Chapter 383: Chapter 436

I () + Chapter 0436 Lila’s POV It felt like we were staring at one another for what felt like an eternity. I wasn't really sure what more to say, so I just stared down at my hands and tugged at my fingers nervously.

“Mates?” Rachel was the first to speak. I looked up at them and saw that Becca stood frozen, her face had gone pale. “You’re mates with Alpha Enzo?” I nodded my head, feeling a wave of shame crossing my features and making me feel a bit claustrophobic.

“How... what.... When?” Becca stammered through the questions that were surfacing her mind.

“Since my birthday last year,” I admitted, finding my voice again.

“So, you knew since all of last year?” Rachel asked, her eyes wide.

() + “For most of it,” I told them, feeling more shame.

“So, you've been together... even while he was your professor?” Rachel asked, furrowing her brows together.

“No!” I said, standing to my feet. “ Nothing happened between us until the summer...” “The summer?” Becca asked, shaking her head as she tried to process this information. “You were in Monstro...” “Enzo was with me,” 1 said, feeling my face growing hot as my lies began to surface.

“I need to sit down,” Becca breathed as she leaned against the couch.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you...” I said softly, feeling tears surfacing in my eyes.

“So, what are you now? Are you together now that he’s not a professor?” \ I bit my bottom lip again, which made 4

(w ] + Rachel’s eyes widen.

“What?” Rachel urged.

“He's back,” I said quickly.

They both looked at me, startled.

“What do you mean he’s back?” Rache was the one who asked because Becca was still in shock.

“professor Xander got fired...” I admitted. “So, Enzo is back for the semester.” “Fired?!” They both nearly yelled at the same time.

“How?” Becca managed to ask.

“That’s a long story,” brushing my fingers through my hair. This wasn’t something I wanted to talk about with them, and I don’t think they could handle anything more.

“Okay... so things happened with you two during the summer and now he’s back as your professor. What now?” Rachel asked; she sounded a bit calmer

I (J) + now and I realized it was because the shock was now surpassing her.

“Well, before we found out he’s going to be teaching again... he kind of...

marked me.” The shock was back on Rachel’s face as she gasped.

“He marked you?” She asked, looking at my neck questionably.

I nodded and pointed to my shoulder I blade.

“I have it hidden with concealer,” I confessed. “It wasn’t supposed to happen... but it did.” I “So, you two are together?” Becca asked, her voice small.

I nodded, meeting her eyes.

“Yes, we are. He’s my mate and I love him so much, Becca,” I could hear the desperation in my voice as I said that.

I I She stared at me for a moment longer ke before taking a deep breath. 4

J) + “Who else knows about this?” She asked.

“My family and his family,” I told them. “We just told them recently actually. My best friend, Brianna knows as well and —" “That’s why Alpha Enzo and some of his pack members were here to help with the bakesale?” Rachel asked as realization dawned on her.

I nodded.

“Yes,” I answered. “They’ve all been very kind to me. I spend a lot of time there...” “And that’s where you were last night,” Becca said, folding her arms across her chest. “Isn’t it?” My face warmed again as Rachel’s eyes poured into me, but I wasn’t going to lie to her again, so I nodded. I also wasn’t going to tell them the full story about Xander, at least not right now.

be “I'm sorry...” I said in a whisper. 4

I (w] + “So, you weren't with Brianna?” Rachel asked, sounding a bit hurt.

I shook my head.

“I should have been though,” 1 admitted, meeting her eyes. “What I said about her was true. But I wasn’t there when I should have been. I haven’t been a very good friend to any of you. I’ve been so wrapped up in all of this that—"” “You lost sight of your friends,” Becca finished the sentence for me. I looked at her through my unshed tearsand I nodded.

She didn’t look angry; she just looked sad.

“I never meant to lie to anyone. But if word got out about this—” “You think we’d tell?” Rachel asked, sounding offended. “Lila, I thought you trusted us more than that.” “Of course, [ do...” I said, trying I desperately to get her to understand. i»

I () + I was just scared.” “Well... now that we know we can help you hide it,” Becca said, a fond smile growing on her mouth, utterly surprising me.

“Wait what?” I asked, staring between the two of them curiously.

“You want this thing to be a secret, don’t you?” Becca asked, raising her brows. “I mean if the school board found out about this, they’d transfer him to a different school... or transfer you considering they need him it seems.” I nodded in agreement; if it came down to me or Enzo, they would pick Enzo.

They needed him for this class until they could hire someone new. It would be easier to just transfer me to a different academy and the only other academy in our region was hours away.

I’d have to take a plane to visit my family and that wasn’t something I wanted to do.

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