My Professor Is My Alpha Mate (Lila) novel 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.

Lila 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 Lila 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 Lila, 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… Lila means nothing to me.”

At that point, I realized Lila had stopped walking. It was like she had heard my thoughts.

Could that be another Volana 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.

…

Lila’s POV

“I’m really glad 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 accepted,” 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 blank 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, Lila.”

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.