My Professor Is My Alpha Mate (Lila) novel Chapter 27

Enzo’s POV

I sat on the loveseat on the far side of the art gallery while Lila 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 splattered 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 planning 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 more comfortable. 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 his large 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.

Lila finally placed 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.

“It’s perfect,” I said in only a whisper.

Her face lit up as she peered up at me.

“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 planning 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 explain 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 Lila is.

If I wasn’t careful, the same thing could happen to Lila.