Chapter 273: Chapter 273

Chapter 273 Head Count

Enzo’s POV

With a shaky voice, Eileen Carter turned to the trembling and frightened students.

“Everybody, get to your dorms and get some rest. When I find out more information, I’ll let you know,”

she said, trying to maintain her strong composure, but I could see her fear shining through and I’m sure

the students could too. “I’ll be going to your dorms and taking a head count,” she added.

My heart fell into my stomach; if she went to Lila’s dorm, she was going to see that Lila wasn’t there.

There was no way in hell I would have Lila stay in this dorm; I needed her with me where I knew for

certain she was safe.

The thought of her being alone in my faculty house right now left me feeling uneasy and I needed to get

back to her as soon as possible.

“I can help you with that,” I told her. “I can take one section and you take the other. Just give me the list

of students. There’re how many rooms in this section?”

“30,” she answered, “Dorm rooms are upstairs.”

I knew Lila’s dorm room number was room 112.

“I’ll take rooms 100-115, 1 told her.

She nodded and gave me half the list.

Thank you, professor,” she said.

I went up the curved stairs and reached the second floor. The doors were parallel to one another down

a wide hallway. Students were walking into their dorms and keeping the doors open for the headcount.

All doors except for room 112; Lila’s room.

I knocked on the door at first and I heard scrambling around and whispering. I also heard Alex’s firm

voice at the door, making me roll my eyes.

“Just open the door; they are going to see she’s missing regardless,” I heard him saying.

I heard other, softer, voices as well but I paid them no attention. I didn’t bother knocking again, I just

opened the door and stepped inside; they went from terrified to relieved in seconds,

“Oh, thank goddess Becca breathed, sitting on the couch like she had just run a marathon. “I thought

you were Miss Carter. Lila isn’t here-”

“I know, she’s with me,” I assured her. “I left her in my faculty house.”

“Is she okay?” Becca asked, peering up at me with a worried expression.

I nodded.

“She’s safe. But I’m keeping her there with me,” I told them.

“Look, if she’s going to be with you, then I’m going back to my pack. I don’t need to remain here and—”

“Nobody is leaving campus,” I said, glaring at Alex. “This is a serious situation.”

+15 Bonus

“My job is to protect Lila,” he said in return, folding his arms across his chest. “And do you see her

here?”

“Your job is to do what your Alpha commanded and I’m sure if I called B astien, he would tell you to

remain here,” I said in return. “It’s not like you do much protecting of her anyway. Where were you

earlier when Lila saw those ambulances and cops?”

“She saw them?” Becca asked with wide eyes. “She must have been so afraid.”

“She was,” I said, still glaring at Alex. “She shouldn’t have seen that, and you should have been there.”

He opened his mouth to say something, but I held up my hand to stop him. Don’t bother. You’ll stay

here and make sure the girls are safe. Alpha Jonathan is going to have his gam ma’s patrolling the

place but I’m sure Eileen will appreciate the extra help in this particular dorm.”

He scoffed but said nothing. He just grabbed his coat off the nearby chair and left the dorm. I shook my

head at the closed door behind me before turning back to Becca.

“Where’s Rachel?”

“In her room,” she answered. “Is Miss Carter going to be doing a head count?”

“I’m doing this section so she won’t come here and find Lila is gone.” I replied; Becca sighed in relief.

“Oh, thank goddess,” she breathed.

I walked right to Rachel’s room and knocked on her door, loudly, rumbling the dorm room.

“What are you doing?” Becca aside, raising her brows.

“I need to speak with her,” I answered.

She opened her mouth to say something, but the door slowly crept open. Rachel stood before me in

her dark room, staring up at me.

very

“We need to talk,” I said without hesitation.

“Okay?” She said in return.

“When I saw you outside the academic center earlier, did you see anything strange?”

Her eyes widened at my question, but she shook her head quickly.

“No; what would have seen?” She asked, raising her brows.

“I smelled something off earlier; it smelled like rotting flesh-”

I paused when Becca gasped loudly. I almost forgot she was standing nearby. I probably shouldn’t be

having this conversation in front of her like this, but I didn’t want to delay this any further. I had to get.

back to Lila.

“Why would I know anything about that?” She asked, narrowing her dark eyes at me.

They haven’t always been this dark which worried me.

“I was mainly wondering if you smelled it too. Or maybe you saw something?”

“I didn’t see anything,” she said, her voice firm. “If that’s all you wanted, I’m very tired and would like to

sleep now.”

Without another word, she shut the door in my face.

I looked at Becca who was pale in the face as she met my eyes.

“Something’s wrong” she whispered, her voice trembling. “She’s never been like this before.”

I nodded; knowing exactly what she meant. From what I knew about Rachel, she was never this rude

or closed off: she wasn’t a cold person.

“I would keep your distance for a bit.” I told Becca, turning away and walking toward the door. “Just stay

in your room and if anything happens call me.”

“Okay…” she said, shakily. “I’m assuming we are going to be trapped in the dormitory for a while. Can

you have Lila call me tomorrow?”

“Yeah, I’ll tell her,” I said. “Just be safe, Becca.”

“You too, Professor,” she said in return and then I left the door.

As promised to Eileen, I did a quick head count of the other students, allowing them each to shut the

door after I was finished. I went back to Eileen who was speaking with Alex downstairs in the living

space.

“I appreciate your help, Alexander,” she said to him, giving him a kind smile. “I’m not entirely sure

what’s. going on out there, but I feel safer knowing we have a Nova pack gam ma here.”

He surprisingly smiled back and nodded at her.

“I’m happy to help. Just let me know if there’s anything else I can do for you. I rested plenty for today,

so I’ll patrol around and make sure everyone remains in their dorms and is safe.”

I approached them, interrupting their conversation.

“I should get back to my house, but everyone in this section is accounted for,” I told her, handing her

the list.

She smiled at me, but I saw the worry and fear still lingering on her face.

“Thank you, Professor,” she said, bowing her head. “If you find out any information, would you be able

to come back and tell me? I just have this nasty feeling in the pit of my stomach that I can’t seem to

shake.”

“I will,” I told her.

It was clear that Merida wasn’t a part of this dormitory, thankfully. But whoever dorm she belonged to

would notice her not being there; therefore, they would soon figure out she was the student who

passed away.

My stomach clenched at the thought.

I nodded my head at Alex to thank him for sticking around; not that I gave him much of a choice. Then,

I left and headed back to the police and Headmaster Prescott. Alpha Jonathan was also still with them.

“I’m taking my daughter home with me. I don’t feel safe with her being here,” Alpha Jonathan

announced to them.

“That’s fair,” Prescott said. “I’ll alert Eileen and have Sarah get her things.”

“I was just there, Alexander offered to keep the students safe and patrol. I’m sure he will escort Sarah

to you if you’d like,” I said to them.

“Oh, yes. Thank you, Enzo,” Headmaster Prescott said, nodding.

Alpha Jonathan just looked at me with a strange expression.

“Why were you in the girl’s dorm, Professor?” He asked.

“I wanted to make sure every student was accounted for in case I missed any on my patrol. I spoke to

each dorm advisor and got the report that their students are in fact present,” I answered without

missing a beat.

“And everyone is in their dorms?” Prescott asked.

I nodded.

“Yes,” I answered.

“Oh, good. Thank you for your help. I might need your help again tomorrow during the investigation.

But you can head back to your house and get some rest.”

I nodded to them again before leaving and going back to my house where Lila remained. As soon as 1.

opened the door, Lila appeared at the entrance of my bedroom. She wore one of my T-shirts that

covered half her body and revealed he r s exy bare legs. Her dark curls were tied up in a messy bun

and she peered up at me with a small smile on her perfect lips.

“Welcome back, Professor,” she said flirtatiously.

A low growl escaped and emerged from my throat as I fought to take control of my wolf who

desperately wanted to have his way with our mate.

Goddess, she was beautiful.

Seeing the hungry and lustful look in my eyes, she bit her bottom lip to stifle a giggle, but it only made

me want her more. I went toward her, but then the color drained from her face as her eyes shifted to

behind

The stench of an Alpha was potent, and I froze as well. I turned and saw the doorknob turning and the

shadow of Alpha Jonathan shined through the window.