Chapter 81

Lila’s POV “So, you are going to go away all summer?” Becca asked with large eyes as we sat in the student lounge.

“Yes, I think so,” I answered with a head nod. “It’ll be a good opportunity for me. Plus, my parent’s think it’ll be a good idea.”

“What am I going to do all summer without you?” Becca pouted. “Rachel will probably spend the summer at the hospital with Ryan.”

“I’m sure you’ll figure something out,” I chuckled, but then I frowned once I thought about Rachel. “Any word on how Ryan is?” I asked, peering over at her.

She frowned as well and shook her head.

“None yet,” she said. “But they are thinking about getting Rachel admitted into a rehab facility. They want to bring her back to the one she was in a few years ago.”

“What?” I gasped, my heart falling into my stomach.

“I had no idea she was even in rehab before. But they say she went to some place in Elysium,” Becca said, thinking more about it. “They want to send her back. I don’t think the doctors talked to her about it though.”

My heart was racing against my chest. They couldn’t send her back. She nearly died the last time she was there. I still felt sick after learning what happened to her at the facility in the place I love so much.

“I should go and see her,” I said, standing up. “It’s been a few days since I saw her and I would like to talk to her about my leaving as well.”

“I can come with you,” Becca said, standing to her feet as well.

“It’s okay,” I said, giving her a kind smile. “I’d like to go myself.”

Becca nodded and sat back down.

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“I’m here if you need anything.”

“Thanks,” I said in return, giving her a wave.

Once I was outside, I took in the fresh air. This might be a good idea to let Val loose and run to the hospital in my wolf form.

She’s been itching to stretch her legs and do something other than play fight with Enzo. My face warmed at the thought of Enzo. I was trying to stay after class so I can talk to him about this Monro trip.

I wanted to get his honest opinion on if he thinks I should go or not.

But by the time I worked up enough courage to bring it up, Connie came into the room and interrupted us. My heart ached at the thought of Connie and Enzo together.

They’ve known each other for a long time apparently so it would make sense that he likes her. But I couldn’t get his words the other day out of my mind. He confessed to me that he couldn’t get me off his mind and that made my heart flutter.

But since then, he’s been avoiding me and hanging out with Connie so much. I just didn’t understand what kind of game he was playing with me.

“He’s not playing games, goofball,” Val chuckled as we ran through the campus grounds and toward the woodland forest. “He’s our mate and he wants us to be happy. He would never do anything to intentionally hurt us.”

“Then, why are we so hurt?”

“Because hasn’t claimed us,” she said, her voice cracking slightly. “It’s admittedly a little discouraging. I know his wolf wants to claim us very badly, but Enzo isn’t letting him. He’s pulling away for some reason.”

“Maybe it’s for the best,” I said in return. “He’s not the mate that I’ve always dreamt of...he’s not romantic and he doesn’t want a mate anyways. I think we are just wasting our time.”

“I think it’s a risk worth taking,” she said kindly. “I need you to trust me, Lila.”

“Of course, I trust you,” I said in return.

The hospital came into the distance, and I ran even faster in my wolf form. It felt so freeing to be able to run as fast as I could and have all my senses incredibly heightened.

It was getting darker so as we broke through the clearing of the forest, the streetlights began to turn on and light up our pathway. I stared up at the moon that was only a few days away from being full.

I could already feel the strength the moon brings to me. The light was illuminating and shining it’s rays in my direction, warming my wolf’s pearly white fur. I felt like the moon was soaking this incredible power into me and making me stronger by the moment.

I continued to run until I was at the entrance of the hospital. I shifted into my human form and threw some clothes on that I kept tucked away for when I shift. Once I was fully dressed, I went into the hospital and toward the receptionist.

“Good evening, Lila. Visiting hours will be over an hour,” she said with a kind smile.

“I won’t stay long,” I assured her. “I just wanted to check up on Rachel and see if she’s okay.”

“Sure, of course,” the receptionist said, but there was a worried twang in her tone as she glanced at her computer. “I’m not sure if they told you, but they are transferring her to a new facility tomorrow morning. That way there are no more instances where she might end up hurting herself again.”

“Do you know where they are trying to move her to?” I asked, leaning toward the front desk with a worried frown.

She continued to look at the computer, analyzing it for a moment.

“It looks like a place in Elysium. It’s supposed to be one of the best facilities and it’s the closest one in the area.”

My heart sank into my stomach.

“Have they told her yet?”

“Not yet,” the receptionist said, shaking her head. “They are afraid she will refuse them. They are going to sedate her and then move her there in the morning.”

“They can’t just do that against her will,” I argued.

“When she tries to take her own life, they can,” she said in return. “She’s a danger to herself and possibly others. We know she’s had a drug problem in the past and—“

“Which she already got help for,” I argued. “She’s clean—”

“But she relapsed, Lila,” the receptionist said in a calm tone. “Which means she’s no longer clean. This could be a huge problem for her, and it could become fatal. It will become fatal if she doesn’t get the help she needs.”

“I can make sure she stays clean.”

“I know you want to help your friend and keep her close by, but this is what’s best for her. This would help her greatly. Also, Lila, you can’t save everybody. But you can be there to help her through this,” the receptionist said.

“Can’t she go someplace else?” I asked, feeling defeated.

I couldn’t let Rachel go back to that awful facility. They took so much from her and nearly killed her the last time she was there. But would the receptionist believe me if I told her this? That place has a great reputation and good reviews from former addicts who went to this facility. However, those reviews were all from those in the wolf population.

It was mainly a wolf facility. But the way they treat other species isn’t right.

“I’m afraid all other facilities are filled and that’s the closest one in the area. It’s a very good one and she’s been there before it won’t be hard for her to get used to.”

I needed to speak to my father, but I also had to make sure that they didn’t take Rachel away.

“Thank you for letting me know,” I said, giving her my best smile. “Would it be okay if I saw her now?”

“Yes, of course,” the receptionist said. “But please keep this conversation to yourself. As I said, they don’t want her to know just yet.”

“I won’t say anything,” I said as I headed toward Rachel’s room.

Rachel was awake when I got there, which was a relief because she was alert.

I grabbed some of Rachel’s clothing and started shoving it into her bag that was thrown across the room. Rachel sits up, frowning.

“What are you doing?” She asked, raising her brows.

“We need to get you out of here,” I said, my heart racing against my chest. “They want to send you back to the facility in Elysium.”

Rachel gasped loudly as she scrambled to take her IVs out.

“They can’t do that against my will!” She cried, a little too loudly.

I shushed her as I continued to pack her things.

“They can because you tried to take your own life, Rachel,” I said, shaking my head at her. “They want to protect you and I completely agree with them. But I won’t let them send you back to that specific facility. I’m going to speak to my father about it, but I need to make sure they don’t take you anywhere in the meantime. So, for right now, I’m breaking you out of here.”