Alpha Professor's Forbidden Affair

NALA'S PARTY

HIRAM'S POV:

Some days, the world seems to work in my favor; other days, it feels like it hates me. But today, for once, I feel lucky. Nala’s birthday landed on the weekend I had my fall out with June, but she was out of town. Honestly, it’s a relief. I couldn’t imagine standing there with all those thoughts still running wild in my head. She moved her birthday party today, which is so convenient for me.

When I step into the club, the bass-heavy beat floods my senses, and neon lights pulse overhead, throwing colors across the crowd. I head toward the VIP section, and as soon as I push open the door, Alex’s voice rings out.

“Look who finally decided to show up!” she calls, grinning as she waves at me.

I’m instantly noticed, and heads turn in my direction.

“About time, Hiram!” Jackson shouts from the corner, lifting his glass high in greeting.

“Didn’t think you’d make it,” Mira adds with a playful smirk, nudging Nala beside her.

Nala’s smiling, but something’s off. Her gaze lingers on me as if she’s hiding more than she’s letting on.

Alex strides over and links her arm through mine, pulling me closer to the group.

“Happy birthday, Nala,” I say when I get to the round table, which is packed with different drinks.

She murmurs a soft “thank you,” her eyes shifting away quickly. It’s enough to tell me there’s something she isn’t saying.

I glance at Alex, who just raises her hands, shrugging with a look that says, don’t ask me. I take the cue and move on, heading over to greet the guys.

“Hey!” I say, exchanging handshakes with Matt, Jackson, and Collin.

“Good to see you, man!” Collin says, sliding an empty glass my way, filling it up as he gestures for me to join in.

I barely settle before Matt grins and says, “So, we hear you’ve got a new girl.”

“I do not know why you all are making it a case. Hiram always has a new girl, always!” Mira adds, and I glance at her with my brows creased.

“This might be different. She is his mate, and the mate bond has him on chokehold,” Jackson says, and Collin grabs my hand as I’m about to sip from my glass.

“Are you sure she will allow you to drink so much? Don’t you have a limit and a curfew?” They all laugh when he says this, and I yank my hand away from him.

“Ha ha, very funny,” I reply.

Matt chimes in, saying, “Mate or no mate, I would keep her. Have you seen her?”

The words make my blood run cold. My grip tightens on my drink as I watch them. They just continue, oblivious to the simmering anger that’s bubbling inside me.

“She’s like the brunette version of that new singer. Remind me…” Collin clicks his fingers, trying to jog his memory.

Mira’s response comes in an instant.

“Sabrina Carpenter!” she blurts, and Collin snaps his fingers triumphantly.

“Petite and hot,” Jackson adds, his grin too wide for my liking.

That’s it. My muscles tense, the rage simmering beneath the surface threatening to boil over.

“Enough!” I snap.

The moment my words hit the air, the conversation halts, and the others freeze. I can feel Alex’s eyes on me, but I don’t take them off the guys. My fingers dig into my glass, and I fight the urge to throw it across the room.

“Do not talk about her like that,” I lower my voice to de-escalate the tension in the air.

“Chill out, man,” Jackson says, and the rest nod.

“Yeah, we were just joking,” Matt adds, and I ignore them, sipping from my glass because that’s more peaceful than throwing it at their faces.

My gaze shifts to Nala, who sighs and stands up abruptly before storming off. Mira gets up at once, trailing behind her. I don’t say a thing. My chest tightens with guilt.

“Thanks,” I mutter to Alex, raising my glass to her, my tone colder than intended. I take a long sip, trying to shake the feeling of simmering anger gnawing at me.

She sighs, sitting down beside me.

“She’ll come around,” she says, but I ignore her.

I sit there for a moment, downing a few glasses with the guys who try so hard to start a conversation with me, but it doesn’t work because I feel too terrible to engage. My mind wraps around the fact I ruin everything for everyone. Today should be about Nala, but somehow my presence has ruined it.

Alex slams her glass on the table, drawing my attention to her.

“Don’t look at me with your brows like that,” Her words come out in a slur, and she wrinkles her brows too. “I didn’t do anything. We talk about who we are with now and then, so I don’t see what I did wrong, plus you took it seriously. We were just joking.”

I raise a brow at her.

“Fine. I am sorry, but our friend is hurt, and I do not think she will come around, plus I am too drunk to move,” she says, throwing her head back on the sofa.

I finish the contents in my glass, then I get to my feet. Having a fallout with those guys doesn’t really bother me because I met them through Alex. I met Nala through her too, but Nala is a sweet soul. She’s a hybrid. Her dad is human, and the rest of those guys are werewolves who decided to live among humans.

“I should find Nala,” I say to them, then I walk out of the room and into the bustling club.

My eyes survey the room to find Mira and Nala sitting in front of a counter with drinks at hand. I walk over to them, resting my hand on the counter beside Nala.

“Can we talk?” Mira glares at her when I ask, and she nods, then Mira leaves. I walk over to the empty seat, making myself comfortable.

There’s a moment of silence before I let out a sigh.

“I’m sorry for what happened back there,” I begin, and she looks at me with her brows drawn together.

“It’s okay,” she mutters, sipping from her glass.

“Seriously, Nala, I am...”

“I get it, Hiram! You are sorry, and you didn’t mean to break my heart. Also, you thought we were past this, where I am head over heels for you after we had s*x once, and you jumped ship, saying you do not want something serious. I get it, I do!” She groans when she says this, then she clasps her glass tightly while I remain there without a word.

I’m such an i***t, I say to myself.

As I look at Nala’s face under the neon lights, the feeling of guilt in my chest intensifies, threatening to suffocate me. I get to my feet, wrapping my hand around her, and bringing her head to my chest.

“You are special to me, Nala,” I whisper as her hands grip my arms.

We remain like that for a while before she breaks the silence. “So, do you love her?”

Her question throws me off balance, causing me to let go.

The first answer in my mind is yes, but I do not know if it’s the right thing to say to her.

“Do you?” Nala glares into my eyes.

“Yes,” I say, and her face falls slightly. “I think I do.” I try to remedy the situation, and then she scoffs.

“You do not have to worry about me,” she says, then she downs the entire content of her glass. “I want to see her picture. When Alex showed the guys, I didn’t want to look because I was jealous, but I think I am over it now.”

“Nala, you…”

“Show me!” Her voice is demanding, so I reach for my pocket, pulling out my phone. Then I go to i********: and search up Juniper’s page, showing it to Nala.

She scrolls through it.

“She is really pretty,” she says with a half-smile hanging on her lips. “I know she is your mate, but I hope she is the right one. I’m more human than werewolf, so I do not really trust the instincts of your deity, but be good,” she says, and I nod with a smile.

She watches a couple of videos on Juniper’s wall, then she opens her highlight, where I see a video from last year.

“Happy birthday to this guy!” she screams in the video, then she throws her hands around Jax’s neck, the guy from her apartment. I feel a slight tinge in my body, which I try to shrug off, but then she kisses his face, which makes me lose it.

“Are you okay?” Nala asks, and I try to loosen my brows, but the gnawing ache in my chest doesn’t allow me.

“Sure, sure, I am.” I reply, and she slides the video away, shutting my phone.

I take it from her, then I sit for a while, trying to keep a clear mind, but I can only think of the video I just watched. She said he was a friend, but she kissed his cheek. Did Cillian even see this last year? I question myself.

“Hiram,” Nala calls out, drawing me back. “Did I do anything wrong?” she asks, and I shake my head.

I get to my feet at once.

“Do you mind if I make a call for a moment?” I ask, and she shakes her head. I make my way out of the club at once.

When I get outside, the cool air hits my face, but it’s not enough to quench what I feel inside. I take out my phone immediately, searching for the caretaker’s number. I place a call to him.

“How much will it take to get someone evicted from the apartment and replaced?” I ask.