Chapter 255: Chapter 255

Lila’s POV

“Val!!”I said eagerly to my wolf.“When did you wake up?”

“I woke up nicely while we were…” She stopped talking for a moment and I heard her chuckling, making me smile.“Well, I don’t have to tell you what we were doing. I see things have been going nicely while I was sleeping.”

“You have no idea how much I missed you,”I said through my tears.“I was beginning to think you were never coming back.”

“I’ll always return to you, Lila,”she breathed. “I’m still feeling a little weak, but I’m glad to be back as well.”

“You should rest some more,” I told her.“I’ll be okay until you are feeling better. I’ve gotten used to not having my abilities.”

“That’s because you don’t need the abilities to be amazing,” she breathed.“You are strong enough without them. I’m so proud of you, my girl.”

I met Enzo’s eyes and I saw that he was smiling at me. “You knew she was back, didn’t you?” I asked; he didn’t look surprised by my reaction, he just stared at me with such love that it made my heart skip a beat. “I saw her in your eyes when we made love,” he admitted. “I’m really glad she’s back.”

“Me too,” I said, biting my bottom lip to keep from sobbing. I buried myself into his body and allowed him to enclose me in his warm arms. “Let’s get some sleep; I’m sure she’s still weak and you need rest too,” he whispered against me I nodded, closing my eyes. He was right; I was very exhausted. It didn’t take long for me to fall asleep and once I did, I was pleased to find it dreamless and peaceful.

….

I woke up to the delicious scent of bacon and eggs. My mouth was practically watering before I even opened my eyes.

But once I did, I was pleased to see that Enzo was seated at the end of the bed with a small table, and on the table was a plate of food and coffee. I sat up groggily but starving.

“Good morning,” he said with a fond smile. “Dee made breakfast and I figured I’d bring it to you in bed.”

“Breakfast in bed?” I asked, raising my brows at him.

“You are such a romantic,” I teased. He poked me on the nose, grinning at me.

“We have a long day today. We have to take Hazel back to my mother’s village and then head back to campus before curfew tonight.” I was excited to be able to see my mother; I’ve been worried about her since we left her in that rogue village. However, she stayed there by choice to keep a protective shield around the village and protect them while Hazel was in the hospital.

“Eat up,” he said, kissing me gently before sliding out of bed and grabbing a clean pair of clothes from his closet. I looked down and realized I was still naked from last night. I felt my face growing warm as I grabbed the blanket and covered myself, making him laugh.

“Nothing I haven’t seen before,” he said, winking at me.

“I’m going to take a shower.” I rolled my eyes at his remark, but I laughed along with him. I grabbed my dress off the ground and slipped it over my head so I could at least be covered while I ate my breakfast. Per usual, Dee made the perfect-tasting food.

The flavors bounced off my tongue and danced in my mouth. I closed my eyes, taking in every flavor that occupied my taste buds. The bacon and eggs were cooked to perfection, and she added the right amount of salt and pepper to the eggs. She knows I don’t like my eggs runny as well so those were also perfect. I sipped on the coffee, feeling satisfied and energized as it filled my stomach.

By the time I was finished, Enzo was done getting dressed and joined me in the bedroom. I grabbed a fresh pair of clothing from one of his drawers; I learned to keep some clothing here just in case and I was glad that I did because we didn’t pack before returning here for the night. I kissed him before going into the bathroom to get dressed. I showered and then put on a sweatshirt and a pair of jeans.

I then threw my hair up into a messy bun before joining Enzo downstairs. I found him in the kitchen where Dee and some other packhouse workers were cleaning dishes from this morning’s breakfast.

“Oh, hello, Lila,” she said, giving me a fond smile. “I baked some extra cookies last night. How about you take some back to school with you? I’ll grab you a Tupperware.”

She went across the kitchen to grab a small Tupperware container. Dee made the best chocolate chip cookies, and I was eager to take some back with me. I saw them sitting on a plate on the counter and watched as she piled them into the Tupperware.

“Thank you,” I breathed. “Have a safe trip back,” she said, hugging me before handing me the Tupperware. “I’ll make sure she gets back safely,” Enzo assured her, also hugging her. Before we left, I paused at the door and looked up at Enzo.

“Is Beta Ethan here? I’d like to say bye to him as well,” I said. Enzo shook his head. “He went with Gamma Jack and the other warriors to search for Jazzy,” he explained.

“If Hazel can feel her magic, it means she’s close by. I’m not taking any chances.” I shivered at the thought, but I understood. Together, Enzo and I went back to the hospital where Hazel was already out of bed and packing for her trip home. She looked relieved and pleased to see us as we entered her room.

She was looking much better than she did yesterday even though she looked fine yesterday too. But she looked more well-rested and less distraught. I couldn’t blame her for being tired and worried though; especially considering she could feel dark magic at work. with “Almost ready to go?” Enzo asked, leaning against the door frame.

“Almost,” she confirmed. “Just a few more things to pack.”

“I’m going to speak with the doctor before we leave,” Enzo told her before turning to face me. “Stay here, I’ll be right back.” ‘ I nodded, kissing him as he left the room. I walked further into the room and watched as Hazle ran around the room, packing the rest of her stuff. “I bet you’re eager to get home,” I said, sitting in one of the empty seats.

“Very much so,” she said, glancing at me. “Especially considering Jazzy has conjured darkness. I fear not even my shield will be able to protect them from what she has planned.”

“What does she have planned?” I asked, biting my bottom lip nervously. “I wish I knew, but it can’t be good if she needs to use Zagreus to accomplish it.”

I was silent, unsure of what to say to that. I stared down at my hands and tugged at my fingers nervously. “Do you think it has to do with me?” I finally asked the question that’s been weighing on my mind. I felt Val moving with tension within my mind and I assured her that I would catch her up on everything that’s happened later. But I could feel her nervousness as I asked Hazel that question.

Hazel stopped what she was doing to look at me; I could tell she was trying to figure out how to answer. “I think it has to do with Volana’s,” she answered honestly.

“Whatever she is planning, I fear this is only the beginning and we all need to be prepared for the worst. Once it starts, there is no stopping it.” I felt a tight knot forming in the pit of my stomach at her words, but I said nothing more. She finished packing and Enzo returned moments later.

“Ready now?” He asked.

“Yes; let’s go,” she said, rushing toward the door. Enzo grabbed a hold of my hand and kept me close to him as we made our way through the hospital and into the parking lot.

“It feels so good to feel the outdoor air,” Hazel breathed staring lovingly up at the sky. I could only imagine; she’d been in the hospital for weeks. I’m sure the air and the sun felt nice on her skin. It didn’t take us long to get to Diana’s village and once we did, we were instantly greeted by Diana’s village of Volana wolves. They rushed to the car, recognized it right away, and helped Hazel get out. They hugged her lovingly and praised her for a safe and quick recovery. Diana and my mother greeted us as well.

“Lila bean!” My mother said, wrapping me in her motherly embrace. “I’ve missed you so much.”

“I’ve missed you, Mom,” I breathed into her as I hugged her tighter. Hazel and Enzo soon joined us and I saw the look on Hazel’s face; it was filled with such worry and concern that it was hard to mistake. Both my mother and Diana looked at one another, frowning, knowing right away that something was seriously wrong. “What has happened?” Diana asked her. “Can we go somewhere and talk?” Hazel asked, keeping her tone low.

“Of course,” Diana said, motioning for us to follow her. We walked several yards until we reached Diana’s small bungalow of a home. I was pleased to see that the village was almost completely repaired. I’m sure my mother had a lot to do with that. We sat in the small kitchen; I stayed close to my mother’s side.

“Would you like some tea?” Diana asked us. “I’d love some,” Hazel said with a nod. Diana quickly made tea and gave us each a cup before sitting at the table herself and peering at Hazel with a worried expression.

“Tell us what happened, Hazel.” Hazel glanced up at Enzo and then at me before looking at Diana. We both gave her an encouraging nod. “It’s my sister, Jazzy,” Hazel began. “She has conjured darkness and I fear we are all in danger.”