in the arena before I went to search for her. I needed to blow off steam so I didn¡¯t lose my temper. She might have been fierce, but she was also fragile and if I lost my temper, it would probably make her N?velDrama.Org ? content. cry. However, I couldn¡¯t find her anywhere. I saw her roommate, Reba, in the student lounge, and her friend Ba in the cafeteria. There were a few other girls I¡¯ve seen L hanging out with as well in the cafeteria. But L wasn¡¯t among them. Wherever she was, she was in huge trouble with me. It wouldn¡¯t be long before I started getting questioned about that portrait. Miss Grace was already questioning me. ¡°Alpha Enzo. We picked up a foreign scent in the nearby forest in our pack. It might be a lead on who attacked your mother. Should we follow the scent and find out where it¡¯sing from?¡± Beta Ethan mindlinked me. I thought about it for a moment before answering him. This might be a distraction that I needed right now. I was going to drive myself crazy sitting here. Besides, I just finished myst ss an hour ago so it¡¯s not like I had anything better to do. ¡°I¡¯ll be returning this evening. I want to investigate my mother¡¯s attacking myself. Whoever attacked her, is going to pay the cost. They will have to answer to me.¡± Chapter 34 Chapter 34 Enzo¡¯s POV Beta Ethan was right, their scent was strong in the forest that surrounded the Calypso pack. It reeked of outsiders, and I knew that scent all too well. They were my father¡¯s followers; at least a couple of them. They had no reason to be lurking around my pack, they knew they weren¡¯t wee here. They knew I would tear them from limb to limb if I saw them with my own eyes. But yet, their scent is fresh. They were staking out. Waiting. But waiting for what? A heard a twig cracking as I continued my search in the forest. I¡¯ve been out here for hours and haven¡¯te across a single wolf. It was bingte, or early. It wouldn¡¯t be long before the sun began to rise. I¡¯m not sure they would stick around in the broad daylight. It was the night of the full moon so wolves were typically stronger when the moon shined down upon them. I certainly felt stronger. Max wasn¡¯t going to give up until we found those assholes though. He was hot on their trail; sniffing and searching every corner of the forest. We came across a dark cave; the cave reeked of outsider fur. Max growled fiercely; his sharp teeth revealed in his long and narrow mouth. Fury was boiling through my body. It was the same scent I smelled on my mother from after her attack. This had to have been the hideout of these wolves. ¡°About time you showed up,¡± a dark voice emerged from the shadow region. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? I lowered my head, getting ready to lunge if necessary. ¡°You have no right to be on our property,¡± I said through gritted teeth. ¡°You know you are no longer wee here.¡± I recognized the wolf that came to greet me. He was once a pack member but was told to leave once I came into power. He did the pack no favors and tried to turn everyone against outsiders such as rogues and Vna. I wasn¡¯t going to have any part of that considering my mother was both. ¡°This was once my home if you don¡¯t remember,¡± he sneered in return. ¡°I have every right to be here like any other of your pack members.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t been a pack member in a long time, Bruce,¡± I said, trying to keep my temper under control. ¡°Why have you returned?¡± ¡°Because I can sense my pack is in trouble. You¡¯ve been bringing around a Vna wolf¡ª¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t your pack¡­ it¡¯s my pack. Whom I bring here isn¡¯t any of your concern.¡± ¡°There are some wolves in this pack that I still consider family and vice versa. They tell me things, Enzo. They tell me that there is a young Vna that has been staying in your packhouse. They tell me they can sense her abilities and they fear for their lives. They asked me to run and take care of the problem.¡± That didn¡¯t make any sense. There was no way in hell anyone in his pack would reach out to someone who causes trouble. Someone of my father¡¯s following. Everybody in the pack seemed to love L. Even the children adore her. Bruce had to have been lying. ¡°What are you really doing here?¡± I asked, curling my lips up in disgust. ¡°You don¡¯t believe me? How else would I know to return here? Right when you bring that Vna around. How did you think I knew to be here, Enzo?¡± I shouldn¡¯t have been surprised; I knew bringing L around and being around her would put her in danger. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. ¡°I¡¯m d I dide back when I did. I didn¡¯t realize how bad it was. You have Vna wolvesing out of your ass,¡± Bruce spat, shaking his long and narrow wolf head in disgust. ¡°What the hell is that supposed to mean?¡± ¡°There was a woman lurking around the rogue territory. She was older and didn¡¯t look like a standard Vna. But she reeked like one.¡± My mother. ¡°You were the one who beat her?¡± I asked, feeling a rise of anger in my chest, boiling across my features. The smirk that Bruce had on his face was the answer I needed. Before he had the chance to say anything, I lunged. He didn¡¯t seem surprised by my attack; in fact, it was like he was expecting it. He swung his ws out at me, only missing me by a hair. I was too fast for him. I growled loudly into the night sky, ripping at his throat with myrge canines. The earth shook under the intensity of our weight. I shoved him hard to the ground, ripping through his fur with my ws. He growled loudly, using his body weight to kick me off him. I stumbled backward but managed to recover myself with ease. ¡°You¡¯ve gone in deep,¡± Bruce hissed. ¡°Your father would be disgusted with you.¡± ¡°Good thing I don¡¯t care what my father thinks,¡± I said in return, lunging at him once again. This time he cackled. ¡°You should; if you want to follow in his footsteps and be the best Alpha there is.¡± ¡°I will never be anything like my father,¡± I vowed loudly. ¡°He isn¡¯t a man I will ever look up to. As for you and your men¡­ you are not wee in my pack.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see about that,¡± Bruce hissed, swinging at me again. This time he managed to connect with my wolf¡¯s face. I tasted blood in my mouth but that wasn¡¯t going to stop me from getting a few more whacks in. I lunged again, knocking him to the ground. He winced in pain as my ws dug into his shoulder de. The more I stared into his dark eyes, the angrier I grew. At that moment, I was thinking a lot about my mother. The pain she went through because of this asshole. The torment of the beating; the fear she must have felt. It was all because of this jerk. I wanted to make him pay for all the damage he had done to her. I wasn¡¯t going to let him get away with this. I growled, echoing through the forest as I ran my teeth down. I was only inches away from biting through his neck when I felt a sharp pain in my back, making its way to my stomach. I screamed out in pain as the wind knocked from me. I stumbled off him just as he startedughing and I realized quickly that he wasn¡¯t alone. There was a man in his human form standing behind me. My vision was starting to grow blurry. I stared down at my stomach and saw the pointed end of a dagger sticking out of it. Somebody had stabbed me in the back and it was showing through my stomach. I poked the dagger with my fingertip and more pain jolted through my body. I screamed out as I fell to the ground. I realized quickly that I had shifted back into my human form, involuntarily. I had been stabbed numerous times in the past, but it never hurt quite like this before. What the hell? Bruce and his friend stood before me, staring down at me with grinning faces before they took off through the forest. ¡°The dagger¡­¡± Max howled, trying to contain his own breath; he was growing weaker by the moment and his voice was getting more distant. ¡°The dagger¡­ It¡¯s made of pure¡­ silver¡­ Chapter 35 Chapter 35 L¡¯s POV I woke up with a start, ncing around my dark dorm room. It wasn¡¯t like I had a bad dream or anything, but it certainly felt like I had. A feeling like this had never happened before. I nced over at the clock, frowning that it was only 3 am. I nced over at Rachel from across the room and saw that she was sleeping soundly in her bed. My mother had left hours ago to return to Elysium, but I told her I would be going there over the weekend to work on practicing using my abilities. She told me as long as I keep calm, I can control them. I thought maybe this was just my abilities resurfacing, so I took a deep breath. It wasn¡¯t until Val woke that I realized it wasn¡¯t my abilities that were causing this feeling. Val¡¯s words only confirmed my fears. ¡°It¡¯s our mate,¡± she gasped. ¡°Something is wrong!¡± ¡­ I don¡¯t know how I knew where he was. I shifted into my wolf form and allowed Val to take me to the Calypso pack. We raced through the quiet streets until we were enclosed in the Calypso Forest. His scent was all over the ce and it was so intoxicating. I had to stop for a moment to gather my thoughts, but then I smelled the fresh scent of blood and I knew I didn¡¯t have time to sit and think any longer. My heart was racing so wildly, I thought it was going to jump out of my chest. I heard the soft sounds of groaning as I continued through the forest. Val knew exactly where to go and then we stopped when we saw him. Enzo was leaning against the tree, and it seemed the color in his face was draining before my eyes. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? I realized that his shirt was covered in blood. Even as weak as he looked, he was ripping his shirt off his body, revealing the gaping and darkening wound on his stomach. That¡¯s when I saw the dagger sticking out of his back. With trembling fingers, he pulled the dagger out and screamed in pain. The wound was giant and filled with so much blood, but I also saw that it was turning ck around the edges. My heart squeezed violently in my chest. I waspletely frozen as I stared down at him. I don¡¯t think he had noticed me yet and if he had, he wasn¡¯t paying me any attention. He was attempting to stop the bleeding with his ripped shirt but to no prevail. The dagger clinked to the ground. ¡°It was a silver dagger¡­¡± Val whimpered painfully. Silver daggers were terminal for wolves, even Alphas. Although, a normal would have been dead by now. Alphas were stronger though and could fight a little longer. I thought back to earlier when my mother taught me a few abilities that I had. She said our powers were healing and we give off an energy that could heal the toughest wolf. I didn¡¯t have a lot of practice with it, but I needed to try. I finally found motion in my legs again and I moved closer to him. His eyes finallynded on me, and his eyes narrowed. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± He asked in a pained voice. He didn¡¯t want me to see him like this and I couldn¡¯t me him. I knelt in front of him and reached my hands out to him, cupping his broad face in the palms of my hands to get him to meet my eyes. ¡°I¡¯m going to help you,¡± I assured him, keeping my tone calm. ¡°I just need you to rx.¡± ¡°Easy for you to say,¡± he seethed through his teeth. ¡°You weren¡¯t just stabbed with a silver dagger.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re going to tell me who did this to you once I¡¯m done,¡± I told him firmly. Whoever did this was going to have to answer my wolf now. He looked like he was about to protest, but another wave of pain coursed through his body. I could tell from the look in his eyes that he was in agony. His heart was racing, and I worried it was going to stop altogether. I swallowed hard and ced my hands over his wound. I took a deep breath, closing my eyes. I felt the warmth of the moonlight dancing off my features. I thought about the healing energy that circtes my body and warms my fingertips. I thought about the moon goddess blessing me with a gift to save my mate. I thought about his wound getting smaller. His body seemed to have rxed and gone limp. His breathing seemed to have slowed as well. Then, he gasped. I dropped my hands to my sides and opened my eyes, amazed that it worked! His wound waspletely gone. He was staring at his stomach in awe before he raised his gaze to meet mine. ¡°You just saved me¡­¡± he breathed, still in awe over my abilities. Tears filled my eyes, and I couldn¡¯t help the stupid smile that spread across my face. I just felt so relieved. I let out a small sob and augh as I sat against the tree beside him, finally able to rx my own body. ¡°Yeah, I guess I did,¡± I responded after a moment. ¡°How did you know you could do that?¡± He asked, peering over at me. ¡°I didn¡¯t know Vnas could heal.¡± ¡°It was something my mother taught me,¡± I exined. After a beat of silence, I asked, ¡°Who did this to you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not important,¡± he muttered, standing to his feet. I raised my brows as I stood to my feet as well. He started to pick up his shirt off the ground and walk in the direction of the clearing. ¡°They almost killed you,¡± I said, following behind him. ¡°It kind of seems important.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not worth our time. Hopefully, they won¡¯t be back for a while.¡± I paused when I realized something. ¡°Was it who attacked your mom?¡± I asked. ¡°Is that who stabbed you? Was it the same wolf?¡± He paused as well; his silence was all the answer I needed. ¡°In what direction did they go?¡± I asked, feeling a wave of fury boiling through me. He snapped me a look and I saw anger shing in his eyes. ¡°You aren¡¯t going to do anything. You are going to stay clear of them. Understood?¡± He seethed. His tone was dark and sent a chill down my spine; I knew better than to argue with him. But these monsters couldn¡¯t get away with this. ¡°You don¡¯t want to do anything?¡± I asked; I couldn¡¯t hide the disappointment in my tone. ¡°I didn¡¯t say that,¡± he said, turning away from me and walking toward the packhouse. ¡°Then, why can¡¯t I help?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s not your battle, L,¡± he said; he was sounding annoyed now. I knew better than to press him. He paused in his tracks, making me run into him. I looked up, startled by the quick stop. ¡°I saw my portrait in the art room earlier,¡± he said coldly. My heart fell into my stomach. ¡°I can exin¡­¡± ¡°Exin why a portrait that was meant as a gift to my injured mother is sitting in the art room waiting to be submitted to the art exhibit?¡± ¡°I was going to tell you¡­¡± ¡°Tell me how you used me to get an A on your project?¡± I was surprised by his usation and a little hurt. He really thought I would use him like that? ¡°It was a mistake,¡± I exined, shaking my head at him. ¡°I grabbed the wrong painting. I had another portrait I was going to present. A family portrait. But I grabbed yours instead¡­¡± ¡°And you didn¡¯t think to correct that mistake? Instead, you lead Miss Grace to believe that I gave you permission to present my portrait as your project. You lied to her and left me to clean up the mess.¡± Clean up the mess? Oh, goddess. What did he do? I lowered my gaze, feeling an overwhelming sense of dread. I was going to fail this ss and make Enzo hate me. My heart was so heavy. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to upset you,¡± I breathed, keeping my eyes fixated on the ground. ¡°I¡¯ll apologize to Miss Grace first thing in the morning. Maybe it¡¯s not toote to submit my actual project.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bother; she already thinks my portrait is your project. The damage is done.¡± He turned away again and began to walk. I stood my ground, confused. ¡°I thought you said you cleaned up the mess,¡± I called after him. ¡°I did,¡± he muttered. ¡°I confirmed your lie and told her I gave you permission.¡± He paused and nced over his shoulder, staring at my stunned face. ¡°Now we are even.¡±Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Chapter 36 Chapter 36 Enzo¡¯s POV Her powers were truly incredible. I could no longer feel the sting of the dagger and the wound was completely healed. It was as if it was never there, to begin with. L used her powers so casually as if she¡¯s done it a thousand times before, but I¡¯m beginning to realize that maybe she hasn¡¯t. She didn¡¯t say anything after I told her that she could use my portrait for her project; she trailed after me silently, keeping her head down. But I could sense that she was pleased. Max praised me for my generosity toward her. A small smile was tugging at her lips, but she was stifling it. She was afraid to show me any kind of emotion. I suppose I haven¡¯t been making it very easy for her. Encountering the wolf who attacked my mother was only proof that L wasn¡¯t safe, and I needed to do whatever I could to keep her safe. Even if it means rejecting her. ¡°Funny how you haven¡¯t rejected her yet,¡± Max teased. ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just waiting for the right time,¡± I say to him in return, but even I don¡¯t believe my words. I wasn¡¯t sure why I couldn¡¯t bring myself to reject her. Every time she was around, my brain would just forget for a moment that I needed to reject her and be done with it. I would forget the dangers that swirled around us every time I was near her. ¡°Have you ever thought that maybe being close to her is what¡¯s going to keep her safe?¡± Max asked. ¡°Why would you want to be far away from her? You won¡¯t be able to protect her that way.¡± ¡°She has a less chance of being found out if I don¡¯t hang around her. These men are constantly on my trail, watching my every move. If they see L, especially if they find out she¡¯s my mate, then they would do anything they can to get to her. I won¡¯t let that happen. As far as they know¡­ L means nothing to ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? me.¡± At that point, I realized L had stopped walking. It was like she had heard my thoughts. Could that be another Vna wolf ability? I stared around her sunken face; she lifted her gaze to meet mine. ¡°I¡¯ll make you another portrait,¡± she said softly. ¡°Come by the art room tomorrow evening and we can get started. ¡­ L¡¯s POV ¡°I¡¯m really d you decided to submit your project to the art exhibit,¡± Miss Grace said with a fond smile. ¡°It¡¯s going to be a huge hit.¡± ¡°That¡¯s if it gets epted,¡± I reminded her. ¡°It¡¯s one out of hundreds of submissions. Do you really think I have a shot?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she answered. ¡°I really do.¡± At sat in front of my nk canvas; it was after hours. ¡°You should get something to eat and rest,¡± Miss Grace said as she grabbed the coat off her desk chair. ¡°I will in a bit, I just want to finish some stuff up,¡± I told her. It wasn¡¯t odd for me to stay longer than Miss Grace. Sometimes I would lock up for her; she trusted me enough to do so. She smiled and nodded as she handed me the keys to the art room. ¡°Just put the keys in the usual spot for me,¡± she told me as she walked towards the door. ¡°Have a good night, Miss Grace,¡± I said to her kindly. ¡°You as well, L.¡± She was gone without another word. I turned back to the canvas frowning; I was ready to repaint Enzo, but I needed him here as a model before I began. I told him to meet me here after hours, but he didn¡¯t confirm if he would be there or not. ¡°He didn¡¯t deny it either,¡± Val reminded me. ¡°Have some faith in our mate. He will show up.¡± I wanted to believe her, but a part of me didn¡¯t. A part of me knew how badly Enzo couldn¡¯t stand being around me. I could tell by the way he looks at me and how he acts around me. He didn¡¯t want me as his mate; he didn¡¯t want me as his anything. I suppose that wasn¡¯t a bad thing; I wasn¡¯t sure I wanted him either. He wasn¡¯t what I thought having a mate would be like. I wanted a redo. As time grewter, I realized I was right, Enzo wasn¡¯t going to show up. I could feel Val¡¯s pure disappointment as I started to pack up my things. But then the art room door creaked open, and I got a familiar scent in my nose. Val perked up instantly, wagging her tail like she was amon dog. I could feel her excitement, which made me excited as well. Enzo stood at the doorway, leaning against the frame, and pouring his dark gaze into mine. For a moment, I had forgotten how to breathe. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you were going toe,¡± I said, swallowing the lump in my throat. ¡°I almost didn¡¯t,¡± he said in return. ¡°But then I thought about my mother and how badly she wanted that portrait. I figured it¡¯s the least you could do.¡± He walked into the room, closed the door behind him, and made his way toward me. I cleared my throat, ced my things back down, and sat in front of my canvas. I pointed to the empty chair on the other side of the canvas. ¡°You can sit there,¡± I told him. He did so without hesitation, crossing his leg over the other and entwining his fingers. It was the same pose as the other portrait. I began to work quickly and effectively. I didn¡¯t want to linger too long after hours in the art room, but I also wanted this portrait to be just as good, if not better, than thest one. I traced all his features with a pencil before I went in with some paint. As I got to his lips, my eyes lingered on his actual lips for a long while. They were so full and the memory of kissing them invaded my mind. My heart began to race quickly as I pulled my eyes away from his face and started painting on the canvas. The silence between us grew thick as I continued to work and then he spoke, which surprised me more than anything. ¡°How long have you been into art?¡± I nced over at him briefly before continuing. ¡°For as long as I could remember,¡± I answered. ¡°My mother taught me to draw when I was young, and I wanted to be able to capture everything I could. Pictures don¡¯t do justice; they¡¯re only pixels. A painting is like looking through someone else¡¯s eyes and seeing what they see.¡± ¡°So, that¡¯s what you want to do with your life? Painting?¡± I raised my brows at his question; why was he showing interest suddenly? ¡°You act like that¡¯s a bad thing,¡± I said in return. ¡°But I wouldn¡¯t say that¡¯s the only thing I want to do. I want to do a lot of things. But I want to paint the journey ahead of me as well. I don¡¯t want to simply take pictures of everything I aplish and every road I take. I want to capture it on a canvas and put it in a gallery for everyone to see and enjoy. I want them to see the world through my eyes.¡± He didn¡¯t say anything in response to that. I soon finished the portrait anyways, so it didn¡¯t really matter. I stood to my feet, pleased with myself as I turned the portrait to face him so he could see it as well. He stayed in his seat, and I stood next to him; he was quiet for a long while, processing what he was seeing. I couldn¡¯t tell from his facial features if he liked it or not. He was just¡­ quiet. ¡°What do you think?¡± I finally asked. ¡°It¡¯s perfect.¡± This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. I was relieved to hear that and made that known when I sighed and rxed my body. ¡°Can I ask you a question now?¡± I asked, peering down at him; he remained in his chair, but he nced up at me with almost curiosity in his gaze. ¡°You clearly don¡¯t want me as your mate¡­¡± I found myself saying before I could stop myself. ¡°So, why haven¡¯t you rejected me yet?¡± He stared at me for a long while, trying to process my question. As soon as I asked, I regretted it. I should have just kept my mouth shut. I felt foolish and embarrassed. He hasn¡¯t rejected me yet, but he was certainly going to do so now. But then, his arm wrapped around my waist, and I was being pulled onto hisp before I could even grasp what was happening. I gasped as his lips neared mine and with a heated passion burning through his hungry eyes, he kissed me. Chapter 37 Chapter 37 Enzo¡¯s POV What the hell was I doing? She just smelled so good, and she was standing so close to me. It was either this or my wolf lost control completely and I wasn¡¯t going to let that happen. She did a beautiful job on my portrait; it was even better than thest one. Watching her hard at work was hypnotizing. The way she bit her bottom lip when she concentrated and stuck her tongue out a little to lick the top of her lip whenever she was pleased about something. The sparkle in her eyes showed just how much passion she felt for what she was doing. I couldn¡¯t help but ask her about it. I wanted to know what made her want to be an artist. I was more than impressed with her answer and it made me want to talk to her more about it. I knew she was good atbat, but her intelligence is beyond me. It made me want to bend her over the canvas and have my way with her. But I couldn¡¯t. But she was so close to me, and she was so proud of the work she had done. When she asked why I haven¡¯t rejected her, I didn¡¯t have an answer for her. I knew I should have rejected her, but I couldn¡¯t do it. I just wanted to have a small taste of her. That small kiss a few days ago wasn¡¯t good enough; I wanted more of her. I needed more of her. I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her into myp with ease; she went willingly, despite being shocked. She let out a small gasp as I pressed my lips firmly against hers. For a moment, she remained still as I deepened the kiss, pressing my tongue against her closed mouth until her lips opened slightly, granting me ess. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? Her breath was warm and smelled sweet; like fresh strawberries, she had just eaten. She doesn¡¯t wear makeup, so I didn¡¯t need to worry about getting lipstick on me. But her lips were just naturally soft. They were full and chewable as well; it made me desire her that much more. She wrapped her arms around my neck. cing the palms of her hands on the back of my neck to keep my head steady. She was enjoying this. Max was enjoying this. The member in my pants was enjoying this as well. I tucked my hand into the back of her shirt, cing my palms on her bare back, and tracing her long spine with my fingertips. She seemed to have rxed due to my touch, but I noticed goosebumps forming on her arms as well. It made me smile knowing I had such an effect on her. I bit onto her bottom lip, drawing it into my mouth and sucking on it like it was a piece of candy. She didn¡¯t resist me; she allowed me to do these things to her without question and without any hesitation. Her body trusted me. I moved my hand further up her back, bringing her shirt with it. I wanted to rip it off her body and have my way with her in this art room. My cock was getting harder as the anticipation grew throughout my body. I was growing excited to have her; my hunger and desires were only intensifying with every passing moment. She soon grew a little risky herself and poked her tongue out of her mouth; she wanted to explore me just as I explored her. I parted my lips, allowing them to go still so she could have full ess. But just as she did, the doorknob of the art room began to turn. We both went still for only a moment. I saw pure panic in her eyes as she realized what was happening. She quickly jumped up from myp and adjusted her shirt; I remained seated, not worried, or bothered by the least. If there was one thing, I knew about this school was that people here were unable to comprehend normal social cues. As long as neither of us was undressed, there wasn¡¯t anything we needed to worry about. It was when we acted suspiciously that people would start questioning us. ¡°L?¡± The man at the door said, narrowing his eyes. It was Mr. Conley from the History ss; it was odd that he was in this section of the school. History is at the opposite end of the building. ¡°Professor?¡± Mr. Conley said as his eyes trailed over to me; there were questions in them, that much was clear. Questions I wasn¡¯t going to answer. ¡°Hello, Mr. Conley,¡± L tried to say as casually as she could, but her face was flushed, and her voice came out as a squeak. ¡°We were just leaving.¡± ¡°What are you doing in here?¡± Mr. Conley asked. ¡°It¡¯ste in the evening. Shouldn¡¯t you be with the other students in the dining hall for dinner?¡± ¡°I was just heading there now,¡± she said, turning to the canvas. ¡°Professor Enzo was just helping me with a project.¡± Mr. Conley nced at the portrait and raised his brows. ¡°You painted your professor for your art ss?¡± ¡°The assignment was to paint a noble role model outside of family,¡± she lied so easily. ¡°Enzo was the only one I could think of on short notice. He¡¯s the youngest Alpha and the bestbat teacher. I would have been stupid not to choose him.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Mr. Conley said, still in a questioning tone as he nced between the two of us. I remained in my seat, tugging at the grin that desperately wanted to appear on my lips. I was enjoying L¡¯s excuses and awkward behavior. I suppose I could have jumped in to help her, but I didn¡¯t feel the need to. ¡°Well, you should get to the dining hall before dinner ends. You need some nutrition,¡± Mr. Conley said, eyeing her carefully. ¡°I¡¯m on my way there right now,¡± she said with a faint smile. ¡°I¡¯ll see you in the morning Professor Enzo.¡± She packed up her things quickly and without giving me another look, she left the room. Mr. Conley stayed behind for a moment longer to look at me. There were still questions in his eyes, but he said nothing as he too turned away and left the room. I might have underestimated him. ¡­ L¡¯s POV I was surprised the next morning when I went into thebat arena and saw that Professor Connie was still there. She wore a tight outfit that revealed half her stomach and ended just under her breasts. She wore tight sweatpants, perfect forbat. Her long hair was pulled out of her face and into a low, sleek, ponytail, revealing her bright and beautiful features. I almost forgot about her until I walked in and saw her standing where Enzo usually stands. Enzoes into the room momentster; he looked just as handsome as ever with his shirt off and his baggy sweatpants. He looked like he had just run a mile with the sweat glistening on his strong chest. He held a water bottle in his hands, and he took a swig of it as he walked through the crowd of students, past me, and took his position right beside Connie. My stomach formed a tight and ufortable knot. ¡°Listen up,¡± Enzo said to the students, and everyone silenced right away. ¡°Connie is contracted for a couple more days. So, until the contract of her substitution ends, we are going to be working together. You will have to answer to both of us. They were going to be working together? As partners?This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Chapter 38 Chapter 38 L¡¯s POV Enzo and Connie demonstrated a move together and it made me want to vomit on the spot. She had her back turned toward him and he wrapped an arm around her waist to spin her around to face him where he kept her in a headlock. She swung her leg around and did a spin to get free. They were so close to one another, and they worked so effortlessly. She was incredibly beautiful. I wondered how long they have known each other. ¡°L?¡± Ba said from beside me; I realized everybody was already performing this move and I was standing in the center of the arena, staring at Connie with a grimace. ¡°Are you ready to try the move?¡± ¡°Oh, yes,¡± I said, pulling my eyes away from Connie. However, I could still hear herughing loudly as she ced an arm on Enzo¡¯s bicep; he was saying something to her that was funny. Though he wasn¡¯tughing with her, she didn¡¯t seem to mind it. She stood close to him; her perfect figure was only inches from him, and she continued to speak and laugh. I felt my blood boiling; I clenched my fists, trying not to let it get the best of me. ¡°L?¡± Ba said again with a worried frown. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I lied. I turned to Ba who turned her back to me; I wrapped an arm around her waist to get ready to spin her when the sounds of Connie¡¯sughter made its way over to me once again. I closed my eyes, trying to center myself and tune out the sound, but to no prevail. I grabbed Ba¡¯s arm and spun her around quickly, not realizing how much force I used or that she was already dizzy. She nearly tripped on herself as I put her in a headlock. She said something I wasn¡¯t listening to because I was too busy listening to Connie flirting with Enzo. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? I also wasn¡¯t paying attention to the surge that was beginning to pulsate through my fingertips. Just as I went to grab her again before she could get out of the headlock, the electricity escaped my fingertips. It happened so quickly, yet it felt like it was in slow motion. Her entire body lit up as the bolts shot through her; her screams pierced the arena, shocking everybody including Enzo and Connie. I gasped as I released Ba¡¯s arm and watched her fall to the ground; nearly paralyzed from being electrocuted. The electricity was still bouncing off my fingertips. Everybody was backing away from me withrge and frightened eyes. There were fearful murmurs from those around me, but I couldn¡¯t hear them. Everything had gone silent. I couldn¡¯t pull my eyes away from Ba who remained lifeless on the ground. What had I done? ¡°Oh, my goddess¡­.¡± I finally found my voice, though it came out as an inaudible whisper. Enzo rushed past me and kneeled in front of Ba, cing his fingers on her neck to check for a pulse. ¡°Someone, call the infirmary. We need to get her there as soon as possible,¡± Enzo ordered over his shoulder. Connie was standing beside me when she pulled out her phone. I can¡¯t believe this happened. Ba¡­ Enzo was lifting her off the ground and walking with her out of the arena just in time for the tears to spill from my eyes. The electricity in my fingertips was gone. Connie turned away to talk to the infirmary on the phone when I noticed the others were still staring at me. Did they see the electricity too? They had to have seen it. ¡°What happened?¡± Someone finally asked, finding their voice. I wasn¡¯t sure how to answer that question; I was too stunned to move or speak. I waspletely numb from head to toe. ¡°Did you do this to her? Why did she light up like that?¡± I opened my mouth to speak, but Connie¡¯s voice cut through, stepping in front of me to face the others. ¡°Get back to practice,¡± she ordered them. She nced at me. ¡°You should get to the infirmary.¡± There were zero emotions on her face, and I wondered if she knew what I had done. I felt nothing but shame; I had to leave before I began to sob. I turned away, finding the willpower to move my legs, despite them feeling like jelly. I made my way across the campus and to the infirmary where I saw Enzo standing outside the door and speaking to the nurse. They both turned and looked at me as I approached. ¡°I¡¯ll go check her out,¡± the nurse said in a low tone. ¡°But she might need the actual hospital. I can¡¯t promise that the police will let this go. They will be here soon.¡± Enzo lowered his gaze as she went back into the infirmary. The police? She had called the police? Of course, she had. A student was seriously injured during his ss; why wouldn¡¯t she call the police? What had I done? To not only Ba but Enzo as well. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Enzo finally said, keeping his eyes lowered and his tone emotionless. ¡°I wanted to check on her¡­¡± I said, trying to keep the pain out of my voice, but failing miserably. ¡°You¡¯ve done enough for right now.¡± ¡°Enzo¡ª¡± ¡°You should go¡­¡± he said, meeting my eyes. ¡°Now.¡± ¡°I wanted to¡ª¡± Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. ¡°There¡¯s nothing you can do for her right now. She hasn¡¯t woken up; the nurse is looking at her as we speak, and she might need to be transferred to the hospital.¡± ¡°Do you think she¡¯s going to be okay?¡± I asked in a whisper. ¡°It¡¯s too soon to tell; she has a faint pulse, but it weakened even more by the time we got here,¡± he answered. ¡°Seriously, L. You need to leave.¡± He could hardly even look at me; he felt so much shame being around me, and he wanted nothing to do with me. My heart squeezed painfully in my chest as I choked back a sob. I didn¡¯t want him to see me so broken. I did something terrible; I was never going to forgive myself if something were to happen to her. There was a part of me that wondered if I could heal her just as I did with Enzo the other day. But with how my emotions are right now, I knew it would be better if I didn¡¯t try. I turned away, allowing a few stray tears to escape my eyes and roll down my cheeks. My heart hurt way too much. ¡­ The ambnce was outside the infirmary within the hour; I stayed a distance away, but I sat on a bench in the center of the campus, watching as they moved Ba from the infirmary and into the ambnce. I couldn¡¯t bring myself to walk away or attend my other sses. My entire body waspletely numb still; it was like it was no longer my own. I thought about calling my mom, but I knew she would be so disappointed in me. I couldn¡¯t face her after what I had just done. The police were also outside the infirmary, and they were speaking intently with Enzo for a long while. Periodically, Enzo would catch my eyes from across the campus. He knew I was sitting there and watching. He could feel my presence. After a long while, it finally quieted down and everyone went back to their duties. Connie managed to convince everyone that it wasn¡¯t me that did this to Ba and that something else happened that caused it. I was oddly grateful to her for that. After a couple of hours of sitting on the bench outside, I decided to go inside and back to the arena. I wondered if Enzo was still there and if he had a minute to talk. But as I got to the arena, I heard a couple of voicesing from inside. ¡°I¡¯m just saying, Enzo¡­ she¡¯s dangerous. She¡¯s a Vna wolf. I wish I had known this before. She has no business being at this school.¡± Chapter 39 Chapter 39 L¡¯s POV I took a step away from the door. I wasn¡¯t surprised by what I had just heard. But I suppose I was a little disappointed. I¡¯m sure Enzo was probably thinking the same thing; that I didn¡¯t belong at this school. That I caused nothing but pain and destruction wherever I went. I hurt mybat partner and friend. I wouldn¡¯t me her for never forgiving me. I could hear the murmurs continuing in the arena, but I didn¡¯t stick around to listen to the rest. ¡­ Enzo¡¯s POV ¡°How could you say that when you know what my mother is, Connie?¡± I asked in disbelief. Her face fell slightly. ¡°Your mother is different¡­ she¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°L is top in her ss,¡± I said, interrupting her words. ¡°She¡¯s incredibly intelligent and great at what she does. I don¡¯t think she meant to hurt anybody. Just like my mother would never hurt anybody.¡± ¡°Why are you protecting her, Enzo?¡± Connie asked, peering up at me withrge and worried eyes. ¡°As many years as I¡¯ve known you, you¡¯ve never once stood up for anyone like this. You didn¡¯t even tell the cops about her.¡± ¡°Do you know who her father is? He would have my head if anything happened to that girl.¡± That wasn¡¯t the reason I was protecting her, but Connie didn¡¯t need to know that. ¡°You saw what happened today. Imagine if that happened again? To someone else? Next time, it could be fatal.¡± ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? ¡°Look, Connie. I understand your concerns, but this is my ss still and I protect my students, just like I protect my pack.¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite noble of you,¡± Connie said. ¡°I just worry about my old friend, that¡¯s all.¡± I had known Connie since we were children. She was basically my sister. We had trained together and fought together on many asions. She was there for me to take care of my mother during many of her illnesses. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. ¡°How is Mom doing?¡± She asked, lowering her tone. She thought of my mother as our mother because of how long she¡¯s known us. ¡°She¡¯s recovering well,¡± I answered. ¡°She should be ready to return home in a few days.¡± ¡°To the rogue territory? She still won¡¯t move into your packhouse?¡± I shake my head. My mother was incredibly stubborn, but I understood why she didn¡¯t want to leave her home. ¡°She wants to be there to protect her people,¡± I exined. ¡°It would take a lot to get her to leave.¡± ¡°I was thinking about visiting her after work today. Want to join me?¡± Connie asked, raising her brows as she met my eyes. I wanted to bring my mother the portrait this afternoon, so I agreed to apany Connie to the hospital. ¡°Connie!¡± My mother said as soon as we entered the hospital room. Connie lowered herself onto her bed, grasping my mother¡¯s hands. ¡°I heard what happened. I¡¯m so sorry,¡± Connie breathed, tears welling up in her eyes. ¡°I wish we could have protected you.¡± ¡°There was nothing you could have done, my dear,¡± my mom said, reaching her hand up and running it down the side of Connie¡¯s face. ¡°They would have found me one way or another and the oue would have been the same.¡± ¡°We can make sure this never happens to you again,¡± Connie said firmly, ncing over at me. I hadn¡¯t told them that I already confronted the bastard that did this; it would only bring them both worry. I didn¡¯t want to add to any stress. I heard some talking in the halls from a couple of doctors and nurses; it sounded like they were talking about electrocution. At that point, I remembered my student, Ba, was currently at this hospital. ¡°Excuse me for a minute,¡± I said, dismissing myself as I slipped into the halls. ¡°I had never seen an electrocution ident this severe before. She¡¯s lucky to be alive,¡± one of the doctors said in a hushed whisper. ¡°Has she woken yet?¡± The nurse asked. ¡°Not yet, and there¡¯s a chance she won¡¯t wake up at all.¡± ¡°Poor girl¡­¡± the other doctor breathed, gazing at the ground. ¡°Have the police been involved?¡± ¡°They were called to the scene, but they left shortly after they spoke to the professor. It seems they ruled it as a freak ident.¡± ¡°Something like this isn¡¯t a freak ident,¡± the nurse hissed. I decided to make himself known to them before they discussed this matter any further. I loudly cleared my throat, startling them. ¡°Alpha Enzo,¡± one of the doctors said, straightening his stance. ¡°We didn¡¯t see you there.¡± ¡°I¡¯m inquiring about a student of mine¡­ Ba,¡± I said, staring around their paling faces. They all looked at one another before turning back to me. ¡°She¡¯s your student?¡± One of the doctors asked, swallowing the lump in his throat. I nodded my head once. ¡°How is she doing?¡± I asked again, looking between them all. ¡°She just got out of surgery, so it¡¯s a little too soon to tell,¡± he answered. ¡°She¡¯s still in aa, but her vitals are good, and everything seems to be functioning properly. She¡¯s very lucky to be alive.¡± ¡°Alpha, if you don¡¯t mind me asking¡­¡± the nurse began. ¡°How exactly did this happen? We¡¯ve heard it was in the middle of your ss¡­¡± ¡°Faulty wiring with one of the tools we were using,¡± I answered without hesitation. ¡°Just as I told the police, it was aplete ident and product failure. There will be awsuit against the manufacturer.¡± I pulled out a business card and handed it to one of the doctors. ¡°Give me a call and keep me updated on her condition,¡± I said, turning away from them. ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± they all said in unison. ¡­ L¡¯s POV ¡°Your father is heading to the hospital now to check on her condition,¡± my mom breathed into the phone. I clutched the phone close to my ear as I curled up in bed. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to worry too much about this until we know everything,¡± she continued softly. ¡°Oh Mom¡­ it was just so awful,¡± I said in return. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I did that¡­¡± ¡°It was because you lost control of your emotions. What got you feeling that way, L Bean?¡± I couldn¡¯t tell her the truth; I couldn¡¯t tell her it was because of my jealousy toward Connie and her rtionship with my mate. My heart squeezed painfully in my chest at the very thought of it. ¡°I guess I just got in my head a little,¡± I said; I was aware that wasn¡¯t an answer, but she didn¡¯t press any further. ¡°You should get some rest,¡± she sighed. ¡°It¡¯s been a long day and you won¡¯t do any good if you¡¯re sleep deprived.¡± She was right; I was exhausted, but I wasn¡¯t sure I¡¯d be able to sleep. Not until I knew if Ba was going to be okay. Rachel wasn¡¯t back yet, which meant she was off with the guy she¡¯s been seeing thesest few weeks. ¡°Good night; I love you,¡± I said to my mom. ¡°I love you, L. Forever and always.¡± I hung up the phone just as more tears ran down my features. I sniffled and wiped them away with the back of my sleeve when my phone started to ring again. I didn¡¯t recognize the number, but I answered it anyway. It could have been the hospital or something. ¡°Hello, is this Miss L?¡± A woman said on the other end of the phone. ¡°Yes, speaking,¡± I answered, trying not to sound too broken. ¡°Hello, this is Cassidy-Anne, I¡¯m the owner of the Hig Art Gallery. How are you doing this evening?¡± I sat up in bed quickly. ¡°Hello, Miss Cassidy-Anne. I¡¯m well. How are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m good as well. I apologize for calling at thiste hour, but I couldn¡¯t wait to reach out and speak to you for myself. I received your submission and I¡¯m taken aback by the glorious portrait of Alpha Enzo you have created. I must ask, why did you create a painting of him?¡± I scrambled to find the right thing to say. ¡°The project topic assigned to me was to paint a role model who wasn¡¯t family. Alpha Enzo is not only the bestbat and shifting professor at the Shifting Academy, but he¡¯s also the youngest Alpha. He works the hardest out of everyone I know because he has a reputation to build and uphold. He¡¯s part of the Alpha Committee and works alongside my father and my father always has something positive to say about Alpha Enzo. It would have been foolish of me to choose anyone else as a role model.¡± ¡°That¡¯s such a beautiful thing to say and I must say, I¡¯m incredibly impressed,¡± Cassidy-Anne said in awe. ¡°Thank you so much.¡± ¡°I am pleased to inform you, L, that I would like to feature your painting in the next art exhibit I am holding this weekend. Congrattions and I can¡¯t wait to finally meet the artist behind the portrait.¡± Chapter 40 Chapter 40 L¡¯s POV Today was the big day; my art piece was going to be shown to hundreds of people and I had never been more nervous in my entire life. My heart was racing rapidly in my chest as I stared myself over in the mirror that hung in my dorm room. I wore a casual evening gown and kept my hair down and slightly curled at the bottoms. I wanted a more business casual look. Rachel wore her usual ripped jeans and ck gaming blouse with her pixiestyle hair dyed purple. I liked her style; it was the opposite of my style and I think that¡¯s why we got along so well. I pressed the palm of my hands to my stomach, feeling a wave of nausea forming in my throat. ¡°Are you excited?¡± Rachel asked with a wide grin. ¡°I¡¯m terrified,¡± I admitted. ¡°And also, a little guilty¡­ I just wish Ba could be here too.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t feel guilty. What happened to her wasn¡¯t your fault. Plus, she¡¯s going to be fine. She woke up yesterday, remember?¡± Rachel reminded me. It was true that Ba was going to be okay, and I was relieved to hear that when my father called me yesterday. It could have been bad. It also seems as though she has no memory of what happened. ¡°You¡¯ll have to take a lot of pictures for her,¡± Rachel said with a shrug. ¡°I¡¯m sure she would love to see them.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m nning on visiting herter this evening,¡± I said, turning away from the mirror. ¡°I want to see for myself that she¡¯s truly okay.¡± ¡°I cane with you if you¡¯d like.¡± I shake my head, giving her a thankful smile. ¡°I think it¡¯s something I need to do by myself,¡± I tell her. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? She nods with understanding as she stands from her bed. ¡°We should go to the exhibit though. It¡¯s starting soon and everybody is probably already there,¡± she said casually. She draped an arm through mine and pulled me alongside her. I took a deep breath, ignoring the nagging feeling I had in the pit of my stomach. The art gallery was bigger than I could have ever imagined. It didn¡¯t take long for us to get there because it was only a couple of miles from the academy. Instantly, I saw my mom and dad both smiling proudly at me as they rushed toward me. There were so many people that I felt overwhelmed. But I knew they weren¡¯t just here for me; there were so many other pieces of art to enjoy and mine was only a small part of it. But I saw my friends and family right away and they were all here for me. My mom wrapped her arms around me and held me close; I hadn¡¯t seen her since our time in the forest when she was training me on how to control my powers. ¡°Congrattions,¡± my father said, reaching his arms out to hug me as well. ¡°I¡¯m so proud of you!¡± ¡°Have you talked to Ba?¡± I found myself asking him, keeping my tone low. He nodded but his face was unreadable. ¡°We will talk about itter, but for right now, Cassidy-Anne wishes to speak with you.¡± I couldn¡¯t wait to meet her too, but I couldn¡¯t help but wonder what it was my father wanted to talk about. ¡°L!¡± Brianna says as she runs over to me, hugging me tightly. ¡°I just saw your painting! It¡¯s beautiful.¡± ¡°Thanks, Bri,¡± I chuckled. ¡°I want to see it,¡± Rachel said, stepping toward Brianna who smiled and grabbed onto her arm. ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll show ya!¡± Bri said, pulling Rachel along with her. I couldn¡¯t help butugh at my two best friends. Cassidy-Anne was talking casually with some people as we approached, but when she saw me alongside my father, she quickly dismissed those she was talking to. ¡°You must be L,¡± Cassidy-Anne said. ¡°It¡¯s an honor to finally meet you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m the one who¡¯s honored,¡± I said, bowing my head slightly to her. ¡°I¡¯ve always loved your work. I can¡¯t believe you chose my portrait.¡± ¡°I would be stupid if I didn¡¯t,¡± she said, and then she lowered herself, so she was at eye level. ¡°And I¡¯m not stupid,¡± she winked. A smile spread across my face. ¡°Thank you so much,¡± I said. ¡°After seeing your painting, I¡¯ve decided that I really want you to work for me,¡± Cassidy-Anne said with a twinkle in her eyes. I gasped at her words, staring at her in disbelief. ¡°You¡¯d start off as my assistant and then work your way to the top. I think you have what it takes to be the next big artist in the world. Of course, you will bepensated for your hard work, and we can work around your school schedule.¡± ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know what to say,¡± I breathed, staring between her and my father. This almost felt undeserving after what happened this past week, but I was in such awe I could hardly form words. ¡°Say you¡¯ll ept,¡± Cassidy-Anne said with a fond smile. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want anyone else to be my assistant.¡± I looked at my father again who gave me a nod of encouragement. ¡°Yes, of course, I ept,¡± I said widening my smile. ¡°Excellent. I¡¯ll text you the details in the morning and we can discuss when you start.¡± She paused as she nced behind me at a few different people. ¡°Excuse me, there¡¯s someone I need to speak with. It was lovely meeting you, L. I¡¯m sure we will talk more as the evening goes on.¡± ¡°Thank you again,¡± I said after her as she disappeared into the crowd. Before I could say anything to my father, I got a familiar sense that washed over me, causing Val to perk up instantly. I knew this feeling all too well. Enzo. He appeared through the crowd; it was like the crowd of people was creating a path for him to walk through as he made his way over to me. His face was hard to read, but that part wasn¡¯t what surprised me. What surprised me was the fact that he dressed up. Was he dressed up for me? Was he here to support me? ¡°Of course, he is!¡± Val cooed. We hadn¡¯t talked since before I heard him and Connie talking in the arena the other day. A knot formed in my stomach at the very thought of it. I didn¡¯t realize my father had already walked away until Enzo was directly in front of me. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you came,¡± I said, trying not to sound too awkward. ¡°I figured I should, considering it¡¯s my picture that hanging up,¡± he said, narrowing his eyes at me. I felt my face reddening under the intensity of his stares. ¡°Right,¡± I said with a light chuckle. ¡°Ba is going to be okay, in case you were wondering,¡± Enzo said, eyeing me carefully. He didn¡¯t sound angry, but he didn¡¯t sound pleased either. ¡°I heard,¡± I tell him. ¡°I¡¯m going to visit herter.¡± ¡°Probably a good idea,¡± he agreed. ¡°She doesn¡¯t remember anything that happened.¡± I nodded, indicating that I knew that part too. I couldn¡¯t stand this awkward talk anymore; the memory of Connie invaded my mind every time I saw him, and it was destroying me on the inside. I cleared my throat and turned away from him. ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me, I¡¯m going to mingle with others,¡± I say to him as I walk through the crowd of people. ¡­ Enzo¡¯s POV For most of the night, L seemed to not have noticed me. Her painting of me hung beautifully on the This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. featured wall, and she was talking with a bunch of others, including those I recognized as her friends and family. But she wouldn¡¯t look in my direction at all. I don¡¯t know why I found that to be incredibly irritating. I shouldn¡¯t want her attention, but I certainly didn¡¯t want her to ignore me either. She had finally nced over in my direction, but it was only briefly. Soon, she was walking through the crowd of people, and I couldn¡¯t help but follow her this time. Max was going crazy not being around her and I worried I would soon lose control of him. She walked around the corner and into the women¡¯s bathroom. What am I thinking? I asked myself as I checked behind me to make sure nobody was looking as I too shoved my way into the women¡¯s room. She was standing in the mirror, breathing heavily, and meeting her own eyes. She was alone in the bathroom, thankfully. I wasn¡¯t sure how I would exin why I was in the women¡¯s room to anyone else if they were to see me. She noticed me quickly and she looked shocked to see me standing before her. Before she could open her mouth and utter a single question, I was rushing toward her, lifting her onto the sink, her legs wrapped around me, and her pelvis pressed against mine; I firmly pressed my lips against hers. Chapter 41 Chapter 41 L¡¯s POV Everything happened so fast; my heart was racing at lightning speed as Enzo lifted me onto the sink. Instinctively, I wrapped my legs around him; mainly to keep myself from falling off the sink, but also because it just felt right. I felt him between my legs, pressing himself against me and growing through his pants. I wrapped my arms around the back of his neck and felt his lips closing in around mine. I closed my eyes as he kissed me. His lips were so soft and inviting; everything about him was just so good. The way he smelled, the way he felt, the way my heart raced whenever I was around him, and I can¡¯t forget about the sweet bliss Val felt. I could feel her runningps in my mind¡¯s eye and howling in delight as Enzo continued the embrace. He bit onto my bottom lip and brought it into his mouth hungrily. At this moment, he wanted me as much as I wanted him. Nothing was in my mind; I didn¡¯t think about Connie or what she had said previously, and I wasn¡¯t thinking about how Enzo had treated me. Is this what it truly feels like to have a mate? His hands ran down my back, sending goosebumps across my flesh as he yed with the zipper on my dress. He wanted to take my dress off and I wanted to let him. Just as I heard the zipper being sent down my back, the door of the bathroom swung open, and I heard a loud gasp! Enzo jumped away from me like I was infected, and I found myself vulnerable on the sink, about to fall. Thankfully, he realized quickly what he had done and caught me before Ipletely fell to the ground. ¡°L?!¡± I heard a familiar voice as the door mmed shut andtched. I turned to see Brianna standing before us with wide and rmed eyes. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? ¡°Oh, my goddess!¡± She breathed, staring between Enzo and me. ¡°Bri¡­¡± I said, trying to keep the nervousness out of my voice. I struggled to get my zipper back up, something she had also noticed. She nced down and I realized that Enzo¡¯s manhood was very much still excited and still visible through his dress pants. He turned away from her and she broke her eyes from him to look at me. ¡°I can exin,¡± I tried to say; before I had the chance of saying anything, she turned away from me. I saw a sh of hurt on her face before she fully turned her body from me and that broke my heart more than anything. ¡°I need to go,¡± she muttered. I went to say something to her, but she had already run from the bathroom. I was breathing heavily; the shame was lying thick, and I couldn¡¯t even form the proper words. I looked up at Enzo with sad eyes and he met my gaze. ¡°You should go after your friend,¡± he muttered. He seemed casual and back to his normal self; I will never understand how he can do that so easily. He cleared his throat and without saying another word, he was also leaving the bathroom. I waited a couple of minutes before I left the bathroom too. Thankfully, nobody seemed to notice my absence. Everybody was still cooing and gawking at the paintings. Cassidy-Ann was still talking to the same people she was before, and my father was talking to some of the other Alphas. Enzo was heading in their direction to join in on the conversation. I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat and went outside. I knew Brianna would be out there, probably waiting for her cab home. I found her standing at the curb with her hands folded across her bare arms. I knew she was crying without even looking at her face based on the sniffling and the small whimpering that I could hear as I approached. ¡°Bri¡­¡± I said in a low and calm tone, standing beside her I stared at her saddened side profile. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to hurt you.¡± ¡°Whom you get with is not my business¡­¡± she muttered. ¡°But I thought that as your best friend, you would tell me these things¡­¡± ¡°I know¡­ ¡°I breathed. ¡°It just kind of happened and¡ª¡± ¡°With your professor out of all people?¡± Bri said, shooting her tear-filled eyes at me. ¡°And an Alpha? Since when is that your thing, L?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not my ¡®thing¡¯,¡± I muttered, shaking my head at the thought. ¡°I can¡¯t control whom I¡¯m mated with. Believe me¡­ I¡¯ve tried.¡± Her eyes widened and she took a step back in shock. ¡°Mate? ¡° She gasped. ¡°Alpha Enzo is your mate?¡± She said that a little too loudly, so I shushed her and covered her mouth with my hands. ¡°Nobody knows, Bri. You can¡¯t tell anybody,¡± I pleaded. She swiped my hand away but remained still as she stared around my desperate and serious face. ¡°You¡¯re being serious¡­¡± she whispered in awe. ¡°He¡¯s actually your mate¡­¡± I nodded my head once, keeping my eyes locked on hers. ¡°I wish I wasn¡¯t serious. This isn¡¯t how I envisioned my mate.¡± ¡°How could you not tell me?!¡± She said, the sadness was gone from her face and was reced with pure enjoyment and eagerness. She was happy about this news. ¡°I haven¡¯t told anybody,¡± I admitted. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what to think of it. He doesn¡¯t want a mate and I don¡¯t know if I want him as my mate.¡± She rose her brows at my words. ¡°You both looked like you wanted each other very much a little bit ago,¡± she said, a smirk appearing on her lips. I felt my face warming and I nced down at my feet. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I told her with a quick shrug. ¡°He isn¡¯t the romantic type. He¡¯s not always nice to me¡­ he cares more about his work than anything else. I¡¯ve heard from everywhere that he doesn¡¯t want a mate because he finds them to be a distraction.¡± I paused for a moment as I met her eyes once again. ¡°I don¡¯t think he believes in love, Bri¡­¡± ¡°And you need someone who¡¯s as crazy about love as you are,¡± she said with a sigh; it wasn¡¯t a question. Brianna knew me better than anyone because we¡¯d known each other our whole lives. I should have told her about this to begin with and not hidden it from her. I didn¡¯t me her for being upset with me for that. She knew how important finding my mate was to me. I had envisioned the perfect romance and Enzo did not live up to that expectation. She had a sad look in her eyes when I nodded at her statement. ¡°Maybe there¡¯s more to him than you know,¡± Bri suggested with a kind smile. ¡°You never know unless you try.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think he wants to try.¡± ¡°That moment in the bathroom looked like he wanted to try,¡± Bri said, a sly smile spreading across her lips. ¡°It was a moment of weakness. His wolf was taking over, and I was losing control over mine. I don¡¯t think that¡¯s something that¡¯ll happen again,¡± I told her with a sigh of my own. The sun was setting, and I had just remembered I wanted to visit Ba before visiting hours are over. ¡°Oh! I need to get to the hospital,¡± I said quickly, ncing back at the exhibit. I didn¡¯t want to leave without saying goodbye, but I was also cutting it close to visiting hours and needed to leave right away if I wanted to see her tonight. ¡°Go on,¡± Bri said, nudging me away from the exhibit. ¡°I¡¯ll cover for you.¡± I smiled, relieved, at her and then I hugged her tightly. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. ¡°Thank you,¡± I breathed. ¡°I love you.¡± ¡°Love you too, boo,¡± she said in return just as we parted ways. ¡°Call meter!¡± She shouted after me. ¡­ I managed to get to the hospital 30 minutes before visiting hours ended. When I got to Ba¡¯s room, she was lying in her bed and scrolling through her phone casually. I could hear the beeping of her heart monitor and it seemed steady. She had a couple of IVs in her arms, and she looked pale as a ghost. I felt sick knowing I did this to her. She nced up at me and her eyes widened as soon as I walked into the room. ¡°Ba¡­¡± I breathed, trying to hold back the tears I wanted to cry. I wasn¡¯t sure what I was expecting, but I certainly wasn¡¯t expecting what came out of her mouth. ¡°What did you do to me¡­?¡± ¡ª My dear readers, Thank you for stopping by and reading this story. I hope you enjoyed it. I¡¯m trying my best to update assp. I¡¯ll appreciate it if you explore my other stories as well. Please follow my f b page and group Caroline Above Story if you wanna chat keep updated on my writing schedule. My dear readers, Thank you for stopping by and reading this story. I hope you enjoyed it. I¡¯m trying my best to update assp. I¡¯ll appreciate it if you explore my other stories as well. Please follow my f******k page Caroline above story and group Caroline above story if you wanna chat or keep updated on my writing schedule. Yours£¬Caroline above story Chapter 42 Chapter 42 Enzo¡¯s POV ¡°Hey, Enzo!¡± Bastien called me over from across the exhibit. He was with a few other Alphas. I wondered if they saw me leaving the bathroom area with L trailing behind me. But when I turned to nce in L¡¯s direction, she wasn¡¯t there. She was smart; she must have been waiting a couple of minutes before she walked out of the bathroom. ¡°I was just telling the guys of your efforts to find the person who poisoned my daughter,¡± Bastien said with a proud smile as I approached. It oddly enough made me feel good that he was praising me for something I would have done without him asking me to. It shouldn¡¯t have mattered what Bastien thought, but for some reason, I was finding myself almost wanting his approval. Perhaps because he was the head of themittee and if I get in good with him, I can secure my future. ¡°If that¡¯s what you want to tell yourself,¡± Max teased. ¡°I can¡¯t thank you enough,¡± Bastien continued, patting me on the back of my shoulder. I nodded to him. ¡°I wish more happened,¡± I confessed. ¡°A suspension doesn¡¯t seem like a good enough punishment.¡± ¡°There¡¯s not much we can do when Alpha Steven is her father. He funds the school, and the board is afraid to go against him,¡± Alpha John said, shaking his head with dismay written all over his face. Everybody has a specific role they y to make sure the kingdom runs as smoothly as possible. While Alpha Bastien is the head of the Alphamittee and oversees the decisions made for the kingdom, the board is in charge of the academy. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? However, it¡¯s no secret that they fear Alpha Steven, despite him only funding the school, and not owning it. Bastien has to constantly remind him of that. But when ites to his daughter, the board wasn¡¯t going to take any chances. Without Alpha Steven¡¯s money and schrship programs, there wouldn¡¯t be a school. He also funds the primary schools around the kingdom, the hospitals, and multiple charities. ¡°Karma wille around in due time,¡± Bastien said, eyeing me carefully. ¡°So will good Karma for your good deed, Enzo. Let me take you out for a drink. I could use a round or two.¡± My frown deepened as I stared around at all the Alphas who were staring back at me. I don¡¯t usually go out drinking with them, so it would be a weird change of events. ¡°Come on, Enzo. Come out with us,¡± another Alpha said with a broad smile. ¡°It¡¯s a weekend and you¡¯re still young!¡± I reluctantly agreed. I was sure I was going to regret this though. ¡­ L¡¯s POV ¡°You remember¡­¡± I said, sounding as defeated as I felt. Her eyes were curious as she stared around my face; she didn¡¯t seem frightened of me but confused. ¡°Yes,¡± she answered, and she said nothing more as she looked back down at her phone; almost like she was dismissing me altogether. My heart was heavy. ¡°I heard that you didn¡¯t¡­¡± I breathed, ncing at my feet in shame. ¡°I lied,¡± she admitted; she said that so casually that for a moment, I stopped breathing. ¡°Why would you lie?¡± I asked, ncing back over at her. She nced up at me and narrowed her eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t want you to get in trouble if it were truly an ident,¡± she said. ¡°Was it an ident?¡± I took a step closer to her with pleading eyes. ¡°Of course, it was an ident, Ba. I got distracted and I¡ª¡± ¡°Electrocuted me¡­¡± She finished the sentence for me; her words were firm and cut through me like a knife. I couldn¡¯t help but flinch. ¡°You are a Vna wolf, and you lost control of your powers. Sarah had said you were dangerous, and you couldn¡¯t be trusted. I didn¡¯t believe her at the time because you were always so kind to me. But now¡­¡± her voice trailed off as she nced back at her phone. She was using her phone as a distraction, and I couldn¡¯t me her for that. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say,¡± I admitted. ¡°I never meant to hurt you, Ba. You must believe that.¡± ¡°I do,¡± she said, meeting my eyes. ¡°I believe it was an ident. That¡¯s why I¡¯m not mad at you. But I am concerned about continuing to be your partner for this ss. Now that you have these abilities, it might make things a little moreplicated.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want to be my partner anymore?¡± I asked. ¡°I was thinking, since I woke up, that Sarah is gone, and her partner will need a new partner. I could always be her partner¡­¡± ¡°What about me?¡± I asked. ¡°You¡¯d have to talk to Professor Enzo about it,¡± Ba said with a shrug. ¡°I just can¡¯t trust that this won¡¯t happen again. The doctors say I got lucky this time. But next time¡­ I don¡¯t know if my body will be strong enough to keep me alive. I¡¯m not sure I want to go through this again.¡± My heart was breaking from this conversation; all I wanted to do at that moment was cry, but I kept my calm and stayed silent. ¡°This doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t want to be your friend, L,¡± she added, keeping her eyes locked on mine. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind being friends¡­ maybe not at this moment. Maybe over time. I just need to focus on getting better first. But eventually, I would like us to be friends. I just don¡¯t want to be yourbat partner. I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t me you,¡± I told her, forcing a small smile. ¡°Thank you for being honest with me.¡± She gave me a kind smile in return and nodded her head once. ¡°As far as anyone knows, this was just an ident due to poor wiring with the equipment we were using. Nothing more and nothing less. This will stay between us,¡± she said sweetly. I was grateful for that; thest thing I needed was for everyone to think of me as a monster. I thanked her just as the nurse came into the room. She nced at me and gave me a smile. ¡°Hello, Miss L. Visiting hours will be over shortly,¡± she reminded me as she went over to Ba¡¯s bed to fix her IVs and give her medication. ¡°I was just leaving,¡± I assured her. I nced at Ba onest time as she took the medication and ss of water from the nurse¡¯s hands. ¡°I¡¯ll see you at school when you are well, Ba,¡± I said to her, giving her a half wave. She nced at me and nodded her head, without saying anything. I sighed and left the room. ¡­ As I returned to campus, Rachel was already in our room. She was sitting on the ledge of her window, smoking a cigarette as she often did and blowing the smoke outside. She still made the room smell disgustingly like cigarette smoke though. ¡°That¡¯s so bad for you,¡± I said, grabbing a can of Lysol and spraying the room. She shrugged. ¡°We all die eventually anyways,¡± she muttered. ¡°Besides, I¡¯m a bear, remember? We don¡¯t have long lifespans like wolves do.¡± ¡°But still,¡± I say, rolling my eyes. ¡°You could have a longer lifespan if you just quick smoking.¡± ¡°That¡¯s too much work,¡± she chuckled, flicking the cigarette out the window before sliding her entire body inside,nding on the ground with a thud, and sealing the window shut behind her. ¡°Did you go to see Ba yet?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I answered, I didn¡¯t want to tell her what our conversation was about, so I decided to keep it brief. ¡°She was doing well. She still doesn¡¯t remember what happened. They don¡¯t think she will remember, but it¡¯s probably for the best. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s something she¡¯d want to remember.¡± Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. ¡°Yeah, I was thinking the same thing,¡± Rachel said with a shrug. ¡°I¡¯m d she¡¯s well though. Must have been scary to have that many electric bolts go through you!¡± With that being said, Rachel made her body quiver and shake like she was being electrocuted. I sat on my bed across the room and rolled my eyes. ¡°That¡¯s not funny, Rachel,¡± I scolded. ¡°It¡¯s serious. She could have died.¡± Rachel was stillughing but once she saw how serious my face was, she stopped. ¡°My bad. I was just trying to make light of the situation,¡± she said, sitting on her own bed. We were both quiet for a long moment; probably both thinking about Ba. Soon, Rachel shot to her feet, and I could see the excitement on her face. It nearly startled me. ¡°Do you know what we need?¡± Rachel asked, eyeing me carefully and excitedly. I frowned and shook my head. ¡°A party. We need to get our minds off the shit going on! Let¡¯s have a school dance!¡± Chapter 43 Chapter 43 Enzo¡¯s POV ¡°You know, Enzo. You aren¡¯t a bad drinking partner,¡± Alpha John said with a drunken slur as he pped me on the back of my shoulder. I could smell the whisky on his breath, and it made me cringe. I¡¯ve only had a couple of beers, so I was far from drunk. But I couldn¡¯t say the same for the other Alphas. The only other one that had his shit together was Bastien. He didn¡¯t want to return to Selenepletely wasted and I respected that about him. He loved his family, and he loved his work; he didn¡¯t let the other Alpha convince him to drink more than he wanted, and I did the same, despite them trying. ¡°Enzo, when are you finally going to meet your mate and get married?¡± Alpha John murmured while peering over at me. ¡°You know it¡¯s hard to run a pack without a proper luna.¡± There was no way in hell I would tell them about L. I wasn¡¯t even sure if there was anything to say. We only kissed; nothing more happened between us. Besides, getting close to her would only put her in danger. I couldn¡¯t do that to her. I remained silent. ¡°You¡¯re embarrassing him,¡± another Alphaughed. ¡°Look at how red his face is. There must be something he isn¡¯t telling us.¡± The Alphas fell silent, even Bastien was staring at me curiously for a moment. Once it was obvious that I wasn¡¯t going to answer their questions, Alpha John spoke again. ¡°Get my man a shot of tequ!¡± John shouted to the bartender who looked at John with a deepened and disgusted frown. ¡°I¡¯m all set on the shot,¡± I said, meeting the bartender¡¯s eyes who nodded in understanding. ¡°I should honestly get going. I have some things to do in the morning.¡± ¡°Oh,e on, Enzo! We never get you toe out with us. Stay for another round,¡± another Alpha hupped. I didn¡¯t want to hang around these drunks anymore. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? ¡°He doesn¡¯t have to stay if he doesn¡¯t want to,¡± Bastien said firmly. ¡°In fact, I¡¯m thinking we should all get home to our packs.¡± ¡°Party poopers,¡± Alpha John muttered as he took yet another shot of whisky. ¡°We are responsible,¡± Bastien shot back, but there was a yfulness in his tone. ¡°Have a good night, Enzo,¡± he added, turning to me, and giving me a quick wink. I thanked him before leaving. ¡­ L¡¯s POV The next morning. ¡°We don¡¯t typically have school dances, L,¡± Mrs. Laurence, head of the board, said, peering up at me from her desk in her office. ¡°We don¡¯t have the funding or the support for it.¡± ¡°I just think it would be a good opportunity to bring the students together as amunity. We could use something to get our minds off schoolwork and just have a little fun.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not saying I don¡¯t agree with you. But we don¡¯t have the funding or support. I also don¡¯t have time to n out a school dance. A lot of work goes into something like that.¡± ¡°What if you didn¡¯t have to do anything?¡± I asked; an idea circling my brain. She rose her brows as she met my eyes. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I could n out this school dance myself and I could get the funding and the support necessary for it,¡± I told her. It was a lot of work, but it would be worth it. Mrs. Laurence stared around my face for a short while; processing what I had just said. ¡°I¡¯m not sure it¡¯s something you should do on your own,¡± she finally said, but she didn¡¯t sound At first, I didn¡¯t notice him. I was too busy trying to figure out how to approach Dee. I would probably need to speak to Enzo first, so he¡¯s not blindsided. We hadn¡¯t talked since our moment in the bathroom and the memory made my face feel warm and my heartbeat quickly. I paused when I noticed Brody was still there and he was watching me. ¡°Oh, I thought you had left,¡± I said, giving him a kind smile. Brody was also very kind to me; I wouldn¡¯t say he was my friend. In fact, he was more Scott¡¯s friend than mine. But he was gentle and sweet. For someone who was a jock, he didn¡¯t have a mean bone in his body, and he kept his grades up so he could stay on the team. He was a straight-A student and excels at almost everything he does. I respect him for that. ¡°No,¡± Brody said, rubbing his hands behind his neck and ncing at the ground. ¡°I actually wanted to talk to you.¡± He gave himself an awkward and nervousugh. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Are you okay?¡± I asked, raising my brows. ¡°You aren¡¯t changing your mind about the committee, are you?¡± ¡°No,¡± he said a little too quickly. ¡°I like themittee very much.¡± ¡°Oh, good,¡± I breathed out in relief. ¡°So, what did you want to talk about?¡± He seemingly swallowed a lump in his throat as he stepped closer to me. ¡°The school dance,¡± he said, keeping his eyes locked on mine. I stood frozen. ¡°Okay?¡± I urged him to continue. ¡°I was wondering¡­ if maybe¡­ you wanted to go with me to the school dance?¡± He finally got the words out of his mouth. ¡°As my date¡­ Chapter 44 Chapter 44 L¡¯s POV Brody was asking me to the school dance? I would be lying if I said I wasn¡¯t taken by surprise. I honestly didn¡¯t even think I was his type. I stared at him for a moment longer before speaking my answer. ¡°I would prefer to just go to the dance alone,¡± I told him. I watched his face grow sad and he lowered his gaze to the ground. ¡°I see,¡± he breathed, clear disappointment in his tone. Brody was incredibly smart, and he was also good-looking, I had to admit that. Any girl would be lucky to go with him to the dance, but I just wasn¡¯t interested. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I bothered you,¡± he said as he started to walk past me. ¡°You aren¡¯t a bother, Brody,¡± I called after him. ¡°I hope that we can remain friends and maybe even share a dance?¡± He paused for a moment and nced at me. ¡°You¡¯d still dance with me?¡± He asked a ping of hope in his tone. ¡°Of course,¡± I answered. He looked relieved by my answer and nodded. ¡°I¡¯d like that,¡± he said as he turned away and left the student lounge. ¡­ Enzo was in the arena by himself, practicing hisbat, when I entered. He was in the exact ce I knew he¡¯d be in and the first ce I looked. He paused his movements and he looked at me, narrowing his dark eyes in my direction. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? ¡°I wanted to ask you a question,¡± I said, swallowing the lump that had formed in my throat. He turned away and continued hisbat, but it was clear to me that he was still listening. ¡°I was put in charge of the studentmittee and¡ª¡± ¡°The school doesn¡¯t have a studentmittee,¡± he interrupted in a mutter. ¡°Well, it does now,¡± I said in return. ¡°We are having a school dance and we need funding¡­¡± ¡°You want money from me?¡± He asked as he stopped hisbatting to re at me. I was taken aback by the usation and a little offended that he thought I woulde to him for money. The nervous feeling had slipped away, and it was reced with annoyance. ¡°I don¡¯t want your money, professor,¡± I nearly spat at him. I spoke the word ¡®professor¡¯ like it was a bad taste on my tongue. ¡°I want to know if you¡¯d allow me to speak with Dee about having a bake sale. I¡¯d like to raise the money for the dance.¡± He stared around my face; for a moment, it looked like he felt guilty for his usation, but that guilty look was gone, and he turned away to continue his practice. ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± I smiled, even though he wasn¡¯t looking at me so he couldn¡¯t see that I was smiling. But I felt overjoyed by this. I decided to ask him for another favor while I was ahead of the game. ¡°We will need security at the dance as well. Know anyone who would like to be head of the security team and make sure we are all safe?¡± I asked, batting my eyes at him. He paused to look at me again. ¡°You want me to be security?¡± He asked; he didn¡¯t sound upset, just curious, and nodded at my response. ¡°Please?¡± I asked. ¡°I¡¯ll get a team together. Just let me know when the dance is,¡± he agreed. I wanted to hug him, but I thought about it and took a step back. ¡°Thank you, professor,¡± was all I managed to say. ¡­ Dee was more than happy to help me with the bake sale. I spent a lot of time with her over the course of the weeks, baking and selling until we had enough money for the dance. The rest of themittee spent time getting signatures and support from our fellow ssmates and faculty. Once we had everything, we needed it was time to start nning. ¡°We will have the dance this Saturday. We have tickets printed and ready for sale. All sales made for this will go into the dance funds and leftovers will go into the next event,¡± I announced to the student committee. We sat in the lounge, making a big list of things we would need for the dance. Ta and Jackie volunteered to go shopping for all the supplies while the others were going to be busy helping me decorate and selling tickets. ¡°So, do you have a date for the dance?¡± Rachel asked the night before the dance. ¡°No, I¡¯m just going to go by myself,¡± I told her with a shrug. I was curled up in bed, exhausted after a long day. ¡°That¡¯s some,¡± Rachelughed, shaking her head. ¡°There¡¯s nobody at all that you¡¯re interested in?¡± I couldn¡¯t tell her that I was mated with my professor. ¡°Let me guess, are you going with Ryan?¡± I asked teasingly, avoiding her question. ¡°Duh,¡± she said in return, tossing a pillow at me. Iughed as I caught it. ¡°Brody asked me to the dance, but I declined,¡± I admitted, tossing the pillow back at her. She shot to her feet and gasped loudly. ¡°What? Brody is fucking hot! Why would you decline him?¡± She asked a little too loudly. ¡°I¡¯m not interested,¡± I said with a shrug. ¡°Are you insane? Any girl would be insane to turn him down.¡± ¡°I guess I¡¯m insane,¡± I said with a smirk. ¡°I did however tell him we can dance.¡± ¡°I guess that¡¯s better than nothing,¡± she pouted as she sat back down. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you declined him though. Girl, you are wild for that.¡± ¡°Little does she know who our mate is,¡± Val cooed within me. ¡°There¡¯s nobody better looking than Enzo.¡± I had to admit that my wolf was right. Enzo was quite dreamy to look at. I could feel that Val wanted to be near him, and I didn¡¯t want to deny her that. I also kind of wanted to make sure he was all set for the dance tomorrow. He¡¯s head of the security team for the dance, and I had to be sure there was going to be a sufficient amount of security present. It was early enough that he was most likely still awake. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back,¡± I said to Rachel as I left our dorm. The faculty had their own section of the school called ¡°The faculty housing.¡± There were small homes set up at the edge of the campus grounds where the professors and other faculty members lived. Each one had their own home; it was their home away from home. It was because the school was somewhat further away than most packs and the board didn¡¯t want the faculty tomute back and forth daily. So, they had homes made. I had never been to any of these homes; technically, students weren¡¯t allowed to go to these homes. But Val knew exactly which one was Enzo¡¯s. He had a more private home; it was bordering the woods and you couldn¡¯t really see the other homes where he was located. I¡¯m guessing he requested that home for that specific reason. He was a very private person, and it didn¡¯t surprise me. My heart was racing as I stood at the front door; I had no idea what I was getting myself into. This was most likely going to end disastrously. It was a terrible idea to visit him here, especially at this hour. But I couldn¡¯t help myself. I wasn¡¯t in control anymore; Val was. I knocked on his door, ignoring the nervous feeling bubbling in the pit of my stomach as I waited for him to answer. I waited a minute before knocking again, even louder this time. There was a light in the house, so I knew he was home. After another moment, I heard the door utching and the knob began to turn. I took a step back, taking a deep breath to steady my rapid heart rate and my trembling body. He stood before me, staring at me like he had seen a ghost. I¡¯m sure he wasn¡¯t expecting me to be there. I had forgotten what I was there for, to begin with. I bit onto my bottom lip, trying toe up with something to say but no words came to my lips. Just as I opened my mouth to say something, I saw someone in the background. It was Connie. She was wearing nothing, but a towel wrapped around her naked body; her hair was wet like she had juste out of the shower, and she was searching the living room with a frown. ¡°Enzo? Have you seen my underwear?¡±N?velDrama.Org ? content. Chapter 45 Chapter 45 Enzo¡¯s POV What in the actual fuck was going on right now? This couldn¡¯t have been happening. L stood in front of me with wide eyes, staring at Connie behind me. Connie, who was parading around in just a towel, was searching for the underwear she had misced. They both had terrible timing. L¡¯s body began to tremble as she took arge step away from me. What was she even doing here? This was the faculty housing. Students weren¡¯t allowed here. ¡°Enzo? Did you hear¡­¡± Connie walked closer to me and once she noticed L staring at her, she paused. ¡°Oh¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know you hadpany. A studentpany at that.¡± Connie raised her brows. ¡°I was just leaving,¡± L stammered as she turned around. She began to hurry away from the house. ¡°What were you doing here?¡± I called after her, shutting the door behind me as I stepped outside. I could hear Connie saying something from inside, but I ignored her. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t havee here,¡± L said quickly; she still had her back turned to me. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry to bother you.¡± ¡°Why did you?¡± ¡°I just wanted to make sure you were all set for tomorrow night,¡± she said in a soft tone; it almost sounded like she was crying. But that couldn¡¯t have been right. Why would she be crying? ¡°Yes, I have the security ready for the dance,¡± I answered. ¡°That¡¯s all you wanted?¡± She nodded. ¡® ¡°Yes,¡± she whispered; before I could say anything else, she was disappearing into the shadows of the night. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. I sighed and went back inside to see Connie finishing getting dressed. ¡°What was that all about?¡± She asked, folding her arms across her chest. ¡°She just wanted to make sure I had the security team ready for the dance tomorrow,¡± I answered. ¡°She couldn¡¯t have called?¡± She asked, raising her brows. ¡°That seems a little odd.¡± ¡°Maybe she did, and I didn¡¯t hear the phone,¡± I shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. That was all she said.¡± ¡°She left quickly. Was she upset about something?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± I answered. ¡°Does it matter?¡± ¡°Yes, Enzo. It matters,¡± Connie scoffed. ¡°I think she was upset because she saw me. I think she might have a crush on you and that¡¯s an issue.¡± ¡°You¡¯re being ridiculous,¡± I said, shaking my head. ¡°She¡¯s my student.¡± ¡°Exactly; and you are incredibly attractive. If she has a crush on you, it could get you into trouble. You need to make sure she knows that you aren¡¯t avable to her. She can¡¯t just show up at your home like this. It¡¯s not appropriate.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡± ¡°Why are you defending her so much? If the board knew¡­¡± ¡°The board isn¡¯t going to know and I¡¯m not defending her. I¡¯m telling you what I know and what I know is that L does not have a crush on me. Her father is kind of a big deal, and I promised him that I would keep her safe while at school. L feelsfortable with me for that reason and that reason alone. I¡¯m not sure why she came here knowing it was against the academy rules, but she did. I will have a talk with her in the morning. But my rtionship with her is nothing but professional and it¡¯s also nobody¡¯s business. Including yours.¡± I turned away and started to walk toward my bedroom; she stared after me, her mouth hanging open in shock at my words. I had never spoken to her like that before and she wasn¡¯t sure what to think of it. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said from behind me. ¡°I just worry about you, that¡¯s all.¡± I understood that and if roles were reversed, I would worry about her too. I felt her hand on the back of my shoulder, causing me to pause before I reached my bedroom door. I turned around and saw herrge and curious eyes peering up at me through hershes. Her face was red slightly and she bit onto her bottom lip, chewing on it gently. ¡°I¡¯m embarrassed for how I just behaved,¡± she said in a low tone. ¡°I just care so much about you, and I don¡¯t want to see you hurt or in trouble.¡± ¡°Neither of those things will happen,¡± I assured her. She stepped closer to me. ¡°Thank you for letting me crash here¡­¡± she said, still eyeing me carefully through hershes. ¡°Being only a temporary teacher, they haven¡¯t given me a house on campus.¡± Of course, I already knew that. She was only here for a couple of days, and I wasn¡¯t going to let her sleep on the streets. Connie was basically my sister; I had known her for most of my life. My mother raised both of us and it wouldn¡¯t be right of me to dismiss Connie after she had helped me take charge of my ss during my absence. But I didn¡¯t speak those words out loud; I just nodded to her and turned away again. ¡°I was thinking maybe we can attend the dance together,¡± Connie said quickly; I paused again. I was surprised by her suggestion, and she knew it from the look on my face. She gave a softugh and her face reddened even more. ¡°We could dance together¡­ it might be nice.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not there as a social thing. I¡¯m there doing a job,¡± I reminded her. ¡°I¡¯m the head of the security team; I won¡¯t have the time.¡± ¡°Just one dance, Enzo. It won¡¯t be the end of the world.¡± She stepped closer again, this time she was pressing her body against mine. I remained unmoved; she was trying to seduce me. That much was obvious. My question was, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°We make a really good team, you know,¡± she said, lowering her tone even more. ¡°And we could make an even better one¡­¡± She ran her fingertips up my arm until they reached the top of my shoulder. ¡°We¡¯ve known each other our whole lives¡­ maybe that¡¯s a sign that we were meant to be together¡ª¡± I took a long stride away from her, causing her hand to fall from my shoulder and back to her side. She frowned as she peered up at me. ¡°I¡¯m going to pretend this conversation didn¡¯t just happen, Connie. You are basically my sister. There¡¯s nothing more to it. Get some sleep,¡± I said as I turned away from her. ¡°Enzo¡ª¡± She called after me, but I had already shut the door of my bedroom behind me, blocking out her words. ¡­ L¡¯s POV Tears were escaping my eyes quickly; I had to disappear for the time being before I lost control of my powers. Usually, when I got like this, my powers were unpredictable. I took a few deep breaths and allowed myself to feel the feelings that were coursing through my body. Seeing Connie standing in Enzo¡¯s home, basically naked, did something to me. I wasn¡¯t expecting these types of feelings, but I couldn¡¯t help myself. Val was inplete despair; as soon as we saw them together, it was like she hadpletely shut down. She gave me all control back and all I could think to do was run away. I knew now that it would never be me that Enzo wanted. It was Connie. Connie was his chosen mate. And I was nothing to him Chapter 46 Chapter 46 L¡¯s POV ¡°Enjoy the dance!¡± Megan said at the door as a group of students made their way past her. I stood outside, watching as students made their way into the dance. Everybody was dressed up so beautifully. I wore a long pink dress with noodle straps that went around my neck and hugged my body perfectly. I went shopping a few days ago with Rachel. She wore a red and ck dress; it was a lot shorter and ended just above her knees, revealing her killer legs. My dark hair was curled with an iron, thanks to Rachel, and put back with a pink headband that matches my dress. ¡°I hope you have a good night,¡± I said to the few students who walked past me. ¡°Girl, you look hot!¡± Rachel said as she walked up to me; she looked absolutely stunning, and Ryan was on her arm. He looked great as well. ¡°As do you,¡± I said in return. ¡°You look great too, Ryan,¡± I added with a smile. ¡°Thanks,¡± he said, nodding his head at me. Rachel tightened her grip on him and led him to the doors. ¡°We¡¯ll see you inside!¡± She shouted after me; I can¡¯t help but chuckle at my friend. There were a couple of security guards standing outside and it made me wonder if Enzo was there yet. I could sense him, but that could mean that he was anywhere on campus. I had yet to see him walk past me. He was probably with Connie anyways. It wouldn¡¯t surprise me if they showed up here together. A knot had formed in my stomach at the very thought of it. Val was also feeling ufortable. I shook the thought out of my mind and turned toward the door. It was time to go inside and enjoy myself. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? ¡­ Enzo was standing off in the corner for most of the night and he was alone. There was no sign of Connie anywhere. That pleased me, but I paid him no attention. I spent most of the night with Rachel and Ryan. There were a few girls that I was friendly with that wanted to join us in a group dance. The music was loud, and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. I worried that mayhem would break out because we were all wound up. Some were shifting into their inhuman forms. There were bears and wolves running around, and it was starting to get a little rough. Thankfully, Enzo was on it and put an end to anything that could be potentially dangerous. I was right to appoint him as head of the security team. I was d when I saw that a couple of members of the board also attended the dance and they seemed to be enjoying themselves as well. ¡°You¡¯ve outdone yourself, L,¡± Mrs. Laurence said with a kind smile. ¡°I would be happy if you could keep themittee going forward and we can n out more events in the future.¡± ¡°That would be great. Thank you so much,¡± I said in return. This morning I had a text from Cassidy-Ann as well saying that my first official day will be on Monday. She agreed to wait until after the dance so I could focus on this instead of that. But now that I was going to be running the studentmittee and working as her assistant, I was going to be incredibly busy. I probably won¡¯t have time to even think about Enzo. Which will be good because I didn¡¯t want to be thinking about him. It was only a matter of time before he rejected me and took Connie as his chosen mate anyway. ¡­ Enzo¡¯s POV It was hard not to look at her; she wore the most beautiful dress, and itplimented her skin tone perfectly. We haven¡¯t spoken since she came to my campus housest night; for some reason, I felt the need to exin to her that it was a misunderstanding. Max made me believe that she was upset over the fact that Connie was there in nothing but a towel. She had to have known that nothing was going on between us. Connie was only a dear friend; sure, she made a pass at me, but I dismissed her right away. Not because of L, but because I wouldn¡¯t cross that boundary with someone I thought of as a sister. But as L stood with her group of friends across the dance floor, dancing andughing, I realized she hadn¡¯t looked over at me the entire time. She can sense me though; I know she can. ¡°Do you smell her?¡± Max breathed, I saw hisrge nose in my mind¡¯s eye, up in the air and sniffing it like he was in a pastry shop. ¡°The scent of honeysuckle is all around us. It¡¯s her and she smells delicious.¡± ¡°Calm yourself,¡± I muttered to my wolf, not wanting to get into it with him. Thest thing I wanted was for my wolf to lose control. Then everybody would know about me being mates with my student. I couldn¡¯t have that. Especially when the school board was here. ¡°Enzo¡­¡± I heard the familiar voice of Mrs. Laurence approaching me. ¡°I¡¯m d you made it; L certainly outdid herself. I must say, I¡¯m impressed.¡± ¡°She¡¯s an impressive woman,¡± I said in return before I could stop the word froming out of my mouth. Mrs. Laurence just stared at me with wide eyes. ¡°As my student, she¡¯s always been very impressive,¡± I rified. She looked like she bought it because she smiled. ¡°I see,¡± she said. ¡°I saw her painting of you in the exhibit. It was nice of you to allow her to paint that.¡± ¡°It was a favor to her father,¡± I lied. ¡°I promised that I would watch over her while she was here, and I intend to keep that promise.¡± ¡°That¡¯s very noble of you, Enzo,¡± Mrs. Laurence said with a grin. ¡°I was just about to leave because it looks like everything is handled here. If you run into any issues, please call me. I¡¯m sure the students are in good hands with you and your security team watching over them.¡± ¡°Yes, mam,¡± I answered, giving her a head nod as she walked away. I turned back to L and this time, I noticed she was watching me. There was a curious look in her eyes, and I realized it was because she wanted to know what Mrs. Laurence was talking to me about. Once she noticed that I noticed her, I gave her a smirk and watched as her features grew red. She turned away from me quickly to talk with her friends again. She was avoiding me, or she didn¡¯t want me to know that she noticed me. She was ying a game and it was oddly enough a turn-on for me and my member. Our moment in the bathroom was fresh in my mind and I wanted to finish where we left off. I took a step toward her; I was going to pull her away. I knew it was probably something I shouldn¡¯t do, but I was giving in to my wolf¡¯s request. If I didn¡¯t, he would lose control and I¡¯d be screwed. But just as I started to get near her, I paused when I saw that she was talking to a boy. I knew the boy to be the school¡¯s baseball pitcher, Brody. He was giving her a lopsided grin and she was chuckling at whatever stupid thing he was saying. He held out a hand for her and I smirked, knowing that she was going to decline it. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. A smirk that instantly vanished when she epted his outstretched hand and went with him to the dance floor Chapter 47 Chapter 47 L¡¯s POV I could feel his eyes on me when I was dancing with Brody. Enzo stayed off in the corner, but he was watching me like he was hungry, and I was his dinner. I wasn¡¯t sure why that excited me so much. Maybe because I finally had the advantage over him. If he could be with Connie without a second thought about me, then I should be able to dance with Brody without feeling guilty. It¡¯s not like he wanted me, so what did I have to feel guilty about? Brody had his hands around my waist when we danced; I had to admit that I felt a little bit ufortable, but I didn¡¯t stop him. I held myself close to him and swayed to the music. I promised him this dance after all. I caught Rachel watching us with a proud smile on her face and I rolled my eyes, trying to ignore her, but I chuckled at the same time. ¡°You look beautiful, L,¡± Brody said with a fond smile and a kind look in his eyes. ¡°You look great too,¡± I said in return. ¡°Did youe here with anyone?¡± ¡°No,¡± he answered. ¡°The one and only girl I asked and actually wanted to go with turned me down.¡± I frowned; he was talking about me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I said to him. ¡°I thought it would be better if I just came alone.¡± ¡°And is it better?¡± He asked. I nced over at Enzo who was still watching me from across the room and then looked back up at Brody. ¡°I¡¯m d we are able to dance,¡± I said to him, avoiding the question. Just as the song ended, I stepped away from him. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? ¡°I¡¯m going to grab a drink; I¡¯ll talk to youter,¡± I said to him, walking past him and toward the Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. refreshment stand. Enzo was near the refreshment stand. I shouldn¡¯t be going near him, but I couldn¡¯t help myself. There was a part of me that wanted to scold him for watching me like this. ¡°Why are you staring at me?¡± I muttered as I stood beside him. I was pouring myself a drink while speaking to him, so it didn¡¯t look like I was over there specifically for him. ¡°I can¡¯t help where my eyes wander,¡± he muttered, gazing around the room like he was doing his job and not causing suspicion. ¡°But I didn¡¯t know you and Brody were an item.¡± ¡°Does it matter if we were? For starters, it¡¯s not your business. Also, you are with Connie, so it really doesn¡¯t concern you who I¡¯m with.¡± I couldn¡¯t stop those words froming out of my mouth and I wished almost instantly that I could take them back. I definitely came off as a jealous girl. ¡°I¡¯m not with anybody,¡± he said between his teeth and tightened jaw. ¡°Connie is just a friend.¡± ¡°Yeah, she looked really friendlyst night when she was looking for her underwear,¡± I nearly hissed. Just as I was about to walk away with my drink, I felt a firm grasp on my wrist, halting me in ce. I quickly ced the cup on the table and turned to face Enzo whose eyes had darkened to match his re. He kept our hands low so nobody would see that he had a hold on me; he nced around for a moment to make sure there were no wandering eyes before pulling me away and alongside him. I sucked in a sharp breath, holding it until I felt like my lungs were going to pop. He pulled me into the halls and toward a hidden corner, secluded from everything and everyone. ¡°What are you¡ª¡± I tried to get out, but he pushed me against the wall and his lips were pressing against mine. I had half the mind to kick him or push him away, but I didn¡¯t want to. I allowed his lips to get close enough to me and then touch me. I allowed myself to be manhandled by him and be pressed into a corner with his firm body against mine. I felt the member in his pants hardening as he pressed himself into me. He ran his hands hungrily down the sides of my body, cupping my lower half and causing an intense heat to course through my flesh. I breathed him in and everything he had to offer at that moment. His lips were so inviting and tasty that I just wanted to bring them into my mouth. I bit onto his bottom lip and started sucking on it. I didn¡¯t care where we were and who saw us at that moment, I just wanted him. I felt my dress loosening just as he got the zipper undone and it fell around my feet, leaving me in only my bra and underwear. My bra was strapless and easy to ess. He stared at my chest with lust hidden in his eyes and it was exciting. Val was eager to be touched and kissed by him again. He brought his lips across my chest and yed with my breasts. He cupped one in his hands and ran his tongue across the other. He hadn¡¯t revealed them to him yet, but he was ravishing in my cleavage. Goosebumps formed on my body, but I didn¡¯t feel cold. In fact, it was quite the opposite, I felt warm everywhere. I threw my head back, feeling the softness of his tongue on my flesh. Feeling him kissing, licking, and sucking, every corner of my body that he could. I knew from the look in his eyes that he wanted to devour me, and I wiggled with excitement. I wrapped my arms around him and allowed him to lift me up so my legs could wrap around him as well. I felt his fingers ying with the straps of my bra, begging to release it and free the girls that desperately wanted to be touched. Every ounce of my body felt as if it was on fire. Just as my bra was about to fall to the ground, we paused when we heard talking from around the corner. There were a couple of girls walking in our direction. He looked at me for a moment before releasing me onto the ground. He grabbed my dress off the ground and threw it in my direction. I caught it with ease and struggled to put it on while he covered me with his body. My heart was racing at lightning speed, and I wasn¡¯t sure I would be able to contain my breath. Just as they walked around the corner, Enzo was walking away casually, and I was fully dressed. ¡°L?¡± One of the girls I recognized from school said as she walked toward me. I was panting heavily while still pressed against the wall. I¡¯m sure my hair was a mess too because Enzo had his fingers in it, and I¡¯m also sure that my face was as red as an apple. ¡°Are you okay?¡± She asked curiously. ¡°Yes¡­¡± I managed to squeak. ¡°I think I just saw a mouse. It¡¯s really nothing.¡± She stared at me for a moment longer and then nced at the ground, looking around with a worried expression. ¡°Is it still around?¡± She asked, with a little fear lingering in her voice. ¡°No, it was just a shadow,¡± Iughed. ¡°It¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± she breathed, relieved as she met my eyes. ¡°We were just looking for the bathroom.¡± ¡°It¡¯s down the hall,¡± I said, pointing with my finger. They both smiled their thanks and went down the hall. That was a close one. But even after we almost got caught, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder where Enzo had gone. Chapter 48 Chapter 48 Enzo¡¯s POV ¡°Go back there and take what is ours!!¡± Max roared, fury boiling through him. He was desperate to have L as his and I wasn¡¯t going to partake in such activities. If I were to be caught, I could lose everything I had worked so hard for, and I wasn¡¯t going to let that happen. I had big goals and dreams to fulfill in order to lock my future down and I wasn¡¯t going to let a mate bond get in the way of that. Plus, if I were to get too close to her, it¡¯ll put her in danger. I¡¯m always being watched and hunted by my father¡¯s followers. They nearly killed my mother. I won¡¯t let something like that happen to L too. ¡® Not while I¡¯m alive. I was careless and weak. I acted with my dick and not with my head. I won¡¯t let that happen again. Though, I could still taste her sweet lips on mine and feel the softness of her skin pressed against me. It made me feel a way I had never felt before. However, I chose to ignore that feeling. I returned to the dance because I had a job to do and I couldn¡¯t just leave, but I made sure to avoid L for the rest of the night. Which was easy because it seemed she had left with her friends. Come to think of it¡­ Brody was gone too. ¡­ I was the first to arrive, after Bastien, at the monthly Alphamittee meeting. Bastien had everything set up at each section of the table; mainly an agenda for what we are going to be discussing today. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? ¡°Enzo, I shouldn¡¯t be surprised that you are early,¡± Bastien said as he motioned for a seat. ¡°How is everything?¡± ¡°Good,¡± I answered. ¡°L did a great job with the dance. It seemed everyone had a good time.¡± ¡°She chose a great Alpha for the head of security,¡± Bastien said with a head nod. ¡°I appreciate you for keeping her and everyone safe.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± I said in return. Before any more words were exchanged, more Alphas entered. They were already engrossed in small talk when they came into the room and took their seats. ¡°Help yourself to some coffee and donuts,¡± Bastien said, pointing to the counter across the room where he set up coffee and donut stations. ¡°Once everyone is settled, we will get started.¡± Bastien set up hisptop while he waited for everyone to take their seats. Once everyone was seated, he began to speak. ¡°There are some concerns I wanted to bring up to everybody. There was an attack recently where a Vna wolf had gotten injured. We need to be wary of our surroundings and be on the lookout for anything suspicious. If we need to recruit more gammas in specific areas, please let me know and we can figure out a game n to be sure your pack¡¯s safety. Safety is the number one priority. I know from experience that ise¡¯s followers are not messing around, and they will attack anything and anyone that¡¯s different.¡± Everyone was silent as they processed his words. ¡°In other news, the central bank will need a new bank manager so if anyone is up for the job, or if you know anyone up for the job, please visit the central bank and put in an application. I will be reviewing them all over the weekend and will decide on interviews on Monday.¡± Alpha Bastien paused again as he nced around the table and his eyesnded on Alpha Steven, the richest Alpha amongst them all. Steven was an arrogant prick, and he always hated the fact that Bastien was in charge of the committee and not him. He wanted to be in control of everything and own everything, themittee was the one thing he couldn¡¯t buy, and it drove him crazy. ¡°The Shifter Academy had recently created a new organization for students, known as the student committee. My daughter, L, will be in charge of that. They will be nning new events for students in the future,¡± Bastien said, still staring at Steven whose eyes had darkened. ¡°I didn¡¯t approve of that,¡± Steven said through gritted teeth. ¡°You don¡¯t need to approve it; the board already approved it.¡± ¡°Are you forgetting who owns that school?¡± Steven sneered. ¡°It¡¯s owned by the kingdom and the board is in charge of the academy. You fund the academy, yes, but in the contract, you forfeit all rights to the school. You are not the owner.¡± ¡°I can pull my funding and the school will be run into the ground,¡± Steven growled, standing to his feet in a threatening manner. ¡°The school your daughter attends? Are you really going to disrupt her education because you can¡¯t get your way?¡± Bastien asked. ¡°How would that make you look as not only an Alpha but as a father as well? You will lose the respect of your pack and the kingdom if you did such a thing.¡± ¡°If anyone is going to be head of themittee, it should be Sarah,¡± Steven hissed, his eyes turning red. ¡°Due to your daughter¡¯s recent troubles and her current status as suspended, I¡¯m afraid she isn¡¯t allowed to be head of themittee. My daughter will remain in charge until further notice.¡± This silenced Steven; he wasn¡¯t happy about this, and it was taking everything I had not to smirk. He sat back down and continued to re at Bastien for the rest of the meeting. The meeting went on for another hour before the conversation started to slow down. By the end of the meeting, I was ready to leave and enjoy the rest of my day working on my curriculum for the rest of the week. Just as I started to pack up my belongings in my briefcase, I heard my name being thrown around the mouths of the other Alphas, causing me to freeze. ¡°Hey, Enzo!¡± One of them shouted from across the room once they were sick of talking about me behind my back. Now, they wanted to involve me in the conversation. ¡°You¡¯re 23, right? When are you going to find your mate?¡± ¡°Yeah, you are getting too old to be single. You should be settling down by now.¡± ¡°Got any she-wolves you are looking at?¡± I wasn¡¯t sure what I was expecting, but I certainly wasn¡¯t expecting that. I just stared at them nkly for a long while as they all stared back at me with wide and curious eyes. The sad part was this time they weren¡¯t drunk. How was this any of their business? ¡°Guys, leave him alone. He will settle down when he¡¯s good and ready,¡± Bastien said with a faint smile on his mouth as he shook his head. ¡°He wants to get ahead though! An Alpha is only as good as his Luna. Without a Luna, how do you expect your pack to thrive?¡± Alpha John said with a frown. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in this conversation,¡± I found myself muttering. I finished collecting my things and zipped my briefcase before turning toward the door. ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me¡­¡± I said, walking away. ¡°Hey! Wait up, Enzo!¡± Alpha John said from behind me, following me into the halls of the city hall. I paused and red at him; I was very unamused that he was following me to harass me about my love life. ¡°My daughter, Bethany, is back in town from her tour. She¡¯s a singer and quite good. You might have heard her music on the radio.¡± Bethany Rochelle; of course, I had heard of her music. She admittedly had a nice voice and a lot of students around campus listened to her in the lounge. Her music isn¡¯t to my taste, but I recognize that she has some serious talent. ¡°I might have,¡± I said in return, not giving him more information than that. ¡°Well, she will be in town for a while, and she was just saying the other day that she wishes to find a gentleman and settle down. She¡¯s sick of always being on the road and wishes to pursue a serious rtionship with a proper suitor.¡± ¡°I see.¡± I didn¡¯t like where this was going. ¡°I was hoping I¡¯d be able to introduce you. You are quite the looker yourself, which is exactly her type. What do you say? Want to meet her and take her out for a date?¡± I saw the hopefulness in his eyes and for a moment, I almost thought of saying yes just to shut him up. But I didn¡¯t want to listen to Max¡¯sint about going out with another woman when he all wanted to do was be with our mate. A mate I wasn¡¯t even sure I wanted to keep. But, until I figured it out, it was probably better if I didn¡¯t pursue another she-wolf. ¡°I¡¯m afraid you are mistaken about my rtionship status. I¡¯m actually in a verymitted and happy rtionship.¡±Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Chapter 49 Chapter 49 Third Person POV Bethany Rochelle. One of the most beautiful and talented women in the entire kingdom. She has been touring the world for the past year and releasing album after album. She seemingly had everything she could ever possibly want, except for one thing. A manly wolf to call her own, preferably an Alpha. She sat on her tour bus, on her way to her home pack to stay with her parents for a while, flipping through a magazine she had picked up during theirst pit stop. That was when she came across Alpha Enzo. The world¡¯s youngest Alpha was chosen to feature in the kingdom¡¯s famous magazine, modeling a pair of dress pants that fit him perfectly. He was shirtless in this picture and his abs were mouth-watering. She couldn¡¯t look away from his rippling chest and bulging biceps; she also couldn¡¯t seem to stop staring into the young Alpha¡¯s dark and inviting eyes. They were so seductive and hypnotizing; like he was looking directly at her. It says in the magazine that he is the Alpha of the Calypso pack. That pack sounded so familiar to her. ¡°Emily?¡± She called across the tour bus to one of her dancers and best friend. She was lounging on one of the couches, flipping through her own magazine and she looked up at Bethany with curiosity in her eyes. ¡°Have we heard of the Calypso pack? It sounds so familiar to me,¡± Bethany asked with a timid frown. Emily thought about it for a moment before realization crossed her eyes. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? ¡°I think that pack is pretty close to your father¡¯s pack? It¡¯s just outside of Elysium. Maybe an hour¡¯s drive. I also believe that¡¯s the pack that ise had once run before he died.¡± This news caused Bethany to gasp once she realized the resemnce between Enzo and ise was uncanny. She had only seen pictures of ise and of course, she had heard of the terrible things he had done. There was no mistaking that this person was in fact ise¡¯s¡¯ son. So, that made this young Alpha Dangerous. How interesting. ¡­ ¡°You told me on the phone earlier that he was single, father. How is he taken now?¡± Bethany demanded to know. She was seeing red as fury rose throughout her body. ¡°I know¡­I thought he was, but I was mistaken. He said he¡¯s in a very happy andmitted rtionship,¡± her father said. ¡°There are other men in the kingdom, Bethany.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want another man, I want Alpha Enzo,¡± she sneered. ¡°Is this other woman his Luna?¡± ¡°No, he¡¯s unmarried.¡± That gave Bethany a ping of hope. ¡°That means I still have a chance,¡± she said under her breath, turning her back to her father so she could process this new information. She turns to her father with a sweet smile. ¡°I would still like to meet him.¡± ¡­ ¡°B¡­ B¡­ Bethany Rochelle!?¡± A simple-looking redheaded man said from the doorway of the Calypso packhouse. He was not only starstruck but also in awe of her beauty. She was used to this kind of reaction. Her bodyguard stood a distance behind her, making sure she didn¡¯t get harassed on her journey to the Calypso pack. ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t believe you are actually standing in front of me,¡± he stammered. ¡°I am a huge fan!¡± ¡°Of course, you are,¡± she said coolly, waving her hand dismissively. ¡°My music has made number one on the charts. You¡¯d be a fool to not be a fan.¡± ¡°What are you even doing here?¡± He asked. ¡°I mean¡­ not that I¡¯m not pleased. But holy cow, I can¡¯t believe you are standing in front of me. You are even more beautiful in person.¡± He was practically drooling over her; but sadly, this gentleman wasn¡¯t Alpha Enzo, and she wasn¡¯t going to entertain him for a moment longer. ¡°I¡¯m here to see Alpha Enzo. Is he around?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid not¡­ it¡¯s Monday. He¡¯s over at the academy until Friday,¡± he said with a frown. Bethany rose her brows. ¡°The academy?¡± ¡°Yes, the Shifter Academy,¡± he answered. ¡°Is¡­ is he a student??¡± She had never heard of an Alpha being a student at an academy formon wolves. The thought made her want tough out loud. ¡°No, he¡¯s thebat and shifting professor,¡± he exined. That made more sense and for some reason, Bethany found that to be incredibly attractive. She couldn¡¯t help the smile that tugged at the corners of her perfectly shaped lips. ¡°I see,¡± she breathed. ¡°If he¡¯s there, then who is in charge of his pack?¡± ¡°When he¡¯s not here, I am¡­¡± he said, almost sheepishly. ¡°I¡¯m Beta Ethan.¡± ¡°Beta?¡± Bethany asked, staring around at the man¡¯s unmanly fatigue. There¡¯s nothing about him that screams ¡®Beta.¡¯ Omega, maybe, but not a Beta. ¡°Yes,¡± Ethan said, bowing his head slightly. ¡°Of course, I report everything to Enzo when he¡¯s not here and Enzo returns every weekend and sometimes, he returns during the week for emergency situations. He¡¯s incredibly aware and active when ites to his pack.¡± ¡°I see,¡± she said with fondness in her tone. Her future husband was certainly quite the man. Her heart was racing at the very thought of him. She must meet him right away; she knew for sure that once he met her, he would fall in love with her and wish to marry her at once. ¡°I suppose I¡¯ll be going to the school for a visit,¡± she said as she turned her perfectly formed body and began walking toward her waiting car. Her bodyguards followed closely behind her. ¡­ Bethany had never been to a normal school; she had been homeschooled her entire life and she certainly never needed to go to college. She wasn¡¯t sure how she felt about being there; she wasn¡¯t even sure where to start looking for Alpha Enzo. She kept herself in a disguise, not wanting to be recognized. She pulled her long blonde and thick hair into a ponytail and put on a pair of her designer sunsses. She wore a long coat over her morous outfit and pulled the hood over her head. She even made her bodyguards wait by the car. ¡°I will mindlink if I need backup,¡± she assured them. The first ce she decided to look was something called ¡°the student lounge.¡± It looked like arge number of students had just gone in there and surely one of them would know where she could find Enzo. As she went in there, she frowned at all the students who didn¡¯t recognize her through her disguise. Though, she got some strange looks from those who questioned her attire. She paid them no attention as she walked through; she frowned for she didn¡¯t see any signs of Enzo in this lounge. Where could he be? Across from the lounge, sitting at one of the tables, she saw a young girl with long dark hair and a Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. pretty face. She was very young, maybe even the youngest one there. It wasn¡¯t the fact that she was young that stood out, it was her eyes. They were two different colors. How strange, she thought to herself. Bethany wasn¡¯t often threatened by other she-wolves, but this one made her uneasy. She approached the girl who was speaking with a couple of others at the same table; none of them noticed Bethany until she cleared her throat loudly to get her attention. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t see you there,¡± the girl said with a kind smile. ¡°Can I help you with something?¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking for someone, yes. He goes by the name Enzo. He¡¯s an Alpha and I hear he¡¯s also a professor here,¡± Bethany went on to say. The girl frowned and stared around Bethany¡¯s unrecognizable face. ¡°I¡¯m his student,¡± she said, standing to her feet. ¡°He¡¯s probably in the arena. He practices hisbat at this hour. I can take you to him if you¡¯d like.¡± ¡°That would be lovely,¡± Bethany said, following the girl out of the lounge. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, who did you say you were again?¡± The girl asked, peering over at Bethany as they walked across the campus and toward a muchrger building. ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­¡± Bethany said with uninterest in her tone. ¡°I¡¯m Beth¡­ and I¡¯m the woman Enzo is going to marry.¡± Chapter 50 Chapter 50 L¡¯s POV What did she just say? The woman Enzo is going to marry? But what about Connie? I wanted to ask, but I thought against it. The woman seemed so sure of her words, and I had no idea who she was. Though I had to admit, she kind of looked familiar. It was almost like she didn¡¯t want anyone to see her face because it was covered with giant sses, and she had a hood over her head. I must have looked as dumbfounded as I felt because she stared me over carefully and then started to laugh. My face instantly started to warm, and I felt embarrassed for a moment as I turned away and continued to the academic center. ¡°Truth be told, we have yet to meet. But I¡¯m sure once he meets me, he won¡¯t be able to resist,¡± she said casually. A knot formed in the pit of my stomach and suddenly, I wasn¡¯t feeling so well. I wasn¡¯t sure what to say in response. ¡°How do you know about Enzo if you¡¯ve never met him?¡± I asked, trying not to look at her; I didn¡¯t want her to see the sorrow on my face. ¡°I saw him in a magazine,¡± she answered. ¡°Plus, my father is an Alpha, so he told me plenty about him.¡± ¡°I see,¡± I said, keeping my tone even. We finally reached the arena, and I was hesitant before opening the door. I was about to introduce my mate to his future Luna. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? My heart ached at the very thought. I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat and pushed the doors open. My breath nearly got caught in my throat when I saw that Enzo was shirtless and fighting hard in the arena. He was alone and he looked incredible. My heart was racing as it often did whenever I was around him and our moments outside the dance invaded my mind. We hadn¡¯t really spoken since then; it was like he was pretending that moment never happened. Not that I could me him. I wasn¡¯t the only one who noticed how handsome Enzo was, Beth was by my side instantly and gawking at him. I thought for a moment that she was going to start drooling. ¡°Oh, my goddess,¡± she breathed. ¡°He¡¯s even better looking in person.¡± That was an understatement. I felt a growl escaping my wolf as this woman gawked at our mate; Val was not happy about this, and I didn¡¯t me her. Enzo noticed us soon enough and he frowned when he saw me standing awkwardly at the doorway with a woman he has never seen before. He dropped his fighting stick and strolled over to us; I bit my lip to keep from making any sounds. But my goddess, he was so hot. ¡°What are you doing in here?¡± He asked, staring directly at me. I couldn¡¯t even form the words to say, but thankfully, I didn¡¯t have to. Beth spoke for me. ¡°I apologize, I asked if she could bring me to you,¡± Bethany said, holding out her hand for him to take. He stared at it for a moment and then back at her face. ¡°And you are?¡± She chuckled. ¡°The woman you are destined to marry,¡± she cooed. At that point, she removed her hood, and took her ponytail out, allowing her thick and gloriously shimmering blonde hair to fall around her shoulders and down her back. Then, she started to take off her sunsses. I gasped loudly. That¡¯s why she looked so familiar! I had every single one of her albums!! Bethany Rochelle! I stared over at Enzo withrge and shocked eyes; he didn¡¯t look as shocked though. Or interested. He looked more bothered than anything. ¡°Goddammit, John,¡± he muttered. ¡°Don¡¯t me my father,¡± Bethany said, stepping closer to him. ¡°I was the one who insisted oning to see you for myself.¡± Were they talking about Alpha John? He was her father? How had I not known that? I was so shocked I couldn¡¯t even move or speak; I was just stunned in ce. I was staring between the two of them like a dear in headlights. My mate and my music idol. ¡°I have heard that you were in a rtionship already, but she isn¡¯t your Luna,¡± Bethany continued. Enzo¡¯s eyes flickered to me almost instantly and I felt my face warming; I had to look away. ¡°Which means, I still have a chance to get with you. As you see, I¡¯m the incredibly talented and beautiful Bethany Rochelle and I deserve the best. I believe that you are the best. We could make an incredible team together. You as my Alpha and me as your Luna.¡± This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. She took another step closer to him, swaying her hips as she walked. She ced a perfectly manicured hand on his bicep and her eyes lit up with delight. ¡°You are quite the man I must say, Alpha Enzo. I can see I have made the right decision bying here.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid you are mistaken,¡± Enzo said, narrowing his eyes at her. ¡°I¡¯m not on the market for a shewolf. I¡¯m sorry you came all this way.¡± He started to turn around and walk away, but she stopped him instantly. ¡°I know what a man like you wants,¡± she said quickly, stopping him in his tracks. ¡°And what¡¯s that?¡± ¡°You want to get to the top,¡± she answered. ¡°You want to prove that you aren¡¯t the same man your father was. That you aren¡¯t cruel. You want a better world and be rid of the evil that still lurks in the world. The evil your father had nted before he died.¡± When he didn¡¯t say anything, she smirked. ¡°I¡¯ve done my research, Alpha Enzo,¡± she exined. ¡°And if you had done yours, you would know that I have a strong following and I influence the world with my music. I influence men like your father¡¯s followers, and I can make any man fall to their knees.¡± I wasn¡¯t doubting that, but I wasn¡¯t liking where this was going. I wanted to leave and let them talk without me there, but my legs were frozen and wouldn¡¯t let me move. ¡°Why does that matter to me?¡± Enzo asked, eyeing her carefully. A smile yed on her lips. ¡°Because I can make them do as I please. I can get to them in a way you would never be able to. You want to rid the world of men like that¡­ I can help you do just that.¡± She stepped closer to him, this time her breast was nearly sitting on his arm, and he remained unmoved. I pressed my lips firmly together, trying to contain the aggravation of my wolf. ¡°We could make an incredible team, Alpha Enzo¡­¡± she breathed, lowering her tone in a seductive manner. ¡°If you¡¯d let me that is¡­¡± This time, I couldn¡¯t contain myself. I opened my mouth to say something; I wanted to tell her off. I wanted to tell her she can¡¯t just barge in here and say stuff like this to him without any warning and it wasn¡¯t fair to put him on the spot. I needed to say this without sounding like a jealous girlfriend. But just as I opened my mouth, Enzo snapped me a dark look. ¡°L, will you excuse us?¡± He asked, nearly staring into my soul. I stared back at him in shock. ¡°What?¡± I asked; the word caught my throat. ¡°I think it¡¯s best if Bethany and I have this conversation by ourselves. Please, excuse us.¡± He remained unmoved, and she nced at me with that seductive smile still on her lips. Then, she winked. ¡°Yes, L,¡± she said my name with a sneer. ¡°Leave me and my future husband alone for a while.¡± Chapter 51 Chapter 51 Enzo¡¯s POV There was a painful expression on L¡¯s face. She looked between Bethany and me, trying to figure out whether I was serious. I knew there was a part of her that wanted to leave. If she stayed any longer it would only hurt her that much worse, and my wolf wasn¡¯t able to handle feeling her pain. ¡°Okay,¡± she finally said in a soft tone. Bethany rose her brows at L as if silently asking her to leave; this irked me. L turned and left us to be alone. ¡°I knew you would see things from my view,¡± Bethany said, batting her longshes at me. ¡°We are going to make an incredible team. Now, let¡¯s discuss marriage.¡± ¡°We won¡¯t be discussing anything of the sort,¡± I said, turning my eyes in her direction. She frowned, seemingly stunned. ¡°Excuse me?¡± She asked, raising her brows once again. ¡°You can¡¯t juste to my workce and talk about this nonsense in front of my students. It was incredibly unprofessional, and my personal business is not to be disyed as it was.¡± ¡°I apologize for being so careless and erupt but¡ª¡± ¡°As for your idea of bing a team, I don¡¯t work with anyone. I got to where I am today because of my dedication and my willingness to put in 100 percent of the work. Not because I used someone else to get ahead.¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t what I meant¡­¡± ¡°I know your intentions and I¡¯ve already told your father I¡¯m not interested.¡± ¡°I thought if I came to see you myself that¡ª¡± ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? ¡°That I would instantly fall for you? If you had really done your research, you would know that I am not that easy. I prefer to work alone and be alone. I don¡¯t have time for women and mates. Anybody who truly knows me would know that. I¡¯m sorry you came all this way only to be disappointed. However, I¡¯m going to ask you to leave this academy and don¡¯t return here like this again.¡± I turned my back to her and went to thebat equipment that I left across the arena. She stood in ce, staring at my back with her mouth hanging open. I knew she was stunned, and I had nothing more to say to her. She eventually left without another word. ¡­ Third Person POV That didn¡¯t go as nned at all. There was something seriously off with this situation. Not to mention there was something off with that girl who brought Bethany to see Enzo. L was her name. When Enzo asked her to leave, it was like she had seen a ghost. She was making Bethany feel rather ufortable. Enzo had looked at Bethany like she was nothing but gutter trash; Bethany was anything but gutter trash. She had never been looked at in such a heinous way before and she wasn¡¯t sure how to react to it. She clenched her fists in a fit of rage; it was taking everything she had not to punch something as she stalked out of the building. She paused when she saw that odd girl, L, standing nearby, leaning against the wall with her head hanging low. ¡°Oh, my goddess!!¡± A cheerful girl said from a short distance. She was with a couple of other girls who were staring at Bethany with wide eyes and gaping mouths. In the mix of all the excitement, Bethany forgot to put her disguise back on before leaving the building. ¡°You¡¯re Bethany Rochelle!!¡± ¡°The one and only,¡± Bethany said coolly, shing them her award-winning smile. The girls rushed over to her. ¡°Can we get your autograph?!¡± They all asked at once. They scrambled through their bags to find notebooks and pens. ¡°I suppose so,¡± Bethany said, sounding a little bored, but that was her natural attitude when it came to her fans. Don¡¯t get her wrong, she adored her fans. Without fans, she wouldn¡¯t be where she was. However, she didn¡¯t want them to know how much she adored them. So, she yed it off as they bored her. It was what kept her so cool and collected; her fans usually looked up to her attitude and aspired to be that calm during their daily lives. L had noticed Bethany at that point, and they locked eyes for a moment. Bethany wondered what this girl was thinking and why she looked so down. She wondered if it had anything to do with the handsome Enzo. The thought caused a flicker of a smile to tug at Bethany¡¯s perfectly formed lips before she pulled her gaze away from L and addressed her fans. They were shoving books and pens in her face; Bethany signed each book and added a little heart to her signature and kissed each one with her ruby-red lip gloss. The girls all cooed and screamed. Bethany¡¯s bodyguard was by her side quickly, forcing the girls away from her so Bethany could make her way back to her car. But not before she turned back in the direction of L and noticed that she was gone. How interesting. ¡­ Upon returning home, her father was sitting in his office and getting some work done. Bethany barged in like she was the one in charge. Her father nced up from hisputer with a frown. ¡°Beth darling, I¡¯m d you¡¯re home but must you barge in like that? What if I had a conference?¡± He asked, sounding annoyed by his daughter. N?velDrama.Org ? content. ¡°I would hope that you would pause the conference for your daughter,¡± she said, sitting down in one of the chairs in front of his desk. She crossed her leg over the other and folded her arms across her busty chest. ¡°Of course,¡± her father said with a sigh. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± He finally asked after searching her distraught face. ¡°I went to see Alpha Enzo and he turned me away,¡± she muttered. Her father rose his brows and narrowed his eyes at her. ¡°I told you that would happen,¡± her father said, shaking his head with dismay written all over his face. ¡°Enzo is already spoken for¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s a lie,¡± she said firmly. ¡°He told me himself that he doesn¡¯t have any interest in women or mates.¡± ¡°Is that right?¡± ¡°Perhaps he¡¯s gay,¡± she said almost thoughtfully. ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± he said in return. ¡°Well, clearly you don¡¯t know much of anything about him then,¡± she snapped. ¡°Watch your tone, Beth. You might be a famous singer and my daughter, but I¡¯m still the Alpha,¡± her father said in a deep and threatening tone. ¡°As an Alpha, you should know more about the other Alphas.¡± ¡°I know what I need to know, and their rtionship history isn¡¯t something I need to know,¡± he informed her. ¡°It is odd, however, that he remains unmated and unwed. He can¡¯t run a pack properly if there¡¯s no Luna. It¡¯s shameful really. I tried my best to make him see that but clearly, he is unwilling to compromise.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have a luna,¡± Bethany reminded him. ¡°Your mother was killed. That¡¯s different than never having one.¡± ¡°Mother wasn¡¯t your fated mate. She was your chosen mate. If I remember correctly, she wasn¡¯t interested in a mate either. What made her fall in love with you?¡± ¡°I had her live in the packhouse while she was in town for business. There was no other ce for her to stay and I knew I loved her the moment I saw her,¡± her father exined. ¡°It¡¯s true, she didn¡¯t love me, but she needed a ce to stay for a while and took me up on my offer. Once she saw all the things I could do and how true to my word that I was, she eventually started to open up to me. Sheter confessed to falling in love with me.¡± ¡°So, Mother living in the packhouse is what made her fall in love with you?¡± ¡°No,¡± her father said, shaking his head. ¡°But it brought her close enough to me where she eventually fell in love.¡± An idea surfaced in Bethany¡¯s mind, causing her to stand to her feet quickly. ¡°That¡¯s it!¡± She breathed. ¡°That¡¯s how I¡¯ll get him to fall in love with me. I¡¯ll move into his packhouse!¡± Chapter 52 Chapter 52 Enzo¡¯s POV ¡°Alpha John is requesting a meeting with you,¡± Beta Ethan said during a mindlink. ¡°He agreed to meet you somewhere in Hig. Perhaps a coffee shop in the morning.¡± ¡°Did he say what it¡¯s about?¡± I asked, curiosity piquing my interest. It was odd that John would request a last-minute meeting like this. It was out of character. ¡°I asked and he said it was a personal matter,¡± Ethan said in return. ¡°I see,¡± I said, thinking carefully about this. ¡°All right. We can meet at the coffee shop in the morning. 8:00 am.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll let him know,¡± Ethan said as he disconnected the link. ¡­ The next morning. The coffee shop was fairly busy in the morning with the college students all scrambling to get their morning coffee before their first rounds of sses. I knew I wasn¡¯t going to see L this morning because coffee wasn¡¯t something she typically drank. She was a tea drinker. I wasn¡¯t even sure how or why I knew that information. ¡°You think about her often,¡± Max teased. ¡°It¡¯s like you can¡¯t help yourself.¡± ¡°Shut up,¡± I seethed between my teeth. Nothing else was said by my wolf. I saw Alpha John sitting in a booth with a cup of coffeeid out in front of him. He was sipping it gradually, staring at the dark elixir in the cup. I went to him and took my seat in the booth before him, and he genuinely looked pleased to see me. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. ¡°Thank you for meeting with me,¡± John said with a faint, tired smile. ¡°What is this about?¡± I asked, wanting to get right to business. ¡°I have a ss starting soon and I¡¯d like to prepare beforehand.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± John said in return. ¡°As you know, my Luna passed away a couple of years ago and it¡¯s been really hard on not only myself but my daughter Bethany as well.¡± ¡°My apologies for your loss. I know it crushed the kingdom when we found out about her death,¡± I said with true sincerity. ¡°She hasn¡¯t lived at home in a long time and it¡¯s difficult for her to stay there when the memory of her mother. The pain of losing her is still fresh and I worry that Bethany can¡¯t handle it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure over time it will get easier. Once she¡¯s been here long enough.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure yes¡­ however, my Luna¡¯s killer is still out there somewhere¡­¡± ¡°I thought he was killed.¡± ¡°That was a rumor. He is free somewhere and I worry that he might try toe after my daughter next,¡± John said, lowering his gaze to his coffee. ¡°He vowed to take everything from me. Now that Bethany is back in town, she¡¯s easier to track. I don¡¯t want her to be worried, so I haven¡¯t told her any of this.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t say a thing,¡± I assured him. ¡°But I¡¯m a little confused about what you would like me to do.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t protect her in the way that I would like. I worry if she¡¯s in my pack and living under my roof, she will be a target for the killer. I want to protect her in any way that I can.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± I said, leaning back in my seat; I was beginning to realize what he wanted. ¡°You¡¯d like for her to stay in the Calypso pack in my packhouse.¡± It wasn¡¯t a question. I could think of a thousand reasons why that would be a bad idea. But it wasn¡¯t like Alpha John toe to me for a favor like this. I didn¡¯t wish harm on Bethany, despite her being annoying. As an Alpha, I understood that it was our duty to protect her, even if she isn¡¯t a part of my pack. ¡°Yes,¡± he finally answered. ¡°She would think I¡¯m sending her to live there because the memories of her mother are too much for her to handle. But it¡¯s really to protect her against this killer.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I finally said after a long pause. ¡°She can stay at my packhouse. But it¡¯s only until the killer is taken care of. Then, she will return to your home.¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha Enzo,¡± John said, a relieved smile spreading across his lips. ¡°Thank you so much! And please, keep this to yourself.¡± I shook his hand before standing to my feet. ¡°I should be going,¡± I said to him. ¡°I¡¯ll reach out to my Beta and exin to him what¡¯s happening. She can move in this evening. I won¡¯t be there for a couple of days, but my pack will make her feel more than wee.¡± ¡°I really appreciate this,¡± John said, chugging the rest of his coffee before standing to his feet. ¡°I¡¯ll be seeing you soon.¡± ¡­ Third Person POV Bethany packed her things immediately upon her father¡¯s arrival. The made-up story about her mother¡¯s killer being alive still was entirely Bethany¡¯s idea. The killer has been long dead, and Bethany isn¡¯t actually distraught about staying at their home. It was only to get Enzo to sympathize with the situation. Later that evening, after she was done packing, Enzo¡¯s Beta arrived in a car for her. She said her goodbyes to her father and went with Ethan to the car. It didn¡¯t take long to get to the Calypso pack. It was only about 20 minutes away from her father¡¯s pack. Once she arrived, she was greeted by a few pack members and workers. Ethan brought her stuff to her new room. ¡°Oh, Miss Rochelle. I am a big fan of yours,¡± one of the older women said. ¡°I¡¯ve listened to all your songs. Mainly when I cook in the kitchen.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Bethany said politely. ¡°I¡¯m d to have some fans here. But please, treat me like I was just another member of your pack. You may call me Bethany.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± the woman said. ¡°I am Deanna. But most call me Dee. I¡¯m the house mother.¡± ¡°A house mother?¡± ¡°I¡¯m in charge of all the workers in the packhouse,¡± she exined. ¡°I do most of the cooking as well. Like a mother.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re the head maid,¡± she said, almost dismissively. ¡°Got it.¡± Dee frowned at her choice of words. ¡°I¡¯ll be cooking dinner for this evening. If you¡¯d like to join me in the kitchen, that would be wonderful,¡± Dee offered. Bethany frowned at the suggestion and gave Dee a disgusted look. ¡°I don¡¯t cook,¡± she said bitterly. ¡°The help does that.¡± Dee tensed at Bethany¡¯s words before turning away. ¡°I see,¡± Dee muttered. ¡°Well, if you want to be treated like any other pack member, then I suggest you get off your high horse and help me in the kitchen. If not, then that¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll fetch you once dinner is ready.¡± Dee wasn¡¯t afraid to tell it how it was and Bethany kind of admired that. Not that she would ever tell anyone that. Bethany decided to go to her new room and unpack her belongings. Her room was smaller than she would have wanted, but it had a nice view of the ocean out the bay window and there was a decent-sized bathroom inside the room. If she was going to be here for a while, she was going to have to decorate the room how she liked it. Floral designs were practically a crime. Knock knock! There was a small woman standing at her doorway. She had a faint smile on her face as she looked up at Bethany and her face reddened slightly. She looked a bit timid, but she bowed her head slightly. ¡°Dee asked if I could get you for dinner,¡± the woman said. Bethany said nothing as she brushed past this woman and down the stairs. She hadn¡¯t eaten all day, so she was kind of hungry. Not that she ate much anyways; she had a figure to maintain after all. She went into the kitchen and frowned when she saw the stew in a bowl on the counter. Dee nced at her and then at the stew. ¡°That¡¯s for you,¡± Dee said. ¡°Stew?¡± Bethany asked with a disgusted look on her face. ¡°It¡¯s delicious,¡± Dee assured her. ¡°Try it.¡± Bethany groaned, but she was too hungry to deny this meal, so she went to the bowl and took a bite. It instantly tasted odd; she didn¡¯t like it and she made it painfully known to Dee. ¡°What the hell is in it?¡± Bethany asked, pushing the bowl away. ¡°How do you fuck up making stew?¡± Dee¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°I didn¡¯t mess anything up. It¡¯s a new recipe. A cob of two recipes actually,¡± Dee exined. ¡°It¡¯s half my recipe and half L¡¯s recipe.¡± ¡°L?¡± Bethany couldn¡¯t help but ask. The same name as that student at school. ¡°Yes. She¡¯s a young girl that visits asionally. She¡¯s a friend of Enzo. If you ask me, I think he has a little crush on her,¡± Dee chuckled. That piqued Bethany¡¯s interest. ¡°A crush you say? How interesting¡­¡± Who was this L girl? She couldn¡¯t possibly be the same person Chapter 53 Chapter 53 L¡¯s POV ¡°Professor Enzo will be running a little bitte. He got stuck in a meeting. But he should be here soon,¡± Connie announced once ss started. ¡°In the meantime, you can practice the moves we taught you the other day.¡± Everybody joined their partners and began shifting and attacking. I stood off to the side awkwardly. I didn¡¯t have a partner anymore. Ba was still in the hospital and even so, she didn¡¯t want to be my partner. I couldn¡¯t me her. I met Connie¡¯s eyes, and she walked over to me. ¡°I¡¯m not really sure what to do with you yet,¡± she said, folding her arms across her chest and narrowing her eyes at me. ¡°I suppose you can just wait for Professor Enzo to return and then ask him.¡± The image of her naked in his house surfaced in my mind and formed a tight knot in the pit of my stomach. It was unsettling to look at and my heart ached at the memory. But I nodded to her just the same; hoping that the pain wasn¡¯t evident on my face. She turned away from me and swayed her hips as she walked. I lowered my gaze, fixating it on the ground and feeling kind of bad for myself. I knew I shouldn¡¯t be feeling this way, but I couldn¡¯t help it. Especially after my encounter with Bethany Rochelle. I wondered what she and Enzo spoke about after I left. I wondered if she convinced him to give her a chance. There was a part of me that wanted to ask him, but I didn¡¯t think he would tell me even if I did. I stood off to the side, watching as my ssmates worked effectively to show off their moves. Everybody was so good; I was good at thebat stuff, but I was still new at shifting. I¡¯m getting better at it though; however, I need to work on controlling my powers. I didn¡¯t want what happened to Ba to happen to anyone else. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? I already felt bad for my nextbat and shifting partner. Just then, I felt a familiar presence and Val perked up. She could sense Enzo approaching. My heart was racing rapidly in my chest, and I couldn¡¯t help the excited feeling I felt in my body. But it was also mixed with pain as I thought about him not being excited to see me. I knew in his mind; I was nothing but a lowly student. What he wanted was either Bethany or Connie. They would probably make better suitors for him anyways. As he walked in, his shirt was already off, and he was freshly glistened in sweat. My mouth was nearly hanging open when he neared the front of the room; the light illuminated his skin and made him look like he was practically glowing. I couldn¡¯t pull my eyes away from him, as much as I knew I should. Connie was also red in the face when he approached. She brushed her slender fingers through her hair and allowed it to fall around her shoulders. I noticed she wasn¡¯t wearing her hair in her usualbat ponytail, but she left it down. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if that was because of Enzo. Was she trying to impress him? ¡°About time,¡± she teased with a grin. ¡°Sorry, I had to take care of some stuff. Where are we in the lessons?¡± He asked, peering across the room, and scanning the students. ¡°I¡¯m having them practice the moves we taught them the other day,¡± she exined. Her eyes flickered to me. ¡°She still needs a partner.¡± Her voice dropped to a whisper. His eyes locked onto mine and for a moment, I had forgotten how to breathe. There was a thought in his mind; that much was clear. Soon, he was stepping away from Connie and making his way toward me. ¡°I¡¯ll be her partner,¡± he muttered. Both Connie and I were shocked by his words. I didn¡¯t have the time toprehend what he had just said because he was taking me by the arm and guiding me further away from the rest. ¡°What are you doing?¡± I whispered to him; hardly able to contain my voice. ¡°You need a partner that can handle whatever your powers might do,¡± he said in a hushed tone. ¡°As an Alpha, I can handle whatever you throw at me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt you,¡± I told him in return. He stopped walking and turned to me; there was humor on his face. I wondered how he was able to show his humor without actually smiling. It was all in his eyes. ¡°You can¡¯t hurt me,¡± he said in return before taking his stance. ¡°Now turn around and stop my attack.¡± I felt my face warming under the intensity of his stares, but I did as he said. I turned around with a quick beating heart. There was no way to tell when he was going to attack; that was the point. We had to be prepared for everything. I remained silent as he gained distance from behind me; he was trying to make me wonder when he was going to attack and at what angle. Then, I got a sense. I could hear himing from the left and his presence grew that much stronger. I quickly ducked as he reached me, but I kicked my feet in his direction. That was my main mistake; I attempted to do a front flip, instead of just shifting into my wolf form. I was supposed to shift at that point, but I was so used to attacking in my human form, I didn¡¯t think twice about it. Just as my handsnded on the ground and I went to kick my feet in the air to continue the flip, his arms were wrapped around my waist tightly. I felt his pelvis pressed into my back end and my entire face warmed at the feeling. I could feel him. All of him. His arms tightened around me, and his legs kicked mine from under me,nding me on the ground with him on top of me. We were both breathing hard with his arms still wrapped around me. At this point, I was lying on my Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. back and staring up at him withrge eyes. He stared back down at me, scanning my body briefly a small growl escaping the depth of his throat. I bit my bottom lip; this feeling was unreal. I wanted him to touch me and take me as his right now. He brushed his fingers lightly down my arm causing goosebumps to form on my flesh. I swallowed the large lump that had formed in my throat. I wanted to touch him in return, but I waspletely frozen. Soon, I heard Connie clearing her throat loudly, causing Enzo to freeze as well. He looked in her direction and I saw the stern and questioning look she was giving him. He released me and quickly stood to his feet. ¡°You should have shifted,¡± he muttered, looking back at me. ¡°We¡¯ll do that again until you get it right.¡± I nodded, standing to my feet as well. What was that? Did I just imagine that? ¡­ Enzo¡¯s POV Her body was vulnerable to me, and I could have had her if I wanted her. She wore a tight tank top and leggings that shaped her body perfectly. Pressing myself into her backend caused me to be hard and I wonder if she could feel it. I wanted to have my way with her, but we were in the middle of ss. ¡°What the hell was that?¡± Connie asked as soon as ss ended, and we were alone. ¡°You were nearly having sex in front of everybody.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t like that,¡± I said in return as I packed up my belongings. ¡°I was teaching her¡ª¡± ¡°How to have sex?¡± ¡°Stop that,¡± I said, shaking my head in disgust. ¡°You don¡¯t know what you are talking about.¡± ¡°I have eyes Enzo. Are you fucking her?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid, Connie,¡± I muttered. ¡°She¡¯s my student.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± she said in return. ¡°You could get into so much trouble if the board found out that you are¡ª¡± ¡°The board isn¡¯t going to find out anything because nothing is happening. I give you my word. I¡¯m not having sex with any of my students. You should know me better than that.¡± ¡°I thought I did¡­¡± she said, taking a step away. ¡°But after seeing that¡­ I¡¯m not sure what to think.¡± She turned away and left before I could say anything more. I shook my head; there was nothing going on with L and me. There couldn¡¯t be. But still, Connie was right. I nearly took L¡¯s clothing off. What hade over me? And why? ¡°I can tell you why¡­¡± Max said, teasingly. ¡°You¡¯re attracted to our mate.¡± Chapter 54 Chapter 54 L¡¯s POV ¡°Why are you spending the weekend at the Calypso pack?¡± Rachel asked from across our dorm as she watched me pack some of my belongings into my weekend bag. ¡°I told some of the children that I would help them with theirbat,¡± I exined to her. ¡°And Professor Enzo is okay with that?¡± She asked, raising her brows. ¡°It took a little convincing. But eventually, he came around,¡± I told her. This much was true. Enzo was against it at first, but I asked him again the other day if I could go to his pack and train some of the local children and he finally agreed. Rachel looked questionably at me for a few moments before shrugging and plopping down on her bed. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be here. Being bored out of my mind,¡± she said, grabbing one of her old magazines to flip through. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be fine,¡± I chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a couple of days.¡± I gave her a quick hug before leaving. ¡­ ¡°I¡¯m so happy that you are here!¡± Dee said as soon as I walked into the packhouse. She greeted with me wide open arms and I couldn¡¯t help butugh as she wrapped me in her tight embrace. ¡°You have been missed, L dear,¡± she breathed. ¡°Have you eaten? I can make you something delicious.¡± ¡°I ate not long ago,¡± I told her. ¡°Thank you though.¡± ¡°Enzo is in his office if you want to say hi,¡± she said, a knowing smile ying on her lips. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? My face warmed and I shook my head. ¡°I don¡¯t think he wants to see me,¡± I told her. ¡°It¡¯s okay though. I¡¯d rather just get to one of the guest rooms and get some rest.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± she breathed, running the palm of her hand down my narrow features. ¡°I¡¯ll bring you up some tea in a little bit.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± I said, hugging her again. I turned to walk up the stairs, but just as I was about to take that first step, I saw someone at the top of the stairs. My heart fell deep into my stomach at the sight of her. A smile ys on her lips as she folds her arms across her chest. ¡°Well, isn¡¯t it funny to see you here,¡± Bethany said coolly. ¡°I must say, I¡¯m a little surprised. Does your professor know you¡¯ve followed him to his home?¡± ¡°He knows I¡¯m here,¡± I told her, trying to keep my voice even. ¡°I¡¯m training some of the local children tomorrow onbat.¡± ¡°Combat?¡± Bethany said, raising her brows. ¡°You?¡± She scanned my body briefly before meeting my eyes. ¡°Yes,¡± I answered as I began walking up the stairs. ¡°I¡¯m actually quite good,¡± I added. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sure you are,¡± she nearlyughed. I wasn¡¯t going to entertain her with any more than that, so I walked past her and toward my room. I wondered what she was doing here but it wasn¡¯t something I wanted to find out right now. My heart remained heavy in my chest, and I kept my eyes on the ground as I walked. ¡°Oh, hello, L,¡± Laura, one of the pack workers, said as I walked by. ¡°Hello, Laura,¡± I said in return. ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you again.¡± ¡°L?¡± I heard Bethany say from behind me. She sounded shocked for a moment but then came to a realization. ¡°So, it¡¯s true¡­ you¡¯re the same L after all.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± I asked. ¡°We¡¯ve met before,¡± I reminded her.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ but I didn¡¯t know you were that L.¡± What was that supposed to mean? ¡°Well¡­ anyways. I¡¯ll be staying here for a little while. I hope you don¡¯t mind,¡± she said coolly, flipping her long hair behind her shoulder. ¡°Why would I mind? It¡¯s not my packhouse,¡± I told her, trying not to sound bothered. ¡°Right, but I¡¯ve heard you are here often and well¡­ as you know¡­ Enzo and I are kind of making things happen between us. He invited me to stay with him until the next unforeseen fortune. I was quite shocked by that.¡± My heart fell into my stomach at her words and this time, I was sure she could tell I was in pain. ¡°I see,¡± I managed to say. ¡°It¡¯s nice here¡­ I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll enjoy it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure I will too. I¡¯ll especially enjoy Enzo.¡± I didn¡¯t say anything in response to that, I turned away and went to the guest bedroom. ¡­ Later in the evening, after sessfully avoiding Enzo and Bethany, I went into the kitchen to find Dee preparing the packhouse dinner. She smiled when she saw me entering because she knew I wanted to help her. ¡°Where are we?¡± I asked as I washed my hands. ¡°I¡¯m really d you¡¯re here, L,¡± she breathed fondly. ¡°You can cut those vegetables. I¡¯m making stirfry.¡± ¡°Sounds delicious,¡± I told her. ¡°My mother always puts a little sugar in it for sweetness.¡± Her eyes lit up. ¡°Then we shall put sugar in it,¡± she said happily. I chuckled at her eagerness. ¡°How have things been at school? How was the dance? The bake sale was so fun. We¡¯ll have to do that again soon.¡± Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. ¡°Everything is great. Thank you again for helping me with the bake sale. I couldn¡¯t have done that without your help.¡± ¡°It was my pleasure. I¡¯ll always be here to help you¡­¡± she said with a fond smile. Then her smile kind of shifted and I saw it turning into a frown. There was something she wasn¡¯t saying, something on her mind. Just as she was about to open her mouth to speak, the door of the kitchen swung open, and Bethany made her way in. ¡°Oh, hello Miss Bethany,¡± Dee said with a kind and yet stered smile. ¡°Dinner isn¡¯t quite ready yet.¡± ¡°Why is she in here?¡± Bethany asked, narrowing her eyes at me. ¡°Oh, L helps me cook when she¡¯s here. It¡¯s one of our bonding moments¡­¡± ¡°You bond with Enzo¡¯s student?¡± Bethany asked, raising her brows. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a bit inappropriate?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see it that way, no,¡± Dee said with a frown, ncing over at me. ¡°She¡¯s a very good cook and¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m an even better cook.¡± ¡°I thought you said that¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m here now and I¡¯ll help you cook for our darling Enzo. It¡¯s the least I could do. He¡¯s given me a home that I could be happy at. I would like to do my part.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Dee said, questionably. ¡°Okay¡­ yes. I would love to have your help.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Bethany said as she went over to the sink to wash her hands. I nced at Dee; I felt a little sad and she could read that on my face. ¡°You can both help,¡± Dee suggested. ¡°Um, I don¡¯t think so,¡± Bethany said, shoving me away from the vegetables. I allowed the knife to fall onto the counter. Thankfully, nobody got hurt. ¡°Thank you, but I got it from here.¡± I nodded and turned away; I wanted to cry, but I refused to do so in front of them. Later, Laura came to fetch me for dinner. I was expecting Bethany to be in the kitchen eating with Dee, but she wasn¡¯t. ¡°She went to eat with Enzo in his office,¡± Dee exined as I sat down on the high stool. ¡°I see,¡± I said, trying not to look too bothered. ¡°She¡¯s an interesting woman,¡± Dee said shaking her head. ¡°But Enzo apparently likes her enough to have her living here.¡± ¡°You think he likes her?¡± I asked; my voice sounded strained, and I was aware of that. ¡°There¡¯s no other reason for her to be here,¡± Dee said, shaking her head. ¡°I never actually saw them together but do believe that Alpha Enzo is quite smitten with this woman.¡± Chapter 55 Chapter 55 Third Person POV So, L is Enzo¡¯s student and his apparent crush. It¡¯s quite obvious that L has a thing for him as well, but it is simply a thing that can¡¯t ever happen. It¡¯s a scandal that Enzo wouldn¡¯t want to get out and Bethany was nning on eating that up. Whatever kind of crush he had on her, wasn¡¯t going tost with Bethany there. There was nobody like Bethany and she was going to make sure that everybody in this pack, including Enzo, knew that. Soon, they won¡¯t even remember L¡¯s name. Enzo was in his office when Bethany brought him his food. He¡¯s basically been living in this office since he arrived home. ¡°How about you take a break and have some food,¡± she said, cing a te of stir-fry in front of him. He nced at it briefly, uninterested, before looking back at hisputer. ¡°I thought maybe we could eat together,¡± she finally said after a long pause. ¡°I¡¯ll pass,¡± he said without hesitation. ¡°I¡¯m a little busy.¡± ¡°I can see that, but even an Alpha needs to take a break,¡± she said as she sat in the chair in front of his desk. ¡°What are you working on?¡± ¡°We are opening a few food stands around the pack and I need to make sure we have all the documentation to support it.¡± ¡°That sounds interesting,¡± she breathed as she took a bite of her food. She winced; it was far too sweet. ¡°So, L is an interesting girl. She¡¯s your student, right? It¡¯s amazing that you allow her in your pack like this. Let alone allow her to stay in the packhouse.¡± That caught Enzo¡¯s attention. ¡°We aren¡¯t going to discuss L,¡± he said almost coldly. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? She struck a chord. Dee was right; he was interested in this girl. ¡°You do know you can¡¯t have a rtionship with her, right?¡± Bethany said, raising her brows. ¡°She¡¯s your student and you could get into huge trouble if the board found out.¡± ¡°What are you on about?¡± ¡°I think you know exactly what I¡¯m on about, Enzo. You can¡¯t pursue a rtionship with your student.¡± ¡°She¡¯s nothing more than a student to me. She¡¯s here to help some local children with theirbat. She¡¯s incredibly talented when ites tobat. I made a promise to her father that I would protect her and that¡¯s all I¡¯m doing.¡± ¡°Her father, you say?¡± Bethany asked, leaning forward. ¡°Who is her father?¡± ¡°Alpha Bastien of¡ª¡± ¡°The Nova pack¡­¡± Bethany breathed; of course, she heard of Alpha Bastien. ¡°She¡¯s from Elysium.¡± It wasn¡¯t a question. ¡°She¡¯s a very talented young girl; she takes after her father. But I wouldn¡¯t cross the student-teacher boundary.¡± ¡°I hope you are being truthful,¡± Bethany said, gazing at him. He was so handsome she could hardly contain herself. He doesn¡¯t say anything in response to that. Instead, he took a bite out of the food, and he had a satisfied look on his face. ¡°I made it with Dee. What a lovely woman she is,¡± Bethany said with a kind smile. ¡°It¡¯s delicious,¡± he admitted, taking another bite. ¡°I¡¯m d you like it.¡± ¡­ L¡¯s POV I walked by Enzo¡¯s office just as Bethany was leaving it. ¡°Would you mind taking these to get washed?¡± She asked as she handed me the dirty dishes from dinner. ¡°Enzo and I are quite busy.¡± She turned away and went back into his office. ¡­ The next morning. The children gathered in the nearby field off the western coast of the Calypso pack. They were eagerly waiting for my arrival when I got there. I started to teach them simple moves and then got into more difficult ones. Most of them were doing quite well. I even brought fighting sticks for them to practice with and they ran around, whacking each other. I thought for a moment that they were going to hurt one another, but I managed to get them to settle down. One little girl, in particr, fell on her backside when she attempted one of the kicking moves. She began to cry until I knelt in front of her and ced my hand on her arm. My fingers started to warm her skin and she breathed in amazement. I was using my abilities to heal her sore body and she was in absolute awe over it. ¡°Wow¡­¡± she breathed. I gave her a kind smile and helped her to her feet. I helped her with the move a couple of times before she wasfortable doing it on her own. It took a couple of tries, but she eventually got the hang of it. ¡°Oh, hello, L,¡± I heard a familiar voice saying from a short distance. I turned and saw Bethany walking in our direction. Some of the children gasped, recognizing her instantly. ¡°Bethany,¡± I said, trying to keep myself calm and collected. Thest thing I needed was to lose control in front of all these children. I couldn¡¯t live with myself if I hurt anyone. ¡°What can I do for you?¡± I realized she was holding Tupperware in her hands. ¡°I made some cookies earlier and I wanted to share them with you,¡± she said kindly. ¡°I outdid myself if I Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. do say so myself.¡± ¡°Oh, well¡­ thank you,¡± I said, taking the Tupperware. ¡°You can share them with the children,¡± she suggested. All the kids began to cheer and p with excitement. I smiled at their eager faces as I opened the lid. The cookies smelled delicious, and all the kids were excited to get one. I had them form a single line so I can easily and quickly get them a cookie. They were all munching and talking amongst themselves, giving Bethany and me a little alone time. ¡°I need to make my mark on this pack anyway that I can,¡± she said fondly. ¡°I really like Enzo and I hope he likes me too.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure he does,¡± I said to her, and it pained me to speak that out loud. ¡°Dee actually thinks he¡¯s quite smitten with you.¡± ¡°Does she?¡± She asked, sounding surprised. ¡°Well, I guess we will see. He wants me to live here so I suppose that¡¯s something. Perhaps we will get a little more acquainted tonight.¡± I felt a low growl from Val emerging from my throat. I took a deep breath to calm myself. ¡°What makes you so good atbat?¡± She asked, peering over at me. ¡°He finds you quite impressive.¡± ¡°My father,¡± I answered. ¡°I grew up learning from him and some of the gammas in Elysium. They taught me everything I know.¡± ¡°I see,¡± she said. ¡°I will be honest, upon hearing about you the other day, I was a bit worried that Enzo was crushing on you a little. But I can see now that you are nothing more than a student to him. You are quite young and a little naive. Which isn¡¯t a bad thing¡­ you just have a lot of growing to do. But what Enzo needs is a woman¡­ a woman who can care for all his needs. Do you know what I mean?¡± I felt my face reddening. ¡°He needs more than just another warrior. You are skilled inbat sure¡­ but are you skilled in other areas? Would you know how to please him as a Luna? Would you even know how to run a pack?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure why we are talking about this,¡± I said with a nervous chuckle. ¡°All I¡¯m saying is¡­ I hope my intuition isn¡¯t correct when it tells me that you have a little crush on your professor. Because just know¡­ there will never be a real rtionship between you two. It couldn¡¯t possibly happen. Not only could he lose his job¡­ but he will lose the respect of his pack and he will never get ahead. Which we all know is what he wants more than anything. I¡¯m here now¡­ I can be everything he needs and more.¡± ¡°I would never stand in the way of his happiness,¡± I went on to say, however just before I was able to say anything more, a familiar sense made its way to me, and Val grew excited. Enzo. I saw him in the distance making his way toward us. His face was stern, and his eyes were like daggers. They were staring directly at Bethany who hadn¡¯t noticed him just yet. ¡°What are you doing out here?¡± He asked her in a low and almost threatening tone. But hisposure was incredibly calm. She rose her gaze to meet his. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, darling. I was just bringing L and the children some cookies. I hope I didn¡¯t make you worried.¡± He stared around her face for a moment before reaching toward her and taking her hand into his. Soon, they were both walking away. Hand-in-hand Chapter 56 Chapter 56 Enzo¡¯s POV ¡°Something is wrong with our mate. She¡¯s feeling an overwhelming sense of sadness. Her wolf is crying out to me,¡± Max said with a strained tone. I had anxiety boiling in my chest and I knew he was right. I didn¡¯t stay around the packhouse for long. I knew L was in the Calypso field with the local children, training them inbat. As I reached the field, I saw exactly what was making L upset. Or rather, I saw who was making her upset. Bethany stood beside her with a smile on her face as she spoke words to L that looked wounding. L lowered her gaze and for a moment, I thought she was going to cry. I couldn¡¯t exin the rage I was feeling at that moment. I clenched my fist and gritted my teeth. I knew I had to remain calm; I couldn¡¯t lose my cool in front of everybody. Including these children. The only thing I could think to do was approach them without making a sound. L, of course, could sense my presence. She saw me before I reached them, but Bethany waspletely oblivious. I had told Bethany countless times to stay away from L and she refused to follow simple orders. ¡°What are you doing out here?¡± I asked, trying to keep my tone as even as possible. Bethany finally noticed me, and she turned her attention to me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, darling. I was just bringing L and the children some cookies. I hope I didn¡¯t make you worried.¡± I stared at her for a moment longer; who does she think she¡¯s fooling? She has got to be kidding me. L looked like she wanted to say something, but I wanted to get Bethany as far away from her as possible. There was no telling what kind of nonsense she was feeding L¡¯s mind. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? I would have to make it a point to speak with L aler to clear up any misunderstandings. But until then, I grabbed Bethany¡¯s hand and pulled her away from the field. L stared after us with a sad look on her face; a look that would be engraved in my mind for years to come. ¡­ L¡¯s POV Evening came quickly; by the time the sun started to set, I had the children return to their homes as promised. I stayed away from the packhouse for a little longer though. The thought of returning to see Bethany and Enzo gave me a sickened feeling in my stomach and Val wouldn¡¯t be able to handle it either. I decided to shift into my wolf form and sprint through the forest. The rays of the moon lit up my path as I circled around the forest grounds. I would never get used to being in this form. It felt so freeing, and I could sense everything for miles. All my senses were incredibly heightened, and Val felt stronger than ever. I realized quickly that I was channeling the light from the moon myself and basking in its warm rays as it filled me with energy. After a couple of hours, I decided it was probably time to return to the packhouse. As I got there, I could smell the delicious food cooked in the kitchen. My stomach was growling loudly. I hadn¡¯t eaten since this morning, and I was excited to see what Dee had cooked. I wasn¡¯t surprised to see Bethany in the kitchen with her though. They were bothughing and dancing around the kitchen just as I had done with Dee on my first night here. My heart ached in my chest as I watched the two of them get along so well. Dee stopped dancing when she saw me, and she gave me a kind smile. ¡°Oh, good, L, you¡¯re here,¡± she breathed, rushing toward me. ¡°We just finished cooking dinner. It¡¯s pork tenderloin. It was¡ª¡± ¡°My idea,¡± Bethany said smoothly, interrupting Dee¡¯s words. ¡°It¡¯s a family recipe. My mother used to make it before she died.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s delicious,¡± I said, forcing a smile of my own as I grabbed a te of food. ¡°I¡¯m going to bring a te to Enzo,¡± she said, grabbing a te for herself and then for Enzo before leaving the kitchen. I sat at the counter in my usual seat beside Dee and began eating the food. I hated that it was delicious. ¡°I will be honest, I was surprised when Enzo brought her here,¡± Dee said as she ate next to me. ¡°There was no warning. Beta Ethan just brought her here and she made herself at home.¡± ¡°Enzo is a gentleman like that,¡± I said in return. ¡°He was always so against having a mate and dating. Honestly, I thought you would be the one to break him out of that.¡± I nearly spit my water out when she said those words. ¡°I¡¯m his student,¡± I said quickly. ¡°He could lose his job¡­¡± ¡°I thought maybe for a moment that you could have been his mate. You can¡¯t help who your fated mate is, and the school board would understand that.¡± They might understand, but they wouldn¡¯t allow him to continue teaching. But I didn¡¯t want anyone to know that Enzo was my fated mate; especially not Dee. ¡°He¡¯s not my mate,¡± I told her. ¡°I haven¡¯t found him yet. But when I do, it¡¯ll be magical. Just like my parents.¡± She gave me a fond smile. ¡°I believe that as well,¡± she said in return. ¡°Perhaps Bethany is his mate after all. She seems to think she is at least.¡± ¡°What?¡± I asked, raising my brows. She told Dee that she was Enzo¡¯s mate? ¡°Yeah, she says she¡¯s his fated mate. So, I¡¯ve been making it a point to be kind to her. Even when she¡¯s not particrly kind to me.¡± Dee shook her head with dismay written all over her face. Bethany couldn¡¯t possibly be Enzo¡¯s mate¡­ I was his mate. Would it be possible to have two? The thought made me feel physically ill and I found myself no longer hungry. Dee frowned as she peered over at me. ¡°You don¡¯t look well. Are you okay, dear?¡± She asked with concern clear in her tone. ¡°Yes,¡± I said a little too quickly. ¡°I think I¡¯m just tired though. I¡¯m going to get some sleep.¡± ¡°Oh, okay. Don¡¯t worry about your dishes. I¡¯ll wash them,¡± Dee offered, taking my te away from me. ¡°Thank you,¡± I said kindly as I slid out of the stool and made my way upstairs. As I reached the top step, I paused at Enzo¡¯s office door. The light under the door was off, which meant he wasn¡¯t in there. I wondered where he was eating his meal¡­ if he was even eating. Maybe he was off somewhere with Bethany. The thought was unsettling, and I tried hard to push it out of my mind. I shook my head at the thought and went toward my bedroom door¡­ or the guest bedroom door I should say. But as I reached the door, I paused when Enzo¡¯s bedroom door swung open, and Bethany walked out. She looked a bit frazzled and red in the face. Her hair was kind of a mess as well. That¡¯s when I noticed her blouse was unbuttoned.N?velDrama.Org ? content. Chapter 57 Chapter 57 Third Person POV ¡°You should seriously eat something, Enzo¡­¡± Bethany pouted as she stood at his office door. Enzo red at her from his desk; there was no trace of amusement on his face. Getting him to love her was going to be more difficult than she thought, but she certainly wasn¡¯t going to give up. ¡°I¡¯m not hungry,¡± he said, standing to his feet. ¡°I ate ate lunch.¡± Bethany knew for a fact that he wasn¡¯t being truthful. She doesn¡¯t recall him eating at all today. ¡°I¡¯m going to bed. Please, don¡¯t disturb me,¡± he said as he brushed past her and left his office. Bethany ced the tes of food on his desk and folded her arms across her chest. This wasn¡¯t fair. He clearly cares way too deeply for that lowly student of his. Even his packhouse staff seems to care for the girl for whatever reason. What made her so special? She wanted to find out everything she could about L, but until then, she was determined to get Enzo to want her. Perhaps if he saw what he could have, then he would change his mind. Instead of going to her own room, Bethany decided to sneak into Enzo¡¯s bedroom. As she entered the room though, she could hear his shower being turned on from his bathroom. This was a perfect opportunity for her to prepare for her night with her future husband. She took her hair out of her ponytail and allowed it to flow evenly around her shoulders and down her back. She had beautiful hair, and he was going to see that as soon as he opened that bathroom door. Something else she had that he would soon want was her body. She unbuttoned her blouse, revealing her incredibly busty breasts, and then slid her custom-made jeans off, kicking them to the floor, revealing her pink silk underpants. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? As she looked herself over in the mirror, she was pleased with her appearance, and he soon would be too. She went to his bed and sprawled out on top, waiting for his arrival. His shower didn¡¯tst long; he left his bathroom with only a towel wrapped around his waist. He had droplets of water decorating his incredible chest and rippling abs, dripping down his biceps. His appearance made Bethany¡¯s mouth water. He paused when he saw her lying on his bed. ¡°What the fuck are you doing?¡± He said, narrowing his dark eyes at her. ¡°I was waiting for you¡­¡± she said. ¡°Do you like what you see?¡± ¡°Get out of my room,¡± he nearly growled. She frowned and sat up. ¡°Enzo¡ª¡± ¡°Get out.¡± He was calm when he spoke, but the look on his face was filled with fury and rage. It was humiliating for Bethany to be treated like this. She quickly stood up and grabbed her pants. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to¡ª¡± ¡°I said get out,¡± he said again, his tone darkening. She quickly put her pants on before he did something too harsh. He waited patiently as she scrambled out of his bedroom, sealing the door shut behind her. As she stepped into the hall, she saw L staring at her from the stairway, wide-eyed and stunned. ¡­ Enzo¡¯s POV What the hell was she thinking? What was I thinking about allowing her to live in this packhouse? N?velDrama.Org ? content. How dare she juste into my room without being invited andy in my bed half naked. I shuddered at the very thought. I grabbed my pajama pants off my bed and quickly put them on. Just as I did that, I could hear light murmurs in the hallway and my entire body froze. Somebody must have seen Bethany leaving my room nearly naked. I went to the door and pressed my ear against it to hear who was out there. I definitely heard Bethany¡¯s voice because she was closer to my bedroom door than the other person. ¡°Are you stalking us?¡± Bethany asked. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that it wasn¡¯t you in that room¡­ but you have no right to be stalking us. We were having so much fun that he couldn¡¯t even control himself¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m d you were having fun,¡± the other voice said. A lighter and sadder tone. L. My heart sunk into my stomach. ¡°Are you though?¡± Bethany teased. ¡°I¡¯ll be going to bed now. Enjoy your night.¡± Bethany¡¯s voice got smaller as she spoke thosest words and then I heard her bedroom door shut. First thing tomorrow I¡¯m calling John and telling him that I can¡¯t have her here anymore. I heard L¡¯s door shut as well and my heart began to ache just as hers was. I leaned against my bedroom door, regretting a lot of my decisions. ¡°We should check on her¡­¡± Max suggested. ¡°She¡¯s unwell¡­¡± ¡°She¡¯ll be fine,¡± I said as I made my way into my own bed. But even as I said those words, I knew them to be untrue. She was in extreme pain from what Bethany had said to her. She¡¯s been in extreme pain since she arrived yesterday. My wolf was in agony with hers and I didn¡¯t particrly like this feeling. I¡¯ve been trying my best to avoid her and not get too close, but it seems to be hurting us both. Iy awake, unable to sleep. I stared at my dark ceiling as the hours went by. She was most likely asleep, but I could still feel the pain she was in. I knew at that moment that my wolf was right; L was unwell, and I needed to make sure she was okay. I slid out of bed and peered into the dimmed hallway. There wasn¡¯t a sounding from any room, so I knew everyone was asleep. I went to L¡¯s door and was pleased when I found it was unlocked. But as soon as I opened the door, I could hear her whimpering softly in her sleep. She was curled up in the corner of her bed with the nkets kicked off her body. Her face was stained with the tears she had cried. She must have cried herself to sleep. She wore a thin nightgown that revealed most of her body and I felt my abdomen growing warm. But that wasn¡¯t the reason I was there. I sighed as I made my way over to her bedside; I touched her face with my fingers. I didn¡¯t want to wake her, but I wanted to wipe the leftover tears off her face. I ran my thumb down her cheekbone until it reached her chin. Her skin was soft and warm to the touch. My heart was beating rapidly in my chest the closer I got to her and the more I touched her. I grabbed her nkets and covered her body; she was shaking slightly so I knew she was cold, and her whimpering continued. She must have been having a bad dream. Without a second thought, I went around her bed and slid under the covers beside her. I wrapped my arms around her small body, pulling he close to me. In her sleep, she wiggled closer to me and allowed me to hold her. She fitsfortably in my arms like she was made for them. The scent of honeysuckle was filling her room and her flesh grew pink as she warmed. The whimpering stopped after a few minutes and so did the shaking of her body. I kept my hold on her, keeping her close to me, not wanting to let her go. I finally felt tired enough to close my eyes and get some sleep. Chapter 58 Chapter 58 L¡¯s POV I woke up feeling an overwhelming sense offort and warmth. I had never felt this rxed before and it took me a minute to figure out why. As I opened my eyes, I wiggled against something, and his arms tightened around my body as his face nuzzled in my hair. I frozepletely when I realized that it was a man. ¡°Not just a man¡­¡± Val breathed lovingly. ¡°Our mate.¡± Enzo? I nearly gasped when I realized she was right. Enzo was lying in bed beside me with his arms tightly around me and he was snuggling against me. Or rather, I was snuggling against him. I turned my body to face him and saw that he was still asleep. He looked so peaceful that it put my entire heart at ease knowing that he was right beside me. But my question was, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because he could feel our pain,¡± Val exined. ¡°He wanted to provide us withfort.¡± My heart felt like a bolder had been lifted off it. Could that be true? Could he feel our pain and want to make it better? I didn¡¯t understand why though. Why did he care if I was hurting or not? He had Bethany now. He stirred in his sleep and murmured something that I couldn¡¯t understand. I couldn¡¯t help but gaze at his sleeping face. Even when he was fast asleep, he was handsome. The sun was beaming through the closed window shades which meant it waste morning. It was Sunday and I had to get back to campuster this evening. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? I managed to wiggle out from under his arms and grabbed my phone off the nightstand. I had a text from Cassidy-Ann saying how excited she was for me to be starting work tomorrow night. I almost forgot that my first day as her assistant was tomorrow. I also had a meeting with the studentmittee tomorrow afternoon. It was going to be a busy Monday for sure. But for right now, I really didn¡¯t want to get out of bed. I enjoyed being in bed with my mate, I slid closer to him and automatically he wrapped his arms around me again. I pressed my face into his chest and kissed it lightly. Being with him put my heart at ease and I couldn¡¯t help but smile. At that moment, I wanted him more than anything. He stirred in his sleep, and I knew he was waking up. Then, I felt his entire demeanor change and his body freeze. He was awake. He gazed down at me, questionably for a moment before he released his hold of my body, much to my dismay. We stared at each other for a long moment, and I thought at first, he was going to kiss me. His eyes were staring at my lips with a hungry expression, and I couldn¡¯t help but bite my bottom lip, anticipating for him to kiss me. But he didn¡¯t. He sat up in bed and looked around the room. ¡°I need to go and get some more work done,¡± he muttered and before I had the chance of saying anything, he was already gone, leaving me feeling empty and alone. ¡­ I returned to campuster in the evening and as soon as I parked my car, I saw a familiar face going into the student lounge. Ba. I was overjoyed that she was returning to school; this meant she was well again. I rushed to catch up to her and when she saw me, she gave me a pleased smile. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± I asked, draping an arm through hers and walking with her the rest of the way to the lounge. ¡°Much better,¡± she said, sounding cheerful. ¡°I¡¯m d to be back at school.¡± ¡°Ba, I can¡¯t tell you how sorry I am for this¡­ I never meant to hurt you,¡± I told her in a hushed tone. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s okay. I know it wasn¡¯t on purpose. I¡¯d prefer if we didn¡¯t talk about it though.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± I said in return. We made our way through the lounge and sat at an empty table. ¡°I gathered all the homework and assignments you missed. I took extra notes as well,¡± I told her. ¡°I¡¯ll give them to youter.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± she said with a pleased smile. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind that I still have a new partner for combat and shifting. I think it¡¯s what¡¯s best¡­¡± ¡°I understand,¡± I said quickly. ¡°You don¡¯t need to feel bad about that.¡± Besides, Enzo was my partner now and I was quite pleased with that. Even if Connie wasn¡¯t. ¡°Oh, my goddess, you guys!¡± Rachel said, running toward us through the lounge. ¡°Ryan¡¯s vacation home is vacant tonight and he¡¯s having an epic party!¡± ¡°A party?¡± I asked, raising my brows. ¡°It¡¯s Sunday. All students need to be back on campus today, which means curfew starts tonight,¡± I reminded her. It was true; the only times we didn¡¯t have curfew was when we didn¡¯t have sses the next morning. ¡°It¡¯s just one night,¡± Rachel said, sitting down beside me. ¡°We would have to sneak out.¡± I nced at Ba who also looked unsure. ¡°That seems kind of risky,¡± Ba said, mimicking my thoughts. ¡°We could get in huge trouble.¡± ¡°Everybody who is anybody is going to be there,¡± Rachel said with a broad smile. ¡°Brody will be there too.¡± She looked at me and winked when she said thatst part. ¡°Brody?¡± Ba asked in wonder, looking at me. ¡°The baseball team pitcher?¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. ¡°That¡¯s the one,¡± Rachel said, nudging me. ¡°Come on, L. You must go. It¡¯s going to be so fun, and we get the entire house to ourselves. There¡¯s going to be alcohol¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t drink,¡± I said, shaking my head. ¡°I could use a party after the week I had,¡± Ba shrugged. ¡°Then,e to the party!¡± Rachel told her excitedly. ¡°It¡¯s going to be so fun!¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be there. What time does it start?¡± ¡°8 pm,¡± she answered. ¡°We are going to sneak out at 7:30 pm though to give us enough time. You can come to our dorm around then and we can go together.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± she said, standing to her feet. ¡°I¡¯ll get ready. That¡¯s only in a couple of hours.¡± She left without another word. ¡°It¡¯s a bad idea, Rachel,¡± I said to her, shaking my head. ¡°I can¡¯t go along with something like this.¡± ¡°When are you going to live a little?¡± Rachel asked, eyeing me carefully with a small frown on her face. ¡°It¡¯s going to be the party of a lifetime. You don¡¯t want to miss out on that.¡± I didn¡¯t care if I missed out on that, but I also knew that Rachel was going to get herself into trouble if there wasn¡¯t some kind of guidance there. I could only imagine what she would get Ba into. I didn¡¯t even want to think about it. ¡°Tomorrow is going to be such a long day. I can¡¯t be hungover for it,¡± I told her. ¡°You start your new job tomorrow and the studentmittee meetings are officially beginning. You aren¡¯t going to have time for any fun, ever. Let this be yourst night of real fun,¡± Rachel pleaded. ¡°Please¡­ I don¡¯t want to go without you!¡± I sighed; I knew that if I didn¡¯t go, things could get really bad and really quickly. ¡°Okay¡­¡± I finally said after a long pause. ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡± She screamed with excitement as she wrapped me in a tight hug. ¡°But I¡¯m only going to keep you out of trouble,¡± I told her. ¡°Of course,¡± sheughed. ¡­ Enzo¡¯s POV It waste when I returned to campus. I had a headache from all the shit I dealt with at the packhouse containing Bethany. Speaking to her father was like speaking to a wall. ¡°She can¡¯t return here just yet! I still haven¡¯t found the killer! She¡¯s unsafe here! Please Alpha Enzo. Alpha to Alpha, you must know how desperate I am for your help.¡± I decided to stop the argument and just continue to board Bethany. L¡¯s scent was still on my skin, and it gave me a strange sense of warmth and delight. I locked my car and made my way across campus and to the faculty housing. I paused when I saw a couple of shadows emerging from the dorms. I narrowed my eyes at the figures; there was a curfew, which was at 7 pm on school nights. Nobody should be leaving their dorms at this hour. Then I saw her¡­ It was L. A long with her roommate Rachel and her formerbat partner Ba. They were sneaking out. Chapter 59 Chapter 59 L¡¯s POV We could hear the music a mile before we even got to the house. It was so loud, and it wasn¡¯t anything I even recognized. The house was packed when we got there; there were students from the academy inside and outside. Most of which I recognized. I supposed if we got in trouble, at least we¡¯d all be in it together. It¡¯s not like they could suspend all of us. Rachel draped her arm through mine and pulled me through the crowd of students who were already drinking and dancing. Ba trailed closely behind us, seemingly nervous. Like me, Ba wasn¡¯t much of a partier. But after the week she had, I couldn¡¯t me her for wanting to let loose. We made our way inside and I instantly smelled beer. The music was making my brain rattle because of how loud it was. Ryan had the lights dimmed and everybody was drunk and dancing. This was nothing like the school dance. I felt like I was at a frat party. ¡°Ryan!!¡± Rachel screamed as she ran to meet up with her boyfriend. Ryan looked genuinely pleased to see her and wrapped his arms around her as soon as he saw her and gave her a tight embrace. Soon, they were kissing face. I knew that would happen sooner thanter. They finally broke their embrace, and he looked over at me with a kind smile. ¡°I¡¯m d you made it!¡± He shouted over the music. ¡°There are drinks in the kitchen! Help yourself.¡± ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? ¡°Don¡¯t mind if I do,¡± Ba said, making her way toward the kitchen. I went with Ba into the kitchen. Ryan had coolers of beer all over the ce and I groaned at the imagery. I wasn¡¯t a beer drinker, and I wasn¡¯t sure if would even like it. I didn¡¯t like the smell of it that¡¯s for sure, but I supposed it was better than beingpletely sober the entire time. I wanted to get a little tipsy so that maybe I could loosen up a little bit. I grabbed a beer and popped it open; Ba was already chugging her first one and I couldn¡¯t help but roll my eyes at my excited friend. ¡°Slow down Ba,¡± I warned her. ¡°Don¡¯t forget, we have sses tomorrow.¡± If we showed up to Professor Enzo¡¯s ss hungover, he¡¯d lose all respect for me. I couldn¡¯t help but think about how I woke up in his arms this morning and my face instantly grew warm. I didn¡¯t have a chance to talk to him about it and I wasn¡¯t even sure if it was something he¡¯d want to talk about. My heart was beating heavily in my chest at the very thought of it and I shook my head to get the thoughts away. I took a couple of sips of the beer, and I was already starting to get a small headache. I knew it wouldn¡¯t take much to get me tipsy because I really don¡¯t drink. I started to follow Ba back out into the living room because she kept saying how badly she wanted to dance. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go,¡± I chuckled at her eagerness when one of her favorite songs came on. I followed closely behind her, shoving my way through all the drunk students and then I ran straight into somebody that nearly knocked me to the ground. He came out of nowhere and I gasped when I looked up at the familiar face. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you actually came to a house party,¡± Scottughed. ¡°Who are you trying to impress?¡± ¡°Get out of my way, Scott,¡± I said to him, about to walk past him, but his broad body blocked me. ¡°Isn¡¯t this scene a little too fun for you? You are a natural party killer. That¡¯s exactly why I broke up with you. Because you don¡¯t know how to have fun.¡± ¡°If I remember correctly, I was the one who broke up with you,¡± I said, raising my brows. I kept my voice calm; I didn¡¯t want him to think he was getting into my head. I knew he was just drunk; I could smell the beer on his breath. ¡°Do you really think I didn¡¯t know you were in the hallway when I was making out with Sarah?¡± He asked with augh; my face reddened at his words. ¡°I knew you were there. I wanted you to see it. That was my way of dumping your boring ass. You wouldn¡¯t even let me kiss you. Do you know how pathetic that is?¡± ¡°And where is Sarah now?¡± I asked, folding my arms across my chest. ¡°She¡¯s returning to school next week,¡± Scott scoffed. ¡°And once she returns, we will be the ¡®it couple¡¯ and you will have nothing.¡± She¡¯s returning to school already? The thought gave me an unsettled feeling in the pit of my stomach, but I wasn¡¯t going to make that known to Scott. ¡°Well, isn¡¯t that nice,¡± I said to him. ¡°As fun, as this is, I have a party to enjoy.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you just go home and let us have a good time? You¡¯re such a buzz kill,¡± he muttered. ¡°Scott¡­ step out of the way,¡± I said to him, keeping my eyes locked on his. ¡°Or what? You¡¯ll tell my mommy on me?¡± Heughed. ¡°Why did I ever date you?¡± I opened my mouth to say something, but another voice from behind me spoke first. ¡°Because she¡¯s beautiful, funny, charming, and not to mention incredibly smart. The question is, why did she ever date you?¡± I turned to see Brody standing there, staring at Scott with an annoyed look on his face. ¡°What the hell are you doing, man?¡± Scott asked, narrowing his eyes at Brody. ¡°Speaking up,¡± Brody answered. ¡°You can stand there and say all that shit about L, but maybe you should look in the mirror at yourself and question your worth. L is going somewhere in this world, N?velDrama.Org ? content. and you will be going to house parties and getting drunk any chance you get. Catching you cheating was the best thing that¡¯s ever happened to her.¡± My face reddened and I fought the smile that desperately wanted to appear on my lips. Brody was standing up for me; I could stand up for myself, but it was nice knowing who had my back. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be my friend,¡± Scott said, sounding a little hurt. ¡°I¡¯m not friends with assholes,¡± he muttered. ¡°Now, if you¡¯ll excuse us.¡± Brody offered me his arm, which I dly epted, and we shoved our way past Scott and toward a more secluded area where the couches were. ¡°Thank you,¡± I said to him as we sat down. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to do that.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t just let him talk to you like that, L,¡± Brody said with a faint smile. ¡°And plus, I meant what I said¡­ all of it.¡± I wanted to say something to him about the words he had said to Scott. It was clear how Brody felt about me, and I didn¡¯t want to lead him on. ¡°It was incredibly sweet of you,¡± I said to him kindly. ¡°I want you to know that even if nothing happens romantically with us, you¡¯ll always have a friend in me. I¡¯ll always be here for you, L. Because you deserve that.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll always be here for you as well,¡± I say in return as I take a few more sips. I started to get lightheaded quickly and I could feel that I was beginning to get drunk. ¡°Want me to get you another drink?¡± He asked with a crooked smile. I nced over at Ba who dancing with a group of people and was already drunk. I nced at Rachel who was with Ryan, but she looked at me and wiggled her brows when she saw I was sitting with Brody. I might as well have a little more fun while I¡¯m here, so I epted his offer to get me another drink. By the time he returned with another beer, I had already finished the one I was working on and I was incredibly tipsy. Once I started drinking the new can, I was borderline drunk. ¡°Let¡¯s dance,¡± Brodyughed when he saw how drunk I was getting. I epted his hand and the two of us began to dance like nobody was watching. A couple of times I nearly fell, but thankfully Brody was there to catch me. I lost track of time during our dances and drinking, and it felt like the room was spinning. But I started to smell something incredibly odd. It smelled like burning. Brody smelled it too because he was frowning and looking around the room curiously. Then, I heard screaming, and I was shoved into Brody¡¯s arms when people began to run and scream. ¡°The house is on fire!!!!¡± Chapter 60 Chapter 60 L¡¯s POV I dropped the can of beer from the ground, watching it spread across the hardwood floors. My mind was whirling as the smoke began to fill the living room. I saw the smoke before I saw the mes, and then the explosion camest. I wasn¡¯t sure I could stand up from the couch without falling over, but Brody was on his feet quickly, pulling me up with him. The screaming pierced my ears from those who were caught in the explosion. My heart was racing quickly against my chest; Brody kept his hold around my waist and was shuffling me toward the door. ¡°I need to get Rachel and Ba¡­¡± My words came out as a hoarse whisper, and I thought he didn¡¯t hear me. But he nced down at me and narrowed his eyes. ¡°I need to get you to safety,¡± he told me firmly. I shook my head; tears filling my eyes as I shoved him away from me. ¡°I need to get my friends,¡± I said louder, surprising him. I took off toward the mes before he could say or do anything. If I knew one thing about Vna¡¯s is that we were incredibly hard to kill. ise had tried to kill my mother numerous times and she came back stronger than ever. I wasn¡¯t going to let fire be the one thing that took me out. There was another explosion and that knocked me to the ground. It was incredibly hard to breathe with how much smoke was invading my lungs, but I pushed through. I covered my mouth with my arms and kept making my way into the kitchen. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? That thest time I saw Rachel, she was standing near the kitchen door with Ryan, and I feared she was caught in the explosion. I stumbled across a couple of bodies; students that were caught in the explosion. My stomach knotted. I couldn¡¯t tell if they were alive or dead. ¡°Rachel?!¡± I yelled into the loud mes of fire. ¡°Ba?!¡± After a moment of what felt like hopeless waiting, I heard my name. ¡°L!!¡± It was Rachel. I followed the sound of my name until I found her pressed against the corner of the kitchen. Her face was covered in soot and blood and her hair was matted around her head. Her clothing was torn to shreds as she struggled to free her foot from the fridge that had fallen from her. ¡°I can¡¯t move¡­¡± she cried; tears mixing with the soot and blood, staining her features. ¡°Hold on,¡± I said, trying to keep the horror I was feeling out of my voice. I grabbed the fridge and used my entire strength to lift it enough so she could get her foot free. She screamed in pain as she slid herself out from under the fridge. ¡°I think it¡¯s broken,¡± she cried, pointing at her foot. Her entire foot was swollen and twisted in a direction that shouldn¡¯t be twisted. I couldn¡¯t help but grimace. ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay,¡± I assured her. ¡°Just grab onto me and I¡¯ll get you out of here.¡± She wrapped her arm around me, and I managed to lift her off the ground. Rachel weighed practically nothing, so it was easy to lift her and carry her through the smoked engulfed house. ¡°I don¡¯t know where Ryan is¡­¡± she cried. ¡°He was with me one minute and disappeared after the explosion.¡± My heart fell into my stomach; oh goddess. I hoped he was okay. ¡°L!¡± I heard Brody say as he fought his way into the fire and through the smoke. He looked like he was about to pass out at any moment; the smoke would be too much for him and I worried he couldn¡¯t handle it like a Vna wolf could. ¡°Brody, you need to get out of here,¡± I ordered him. ¡°Not without you!¡± He coughed, but even as he said that he grew wobbly, and I thought he was going to fall. I shoved Rachel into Brody¡¯s arms. ¡°Get her out of here,¡± I ordered. ¡°What about you?¡± He asked as I turned back toward the kitchen. ¡°I need to find Ryan and Ba.¡± ¡­ Enzo¡¯s POV Students ran from the burning house, pure horror on their faces. I felt a sense of panic when I didn¡¯t see L among them. But I knew she was still alive; my wolf could feel it. Just as I reached the door of the house, Brody ran through it with Rachel in his arms. ¡°Where¡¯s L?¡± I demanded to know. Brody narrowed his eyes at me, seemingly confused. I realized I must have sounded like a worried boyfriend, and I needed to think of something else to say. ¡°Where is everybody else?¡± ¡°L is still inside,¡± Scott cried. ¡°She told me to get Rachel out.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know where Ryan is,¡± Rachel cried; her entire charred body was trembling. ¡°I think I broke my foot.¡± ¡°Call 911,¡± I demanded. Brody nodded and took off further away from the house before grabbing his phone. I didn¡¯t stick around and wait any longer; I went straight into the house. The smoke was a lot, and I couldn¡¯t see for a while. I shifted into my wolf form so I could navigate a little better. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Max knew exactly where L was, and it didn¡¯t take us long to reach her. She was in the kitchen, kneeling over a body and she was trembling. I could hear her crying as she did chestpressions on someone that I assumed was probably Ryan. ¡°You need to get out of here,¡± I ordered her through a mindlink. She nced at me, and I saw the void in her eyes; it was a look I had never seen from her. ¡°I think he¡¯s dead¡­¡± she croaked. ¡°Help me get him on my back and let¡¯s get out,¡± I said again. She nodded as she stood to her feet, bringing Ryan with her. She was able to lift his unconscious body off the ground and ce him on my back with ease. She was incredibly strong, and I shouldn¡¯t have been surprised by this. ¡°I need to find Ba!¡± She cried. ¡°I¡¯ll find her, let¡¯s just get you and him out of here,¡± I ordered. She looked at me for a moment longer before nodding her head and running toward the exit. L stumbled outside as soon as we broke through the door. I could hear the sirens in the distance and was relieved to see the red lights shining through the night. Students were huddled around outside, crying as and nursing their own wounds as they watched the building burn to the ground. I ced Ryan on the ground beside a screaming Rachel. She looked horrified when she saw him lying unconscious before her. I shifted back into my human form and began doing CPR to resuscitate him, but he remained unmoving. I feared that L might have been right. ¡°Ba¡­¡± she cried, tears filling her eyes. I looked back at the building, there was no way I would be able to get back in there and save anyone else. Anyone still there would be long dead by now. ¡°L!!¡± We turned and saw Ba running toward us; I sighed relief when she wrapped her arms around L and they both cried with one another. The ambnce and fire department arrived momentster and were already getting to work on helping the students and stopping the fire. The police were around also, asking questions about what had happened. Most students were too distraught to speak though. Ryan and Rachel were both being transported to the hospital and L remained seated on the ground, staring at her feet as she tried to wrap her mind about what had happened. ¡°Let me look at you,¡± I said to her as I knelt beside her. She nced at me with tear-feared eyes. ¡°How did you know I was here¡­?¡± She asked, narrowing her eyes at me. I could smell the alcohol on her breath and knew she was still a little drunk despite everything that had happened. ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± I lied. ¡°I heard the explosion, and I came running.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying¡­¡± she said, folding her arms across her chest. ¡°I know you are lying. You care about me. Admit it. Admit that you want me as your mate.¡± ¡°You are a naive and foolish girl that snuck out to go to a party. I would be embarrassed to take someone like that as my mate.¡± She stared at me for a moment longer and I thought she was going to start crying; I instantly felt guilty for saying those words. I was just so angry that she would put herself in this position and I was speaking out of emotions. But her next words cut me like a sharp knife. ¡°Then reject me. Because I don¡¯t want you as my mate either.¡± Chapter 61 Chapter 61 L¡¯s POV The hospital was crowded with frantic and drunk students. Most of them were covered in soot from the fire and some of them had blood on them. Thankfully, I only had a little bit of soot because Enzo managed to wipe most of it off my face. It was my clothing that was doing the most damage. Enzo and some of the paramedics thought it would be best if I went to the hospital so they could get me sober. It was clear that I didn¡¯t sustain any actual injuries, but they would rather be safe than sorry. I was brought into a section of the hospital with a few other students who also sustained minor injuries. They hooked some fluid IVs to my wrist and gave me a water bottle. ¡°This IV will help sober you up quickly,¡± the nurse told me in a kind tone. ¡°You just rest. Is there anyone you¡¯d like me to call?¡± I thought about my parents and how they¡¯d be worried about me. I didn¡¯t want them to know that I snuck out to go to a house party. They would be so disappointed in me. Then, I thought about Enzo. I wasn¡¯t sure why he would pop into my mind at that moment. It¡¯s not like he cared where I was anyways. He told me that he would be ashamed to have me as a mate, so maybe it would be better if I just stayed away from him from now on. For some reason, he wasn¡¯t going to reject me. Maybe because he wanted me to suffer. It didn¡¯t make any sense. Val was ufortable with my inner thoughts, and I knew I had to think about something else. I shook my head to answer the nurse¡¯s question. ¡°No thank you,¡± I said to her. ¡°But can you find me my cell phone? I might have left it at the scene.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± she answered. ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can find out about your phone.¡± ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? ¡°Thank you,¡± I said kindly. Once she left, I sighed in relief to be alone with just my thoughts. My heart still ached painfully from my conversation with Enzo. I was trying hard not to cry because that¡¯s not the person I wanted to be. I wanted to be someone who was stronger and didn¡¯t need a man to be happy. But the hopeless romantic part of me was almost hoping that maybe Enzo could have been that guy. I don¡¯t want to think that the moon goddess had made a mistake when assigning me a mate. But after my conversation with Enzo and getting to know him, I¡¯m thinking that maybe she did. ¡°The Moon goddess would never make a mistake,¡± Val breathed. ¡°She knows what she¡¯s doing. We just need to trust her.¡± That was easier said than done but I didn¡¯t argue with my wolf. ¡°L?¡± I heard my nameing from the other side of the closed curtain that separated me from the others. I knew the voice to be Brody¡¯s and I was d to hear from him. He opened the curtain slightly and stepped into my section. He was cleaned of all the soot and had a few bandages on his face and hands, but he gave me a crooked and boyish smile that made me smile in return. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± He asked, keeping his tone low. ¡°Not dizzy anymore,¡± I answered. ¡°How about you?¡± ¡°Banged up a little, but nothing too bad. Did you get any injuries?¡± He asked with a frown, staring around my body questionably. ¡°Nothing too bad,¡± I tell him. ¡°You were in the fire for a while and saved a few people,¡± he said, furrowing his brows together. ¡°You were there when the oven exploded. Most of us got at least a few cuts from that¡­ but you didn¡¯t.¡± Brody doesn¡¯t know that I¡¯m a Vna and we don¡¯t get injured or killed that easily. I wasn¡¯t going to tell him either. ¡°I guess I¡¯m just lucky that way,¡± I said with a shrug. ¡°Yeah¡­ I guess so,¡± he said, rubbing the palm of his hand behind his neck and looking seemingly confused. ¡°Well, I¡¯m d you¡¯re okay.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re okay too, Brody.¡± We both fell silent for a few moments, and it looked like he wanted to say something more. ¡°I was thinking that maybe once all this blows over and we arepletely healed¡­¡± he paused as he gathered his thoughts. ¡°Maybe we could hang out. As friends.¡± I raised my brows. He wants to be friends with me? Like real friends? ¡°I would like that,¡± I said in return; he looked relieved to hear that answer and his grin widened. ¡°Awesome,¡± he said with a lightugh. ¡°Oh¡­ I should ask. Are we still nning on doing the student committee meeting tomorrow?¡± I had almostpletely forgotten about that. ¡°Yes,¡± I answered. ¡°That is if the school is open tomorrow. I know a lot of students got hurt so we will see if the board sends us any memos.¡± ¡°Sounds good,¡± he said. He went to turn and leave, but then he paused and turned back to me. ¡°Can I give you a hug?¡± He asked. He looked like he could use a hug himself and I wasn¡¯t going to deny him that. I raised my arms for him to hug me and heughed as he rushed toward my bedside. he wrapped his arms around me tightly and we remained still for a few moments. It felt nice. ¡­ Enzo¡¯s POV ¡°I already told you guys everything I knew at the scene,¡± Enzo said, annoyed as he walked through the hospital. The police were on his tail, still asking pointless questions that he wasn¡¯t interested in answering. ¡°You didn¡¯t see anyone suspicious?¡± One of the officers asked. ¡°What were you doing at a student party?¡± ¡°I smelled the fire,¡± Enzo nearly hissed. ¡°This isn¡¯t the time or ce to be asking questions. I was just in Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. the right ce at the right time. If you want answers, I will start seeking out the students once they are fully healed. But for right now, it¡¯s better if you just left it alone.¡± The police officers said nothing more as Enzo walked away. Just as he made it to a different section of the hospital, a section he could feel that L was in, he paused when he saw L in a section with a curtain that was half closed. He wasn¡¯t going to go inside her area, but he couldn¡¯t help but pause for a moment as he took her in. She was looking more sober, and she appeared to be talking to somebody. It didn¡¯t register with him who it could have been until he saw a pair of strong arms wrapping around her in a hug and then he saw Brody¡¯s face. A wave of fury went through Enzo, but he didn¡¯t get to process it for long because he was instantly taken out of that train of thought when he heard screaming and cryinging from a separate closeddoor room. Rachel was screaming and crying as they escorted her out of the room. ¡°Ryan!!!!! No!!!¡± She continued. ¡°You can¡¯t be dead!!¡± Chapter 62 Chapter 62 L¡¯s POV ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I asked as Brody quickly pulled away from me. I recognized the sound of Rachel¡¯s piercing scream right away. I had never heard her sound like this before, but I knew it was her. The sound made its way through the hospital, bouncing off the walls and sending chills down everyone¡¯s spine. My heart fell into my stomach as I imagined what could possibly be wrong. Then, she said words that felt like a knife to my stomach. ¡°Ryan!!! You can¡¯t be dead!!!¡± She screamed and sobbed. The hospital nurses and doctors were holding her back, pulling her out of the room. Brody had the curtain of my section open, and I could see them physically pulling her away. She fought them every step of the way though. It broke my heart to see her like this. My only hope was that she was just so distraught that she didn¡¯t know what she was talking about. Perhaps she was still a little drunk. My eyes found Enzo¡¯s and they locked for a moment. My breathing got caught in my throat and I had trouble looking away. But it onlysted a moment; he was the first to pull his gaze away from mine and I nearly fell backward onto the bed when he did. I realized he probably saw Brody in my section, and I wondered if it bothered him. Then I remembered how cruel he was to me earlier and brushed the thought out of my mind. ¡°Get the IVs out of my wrist,¡± I told Brody who looked at me with confusion crossing his face. ¡°I need to get to Rachel,¡± I tell him urgently. ¡®Get these out of my wrist.¡± ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? Before he could even react or move closer to me, Enzo was entering the area, which surprised me. I stared up at him with wide eyes and I thought he was going to protest in having Brody remove the IVs, but then he moved around to my bedside and began taking them out himself. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. He grabbed some bandages off the nearby counter and ced one over my wrist where the puncture wound was before it started to bleed. He released my hand and stepped back without saying anything. Brody looked between us curiously for a moment; I could see the questions in his eyes, but he wasn¡¯t going to ask them with Enzo standing right there. He was smart for that. I didn¡¯t say anything to either of them either; my main focus was Rachel. I could hear her screaming and crying still, though it got quieter which meant they were pulling her further away. This time I could hear some of the crying from the others as well and my heart tugged. This meant something seriously terrible had happened and I needed to find out what it was. I slid out of bed and went into the open room where most were clustered. I saw Ba right away and her eyes were bloodshot. She was pressed against the wall with tears streaming down her face. She covered her mouth with her hands and sobbed silently by herself. ¡°Ba, what¡¯s going on?¡± I asked. ¡°Where did they bring Rachel?¡± ¡°They want to sedate her¡­¡± Ba said in a hoarse whisper. ¡°She was too frantic¡­ she couldn¡¯t handle the news¡­¡± ¡°What news?¡± I asked, at that point, I wasn¡¯t even sure I wanted to know. ¡°Ryan might be dying¡­¡± It felt like there was no air in the room. I felt sick to my stomach, and I stumbled away from her. I couldn¡¯t have heard her correctly. He was a wolf. Wolves were known to be stronger than most and that meant it took a lot to kill a wolf. Ryan had to be okay. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Brody asked and I realized both Brody and Enzo were approaching. I turned away, not wanting to look at Enzo right now but also not able to get the words out of my mouth so I looked back at Ba with pleading eyes. Ba looked at both, getting the hint right away. ¡°Ryan might be dying,¡± she repeated in a broken whisper. ¡°They are doing everything they can, but he took some serious damage. He keeps crashing and they keep bringing him back.¡± ¡°And Rachel? How is she?¡± Brody managed to ask. ¡°She¡¯s being sedated,¡± Ba answered, more tears falling from her eyes. ¡°She can¡¯t handle what¡¯s happening¡­¡± ¡°We were all in that house¡­ how did Ryan end up getting the worst of it?¡± Brody asked, shaking his head with dismay written all over his face. I didn¡¯t have an answer for him; nobody. did. Enzo straightened his stance and turned away from us; as he walked away, I couldn¡¯t help but stare after him. I wondered what was going through his mind at that moment. ¡°I need to see her,¡± I said, looking back at Rachel. ¡°Do you know where they brought her?¡± ¡°Yeah, but they won¡¯t allow visitors right now. At least not until she¡¯s awake and calm,¡± she answered. ¡°I would just give her some time, L¡­¡± I knew Ba was right. If there was one thing that Rachel loved more than herself, it was Ryan. They were together from before I got to this school, and she was so in love with him. They didn¡¯t start officially dating until recently though, despite her strong feelings towards him. Rachel was only 17, so she wasn¡¯t able to sense or find her mate yet. But she was so sure that Ryan was the one the moon goddess had chosen for her. I wanted that to be true for her. Sometimes Ryan was an airhead, but he was really good to her, and he seemed to love her a lot. I was almost envious of their rtionship because it was nothing like what I had with Scott. Ryan might have been a good form of Scott, but he was certainly more gentlemanly than Scott has ever been. ¡°We should get back to campus, so the hospital isn¡¯t clustered,¡± Brody suggested. I knew he was right; the hospital staff was probably so overwhelmed with everything going on. There wasn¡¯t anything we could do for either Rachel or Ryan at that moment. As we were leaving, I saw a glimpse of Enzo from across the halls, speaking to a doctor just outside of Ryan¡¯s door. I paused for a moment, wondering what he was talking to the doctor about. Brody and Ba also paused when they saw I wasn¡¯t walking with them. ¡°L?¡± Ba asked. ¡°Are youing?¡± ¡°You two go ahead,¡± I tell them as I start walking towards Enzo. I could feel their eyes on the back of my head for a moment longer before they finally turned and left without me. Enzo noticed me walking toward him right away and he quickly finished his conversation with the doctor before thanking him and meeting me the rest of the way. ¡°Ryan is in aa, but they think he has a chance of making a recovery,¡± Enzo informed me. I let out a breath of relief at his words. That was great news. ¡°They won¡¯t know just yet though. For right now he¡¯s stable and they are keeping him monitored,¡± Enzo continued. ¡°There¡¯s nothing for you to do right now though. You should go get some rest.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± I found myself asking. ¡°I¡¯m going to stick around here just in case something happens. I¡¯d rather be on the scene than hear about thingster.¡± I frowned at him. ¡°I¡¯ll stay too,¡± I told him. ¡°And I won¡¯t argue about it.¡± I turned away and walked toward one of the empty seats across the hall and sat down. He stared at me for a long while before sighing anding to sit beside me. We sat silently for a moment before I swallowed my pride and looked up at him. ¡°Did you mean it?¡± I found myself asking him. He raised his brows and met my eyes. ¡°Did you mean what you said earlier? That you¡¯d be ashamed to have me as a mate¡­?¡± Chapter 63 Chapter 63 L¡¯s POV ¡°Miss L?¡± A nurse said, walking up to us, before Enzo had a chance to answer my question. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to interrupt your conversation. But Miss Rachel is asking for you. She just woke up and you¡¯re the first person she wants to see. She¡¯s calm now if you¡¯d like to see her.¡± I stood up quickly. ¡°She¡¯s awake already?¡± I asked. I wasn¡¯t expecting her to wake up this soon but the nurse nodded. ¡°We only gave her a small sedative thatsted less than an hour. It was just to calm her and it seemed to have worked,¡± the nurse exined. I nced back down at Enzo who remained in his seat; he was staring at me with a darkened gaze. I could tell there was stuff he wanted to say to me; perhaps he wanted to answer my question. But he remained quiet and continued to stare at me. My heart flipped in my chest, but I had to go see Rachel, so I turned away from him and went with the nurse to the backroom where Rachel¡¯s room was. Rachely in her bed, staring at the ceiling, with tears staining her fair features. I could tell it was taking everything she had not to lose control and start crying at that moment. My heart squeezed painfully in my chest; I couldn¡¯t imagine what she must have been going through. The amount of pain she must have been feeling. I couldn¡¯t even fathom it. The nurse left us alone and I wasn¡¯t really sure what to say so I sat down at her bedside and waited for her to say something instead. ¡°They won¡¯t tell me anything¡­¡± she croaked. ¡°Last I saw of him he was crashing, and they were thinking he was going to die¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s still alive,¡± I tell her quickly, trying to shut down whatever thoughts were invading her mind. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? She almost looked relieved; she closed her eyes and released a couple of stray tears that lingered in her eyes. ¡°Do they know if he¡¯s going to be okay?¡± ¡°He¡¯s stable for right now; they are keeping him monitored and will know more at ater time,¡± I exin. She doesn¡¯t say anything to that. I reach over and touch her hand, trying to provide her with some sort offort. ¡°Rachel¡­ I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡± I breathed. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine what you are going through.¡± ¡°You know¡­ Ryan saved me¡­¡± she breathed, keeping her eyes closed. ¡°In the fire?¡± I asked. ¡°In high school,¡± she answered. ¡°I had no idea you¡¯ve known him for that long.¡± ¡°I was angry when I first met him,¡± she admitted. ¡°But he was always kind to me regardless of how angry I would get.¡± ¡°How did he save you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if I ever talked to you about my home life¡­ but it¡¯s not a good ce,¡± she told me; she opened her eyes so she could peer over at me. ¡°My father was incredibly abusive¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t help the gasp that came out of my mouth. I instantly covered my mouth with my hands and stared at her in shock. ¡°He was an alcoholic and he abused me and my mother for most of my life. My mother ended up leaving¡­ she left me behind¡­¡± ¡°Oh, Rachel¡­¡± I breathed. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. My heart shattered for her, and I didn¡¯t know what else to say to her. ¡°Bears are naturally known for their tempers and my father was incredibly temperamental. The smallest things would set him off. Living at home was like walking on eggshells. I could never do anything right by him. I would go to school with bruises that just wouldn¡¯t heal.¡± ¡°Because bears don¡¯t have a quick healing ability like wolves do?¡± I asked. There wasn¡¯t much I knew about bears; in fact, Rachel was the first bear shifter that I knew. There were a bunch of bears that went to our school, and they would be referred to as the weaker of the species. ¡°Right,¡± she answered. ¡°So, my bruises and cuts would be very visible despite how hard I tried to cover them up. I turned to drugs and alcohol to numb the pain¡­ not the physical pain. The emotional pain. I just didn¡¯t want to feel anymore¡­¡± ¡°I never knew this¡­¡± I whispered, gazing at the ground. ¡°I never wanted anyone to know this,¡± she admitted. ¡°But Ryan found me lying under the bleachers of our school and he brought me to the hospital. I took a pill too much and almost died. I didn¡¯t even know who he was and he stayed by my side until I woke up. But because he was strange kid that I recognized from school and because I was so angry, I was cruel to him¡­¡± ¡°Obviously you didn¡¯t chase him away seeming you are still together,¡± I told her. She gave me a small and crooked smile. ¡°It wasn¡¯t always like that though. Like I said, I was very cruel to him. He tried to get me to talk to him and to let him help me, but I refused all forms of help from him. He knew I was going down the rabbit hole of drugs and alcohol and he tried to get me to stop. He was a stupid boy, but his heart was in the right ce,¡± she said as she shook her head at the memory. ¡°He sounds genuine,¡± I said in return. She nods at my statement and then sighs. ¡°I was never the one who believed in mates and falling in love. It was clear what Ryan¡¯s intentions were and I thought of myself as broken and unlovable. I told myself that I didn¡¯t want a mate¡­¡± Her words struck a chord with me. It was like Enzo not wanting a mate. I wasn¡¯t sure if Enzo was the mate that I wanted as well, but when it came down to it, he was my mate and unless he rejects me, I don¡¯t think I have much of a choice in the matter. My heart ached at the thought, knowing that Enzo doesn¡¯t have any desire to have a mate. But then again, if Rachel had no desire to have a mate when she was younger, but then changed her mind, maybe Enzo would change his mind too. Would it make me feel better if he did? ¡°What made you change your mind?¡± I found myself asking. ¡°Why did you decide to give him a chance?¡± ¡°I admired his persistence for one¡­ nobody has ever cared about me in that kind of way before. I was sitting with him after school, and he wanted to walk me home and I told him no. He started to ask me about my bruises and of course, I brushed him off¡­ but then I broke down and I couldn¡¯t stop crying¡­¡± ¡°Oh, goddess¡­¡± I whispered sadly. ¡°The night before¡­ my father almost killed me, and I was terrified to go home. I finally told him everything I endure at home, and he wouldn¡¯t let me return. He convinced his mom to let me stay there. I found myself wanting to do better by him. I wanted to be the person he wanted me to be. He became my best friend, and I was falling in love with him¡­ but I was so broken and I knew I couldn¡¯t be that person for him. I continued to use it throughout high school and at one point I almost died again¡­¡± She paused to gather her thoughts and I sighed. ¡°You had to go back to the hospital?¡± She nodded once. ¡°Ryan told me that he couldn¡¯t keep doing this and his mom told me that she was going to kick me out if I didn¡¯t get help. She found this small rehab facility outside of town. I was afraid because I¡¯d never been outside of our town before. I feared what would happen to me if I strolled too far from my comfort zone. As a bear, I¡¯m vulnerable to attacks and I was worried that I would be victimized once again. But Ryan went with me to the rehab ce¡­ and he left me there.¡± ¡°What happened? You got clean, right?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± she said, but she sounded uncertain. ¡°But I was the only bear there. There weren¡¯t many bears in that region and the rehab facility was made up of all werewolves.¡± ¡°So, you felt out of ce?¡± She was quiet for a moment longer, staring down at her hands. ¡°They did some terrible things to me there. I was tortured beyond belief. Even by the nurses there. They weren¡¯t sure how to help a bear because most of their treatments were for wolves¡­ so they did a bunch of painful experiments on me. I didn¡¯t think I was going to live to see the outside world again. The only way I could survive was if I just stopped cold turkey. I wanted there to be nothing to treat¡­so they couldn¡¯t hurt me anymore¡­¡± ¡°Rachel, that¡¯s awful. I¡¯m so sorry this happened to you. What kind of cruel ce could treat someone like that¡­?¡± She didn¡¯t answer my question; she was hesitant. ¡°I vowed to never go back to that region ever¡­¡± she breathed. ¡°Where was that ce?¡± She met my eyes and then her next words punched me in the gut. ¡°It was in Elysium¡­¡± Chapter 64 Chapter 64 L¡¯s POV ¡°Elysium?!¡± I gasped, standing to my feet. ¡°Those in Elysium did that to you?¡± That exined why she didn¡¯t want to step foot in Elysium again, even for my birthday. My heart ached so much hearing this and I couldn¡¯t even contain my emotions. I paced the room, trying to calm myself down. If I lost control of my emotions, I would soon lose control of my powers and I couldn¡¯t have that happen here. ¡°I didn¡¯t tell anybody,¡± she told me. ¡°I just waited it out until I was able to be released. Ryan was the one and only person I wanted to see. Once I got out and lived with him again, I finished getting my high school diploma, graduating with honors. I was able to get into the shifting academy with Ryan and then I met you.¡± ¡°So, Ryan¡¯s been there through it all,¡± I breathed. She nodded. ¡°Yeah¡­ he never let me forget how much he loved me¡­¡± My heart squeezed in my chest. That was the kind of love I aspired to have, and I wasn¡¯t sure I was ever going to get that from Enzo. ¡°Give our mate some time,¡± Val chirped. ¡°He wille around, just like Rachel did! Didn¡¯t you hear her story? She was against having a mate too and then Ryan convinced her that it might be worth it. They don¡¯t even know if they are one another¡¯s mates! They are going off their feelings and believing in fate. That¡¯s exactly what you need to do as well.¡± ¡°It¡¯s easier said than done¡­ especially when my mate won¡¯t give me the time of day.¡± ¡°You both said cruel things to one another. Just give it some time and then talk to him. He¡¯s not going to hurt us. He can¡¯t hurt us. Can¡¯t you tell when he refuses to reject us? He¡¯s our mate¡­ he isn¡¯t able.¡± I wanted to believe her and maybe a part of me did. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? ¡°I¡¯m going to leave this hospital until I know for certain that Ryan will be leaving it too,¡± she finally concluded, staring over at me. ¡°I just can¡¯t leave¡­¡± I nodded,pletely understanding. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll stay too,¡± I assured her, reaching for her hand. ¡°I¡¯ll stay by your side.¡± ¡­ Enzo¡¯s POV It¡¯s been a while since L went into the room to see Rachel. They must have been talking about something important. I couldn¡¯t seem to get her question out of my mind. ¡°Did you mean what you said about being ashamed to have me as a mate?¡± That question haunted me because of course, I didn¡¯t mean it. But I needed to say something to push her away. Having me as a mate was only going to put her in danger. I couldn¡¯t live with myself if anything happened to her. But how was I going to answer her question? Thank Goddess the nurse interrupted us before I had to say anything. But I¡¯m sure it¡¯lle up again at some point. I shuddered at the very thought. ¡°Alpha, you don¡¯t need to stay,¡± one of the doctors said, approaching. ¡°I know you are very busy. If anything happens, we will call you.¡± I frowned; I didn¡¯t want to leave without L. ¡°What about L?¡± I asked, keeping my eyes locked on his. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t she be leaving too? Visiting hours are almost over.¡± ¡°She actually asked us to bring an overnight cot and some extra pillows,¡± the doctor answered. ¡°I think she¡¯s nning on staying the night.¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. Was she not going to say anything about it to me? The thought infuriated me, but I wasn¡¯t going to let it be shown on my face. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be leaving. But call if anything happens,¡± I ordered. He nodded his head as I stood to my feet. ncing at the door that L disappeared through, I waited a moment. A part of me thought she woulde through that door, but after a long pause, I realized it was hopeless waiting. I sighed and left the hospital. ¡­ I was dreading returning home. I knew Bethany was still there and the thought of seeing her at my packhouse left me feeling unsettled. She¡¯s been getting on my nerves a lottely and I really didn¡¯t want to deal with her. But I got a memo from the school board that they were shutting the school down for the week because of everything that has happened, and I didn¡¯t have much of a choice but to return home to my pack. I was their alpha after all. Once I got there, I went straight to the kitchen. It was my only attempt to avoid Bethany and anyone else I didn¡¯t feel like seeing right now. I could use the advice of Dee right about now anyways. She was always like a mother to me when my own mother couldn¡¯t be around. Not that I med my mother¡­ I med my father if anything. ¡°Enzo?¡± Dee said with a frown as I entered the kitchen. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting you home so soon. Why are you here?¡± ¡°There was an incident at the school; it got shut down for the week,¡± I told her as I sat at the counter. She strolled over to me with wide and worried eyes. ¡°What kind of incident? Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I answered. ¡°There was a fire at a house and many students were at that house having a party they shouldn¡¯t have been having.¡± ¡°Oh, my goddess!¡± Dee gasped. ¡°Was anyone hurt?¡± ¡°A lot of students were injured, yes. The party host got the worst of it. He¡¯s in critical condition at the hospital.¡± ¡°That poor boy¡­¡± Dee breathed, sitting down beside me. ¡°That¡¯s terrible. I¡¯ll pray for him and hope that he makes a speedy recovery.¡± She paused for a moment as she gazed over at me. ¡°And L?¡± ¡°What about her?¡± I asked a little too quickly. Why would Dee be bringing L up all of a sudden? ¡°Was she there as well? Is she okay?¡± Dee asked. ¡°Yes, she was there. Mainly emotional damage. Not much physically,¡± I answered. I sounded a bit colder than I meant to, but I didn¡¯t want to talk about L. At least, I don¡¯t think I did. ¡°You wanted her advice for something¡­ are you sure it wasn¡¯t because you wanted her intake on L?¡± Max asked with a glimmer of humor in his tone. I didn¡¯t appreciate the tone, so I ignored him. ¡°She¡¯s a strong girl. I¡¯m sure she was a rockstar in that fire. Probably wanted to save everybody she could,¡± Dee said with a faint smile. ¡°That¡¯s the kind of girl she is.¡± ¡°How exactly do you know what kind of girl she is?¡± I asked, narrowing my eyes. Dee shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve grown fond of her. We talk periodically. I get a good vibe from her, Enzo. You don¡¯t feel that vibe too? You must consider you keep bringing her around.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t keep bringing her around¡­ she just keeps showing up,¡± I argued in return. I¡¯m not sure why I was being so stubborn about this. I wanted the subject to change. ¡°And you keep letting her,¡± Dee said with another shrug. ¡°I¡¯m just telling you what I¡¯m seeing¡­¡± She paused for a moment, and I could tell there was something more she wanted to say. ¡°We had a conversation the other day that she didn¡¯t particrly like though¡­I worry that it¡¯ll keep her froming back.¡± I stared over at Dee with an almost rmed expression. ¡°What kind of conversation?¡± ¡°We were talking about Bethany¡­¡± Dee began, meeting my eyes. ¡°I told her that Bethany might really be your mate¡­¡± Bethany might be my what?! Chapter 65 Chapter 65 Enzo¡¯s POV ¡°Dee, you are mistaken,¡± I said, shaking my head with disgust all over my face. ¡°Bethany is certainly not my mate and L shouldn¡¯t be thinking such things.¡± Dee stared up at me as I stood to my feet with rmed eyes. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I just thought¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been thinking wrong. Why did you think such a thing?¡± I asked, keeping my eyes locked on hers. ¡°Because Bethany mentioned it¡­¡± ¡°Bethany? She¡¯s the one who told you that she¡¯s, my mate?¡± I asked in disbelief. ¡°Yes,¡± Dee said nodding her head. ¡°But she¡¯s been using the fact that she¡¯s your mate to get me to do her bidding. I wanted to be kind to her for your benefit¡­ I had no idea she was lying to me.¡± ¡°She was,¡± I muttered. ¡°Has she been cruel to you?¡± ¡°Nothing I can¡¯t handle.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I asked,¡± I said, narrowing my eyes. ¡°She¡¯s been fine,¡± Dee answered, but I knew she was lying. Bethany had crossed the line and now L was thinking that Bethany was my mate. She couldn¡¯t have believed that right? L is my mate and L knows that. Right? ¡­ L¡¯s POV I¡¯m not sure what time it was when I fell asleep. Rachel was up for most of the night; I could hear her tossing and turning in her bed while Iy in the cot, the nurse was kind enough to get me. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d be able to sleep at all, but eventually, I found myself drifting off into a deep sleep and Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. then I woke up the next morning with the faint sunlight peering through the window curtains on the far side of the room. I sat up on the cot and looked around the room, groggily, for a moment before my eyesnded on the empty bed in front of me. I gasped loudly as I scrambled to get to my feet. Rachel wasn¡¯t in bed. Just before the panic started to set in, she walked into the room. She looked like she¡¯s been crying for most of the night. She had her arms wrapped around her body, hugging herself tightly as tears fell from her red eyes. Her hair was the most undone I have ever seen, and it wasn¡¯t often that she didn¡¯t wear makeup, but it seems she cried off all the makeup from yesterday. My heart tugged painfully in my chest seeing her appearance and I wished there was more that I could do for her at that moment. But I knew there wasn¡¯t. I felt so helpless. ¡°He¡¯s still stable¡­ but they won¡¯t let me see him,¡± she croaked, walking back to her bed. ¡°You should try to get some rest, Rachel,¡± I told her, walking with her to her bed. ¡°School has been canceled for the week, so you can get plenty of rest.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I can¡­¡± she said, sliding into bed and under the covers. ¡°It just hurts too much¡­¡± ¡°I know it does¡­ but there¡¯s no use in stressing over things we can¡¯t control,¡± I tell her, sitting down at her bedside. ¡°Until we know for sure what¡¯s going to happen, try not to think too much about it.¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have to stay here any longer with me¡­¡± Rachel breathed sadly, pressing her knees to her chest. ¡°You¡¯ve been here all night.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like I have much of anything to do right now,¡± I told her. But just as I said those words, I remembered I start my job tonight and we were supposed to have the committee meeting today. Then again, the school was canceled for the week, so that would automatically cancel the meeting as well. I decided to grab my phone anyways and sent a group message to the other members, just to let them know that the meeting was officially cancelled. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back. I need to call Cassidy-Ann,¡± I say as I leave the room. I brought Cassidy¡¯s number up on my phone screen and waited with patience for her to answer. ¡°Hello, this is Cassidy-Ann,¡± she said cheerfully into the phone. ¡°Hi, Cassidy-Ann. This is L. How are you?¡± ¡°Oh, L! I was just thinking about you. The fire near your school was all over the news. I was a little worried because I heard a lot of the students at the academy were there and got injured. You weren¡¯t there too, were you?¡± ¡°I was¡­¡± I admitted. ¡°Oh, Goddess,¡± Cassidy-Ann breathed. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry to hear that. Have you been injured? Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. A little banged up¡­¡± I lied. ¡°And emotionally scarred. But I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, sweetheart,¡± she breathed, sadness lingering in her tone. ¡°If there¡¯s anything I can do to help you. Please let me know.¡± ¡°Actually, I know I haven¡¯t even started yet¡­ but I was wondering if I could take a few days off to regather my thoughts and recover from the ident¡­¡± ¡°Take the rest of the week off. You can start next Monday. Does that sound okay?¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± I asked, surprised. ¡°Of course¡­¡± she breathed. ¡°You¡¯ve been through a lot. Please¡­ take time off.¡± ¡°Thank you so much. I really appreciate that.¡± ¡°Anytime, L. I¡¯m really excited to have you on board. I¡¯ll see you soon,¡± she said kindly before hanging up the phone. I couldn¡¯t help the small smile that formed on my lips as I shoved my phone into my pocket. It¡¯ll be nice to be able to recover for the rest of the week. Just as I turned to head back into Rachel¡¯s hospital room, I heard my name from a short distance. ¡°L!¡± I turned to see Ba rushing toward me with worry in her eyes. ¡°How are you? How¡¯s Rachel? I know you stayed here all night. Is she okay?¡± ¡°She¡¯s doing the best she can,¡± I told her. ¡°I feel worried about leaving her by herself. She won¡¯t leave until she knows Ryan is okay. I told her I would stay with her.¡± Ba frowned and stared around my face. ¡°Did you sleep? You look exhausted.¡± I thought I slept; one moment I was lying on the cot and the next I was waking up to the sun through the window curtains. But I was feeling an overwhelming sense of exhaustion. So, maybe I didn¡¯t sleep as well as I thought. ¡°Maybe I am a little bit,¡± I admitted with a small smile. ¡°Then, you should go and rest. I can stay here. Take a few days to recover. You were in the fire for much longer than me and I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve been through a lot of emotional trauma trying to save those you could.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t possibly¡­¡± I said, shaking my head. ¡°I¡¯ll stay with Rachel,¡± Ba assured me. ¡°I already spent a while in the hospital. What¡¯s a little longer? I honestly don¡¯t mind. Get some rest. Clear your mind¡­ I¡¯ll let you know if anything happens.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure I wanted to return to campus though, but maybe going to Elysium and seeing my family might help. It would be nice to get away from Enzo as well. After ourst real talk, I wasn¡¯t sure I would be able to face him. Not right now. He didn¡¯t even bother answering my question yesterday and my heart ached. Ba was right. I needed to clear my mind. I thanked her repeatedly and then went to say goodbye to Rachel. I wasn¡¯t going to tell Enzo that I was leaving Hig; it¡¯s not like he would care anyways. I went back to my dorm and packed some belongings before piling it all in my car and driving down to Elysium. I didn¡¯t even tell my family that I was returning but as soon as I got into the Nova packhouse, I was being attacked with hugs from my mother who didn¡¯t seem to want to let me go. ¡°We heard about the fire,¡± she breathed. ¡°We thought something might have happened.¡± ¡°Is your phone off?¡± My dad asked, narrowing his eyes at me. It was this morning when I called Cassidy-Ann. I grabbed my phone to look at it and saw that it has died. I sighed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I breathed, shoving my phone back into my pocket. ¡°We saw the news this morning and instantly panicked. Were you at the fire, L?¡± My mother asked, worry clear on her face. I didn¡¯t want to lie to her, so I nodded. She hugged me even tighter. ¡°What were you doing at a house party on a school night?¡± My father asked firmly. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. What matters is that our little girl is safe,¡± my mother told him just as firmly. He fell silent, not bothering to argue. I knew he was relieved too as he hugged me tightly. I finished exining to them most of the story, including how Alpha Enzo helped get me out of the fire and to the hospital. After I finished the story, my father, who remained silent for most of it, finally spoke. ¡°That does it¡­¡± my father said, keeping his eyes on mine. ¡°I¡¯m inviting Enzo over for a few days to thank him.¡± Chapter 66 Chapter 66 L¡¯s POV Having Enzo here at the Nova packhouse was not something I wanted. But I wasn¡¯t going to argue with my father about it. He was keen on having him here to thank him for helping me in the fire. It¡¯s not like I could tell my family the reason why I didn¡¯t want him here. Now I just had to hope that Enzo would decline the offer. I don¡¯t think he wanted to see me either. I thought he would try to avoid me at all costs. My father went to call Enzo while my mother and I talked a little more in the kitchen. ¡°Did anybody get seriously hurt?¡± She asked. ¡°I heard the host was in critical condition.¡± ¡°Ryan¡­¡± I told her sadly. ¡°Rachel¡¯s boyfriend. He was the host.¡± She gasped, covering her mouth with her hands as she peered over at me. ¡°Rachel as in your roommate?¡± She asked, eyeing me carefully. I nodded once. ¡°We don¡¯t know if he¡¯s going to be okay. But we are hoping for the best. She won¡¯t leave the hospital until she knows for sure. I stayed with herst night and Ba is staying with her for the next couple of days. She told me I needed to rest too,¡± I exined. My mother¡¯s eyes showed such sadness that it tugged at my heart. She walked closer to me and wrapped her arms around my body. Val was instantly rxed from thefort of my mother. She liked my mother and enjoyed being around her. She knew that my mother meant so much to me and being near her meant home. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± she breathed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you had to go through all this and I¡¯m sorry your friends are suffering.¡± I wiped away the tears that strayed from my eyes and held her even tighter, not wanting to let go. ¡°I was so worried that I was going to lose them all, Mom,¡± I breathed between my tears. ¡°I thought for sure more would get worst injuries. But I managed to get some out¡­¡± ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? ¡°Of course, you did,¡± she said in return. ¡°You are incredibly brave, and I adore that about you. I hope you know how much I love you.¡± ¡°I do,¡± I said to her. ¡°And I love you.¡± ¡°Good news!¡± My father said, walking into the kitchen. ¡°Enzo will be here in a few hours!¡± My heart dropped into the pit of my stomach. Enzo wasing? I couldn¡¯t ignore the excitement of my wolf; she was runningps in my mind¡¯s eye at the sound of our mate being on his way to us. I tried to calm her down, but there was no use. She was far too gone and way too excited to hear the reason. ¡°That¡¯s great,¡± I lied, forcing a smile. ¡°I¡¯m just going to go to my room and get a bit of rest before he gets here,¡± I told them as I walked past the kitchen and toward the door. I was feeling unwell and plus, I really was exhausted. But maybe I could try to avoid him, at least until dinner. I went up the stairs and to our apartment in the packhouse. Corinne and Flynn were sitting on the couch when I walked through the living room. They were both frowning at me and that¡¯s when I saw they were watching the news. They were talking about the fire that happened at Ryan¡¯s parent¡¯s housest night. I didn¡¯t want to see anything about it, but I couldn¡¯t help but pause when I stared at the television. ¡°Many were injured and remain at the hospital. The host of the party, who will remain unnamed for the time being, is currently being treated for critical injuries that may have caused his life. Pieces of the stove broke off and plunged into his body, leaving him incredibly injured and fighting for his life.¡± I almost vomited at hearing the sound of that. It wasn¡¯t until that moment that I knew what had caused him such injuries. He must have been near the oven when it exploded and then the silver parts of it struck him. Silver was incredibly lethal to werewolves; I was surprised that nobody else got hit with the shards. I shuddered at the thought. ¡°Were you there?¡± Corinne asked, eyeing me carefully. ¡°No,¡± I lied, turning away. ¡°But I had friends that were.¡± ¡°I told you she wasn¡¯t stupid enough to sneak out of the academy to go to a house party,¡± Flynn said to Corinne, shaking his head with a frown on his face. Corinne rolled her eyes and turned away from me. ¡°She¡¯s some,¡± she muttered, folding her arms across her chest. ¡°She never does anything fun.¡± While the two of them continued to gossip, I went into my room and mmed my door shut. I just wanted to close my eyes and shut myself away from the world for a little while. I¡¯ve missed my bed terribly and I felt like I was wrapped in my own little cocoon. I finally feltfortable enough to fall asleep. And I did fall asleep. I didn¡¯t wake up until Val got a whiff of Enzo from nearby. I was groggy when he arrived, but Val was wide awake and going nuts due to his incredible smell. I had to admit that it was practically mouth-watering. My heart was beating so heavily in my chest that I could barely contain myself. I thought about Enzo and his lips on me; the way he kissed me in the past left me inplete turmoil. I wasn¡¯t sure why that was all of a sudden in my mind, but I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about it. A smile tugged at my lips as I thought about his mouth trailing down the nape of my neck and nibbling every corner he could get to. I could physically feel his fingers on my flesh, pulling down my clothing until I was revealed to him fully. The way he felt pressed against me and the way I felt his bulge against my pelvis was mind-blowing. I closed my eyes, envisioning him in my room and having his way with me. Those were thoughts I never thought I would have. But I couldn¡¯t help myself. I wasn¡¯t sure if they were my thoughts or Val¡¯s, but regardless, I could practically feel him with me, and itThis is property ? N?velDrama.Org. was making my entire body warm. In fact, I was getting grossly warm. My pale skin was turning a light shade of pink, and I felt my nipples hardening without much control. It was a strange sensation; they felt tender to the touch, and I had to press my hands against them to keep them from causing too much pain. My body continued to warm to the point where my skin began to sizzle slightly. I wiggled ufortably in bed, feeling .my lower abdomen warm as well and tingling. I squeezed my legs together to keep myself under control, but I couldn¡¯t contain myself. A small whimper of distress escaped my lips as I continued to wiggle against my bed, trying to get some sort of relief. My body was practically on fire. It felt as hot as it was when I was in the house that caught on fire. Enzo was only in the next room, which was the guest room. Everyone else was downstairs in the main packhouse kitchen. I knew Enzo was in the next room. I could feel him. At that moment, I needed to get my clothes off before I died of a heat stroke. I grabbed my blouse and threw it over my head and to the ground, doing the same thing with my pants. it left me in only my bra and underwear. That didn¡¯t seem to be enough though; the heat of my lower abdomen was growing more intense due to my underwear and my nipples felt like they were chafing against my bra. I had to get them off too. I kicked my underwear to the ground and unhooked my bra, allowing that to fall to the ground too. I wasn¡¯t in the right frame of mind, and I knew that. But I needed to find relief and Val was so sure that Enzo could be the one to help us. I whimpered again as I pressed myself against the wall, rubbing my body to calm it down. It was like trying to scratch an itch that wasn¡¯t there. I finally and my way to Enzo¡¯s door and knocked ferociously. There was hesitance on the other side of the door, but soon, he opened it, and his eyes found mine. Then they lowered and darkened. Chapter 67 Chapter 67 Enzo¡¯s POV What the fuck does she thinks she¡¯s doing?! L stood in front of mepletely naked. Her entire body was illuminating pink, including her face. She looked incredibly ufortable, and her whimper only proved that. Her body trembled as she squeezed her legs tight, rubbing them together like she was scratching some kind of itch. She bit onto her swollen bottom lip and whimpered again, gazing up at me like she was pleading for my help. I could smell her honeysuckle scent potently and it was making my mouth water. My member was shifting automatically in my pants and my wolf was going insane over the view. He was begging me to take our mate as our own and have our way with her, but I was holding him back. She was clearly not in the right state of mind. She was also naked andpletely exposed in the hallway of her parent¡¯s apartment. I grabbed onto her arm and pulled her into the closedpacity of my room, sealing the door behind us. She stumbled into the room and turned around to face me again, tears welling in her eyes. ¡°I need help¡­¡± she whispered hoarsely. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong with me.¡± Unfortunately, I did. L had gone into heat. This was not going to be a good oue. ¡°Just try to breathe,¡± I ordered. ¡°I¡¯ll get you some ice water, it usually helps.¡± I went to turn to leave, but she grabbed onto my arm, halting me. ¡°Please don¡¯t go¡­¡± she pleaded. ¡°I need you¡­¡± ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? I stared down at her in shock. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. What was she asking me to do? Before I could grasp what was happening, she was pressing against my body, rubbing against me, and whimpering softly with her eyes fluttering shut. ¡°You aren¡¯t thinking correctly,¡± I murmur. ¡°You are in heat¡­¡± Her eyes popped open, and she stared up at me, her face reddening even more. ¡°Is that what¡¯s wrong?¡± She asked, her tone trembling slightly. ¡°Just try to rx,¡± I told her. ¡°Lay down.¡± ¡°Lay down with me¡­¡± she pleaded, grabbing my arm and pulling me toward the bed. Max wanted to go with her; I knew she was going to feel extreme difort unless I did something to help her. She didn¡¯t need water; she needed her mate. I went with her to the bed and wrapped an arm around her waist to steady her. Her body pressed against mine and she let out another small whimper as she peered up at me. She was chewing her bottom lip like it was candy and all I could think about was wanting to chew it as well. ¡°Enzo¡­¡± she whispered in another pleading way. I leaned down and took in her glorious scent that was radiating off her body. I could practically feel the steaming off her skin. I knew from her scent that she was a virgin, she had never been touched by a man. In fact, I was her first kiss. This wasn¡¯t how I wanted her to lose her virginity; I wasn¡¯t even sure if I wanted it to be with me. But I knew I needed to do something quickly. I found myself kissing her and taking her in even more. Her body seemed to have rxed once my lips made contact with her. As wanted, I began to chew on her bottom lip, bringing it into my mouth and tugging it with my teeth. I released it and saw how red and swollen it had be. That pleased me. The member in my pants shifted again; it wanted to be driven inside of her. I ran my hands down her warm and naked flesh, cupping her lower half and bringing her closer to me. She went with my motion without hesitation, breathing heavily as I continued the kiss. She wrapped her arms around my neck, deepening the kiss herself like she wanted to devour me. I couldn¡¯t help the smirk on my lips as she did that. Breaking the kiss from her lips, I trailed my mouth down the nape of her neck. She threw her head back for easier ess as I ran my kisses down her chest and toward her breasts. Her nipples were hard and inviting. Begging me to bite them. I wanted them in my mouth. Every time I see her, I think about them and having my way with them. I bit her nipple, drawing it into my mouth while tugging at the other one with my fingers. She moaned softly, nearly falling onto the bed from losing her bnce. I carefully released her, allowing her to fall backward onto the bed while my tongue swirled around her nipples, ying with them and enjoying everything she had to offer. She ran her slender fingers through my hair I didn¡¯t typically like when others touched my hair. But for some reason, when it came to L, I didn¡¯t mind. I traveled my lips down her torso while she continued running her fingers through my hair. It was like she was guiding my head. She knew exactly what she wanted, and I grew hungrier with lust as I reached the middle of her legs. She didn¡¯t care how exposed she was to me; she widened her legs to grant me silent permission to do whatever it was I wanted, and I loved that. Everything about her was glorious and her whimper begged me to please her. I watched as her juices dripped down her legs; she didn¡¯t seem to mind or care that I was watching with such intent and desire. It only made her want me more. I began to please her with my tongue, licking every juice that left her body as her body jerked in pleasure. Another small moan escaped her lips, and her breathing grew harsh. I deepened my tongue, throwing a couple of fingers inside of her, trying to bring her to that sweet release. Her body began to shudder, and she withdrew her fingers from my hair to run them through her own hair. Soon, she was digging her nails into the bed sheets, just as she reached her climax. I didn¡¯t stop though, I continued to please her until she was begging me to stop. I felt her body¡¯s heat simmering down and her body trembled with satisfaction. By the end, we were both breathless, but my cock wanted more. She was staring at my member with curiosity and lust in her eyes. She bit onto her lip like she was giving me permission to release it. I went to reach for my pants and then a knock on the door caused us both to freeze. I could see the pure panic in her eyes as she nced at the door and then back at me. ¡°Enzo, are you in there?¡± It was Bastien. Lile was quick to scramble out of bed and I motioned for her to hide underneath. She did so without hesitation. ¡°Just a moment,¡± I said quickly as I made sure L was unseen. Once she waspletely covered, I went to the door to open it. ¡°Hey, Bastien,¡± I saidmely rubbing my hand behind my neck like I was some kind of schoolboy that was caught in the act. ¡°I wanted to thank you again for helping L during that fire. I¡¯m not sure what I would have done if anything were to happen to her. She¡¯s lucky to have you nearby to help her whenever she needs it.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± I said, hoping to the Goddess that he didn¡¯t sense L in this room. ¡°Any daughter of yours is a daughter of mine¡ª¡± I stopped short, instantly regretting my choice of words. Now, I feel gross. Max snickered. ¡°Dinner will be ready shortly if you want toe downstairs. I think L might be sleeping because she isn¡¯t answering her door. But maybe you can get her up in time for dinner?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll see what I can do,¡± I said as I watched him disappear down the hallway. I sighed in relief, and I could feel L¡¯s relief as well as she crawled out from her hiding ce. She was still naked, and her face waspletely red. Not because she was in heat, but because of how embarrassed she was. We stood there silently for a moment before I decided to say something. ¡°Dinner will be ready¡ª¡± ¡°I heard¡­¡± she interrupted. I looked around her face, wondering what she was thinking. She didn¡¯t look back at me for long; she grabbed a towel that sat on the dresser and wrapped her body in it. She was trying hard not to make eye contact with me. As she walked toward the door, she paused, keeping her eyes lowered. ¡°I¡¯d appreciate it if we never spoke about this again¡­¡± she said and then she left. Chapter 68 Chapter 68 L¡¯s POV How was I ever going to face him again after that? I couldn¡¯t believe that happened. To top it off, we almost got caught by my father. My heart was racing at an incredible speed while I was hiding under that bed. I just kept praying to the moon goddess that he didn¡¯t know I was there. It didn¡¯t seem like he knew; as far as my father was concerned, I was sleeping soundly in my bed. Once he left, I felt like I could finally breathe, but one look at Enzo¡¯s face and then the realization of what we had just done sat between us. I couldn¡¯t even look him in the eyes. I had to focus my attention on the ground, or I would explode out of my skin. I was incredibly embarrassed and I¡¯m sure he could tell from my face that I just wanted to forget about this whole thing. I didn¡¯t need to say it, but I did anyways. As I left, I could feel his eyes on the back of my head; he didn¡¯t say anything in return and that was probably for the better. He waited a few moments before going downstairs and joining the rest of us in the kitchen. My parent¡¯s seemed particrly pleased to see him and the twins were motioning for him to sit beside them at the dinner table. I was d to see Brianna and Donovan were also over along with Aiden. ¡°L!¡± Bri cried as she quickly ran over to me, wrapping her arms around my body and hugging me tightly. ¡°I was so worried when I saw the news. How could you not call me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± I told her, hugging her back. ¡°A lot has happened, and I didn¡¯t really think about calling anybody. I just wanted toe home.¡± ¡°We are d you are okay, kid,¡± Aiden said with a bright smile. ¡°And we are d that you are home.¡± ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? I gave them a small smile in return and sat down in my usual spot next to Brianna. Dinner smelled incredible per usual and I knew my mother was the one who cooked. I loved her cooking and she always made way too much food. ¡°I hope you enjoy the food I made,¡± my mother said, staring at everybody around the table. I mainly ate in silence, not really feeling up for a conversation. I was still so incredibly embarrassed about what Enzo, and I had just done. I never even kissed a guy before Enzo and now I allowed him to do that? What was I thinking? ¡°You were thinking you wanted our mate in every way possible,¡± Val chuckled. ¡°You can¡¯t deny how good it felt.¡± She was right; it felt incredible. I couldn¡¯t believe I had gone into heat. That has never happened to me before, but then again, it was a wolf thing and I had only just gotten my wolf. Was this going to happen to me all the time? I really hoped not. I couldn¡¯t help but nce over at Enzo who wasn¡¯t looking at me; that brought me some sense of relief. It probably meant nothing to him, and he would soon forget about it anyways. He ate his food silently as well, not looking at anybody. ¡°L?¡± My mother said from across the table; she was staring at me with concern in her eyes and I gave her a fond smile in return. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You seem a little off. Are you okay?¡± ¡°Oh, yes. I¡¯m sorry. I guess with everything that happened, I¡¯m a little out of it,¡± I answered. I nced at Enzo again and this time, he was looking at me. My face instantly reddened just as his eyes darkened and I looked away and back at my te. ¡°I think I¡¯m just a little tired as well,¡± I added. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. It wasn¡¯t a lie; I was exhausted. Especially after my encounter with Enzo. My body was fighting to stay awake. My mother gave me a small smile, meeting my eyes. ¡°I understand, L Bean. You should get some rest after dinner.¡± I nodded at her and continued to eat my food while she turned her conversation to the others. I tuned out the rest of what they were saying, but I could still feel Enzo¡¯s eyes on me. ¡­ Enzo¡¯s POV Coming here was a mistake; L can¡¯t handle me being here and that much was obvious. She looked so torn and worn out after what we had just done. She couldn¡¯t even look at me. But all I could think about was wanting her in return. Alli could think about was ripping her clothes off and having my way with her on this dinner table. I didn¡¯t even care if anyone watched. My wolf was anxious and itching to be released. I wanted to know where her mind was and how she was feeling, but she asked me to never speak of this again and I needed to honor her wishes. Once dinner concluded, L helped her mother clear the table while Bastien pulled me away to talk wolf to wolf. A part of me wondered if it was because he knew that L was hiding in my room. I¡¯d be lying if I said I wasn¡¯t nervous. We went outside into the backyard and stood on the patio deck, Bastien being quiet for what felt like an eternity. ¡°Someday I won¡¯t be around¡­¡± Bastien began, which surprised me. Bastien was the healthiest and strongest Alpha I knew; there was no way he was dying anytime soon. ¡°My son, Flynn, will be taking over as the Alpha of the Nova pack. But he¡¯s not who I want to take over as head of themittee. It¡¯s a big role and it needs a big pair of feet to fit in those shoes.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t be for a long time,¡± I told him. ¡°You aren¡¯t going anywhere just yet.¡± ¡°You might be right, but anything could happen,¡± Bastien said with a sigh. ¡°My point is, if you keep working at what you are doing, I would like you to take over as the head of themittee. If you are up for the job.¡± Being head of themittee is certainly something I¡¯ve been wanting. I would be able to be in control and do a lot of changes around the kingdom. I would be able to protect those I love. I would be able to protect my mother from men like my father. I wasn¡¯t going to rest until the world was safe and Vna¡¯s weren¡¯t hunted. I nodded my head, looking over at Bastien who kept his eyes forward as he looked around the scenery. It was a nice view of the backyard, but beyond that were the Nova pack hilltop homes. It was quite beautiful; I have to admit. Bastien was an amazing Alpha, and he was somebody I found myself looking up to. ¡°There¡¯s another thing too, Alpha¡­¡± Bastien began. I didn¡¯t say anything, waiting for him to continue. He remained silent for a moment longer as he looked over at me, meeting my eyes. ¡°I want you to be here to protect her too¡­¡± he said, lowering his tone and keeping his eyes locked on mine. ¡°I want you to protect L.¡± Chapter 69 Chapter 69 L¡¯s POV ¡°So, are you going to spill the tea?¡± Bri asked as she curled up in my bed beside me. I narrowed my eyes at her, trying to figure out what she meant. ¡°What tea?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t y dumb, L,¡± she chuckled. ¡°The tea with you and that hottie Alpha Enzo. What¡¯s the news on you two?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no news,¡± I said, but I spoke a little too quickly because she raised her brows at my expression. ¡°Then why are you blushing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not blushing,¡± I said, pressing my hands to my face. Even I knew that was a lie and I could hear Valughing at me. Bri rolled her eyes and chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m your best friend and the only one who knows that Enzo is your mate,¡± she reminded me. ¡°If you can¡¯t talk to me, then who can you talk to?¡± She was right; I was going to drive myself crazy if I didn¡¯t talk to somebody about this. The only person I could truly talk to was Brianna. So, I sighed and looked over at her. ¡°Something happened before dinner¡­¡± I told her, lowering my tone. She sat up, fixating her entire attention on me. ¡°What?¡± She asked as I processed my thoughts. ¡°I went into heat¡­¡± I breathed. She gasped at my words, staring around my face in disbelief. ¡°Wait¡­are you serious?¡± She asked with wide and shocked eyes. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? I nodded, feeling a wave of the same crossing over me. ¡°What was that like? I¡¯ve never experienced something like that before.¡± ¡°It was unbearable and incredibly ufortable,¡± I admitted. ¡°Everything was so hot, and it was like needing to scratch an itch that I couldn¡¯t reach. I wasn¡¯t in the right frame of mind.¡± ¡°How did you know that it was heat?¡± I didn¡¯t want to tell her this next part, but I knew I had to. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. ¡°Enzo told me¡­¡± I admitted. ¡°Oh, my goddess,¡± she whispered. ¡°He was with you when you went into heat??¡± ¡°Not exactly¡­¡± I said, lowering my gaze. ¡°I went to find him¡­¡± ¡°L!¡± She eximed, nearly jumping to her feet. ¡°After I ripped off my clothes.¡± She gasped again, covering her mouth with her hands. ¡°That¡¯s huge! How could try to keep something like this from me?! Is that why you were acting so strangely at dinner? Your mother could see right through you, you know. She didn¡¯t buy yourme excuse for a second.¡± ¡°I meant what I said to her,¡± I said in my own defense. ¡°I was exhausted¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, after you spent time with Enzo,¡± she chuckled, curling back up in bed. She wrapped her amrs around mine. ¡°So, how was it? I¡¯m assuming you finally lost your V-card, right?¡± ¡°No!¡± I said a little too quickly. ¡°We didn¡¯t have sex¡­ but¡­¡± ¡°But?¡± She urged me to continue. ¡°He did things to me that left my wolf very satisfied,¡± I said, feeling that smile tugging on my lips and my face warming at the memory. ¡°He did things?¡± Bri asked, raising her brows again. ¡°Like sexual things?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Oh, my goddess, L!!¡± She screeched, nearly jumping on the bed and taking me with her. ¡°This is absolutely huge!!!¡± ¡°Brianna, calm down,¡± I pleaded. ¡°Before somebody hears you.¡± She stopped jumping and frowned at me. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you more excited? You were worried that he wasn¡¯t into you and now you have actual proof that he is.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any proof,¡± I muttered, folding my arms across my chest. ¡°It was in the heat of the moment. It¡¯s not like it meant anything to him.¡± ¡°Of course, it meant something to him. He¡¯s your mate and he is programmed to love you.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not a robot.¡± ¡°No¡­ he¡¯s a wolf,¡± she said, rolling her eyes. ¡°The moon goddess assigns us mates and our wolves do the rest.¡± ¡°You are starting to sound like my wolf¡­¡± I said, trying not tough at her expression. ¡°Your wolf is very wise,¡± she said in return. ¡°You should listen to her more often.¡± I knew she was right, but I didn¡¯t want to think about Enzo anymore. I honestly didn¡¯t think that Enzo was that into me. Maybe it was because I¡¯m a Vna. I knew that he had something against Vna¡¯s. Probably because of his father. He knew I was a Vna, which meant he had something against me. The thought was upsetting but I wasn¡¯t going to tell Brianna that. ¡°I like this girl,¡± Val said with a chuckle. ¡°She called me wise and she¡¯s right. You should listen to me more.¡± ¡°I told him that I didn¡¯t want to ever discuss what happened again,¡± I admitted, staring down at my hands. ¡°Why would you say that to him?¡± Bri asked, seemingly confused. ¡°Because I¡¯m just so embarrassed. He¡¯s, my professor. He could get into huge trouble if this got out. I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m going to do¡­¡± Bri sat silent for a moment, allowing me to process my thoughts. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I know I¡¯m overly excited and you are majorly confused. But he¡¯s your mate, L. The goddess wouldn¡¯t have done this if she didn¡¯t truly think it was what¡¯s best for you both. Somewhere down the line, you will need each other, and he feels that too.¡± ¡°How do you know he feels that too?¡± I asked, looking over at her. She smiled at my question. ¡°Because he hasn¡¯t rejected you yet.¡± ¡­ Third person POV Back in Hig, at the hospital, Ba spent the night with Rachel while Rachel remained in her hospital bed, staring at the ceiling like she was a zombie. She hasn¡¯t left the bed since yesterday and there hasn¡¯t been any news on Ryan¡¯s condition. As long as they knew, Ryan was still stable, and yet still in aa. He suffered some massive damage, and they aren¡¯t sure if he is going to make a recovery or not. It was upsetting, but Rachel was taking this way too hard. She hasn¡¯t eaten, and she hasn¡¯t slept from what Ba could tell. ¡°You should eat something,¡± Ba pleaded. ¡°L will be upset if she returns, and you¡¯ve wasted away.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not hungry,¡± Rachel muttered, throwing the nkets over her face to shield her from the lighting of the room. ¡°Come on, Rachel. Just a bite of something. Anything.¡± Rachel finally sighed and peered over at her. ¡°Fine¡­ get me something from the cafeteria.¡± Ba was relieved to hear her say that and didn¡¯t waste any time getting to the cafeteria and grab some food. There was some kind of pork dish that smelled decent enough, along with some rice and a pudding cup. She also grabbed a bottle of water so Rachel could keep herself hydrated. However, once she returned to the room, Rachel seemed to be gone. There was a moment of panic seeing Rachel¡¯s bed empty and no nurse seemed to know where she had gone to. Ba¡¯s first thought was Ryan¡¯s room, but upon going to see Ryan, the doctors upying his room assured her that nobody had been allowed. Ba traveled around the hospital, trying to find any glimpse of Rachel but she wasing up nkly. Eventually, she found a bathroom on the opposite section of the hospital, and it looked like it was a more secluded area. It¡¯s been about an hour and a half since shest saw Rachel in her room, so whatever she was doing, Ba knew it wasn¡¯t good. She went into the bathroom and instantly got a weird feeling. As she walked further past the stalls, she saw that the bathroom was mainly empty except for thest stall which was closed and locked. There were a pair of bare feet on the ground and Ba recognized the ck nail polish to be Rachel¡¯s. ¡°Rachel?¡± Ba asked a little nervousness in her tone. When Rachel didn¡¯t respond or move, Ba¡¯s heart fell into her stomach. She managed to get the stall door unlocked and pushed it open only to find Rachel waspletely passed out on the toilet with a needle sticking out of her arm. Ba gasped loudly, stumbling backward. Rachel OD¡¯d Chapter 70 Chapter 70 L¡¯s POV I didn¡¯t sleep long when Ba started to call my cell phone. It was almost 10 pm and I was very confused as to why she was calling me sote at night. I knew something must have been wrong. ¡°Ba?¡± I asked, groggily into the phone. I knew right away that she was crying before she even spoke. ¡°Something happened,¡± she said, her words trembling. ¡°Rachel disappeared¡­ but then I found her. She was passed out in the bathroom¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± I gasped, jumping up from my bed, startling Brianna who had fallen asleep beside me. ¡°What do you mean she passed out? What happened, Ba?¡± ¡°She had a needle in her arm,¡± Ba cried. ¡°She OD¡¯d.¡± I needed to get back to Hig and as soon as possible. I must have been making a ton of noise while grabbing my things because my mother came into my room with a worried look in her eyes. ¡°L, where are you going? What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I have to go,¡± I told her quickly. ¡°Something happened in Hig.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± My father asked, running in behind her. ¡°It¡¯s Rachel. Ba thinks she OD¡¯d. I need to make sure she¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°Are you okay to drive back at this hour in this state of mind?¡± My mother asked in worry. I realized at that point that I had tears streaming down my face. ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know,¡± I admitted. ¡°I just know I have to get back.¡± My father looked behind him in the darkness of the hallway. ¡°Enzo, can you take her back in your car?¡± ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? My heart fell into my stomach for the second time tonight. Enzo was here too? Ugh. This wasn¡¯t happening to me right now. ¡°Yes, of course,¡± Enzo said, stepping into the lighting of my room. His eyes were dark, and he was staring directly at me with narrowed eyes. I felt my breathing getting caught in my throat and my wolf was tugging me toward him. But I stood my ground this time. ¡°Thanks,¡± my father said, patting him on the back with his firm hand. He turned back to me. ¡°Keep us updated, L Bean.¡± I nodded to him, grabbed my suitcase, and followed him out of my room. I didn¡¯t want to discuss anything that had happened between us and the thought of being alone with him in a car for an hour was unsettling, but I needed to get back to Hig and see Rachel. I felt an overwhelming sense of guilt for leaving in the first ce. ¡°Call us as soon as you get back,¡± my mother ordered as we reached the front of the packhouse. ¡°I will,¡± I assured her, giving her a quick hug before running out of the house and towards Enzo¡¯s waiting car. I¡¯ll have toe back to get my car at some point. But my mother was right, I wasn¡¯t in any kind of condition to be driving. Enzo didn¡¯t waste any time in throwing the car in drive and peeling away from the packhouse. I grabbed my phone and called Ba once we were on the road. ¡°How is she?¡± I asked. ¡°She¡¯s still unconscious,¡± Ba said; it was clear to me that she¡¯s been crying. I wanted to cry too but I needed to remain strong for her and Rachel. ¡°They are trying everything they can.¡± How can she be so stupid and do something like that? She¡¯s been doing so well and now she has rpsed; that whole story she told me about her time in the rehab and how they tortured her for being a bear, it seemed like all that work she did was for nothing now. ¡°She can¡¯t handle a world without Ryan¡­¡± Ba breathed, answering my unspoken question. ¡°I think they are actually mates. If one of them dies, it¡¯s almost like both of them die¡­¡± I knew that to be true; my father would tell me the time everyone thought my mother had died. He never believed it because he would feel it if she did; his wolf would feel it. I couldn¡¯t even imagine what that must feel like. I couldn¡¯t help but nce over at Enzo; I wondered if he would feel it if something happened to me. When he was wounded in the woods, I felt it right away and was able toe to him and help him with my abilities. Would he do the same thing for me if it were me who was injured? Would he care if I got hurt? Or maybe it would be a relief to him if I wasn¡¯t around. I didn¡¯t want to think about that; our moment in the bedroom didn¡¯t mean anything to him. I was just someone whom he found to be an easy target because I was in heat. I shook my head at the thought and nced out the window. ¡°We areing to the hospital right now,¡± I told Ba. ¡°Just give us a little bit to get there.¡± ¡°We?¡± She asked. ¡°Professor Enzo is driving me¡­¡± She was quiet for what felt like an eternity as she processed what I had just said. ¡°What was he doing with you in Elysium?¡± She finally asked. I needed to say something quickly to appease her question without causing suspicion. ¡°He saved me in the fire and my father was grateful to him. So, he invited Enzo over for dinner and to stay the night as a ¡®thank you¡¯ kind of thing,¡± I answered. ¡°Oh, that makes sense. I¡¯m d you are able toe back. I don¡¯t think I can handle this without you if something terrible happens¡­¡± ¡°Just keep breathing Ba. I¡¯ll be there soon,¡± I assured her as I hung up the phone. I allowed my phone to fall onto myp. I was feeling all sorts of drained at that moment. We still had a good 30 minutes before we would be at Hig, and I wasn¡¯t sure if I would be able to sleep at all. But I closed my eyes and rested my head against the window of the door anyway. Anything to get out of a conversation with Enzo. I had to focus on something, anything, other than his amazing scent which was all over the car. N?velDrama.Org ? content. It was mind-boggling how much he affected my wolf. Even during everything that¡¯s happening. He was all she could think about, and she was going insane for him. I quickly changed my mindset to Rachel and Ryan who were both now lying in the hospital in critical condition and my heart broke that much more. Before I could control it, tears began to escape my eyes at a quick rate. I opened my eyes and lifted my head off the window. I turned my head slightly to keep Enzo from seeing me but the small whimper that escaped my mouth caused him to nce over at me. I bit my lip to keep from making any more noises, but it was toote. He could see the tears that were staining my features and delicately dripping off my chin. Before I knew what was happening, he was pulling over on the side of the road and throwing the car in park. I nced over at him, narrowing my eyes, and he kept his dark gaze on mine. ¡°What are you doing?¡± I demanded to know. ¡°We need to go¡­¡± My voice came out like a croak though and as I spoke, more tears escaped my eyes. I couldn¡¯t stop them regardless of how hard I tried. He stayed silent for a short moment and then he did something I was never expecting. He wrapped his arms around me and gave me a hug. Chapter 71 Chapter 71 L¡¯s POV The rest of the car ride was quiet, which was probably a good thing. As soon as we got to the hospital, I jumped out of the car and began to run toward the main entrance. I saw Ba right away and she was already talking to one of the doctors. It looked like I was arriving just in time. Ba looked relieved to see me and waved me over to join in on their conversation. ¡°What¡¯s going on? How¡¯s Rachel?¡± I asked as I approached them. ¡°I was just telling Ba that your friend is going to be okay,¡± the doctor said. ¡°However, it could have been a lot worse. I have some pamphlets on rehab facilities if you¡¯d like to take one for her. I suggest she seeks the help she clearly needs.¡± I didn¡¯t think Rachel would ever want to return to rehab; not after thest time she went. But I wasn¡¯t going to say that to the doctor. I gave him a fond smile and thanked him as he went back to do his work. I looked over at Ba who gave out a long sigh of relief. ¡°I can¡¯t handle this¡­¡± she said, resting against the wall. I hugged her tightly. ¡°You did so well though,¡± I told her. ¡°You should go and get some rest. I¡¯m here now¡­¡± ¡°Are you sure you¡¯ll be okay?¡± She asked. I nodded my head once, ncing behind my shoulder at Enzo who was standing nearby almost awkwardly. ¡°Yes,¡± I assured her. She gave me a small smile as I released her. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? ¡°Okay¡­ I¡¯ll see youter, L,¡± she breathed tiredly as she walked through the waiting room and past Enzo. She paused when she reached Enzo and gave him a fond smile. ¡°Thank you for getting her back safely, professor.¡± Enzo rose his brows at Ba¡¯s statement, but he didn¡¯t say anything in return. I wanted to roll my eyes at him, but I refrained from doing so. I went toward the other section of the hospital where the rooms are and immediately went to see Rachel. She was surprisingly awake already and lying in bed. She was staring at the ceiling and her breathing was heavy. She had a few different IVs in her arms and her eyes had dark purple circles under them as she had just gotten into a fight. I frowned even deeper when I saw her. Standing beside her bedside, folded my arms across my chest. I almost felt like I was her mother. ¡°What were you thinking?¡± I asked in a harsh whisper. ¡°You could have died, Rachel.¡± Without looking at me, she said, ¡°I can¡¯t live in a world without him¡­.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t even know if he¡¯s going to make it or not¡­¡± I told her, shaking my head with dismay written all over my face. ¡°My bear is in agony¡­¡± she croaked. ¡°He hasn¡¯t woken up yet and it¡¯s driving both my bear and me insane. I can¡¯t handle it¡­¡± ¡°So, you turn to drugs?¡± I asked, shaking my head. ¡°You just told me your rehab horror story. Is that something you want to go through again?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± she whispered; tears were welling in her eyes. ¡°I just didn¡¯t know what else to do.¡± ¡°You talk to someone is what you do,¡± I told her. ¡°This was an unfortunate event that happened that nearly cost the life of your boyfriend. You are going through something seriously traumatic. You need to talk to someone about this.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°A therapist,¡± I told her firmly. ¡°I can make some calls and get you in a session. But you have to do the work too, Rachel. You can¡¯t turn back to drugs or all that work you did to ovee the Elysium Rehab Facility would have been for nothing.¡± She knew I was right and the way she looked at me just proved it. ¡°I care about you¡­¡± I continued. ¡°You have be my best friend at this school; you are my roommate. I can¡¯t imagine doing the rest of this without you. Please, let me help you¡­¡± She thought about it for a moment longer before nodding her head. ¡°Okay¡­¡± she whispered as more tears escaped her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for scaring you. You didn¡¯t need to come all this way for me¡­¡± I let out a small chuckle as I sat at her bedside. ¡°Yes, I did,¡± I said in return. ¡°As soon as I heard you were in trouble, I knew I needed to get back here. I didn¡¯t want you to go through this alone.¡± I grasped her hands and for once since arriving at this hospital the other day, she gave me a small smile. ¡°I¡¯m d to have you here just the same,¡± she breathed. ¡°I know,¡± I said in return. I¡¯m not sure how long I stayed at the hospital, but I knew Enzo wasn¡¯t going to leave until I went with him. He was kind enough to wait in the waiting room for me, but I wasn¡¯t sure I wanted to leave just yet. ¡°Did you sleep at all?¡± She asked, eyeing my face carefully. ¡°You look tired.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I said with a shrug. ¡°I¡¯m not worried about it.¡± ¡°You should get back to our dorm and get some sleep,¡± she suggested. I rose my brows at her. ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave you here alone and I told Ba to leave and get some rest as well,¡± I told her. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± she said in return. I rose my brows at her, not believing her words. ¡°Trust me¡­ I won¡¯t be able to escape here with the nurses watching me like a hawk,¡± she said with a faint yet annoyed smile. I knew she was right; she was on suicide watch now. I sighed and nodded, giving her a huge hug. ¡°Okay,¡± I told her. ¡°But I will be back first thing in the morning.¡± We finished saying our goodbyes before I stood and walked out of her room. As I returned to the waiting room to tell Enzo we could go, I paused when I realized Enzo wasn¡¯t sitting there alone. Beside him, with flowers, was Brody.¡± ¡­ Enzo¡¯s POV L has been in the hospital room with Rachel for what felt like forever. But I didn¡¯t mind it. I sat in the waiting room, patiently. I just wanted L to be okay; I knew she¡¯s been upset, and my wolf can¡¯t take any more of it. When she cried in my car it nearly broke my wolf into pieces and I couldn¡¯t think of doing anything besides hug her. I promised Bastien that I would take care of L long after his death, which to me, it sounded like he knew that I was L¡¯s mate. But how could Bastien know something like that? I almost wanted to ask L about that to see if she had maybe said something to her family about it, but I knew it wasn¡¯t the right time to question her about something like that. After what felt like an eternity, a new figure appeared in the waiting room and stood beside me. I was seated so I nced up to see Brody standing there with a bouquet of flowers. ¡°Ba told me what happened, and that L was here,¡± Brody exined. ¡°I came to make sure both she and Rachel are good.¡± ¡°L is in there with her right now,¡± I told her, keeping my tone even and trying not to sound too This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. annoyed by Brody¡¯s presence. ¡°I brought Rachel some flowers,¡± Brody said, showing me the bouquet. When I didn¡¯t say anything, he continued. ¡°I¡¯m going to give L a flower.¡± I raised my brows at him, not saying anything, but also a question on my face to which Brody decided to answer. ¡°I really like her¡­ and I know she might not like me right now, but I¡¯m willing to y the long game. I¡¯m willing to wait for her for as long as it takes¡­ but someday, L will be mine.¡± Chapter 72 Chapter 72 L¡¯s POV They were both staring at me when I came through the door and into the waiting room. I was shocked to see Brody; I didn¡¯t think he even knew about Rachel. Ba must have said something to him in passing. It was sweet that he brought her a bouquet. Although Rachel didn¡¯t like flowers. But I wasn¡¯t going to tell Brody that. ¡°Hi,¡± I said to him, forcing a smile on my face. I was feeling all sorts of drained, and I just wanted to return to my dorm and get a little bit of sleep. I was nning oning back to the hospital in the morning anyways. ¡°I brought these for Rachel,¡± he said sheepishly. He seemed a little shy and awkward and I wasn¡¯t sure why that made me almostugh. He picked out a bright purple flower and brought it to me. ¡°But I picked this one out for you¡­¡± I raised my brows at him, surprised. I felt Enzo tense and I wasn¡¯t even standing near him. It must have been the vibe and energy he was portraying. My wolf picked up on it right away. He didn¡¯t like that Brody was there, but I wasn¡¯t sure why he would care so much. It¡¯s not like he cared about me. He told me he would be embarrassed to have me as a mate and didn¡¯t even apologize for that. Despite what we did at the Nova packhouse earlier this evening, I could tell it wasn¡¯t because he cared about me. Regardless of what Val might think. She huffed at my unspoken statement, and I had to work hard to ignore her. ¡°Thank you, Brody,¡± I said after a beat of silence. ¡°That¡¯s very sweet of you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just going to visit Rachel quick and check on Ryan as well,¡± Brody said, keeping his eyes locked on me. ¡°And then I can take you home if you¡¯d like?¡± ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? I nced over at Enzo whose expression hardenedpletely. Brody didn¡¯t wait for me to answer his question, he went straight toward the hospital rooms a disappeared through the double doors. I kept my eyes on Enzo who finally pulled his eyes away from the ghost of Brody to look back at me. ¡°Are you going to go with him?¡± He asked. He sounded indifferent and I felt a jab of pain in my heart from his tone. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± I admitted. ¡°Should I?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter to me. If you go with him, then I¡¯ll leave,¡± he said in return. That wasn¡¯t the answer I was hoping for. Then again, I wasn¡¯t sure what kind of answer I was hoping for. ¡°Yeah,¡± I finally answered. ¡°I¡¯ll go with him.¡± Enzo didn¡¯t look bothered by this, but something in his eyes was unfamiliar. He looked at me for a moment longer, assessing my face and analyzing my every feature. I felt disappointed that he didn¡¯t fight a little harder, but then again, I wasn¡¯t surprised. I broke my eyes from him, lowering my gaze to the ground. This wasn¡¯t how I thought I would feel when I found my mate. I was disappointed that this was the oue. What kind of cruelty was this? Out of all the wolves in the world, why did the Moon Goddess think Alpha Enzo would be a good fit for me? I shook my head at the very thought. ¡°Then, I will be leaving,¡± Enzo finally said after a long pause. I didn¡¯t watch him as he left this time; I kept my eyes on the ground and waited for his presence to disappear. Val was inplete agony over that exchange. She didn¡¯t like our mate leaving like that she thinks I should go after him. But I nted my feet on the ground. I wasn¡¯t going to chase him down. I was done being the chaser. If he truly wanted me, then he would have toe after me this time. And I doubt he was going toe after me. All I wanted to do at that moment was shift into my wolf and go for a long run. It felt like it¡¯s been ages since I was able to set Val free and roam through the forest. I wanted to practice using my abilities too. If I didn¡¯t get my powers out once in a while, I might experience a power overload and lose control over them. I waited for what felt like an eternity for Brody to reappear in the waiting room. He gave me a fond smile and then looked around the waiting room curiously. ¡°Professor Enzo left?¡± He asked, raising his brows. I nodded. ¡°He just wanted to check on the injured students. His job was done for the evening, so he went home,¡± I lied. ¡°I see,¡± Brody said in return. ¡°He¡¯s a really good professor and a great Alpha. My father talks praises about him.¡± I had forgotten that Brody¡¯s father was also an Alpha, and he was on my father¡¯smittee. Which meant, Brody¡¯s father worked closely with Enzo as well. I guess I should be careful with how much information I give to Brody knowing that it could get back to his father. Meaning, it could get back to Enzo. ¡°Thank you for the ride back to campus,¡± I said as we left the hospital. Brody¡¯s car wasn¡¯t a far walk thankfully. ¡°I figured because I¡¯m going back there anyways, I could be of use to you,¡± he said with a quick shrug. I slid into the passenger seat, sitting a little awkwardly as he pulled away from the hospital. ¡°How have you been¡­?¡± He asked, peering over at me briefly before ncing back at the road. ¡°I mean, since the fire.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a lot,¡± I admitted. ¡°I keep reying the events in my mind. I just can¡¯t believe Ryan is still in the hospital. How did things get so bad?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a question I don¡¯t have an answer for,¡± he said softly. ¡°Ryan has always been a party animal and I¡¯ve never really been. I didn¡¯t even want to go to his party, but because I¡¯m his friend, I went anyways.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t want to go either,¡± I admitted. ¡°But Rachel convinced me.¡± ¡°I guess we are both suckers for our friends,¡± Brody said shaking his head. ¡°But I am d we were there. I think a lot more students would have been hurt if we didn¡¯t get them out when we did¡­¡± I nodded my head once. ¡°Thank you for helping me,¡± I said to him. ¡°Of course¡­¡± he said in return. He was quiet for a moment longer and then he spoke again. ¡°How did the fire not physically affect you? You seemedpletely fine during the fact.¡± Do I tell him because I¡¯m a Vna and that we are incredibly hard to injure and kill? Or do I lie to him? ¡°I guess I¡¯m just lucky like that,¡± I said with a lightugh. ¡°Maybe because I was drunk.¡± ¡°Everyone was drunk,¡± he said, shaking his head. ¡°But they still got injured.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± I answered. ¡°I held my breath for a while. Maybe that was why?¡± ¡°Maybe¡­¡± he said, but he didn¡¯t soundpletely convinced. It didn¡¯t take us long to get back to campus and as soon as he parked the car, I got out. He got out as well and walked around the car and closer to me. ¡°Well, for what it¡¯s worth¡­ I¡¯m d you didn¡¯t get injured,¡± he said, keeping his tone low. I smiled at him. ¡°I¡¯m d you didn¡¯t either.¡± I heard another car door mming shut nearby and was surprised to see Enzo across the parking lot. It seemed like he was ring at Brody, but Brody was too busy looking at me to notice. I cleared my throat and stepped away from Brody. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I¡¯m going to get some rest. Thank you again,¡± I said over my shoulder. I could feel his eyes on the back of my head as I walked toward the dorms. As I walked, I kept my head lowered so I wouldn¡¯t have to look at Enzo, but I paused when I saw a familiar figure walking towards the 24-hour school board office. My heart fell into my stomach as soon as her face was revealed to me. It was Sarah Chapter 73 Chapter 73 Third Person POV ¡°Wee back to the school, Sarah,¡± Miss Laurence, head of the board, said as she handed Sarah her curriculum and dorm keys. ¡°You were missed. Let¡¯s try to do better this time around.¡± ¡°Yes, mam,¡± Sarah said with a broad smile. ¡°I won¡¯t let you down. I truly apologize for my behavior previously.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not the one you need to apologize to,¡± she said in return, eyeing Sarah carefully. Sarah had to admit that she was dreading apologizing to L. But that was the deal. She could return early if she gave L a heartfelt apology. The thought was nauseating for her. But she was going to do it if it meant she could return to the academy. The first thing she did after meeting with the board upon her arrival, was seek L out. She knew she would most likely be sleeping because it was sote at night. At least, she hoped that she would be that way she could get out of apologizing. Or she would be too tired to remember. But as soon as she realized L¡¯s dorm room, which was on the way to her own dorm room, she was surprised to see a faint light under the door indicating that she was awake. She groaned miserably but knocked on the door. L opened the door and her eyes widened in shock when she saw Sarah standing before her. She didn¡¯t look afraid though; L didn¡¯t often find Sarah to be intimidating enough to be afraid of her, but Sarah was sure she wasn¡¯t expecting her to be returning to the school so soon. ¡°Sarah¡­?¡± L said, staring around her face and making sure she was real. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°They let me return early,¡± Sarah said, folding her arms across her chest. ¡°I wanted to apologize for my behavior toward you. I allowed my own insecurities and jealousies to cloud my judgments and it wasn¡¯t fair to you. I¡¯m sorry for poisoning you. It wasn¡¯t meant to hurt you¡­ only dy your wolf¡¯s development. I did it out of greed. I wanted to be the best and I knew as soon as you got your wolf, you¡¯d be the best.¡± L was quiet for a short while, processing what Sarah had just said. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? She raised her brows in took Sarah¡¯s appearance. ¡°It¡¯s very big of you to apologize. Thank you,¡± she said, but there was still some hesitance. Sarah knew the board was going to confront L in the morning and ask about this apology before she could actually return full-time, so she had to make this count. ¡°If there¡¯s anything I can do for you¡­let me know. I hope we can maybe be friends one day. I know we didn¡¯t have a great start¡­ but I¡¯m willing to try and make things better between us,¡± Sarah uttered. That pained Sarah to utter, but she was putting on a performance of her life. It seemed to have worked because L gushed into arge smile. ¡°Thank you,¡± she breathed. ¡°I really appreciate that. I¡¯m here for you too and I would really like to be friends.¡± ¡°Great¡­¡± Sarah said in return. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be going.¡± With that being said, Sarah turned and left. While Sarah was at the back of the school, she heard whispers about a house fire that most students attended. A lot of students got injured and the host, Ryan, was hurt critically. Sarah never liked Ryan; he¡¯s Scott¡¯s best friend and he¡¯s also aplete airhead. He always gets Scott into stupid trouble, so it was no wonder Ryan got the worst of the damage from that fire. She also found out from some close friends, during their catchup session, that L had begun a student committee and she¡¯s the president of it. That infuriated Sarah more than anything; if anyone should be president of a studentmittee, it should be Sarah! ¡°That¡¯s not all¡­¡± One of her good friends said in a hushed whisper. They were sitting in their usual spot in the student lounge a few days after Sarah returned to the school. She spent thest few days studying and catching up on schoolwork, not to mention moving back into her dorm. She hasn¡¯t had a lot of time to catch up on any gossip. ¡°There¡¯s a rumor that L has a new job as Cassidy-Ann¡¯s personal assistant.¡± Of course, everybody knew the famous artist Cassidy-Ann. The thought of L actually getting to work with her pushed Sarah to her boiling point. That just wasn¡¯t going to do. ¡­ L¡¯s POV It¡¯s been a week since the fire and a few days since Sarah made that awfully sweet apology. I thought it was strange for her toe to me at such ate hour and apologize, but then Miss Laurence, of the school board, pulled me aside the next morning to ask if Sarah had apologized to me yet. After that, it started to make sense. They weren¡¯t going to allow Sarah to return full-time unless she made a heartfelt apology. I wanted to laugh at how obvious that was. I just told Miss Laurence the truth and said that it was incredibly heartfelt and kind of Sarah to apologize. Miss Laurence seemed to have liked that response because she smiled and jotted something down in her notebook before disappearing. ¡­ Today is my first day as Cassidy-Ann¡¯s assistant and I couldn¡¯t be more excited. I wore a ck shirt and a white blouse. I pulled my hair into a low ponytail and only added a lightyer of makeup to my fair complexion. Once I got there, she gave me my own desk in the middle of her studio and just outside her office. She Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. gave me the runaround of what I¡¯m going to be doing and then gave me a few assignments to work on. It was nice being able to do something that didn¡¯t include schoolwork or thinking about Enzo. I didn¡¯t want to think about him anymore. If he truly wanted me, he would make it known to me and he hasn¡¯t. I shook the thought out of my mind and continued my work. ¡°L, I have a few errands to run. Can you tell anyone who calls that I¡¯ll return in an hour?¡± Cassidy- Ann asked as she left her office. ¡°Yes, of course,¡± I answered, waving to her as she left. I heard some whispering from nearby and looked to see a couple of Cassidy-Ann¡¯s artists. I frowned as they whispered amongst one another and then looked at me with curious gazes. Once they noticed I was watching them, their faces turned red. I thought they were going to run, but it seemed they were arguing over who should ask me a specific question. Eventually, after ending the argument, one of them stepped over. ¡°Are you really Alpha Bastien¡¯s daughter?¡± I rose my brows, but I nodded. ¡°It must be awesome to have a father like him!¡± The other said chipperly. ¡°It is awesome,¡± I said in return. They both chuckled and they looked like they wanted to say more but they didn¡¯t get a chance. I heard a light knocking on the door before it opened. I gasped when I saw Sarah standing in front of me. Chapter 74 Chapter 74 L¡¯s POV ¡°Sarah?¡± I said, standing to my feet. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I just wanted to check out the new art gallery that just opened,¡± Sarah said, raising her brows. ¡°But my question is, what are you doing here?¡± ¡°I work here,¡± I exined. ¡°As Cassidy-Ann¡¯s assistant.¡± ¡°You?¡± Sarah nearly scoffed. ¡°What would she want with someone like you?¡± That sounded like an insult, but I ignored it, allowing it to brush off my back. ¡°She liked the portrait I made of Professor Enzo. She said I have real potential and wanted me to start here as her assistant,¡± I said in return. At that point, the other girls had disappeared to continue their own work. They were Cassidy-Ann¡¯s artists, so they stayed in their own section of the studio, painting for the next art show. Which I knew was going to be held soon and I would have to help with that. ¡°I see¡­¡± Sarah said, almost bitterly. It was like she was disregarding the entire apology she made to me a few days ago. But I knew she wasn¡¯t being genuine as soon as I figured out, she was forced to apologize to me. ¡°Well, clearly, she doesn¡¯t know real talent. As soon as she sees my paintings, you will best month¡¯s news,¡± Sarah said, batting her longshes and throwing a lock of her hair over her shoulder. I wanted to ask her what happens to us being friends. But I decided against it. It wasn¡¯t worth the time, and I wasn¡¯t sure I wanted to be friends with someone who was forced to make a heartfelt apology to me. ¡°She¡¯s always looking for new talent,¡± I say with a shrug. ¡°I can always book you an appointment and you can consult with her.¡± I sat back down at my desk and nced at myputer. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? Sarah¡¯s lips were pressed into a thin line and she folded her arms across her chest. I knew she wasn¡¯t happy. ¡°No thank you,¡± Sarah muttered. ¡°I¡¯ll speak with her on my own time. And not because you booked an appointment¡­but because I¡¯m just that good. Once she sees m work and knows my name, she will be the one seeking me out.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure that¡¯s true,¡± I said in agreement, which is not what she wanted. Sarah didn¡¯t stick around to say anything more; she turned away and left the studio. I shook my head with dismay written all over my face as Cassidy-Ann returned. ¡°Did I miss anything good?¡± She asked as she walked toward her office. ¡°It was quiet,¡¯ I lied. ¡°Wee back.¡± She gave me a sweet smile before disappearing into her office. But then she reappeared moments later with a mani folder. ¡°I have some paintings here that need to go out for delivery soon. Would you mind enveloping each of these? Then bring them to the post office?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± I said, taking therge folder from her. I began to do just as she asked. Sealing each glorious, handmade, drawing that Cassidy created herself, in thick velvety designer envelopes. Each painting was going somewhere different. Cassidy-Ann had an online store where customers could purchase original art. I was in awe of how beautiful each piece was, and I thought about purchasing one for myself as well. Once each painting was put in its own envelope and stamped, I grabbed the satchel that Cassidy-Ann had given me at the beginning of the day and carefully ced them inside. I went to her office door and knocked on it until I heard her give me the okay to enter. ¡°I¡¯m about to leave for the post office. Is there anything you need while I¡¯m gone?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind an expresso,¡± she said kindly. ¡°You can take thepany card on your desk.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I said with a head nod. I grabbed the card off my desk and shoved it into my pocket. I didn¡¯t have my car, so I had to walk to the center of town, which was only about a 20-minute walk. The post office wasn¡¯t busy, and thedy at the front counter was very kind. She gave me a sweet smile as I ced the envelopes on the counter. ¡°Ah, I see another shipment of Cassidy-Ann originals,¡± she said with a light chuckle. ¡°How can you tell?¡± I teased. Scanned each envelope into her system and then sent them away to be shipped. ¡°Thank you so much,¡± I said before leaving. The next stop was the coffee shop, which wasn¡¯t too far from the coffee shop. I got Cassidy-Ann and her expresso and then I grabbed a small coffee for myself as well. Once I returned, Cassidy thanked me as I sat her expresso on her desk. ¡°You are doing a very nice job, L. I¡¯m so d you are here,¡± she breathed as she took a sip of her coffee. ¡°I really appreciate the opportunity,¡± I said in return. ¡°I¡¯m hoping that one day I could open my own studio and paint the world as I see it through my eyes.¡± ¡°I hope that for you as well,¡± Cassidy-Ann said with a kind smile. I went back to my desk and continued to do my initial task. Which was invoicing for thest batch of paintings that Cassidy had sent. Once again, I could hear the gossiping of the painters from across the studio and I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if they had anything better to do than sit there and gossip. It was strange that they were asking me about my father. Of course, everybody knew Alpha Bastien and not many knew I was his daughter. I wondered how they even found this information out and why it mattered. ¡°I¡¯m getting a strange feeling,¡± Val said with unease. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. I could feel her anxieties and it was making me feel unwell. I was also getting a bad feeling. Like something was about to happen that neither of us was going to like. I reached into my desk drawer and pulled out my phone. I had a couple of missed texts from Brianna, just wishing me luck in my new job. Same with my mother. I also had a missed call from Rachel, and I grew nervous wondering what could possibly be wrong. I wanted to call her back, but I didn¡¯t want to get in trouble on my first day of work. I shoved my phone back into my desk drawer and took a deep breath. Maybe that¡¯s all it was. A feeling. That didn¡¯t mean anything bad was going to happen. But then again, I couldn¡¯t help but think about Enzo. I wondered what he was doing at that moment and who he was with. He spent a lot of his time with Connie, and I felt uneasy thinking about it. I shook the thought of my head; I couldn¡¯t let him distract me. Not again. Just as I brushed the thought out of my mind, a couple of those gossiping artists appeared. The same ones that were asking about my father. They were giggling with one another as they stood in front of my desk. ¡°Can I help you?¡± I asked, raising my brows. ¡°We were wondering¡­ because you are Bastien¡¯s daughter, and you are a student at the academy¡­ do you happen to know Alpha Enzo?¡± One of them asked. I stared between the two curious girls and then I was starting to realize why I was getting a bad feeling. ¡°I do,¡± I answered, nodding my head once. They both giggled again. ¡°He¡¯s so hot,¡± the other cooed. ¡°I don¡¯t know how you can stand being in the same room with him without ripping his clothing off.¡± ¡°He¡¯s my professor,¡± I said quickly, feeling my face warming. ¡°Why do you ask anyways?¡± They looked at one another and then looked at me. ¡°Would you maybe be able to introduce us to him? We want to see if he¡¯d pick one of us for his chosen mate!¡± Chapter 75 Chapter 75 L¡¯s POV ¡°Absolutely not!!!¡± Val growled with fury boiling through her. I had to clutch the desk to keep her tame and not lose control. ¡°We will not be introducing these whores to our mate!!¡± ¡°Maybe he would finally reject us if we did though,¡± I said, trying to reason with her. Yes, it was painful to think about, but this might be a blessing in disguise. Perhaps this was the push Enzo needed to finally reject us and let us live our lives without the burden of being his mate. My stomach was in aplete knot as I stared around at the eager faces that stared back at me. They were waiting for an answer and Val wasn¡¯t letting me say anything to them. ¡°We know he¡¯s unmated because he hasn¡¯t found his mate yet. We heard through a grapevine that he¡¯s on the market for a chosen mate,¡± one of the chuckled. ¡°Yeah, that famous singer Bethany is staying with him, trying to get him to choose her. She has a better chance than anybody, but we would also like a shot.¡± I couldn¡¯t believe what I was hearing. They were all treating him like he was some kind of essory. ¡°So, what do you say? Will you introduce us?¡± I opened my mouth to speak, but then Cassidy-Ann¡¯s office door swung open, and she walked out. ¡°We are having an art show on Saturday. I need all of you there to help with the event. Especially you, L. I need you there early.¡± I was d to have the distraction and way out of this conversation. ¡°Absolutely,¡± I assured her. ¡°I¡¯ll be there. I nced at the other girls who nodded as well before turning back to me with pleading eyes. It didn¡¯t look like I was getting out of his conversation anytime soon. ¡°I¡¯ll invite him to the art show,¡± I said with a shrug, much to Val¡¯s dismay. ¡°And then I¡¯ll introduce you.¡± They both pped happily with excitement. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? ¡°Thank you so much!¡± They both said at the same time. I didn¡¯t want Enzo as my mate¡­ so why was I feeling so badly about this? I swallowed therge lump that had formed in my throat and continued to work. Now I just needed to see if Enzo wanted toe to an art show. My only hope was that he would say no. ¡­ Enzo¡¯s POV Everybody was working hard in ss this morning, especially L who seemed like she was throwing punches at me to throw off some steam. I agreed to be her partner for the remainder of the school year, and she was certainly putting the use of my strength and using her full strength to the best of her abilities. She had beads of sweat dripping down the nape of her neck as she threw punches and kicks in my direction. L was incredibly strong and talented, and I couldn¡¯t help but feel some sort of way about her because of that. But I brushed those feelings off and shoved them into the pit of my stomach. I wasn¡¯t going to let this girl weaken me, regardless of who it was. ¡°Any word on Rachel?¡± I found myself asking; I¡¯m not sure why I cared, but I haven¡¯t been to the hospital in thest few days, and I was a little worried. ¡°I went to see herst night,¡± L said as she spun around and kicked me with her foot. I grabbed her foot with one hand with ease and gave her a crooked smirk. Her face seemed to have reddened slightly as she stared at me. ¡°And?¡± I urged her to continue. ¡°And she¡¯s fine,¡± she said, pulling her leg out of my grip. ¡°I¡¯ll probably go backter though. Just in case¡± I understoodpletely and nodded. Before I had a chance to say anything, L stared up at me through hershes. ¡°You shoulde to the art show on Saturday. I¡¯m going early to help Cassidy-Ann set up,¡± she said. There was something about her tone that was strange, and it didn¡¯t sit right with him. I wasn¡¯t sure if I wanted to go to some art show, but I hadn¡¯t spent nearly enough time with L thesest few days and even though we weren¡¯t a couple, she was still my mate and I felt obligated to do as she pleaded. So, I nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll be there.¡± ¡°Wait, really?¡± She gasped. ¡°You want toe?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She stared at me for a moment longer and then nodded. ¡°Okay, great,¡± she said, however, there was still some uncertainty in her voice. ¡°Something seems to be wrong with our mate¡­¡± Max pointed out. ¡°She seems off¡­¡± ¡°She always seems off¡­¡± I said in return. ¡°It¡¯s nothing to be concerned about.¡± ¡°But she seems more off than usual,¡± Max said with dismay in his tone. ¡°I¡¯m worried and you should be too.¡± I shook my head of the thought and continued to practice with the rest of the students. ¡­ The day of the art show arrived quickly. I wore a button-down shirt and a pair of nice work pants. I didn¡¯t often like dressing up, but I figured this was an event I needed to dress up for. ¡°Admit that you want to impress L you buffoon,¡± my wolfughed. I rolled my eyes, ignoring him. The art gallery was packed with different people by the time I arrived. I could smell L¡¯s scent from across the room and it was making my mouth water. I thought about our moment at the Nova pack and my member shifted in my pants. I wanted to have another moment like that with her, but I knew it would be better if that didn¡¯t happen again. I shook my head of the thought and went to find L who was speaking to Miss Cassidy-Ann and a small crowd of people. L¡¯s eyes finally found their way to me, and she frowned. It almost seemed like the color had drained from her facepletely when she saw me. I was confused by this reaction. After all, she did invite me. That¡¯s when I noticed who was beside her, talking her ear off. It was Brody. She must have invited him too. I was furious, but I wasn¡¯t going to let her see that. Instead, I straightened my stance and walked toward her. ¡°Professor,¡± she said with a stered smile. ¡°I¡¯m d you made it.¡± ¡°Thank you for the invitation,¡± I told her in return, trying to ignore Brody¡¯s stares. ¡°I wanted to introduce you to a few people,¡± she said with a lowering tone. I wasn¡¯t expecting her to want to introduce me to anyone; I wasn¡¯t sure how I felt about this. But I followed her through a small crowd of people until we reached a couple of decent-looking she-wolves. They both had wide eyes and were shocked to see me standing before them and I wasn¡¯t sure why they looked like they had seen a ghost. They looked at one another and then burst into uncontroble giggles with reddening faces. I narrowed my eyes at them and then rose my brows at L who looked extremely pained. ¡°Enzo¡­ this is Emily and Kate¡­ I work with them at the studio. They¡¯ve been wanting to meet you¡­¡± Realization struck me at that moment. That¡¯s what this was; she didn¡¯t invite me here because she wanted me there. She invited me because she was trying to set me up with different, she-wolves!This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 76 Chapter 76 L¡¯s POV There was a part of me that was hoping that Enzo wouldn¡¯t show up. Emily and Kate were especially happy to meet him when I told them he agreed toe. We spent most of the morning setting up the gallery for the show. The caterers arrived just in time to set up their stations for food and drinks and per request, Brody arrived with his guitar. After talking with Brody over time, I discovered that he was huge into music and that it was a passion of his. I heard him ying in the student lounge and I knew he would be perfect entertainment for the art show. ¡°Where should I set up?¡± He asked, holding up his red velvet guitar case. ¡°I¡¯ll show you,¡± I said, walking toward a secluded area where a few paintings were set up. ¡°You can set up your station however you want,¡± I told him with a kind smile. ¡°Hey, L! Can you help me ce napkins around the tables?¡± Cassidy-Ann asked from across the room. I nodded to her and went to grab the napkins in the back room. As I was in the backroom, rummaging through supplies, I could hear more people entering the gallery and gasping at all the fine art that was set up perfectly for their viewing. It was only a small event with a few tables for eating, so I didn¡¯t need that many napkins. I grabbed a handful and started to make my way out of the backroom when I felt his presence. Val perked up right away, wiggling with excitement. My heart was beating quickly as I pressed my hand against the door. It was like I could feel his presence as if he was in the same room as me. I pushed open the door and went to ce the napkins on the table. ¡°L, when you are donee here for a moment. I¡¯d like you to meet some people,¡± Cassidy-Ann called over to me. I nodded my head once, trying to bring it back to the present moment. I had to try to get Enzo out of my mind. It was hard though, knowing he was approaching. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? The feeling of his presence grew stronger; this was apletely new feeling for me. I finished cing the napkins on the table and joined her with a group of others who were all wearing fancy clothing. ¡°L, I wanted to introduce you to Leroy Klein, the founding leader of the International School of Art for Shifters.¡± I almost gasped, staring up at the man that could make it possible to pursue my dreams. The International School of Art for Shifters was on the other side of the basically, in Monstro, the secondrgest town that upies a bunch of packs just like Elysium. Of course, Elysium is the biggest town in the world and upies the most packs. But Monstro was always a town that I¡¯ve read about in books and magazines, and I¡¯ve always dreamt of visiting. I¡¯ve heard it¡¯s the most beautiful town to ever exist. Not to mention the weather was always gorgeous there and almost everybody lived on the beach. The International School of Art for Shifters is one of the best and biggest colleges. It was always ranked the number one academy in the world. Only the best artists, including Cassidy-Ann, attended that school. ¡°I¡¯ve heard a lot of great things about you, L. I¡¯m hoping we will get a chance to talkter on?¡± Leroy Klein asked. I couldn¡¯t believe he was standing in front of me right now. I¡¯ve never even imagined that I would get a chance to meet him. ¡°Yes, sir. I would like that very much,¡± I said to him, trying to remain confident. ¡°I was just showing him some of your work,¡± Cassidy-Ann further exined. ¡°He¡¯s quite impressed with you.¡± ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know what to say,¡± I said with a bright smile. ¡°That means a lot to hear.¡± Leroy nodded his head and before he could say anything more, I felt a hand on my shoulder. I froze and looked up at Brody who was staring at me with a kind smile. ¡°Sorry to interrupt. But I can¡¯t seem to find the plug for my guitar,¡± he said a bit sheepishly. ¡°Oh, you might need to move the table that¡¯s over there,¡± I told him. ¡°I believe it¡¯s behind it.¡± He nodded, but just before he removed his hand, his eyes wandered across the crowd and then a frown appeared on his lips. ¡°You invited Professor Enzo?¡± Brody asked, seemingly confused. My heart fell into my stomach. I was so wrapped up in my conversation with Cassidy-Ann and Leroy Klein, that Ipletely forgot about that intense feeling of Enzo¡¯s nearby presence and the impatience of my wolf. I stared across the crowd, and my eyes locked onto Enzo¡¯s. His eyes held mine for a moment before they shifted to Brody and then to Brody¡¯s hand that remained on my shoulder. I saw his eyes darkening; I could tell he wasn¡¯t happy. But why? I stepped away from Brody, allowing his hand to fall from my shoulder and I nced back at Leroy and Cassidy-Ann. ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me, there¡¯s someone I need to speak with,¡± I told them, bowing my head slightly at Leroy Klein as if he was royalty. Who am I kidding? To me¡­ he was the closest thing to royalty I¡¯ll ever get to meet. ¡°We¡¯ll talk moreter, L,¡± Leroy said, bowing his head to me in return. I couldn¡¯t help the wide smile on my face as I walked past him. I paused when I saw Kate and Emily talking to a small group of people, showing off their paintings and exining their thought processes on their creations. I walked through the crowd of people and grabbed onto Kate¡¯s arm, startling her. ¡°I have to introduce you to someone,¡± I said in a low whisper. She straightened her stance once she realized what I was talking about. She leaned over to Emily and N?velDrama.Org ? content. whispered something to her, and they both gave me identical looks. They excused themselves from the crowd and made their way over to Enzo who was standing off to the side and looked kind of awkward in an art gallery by himself. It was obvious he had lost sight of me in the crowd, but when his eyes locked on mine, it was almost like time had slowed down. My breathing became heavy, and I felt my heart beating quickly in my chest. For a moment, it was like we were the only two in the room. For a moment, walking toward him felt perfect. I wondered if this was what it was like when my mother first met my father. I wondered if she could hardly breathe or think straight. I wondered if it was like time slowing down and everything falling into ce like a puzzle. I stared down at his lips, wanting to kiss him repeatedly. I wanted to take him for myself. I wanted him as my mate. Yet, I was about to introduce him to a couple of she-wolves who want him as their chosen mates. It felt like my stomach was being ripped out. ¡°Professor Enzo,¡± I said when we finally met in the center of the gallery. ¡°Thank you foring to the show.¡± He nodded his head, trying to appear professional. He was here as my professor, not my mate. ¡°I wanted to introduce you to a couple of women who work with me at the gallery. This is Emily and Kate,¡± I said, gesturing for them to step beside me. They eagerly stepped closer to him, both giggling and smiling like young schoolgirls. ¡°They¡¯ve been wanting to meet you,¡± I continued, stering that smile on my face that shows I¡¯m not in pain. Enzo narrowed his eyes at them, not saying anything. He soon started to look between all of us; I could see the questions surfacing in his eyes and the pure confusion on his face as he thought about what was happening. Then, the realization fell across his face, and I felt my heart sink into the pit of my stomach. He knew exactly what I was doing. ¡°Of course, he does,¡± Val chuckled. ¡°Ladies, it was a pleasure to meet you. I don¡¯t mean to be rude, but I should be going,¡± Enzo surprised me by saying. Their excited smiles fell into frowns as they looked at one another. Before I could grasp what was happening, Enzo was already leaving through the front door. I stared after him in shock, unsure of what to do or think. Kate and Emily looked annoyed, folding their arms across their chests. I shook my head and went after him. I stepped outside and saw him walking down the walkway in the distance; it was mainly vacant outside. Only a couple of people were outside for a smoke break and talking amongst one another. I could hear the strings of Brody¡¯s guitar from outside; he was ying beautifully. ¡°Alpha Enzo! Where are you going?¡± I asked as I finally caught up to him. He continued walking. ¡°I don¡¯t know why I bothered toe if you were just going to try and set me up with random, shewolves,¡± Enzo muttered, continuing to walk. I grabbed onto his arm, trying to slow him down. ¡°Then, why did youe here?¡± He paused and nced at me. ¡°For you, L,¡± he said through his teeth. My breathing stopped and I stared up at him inplete shock. ¡°What?¡± I managed to ask. ¡°I came here for you,¡± he repeated, shaking his head with dismay written all over his face. ¡°Because believe it or not, L. I can¡¯t seem to get you out of my head.¡± Chapter 77 Chapter 77 L¡¯s POV What did he just say? I stared up at him with wide and shocked eyes. I could hardly breathe standing in front of him. We were outside and the air was starting to get brisk. It was growingte in the evening and only the faint lighting of the moon, hidden behind a few clouds, lit up the ground around us. ¡°I can¡¯t seem to get you out of my head,¡± Enzo repeated, keeping his eyes locked on mine. ¡°And that¡¯s a problem.¡± I wanted to say something to him, anything, but no words wereing into my head. I couldn¡¯t believe he was saying such a thing. ¡°Enzo, I¡ª¡± Before I could utter a single word more, he stepped closer to me, closing the small gap that sat between us. He wrapped his hand around the back of my neck to hold my head in ce as he paced his forehead against mine. His breathing slowed down to match mine and his eyes shut for a brief moment before he opened them and gazed down at my lips. I wanted to stand on my toes and kiss him; I didn¡¯t know what else to say or do. ¡°Ever since I found out you were my mate; you were all I could think about. And that¡¯s a problem, L. It¡¯s a problem because we can¡¯t be together in the way that I want,¡± his voice was low and husky. ¡°As badly as I want to have my way with you, I have to restrain myself. But I¡¯m going fucking crazy. I came here for you, and here you are trying to set me up with randoms¡­ so excuse me while I¡¯d rather do anything else before I stay here for another moment when all I really want to do is rip your clothes off.¡± ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. My breathing grew shaky and when he dropped his hand from the back of my neck, it was like a p in the face. I didn¡¯t want his touch to go away. It was electrifying. I was mesmerized by this Alpha in front of me. I bit onto my bottom lip, chewing on it to keep myself sane, but my lower abdomen was growing warm at the very thought of him. He stepped away from me, leaving me frozen in ce. I knew my face must have beenpletely red because I was growing incredibly warm. ¡°I¡¯ll see you in ss tomorrow,¡± he said, turning away from me. I wanted to run after him as he began disappearing in the shadow region of the vacant streets, but my legs felt like jelly. I finally managed to look back at the art studio. I had to go back in there. Cassidy-Ann and Leroy Klein were both waiting for me. ncing back to the area that Enzo had walked toward, I saw that he was gone. I sighed, feeling slightly disappointed as I turned back and walked back to the studio. Cassidy-Ann was still with her small group of people, including Leroy Klein, when I approached. She gave me a kind smile as she reached her hand out for me to take. ¡°There you are, L. We were just talking about you. I hope everything is okay,¡± Cassidy-Ann said sweetly as I stepped beside her. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sorry. I just had to make a phone call,¡± I lied, giving them my best smile. ¡°Mr. Klein was just exining how he has a few new spots open for next year at his academy,¡± CassidyAnn said, ncing over at Leroy who nodded in agreement. ¡°I was just telling him that I was going to be going to Monstro over the summer for the art show he¡¯s holding at the academy. It¡¯s one of the biggest art shows of the year and every famous person will be there.¡± Of course, I¡¯ve heard of Leroy Klein¡¯s art shows. It¡¯s only ever been a dream to attend one of those shows. Anybody who is anybody attends it. I wasn¡¯t surprised that Cassidy-Ann would be attending such a show as well. ¡°As my assistant, I would want you to attend it with me,¡± she told me with a smile. Was she serious? She wants me to travel to Monstro and attend the most famous art show to ever exist? I could practically scream at her words. I couldn¡¯t believe what was happening right now. ¡°We would be gone for the entire summer¡­so a couple of months,¡± she continued. At that point, my heart fell back into my stomach. I had a disappointed feeling knotting inside of me and I felt Val¡¯s head lowering. We would be gone for so long¡­ That was two months away from Enzo. Val would never be okay with that. I couldn¡¯t just leave without talking to him about it first. ¡°Bring your portfolio once you get down there. I¡¯ll take a look at it and if the board agrees, you might be getting an eptance letter for next year,¡± Leroy added, giving me a wink in the process. My eyes widened at his words and my shock must have been evident on my face because Cassie-Ann chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m assuming that¡¯s a yes?¡± She asked, eyeing me carefully. ¡°I¡­I have to think about it,¡± I managed to say. They both looked at one another with frowns before looking back at me. ¡°It¡¯s only for a couple of months, L. Plus, this will really benefit your career. You would be foolish to not go,¡± Cassie-Ann said, raising her brows. ¡°If you need to think about it, please, take the time to do so. But this spot won¡¯t be open forever.¡± ¡°We can hold it just as long as you agree toe to the school to check it out,¡± Leroy chimed in. ¡°If you don¡¯t agree to it soon, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to give the opportunity to another student.¡± My heart fell into my stomach; I knew I couldn¡¯t keep them waiting forever. ¡°They will need amitment before they hold the spot,¡± Cassie-Ann exined. ¡°So, the sooner you give me the okay, the better.¡± ¡°Tomorrow,¡± I told them, looking at them both. ¡°I¡¯ll give an answer tomorrow. I just need to talk to some people first.¡± ¡°I was nning on booking the flights tomorrow,¡± Cassie-Ann said with a concerned frown. ¡°I¡¯d like to get that done sooner rather thanter. So, you have until two o¡¯clock tomorrow to give me an answer. Understood?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I said quickly, giving them a polite bow of my head. ¡°I¡¯ll give you an answer by two o¡¯clock tomorrow. Thank you for understanding and thank you so much for this opportunity.¡± ¡°I hope you can make the right choice,¡± Leroy said, eyeing my face with his small and dark eyes. ¡°This type of opportunity doesn¡¯t appear frequently. You might not see it again.¡± He turned on that note and went to mingle with a few others he had spotted. Cassidy-Ann remained behind. She had her arms folded across her chest and she was staring at me with such intensity I thought I was going to melt. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you need to think about something like this. You¡¯ve worked for me for a week, and you¡¯ve always been the type to jump at any given opportunity. At least, I thought you were.¡± ¡°I am,¡± I said, furrowing my brows together. ¡°I promise, once I make a final decision, I will let you know. But I have a lot of family and friends I need to speak with first.¡± ¡°This is your life, not theirs. This isn¡¯t their decision to make,¡± she said, still assessing my face carefully. ¡°Unless¡­¡± she paused for a moment before her eyes widened. ¡°Unless it¡¯s a boy.¡± ¡°What?¡± I nearlyughed. ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. I would never allow a guy to dictate such an important decision in my life. I honestly mean it when I say I need to speak with my friends and family. I hope you can respect that.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Cassidy-Ann said with a stered smile. ¡°I respect that very much. I need to mingle with some others. Please answer anyone¡¯s questions if they may have some. Try to make some sales if you can.¡± ¡°Yes, mam,¡± I said, turning away and going toward a more secluded area so I could pull out my cell phone really quickly. I instantly started to call Enzo; I wasn¡¯t sure why, but I knew I needed to talk to him. ¡°Hello, this is Professor Enzo¡¯s phone¡­¡± For the hundredth time this evening, my heart fell into my stomach, and I felt a tight knot forming. This might have been Enzo¡¯s phone, but it certainly wasn¡¯t Enzo who answered. It sounded like Connie. Chapter 78 Chapter 78 Enzo¡¯s POV ¡°You went to the art show, Enzo?¡± Connie nearly hissed, stepping in front of me as I sat on the couch in my living room. ¡°What are you even still doing here, Connie?¡± I muttered, kicking off my shoes. ¡°Didn¡¯t your contract end a week ago?¡± She pouted, folding her arms across her chest. ¡°Yes,¡± she answered. ¡°But I don¡¯t have anywhere else to go. I¡¯m in between jobs and my next contract doesn¡¯t start for another couple of weeks.¡± ¡°So, why can¡¯t you stay elsewhere?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know anyone on this part of the continent,¡± Connie said, shaking her head. ¡°You are my only friend in town, and I¡¯d like to stay close to you. Is that such a crime?¡± ¡°Are you going to be a pest the entire time?¡± I asked, but I meant it almost teasingly despite how dry my tone was. Connie could see through my humor right away though and rolled her eyes as she sat beside me. ¡°You are trying to avoid the conversation,¡± Connie pointed out, reminding me just how well she knew me. ¡°You went to the art show.¡± This time, it wasn¡¯t a question. ¡°I was invited,¡± I said in return, loosening my tie. ¡°It would be rude to say no.¡± ¡°Why do you keep showing up for her like this? What aren¡¯t you telling me?¡± ¡°She¡¯s my student,¡± I said to her through gritted teeth. ¡°I went there to be supportive. Besides, I¡¯m her recent painting so it would have been weird if I didn¡¯t show up.¡± ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? ¡°You still never exined to me why you would let her paint you. You never let anyone do anything like that with you before,¡± Connie said, raising her brows. ¡°Then that one time she showed up here. It was like she¡¯s done it before. There¡¯s something weird going on with you and I¡¯d wish you¡¯d tell me the truth.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no truth to tell you. I went to the art show and then I came back. I was only there for a few minutes anyways,¡± I exined. ¡°Plus, none of this is your business.¡± ¡°You are my closest friend, Enzo¡­ we grew up together. I know when you are hiding something from me. I need to know what it is before I lose my mind. I don¡¯t like that we are keeping secrets from each other and¡ª¡± ¡°She¡¯s my mate.¡± ¡°What?¡± Connie gasped, staring at me. Connie was right, I didn¡¯t want to keep a secret like this from her. She needed to know the truth or else she would never drop it. ¡°L is my fated mate. We found out after she got her wolf,¡± I exined, shaking my head at the memory. ¡°Neither of us has really talked about it. We¡¯ve been avoiding it¡­¡± ¡°Your mate?¡± Connie asked in a small voice. I could see the sh of hurt in her eyes. ¡°Yes,¡± I confirmed. ¡°It wasn¡¯t something I asked for. I would have preferred if she wasn¡¯t my mate¡­¡± ¡°She¡¯s a Vna¡­¡± Connie said, gazing up at me. ¡°Being mated to her could prove to be dangerous. Your father¡¯s men will use her to get to you, just like they did with your mother.¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware,¡± I said, shaking my head again. ¡°Not to mention if the school board found out, she could get transferred to a different school. That¡¯s not something I¡¯m wanting to risk.¡± ¡°She¡¯s been your mate this whole time and you are now just telling me?¡± Connie asked tears filling her eyes. ¡°How could you keep something this huge from me?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m not particrly proud of it, Connie,¡± I said, sighing. ¡°I¡¯m still trying to figure out what it all means. But for right now, all I can do is try to keep my distance.¡± ¡°Then no more showing up for her like this,¡± Connie said, folding her arms across her chest. ¡°if you are serious about keeping your distance, then try to stay away from her outside of ss. It¡¯s for her own good.¡± I knew she was right. I didn¡¯t wish to have this conversation with her anymore and dismissed myself to the bathroom. Nothing a hot shower couldn¡¯t fix. I allowed the steaming hot water to rx my sore muscles and I brushed the thought of L out of my mind. I couldn¡¯t believe what I had said to her. I openly admitted to her that I had feelings for her, and it was only going to put her in more danger. Connie was right though; I needed to try and stay away from her. It was for her own good. Once I got out of the shower, I grabbed a towel and wrapped it around my waist. I grabbed my pants off the ground and rummaged through the pockets to find my phone, to no prevail. I realized I must have left it in the living room with Connie. As I opened the bathroom door, I heard her voice. ¡°Hello? This is Professor Enzo¡¯s phone.¡± I rushed from the bathroom, down the narrow halls, and into the living room where she was frowning with my phone against her ear. ¡°Connie, give me the phone!¡± I scolded her as I reached toward her. Connie looked at the screen and then handed me the phone. ¡°It said L on the screen,¡± she said with a shrug. ¡°But she hung up.¡± ¡­ L¡¯s POV I should have known that Enzo would be with Connie tonight. My heart was so heavy that it was painful. I allowed my phone to fall from my ears as I clicked the ¡°end call¡± button. It was probably better this way. Maybe Enzo didn¡¯t need to know about this whole thing, going to Monro for a month. Maybe he wouldn¡¯t even care. I turned off my phone right away and shoved it into my pocket. I¡¯m not sure what I was expecting, but I wasn¡¯t going to let him ruin the rest of my night. I finished with thest of the show, selling numerous pieces of art and mingling with many different wolves. I thanked everybody foring before they left. Once Leroy Klein was ready to leave, he gave me a head nod. ¡°I hope to hear from you soon, L,¡± he said, giving me another wink as he left. ¡­ Nights in my dorm were beginning to get lonely. Rachel was still at the hospital with Ryan. It¡¯s been a couple of weeks since the fire at Ryan¡¯s parent¡¯s house and he still hasn¡¯t woken from hisa. Rachel has been staying at the hospital with him until she knows for certain that he¡¯s going to recover. I woke up in the morning feeling a headache brewing in my temple. I thought about Connie¡¯s voice on the other end of Enzo¡¯s phone, and I instantly started to feel sick to my stomach. I had to see Enzo during the shifting andbat course this morning and considering he was not only the professor, but my partner, it was going to be difficult to avoid him. Maybe I didn¡¯t want to avoid him. Before I could think any more of it, as soon as I finished getting dressed, I heard my cell phone ringing. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°L, it¡¯s Mrs. Laurence. Can youe to the school board office before your first ss? It¡¯s important.¡± ¡°Sure, Mrs. Laurence,¡± I said, but then hesitated for a moment. ¡°Am I in trouble?¡± ¡°No, you are not in trouble. But we might have a small situation.¡± I didn¡¯t like the sound of that; I said my goodbyes as I hung up the phone. I didn¡¯t waste any more time; I only had 30 minutes before my first ss. I wasn¡¯t even going to have time to run to the cafeteria for a banana smoothie before ss. As I entered the school board office, I paused, startled, when I saw Sarah sitting cross-legged in one of N?velDrama.Org ? content. the chairs. She had a smirk on her face when she saw me, and I knew this wasn¡¯t going to be good. ¡°Thank you for joining us, L. Sarah had brought up the idea of her running the studentmittee considering she has leadership experience. We were thinking maybe we could have an election?¡± Chapter 79 Chapter 79 L¡¯s POV ¡°An election? This studentmittee was my idea,¡± I said, staring between all the school board¡¯s faces until my eyesnded on Sarah who stared at me with a smug grin. I could tell that her intentions weren¡¯t pure, and my stomach was forming into a tight knot. ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s a studentmittee. Meaning we need to give all students a chance to¡ª¡± ¡°Take my role as the leader?¡± I interrupted; they all looked startled by my stubbornness. I wasn¡¯t typically a stubborn person like this, but I was honestly hurt that it was this easy for them to just rece me. Sarah folded her arms across her chest. ¡°I¡¯ve done a lot of wrongs while I¡¯ve been at this school. This gives me the chance to do something good for once,¡± she said, eyeing me carefully. That smug look was still in her eyes though. She was pulling their strings. She didn¡¯t care about this committee; she just didn¡¯t want me to have it. ¡°If I lose, where does that leave me?¡± ¡°Worried you¡¯ll lose?¡± Sarah asked, a grin appearing on her lips. ¡°No, of course not,¡± I said in return. ¡°But if I did¡­ what would happen?¡± ¡°You can be a regr member, L,¡± Mrs. Laurence said with a kind smile. ¡°Nobody is trying to take the committee away from you. But every student should have the opportunity to be a leader if they wish. That way we are ying fair for all students. I¡¯m creating a signup form in the morning and anyone who wants to take part in the election can feel free to do so.¡± I stared at her in disbelief. I was not expecting this. I nced over at Sarah once more before sighing in defeat. There was nothing I was going to be able to do or say to get out of this. I was going to have to partake in an election and risk losing themittee. ¡°Okay,¡± I finally said. ¡°We will have an election.¡± ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? ¡°Great,¡± Mrs. Laurence said. ¡°You may leave now. That¡¯s all we needed from you, L. Thank you for your cooperation.¡± ¡­ ¡°Isn¡¯t there anything you can do?¡± I asked into the phone as I sprawled out on my bed. My heart felt heavy, and I didn¡¯t have enough strength to sit up. I hung over my bed. clutching my cell phone firmly in my grip, waiting for my father to say something. Anything. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, L Bean. But you know it goes above my head. The school board is in charge of the school. What they say goes.¡± ¡°I doubt it¡¯s them saying anything¡­¡± I muttered. ¡°It¡¯s probably her father doing this.¡± ¡°Even so, it¡¯s out of my hands. But even if I did have a say, I kind of agree with the board that you should have a fair election.¡± ¡°But themittee was my idea,¡± I reminded him. ¡°This isn¡¯t the L that we raised,¡± my father said, his disappointed tone full in effect which made me feel even guiltier. ¡°We raised someone who gives fair chances to those around her. Someone who doesn¡¯t back down from a fight, but it kind when needed. Regardless of who it is, you treat everybody equally. Do you think the role of leader fell into myp? I had to work hard to get to where I am today.¡± ¡°I know¡­¡± I said with a sigh. ¡°L, is everything okay with you?¡± My father asked concern was now tracing his tone. ¡°You¡¯ve been seeming a little offtely and your mother and I have been worried.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­¡± I lied, but I said that a little too quickly. He was quiet for a moment, assessing my tone no doubt. ¡°You know you can always talk to us about anything, regardless of what it may be,¡± my father said. ¡°Even boy issues.¡± ¡°Dad!¡± I said, my face warmed. I could only imagine how red I looked. ¡°I¡¯m fine, honestly. I¡¯m just a little stressed. Cassidy-Ann wants me to go to Monstro with her over the summer and I need to give her an answer as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Monstro?¡± My father asked. ¡°That¡¯s quite far. That¡¯s on the other side of the world. What would you be doing there?¡± ¡°She has an art signing at the International School of Art for Shifters,¡± I exined. ¡°And a couple of conferences she needs to attend. She was nning on staying there for a couple of months and she wants me to go with her. I met Leroy Klein, and they want to give me a tour of the school to see if I¡¯d like it and¡ª¡± ¡°Leroy Klein?¡± My father gasped. ¡°You met him? And he wants you to attend his school?¡± ¡°He was at our recent art show,¡± I further exined. ¡°He likes my work and wants me to bring my portfolio with me to his school. I¡¯m not sure I want to attend a school that far away though¡­¡± ¡°L, that school would be an incredible opportunity for you and your career,¡± my father said, amazed in his tone. ¡°I¡¯m so proud of you. When did you find all this out? Why are you just telling me now? Did your mother know?¡± ¡°Nobody knows,¡± I told him. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure how to bring it up. I told her I needed time to talk to my family and friends before I make a decision.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to tell you what to do, but getting into that school has always been somewhat of a challenge. If you had the opportunity, I wouldn¡¯t turn it down. But again, this is your life, and you can make your own decisions. I at least think you should go over the summer and see what it¡¯s all about.¡± ¡°You and Mom would be okay if I left?¡± I asked; I wasn¡¯t sure if that made me feel better or worse. ¡°We would miss you terribly, but we would understand that it¡¯s something you have to do to better your future. We only want what¡¯s best for you.¡± My heart was warmed by his statement. ¡°Thank you, Dad,¡± I said. ¡°Okay¡­ I¡¯ll tell her that I¡¯ll go with her this summer and go from there.¡± ¡°That¡¯s my girl,¡± my dad said in return; I could tell he was smiling warmly on the other end of the phone. Now, I just needed to figure out how I was going to tell Enzo I was leaving for a couple of months. Would he even care? Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to youter, L Bean. I love you.¡± ¡°I love you too,¡± I said, as I hung up. ¡­ Third Person POV Selene stood off in the distance as she watched Bastien talk with their daughter. Once he hung up the phone, he had a look on his face that she couldn¡¯t distinguish. ¡°Did she say anything?¡± Selene asked. ¡°Only that she¡¯s going to Monstro for a couple of months during the summer. She might get the opportunity to attend that famous school,¡± Bastien said with wonder in his tone. ¡°She never ceases to amaze me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s incredible!¡± Selene gasped. ¡°How did thate about?¡± ¡°Apparently, she met Leroy Klein, the founder of the International School of Art for Shifters, and he was impressed by her. He wants her to bring him her portfolio. Her boss, Cassidy-Ann, was already going to Monro for a conference over the summer and invited L to go with her. If Leroy Klein is impressed with her portfolio, then she might be able to get admission.¡± ¡°Oh, my goddess,¡± Selene cooed. ¡°I¡¯m so happy for her¡­¡± Selene¡¯s voice trailed off and Bastien knew exactly what she was thinking. ¡°She didn¡¯t say anything about it¡­¡± Bastien said, eyeing her carefully. ¡°Are you sure they are mates?¡± ¡°I know my daughter,¡± Selene said, gazing up at him. ¡°I know how she¡¯s feeling. I see the way she looks at him and you can¡¯t tell me he¡¯s not aiming to protect her. I can see the way he looks at her as well¡­ It¡¯s clear to me that Enzo is L¡¯s fated mate.¡± Chapter 80 Chapter 80 Enzo¡¯s POV ¡°Today, I¡¯ll be teaching you how to shift in the air,¡± I announced to the ss of students. ¡°It¡¯s all in the legs. We kick off from the ground and then begin the shift right when the legs are being pushed off the ground.¡± I demonstrated with ease, and I was met with apuse. ¡°This is used mainly for sneak attacks. I want you to try and sneak attack your partners. Trade-off each round.¡± Everyone went with their partners to a different section of the arena for some space. L stood in the distance, waiting for me because I¡¯m her partner. We hadn¡¯t spoken since my confession at the art show, and I was hoping we wouldn¡¯t have to talk about this again. It was a moment of weakness on my part, and it wasn¡¯t something I was going to allow to happen again. Connie was right the other day when she said I needed to stay away from L. It was for her own good. But her tight yoga pants and a tank top that she wore, hugged her body and fit around her every curve so perfectly that I found it hard to resist her. Plus, I promised I¡¯d be her partner for the remainder of this semester because I¡¯m the only one who could handle any power overload she may have. ¡°I¡¯ll keep my back turned, you can attack me,¡± I said to her, turning my back toward her. I could tell she was gazing at me and frowning, but I wasn¡¯t going to give in to her wishes. I had to brush the thought of her out of my mind. Before I could think anymore, I felt the weight of her wolf pushing me to the ground. It caught me off guard and I fell to the ground quickly. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? I turned around to face her wolf and saw her pure white wolf snarling at me. She pressed her paws to Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. my chest and kept me pinned. I felt the warmth of her wolf¡¯s breath on my skin, causing goosebumps to form on my flesh. I was so surprised by her that it took me a moment to register what had just happened. Then, I saw the humor in her odd eyes as she shifted back into her human form. She chuckled. ¡°Did I scare you?¡± She asked between a fit of giggles. ¡°No,¡± I said, shaking my head as I stood to my feet. ¡°You just caught me off guard.¡± ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± She asked, rolling her eyes but the humor never left her face. ¡°Then I guess we should do that again then.¡± ¡°I guess we should,¡± I said in return. This time, I wasn¡¯t going to let her catch me off guard. I rose one brow up at her and gave her a smirk as I turned my back toward her. I counted each step she took; she was taking her time, tiptoeing around me almost. I could hear her light breathing and the chewing on her bottom lip as she contemted her next move. Soon, I sensed her leaping and shifting. I quickly turned my body to face her wolf just as she pushed me to the ground. I would be honest, I was trying to counterattack, but she was able to get to me first. I didn¡¯t fight her as I went down though. Her wolf was back to breathing heavily in my face. I saw the humor in her eyes just as she shifted back into her human form. She wasughing. ¡°I got you again, Professor,¡± sheughed as she got off me. I sat up, gazing up at her. ¡°It appears you did,¡± I said in return. ¡°You are getting quite good.¡± ¡°I guess I have you to thank for that,¡± she said, a faint smile ying on her lips. The ss was almost over, and students were starting to get their things ready for leave for their next sses. L took her time collecting her own things and soon, it was only the two of us left in the arena. I wondered if she had nned it this way. ¡°Can we talk for a minute?¡± L asked, stepping toward me as I grabbed my own belongings. I frowned down at her; thest thing I wanted to talk about was my confession to her. I wasn¡¯t sure how to exin myself or how to get out of this. But I didn¡¯t have to. Connie had opened the doors to the arena and ran inside before I could utter a single word. It took L by surprise as well and I couldn¡¯t mistake the disappointed look on her face upon seeing Connie. ¡°Enzo, you promised you¡¯d take me to lunch this afternoon,¡± Connie said, folding her arms across her chest. ¡°What¡¯s keeping you?¡± She was only saying this to get me away from L. I never agreed to such a thing. But I didn¡¯t argue with her. ¡°I¡¯ll be there in a minute,¡± I said, grabbing the rest of my stuff. ¡°Hurry!¡± She huffed. ¡°We¡¯ll just talk another time,¡± L breathed sadly as she grabbed her stuff and ran out of the arena. Connie rose her brows and stared directly at me. ¡°That didn¡¯t look like you were avoiding her,¡± Connie muttered. ¡°You¡¯re lucky I was walking by.¡± ¡°ss just ended and she¡¯s my student,¡± I said, shaking my head at her. ¡°It¡¯s unavoidable.¡± ¡°Staying with her after ss is avoidable though,¡± Connie said in return. ¡°Not if she has a question about her lessons.¡± ¡°I doubt it was her lessons she wanted to talk about,¡± Connie said, her frown deepening. ¡°I was serious though. I¡¯m hungry; take me to lunch.¡± ¡°Fine, give me a second,¡± I said just as my phone started to ring. I looked at the screen when I saw Bastien¡¯s name. ¡°Hello?¡± I said into the phone. ¡°Hey, Alpha Enzo. How are you doing?¡± Bastien asked. ¡°I¡¯m well,¡± I said in return. I didn¡¯t forget about ourst conversation when he asked me to take care of his daughter if anything were to happen to him. The conversation felt weird to me, and I wasn¡¯t sure what he was trying to say. But I agreed with his request anyways. We haven¡¯t talked about it since, and I didn¡¯t really care to talk anymore about it. The less I talked to Bastien about L the better. I don¡¯t need him to be suspicious of anything. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to bother you, I was hoping to catch you after ss,¡± Bastien said. ¡°But I wanted to talk to you about L.¡± Of course, he did. ¡°What can I help you with?¡± I asked, trying to keep my tone even. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard by now that L is going away for a few months during the summer,¡± Bastien began. My heart fell into the pit of my stomach. This was the first time I¡¯ve heard of this. What did he mean? ¡°No,¡± I answered. ¡°I didn¡¯t hear a thing about that. Where is she going?¡± ¡°Oh, I assumed she would have told you¡­¡± Bastien said, almost hesitantly now. ¡°She¡¯s going to Monro. She has the opportunity to actually attend that school if the founder likes her portfolio. But I guess Cassidy-Ann is going there for a conference and invited L to go along with her.¡± I could feel my blood beginning to boil. When did L find this out? Was she nning on telling me at all? ¡°But I¡¯m calling because I want you to go with her and protect her while she¡¯s there.¡± Chapter 81 Chapter 81 L¡¯s POV ¡°So, you are going to go away all summer?¡± Ba asked withrge eyes as we sat in the student lounge. ¡°Yes, I think so,¡± I answered with a head nod. ¡°It¡¯ll be a good opportunity for me. Plus, my parent¡¯s think it¡¯ll be a good idea.¡± ¡°What am I going to do all summer without you?¡± Ba pouted. ¡°Rachel will probably spend the summer at the hospital with Ryan.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll figure something out,¡± I chuckled, but then I frowned once I thought about Rachel. ¡°Any word on how Ryan is?¡± I asked, peering over at her. She frowned as well and shook her head. ¡°None yet,¡± she said. ¡°But they are thinking about getting Rachel admitted into a rehab facility. They want to bring her back to the one she was in a few years ago.¡± ¡°What?¡± I gasped, my heart falling into my stomach. ¡°I had no idea she was even in rehab before. But they say she went to some ce in Elysium,¡± Ba said, thinking more about it. ¡°They want to send her back. I don¡¯t think the doctors talked to her about it though.¡± My heart was racing against my chest. They couldn¡¯t send her back. She nearly died thest time she was there. I still felt sick after learning what happened to her at the facility in the ce I love so much. ¡°I should go and see her,¡± I said, standing up. ¡°It¡¯s been a few days since I saw her and I would like to talk to her about my leaving as well.¡± ¡°I cane with you,¡± Ba said, standing to her feet as well. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± I said, giving her a kind smile. ¡°I¡¯d like to go myself.¡± Ba nodded and sat back down. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? ¡°I¡¯m here if you need anything.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± I said in return, giving her a wave. Once I was outside, I took in the fresh air. This might be a good idea to let Val loose and run to the hospital in my wolf form. She¡¯s been itching to stretch her legs and do something other than y fight with Enzo. My face warmed at the thought of Enzo. I was trying to stay after ss so I can talk to him about this Monro trip. I wanted to get his honest opinion on if he thinks I should go or not. But by the time I worked up enough courage to bring it up, Connie came into the room and interrupted us. My heart ached at the thought of Connie and Enzo together. They¡¯ve known each other for a long time apparently so it would make sense that he likes her. But I couldn¡¯t get his words the other day out of my mind. He confessed to me that he couldn¡¯t get me off his mind and that made my heart flutter. But since then, he¡¯s been avoiding me and hanging out with Connie so much. I just didn¡¯t understand what kind of game he was ying with me. ¡°He¡¯s not ying games, goofball,¡± Val chuckled as we ran through the campus grounds and toward the woond forest. ¡°He¡¯s our mate and he wants us to be happy. He would never do anything to intentionally hurt us.¡± ¡°Then, why are we so hurt?¡± ¡°Because hasn¡¯t imed us,¡± she said, her voice cracking slightly. ¡°It¡¯s admittedly a little discouraging. I know his wolf wants to im us very badly, but Enzo isn¡¯t letting him. He¡¯s pulling away for some reason.¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s for the best,¡± I said in return. ¡°He¡¯s not the mate that I¡¯ve always dreamt of¡­he¡¯s not romantic and he doesn¡¯t want a mate anyways. I think we are just wasting our time.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s a risk worth taking,¡± she said kindly. ¡°I need you to trust me, L.¡± ¡°Of course, I trust you,¡± I said in return. The hospital came into the distance, and I ran even faster in my wolf form. It felt so freeing to be able to Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. run as fast as I could and have all my senses incredibly heightened. It was getting darker so as we broke through the clearing of the forest, the streetlights began to turn on and light up our pathway. I stared up at the moon that was only a few days away from being full. I could already feel the strength the moon brings to me. The light was illuminating and shining it¡¯s rays in my direction, warming my wolf¡¯s pearly white fur. I felt like the moon was soaking this incredible power into me and making me stronger by the moment. I continued to run until I was at the entrance of the hospital. I shifted into my human form and threw some clothes on that I kept tucked away for when I shift. Once I was fully dressed, I went into the hospital and toward the receptionist. ¡°Good evening, L. Visiting hours will be over an hour,¡± she said with a kind smile. ¡°I won¡¯t stay long,¡± I assured her. ¡°I just wanted to check up on Rachel and see if she¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°Sure, of course,¡± the receptionist said, but there was a worried twang in her tone as she nced at her computer. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if they told you, but they are transferring her to a new facility tomorrow morning. That way there are no more instances where she might end up hurting herself again.¡± ¡°Do you know where they are trying to move her to?¡± I asked, leaning toward the front desk with a worried frown. She continued to look at theputer, analyzing it for a moment. ¡°It looks like a ce in Elysium. It¡¯s supposed to be one of the best facilities and it¡¯s the closest one in the area.¡± My heart sank into my stomach. ¡°Have they told her yet?¡± ¡°Not yet,¡± the receptionist said, shaking her head. ¡°They are afraid she will refuse them. They are going to sedate her and then move her there in the morning.¡± ¡°They can¡¯t just do that against her will,¡± I argued. ¡°When she tries to take her own life, they can,¡± she said in return. ¡°She¡¯s a danger to herself and possibly others. We know she¡¯s had a drug problem in the past and¡ª¡° ¡°Which she already got help for,¡± I argued. ¡°She¡¯s clean¡ª¡± ¡°But she rpsed, L,¡± the receptionist said in a calm tone. ¡°Which means she¡¯s no longer clean. This could be a huge problem for her, and it could be fatal. It will be fatal if she doesn¡¯t get the help she needs.¡± ¡°I can make sure she stays clean.¡± ¡°I know you want to help your friend and keep her close by, but this is what¡¯s best for her. This would help her greatly. Also, L, you can¡¯t save everybody. But you can be there to help her through this,¡± the receptionist said. ¡°Can¡¯t she go somece else?¡± I asked, feeling defeated. I couldn¡¯t let Rachel go back to that awful facility. They took so much from her and nearly killed her the last time she was there. But would the receptionist believe me if I told her this? That ce has a great reputation and good reviews from former addicts who went to this facility. However, those reviews were all from those in the wolf poption. It was mainly a wolf facility. But the way they treat other species isn¡¯t right. ¡°I¡¯m afraid all other facilities are filled and that¡¯s the closest one in the area. It¡¯s a very good one and she¡¯s been there before it won¡¯t be hard for her to get used to.¡± I needed to speak to my father, but I also had to make sure that they didn¡¯t take Rachel away. ¡°Thank you for letting me know,¡± I said, giving her my best smile. ¡°Would it be okay if I saw her now?¡± ¡°Yes, of course,¡± the receptionist said. ¡°But please keep this conversation to yourself. As I said, they don¡¯t want her to know just yet.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t say anything,¡± I said as I headed toward Rachel¡¯s room. Rachel was awake when I got there, which was a relief because she was alert. I grabbed some of Rachel¡¯s clothing and started shoving it into her bag that was thrown across the room. Rachel sits up, frowning. ¡°What are you doing?¡± She asked, raising her brows. ¡°We need to get you out of here,¡± I said, my heart racing against my chest. ¡°They want to send you back to the facility in Elysium.¡± Rachel gasped loudly as she scrambled to take her IVs out. ¡°They can¡¯t do that against my will!¡± She cried, a little too loudly. I shushed her as I continued to pack her things. ¡°They can because you tried to take your own life, Rachel,¡± I said, shaking my head at her. ¡°They want to protect you and Ipletely agree with them. But I won¡¯t let them send you back to that specific facility. I¡¯m going to speak to my father about it, but I need to make sure they don¡¯t take you anywhere in the meantime. So, for right now, I¡¯m breaking you out of here.¡± Chapter 82 Chapter 82 L¡¯s POV My heart was racing in my chest because of the amount of adrenaline rushing through my veins. I had never done anything like this before but here I was, breaking somebody out of the hospital. ¡°I can¡¯t leave without knowing if Ryan is going to make it or not,¡± Rachel said, sliding out of bed. I could hear the hurt in her voice, and it made me feel sad for her. ¡°I¡¯ll keep you updated,¡± I promised her. ¡°But for right now, I need to get you out of here. I¡¯m going to call my dad when we are on the road. I won¡¯t let them take you away to that awful ce. You almost died thest time you were there. They should be investigated and shut down.¡± I still couldn¡¯t believe a facility in a ce that I love could be so cruel to other species. I had no idea those with dark hearts could linger in Elysium. It was always such a loving ce. Or maybe I have just been too blind to see what was in front of my face the whole time. I zipped her back and threw it over my shoulder as I made my way to her. ¡°Do you think you can climb out the window?¡± I asked. She rolled her eyes. ¡°Of course, I can¡­¡± she muttered. ¡°I¡¯ve been doing it since grade school.¡± I stifled a loudugh as I opened her window. We were on the second floor, so it was a bit of way down. But there were ledges on each window that seemed fairly reachable. However, making sure nobody saw us was going to be hard. ¡°Use your power to attract the moonlight!¡± Val eximed. ¡°It can blind their view of anything happening outside.¡± That was a great idea! ¡°Come on,¡± I said, as I slid out the window and nced up at therge moon that sat overhead. The rays of the moon intensified to a point where even I was having trouble seeing. I pulled the rays in the direction of each window, ensuring that nobody could see outside. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? I could almost hear the gasps when they saw the bright light appearing out their windows. Rachel didn¡¯t seem to notice the brightness though. She seemed to be in a small daze. This was the first time she¡¯d This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. been walking around in days, and I knew it was going to take a lot to get her out. I slid back into her room just as she finished getting dressed. ¡°Are you ready?¡± I asked, eyeing her carefully. She nodded but she looked uncertain. ¡°I feel bad leaving him here¡­¡± Rachel said in a sigh as she climbed out the window behind me. She held onto the ledge easily and followed my lead as we shimmed our way down to the next window. ¡°They were nning on sedating you and taking you to that awful facility in the morning,¡± I told her. ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to let that happen.¡± ¡°Woah¡­¡± Rachel breathed. ¡°I¡¯m d you were here then.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ me too¡­¡± I said, shaking my head at the very thought. ¡°The moon is so bright tonight,¡± Rachel said, squinting up at the move as we continued down the side of the building to each ledge. I had to fight to keep the smirk off my face. Once my feetnded on the ground, I waited for Rachel to jump down as well, then I sent the moon rays away, thanking them for their help. My car was only in the parking lot which wasn¡¯t far from where we were. It was dark enough that we could hide in the shadows until we reach the lot. Now that we were outside, I wasn¡¯t worried about getting caught. Rachel trailed closely behind me, and once we were in the light of the lot, we began running toward my parked car. Then, I heard my name, and Ipletely froze. ¡°L?¡± I paused and looked in the direction of my name and saw Enzo walking toward me. He looked confused for a moment but then his face morphed, and he looked furious. ¡°When were you going to tell me that you were going to Monro?!¡± He snarled. I sucked in a sharp breath. How did he find out about that? I opened my mouth to say something, and he spoke again. ¡°I spoke to your father earlier and¡ª¡± ¡°Professor Enzo?¡± Rachel asked, raising her brows. I almost forgot she was standing behind me. ¡°Is everything okay?¡± ¡°Why are you out of bed?¡± Enzo asked, narrowing his eyes at her. ¡°I thought you weren¡¯t supposed to leave your room after your incident.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a long story,¡± I said before Rachel had a chance to speak. ¡°I can exin itter, but for right now, we have to go.¡± ¡°Go where?¡± Enzo asked, his brows furrowing together in confusion. ¡°Are you breaking her out of here?¡± There was no way I was going to be able to lie to him. He could see through me easily. So, I nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll exinter,¡± I said again, turning away and rushing toward my car. ¡°Get in!¡± Enzo ordered before I could get further away. I froze and turned toward him, he had the backseat of his car open, and he was leaning against it with his arms folded across his chest. ¡°What?¡± I asked. ¡°Wherever you are going, you aren¡¯t in the right state of mind. So, I¡¯ll drive. Get in,¡± he said again. I was at a loss for words. I nced over at Rachel who looked back at me and shrugged. Without another word, Rachel ran toward Enzo¡¯s car and slid into the backseat where he shut the door immediately after. I frowned at him. ¡°You can sit in the front seat,¡± he said as he turned away and got into the driver¡¯s seat. I felt my face heating again and I had to wait a moment for the redness to leave my features. Once I was sure I was no longer the color of a cherry, I slid into the passenger seat. ¡°Where are we going?¡± He asked, peering over at me. ¡°The Nova Packhouse,¡± I told him. ¡°I¡¯m bringing her to my father.¡± ¡°That¡¯s over an hour away,¡± Enzo said, giving me a strange look before throwing his car in drive and pulling away from the hospital. ¡°You wanted to take us,¡± I said with a shrug. ¡°It¡¯s where we are going.¡± ¡°So, you want to tell me why we are breaking her out of the hospital?¡± ¡°She¡¯s in danger,¡± I told him, ncing at the backseat to meet Rachel¡¯s eyes. I wasn¡¯t sure how much I wanted to tell him; I wasn¡¯t sure how much she would let me tell him. ¡°I can exin better,¡± Rachel sighed, surprising me. ¡°They want to send me to the Elysium Rehab Facility against my will. I was there a couple of years ago, and they treated me terribly because I was the only bear to ever reside there. I was abused and tortured daily. They did experiments on me because they weren¡¯t sure how to treat a bear. I almost died¡­¡± her voice trailed off. ¡°The only way I could leave was to be cured. So, I quit cold turkey and got myself clean so I would never have to return to that ce again¡­¡± ¡°I see,¡± Enzo said, processing what she had said. ¡°And you told them this already?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± Rachel said, lowering her gaze. ¡°I didn¡¯t tell anybody besides L. I don¡¯t want anyone to know how weak I was.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t let her go back,¡± I said, peering up at Enzo who fixed his gaze on the dark roads ahead. I couldn¡¯t tell what was running through his mind. His brow was twitching slightly, and he had a stern look on his face. Could he be angry? ¡°I¡¯m hoping my father can do something to help her. But in the meantime, I needed to get her out of there,¡± I said. ¡°I know it was wrong but¡ª¡± ¡°Stop talking.¡± ¡°What?¡± I asked, surprised by his harsh words. ¡°The less I know, the better. Just stop talking.¡± ¡°I was a bit hurt by his tone and choice of words, but I knew what he meant. I remained quiet and just stared out the window. Within 30 minutes of the ride, Rachel was already sleeping. Enzo cleared his throat, ncing at me briefly before looking back at the road. ¡°So¡­¡± he began, his tone darkening. ¡°When were you going to tell me about Monro?¡± Chapter 83 Chapter 83 L¡¯s POV ¡°Earlier today,¡± I answered with a shrug, trying to seem nonchnt. ¡°But you were busy taking Connie to lunch.¡± ¡°When did you find out about this little vacation?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a little vacation,¡± I said in return. ¡°It¡¯s a huge opportunity. Plus, I¡¯ll be working as Cassie-Ann¡¯s assistant the entire time. Plus, I could get into that school and really take my career to the next level.¡± ¡°You can take it to the next level here too,¡± he said, still trying to process my words. ¡°Why do you need to go across the world to do that?¡± ¡°Because there¡¯s no better school than the one in Monro,¡± I said, furrowing my own brows together as I stared over at his amazing side profile. He was so handsome no matter what the view. ¡°Don¡¯t you want me to seed?¡± I said thatst part using a small voice. I was afraid of his answer because it looked like he had been thinking about it for a long while. However, he didn¡¯t respond. ¡°I was going to tell you about it¡­¡± I said in a softer tone. ¡°I just didn¡¯t think you would care.¡± He didn¡¯t respond to that either and I was beginning to think I was right about him not caring. So, why would he even bring this up? ¡°How did you know about it anyways?¡± I found myself asking, unable to handle the silence any longer. ¡°Your father brought it up,¡± he muttered. ¡°Did you mention anything else?¡± I asked in return. He shook his head. ¡°No,¡± he answered. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. We fell silent once again. ¡°Thank you for giving us a ride,¡± I said, trying to break that silence. ¡°I didn¡¯t want you to end up on the side of the road somewhere because you were too distracted to watch the road,¡± he said, shaking his head with dismay written all over his face. ¡°Your father would never let me live that down.¡± ¡°Is my father the only reason you wanted to help me?¡± I asked, feeling a strong sense of dread. ¡°Of course, he is,¡± Enzo answered. I couldn¡¯t hide the disappointed look on my face, and I think he could tell from my demeanor that his words hurt me. ¡°Or maybe it¡¯s because the thought of anything happening to you destroys me,¡± he muttered, avoiding my wide eyes. ¡°Why do you care if anything happens to me?¡± I asked. ¡°You¡¯ve made it quite clear that you don¡¯t want a mate.¡± ¡°Just because I don¡¯t want one, doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t have one,¡± Enzo said through his teeth. ¡°And I do¡­ which means I¡¯m automatically drawn to you. Just as you are drawn to me.¡± I felt my face warming again and I had to look away before he saw the redness creeping around my nose. ¡°I¡¯m not drawn to you,¡± I tried to deny but the simple twitch of his smirk made me realize that I made it quite obvious how drawn to him I am. ¡°I don¡¯t wish to be drawn to you,¡± I muttered. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you don¡¯t reject me if you don¡¯t want me¡­¡± ¡°Because unless you are marked by another, or I mark another, our mate bond will still be in effect even if I do reject you. The only thing it¡¯ll do is break our wolves and that¡¯s not something I want to deal with right now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you won¡¯t reject me? Because it¡¯ll upset your wolf?¡± I asked, I was hardly in disbelief. ¡°What about my sanity?¡± At my raised voice, Rachel stirred in her sleep, murmuring something I couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t talk about this right here or right now,¡± he said with a deepened frown. I wanted to argue some more, but something inside of me was telling me to keep quiet. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, you¡¯re right,¡± I said, peering out the window. We were getting close to Elysium. I knew how much Rachel hated Elysium, but I needed to take her to my father. The rest of the ride was quiet and when we arrived at the Nova packhouse, my father and mother greeted us at the door. They were both surprised to see us at this hour. ¡°L? What are you doing here?¡± My father asked as I quickly gave him and my mother a hug. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to just stop in like this,¡± I said, motioning for Rachel. ¡°But we need your help.¡± After exining the entire story to my parents, they sat for a long while on the sofa in the main living room. They both looked at one another with saddened expressions. It was hard for them to hear that a ce like a rehab facility in Elysium was treating their clients so cruelly. How could something like this slide under my father¡¯s nose? He looked utterly shocked to hear this news and at some parts, he even flinched. Once we all stopped talking, it took them a few moments to gather their thoughts. ¡°I will open an investigation first thing in the morning,¡± my father said with finality in his tone. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t let them take Rachel back to that ce. You have my word.¡± I knew I could count on my father for help. I felt Rachel rxing beside me. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you had to go through that, Rachel. I am so sorry¡­¡± my mother breathed, giving Rachel a hug. ¡°I had no idea any ce in Elysium could be that cruel.¡± ¡°In the meantime, Rachel can stay with us until we know what to do with her. I¡¯m going to call the hospital right now,¡± my father said marching toward his office. I felt a lot better knowing that my father had this handled. I knew I could trust him and that warmed my heart. I turned to look at Enzo and I saw that he was on the phone in the distance. ¡°Okay, yeah, I¡¯ll be right there. Just hang tight. I love you¡­¡± He murmured into the phone. At that moment, it felt like a punch to my stomach. He hung up the phone and turned to face us, I tried to pretend I wasn¡¯t listening or that I wasn¡¯t falling to pieces before his eyes. ¡°I have to return to my pack. There¡¯s an emergency,¡± he said quickly; he was lying. I knew he was lying. My father frowned but he didn¡¯t argue. ¡°Okay. Keep me updated,¡± my father said, shaking his hand. ¡°Thank you for getting them here safely.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be back to bring L back to school in the morning,¡± Enzo said as he rushed toward the door. Before I could say anything to him, he was already gone. ¡­ Enzo¡¯s POV Hearing my mother crying on the phone was heart-shattering. I needed to get out of the Nova packhouse as soon as I could and rush to the rogue territory. The same rogue town I had grown up in. I hadn¡¯t returned in a long time, not since I became the Alpha of the Calypso pack. However, returning, I didn¡¯t think it would look the way it did. The buildings they had worked so hard to build were burnt to crips. The streets were trashed and there were some injured wolves scattered across the dirt roads. My mother and some others were trying to help those with injuries. ¡°Mom, what happened?¡± I asked, staring around at the scene before me. ¡°We were attacked,¡± my mother said through eyes of tears. ¡°They attacked us¡­ Chapter 84 Chapter 84 Enzo¡¯s POV ¡°Was it the same men who attacked you before?¡± I asked, trying to get my mother to calm down a moment to talk to me. ¡°Yes, I believe so,¡¯ she said, shaking her head with dismay written all over her face. ¡°I need to heal everybody¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have your abilities anymore,¡± I said. ¡°But I know someone who can help.¡± My first thought was to talk to L and see if she could get down here, but then I thought against it. It would probably be better if I didn¡¯t involve her. Instead, I decided to talk to Bastien instead. ¡°Enzo?¡± Bastien said into the phone. It was veryte, so he was most likely in bed at that point. I knew L was probably sleeping as well so I didn¡¯t need to worry about her hearing this conversation. ¡°I need a favor¡­¡± Enzo began into the phone. After exining the entire situation and giving Bastien his location, all he could do was wait. He went around and tried to ce the injured together and out of harm¡¯s way. His mother was shaking as she attempted to heal those around her, but she had none of her abilities left. She was mentally and physically drained. She had some bruises on her skin from the abuse of those awful men who wished to cause her harm. Vna¡¯s weren¡¯t safe in this world. His mother and L weren¡¯t safe in this world. Regardless of what he does to fix it, they aren¡¯t going to be safe until everyst one of his father¡¯s men were gone from this net. It only took about 20 minutes for Bastien to arrive; surprisingly, he brought Selene with him. She hadrge, worried eyes as she stepped into the rogue town but once she saw my mother and others, she gasped in shock, covering her mouth with her hands as she took them all in. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? ¡°They¡¯re all Vna¡¯s¡­?¡± She whispered, staring up at Bastien who had a mournful eye. ¡°Yes,¡± I answered for them all. ¡°At least, they used to be. They took a poison that took away their Vna abilities. That way they could blend in and be normal. But it didn¡¯t work¡­. my father¡¯s men still know about them and still want to hurt them.¡± ¡°Oh, my goddess¡­¡± Selene breathed. ¡°I knew it was bad¡­ but I had no idea to what extent.¡± ¡°They¡¯ve been hiding here this whole time?¡± Bastien asked, shooting his eyes in my direction. ¡°How could you not tell me about this? They don¡¯t belong in rogue territory.¡± ¡°It¡¯s our home¡­¡± my mother said stepping forward. ¡°We¡¯ve lived here for a long time after I left ise with my baby boy, Enzo. We created a home here and met others just like us. Others were hiding because of their fear of what ise might do. Now that he¡¯s gone¡­ his men have gone wild and are harming any Vnas they get a whiff of.¡± ¡°We knew his men were still out there, hunting for our kind,¡± Selene said, stepping toward my mother. ¡°But we had no idea that other Vnas have been in hiding because of it. We didn¡¯t know things were this bad. We hardly ever see ise¡¯s men.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because they won¡¯t go to Elysium,¡± I exined. ¡°They have a fear of you and Bastien because you were able to defeat my father with ease. So, they refuse to go anywhere near you. However, they¡¯ve been watching me for a long time now. Waiting for me to fuck up; they use my mother as a punching bag because they know they can get to me that way. I won¡¯t stand for something like that again.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wanting to protect them? The Vna wolves?¡± Selene asked, curiosity piquing her tone. I nodded once. ¡°Yes,¡± I answered. ¡°That¡¯s my goal in life. To climb my way to the top so I can protect all Vna wolves. I want to protect those like my mother and¡ª¡± My voice trailed off. I was about to say ¡°L¡± but stopped myself quickly. Both Selene and Bastien looked at one another questionably before looking back at me. ¡°L,¡± Bastien said, raising his brows. ¡°So, you can protect those like L?¡± I wasn¡¯t sure what to say in response. Anything said could out the fact that I¡¯m mated to L. I didn¡¯t want anyone to know that face, so I just cleared my throat. ¡°I¡¯ve lived in the shadows of my father for a long time. I¡¯ve seen the shit he¡¯s done and those he¡¯s done wrong. I¡¯m not going to let anything or anyone else cause harm to my mother and her n. I need to make sure this world is safe again even if it means my death.¡± Bastien looked at me for a long while before a grin appeared on his face. ¡°I¡¯m pleased to finally know you a little better, Enzo,¡± Bastien said, pping me on the back. I was surprised by his reaction. ¡°I¡¯m going to start healing,¡± Selene said, walking with my mother toward the more seriously injured. ¡°She¡¯s good at the healing thing,¡± Bastien exined. ¡°That¡¯s why I brought her here. But we should talk more about that trip to Monstro.¡± ¡­ L¡¯s POV ¡°I really want those puff cakes with the little marshmallows,¡± Rachel wined as she sprawled out on my bed. ¡°We don¡¯t have any; I¡¯d have to go the store to get them,¡± I told her shaking my head. ¡°I also don¡¯t have my car, so, I¡¯d have to walk.¡± ¡°Please, L,¡± Rachel pleaded. ¡°I need something to get my mind off all this shit and those puff cakes are the only thing I can think of right now. I can walk with you. There¡¯s a 24-hour mart in town if I remembered correctly.¡± I sighed and agreed to go with her to the mart to get the puff cakes. It was dark, but thankfully the rays of the moon lit up the streets so we could navigate through the Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. vacant town of Elysium. It was one of the smaller towns, but it had a 24-hour store so that was our best bet on getting puff cakes. I wasn¡¯t surprised that the store waspletely empty. Only the cashier was behind the counter. I gave them a small greeting as we walked through the aisles. ¡°Found them!¡± Rachel cooed happily. She grabbed a couple of boxes before taking them to the cashier. Once we paid, we were back on the streets and headed toward the Nova Packhouse. It was only a 15- minute walk, but because I was so tired, the walk felt like itsted forever. ¡°These are going to hit the spot,¡± Rachel breathed as she wiggled the grocery bag excitedly. ¡°Let¡¯s just get back before my parents wake up and see we are missing,¡± I told her. ¡°Aren¡¯t we adults? Do we need their permission to leave the packhouse?¡± ¡°Considering we are hiding you from the hospital, I think it¡¯s better if we don¡¯t leave the packhouse. But here we are,¡± I said, giving her a side-eyed look. ¡°Somebody help me!!¡± A woman¡¯s voice in the distance yelled. ¡°Please!! Help me!!¡± Chapter 85 Chapter 85 L¡¯s POV The woman sounded frantic like she was in danger. I could tell she was crying, and my first instinct was to get rid of Rachel. ¡°Go back to the packhouse,¡± I said quickly. ¡°Wake my parents and tell them somebody is in trouble.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± Rachel asked. The woman¡¯s voice grew louder and this time she was screaming as she cried. I could hear the muffled sounds of nearby men as well and my heart sank further into my stomach. ¡°Just go,¡± I ordered. ¡°There¡¯s not enough time. I need to help her!¡± I turned away just as Rachel started yelling something behind me, but I ran so fast that her voice became distorted until I couldn¡¯t hear it at all. I wasn¡¯t worried about getting into a fight. But I worried about who I was getting into a fight with. in the distance, I saw a woman running down the street. Her features were stained in tears and sweat as she continued to run. Her red fiery hair was practically illuminating in the moonlight, and I could feel how frightened she was. She was running quickly and ncing behind her periodically. That¡¯s when I saw a few men chasing her down. They wererge and they were all in their human forms but telling from their dark eyes and their strange auras, I knew they were wolves. I also knew they were dangerous. I got a chill down my spine from looking at them and I wasn¡¯t sure where that came from. I shook the fear out of my body and ran toward them. At that point, the woman saw me and I saw a flood of relief across her face as she ran toward me. ¡°Please help me!¡± She cried. ¡°They are trying to hurt me!!¡± ¡°She¡¯s not even a Vna wolf,¡± I heard one of the men growling. ¡°That bitch promised there¡¯d be tons of them here.¡± ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? They were looking for Vna¡¯s? Nobody ever hunts for us in Elysium. They wouldn¡¯t dare cross my father. The woman continued to cry and to plead for them to stop chasing her. I managed to get to her just in time and step in front of her, blocking her view from the men¡¯s. ¡°Get out of our way girly. This beef has nothing to do with¡ª¡± His voice trailed off as he took in a whiff of the air. His already dark eyes darkened even more, and a glimmer of a smile appeared on his narrow features. Then, he narrowed his eyes at me, and his aura darkened even more. ¡°I can smell Vna¡¯s blood on you,¡± he breathed, hungrily. ¡°She was right¡­¡± ¡°Who was right?¡¯ I asked, narrowing my eyes at him. ¡°Who sent you here?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter,¡± he sneered. ¡°What matters is she promised us a Vna, and now it seems we got one.¡± ¡°This girl isn¡¯t a Vna.¡± ¡°No¡­ but you are,¡± he said with a widening grin. I took a step away from him, I was getting an unsettled feeling in the pit of my stomach. I knew a fight was going to happen. ¡°You smell even better than I thought you would,¡± another chuckled. ¡°Must be all the magic.¡± His chuckle was dark though, and it made my skin crawl. ¡°Go,¡± I ordered the woman who remained behind me. ¡°Leave this ce quickly.¡± She was hesitant for a moment, but soon she ran away. The men justughed as they neared me. ¡°Why don¡¯t you be a good little wolf ande with us,¡± the leader of the group said with arge grin. I kicked off the ground and did a backflip away from them. They looked surprised at first, but then I shifted into my wolf form and lunged toward them. I used the moves that Enzo had taught me in ss. However, those moves were made for one-on-onebat, not a group thing. Some of them shifted into their own wolves so they could keep up with me. I felt a sharp blow to my leg that sent me to the ground as one of the bit into my flesh. I yelped loudly, kicking him in the face and snapping my own canines in his direction. Soon, a dark grey wolf came out of nowhere and roared loudly. I recognized him right away, but I just couldn¡¯t believe he was here right now. ¡°Brody?¡± I asked in a mindlink. ¡°How are you here right now?¡± ¡°I saw you in distress from across the street and came as fast as I could,¡± he exined. ¡°My grandmother lives in Elysium, so I was visiting her. I was heading to the store¡­¡± His words were interrupted as a wolf tackled him. He went to the ground, and I screamed out for him out loud. ¡°Awe, is that your little boyfriend?¡± One of the men said in a fit ofughter. ¡°He¡¯s no match for us sweetheart, so you might as well give up ande with us.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere with you,¡± I growled in return. On that note, I lunged at them again, biting at them, but missing by only a hair. They were much bigger than me, which wouldn¡¯t have been a problem if there weren¡¯t more of them than there were of us. ¡°L!!¡± I heard Brody yelling in the distance. ¡°Watch out!¡± Just as I turned my head to see what was going on behind me, I felt a sharp pain in my neck. I gasped once I realized it was a needle. I shifted back into my human form without much control, and I fell to the ground in a daze. I heard Brody screaming in the distance, but then his words had gotten quiet as he fell to the ground as well. My vision grew blurry and one of the men rolled me over onto my pack. ¡°I told you, you areing with us one way or another,¡± he snickered. I could feel my heart rate slowing down and it was getting harder to keep up my breathwork. I closed my eyes, ready to lose consciousness. ¡°Enzo¡­¡± I said in a mindlink. ¡°I¡¯ve been captured¡­ please help¡­¡± As soon as I sent that mindlink, I cked outpletely. ¡­ Third Person POV ¡°We don¡¯t go to Elysium,¡± one of the men muttered as Sarah stood before him. She had her arms folded across her chest. ¡°I told you, I¡¯m willing to pay you a fair amount,¡± Sarah said in return. ¡°Not only in cash but a Vna as well. I promise Elysium is filled with Vna wolves.¡± ¡°Your father¡¯s money isn¡¯t going to stop us from getting killed by Alpha Bastien,¡± he said, shaking his head. ¡°Then, don¡¯t get caught,¡± Sarah hissed. ¡°Do you want the money, or not?¡± They looked amongst one another and then back at Sarah. ¡°Who exactly do you want us to capture? Why are you sending us there?¡± ¡°I figured we can help each other out,¡± Sarah said with a shrug. ¡°I give you money and Vna¡¯s, and you take care of the Vna problem. We all know how dangerous they are. They can¡¯t be trusted. You take care of them, you get paid.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all you want us to do? Take care of the Vna problem in Elysium? Alpha Bastien is a Vna. We can¡¯t go after her.¡± ¡°Then, don¡¯t. But take care of the rest. Once you do that, I will process payment into your ounts.¡± They looked at each other again before looking at Sarah. ¡°You have a deal,¡± he said, shaking Sarah¡¯s hand. Sarah knew that L had gone home for the next day or so. She¡¯s been watching her for days. Now, she was finally going to get what she long deserved.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Chapter 86 Chapter 86 L¡¯s POV I wasn¡¯t sure how long I¡¯d been out for. My entire body ached when I woke. It felt like I¡¯ve been knocked in the head, but I knew that wasn¡¯t true. I was out of it before anything happened to me. I remembered a stabbing feeling in my neck and then everything went dark. When I started to wake, I could smell mildew. I knew I was somewhere wet; or once wet. I lifted my aching head and peered around the dark cement room. It looked like a dark jail cell. Metal bars were keeping us in like a cage. I tried to focus my eyes on my surroundings as I sat up. I heard faint breathing across the cell, and I knew almost right away that it was Brody. ¡°Brody?¡± I whispered hoarsely, hardly finding my voice. He groaned softly and I heard him moving. A flood of relief washed over me knowing that he was alive. I managed to scramble to my knees and crawl over to him. ¡°Are you okay?¡± I whispered to him; I kept my voice in a hushed whisper because I wasn¡¯t sure who was lurking around. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± he whispered back. ¡°Everything hurts.¡± I could agree with that. Thest thing I remembered was being attacked by these men and then mindlinking Enzo right before I passed out. But I wasn¡¯t sure if he actually received that mindlink. ¡°Where the hell are we?¡± He asked, peering around the dark cell we were in. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I answered. ¡°What happened after I passed out?¡± He thought about it for a moment. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? ¡°I felt a sharp pain in my neck and then everything went ck,¡± he answered. ¡°They stabbed you with a needle and you passed out. You fell and a strange guy caught you. I tried to get to you, but then got me first.¡± I managed to pull myself to my feet, though I nearly fell over in the process. Thankfully, Brody was able to collect himself much quicker and caught me before Inded on the ground. I was feeling incredibly dizzy all of a sudden. ¡°Are you okay?¡± He asked. ¡®¡±I think so,¡± I said, trying to regain myself. He narrowed his eyes at me, frowning. ¡°You have a gash on your head¡­¡± he said, touching the spot on my head that apparently had blood. I felt a warm liquid oozing down my forehead and down the side of my face. I touched the spot as well and saw the dark red blood that upied my fingertips. How was that possible? I was a Vna; it took a lot for us to get hurt like this. I tried to ask Val that very question, but he was silent. It was almost like she wasn¡¯t there at all. ¡°Come over here,¡± Brody said, grabbing onto my arm and pulling me toward the dark corner of the room. He wanted us to be in a secluded area in case anyone was watching us. Not that they couldn¡¯t see and hear us always. But I think he felt better hiding in the dark. He had me sitting against the wall as he examined my wound. After a moment, I heard the ripping of fabric; I knew he was ripping his shirt. He wrapped his ripped shirt around my head to keep the bleeding at bay. I winced as he tightened the knot to hold it in ce. ¡°Our abilities must not be working in here,¡± he pointed out. ¡°I feel a little weaker as well. They must have bashed your head into something carrying you in here. I can¡¯t imagine they¡¯d hit you for no reason while you were already out.¡± ¡°We have to try to get out of here¡­¡± I said, meeting his eyes. He looked concerned, but he didn¡¯t look frightened. He almost looked determined. ¡°And we will,¡± he said. ¡°I promise. I¡¯ll get you out of here. But for right now, we have to just be patient and wait for that opportunity.¡± I nodded once. ¡°Before I passed out, I mindlinked Professor Enzo¡­¡± ¡°Professor Enzo? Why/¡± ¡°If he knows I¡¯ve been taken¡­ he¡¯lle,¡± I told him, almost sheepishly. ¡°Again¡­ why?¡± ¡°He¡¯s my professor, ¡°I told him. ¡°Not to mention he¡¯s part of the Alphamittee that my father leads. He swore to my father that he¡¯d protect me at this school. If he doesn¡¯te, then my father will.¡± He looked uncertain for a moment, and then he nodded once. Before he could say anything more, another voice sounded from outside the cell. ¡°Nobody ising for you girly. We have this ce locked down. Nobody gets in¡­ and nobody gets out.¡± ¡­ Enzo¡¯s POV ¡°Enzo, I¡¯ve been captured¡­ please help¡­¡± It was L¡¯s voice. She sounded so distraught and then the mindlink ended so soon. I tried to mindlink her in return to ask her for more information, but it was no use. Something had happened. ¡°What¡¯s going on with our mate?!¡± Max cried out. He was anxious and runningps in my mind¡¯s eye. She was somewhere in Elysium when she was captured. Which meant I needed to get there as soon as possible. Max didn¡¯t give me much of a choice at that point; he was already shifting into his true form. Hisrge canines ripped through my human flesh and his fur came to life around my body as I hunched over the ground and shifted. Without a second thought, he was racing through the yards of the academy and through the forest. We ran faster than we ever ran. Everything was a blur around me as we ran past them. We soon made it to Elysium; racing through the streets until we saw the lights that indicated the Nova pack. The packhouse wasn¡¯t far from the main entrance. Bastien was already outside with Selene and Rachel. Rachel was in tears. ¡°Professor Enzo?¡± Rachel sniffled, her body trembling. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Where¡¯s L?¡± I asked before anything more was said. ¡°She was captured by some men,¡± Bastien answered. ¡°Rachel was with her, and L sent her back to come get us.¡± ¡°What direction did they go?¡± I asked quickly, looking between all of them. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­¡± She whimpered. ¡°I ran before I saw where they went.¡± ¡°Who were these assholes that took her?¡± I asked, keeping my eyes locked on hers. I was still in my wolf form, ready to pounce in any direction. ¡°They were dressed in dark clothing,¡± Rachel stammered. ¡°They were saying something about her being a Vna wolf¡­¡± My heart fell into my stomach at her words. They took her because she was a Vna? Could they be part of my father¡¯s n? Out to get Vna¡¯s to harvest their powers? Or maybe they were part of their own n, wanting to kill Vna because they are deemed dangerous to our world. ¡°I can pick up her scent in the downtown area,¡± Max wailed. ¡°It wasn¡¯t long ago that they took her. They went in the direction of the old chapel.¡± The old Chapel of Elysium was a famous historic site that many tourists would visit. They haven¡¯t used the chapel in decades, and it¡¯s been closed down for years. It would be a perfect hiding spot to keep hostages. ¡°Alpha Enzo, what are you thinking?¡± Bastien asked; he was shifting in his wolf form, ready to apany me anywhere I decide to go. ¡°The old chapel of Elysium,¡± I growled through my teeth. ¡°She¡¯s there.¡± He didn¡¯t hesitate to nod his head in agreement. Without another word, we both ran in that direction.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Chapter 87 Chapter 87 L¡¯s POV ¡°Who are you?¡± Brody asked, walking in front of me toward the cell bars. ¡°Why did you take us?¡± ¡°We took you because you were simply in the way. We took her¡­ well¡­ she knows why we took her,¡± the man said, narrowing his dark eyes in my direction. This man had a dark energy; he had long sleek, ck hair and broad musclesyered with tattoos. He looked like he could crush steal. I had an uneasy feeling about him and he was exactly right; I knew why he took me. ¡°Because I¡¯m a Vna¡­¡± I said slowly. It wasn¡¯t a question. A sly smile spread across his narrow lips. ¡°You¡¯re a hard one to catch. We¡¯ve heard a lot about you, and I must say¡­we¡¯ve been intrigued. The name is Cyrus¡­ d to finally meet you.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have to go through me before youy a finger on her,¡± Brody hissed through his teeth. This only made the manugh as he shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s funny you think you have a chance against us. Especially in here. We have it rigged; your wolf and abilities won¡¯t work.¡± ¡°Where did you bring us?¡± I found myself asking. He snapped a look at me. ¡°Somewhere you won¡¯t be found,¡± he answered. ¡°Just sit tight¡­ we¡¯lle back for you a littleter.¡± He said as he took a step into the shadow region where we could no longer see him. I ran passed Brody and grabbed onto the bars of the cell, shaking it violently. ¡°Come back here!¡± I growled. ¡°Tell me what you are going to do with me. What do you want?!¡± ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? ¡°L, rx. Just stop for a minute,¡± Brody said, lowering his tone as he grabbed onto my arms. He pulled me away from the metal bars and back towards the far corner of the cell. ¡°I remembered something my grandmother had told me a few years ago. We were walking downtown, Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. and we came across a gorgeous, yet run-down building. It looked like a church,¡± Brody began, lowering his tone even more. She said it was once a popr tourist attraction because of the ancient tales attached to the building. I think it was a church. But she said it¡¯s where a lot of rogue wolves stake out now because nobodyes here. It¡¯s been closed for many years.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure where he was going with that. He kept his hold on my arms to keep me still, despite me struggling to get him to release me. I was angry. I was angry that I wasn¡¯t strong enough to fight those assholes. I was angry that I allowed myself to get captured. I was angry that I didn¡¯t have my abilities or my wolf. I wanted their heads on a stake. ¡°Look,¡± Brody said, keeping his hold on me and his eyes locked on mine. I finally managed to meet his eyes, trying to calm myself down. ¡°Over on that wall on the outside of the wall. What does that look like to you?¡± I looked beyond him at the wall he had gestured to with his head. I furrowed my brows together; without my wolf¡¯s abates, it was difficult for me to see in the dark. But I almost got the outline of a cross hung on the wall. At that point, I had rxed my body and my eyes adjusted to the darkness. I let out a soft breath and Brody finally released my arms once he saw the realization falling upon my face. I stood there for a moment, staring at the cross; trying to process what I was seeing. ¡°We are in the old chapel¡­¡± I whispered, meeting Brody¡¯s eyes. ¡°We are in the dungeon of the old chapel. My father had taken me here a long time ago. I recognize this ce¡­ how could I not have realized this sooner?¡± ¡°Because of the high energy of everything going on,¡± Brody answered. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize it either. Though, I¡¯ve never been inside this ce. But I had a feeling we were still in Elysium somewhere.¡± ¡°Are these wolf¡¯s rogues?¡± I asked. ¡°It¡¯s hard to tell,¡± Brody answered. ¡°But whoever they are, they¡¯ve been looking for you for a long time and now they finally have you. But I¡¯m not going to let them hurt you. As soon as that gate opens, we are making a run for it.¡± ¡°Do you think that¡¯s wise? They could kill us without our wolves.¡± ¡°I can hold them off. You run.¡± ¡°No,¡± I said firmly, staring up at him. ¡°We got here together; we are leaving together. I¡¯m not leaving you behind.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not an option L,¡± Brody said in return, shaking his head. ¡°I won¡¯t let them hurt you.¡± ¡°Brody¡ª¡± Before I could utter another word, I could hear the cell doorstching open. I turned my body to whoever was entering, and I saw that asshole Cyrus standing before me. I swallowed the lump in my throat and pressed my lips together. Regardless of if I had no wolf or abilities, I still excel inbat. I was ready to fight. But Brody shoved me aside and went for Cyrus himself. Before I could grasp what was happening, Cyrus took out a stun gun and pressed it against Brody¡¯s neck. He wailed in pain before falling to the ground. I let out a gasp before collecting myself and running at Cyrus myself. I did a flip in the air and went to kick him square in the face, hoping that it does enough damage to knock him out. But I felt the sting of the stun gun on my leg, making my entire body quirk and shake until Inded on the ground myself. He let out a lowlyugh and shook his head as he stood over me. I was paralyzed. I couldn¡¯t move my body, but I could still feel the pain of the sticity coursing through my body and making me jerk and shake. ¡°You thought it would be that easy?¡± He chuckled. ¡°Oh, little wolf¡­ I came prepared.¡± He grabbed my unmoved body, lifting me in the air and bringing me out of the cell. It wasn¡¯t just the cell that was rigged to keep our wolves away, it was the entire chapel. He brought me through a long corridor and other dark halls. I couldn¡¯t fixate my eyes on my surroundings, but I recognized the decals on the walls, and I knew we were heading toward the chapel infirmary where they performed horrific satanic procedures during the olden days. That was the main reason this chapel got shut down. I could start feeling the movement in my body again and I attempted to struggle against him, not wanting to go into that room. There was no telling what they were nning on doing with me. But the more I struggled, the tighter he held me in his arms. ¡°Stop struggling, little wolf,¡± he breathed, that smile spreading across his lips again. ¡°The more you struggle, the worse it¡¯ll be for you.¡± I could hear the low murmurs of others as we neared therge doors at the end of the hall. There were others just like him inside that room. The others captured me, no doubt. Cyrus kicked through the doors and made his way into the room where I was met with light. I had to squint because my eyes weren¡¯t used to the change of lighting. As soon as my sight began to adjust, I saw the others that I recognized from before I passed out when they took me. They were standing around a hospital bed and glowing at me. My heart was racing in my chest as I struggled again. Cyrus through me on the bed like I was a sack of potatoes, and the others began to chain me down. The chains were making me feel weak; they must have been enchanted or something. ¡°Let me go!¡± I growled. They said nothing, but I felt a stab in my arm and when I looked, I saw a man was there drawing blood. He was taking my blood and putting it in a tube¡­ but why? Were they running tests on me? Before I could ask them any questions, I mask was being forced over my mouth. ¡°Rx, little wolf,¡± Cyrus breathed against my ear. ¡°Just take a nap.¡± That was thest thing I heard before everything went ck Chapter 88 Chapter 88 Enzo¡¯s POV The old chapel was the perfect ce for them to take L. Awful things had happened long ago at that chapel, causing it to get shut down. It was once a popr tourist attraction due to the dark history that was attached to the building. However, that also got shut down by protesters iming that nobody should be supporting such a terrible ce. Now it sits as an abandoned building that is ransacked by the younger generation and a popr hideout for rogue wolves. Nobody of value goes to this chapel and nobody would think that anyone was being held hostage there. ¡°There¡¯s an underground prison at that chapel,¡± Bastien as we ran through the woods and toward the city of Elysium. ¡°I used to take L there when she was only a little pup. She loved dark stuff like that.¡± ¡°Do you think she recognizes it? Maybe she would know a way out,¡± I suggested. We sped up our pace, aiming to get there as fast as we could. ¡°It¡¯s an underground prison¡­ the only way out is if someone lets you out,¡± Bastien said, worry in his tone. ¡°I should have been more aware¡­ I shouldn¡¯t have let her leave the packhouse.¡± ¡°It¡¯s L¡­ she would have figured a way out of the packhouse even if you chained the windows and doors.¡± Bastien snickered at that. ¡°She¡¯s definitely stubborn. Rachel mes herself too. It was her idea. She wanted to get a treat at the store. She¡¯s going to a rehab facility soon and who knows when she¡¯ll be able to have treats like that again.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not her fault either,¡± I said; as much as it pained me to say, it wasn¡¯t anyone¡¯s fault. I wanted someone to me, but I couldn¡¯t me anyone other than myself. I should have been here with her. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? The old chapel came into view on the hilltop across the city of Elysium. A dark haze fell upon the chapel that sent a chill down my spine. Bastien paused as he stared at the chapel; I could see the utmost worry in his wolf¡¯s eyes. I could smell the scent of honeysuckle clear as day, as if she was standing right next to me Max was getting anxious the longer we waited. ¡°She¡¯s there,¡± I said with confidence. ¡°I can feel her too,¡± Bastien said in return as he looked at me. ¡°And she¡¯s in pain.¡± ¡­ L¡¯s POV I woke up feeling as if my insides were on fire. I screamed out in pain, wanting it to end. I wanted the misery to just be over. I felt a sting in my arm and soon the pain started to subside a little. ¡°Hush, little wolf,¡± Cyrus said from beside me. ¡°Don¡¯t fight me anymore.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me that¡­¡± I hissed. That was the nickname my father had given my mother and I won¡¯t associate that with something so evil. ¡°I¡¯ll call you whatever I want,¡± Cyrus chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m the one in charge here. Isn¡¯t that obvious?¡± I knew that Cyrus was the ringleader, and these other assholes were under his orders. But I wasn¡¯t afraid of him. He infuriated me and I couldn¡¯t wait to get a piece of him on a stake. But I needed to keep myself calm before my anger got me killed. ¡°Wee back to thend of the living,¡± another man said, stepping beside Cyrus. He was an older gentleman with a long white trench coat and a stethoscope around his neck. ¡°I¡¯m Dr. Robert Tanner. You can call me Rob.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t be calling you anything,¡± I seethed; as I moved, pain shot through my body and I winced, causing Cyrus tough and shake his head. ¡°What did I say, little wolf? Don¡¯t fight.¡± I rxed my body and allowed my head to fall back onto the bed. I was still chained, and I noticed I had a few different puncture wounds on my arms and legs. I was also feeling incredibly dizzy. Across the room, my heart fell into my stomach, when I saw arge bag filled with a dark red liquid. ¡°Is that my blood?¡± I managed to ask in a hoarse whisper. ¡°It is,¡± Robert said with a head nod. ¡°We are running some tests. Finding out what makes you tick. Trying to see what gives you your abilities. The Vna wolf really fascinates me and if we want to harvest your abilities, we need to know how it works.¡± They want to take my power? If they took my powers, where would that leave me? ¡°However, with a little starlight in your system, you nearly died. We had to resuscitate you,¡± Robert continued. My heartbeat was rapidly against my chest. I was highly allergic to starlight. That must have been why my body felt like it was on fire. ¡°How can something so powerful as a Vna wolf be allergic to anything?¡± Robert asked, narrowing his eyes at me. ¡°It makes me question your true ability.¡± ¡°We aren¡¯t invincible,¡± I muttered, nearly spitting in his face as I spoke. ¡°But you¡¯re pretty damn close to it.¡± A allowed a growl to emerge from the depth of my throat.¡± ¡°Easy, little wolf,¡± Cyrus warned. ¡°Don¡¯t make me put you back under.¡± ¡°I want to know what else a Vna is capable of. I¡¯ve only heard rumors. But never actually seen it with my own.¡± I opened my mouth to speak, but he spoke over me quickly. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°No, don¡¯t tell me. I want you to show me.¡± I closed my eyes and furrowed my brows at him. Cyrus began to unchain my arms and legs; ideally, I was hoping as soon as he did, I would gain a little strength and be able to fight them and get myself out of there. However, even as the chains were removed from my body, I still felt incredibly weak. it must have been whatever they drugged me with, mixed with the starlight still in my system. Cyrus grabbed me and lifted me over his shoulder. I felt helpless and defenseless against him. Robert followed closely behind as we left the infirmary and toward another room, further into the underground of the chapel. We entered arge room that almost looked like an arena. My heart plummeted once my eyes adjusted to the new lighting and I saw Brody chained to a chair in the center of the room. He was beaten fairly badly; he had bruises and blood all over his face and body. He was still breathing thankfully, but he looked to be unconscious. ¡°Brody¡­¡± I whispered. ¡°What did you do to him?¡± I growled, fury rising through me. ¡°We made it a little bit easier for you to do what we want,¡± Cyrus said with a shrug as he set me down on the ground. He tensed for a moment; I could tell he was getting a mindlink. He nced at Robert who just had pure excitement in his eyes as he stared at Brody and then back at me. ¡°We have some unwanted visitors outside. I need to deal with it,¡± Cyrus muttered. ¡°Can you handle things here?¡± ¡°Oh, definitely,¡± Robert said, a smile spreading across his mouth. Unwanted visitors? Could it be Enzo and my father? Oh, goddess, I hoped so. Cyrus nodded at him before looking at me. ¡°Try anything funny and I¡¯ll make sure you regret it,¡¯ he sneered before leaving the room. I don¡¯t think I could try to escape or fight even if I wanted to. I hated that I felt this weak. Robert stepped closer to me, lifting me off the ground so I could stand beside him and use him for extra support, so I didn¡¯t fall over. ¡°Now¡­ I¡¯m going to have you show me your powers,¡¯ he said, staring at me with a dark expression. ¡°I want you to use them all¡­¡± he continued. ¡°On him.¡± Chapter 89 Chapter 89 L¡¯s POV ¡°You can¡¯t be serious,¡± I said, staring at Brody who was barely hanging onto life. ¡°He¡¯ll die.¡± ¡°I want to see everything you can do. Show me,¡± Robert said in a darkening tone. ¡°I can do that without Brody,¡± I said, staring up at him. ¡°I won¡¯t hurt him.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t asking. You¡¯re making this quite difficult for me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± I said through my teeth. ¡°Find another way. I won¡¯t hurt him. I will turn my powers on you the first chance I get and show you what I can really do.¡± I could see his swallowing a lump in his throat as he stared around my incredibly serious face. I clenched my fists, feeling the power surging through my body. This room was giving me my abilities back and I could nearly feel my wolf waking as we spoke. She was confused and hadn¡¯t quite gotten her voice back, but she was there, and I was ready to use every part of me to get both Brody and me out of here. However, before I could do anything, someone came up behind me and ced cuffs around my wrists, which instantly weakened me. As fast as my wolf was returning to me, she was already gone. ¡°Punish him,¡± Robert muttered, turning away from me. ¡°Then, bring him back to the cell.¡± I let out a scream as a couple more men came out of the shadow region and towards Brody. I was being held in ce so I could watch as they beat Brody till he was nothing but a bloody and bruised mess. Tears sprang from my eyes, and I kept myself from sobbing by biting hard onto my bottom lip. My entire heart shattered as they continued to beat him. He waspletely unconscious; my only hope was that he felt no pain. ¡­ Enzo¡¯s POV ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? The closer we got to the old chapel, the more I could smell L¡¯s scent. I knew for certain she was there and so did Bastien because he picked up his speed once we neared the front entrance. However, we never got the chance to get through the front doors because a bunch of rogue goons were standing outside. They wererge ck wolves with yellow eyes, snaring theirrge canines at us, growling with saliva dripping off their mouths. ¡°Out of our ways,¡± Bastien hissed before I had the chance to. ¡°I¡¯m here to get my daughter back.¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t getting anything,¡± one of the rogues growled in return. ¡°Nobody is getting in, and nobody is getting out.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make us fight you!¡± They howled inughter at Bastien¡¯s threat. ¡°There is way more of us than there are of you. You have no chance against us.¡± ¡°You are going to regret those words,¡± I found myself hissing as I lunged towards them, snaring my own teeth and growling as loudly as I could. I could no longer contain Max; he was out for blood, and he was determined to get our mate back. I could feel his fury boiling through my bones and giving me strength. Bastien was right behind me; he was ready to attack as well, and I was d to have him there by my side. I would have toe up with an excuse for my passionter but for right now all I could think about was getting L out of that building. The rogue wolves wererge and strong, but they weren¡¯t a match for Bastien and me. They put up a fierce fight. I could smell the scent of fresh blood as I dug my teeth into the flesh of one of the rogues, ripping at their fur and hearing a loud yelp escaping his lips. I felt a sharp pain in my lower back asrge ws scraped through my thick fur. I quickly spun my head around and chomped down on his shoulder de, watching as he fell to the ground. Bastien was busy fighting his way toward the doorway when the door swung open, and a muchrger and more familiar wolf came walking out. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. His fur was as dark Grey, and his eyes were as ck as midnight. He stared around at the fighting until his eyesnded on mine and then I saw a glimmer of a smile on his wolf¡¯s canines. I knew this wolf to be Cyrus. He was once a gamma that worked alongside my father. I banished him to the rogue territory when I came into power of the Calypso pack. I wasn¡¯t surprised that he would be in charge of this rogue pack, and I certainly wasn¡¯t surprised that this was all he was doing. ¡°Well, if it isn¡¯t Alpha Enzo,¡± Cyrus said with dark humor lingering in his tone. ¡°What brings you to my neck of the woods?¡± ¡°You know damn well why we are here,¡± I growled, baring my canines at him. Max was ready to pounce and have his blood on our ws, but I held him back. ¡°I suppose you¡¯re here because of a certain little wolf?¡± ¡°If you hurt her¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯ll what? Kill me? You can try, but we both know you aren¡¯t strong enough to defeat me. You¡¯ve tried before, remember?¡± ¡°I was younger then,¡± I hissed. ¡°I¡¯m much stronger now.¡± ¡°So am I¡­¡± Cyrus said with a sly grin. Soon, he was lunging at me. I was ready to dodge his attack, but Bastien came out of nowhere and tackled him to the ground. I could tell Cyrus was taken by surprise because he didn¡¯t notice Bastien there, but he soon regrouped his thoughts and began to fight back. Other rogues started to fight again as well. Not before long, I heard the buzzing in my mind and knew a mindlink wasing through. ¡°Enzo¡­¡± It was L; she sounded so far away, even though it was in my mind. I froze for a moment. ¡°L?¡± I mindlinked her back. ¡°Where are you?¡± She didn¡¯t respond, but the mindlink was still there so I knew she was still listening. ¡°What the actual fuck!¡± I heard the voice of Cyrus roaring from a short distance. When I nced in his direction, I saw dark shadows emerging from the ground; they were huge and morphed into different shapes. I could see the pure fear in Cyrus¡¯ eyes as these shadows clouded his vision. The other rogues paused the fighting as well and stared at the shadows that also began to consume them. I nced over at Bastien who had a glimmer of humor in his eyes for a brief moment before that determination returned to his face. We both knew this was L¡¯s doing. Bastien and I exchanged simr looks before we headed to the chapel. He knew this ce way better than I did and knew exactly where the underground dungeon was. We ran down a long corridor until we reached a wooden door in the back corner. We used our bodies to break through the door frame and race down the dark stares, emerging ourselves with the shadows. I didn¡¯t hear any talking, which meant whoever was supposed to stand guard was probably preupied with something else. The dungeon was made up of multiple cells and the entire ce reeked of mildew and blood. I had a moment of panic thinking it could be L. Until we reached the cell and froze when I saw who was lying in a puddle of blood and hardly breathing. Brody. Chapter 90 Chapter 90 L¡¯s POV Once they were done beating Brody, I watched as they dragged him out of the arena area and back toward the dungeon cells. My heart was so heavy in my chest, but I had no fight left in me. I allowed Robert and the men to drag me back to the infirmary room. Once we got there, they strapped me back into the bed. It was a different guy who strapped me in this time though; as soon as I was back on the bed, he undid the cuffs, and I felt a strange sense of power returning to me. That idiot. He didn¡¯t know that the only thing blocking my powers was that cuff. Robert wasn¡¯t paying attention; I¡¯m sure if he was, he would have said something about how he shouldn¡¯t have removed the cuffs. The guard stood against the back corner of the room, watching me like a hawk, as Robert left the room to do something. I could tell Robert was annoyed with my refusal to use my powers on Brody. It pleased me that he was infuriated over the fact that he has no control over me. I could feel my wolf beginning to wake once again; however, I knew she was too weak to speak. But she was there, that¡¯s all that matters. Which meant I could channel my powers and send a mindlink. I knew Enzo was nearby; he had to have been. ¡°Enzo¡­¡± I said through the mindlink. It pained me to speak through my wolf to reach his when she was so weak. But I knew he could hear me. ¡°L?¡± Enzo said in return; I sighed in relief to hear his voice in my head. ¡°Where are you?¡± I nced over at the guard who was still watching me, but he looked tired. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? I sighed and closed my eyes, pretending I was going to sleep, but I was channeling Enzo¡¯s wolf eyes. I wanted to see the world through his eyes at that moment; maybe there was something I could do to help him. As soon as I got a glimpse of his surroundings, my stomach clenched when I saw the number of rogues that he was fighting. But then I saw my father and more relief flooded through me. I was so d that Enzo wasn¡¯t there alone. But then, I saw who my father was fighting. Cyrus. I pressed my lips firmly together and clenched my fists through the straps. I wasn¡¯t sure how far I could stretch my powers, but I was going to try everything I could to help them. I focused my attention on the ground around them, allowing the moonlight to intensify and darken the shadows before I watched them emerge from the ground. Enzo watched in amazement as the shadows grew and strengthened before his eyes. I knew he wasn¡¯t afraid of them; he knew this was my doing. Cyrus on the other hand, looked terrified. I hadn¡¯t actually used my shadows to fight real wolves before, but I was going to try to use them as a distraction so my father and Enzo could sneak away and get into the chapel. It seemed to be working because the fighting had paused altogether, and I saw the pure terror on the rogue¡¯s faces as they were submerged in the shifting shadows. I lost sight of them for a moment as Enzo nced at my father and they both gave each other knowing looks before running through the front doors. I could no longer see what the shadows were doing, but I knew they were still around. I wasn¡¯t sure if could still control them though. I tried my hardest to keep them moving and use them as a distraction, despite my view of being inside the chapel. Enzo and my father were running through dark corridors. I thought about telling them where I was, but I needed them to get to Brody first. They busted through a wooden door that I recognized; it was the door that led to the dungeon area. They ran through the cells, and I could feel Enzo¡¯s high emotions and worry begin sinking in his stomach. He thought the rancid smell of blood was mine¡­ but was Brody¡¯s. My heart weighed heavily in my chest as they finally reached the cell that Brody was in. He was lying on the ground in a puddle of his own blood. I felt my heart drop in my stomach, but it onlysted a moment because soon, I let the blow of a fist against my face, bringing me back to my current situation. ¡°What the hell do you think you are doing?!¡± The guard who was once standing against the wall, asked with fury in his eyes. ¡°Sleeping¡­¡± I muttered, trying to ignore the pain in my face but it was going away quickly. ¡°You were doing something weird with your hands,¡± he said, narrowing his eyes at me. ¡°My wrists hurt from the straps,¡± Iined. ¡°I was trying to stretch them.¡± He stared at me for a moment longer before curling his lip up in disgust. ¡°No funny business,¡± he muttered, turning away from me. ¡­ Enzo¡¯s POV ¡°Who is that?¡± Bastien asked, staring down at Brody with dismay in his eyes. ¡°Brody¡­¡± I answered. ¡°A student at the academy and L¡¯s¡­ friend¡­¡± I tried not to sound too bitter when I said the word ¡°friend.¡± Bastien nced at me with understanding in his eyes as he shifted into his human form. ¡°I¡¯ll get this cage open and try to get him out of here. Go find L.¡± I didn¡¯t waste any more time; I leaped in the direction of L¡¯s strong scent. Racing through another corridor until I reached arge set of doors. I barged through the door of what looked like an infinity. This was where they performed gruesome procedures back in the day. The main reason this chapel got closed down. I saw L lying on a hospital bed in the center of the room strapped so she couldn¡¯t move. There was only one guard in the room, and he jumped to his feet, alert, as I entered. I saw the pure relief on L¡¯s face when she saw me, and I knew it took everything she had not to smile. Another man came into the room where a long white trench coat like he was some kind of doctor. I growled in disgust at them. The doctor didn¡¯t look like much of a fighter, and he took a step back with fear clear in his eyes. The guard though lunged at me quickly and managed to dodge his attack and counterattack at the same time. He went flying against the wall, mming into the wooden frame of the door. Shadows began to emerge from the ground and walls I knew were L¡¯s doing. Both the doctor and the guard trembled in fear. They didn¡¯t want to stick around to see what more these shadows could do. Not before long, they were both running from the infirmary, both shifting into their wolf forms and sprinting through the dark corridor and toward the stairs. I stood breathlessly, watching them disappear just as the shadows dispersed. I nced over at L who just stared at me, seemingly dazed, for a brief moment. Then her eyes rolled into the back of her head, and she wentpletely still.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Chapter 91 Chapter 91 L¡¯s POV I woke up groggily in a different bed than when I passed out in. I felt a stinging in my head, but it wasn¡¯t anything I couldn¡¯t manage. I groaned miserably for a moment as I reached for my head and felt a tight bandage wrapped around it. ¡°Don¡¯t move too much, L Bean,¡± I heard the familiar andforting voice of my mother from beside me. ¡°You¡¯ve gone through the wringer and your wolf isn¡¯t fully healed yet.¡± I opened my eyes, wincing at the bright lighting of the room until my eyes adjusted and I was able to see that I was in a hospital. My mother stood at my bedside with worry clear in her eyes, but she also looked relieved to see that I was awake. ¡°Wee back, sweetie,¡± she breathed, leaning down and kissing the top of my head. ¡°Mom?¡± I whispered hoarsely. ¡°Where¡¯s Brody?¡± ¡°He¡¯s going to be okay. He sustained way worse injuries. But the doctors say he will make a full recovery soon enough.¡± I felt an overwhelming sense of relief to hear that. ¡°Can I see him?¡± She frowned and shook her head. ¡°You need to focus on your own recovery,¡± she told me. ¡°I¡¯m a Vna. I¡¯ll recover quickly.¡± ¡°But they gave you starlight; so, your recovery is being dyed a little. Once you are fully healed, you¡¯ll be able to see him.¡± I sighed andy my head on my pillow. There was no use arguing with her and plus she was right; I wasn¡¯t confident that I¡¯d be able to get out of bed without falling over. She gave me a soft smile and sat on my bedside. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? ¡°Alpha Enzo fought very hard to get you out of there. You¡¯re lucky you mindlinked him before they took you.¡± I felt my face warming and I knew it was as red as a cherry. I had no excuses to give her that moment, but she just chuckled and shook her head, staring down at her hands. ¡°Things have a funny way of working out, you know,¡± she said to me softly. ¡°Take it from me when I say, timing is everything.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure what she meant, but somehow her words made me feel a little better. ¡°Where is Alpha Enzo now?¡± I asked, peering up at her. ¡°I think he went back to his pack this morning. You¡¯ve been here since yesterday and he had some stuff he needed to take care of,¡± she told me. I felt a stab of disappointment that he had left me here, but I tried not to show that on my face. ¡°L!¡± I heard the familiar coo of Bri as she ran into the hospital room with Rachel trailing in behind her. Rachel had tears in her eyes and her bottom lip was quivering like she wanted to burst into tears. ¡°Oh, my goddess¡­¡± Rachel breathed as she came around the other side of my bed. My mother gave them both kind smiles before standing to her feet. ¡°I¡¯ll give you girls some space,¡± she said as she left the room. Brianna wrapped her arms around me tightly and I couldn¡¯t help but wince in pain. ¡°Sorry!¡± Bri said, feeling my wince as she released me. ¡°I was just so worried about you. We all were! How are you feeling?¡± ¡°Lile I¡¯ve been kidnapped and beaten,¡± I told her with a light chuckle. ¡°But nothing I can¡¯t recover from.¡± ¡°This is all my fault¡­¡± Rachel breathed, tears streaming down her face. ¡°Rachel¡ª¡± ¡°If I hadn¡¯t had insisted, we go get treats at the store¡­¡± she said, interrupting me. ¡°This wouldn¡¯t have happened. I¡¯m so sorry, L¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your fault,¡± I said to her, reaching out to grab her hand. ¡°We couldn¡¯t have predicted this would happen.¡± ¡°It was sote though. I should have known it wouldn¡¯t be safe and¡ª¡± Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. ¡°I agreed to go,¡± I said, interrupting her. ¡°This isn¡¯t on you. Don¡¯t beat yourself up over this. I¡¯m okay¡­ honestly.¡± ¡°What was Brody even doing with you?¡± Rachel asked, shaking her head with confusion clear on her face. ¡°Why was he in Elysium?¡± ¡°He was walking by and saw themotion. He came to help me but got captured as well,¡± I said, grimacing at the memory. ¡°His grandmother lives here, and he was visiting her for the weekend. I don¡¯t think he knew I was here, but maybe he did¡­¡± I said with a shrug. ¡°He could have been killed,¡± Brianna said with a frown. ¡°I saw a glimpse of him earlier¡­ he looks very beaten.¡± I thought back to when I watched them beat Brody and I winced at the very thought. It wasn¡¯t something I ever wanted to think about again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you had to go through so much¡­¡± Rachel breathed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I ran¡­¡± ¡°If you hadn¡¯t had ran back to the packhouse, my father wouldn¡¯t have known something was wrong,¡± I reminded her. ¡°You saved me, Rachel. So, thank you.¡± She thought about it for a moment and then a relieved smile spread across her lips as she nodded. I think she finally believed me because she rxed and sat on my bedside. ¡°Did your father tell you they got the rehab facility shut down?¡± Rachel asked, peering over at me as Bri sat on the other side of the bed. ¡°He didn¡¯t! That¡¯s incredible news!¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± she chuckled. ¡°The owners and most of the workers are getting arrested for their cruel treatment of other species. I guess others starteding forward about it as well.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so d to hear that. You must be so relieved¡­ I know I am,¡± I said, hugging her gently. ¡°I am,¡± she said giving me a faint smile. ¡°But they are sending me elsewhere for a month. Another facility across the kingdom. It¡¯s a detox program. It¡¯s only for a month¡­ but I¡¯m going to have to repeat this semester of school if I don¡¯t want to get expelled.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be there waiting for you when you get back. So will Ryan,¡± I assured her. ¡°Will you tell me if he wakes up? His condition still hasn¡¯t changed. It hasn¡¯t improved or gotten worse. But he¡¯s still not awake.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be the first person I call when he wakes up,¡± I assured her again. She nodded with relief on her face. ¡°When do you leave?¡± Brianna asked. ¡°Tomorrow morning. Alpha Bastien is taking me himself. He¡¯s really great. You¡¯re lucky to have such a great father.¡± I smiled at that and nodded in agreement. ¡°Yeah, I am¡­¡± I agreed. After a few moments of catching up, Brianna and Rachel finally left. I felt all sort of tired and I was ready to get some sleep. The doctor came in and gave me some antibiotics and exined that I should be ready to leave the hospital in a couple of days. But they want to monitor me for a few days, just in case. Once he left, I felt exhaustion taking over and I began to drift off to sleep. I¡¯m not sure how long I was out for, but I felt a moment from beside me and when I woke up, I was shocked to see the person sleeping beside me in a chair. His head was on the bed and his body was in the chair. I couldn¡¯t help but whisper out loud¡­ ¡°Professor Enzo?¡± Chapter 92 Chapter 92 L¡¯s POV Enzo jumped awake to the sound of my voice. He looked confused as to where he was for a moment. He nced around the room before his eyesnded on me and then he sighed, leaning back in his chair. ¡°How long have I been asleep?¡± I asked, keeping my eyes on his. He nced at the clock. ¡°A few hours,¡± he told me and then he looked at the window. ¡°It¡¯s nighttime now. You should get some more sleep.¡± ¡°When did you get here?¡± ¡°Maybe an hour ago,¡± he answered. ¡°I haven¡¯t slept much.¡± I could see his tired eyes with the dark circles and my heart clenched in my chest. Has he not been sleeping because of me? ¡°You don¡¯t need to stay here,¡± I told him, trying to keep my voice low. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. He stared at me for a long while without saying a word. It made me feel a little ufortable, so I looked away. ¡°What were you doing walking around town at thatte hour?¡± Enzo finally asked. I nced at him with a frown; was he seriously questioning me on this right now? ¡°Rachel wanted a snack from the store¡ª¡± ¡°You know how dangerous it is out there. Especially for a Vna.¡± I rose my brows at him; it sounded like he was worried about me. But that couldn¡¯t have been right. Enzo didn¡¯t like Vna wolves. He found them dangerous and frightening. At least, I thought he did. ¡°We¡¯ve never had an issue in Elysium,¡± I told him. ¡°Many don¡¯t bother us because of my father.¡± ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? ¡°It was still stupid,¡± he muttered, folding his arms across his chest. ¡°You could have been killed.¡± This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°But I wasn¡¯t,¡± I said in return. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about me, Professor Enzo.¡± His jaw tightened as he stared around my face for a moment longer. ¡°You should get some more sleep,¡± he said, looking away from me. I stared at his stern features for a moment longer before sighing in defeat. Maybe he was right; I should get some more sleep. I¡¯ll need my rest if I want to get back to campus by tomorrow evening. We were nearing final week and I needed to be as prepared as possible for finals. This could make or break this semester. I also needed to prepare for my big trip to Monstro with Cassidy-Ann. A tight knot formed in my stomach at the thought of that trip. It was only a month away and I still needed to figure out what to pack for this trip. This is the farthest and longest I¡¯ve ever been from home. I hoped I was ready for such a trip. Monstro is supposed to be beautiful, especially during the summertime. It¡¯s a very tropical and beachy ce so I would have to get a new bathing suit. I wondered if Brianna would want to go shopping with me. ¡°Stop thinking so loud¡­¡± Enzo muttered. I looked over at him; he was leaning back in his chair with his eyes closed and his arms folded across his chest. ¡°You are thinking so much is distracting to my wolf and we are trying to get some sleep.¡± ¡°You can hear my thoughts?¡± ¡°No¡­ but my wolf can feel your emotions to a point where we can practically hear them,¡± he said in return. His eyes opened and he narrowed them at me. ¡°So, stop,¡± he concluded. I felt my face warming under the intensity of his stares. ¡°Sorry,¡± I said in return. I had never had that feeling before; being able to feel someone¡¯s emotions so intensely that I could practically hear their thoughts. It must be an amazing and yet intense feeling. I wondered why he could feel that way for me, but I couldn¡¯t for him. Maybe I was just broken. ¡°We aren¡¯t broken. It¡¯s because he¡¯s a strong Alpha and he has abilities that our minds could never comprehend,¡± Val chirped from inside of me. I sighed in relief at hearing her voice. I could feel her growing stronger as the moments passed while I was in the hospital, but I couldn¡¯t actually hear her voice until this moment. It was nice knowing she was with me once again. ¡°Oh, Val¡­¡± I breathed to her. ¡°It¡¯s so good to hear from you. Are you well?¡± ¡°I¡¯m tired,¡± she admitted. ¡°I think I need a little more rest. But maybe we could go for a runter. I need to stretch my legs.¡± ¡°I would love that so much,¡± I agreed. ¡°And maybe our mate coulde with us,¡± she suggested. I peered over at Enzo who had his eyes closed once again; I couldn¡¯t tell if he was sleeping or not and I wasn¡¯t going to ask him. ¡°Maybe¡­¡± I agreed, but I didn¡¯t even believe those words. I rxed my body and closed my eyes; I could finally get a little bit of sleep. ¡­ I woke up the next morning to some talking outside the hospital room door. I noticed that Enzo was no longer in his chair, and I heard what sounded like my father nearby in the hallway. He must have been talking to some doctors before he entered my room. He gave me a faint smile as he came over to my bedside. ¡°How are you feeling, L Bean?¡± He asked, pressing the palm of his hand to my forehead. ¡°Better,¡± I answered honestly. ¡°Will I be able to return to school tonight?¡± I asked. ¡°I¡¯m counting on it,¡± my father said in return with a final nod. ¡°Enzo will take you back.¡± ¡°What?¡± I gasped, staring up at him. ¡°I can take my own car.¡± ¡°I¡¯d prefer it if he drove you,¡± my father said, narrowing his eyes at me. ¡°I don¡¯t want you wandering around by yourself right now. Those rogues are still out there, and I¡¯m worried they wille and find you.¡± ¡°You think they¡¯d be stupid enough to do that?¡± I asked, raising my own brows. ¡°I can¡¯t be too safe,¡± my father said, kissing the top of my head gently. ¡°I¡¯m also having some gammas patrolling your school. Just in case.¡± ¡°But dad¡ª¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want any arguments. My decision is final.¡± I sighed and said nothing more; I only nodded in agreement. ¡°Okay,¡± I finally said after a long pause. ¡°Where¡¯s Professor Enzo?¡± ¡°He had to take care of some stuff. But don¡¯t worry; he¡¯ll be back in time to take you back to school,¡± my father answered. ¡°Get a little bit more rest until then.¡± He began walking toward the entrance of the hospital room. ¡­ Third Person POV ¡°What do you mean she got out?!¡± Sarah hissed into the phone; she was clutching her phone so tightly that her knuckles had grown white. ¡°She was never supposed to escape.¡± ¡°Alpha Bastien and Alpha Enzo got her out.¡± That was news to Sarah; she rose her brows and then furrowed them together. ¡°Alpha Enzo?¡± she asked. ¡°Like my professor?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the one.¡± ¡°Why would he got out of his way to help that lowly good-for-nothing wolf?¡± Sarah asked, thinking intently about this. ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­ maybe she¡¯s his mate?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous,¡± Sarah scoffed. ¡°I don¡¯t know ¡­ something is weird with them regardless and I¡¯m going to find out what it is.¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you¡­ she¡¯s strong.¡± ¡°No,¡± Sarah growled. ¡°I¡¯m much stronger.¡± ¡°Just be careful¡­I wouldn¡¯t want you getting hurt.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate me, Uncle Cyrus.¡± Chapter 93 Chapter 93 Enzo¡¯s POV Brody was healing nicely; he no longer had bruises or cuts on his face, and he was fully awake. His wolf was working overtime to heal him. He was surprised when I walked into the hospital room to see him. It was early the next morning and L was still very much asleep. I didn¡¯t get much sleep after she fell back to sleep but I was able to close my eyes for a little bit. The sound of her breathing and the light snoring that came from her nose wereforting me and my wolf. I felt my entire body rxing and I couldn¡¯t help that stupid smile on my face. Was this what it¡¯s like to have a mate? I shook the thought out of my head and stood to my feet. She looked incredibly peaceful andfortable in the hospital bed. My heart ached for her because I couldn¡¯t be there to protect her fully. I could only imagine the torture she¡¯s been through. I hated that I wasn¡¯t there with her. It was Brody that was there with her. I turned away from her and left the room. The hospital was quiet this early in the morning. Only the sound of some nurses on theputers could be heard for miles down the hallway. I already knew which room Brody was in because I saw them bring him there, but I have yet to check on him. I was surprised to see that he was awake when I walked in. He was eating breakfast and sipping on coffee while watching some early morning television on the large TV that hung on the upper wall. He rose his brows as I entered the room. ¡°Professor Enzo¡­¡± Brody said once I shut the door and faced him. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? ¡°I always check on my students that are injured in the hospital,¡± I told him, keeping my eyes locked on his. I wasn¡¯t the jealous type, and I certainly wasn¡¯t threatened by this jock¡­ but I couldn¡¯t help but feel a little irritated that he was the one that was with L when all of this happened and she still ended up incredibly injured. ¡°I haven¡¯t been your student sincest year,¡± Brody said, narrowing his eyes at me. ¡°You are here to check on L.¡± ¡°That too,¡± I agreed; I kept my voice even so he couldn¡¯t hear through my emotions. ¡°I made a promise to her father that I would protect her. I went with him to get you both out of that chapel.¡± ¡°You were the one who saved us?¡± Brody asked, raising his brows. ¡°You didn¡¯t know?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± he breathed, shaking his head. ¡°They didn¡¯t really tell me anything. I just know that Alpha Bastien was there, and he got me out of the cell. I assumed he went back in for L as well. I thought it was weird that he saved me first¡­¡± ¡°It was a team effort,¡± I exined. ¡°I got L out and Bastien got you out.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Brody said, shaking his head at the thought. ¡°It was insane in there. I don¡¯t remember much because I was beaten so badly. But I remember her screaming¡­ I can¡¯t get it out of my head.¡± He nced down at his hands while I winced at the very thought. I couldn¡¯t imagine what L must have been going through. What she must have been feeling. My heart hurt at the very thought. I wanted to hold her and tell her everything was going to be okay. But I couldn¡¯t. This was the exact reason why I couldn¡¯t. Men like those were always going to be after her; she was always going to have a target on her back. If I continued to hang around her, they would know her importance to me, and that target will only get bigger. I couldn¡¯t do that to her. ¡°Professor Enzo?¡± I realized Brody has been talking to me. I straightened my stance and looked over at him. ¡°Is L okay? How¡¯s she doing?¡± ¡°She will be returning to campus this evening,¡± I told him. ¡°Hopefully you¡¯ll be there right behind her.¡± He rose his brows in confusion. ¡°She recovered that quickly?¡± ¡°She wasn¡¯t as badly injured as you were,¡± I exined. ¡°She¡¯spletely healed. She¡¯s just confused and tired. But for the most part, she¡¯s going to be fine. They are discharging her this afternoon and then I¡¯m going to take her back to school on her father¡¯s orders.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Brody said. ¡°I was hoping to see her before she leaves. But I guess I¡¯ll just see her back at school.¡± I stared around Brody¡¯s face for a moment longer; he was nothing more than a jock. He was strong and not bad looking, I¡¯ll give him that. But he wasn¡¯t a match when it came to me. I don¡¯t know why I wasparing myself to him. I turned away and back toward the door. ¡°Just get some more rest. I¡¯m d to see that you are well,¡± I said as I walked toward the doorway. ¡°Thanks for checking on me,¡± he said from behind me. I said nothing more as I left the room. I thought about returning to L¡¯s room, but there was some stuff I needed to take care of back at home, so I went toward the main entrance of the hospital instead. That¡¯s when I saw Bastien walking through the doors. ¡°Are you leaving?¡± Bastien asked, raising his brows. ¡°I have some stuff to take care of back at my pack. But I¡¯ll be backter to take L to the school,¡± I assured him. ¡°I¡¯ll see youter then,¡± Bastien said, patting me on the back. ¡°And thank you again for all your help, Enzo. I worry about what would happen if you weren¡¯t there.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not think about the worst oue,¡± I said in return as I continued toward the main door. ¡­ Upon entering the Calypso packhouse, I could hear amotioning from the kitchen. It sounded like ss shattering and a woman shrieking. I knew the voice very well and it brought an unsettled chill down my spine. ¡°Oh, my goddess!!¡± She hissed. ¡°Who the hell put you in charge?! You are nothing but a clumsy and pathetic woman!¡± I rushed toward the kitchen and opened the door. I saw ss shattered around the ground and water all over Bethany. Dee was scrambling nervously to get paper towels. ¡°Hurry up, you stupid bitch! It¡¯s ruining my silk clothing,¡± Bethany hissed. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡± Dee stammered. I had never seen her appear this nervous before. Has this been a thing that¡¯s always happened? Has Bethany always been this cruel to her? ¡°Sorry isn¡¯t going to pay for my new outfit, now, is it?¡± Bethany growled. Dee ran back to her with a bunch of paper towels and Bethany snatched it from her hand. ¡°Now, clean up this mess. You shouldn¡¯t even be allowed in a kitchen!¡± Bethany growled. Dee lowered her gaze; she looked so defeated. She looked out of her element and the kitchen was her element. I felt a wave of fury rising through me. Dee went to grab a dustpan and broom, but I mmed the door shut, startling them both. ¡°Dee, leave the kitchen for a moment,¡± I said, keeping my eyes locked on Bethany. I kept my tone calm and emotionless. I saw the color draining from Bethany¡¯s face as she stared into my eyes. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Dee didn¡¯t hesitate to do as I asked and left the kitchen. ¡°Enzo¡­ I didn¡¯t see you there. I wasn¡¯t expecting you back so soon¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s Alpha Enzo,¡± I said, stopping her words. ¡°What right do you have to treat my workers in such a heinous way?¡± ¡°She ruined my outfit and¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s water¡­ it¡¯ll dry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s silk. It¡¯ll shrink,¡± she argued in return. ¡°You don¡¯t speak to my people that way, Bethany. Especially not Deanna. I¡¯m going to have to ask you to pack up your things and leave. You¡¯re done here.¡± ¡°What?¡± She gasped, tears instantly filling her eyes. ¡°But Alpha Enzo¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to repeat myself. I want you to be gone by sundown. Is that understood?¡± She looked like she wanted to argue more, but he didn¡¯t. She just sighed and nodded her head once. I didn¡¯t stick around much longer; I turned and left the kitchen. I wasn¡¯t surprised to see that Dee was leaning against the door, listening to the whole conversation. She looked relieved when she peered up at me. ¡°That woman was awful¡­¡± she admitted. ¡°I¡¯m d she¡¯s leaving.¡± ¡°Next time someone is awful to you like that, please let me know,¡± I told her, bringing the emotions back to my voice. ¡°I would never want you to feel less than¡­¡± She gave me a kind smile and nodded her head once. I started to turn away and go toward my study when I heard her speaking from behind me. ¡°L will be pleased that she¡¯s gone. She couldn¡¯t stand Bethany.¡± Chapter 94 Chapter 94 Enzo¡¯s POV I was finishing some work in my office and thinking about what Dee had said about L not being able to stand Bethany. I knew Bethany and L had some issues, but I had no idea that she would speak to Dee about it. I didn¡¯t ask, but it made me wonder what kind of things were discussed on the topic. Bethany was busy packing her things and I could hear her stomping her feet and giving the staff an attitude from my office. I rolled my eyes and shook my head; she was being ridiculous. I wasn¡¯t surprised to see her father calling a few minutester. ¡°Alpha Enzo. Must you send Bethany back here? It¡¯s still not safe and¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to stop you there,¡± I said, stopping his words. ¡°She¡¯s overstayed her wee. She treats my pack members with disrespect, and I won¡¯t tolerate such behavior. I¡¯m sorry that she¡¯s in danger but protecting her isn¡¯t my duty.¡± Protecting L was my duty. ¡°I¡¯m sorry she was in such trouble,¡± he muttered, a little sarcastic. I didn¡¯t entertain him any further with the phone call and hung up. I was done with that conversation. Before I could fully grasp what had happened, I heard a knocking on the door. I already knew who it was before the door opened. ¡°Can Ie in?¡± Ethan asked, eyeing me carefully. My Beta. ¡°Of course,¡± I said, raising my brows. ¡°Since when do you ask?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he said, shutting the door behind him as he made his way over to one of the chairs in front of my desk. ¡°Things have been weirdtely and I wasn¡¯t sure if you were busy.¡± ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? ¡°I am busy, but I always have time to talk to you,¡± I said with a smirk. Heughed and shook his head. ¡°You get all thedies with that charm. You¡¯ll need to teach me your ways,¡± he said, leaning back in the chair. There seemed to be something on his mind because he fell silent for a moment. ¡°Speaking of ladies¡­ how¡¯s L?¡± I was surprised by the question; Ethan and L don¡¯t talk regrly and when she¡¯s here, I didn¡¯t even think he liked her that much. ¡°She¡¯s recovered nicely. I¡¯m taking her back to campuster,¡± I answered. He nodded, but the look in his eyes told me there was something more he wanted to discuss. ¡°That¡¯s good, I¡¯m d she¡¯s okay,¡± he breathed, staring down at his hands. ¡°And how are you?¡± ¡°Me?¡± I asked, raising my brows at him again. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I just mean¡­ seeing her in that position probably wasn¡¯t easy for you. I just wanted to make sure you were okay.¡± ¡°Beta, what are you going on about?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but ask him. I was done pretending something wasn¡¯t wrong. He sighed and met my eyes. ¡°Were you ever going to tell me that L was your mate?¡± ¡°What?¡± I asked, staring at him with a wary expression on my face. How could he possibly know that? I hadn¡¯t disclosed that information to anybody. ¡°Maybe because you nearly fall to your knees when she¡¯s in the area,¡± Max snickered. ¡°You make it obvious.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t make anything obvious,¡± I said in return. ¡°The less people who know she¡¯s my mate, the better.¡± ¡°Yeah, whatever you say,¡± Max said, but the humor was still in his voice. ¡°Enzo¡­ I¡¯ve been your best friend since childhood¡­ I know how you are when you are interested in a girl. You have this way about you where you feel like you need to be strong all the time. Like you feel the need to prove yourself to her or something. But there¡¯s something different with L. Your ears literally perk up whenever you hear her name.¡± I instantly reached for my ears and cursed my wolf under my breath. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. ¡°Whenever she¡¯s around, it¡¯s like you look for her everywhere. I¡¯m not stupid¡­ she¡¯s your mate.¡± I was thinking about denying it, but I didn¡¯t want to lie to my Beta. He was right; he¡¯s been my best friend since we were children and lying to him would only make him distrust me. I couldn¡¯t have my Beta and my friend distrust me so I just sighed. ¡°She¡¯s my mate,¡± I admitted to him. ¡°But you can¡¯t repeat that to anybody. Understood?¡± He had a smile on his face as he stood to his feet, pping his hands excitedly. ¡°That¡¯s incredible news though! You found your mate!¡± ¡°Ethan shut up!¡± I hissed, trying to keep my tone low. ¡°I don¡¯t want anyone to know about this.¡± ¡°Why not? You should be rushing to marry her,¡± Ethan said, narrowing his eyes at me. ¡°Oh wait¡­ is it because she¡¯s your student? I can see how that would be difficult. Maybe transfer schools? Or quit. It¡¯s not like you even wanted to be a teacher anyways.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that,¡± I said, shaking my head. He was right about that too; I was only a teacher as a favor to Bastien and themittee. Not that I don¡¯t enjoy what I do but I could do without it. ¡°Then, what is it?¡± He asked, furrowing his brows together. ¡°Is it Connie? I know she¡¯s always had a thing for you, but I meane on¡­ this is your fated mate.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not Connie either,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s the fact that L is a Vna wolf.¡± Ethan instantly frowned and slowly sat back down in the chair. ¡°Like your mother?¡± Ethan asked, raising his brows. ¡°She¡¯s a Vna¡­ like your mother?¡± I nodded my head once. ¡°If I start seeing her¡­ she will be in immediate danger.¡± ¡°She¡¯s already in danger if she¡¯s a Vna wolf,¡± Ethan said, shaking his head with dismay written all over his face. ¡°But she¡¯s a Vna from Elysium,¡± I said to him. ¡°Specifically, from the Nova pack. Her father is Alpha Bastien¡­ nobody in their right mind would mess with her. Except for rogues apparently.¡± ¡°And you are worried if you pursue her, then your father¡¯s men will know that she has importance to you and they wille after her in full force,¡± Ethan said with a sigh. It wasn¡¯t a question, but I nodded anyways. ¡°I can¡¯t let anything happen to her, Ethan,¡± I said to him. ¡°I need to protect her¡­ even if it means not being with her.¡± ¡°I think that¡¯s stupid, honestly,¡± Ethan said, shaking his head. ¡°But you have to do what you have to do.¡± ¡°I have to protect her,¡± I said with a head nod. ¡°I¡¯ll do whatever I can to protect her.¡± ¡­ L¡¯s POV ¡°L!¡± Brody said from his bed once I entered his hospital room. I was relieved to see that he was looking well. It wouldn¡¯t be long before he¡¯s discharged as well. ¡°Brody, I¡¯m so d to see you,¡± I said, rushing toward him and throwing my arms around him. ¡°I was so worried¡­¡± ¡°Hey¡­ I¡¯m okay,¡± he assured me, hugging me back. ¡°It¡¯s going to take a lot more than a couple of rogues to knock me down.¡± I chuckled through my tears. ¡°Do you know when you¡¯ll be able to return to school?¡± I asked. ¡°They said in a couple of days. So, I¡¯ll be back in time for finals,¡± he answered. ¡°Oh, good,¡± I said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m so d to hear that.¡± ¡°I was thinking¡­ when I get out of here¡­ maybe we can study together? For the finals I mean.¡± ¡°I would like that, Brody,¡± I said in return. ¡°I would really like that.¡± ¡°Good,¡± he said with a toothy smile. ¡°Then, it¡¯s a date.¡± Wait. What? Chapter 95 Chapter 95 L¡¯s POV ¡°Are you nervous about this new facility?¡± I asked, peering over at Rachel who was in the middle of packing her things. We were both packing. She was packing to head to the rehab facility for the month and I was packing to head back to campus. Rachel looked incredibly nervous as she nodded her head; no words could describe how she was feeling at that moment. I couldn¡¯t me her for being nervous though. Thest facility she went to abused her to the point where she nearly died. I still couldn¡¯t believe that happened in Elysium. Thankfully, my father had that shutdown and almost everyone to took part in that was arrested. ¡°What about you?¡± She asked, peering over at me from across my bed as she folded her clothing. ¡°Are you nervous about finals?¡± I honestly hadn¡¯t thought much about finals. With everything going on, it seemed kind of pointless to stress about something like that. I was just kidnapped and nearly killed; Brody was nearly killed. I shook my head, giving her my best confident smile. ¡°Not a chance; I¡¯m going to crush it,¡± I said brightly. She couldn¡¯t help butugh at my words as she shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t doubt that. You crush everything and anything you set your mind to,¡± she said in return. ¡°Just don¡¯t trash our room. I don¡¯t want toe back, and everything is a mess.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dream of it,¡± I chuckled. At that point, my father knocked on the bedroom door before he opened it. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? ¡°I¡¯m going to take Rachel to the facility now. Are you almost packed, L? Enzo will be here any Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. moment.¡± My heart felt heavy in my chest as I thought about spending more time with Alpha Enzo. He saved me from something terrible and I was incredibly grateful that he was there with me. But I still found myself being nervous around him and I didn¡¯t even know why. ¡°Our mate has that effect on us,¡± Val said with a chuckle. ¡°It¡¯spletely normal to have butterflies like that.¡± ¡°Butterflies?¡± I asked her in return. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m feeling?¡± ¡°Oh, yes,¡± she said in return. ¡°We feel intense butterflies. Enzo is incredible in every way, and I think you are now just starting to realize that.¡± I didn¡¯t want to think about it anymore, so I tuned out the rest of what my wolf was saying as I turned to my father and gave him a small smile. ¡°I¡¯m almost ready,¡± I told him. Rachel zipped her suitcase and pulled it off my bed. ¡°Thank you for letting me stay here this week,¡± she said to me and my father. ¡°It means a lot that you cared enough to help me.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± I said as I wrapped my arms around her tightly. ¡°You are one of my best friends, Rachel. I only want what¡¯s best for you. You should know that.¡± ¡°I know,¡± she breathed, rxing into my hug. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for causing such a mess.¡± ¡°It¡¯s understandable,¡± I said. ¡°You nearly lost someone very important to you. I don¡¯t me you one bit.¡± I say ¡°nearly¡± because I¡¯m refusing to believe the worst oue; even though Ryan still hasn¡¯t woken up. We pulled apart and I saw the tears in her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s only for a month,¡± I reminded her. ¡°Yes, but then it¡¯s summer and you are going to Monstro for two months,¡± she said, wiping at her eyes. ¡°I won¡¯t see you for like three months.¡± Iughed and hugged her again. ¡°I¡¯ll miss you too,¡± I whispered. She hugged me tightly, neither of us wanting to let go. ¡°All right girls,¡± my father said, breaking us up. ¡°It¡¯s not forever. But we need to go now.¡± Rachel nodded and grabbed her suitcase. ¡°Please call me if Ryan wakes up,¡± she pleaded. ¡°Of course,¡± I said in return. After a moment longer, she left behind my father. But not before long, my mother entered my room. ¡°Enzo is waiting downstairs for you,¡± she said, eyeing me carefully. I finished zipping my own bag before walking towards the door, which she was blocking. ¡°Are you going to be okay returning to school so soon after what had happened?¡± She asked, furrowing her brows together as she examined my face. ¡°I have to be,¡± I told her in return. ¡°Next week is finals and I need to be prepared.¡± She sighed and gave me a hug. ¡°Well, if there¡¯s anyone, I trust to care for you and watch over you, it¡¯s Alpha Enzo,¡± she breathed. I wasn¡¯t sure what that meant, but I chose not to ask her. I hugged her back tightly; feeling thefort of my mother was exactly what I needed at that moment. ¡°I love you, L Bean,¡± she breathed. ¡°I love you too,¡± I said in return. ¡°Oh, and your uncle Don sent over some gammas to patrol the academy, so you¡¯ll bepletely safe.¡± I didn¡¯t want gammas to be watching me like a hawk while I¡¯m trying to study, but something told me I didn¡¯t have a choice. I thanked her and hugged her onest time before I followed her out of my room and down the stairs. Enzo was speaking to my father in the front room before my father left with Rachel. I stared up at Enzo who just looked back at me with zero emotions on his face. I shouldn¡¯t have been surprised by that. ¡°Ready?¡± He asked. I nodded my head once. I said goodbye to my mother and the twins before getting into Enzo¡¯s car. He was a fast driver and most of the ride was fairly quiet. I could hear the sound of my own heartbeat as the silence only grew more intense and I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if he could also hear my heartbeat. The palms of my hands were growing sweaty, and I thought maybe I was just getting warm from the heat. ¡°Can we turn on the AC?¡± I asked, peering over at him. He clicked on the AC, and I instantly felt a sudden relief. I looked back at the window, watching as the trees whipped past us. ¡°Are you prepared for finals?¡± He asked. He was making small talk. With me? ¡°I think so,¡± I answered. ¡°Maybe¡­¡± ¡°Are you prepared for finals for my ss?¡± Oh, he was being a teacher. ¡°I hope so,¡± I answered again. ¡°If you need extra help, I¡¯m avable this week,¡± he said. ¡°My finals are going to be tough; so I¡¯d like you to be as prepared as possible.¡± ¡°Maybe we can prepare after school this week?¡± I asked, peering over at him. He was quiet for a moment, and I saw his jaw tensing. I wondered what that meant. Isn¡¯t that what he was getting at? That he wanted me to prepare? When he didn¡¯t respond I decided to speak again. ¡°Thank you for taking me back to school. I could have driven myself,¡± I told him. ¡°It¡¯s better if I drive you,¡± he said in return. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want anything to happen to you on the road.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure what to say to that but thankfully I didn¡¯t have to. His phone started ringing before another word was uttered. I could see the annoyance on his face as he reached for his phone and answered it. ¡°Yes?¡± He paused for a moment as he listened to whoever was on the other end, and I heard a small gasp escape his lips. ¡°Yes, thank you. We are on our way,¡± he said quickly, as he hung up the phone. We? He began to speed up; I clutched the side of my seat, feeling my heart racing the faster he drove. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I asked. ¡°Who was that?¡± ¡°It was the Hig hospital,¡± he said, ncing at me briefly before fixating his attention on the road. ¡°Ryan¡¯s woke up.¡± Chapter 96 Chapter 96 L¡¯s POV I heard what Enzo said, but I still couldn¡¯t process it. Ryan has been in aa for almost a month with no signs of waking. Now, he was finally awake. The same day that Rachel was going away to a rehab facility. This wasn¡¯t fair. But at the same time, it was so incredible that he was actually awake! Enzo picked up speed and we got to the hospital quickly. I didn¡¯t waste any time getting out of the car and running toward the main entrance. Enzo was behind me and by the time we got to Ryan¡¯s room, he was surrounded by doctors and nurses who seemed surprised that he was awake as well. He was looking well too, which was odd for someone who was just in aa. His wolf must have been working extra hard to heal him. He nced around at all the surprised faces, and I could see the fear in his eyes. I¡¯m sure he was incredibly confused as to what had happened. I wondered if he remembered anything at all. He scanned the room briefly, ignoring the questions that were thrown at him until his eyes reached mine. I saw a flicker of recognition in his gaze before he gave me a broad smile. ¡°I guess I died,¡± he joked with a shrug. ¡°I¡¯m going to be known as the dude that beat death.¡± I couldn¡¯t help butugh; he had the same sense of humor that I remember so well. I would have run to him and hugged him, but I couldn¡¯t get past all the doctors that surrounded him. ¡°You look well,¡± I said to him, and I meant that. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± He looked warily for a moment as he thought about how to answer that loaded question. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? ¡°Like I¡¯ve been asleep for a month,¡± he said in return. ¡°That was some party thought, right? Some might Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. say¡­ it was a banger.¡± I chuckled and shook my head in disbelief. I couldn¡¯t believe he could joke about something like that. Then again, it was Ryan. I shouldn¡¯t have been surprised. I nced over at Enzo who remained at the doorway, and he just rolled his eyes at Ryan¡¯s jokes. Ryan was keeping his eyes on me, and I knew there was a question on his lips, but he wasn¡¯t sure how to ask. ¡°How¡¯s Rachel?¡± He finally asked. ¡°I hope she didn¡¯t get too hurt.¡± My heart fell into my stomach at the mention of Rachel. I nced back at Enzo who looked at me as well and when Ryan got a glimpse of our look of exchange, his shoulders slumped in defeat. ¡°Oh¡­¡± he breathed. ¡°She¡¯s not here because she doesn¡¯t want to be. Is she mad at me?¡± ¡°What? No, of course not,¡± I said quickly. ¡°She¡¯s not mad at you at all. She was incredibly worried about you, Ryan. She loves you¡­¡± ¡°Then, why isn¡¯t she here?¡± He asked, narrowing his eyes at me. ¡°She wasn¡¯t super hurt too was she? Is she in a room somewhere?¡± ¡°Not anymore,¡± I answered. I wasn¡¯t sure how to tell him that his girlfriend rpsed and was on her way to the hospital. ¡°Then, what is it?¡± He urged. He nced at the doctors that were poking him. ¡°Can you give us a minute?¡± He asked, clearly annoyed. They all looked at one another before nodding and leaving the room; leaving the three of us alone. I stepped closer to Ryan¡¯s bed. ¡°L, what¡¯s going on?¡± Ryan asked again. ¡°Where¡¯s Rachel?¡± ¡°Just tell him so we can go,¡± Enzo muttered from the doorway. ¡°Tell me what?¡± Ryan urged again. I sighed; I had to tell him the truth. ¡°Rachel was losing hope that you¡¯d ever recover. She was miserable and then she¡­¡± my voice fell short as I thought of the best way to phrase this next sentence. ¡°She rpsed¡­ didn¡¯t she¡­?¡± Ryan finished my sentence for me. I nodded my head once. ¡°Yes¡­ ¡°I told him. ¡°So, I¡¯m assuming she¡¯s going back to the facility to detox?¡± ¡°A different facility. One that¡¯s much further away. But it¡¯s the best chance that she has to be normal again. It¡¯s also only for a month, so she will be back before you know it,¡± I assured him. He didn¡¯t look super certain, but he gave me a faint smile anyways. ¡°Will I be able to call her?¡± ¡°Yes, of course,¡± I answered. ¡°I¡¯ll get you the number for the facility and you can call her right away.¡± He nodded his thanks before lying his head back down on his pillow. ¡°I¡¯m really tired right now though. I¡¯m going to get some sleep,¡± he told me, closing his eyes. ¡°Haven¡¯t you slept enough?¡± I teased, turning away from him but not before I saw a flicker of a smile on his lips. ¡°So, you got jokes now?¡± Ryan teased back. ¡°What else did I miss?¡± ¡°A lot,¡± I told him. ¡°I¡¯ll catch you up another day. Or maybe Rachel can catch you up.¡± We said our goodbyes before leaving and getting back into Enzo¡¯s car. The school wasn¡¯t too far from the hospital, so it was a short and quiet drive. ¡°If you¡¯re going to spend the day studying tomorrow, you should get some rest tonight,¡± Enzo said as he got out of his car. ¡°Why do you care?¡± I asked, raising my brows. ¡°Because I don¡¯t want to see you back in my ss next year,¡± he said in return, shaking his head. I rolled my eyes at him and started heading toward my dorm room but his voice made me stop in my tracks. ¡°When do you leave for Monstro?¡± He asked. My entire body froze, and my heart thudded against my chest violently. ¡°Next month,¡± I answered. ¡°After the semester concludes.¡± ¡°What exactly are you going there for?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Cassidy-Ann¡¯s assistant. I have to be there if she¡¯s there. Plus, it might be a really good opportunity for me at that school. Leroy Klein told me to bring him my portfolio and¡ª¡± ¡°So, you are nning on transferring.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t thought too much about it yet,¡± I told him honestly. ¡°I don¡¯t even know if he likes my portfolio.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but did I do something wrong?¡± I asked, folding my arms across my chest. ¡°Why am I getting the third degree?¡± ¡°I just want to make sure you thought this through before you make any rash decisions,¡± he said, shaking his head with dismay written all over his face. I wasn¡¯t really sure what to say to that, so I just nodded my thanks and went straight for the building of dorms. I was more tired than I thought; my eyes were hardly able to remain open as I slumped up the stairs and toward my dorm room. ¡­ Third Person POV Sarah was walking through the long corridors of the academy dorms when she decided to take a walk outside and clear her head. Obviously, her n to get rid of L had failed so now she was going to be stuck with her until Goddess knew when. They were having an election the next year to decide the leader of the studentmittee and Sarah had a lot of students on her side already. She was very popr and incredibly rich. She had no doubt in her mind that she would win. As she went outside, she paused when she saw a car pulling into the parking lot. Nobody typically came in at thiste hour, so that was odd. Sarah paused, waiting to see who emerged from the car and what she saw, she couldn¡¯t believe. Getting out of the driver¡¯s side was Professor Enzo and, in the passenger, side was L. They were arriving at the academy. Together Chapter 97 Chapter 97 L¡¯s POV It was strange being here without Rachel. The dorm room seemed so big and empty. Most of her stuff was gone except for her purple and ck bedding and a few minor essories. We were only going to be apart for a short time, but still, I missed her terribly. I was counting on her eye for fashion to help me pack for my trip to Monstro. Monstro is a very tropical and beachy ce, which is something I don¡¯t have a lot of experience in. I have never been anywhere like that before. For most of my life, since I was only 3 years old, I¡¯ve lived in Elysium. Between Elysium and Hig was the farthest I¡¯ve ever traveled throughout the werewolf kingdom. Rachel was practically going to a whole new continent to partake in this detox program. She was going through so much and my heart ached for her, but she was going to be incredibly happy when she heard Ryan¡¯s voice. I was still in shock that he was awake. But it was a good shock. As Iid my head on my pillow, I felt my eyes growing even more heavy. It was only a matter of time before sleep took over and the rest of the world would fade to ck. ¡­ The next morning. I promised Ba I would study with her in the library. Finals were next week and with everything going on these past couple of weeks, I haven¡¯t had a chance to study much. Between the fire at Ryan¡¯s party and getting kidnapped, my head was aplete mess. It waster in the afternoon when I went to the library to meet with her and I realized I hadn¡¯t seen Enzo all day. The academy gave us the week off so we can study on our own time, so I wouldn¡¯t have seen him in ss. But I wondered what he was up to. ¨º Categories Search¡­ ¡§ : ? We didn¡¯t talk much since he saved me from being kidnapped and spent a lot of time at the hospital with me. Once they drained me of the starlight that was put into my body, Val was able to heal the rest of me fairly quickly. Brody, on the other hand, was so injured that he had to remain in the hospital for an extra day or so. At the time I was still a little weak and afraid of what using my powers would do, so I didn¡¯t help him in the healing department, but I made a note to myself to visit himter this evening. I wanted to help him get out of the hospital as soon as possible so he didn¡¯t fall behind on his studies. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Ba asked as I sat down at the table across from her in the library. I ced a few of my textbooks and notebook in front of me. ¡°A lot better,¡± I told her. I wasn¡¯t going to tell her that those rogues were still in my mind though. I managed to scare them away with my shadows, but they were still out there somewhere. Cyrus was still out there somewhere. He wanted my powers and he wanted to know how they worked. They would have done anything to figure out what gives me my abilities. I shuddered at the very thought. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re able to study?¡± Ba asked, eyeing me carefully. ¡°I know you¡¯ve been through a lot thesest few days. I couldn¡¯t believe it when your mom reached out to me and told me everything. She said as your friend, I deserved to know. I wanted toe see you but she said the best thing I can do is stay here and wait for your return.¡± ¡°She¡¯s right, there was no need for you toe to Elysium,¡± I assured her kindly. ¡°I appreciate your offering though. The best ce for you is right here. I hope you got a lot of studying done in the meantime.¡± ¡°I could hardly study with how worried I was about you,¡± she said with a frown. ¡°I thought Elysium was supposed to be your safe ce. Nobody would dare got to Elysium to hunt for Vna wolves.¡± ¡°Sssshhhh!¡± Someone from across the library shushed. I mouthed my apologies and turned back to Ba. ¡°Apparently these rogues didn¡¯t the memo,¡± I said in a hushed whisper. ¡°There¡¯s only so much my father can do. He¡¯s the leader of the Alphamittee but unless he has the rest of the werewolf world on his side, he¡¯s powerless against those who wish us harm. Most of the world finds us threatening because of how powerful we are. It¡¯s something he¡¯s been actively trying to change¡­ but as I said, he can only do so much.¡± ¡°What would it take for him to get the support of the rest of the world?¡± I thought about it for a moment, furrowing my brows together. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± I answered honestly. ¡°But I¡¯m hoping one day he will figure it out. Until then, he has to do what¡¯s best for his pack and for Elysium as a whole. Those in Elysium respect him and his leadership. Even those not in the Nova pack. That¡¯s why Elysium has always been incredibly safe. At least it was safe¡­¡± She looked like she wanted to say something, but no words were enough to express her worried emotions. She lowered her gaze to her books, and I sighed, feeling a little defeated and a lot drained. I trust Elysium and I trust that Vna¡¯s are safe there. There aren¡¯t many of us; at least, I don¡¯t think there are. We¡¯ve gotten good at blending in with the rest of the world. The only Vnas I know for sure that is in Elysium are my mother and me. However, I know there are others scattered across the world and my dream is to make this world a safe ce for them all. I want them to roam free and out of hiding; I want them to feel safe in this werewolf world and not have to worry about others either wanting them dead or harvesting their abilities. I want to travel this world and meet others that are like me. I want to paint them and paint my adventures along the way. Then, once I¡¯m done with these adventures, I want to open my own art studio, using these paintings, so everyone can see the world through my eyes. That¡¯s my dream in life and that¡¯s a dream I¡¯ll do anything to achieve. Leroy Klein can jumpstart that dream if things go well in Monstro. ¡°Am I missing all the fun?¡± A familiar voice said from nearby. I nearly jumped to my feet with a saw Brody walking toward us with his boyish and lopsided grin. He looked incredibly well; like wasn¡¯t beaten at all and that today was just a normal day for him. Ba gasped when she saw him, and this made his grin widen. ¡°Good to see youdies too,¡± he said, running his fingers through his shaggy mess of hair. He walked around the table and sat in the empty chair beside me. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting you to be out of the hospital for at least another day,¡± I told him, looking around his seemingly uninjured face. ¡°I was going toe to see youter.¡± ¡°Figured I¡¯de to see you first,¡± he said with a shrug. ¡°My wolf worked all night at healing the rest of my injuries. They discharged me a day early and I traveled back this morning.¡± ¡°It¡¯s really good to see that you are well,¡± I said, still in disbelief. ¡°It must have been really scary¡­¡± Ba breathed, ncing between the two of us. ¡°For you both.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t anything I couldn¡¯t handle,¡± Brody shrugged. ¡°I was more worried about L than anything. But if I¡¯m going to be the Alpha of the Yellowstone pack, then I must be prepared for anything.¡± Yellowstone was another pack inside of Elysium; it was also where Brody¡¯s grandmother and father lived. I found this out about him recently. I should have known that he was next in line to be an Alpha. He had Alpha energy. ¡°I¡¯m just d Enzo and Bastien were there to help us,¡± Brody continued. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what would have happened if they didn¡¯t show up.¡± I was going to say something more, but before I could, I felt a familiar presence that made me freeze up