Chapter 228

Lila’s POV “Hey, Lila Bean. How are you feeling?”

“Dad!” I said happily as my father walked into the hospital room. I wasn’t expecting him to be here, but I was so glad he was.

He came over to my bedside and wrapped his arms around me, holding me in a tight embrace.

“I’m okay. Still feel a little weak from the wolfsbane and my wolf is still sleeping. But I feel her there, so she’s not completely gone,” I told him. “I’m hoping she will wake with due time like Dr. Ryan said.”

“I’m glad to hear that. Why didn’t you tell us you were having issues with your professor?” My father asked, sitting down beside me.

I could see the concern in his eyes, and it tugged at my heart.

“I wanted to handle things on my own. I didn’t want to worry anyone. But how did you know I was having issues before tonight?”

He sighed and took my hands in his.

“Enzo told me about the wolfbane they found in your mix,” my father went on to explain. “Dr. Ryan finished telling me that you had some pretty bad and old bruises all over your body that haven’t healed yet because of the wolfbane. It’s to be assumed that this has been an ongoing issue.”

My father knew me so well and I felt tears prickling at the corner of my eyes.

“I just didn’t want to worry anyone,” I said again in a much softer tone. “I’m sorry for not telling you sooner.”

“You could have been seriously hurt if Enzo hadn’t found you when he did. Things could have gotten worse,” he said, keeping his tone calm.

“I’m sorry,” I said to him, burying my face in the side of his body and feeling the warmth of my father blanketing around me. I didn’t realize I was cold until this moment; until I felt his warmth soothing me and my entire body stopped trembling and calmed.

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“I know you are,” he said, holding me tightly. “I’m just glad you are safe now. I just got word from Enzo that he has Xander in custody and is heading back here soon.”

“What’s going to happen to him?” I found myself asking, peering up at my father’s stern face.

“We are going to question him and find out who he’s working for. It’s clear he’s after you because you’re a Volana, but the game he’s been playing with you seems strange. There has to be a reason behind it.”

“And if he doesn’t tell you anything?” I asked, worry evident in my voice.

My father sighed and tried to give me a reassuring smile.

“That’s not an option,” he told me. “We are just going to take it one step at a time for right now.”

I nodded, burying my face back in the side of his body.

“How’s mom doing?” I asked, remembering that she was last seen in Enzo’s mother’s village and keeping them protected while Hazel recovered here in the hospital. As far as I knew, Hazel was still in the hospital.

“She’s still helping Diana and the others fix and protect the village,” he said, a worried look in his eyes.

“And are you okay?” I asked, a frown decorating my lips.

He sighed but he nodded.

“I just miss her; I don’t like being away from her for this long, but I have my duties to take care of and I won’t be much help to them,” he answered, shaking his head sadly.

“Once Hazel is healed, she will be able to return to the village and then mom can return home to you,” I assured him, putting my hand on top of his and giving him a reassuring smile.

He returned the smile and then nodded.

“I’m going to check on Hazel later to see how she’s doing,” my dad said. “I’m going to be sticking around this pack for a bit because I’d like to question Xander for myself.”

“How long is a bit?’” I asked, raising my brows.

“I’m not sure yet. As long as it takes to get the answers we need,” he explained. “Aiden is in charge of the Nova pack during my absence, but Enzo told me I can stay in one of the guest rooms.”

Before I could say anything more, the door of the room opened, and Dr. Ryan entered. He paused when he saw my father but then he smiled and bowed his head in respect.

“Hello, Alpha,” Dr. Ryan said politely. “I’m sorry to interrupt. I was just coming here to say that the wolfbane seems it be making its way out of Lila’s body on its own and no further measurements will be needed, thankfully.”

“That’s great news,” my father said with a large smile. “Will she be able to return home soon?”

“Yes, that’s also what I was coming here to say. I was going to suggest to her waiting for Alpha Enzo’s return, but seeming you are you, I supposed you can take her home,” Dr. Ryan said.

My father nodded.

“Absolutely,” he said. “Thank you, doctor.”

Dr. Ryan nodded and then turned his attention to me.

“Drink plenty of water and get some rest,” he ordered me.

I nodded.

“Thank you,” I said to him.

Once he was gone, my father grabbed the clothes the nurses had washed for me and brought them to me. I was currently wearing a hospital gown that I couldn’t wait to get out of.

“Are you going to see Hazel before we leave?” I asked him.

He nodded.

“Yes,” he answered out loud. “I think it’s the right thing to do.”

“I agree,” I said in return. “I’d like to see her as well.”

My father turned away so I could finish getting dressed and once I was done, I wobbly stood to my feet.

Thankfully, he was there to catch me as I tipped over. I was much weaker than I thought I was.

“Hold on,” my father said, helping me sit down in one of the chairs and as he left the room for only a moment. He returned with a wheelchair.

“Dad...” I complained.

“Just until we get to my car,” he said, giving me a stern and fatherly look.

I stifled a groan and allowed him to help me into the chair. Once I was seated, he wheeled me into the hallway and toward Hazel’s room.

She was only a few doors away and when we got to her door, my father knocked until he heard her faint voice permitting him to enter.

Hazel sat up in her bed, staring at the doorway as entered with a polite and yet worried smile on her face.

I was astonished by the bruising on her face and the paleness of her features, but I wasn’t going to say anything about it.

“I can see from your aura that you are a powerful Alpha,” Hazel said, looking up at my father through her swollen eyes.

“I am Alpha Bastien,” he said, bowing his head politely to her. “I’m sorry I haven’t come to see you sooner.”

“I’m sure you were very busy, Alpha,” she said in return. “I didn’t expect you to come at all.”

“I wanted to make sure you were doing okay,” my father said gently. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m getting better each day. The doctors here are very kind and good at their jobs. The swelling has gone down a lot and I can see out my eyes again.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” my father said. “Is there anything I can do for you?”

“No, Alpha. But I appreciate your kindness.”

He nodded his head to her. But then her eyes flashed to me.

“Keep yourself safe, child. I have a terrible feeling that something awful is approaching. Something dark.”

I raised my brows at her.

“What do you mean?” I asked. “What’s approaching?”

“I don’t know for sure. But I know it involves you and whatever happened tonight that landed you here.

I know it’s not over and that it’s only beginning.”

My heart weighed heavily in my chest, and I had to take a deep and steady breath to center myself.

“She has a lot of people around to protect her,” my father said, glancing in my direction. “We won’t let anything happen to her.”

Hazel smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes.

“We should go though. Lila needs to get some rest so she can heal, and you should rest too,” my father said to her, squeezing her hand before releasing it.

“Be safe,” she said to us both just before we left.

We walked out of the hospital in silence and when we reached his car, I wanted to ask what she meant by all that, but I could see the firmness on my father’s face, and I knew he wasn’t going to tell me the answers even if he happened to know them.

The car ride to the Calypso pack was quiet. I helped my father settle into the guest room before going into the kitchen to grab some food from Dee. I hadn’t eaten all day and night, and I was starving.

Though I was still extremely worried for Enzo, I needed to eat something so my stomach didn’t eat itself.

My father joined me in the kitchen, and we ate a small meal with Dee who happily talked our ears off about her day, trying to get our minds off everything that had happened. I’m sure Enzo and Ethan had already filled her in on everything.

Our talking soon silenced when I heard the light engine of a car just outside the packhouse and a knot formed tightly in my stomach. I looked at my father who was looking in the direction of the main foyer before he stood to his feet.

“Seems our guest has arrived,” he said casually as he began his way to greet them.

I looked at Dee who exchanged my worried look before I went to follow my father to the main foyer.

We both stood there as the doors opened and Ethan came walking in with a couple of warriors, including Jack, trailing behind him.

In this grasp, cuffed, standing before me was none other than Professor Xander. Our eyes met and he gave me a glowering smile.