Chapter 525

Enzo

I took a deep breath, the crisp summer air and the scent of pine—a scent that I once associated with the comfort of being home in the werewolf realm, but now associated with pain and banishment—filling my lungs as I walked down the quiet street towards the town square.

Mila’s voice echoed in my mind, her telepathic message rippling through my consciousness like a stone being dropped into a stagnant pond.

“I’ll find you soon, my love. Wait for me in town until I give you your instructions, and I’ll take you home… where you belong.”

Nodding absently to myself, I followed her instructions blindly, my feet carrying me down the familiar path without any need for conscious thought.

This wasn’t the first time Mila had reached out in this way over the past few days, guiding me with her ethereal voice. She had become a constant fixture in my head since I had rejected Nina as my mate, even going so far as to replace the voice of my wolf.

But it was comforting to hear her there. Her promises of love and happiness after this whole mess were a comfort, too, even if it meant forgetting my past.

As I neared the heart of the small town, the smells of fresh bread and brewing coffee hit me, stirring up a flurry of memories I hadn’t quite been prepared for.

My steps faltered as I found myself standing in front of the local diner; a quaint little place that I recalled now as being a place that Nina and I liked to frequent during our honeymoon here, or whenever we were visiting the werewolf realm.

The pain that lanced through my chest upon seeing the place was sharp and sudden, like a white-hot blade piercing my heart. I winced, instinctively clutching my chest.

I could almost see Nina sitting at our usual booth, her freckled face glowing with that radiant smile that never failed to take my breath away. I could almost see her long, dark hair, her slender arms, her shining eyes.

The memory was so visceral, so achingly tangible, that for a moment, it felt like she was really there with me.

But she wasn’t. She had cheated on me, and had conceived a child in her belly that wasn’t my own.

“You must push it out of your mind,” Mila said softly, soothingly. “She is a cheater, a traitor, a whore. All of the good memories you have of her were simply fabricated… manipulations.”

I swallowed, realizing that Mila was right.

Squeezing my eyes shut, I willed the vision of Nina away, forcing myself to take slow, steadying breaths. When I opened them again, the diner’s worn wooden sign seemed to mock me with its cheerful cursive lettering.

No, this wasn’t a place of happy memories.

But, still, I was hungry. And thirsty. And I didn’t know how long it would be before Mila would finally call for me.

At least, that was what I told myself as an excuse just to go inside and experience the place that Nina and I once loved one last time.

“Might as well get a coffee while I wait,” I muttered under my breath, more to convince myself than anything else.

The little bell above the door jingled as I stepped inside, the familiar sights and smells doing nothing to dull the ache that had taken root in my soul. I shuffled over to the counter, sliding onto one of the stools and wearily rubbing my hands over my face.

“Well, I’ll be... Enzo Rivers, as I live and breathe!”

I looked up to find a familiar face standing behind the counter, a bright smile stretching across her weathered features: the owner of this place. I didn’t know her name, but I recognized her well. She always waited on us whenever Nina and I came here.

We were known well in this place because of Nina’s status, of course; her father had made certain that his subjects knew all about her, and although she had often been referred to by Selena’s name at first, people soon learned.

Although, right now, I wished that they didn’t know who we were.

Her eyes crinkled at the corners as she studied me—but then something in her expression shifted, a flicker of concern passing over her face.

“Where’s that lovely wife of yours?” she asked. “Is she still sleeping in on a Saturday morning?”

The words hit me like a punch to the gut, momentarily causing my breath to catch in my throat. I swallowed hard, my fingers tightening around the edge of the countertop as I struggled to find my voice.

“Be honest,” Mila cooed. “It’s alright…”

“Nina’s... we’re not…” I trailed off, unable to continue speaking. It felt as if a knife had been driven into my throat, rendering my voice completely lost. I couldn’t utter the words, no matter how hard I tried. Or maybe I just didn’t want to.

The woman’s smile faltered, her brow furrowing as understanding dawned on her face.

“Oh, honey... I’m so sorry,” she murmured, shuffling her feet nervously behind the counter. “I didn’t mean to pry.”

I swallowed again. “It’s alright.”

The woman sighed. “Well, it’s a damn shame… You two were just the cutest couple. What happened?”

I opened my mouth, grasping for an explanation, but then Mila’s voice cut through the fog once more.

“Come to the woods, my darling. Follow the path until you reach the old oak tree. I’ll open a portal and bring you home, where you belong.”

Home. Yes, home sounded good. Anywhere but here, really. Anywhere but surrounded by this painful memories and stinging words.

Blinking rapidly, I rose from the stool, fumbling in my pocket for a few crumpled bills to leave on the counter.

“Thanks for the coffee, but I’ve gotta go,” I mumbled, turning away from the woman’s concerned gaze and all but running out of the diner.

“Wait—I didn’t even give you the coffee yet! Hey, wait! Your money!” the woman called after me, but I didn’t hear her. I burst out of the diner and into the warm air, and then I ran in the one direction I knew.

Toward Mila’s voice.

The trees seemed to close in around me as I followed the trail through the forest, my mind a jumbled mess of memories and Mila’s insistent instructions. The closer I came to wherever she was waiting, the more hurried her voice became—as though she was worried I might turn back.

And for a moment, I almost did.

My footsteps slowed on the path, my eyes widened. Wait—what was I doing? Nina would never…

“Don’t waste time!” Mila hissed, her voice like a knife slicing through my mind. “Hurry!”

Part of me knew this was wrong, that I should be fighting against the haze that clouded my thoughts, but it was getting harder and harder to hold onto any sense of clarity. I nodded, feeling almost puppet-like beneath Mila’s voice, and kept walking.

Finally, I reached the gnarled old oak tree that Mila had mentioned, its twisted branches creating a canopy over the clearing.

“Mila?” I called out.

As if on cue, the sound of fizzling static filled the air. I turned to see a portal opening at the base of the tree, and felt my heart leap in my chest.

Mila emerged from the portal a moment later, her dark hair spilling over her shoulders as she moved towards me with her arms outstretched. “Enzo, my love,” she cooed, reaching for me. “How I’ve missed you dearly…”

I found myself frozen in place at that moment, caught between the desperate yearning to go with her and the fleeting remnants of my own free will.

Our eyes met then, and something deep within me sparked to life—the tiniest flicker of resistance that had me turning to cast one last, lingering look over my shoulder.

And for the briefest of moments, the veil lifted, and I saw with searing clarity the path that had led me here. No, I couldn’t do this. I had to go back to Nina, back to where I belonged—

But then Mila’s arms were around me, and the fog rolled back in, muffling that small, insistent voice until it faded into silence once more.

Yes, this was where I was supposed to be.

With her.