I Kissed My Professor And He Liked It novel Chapter 261

Ella’s POV

We all stood in our assigned places around the circle, staring up at the sky with gaping mouths. None of us said anything for a long while. I don’t think any of us could really believe what had just happened.

We just spoke to the guardian of the earth!

The protector of the grounds we stand on. Now her children are protecting us.

My heart was so filled with joy that I couldn’t contain it.

“Ella…” my mother was the first to speak from across the circle. I realized she was now looking at me through unshed tears. “I had no idea you harvested so much power.”

“There must have been some kind of mistake,” I said, looking down at my hands as if I expected them to be glowing. But they looked ordinary to me, and I felt a knot tighten in my stomach. “I don’t feel powerful.”

“The Guardian doesn’t make mistakes like that,” Hazel said, she was also looking at me very carefully. “The orbs are attached to your powers for a reason. You have enough of it to feed them and keep them around for as long as we need.”

“This means Ella needs to be safe and keep her wolf protected,” Diana chimed in, glancing at Colton.

His body tensed but I saw the determination on his face when he looked back at his mother.

“Even if that wasn’t the case, I’d never let anything happen to her,” Colton said with fierceness in his voice.

I felt a sense of pride when looking at my mate and I knew as long as he was around, I was safe. I smiled up at him and he looked at me; he didn’t return my smile. Not at first. I saw there was some worry in his eyes like he was contemplating something that he didn’t want to say out loud.

It made my smile falter only a little, but then the corner of his lips lifted, and his gaze softened, bringing some ease to my heart.

“We are late for curfew,” he reminded me, making my smile drop completely, along with my heart as it fell into my stomach.

“What time is it?” I asked, gasping as I looked at my mother with large and worried eyes.

She glanced at her diamond-studded and gold wristwatch with a frown before looking at me.

“Just after 8,” she told me.

“Shit,” both Colton and I said at the same time.

“We have to go,” I agreed as I ran to my mother and threw myself into her arms. “Please return home and stay safe. If darkness is really out there, then nowhere in between towns is safe.”

She held me tightly and I felt such comfort and love coming from her, I nearly melted in her embrace.

“You too, Ella Bean,” she whispered against me, kissing my temple gently. “I’m going to see your father first. I need to catch him up on everything that’s happened tonight.”

I pulled away from her and smiled up at her through unshed tears; her image was distorted.

“I love you,” I said to her.

She kissed my forehead.

“And I love you; forever and always.”

Colton was pulling away from his mother as well and then I went to her, hugging her tightly.

“Be safe,” I whispered to Diana.

“You as well, dear,” she said, patting my back gently. “Thank you for helping us with this protection spell. And thank you for lending us your mother,” she added.

“Always,” I said, smiling as I pulled away from her.

I then turned to Hazel and bowed my head at her formally.

“Thank you so much Hazel; for everything,” I said to her.

“We will see each other again soon,” she said, opening her arms for me to hug her.

I did so without hesitation. It was brief but warm and comforting. I knew this village would be in good hands with her here; it always has been. Taking her away from this village, even for a little while, was a mistake. That would never happen again; especially now that we know how serious this situation is.

Colton was thinking the same thing because he stepped beside me, bowing his head to her in respect, and said, “Hazel, I’m so sorry for putting you in danger. If it wasn’t for me, you wouldn’t have gotten hurt and had to leave this village unprotected. We wouldn’t have needed Luna Selene’s help. For that, I apologize, and I’ll forever regret that decision.”

She grasped his arm and peered up at him; her eyes were shining with love and admiration.

“I would have done it all over again if I needed to,” she told him softly. “I’m glad I could help you uncover that wolfsbane in the protein mix. I’m glad Xander was captured and I’m glad Luna Selene was here. This protection spell wouldn’t have worked otherwise. I don’t regret anything, and I don’t want you to either.”

He smiled at her and nodded.

She hugged him briefly before pulling away.

“Okay, now get her back to school before you both get in trouble,” my mother said from behind us.

Colton grabbed my hand and started to pull me away from everyone. I waved one last time before turning and following my mate out of the village and toward his waiting car that he parked just outside the forest grounds.

“Do you think we really are protected from the darkness?” I asked as I slid into the passenger seat.

Colton started the car and he stared at the forest opening, down the pathway that led to his mother’s village. He had a worried frown on his face and a crease on his forehead.