The Professor's Second Chance Mate

Chapter 12a

**** Kelton ****

As soon as I walked in the classroom, I caught her delectable scent. I tried to ignore it as best as I could. Not because I didn’t want her. I did. Desperately. But because I was in a room full of students, and I had a job to do. I couldn’t just march up to my mate and kiss her senseless. She’d probably slap me. Then I’d get fired. I was actually OK with both of those outcomes, except that I did not want to frighten her or force myself on her.

Already I felt things for her I didn’t think were possible. This young woman was made for me. It was a struggle to concentrate. And I didn’t even know her yet. My whole being unraveled at the thought of her. My mind was racing.

My wolf, Knight, was beyond ecstatic. I’d had to block him briefly… not something I like to do. But his furious need to be with her, to claim her, was testing my control on a cellular level. I felt as if I’d self-combust at any second. Finally, after damn near forty years, I’d found my goddess given fated mate. She wasn’t born yet. That’s why I couldn’t find her. She’s a surprise in so many ways. A good one. b****y fantastic, actually. Sneaking a glance toward her, I saw she was not at all what I expected. Honestly, I’d given up the hope of finding my mate at all. She can’t be more than twenty. Maybe twenty-one. Such a frightened, pretty thing.

When our eyes met, it felt like someone had smashed my chest with a sledgehammer. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t move. I just stood there. Then I saw something in her eyes; hesitation, indecision, fear. Why would she feel that way? That broken look she had would be my undoing. I would find out why she felt that way and end whoever’s fault it was. Before I could stop myself, a small frown creased my face and I instantly saw a new hardness in her eyes.

Discreetly watching her while I taught the class, I quickly discovered she was wary of me. Her beautiful eyes kept darting to the exits. Why? I guessed she’d had a bad experience. Whether that bad experience was with wolves, men, or her pack I couldn’t be sure. I frowned again at the thought. I watched a fear flick across her face again, and I wanted to kick myself. Clearly, she was scared of me. I need to know why.

Something was wrong with her. No, not something wrong with her, she was perfect. Something was bothering her. I just needed to figure out what. Then, once she was comfortable with me, I’d do what I wanted: wrap her in my arms and never let her go. If she would let me. My heart pounded a rapid staccato on my ribs throughout the whole class. I wanted nothing more than to sweep her into my arms the second I saw her. I wanted to promise her that whatever was bothering her would never be a problem again. I’d dedicate the rest of my life to making her happy. First, I needed to calm my raging heart, so I didn’t have a heart attack on my second day of teaching.

It was hard. I could sense her anxiety was buzzing through the bond. Suddenly throwing myself at her, even to tell her I’d never hurt her, would definitely freak her out more. Was it the age difference? Was it because I’m her teacher? Did she recognize my name? I ran through a quick mental list of the packs that were enemies. Could she belong to one of them?

You frightened her, you i***t, Knight commented. I’d lowered the block not long ago. I could feel his presence in my mind. Trying his best to be patient, though his need to protect her was suffocating us.

When she fled after class, it confused me. We’d barely spoken. Was I really that scary? I didn’t think so. It wouldn’t be hard to check my class list and figure out who she is.

She already owned me: heart, mind, body, and soul. She just didn’t know it yet.

———-

It didn’t take me long to figure out who she was. Her last name popped out of the student list immediately. She’s Bodie’s kid. The one Keith and I were just discussing last week, before Anthony’s Alpha ceremony. In my mind I ran through everything I knew about her, her pack, and her family. That alone explained some of her nerves. Keith often complained about their treatment of that girl, my mate. I remembered that he and Hattie wanted to adopt her.

As much as I wanted Lara to have had a wonderful childhood, and Keith and Hattie certainly would have given her that, I was also glad her parents hadn’t agreed. Selfish of me, yes. I hated that, but the thought of watching her grow up, as close as Keith and I are, and as our children were, it would be weird as hell to watch a child I’d loved like one of my own become my mate. I’d feel like a child predator and I could never be that. I blew out a breath, lightly shaking my head to shake that disturbing thought from my mind.

As it was, even though she appeared before me now as a fully grown woman, she was still so much younger. I hoped with every ounce of my being that that wouldn’t be a problem. If Kilani were suddenly mated to an Alpha my age, one who already had a mate once and children from her, who’d already lived a whole life, I’d be… concerned for her. No, I’d be furious. I’d feel like she was a second choice and she deserved better.

Drumming my pen on my desk, I thought about my next move. Not for a second would I consider rejecting her. But I needed to know exactly what was going on with her. I’d get my answers when she arrived for our meeting later. I’d hated to throw her under the bus like I had in front of Moira and Frank, but I was still processing what was happening. I’d tell Moira. Soon. But Frank was human. He’d just view it as the new guy hitting on his students if I hadn’t treated her like that in front of them. Still, the hurt and anger written so clearly on her face had hurt my heart.