My Professor Is My Alpha Mate

Lila's POV

In the picture, my grandmother, Corinne, was sitting in this same vanity, in this room. I frowned and glanced around.

Could this have been my grandmothers’ old room?

Did she live in this packhouse?

My mother never mentioned that my grandparents lived in the packhouse.

I couldn't get over how beautiful my grandmother was; she looked exactly like my mother. It made me sad that she was no longer around. I wished I could have met her. I continued rummaging through the other pictures that occupied the mirror and saw that there was another one with my grandmother, standing beside my grandfather, James.

They looked so happy and in love. This was the kind of love story I wanted. Minus the dying and the being held captive by the Alpha for years. I wondered how long after this photo was taken my grandfather was held captive and my grandmother died.

It made me feel sick to think about it.

I placed the pictures on the vanity; it was strange that they were just sitting there. As if this room hasn't been touched since my grandmother lived in it.

I went toward the small table across the room where I placed the platter of tea and took a sip. The tea was still so hot, and it tasted delicious. There was a small cup of milk on the platter as well as a couple of sugar cubes.

It was perfect.

Enzo was investigating the invasions around his pack; I would be lying if I said I wasn't a bit worried about that. This many invasions in one pack were uncommon and I wondered what it was stemming from.

I had an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach as I thought about it.

There was a light knock on my door, bringing my mind back to the here and the now.

“Come in,” I said from across the room.

It was nice to hear that from someone who knows him so well, but it made me wonder what happened to Enzo’s actual mother. I wanted to ask, but something inside of me told me not to. “He is full of mystery,” Val said in wonder.

“It smells delicious already,” I breathed, peering into the pot of stew; my mouth was watering. I didn't even realize how hungry I was until I smelled this food

"We make a great team,” she chuckled. “I hope Alpha Enzo brings you around more.”

Once we finished cooking, we poured some stew into a couple of different bowls.

“I'm going to bring this to Beta Ethan,” she said before leaving the kitchen.

I grabbed a bowl for myself and sat at the center counter with the stools. I waited for her to return before I started eating.

She frowned when she saw my untouched bowl.

"Why haven't you eaten yet?”

“I was waiting for you,” I said, raising my brows. “It's rude to eat when your party isn't eating yet.” She laughed as she grabbed a bow! for herself and a couple of glasses of water for each of us. She sat beside me on the other stool and together we both ate.

We were mainly quiet as we enjoyed the delicious flavors of the stew. Both our recipes worked really well together, and I was proud to create a dish with someone I was now considering a friend.

A few others, who live in the packhouse, entered the kitchen and started grabbing their own servings. Most of them said nothing to us; some muttered “Hello, Dee,” as they took their servings. Some even said, “Thanks, Dee,” before leaving the kitchen with their bowls.

"Hopefully there will be enough left for the Alpha,” I say to her with a laugh.

"Oh, I already set some aside for him,” she said, matching my laugh

That was smart.

After we finished eating, I helped her clean.

"You really don't need to help,” she said fondly.

“I don’t mind,” I say in return.

She paused for a moment as she took in my face.

"You know, you're the first woman Alpha Enzo has ever brought home,” she said, glancing at me as I dried the dishes she handed to me.

“The first?” I said, surprised. “He's a very handsome Alpha. How is that possible?”

"He was never interested in dating before,” she said, a small frown placed on her lips. “He always said that relationships make you weak. As a small boy, he always had these big ambitions in life. Having a mate would just get in his way. At least, according to him, it would.”

I felt my heart falling into my stomach at her words; I wasn't sure why that upset me so much. Maybe because I could feel Val lowering her gaze, saddened by the harsh reality.

Our mate doesn't want a mate.