Chapter 171

Enzo’s POV Earlier.

“Enzo? I wasn’t expecting you. What are you doing here?” My mother asked as we stood just outside her small cottage in the rogue village.

My mother and the others in her clan fixed this small town up nicely from when they discovered it years ago. It was the only area in the rogue territory that wasn’t infested with the kind of rogues that hunt for sport.

Thankfully, my mother had a witch on her side, and they were able to put a shield on this town to keep them hidden from those uninvited.

Because I once lived here, I was always invited.

I rarely came here because it could be dangerous for them to have frequent visitors. Someone could follow me and discover that there is a shield in this area. They could find a way to break the shield and attack my mother’s clan.

The clan rarely left this rogue town because as soon as they did, they were in danger of being found.

Although they had given up their Volana powers to better hide themselves, and they no longer looked like Volana wolves, they still had the mild Volana scent. So, if close enough, it could be smelled.

That alone puts them in danger.

When I became in power and began training with the Calypso pack gamma warriors, I appointed a couple I trusted with my life to protect my mother and her clan. They made themselves comfortable in this territory and they gathered supplies and essential things for survival.

They are also ready for any kind of attack.

I haven’t seen my mother since she was attacked after straying too far from the village. I knew she would be surprised to see me now, but she was the only one who could help me with the very real dilemma I was facing.

Categories Search...

My feelings.

“Is everything okay?” She asked with a worried frown. She searched my face with her warm brown eyes, and I knew that she could feel my distress.

I nodded, but only once before I dropped my eyes from hers.

“I just haven’t seen you in a while and I missed you,” I told her, suddenly feeling a little nervous to tell her about this.

She cocked her head to the side as she continued to search my face.

“Come in, Hun,” she said, stepping aside for me to enter her cottage.

I did as she said and stepped into her warm and comforting home. Being here reminded me of my childhood; though we lived in rogue territory, my mother and the others made this area feel comfortable and welcoming.

It wasn’t until years after we moved here that my mother met a kind witch who wanted to help and placed a shield. So, for most of my childhood, while living here, we were constantly in danger of being found out and we were hunted on a daily basis. My mother kept me protected. I owe her my entire life.

“I was just making some tea. Take a seat on the couch and I’ll grab you some,” she said as she disappeared into her kitchen.

I sat down on the couch, recognizing the light blue and white quilt she made when I was a young pup.

It smelled like her, and it instantly put my mind and body at ease. It wasn’t often that I was able to come here and just sit and be with my mother.

I truly did miss her.

She returned moments later with a platter of tea and some cookies.

Placing the platter on the table, she began to pour a couple of mugs worth of tea and pushed one towards me.

“I brought some sweeteners and milk too if you’d like them,” she said, taking a seat beside me on the couch.

“This is fine. Thank you, Mom,” I said to her, taking a sip of the hot liquid, allowing it to soothe my insides.

She looked at me for a moment longer, neither of us saying anything.

“What’s going on, Enzo?”

I was silent for a moment longer.

She waited patiently.

“I found my mate,” I said, keeping my eyes fixated on the tea in my mug.

She gasped, placing her mug on the table before she dropped it.

“What?!” She asked; I could feel her eyes on the side of my face, and I couldn’t even look at her.

“When?? Who is she?? I need the details!!”

“Her name is Lila...” I began slowly. “She’s the most beautiful she-wolf I had ever met. She’s so full of charisma, and she’s kind. Everybody loves her. She’s also incredibly strong and talented in every way.

She’s an amazing fighter... and her wolf...” I had to stop to gather my thoughts. “Her wolf is the most incredible thing I have ever seen. Max is head over heels in love with her. Valentina is her name. Val for short...”

A smile had tugged at my lips as I spoke about Lila. My heart felt like it was going to explode, I couldn’t take it anymore. I tried so hard to deny my feelings for her but speaking about her to my mother...I couldn’t hold it in any longer.

I finally looked at my mother and she had tears in her eyes.

“This is the girl you went to Monstro with... right?” She asked, eyeing me carefully.

I nodded.

“Alpha Bastien’s daughter, yes,” I answered. “She was my student. I recently quit being a teacher because being around her and not being able to touch her was too difficult. We had a lot of fun in Monstro and the thought of not doing that again...”

My heart hurt at the very thought. I thought I didn’t want to bring our relationship back home, but having that taste of her... knowing what it was like to be with my true mate... I wanted so much more.

As soon as we returned to the airport in Elysium, I knew I couldn’t just continue acting like she wasn’t anything to me.

The fact of the matter is... she was everything to me.

“Oh, Enzo...” My mother breathed’; tears were spilling from her eyes now and she had a wide grin on her face. “I’m so happy for you... but why do you seem so upset?”

This was it... I was about to say something to my mother that might potentially break her heart.

I lowered my gaze once again, putting the mug on the table.

“What is it?” She asked again.

“There’s a problem...” I began to say. “I can’t be with her...”

“Enzo, she’s your mate. What possible reason do you have that you can’t be with her?”

I hesitated.

“She’s a Volana...” I finally said.

My mother gasped, covering her mouth.

“A Volana??” She asked. She was quiet for a moment and when I met her eyes, I saw realization flashing through her gaze. “Alpha Bastien... oh... she’s Selene’s daughter...” my mother breathed. “Of course, she’s a Volana. I should have figured that out right away.”

“You can see the issue... right?” I asked, keeping my eyes on hers. “Dad’s followers... Paul and his asshole crew, are watching me like a hawk. Waiting for any chance they can get to take over the pack. They are waiting for me to fuck up. Paul wants what Dad had and he can’t stand that I’m the one who has it. If he knew that my mate was a Volana wolf, he would use her against me. She would be in danger.”

“She’s a Volana. She’s already in danger. There are a lot of wolves in this world that don’t trust Volanas because of what they can do. They are powerful creatures, and that frightens people. There are also a lot of wolves that want the Volana abilities. The world is divided and none of it is in favor of Volana.

That’s why we gave up our powers... to keep ourselves safe and not worth hunting. But unfortunately, they still don’t trust us.”

My mother grew sad.

“Lila and Selene have always been protected because Alpha Bastien, one of the most powerful Alphas, is their protector. Nobody would dare mess with Bastien’s family. However, if Paul found out that Lila was my mate, he wouldn’t care who her father was. He would hunt her... I couldn’t live with myself if anything were to happen.”

“She’s felt you as her mate?”

“Yes,” I answered, staring down at my hands.

“So, what exactly have you been doing? Ignoring her?”

“We continued having a student-teacher relationship. Bastien has appointed me to protect her while at this school. It was his random idea for me to go on this trip... ironic I guess.”

“Was it?” She asked with a small smile decorating her lips. “I don’t think he did that randomly.”

“What do you mean?”

“He obviously knows that you are her mate.”

“Impossible. We never told him,” I said, shaking my head.

“You don’t need to tell him for him to know. I’m sure Selene knows too,” she said, chuckling. “Trust me, Enzo. You can’t keep something like that from your parents. A parent always knows.”