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.”

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“You still never explained 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 explained. “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—”

“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.

“Lila is my fated mate. We found out after she got her wolf,” I explained, 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 flash 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 Volana...” 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 particularly 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 class. 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 relax my sore muscles and I brushed the thought of Lila 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 Lila on the screen,” she said with a shrug. “But she hung up.”

...

Lila’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 the last of the show, selling numerous pieces of art and mingling with many different wolves.

I thanked everybody for coming before they left.

Once Leroy Klein was ready to leave, he gave me a head nod.

“I hope to hear from you soon, Lila,” 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 his coma.

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 and combat 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?”

“Lila, it’s Mrs. Laurence. Can you come to the school board office before your first class? 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 class. I wasn’t even going to have time to run to the cafeteria for a banana smoothie before class.

As I entered the school board office, I paused, startled, when I saw Sarah sitting cross-legged in one of 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, Lila. Sarah had brought up the idea of her running the student committee considering she has leadership experience. We were thinking maybe we could have an election?”