The Professor's Second Chance Mate

Chapter 9

Suddenly, I didn’t think I could handle a second rejection. I knew that Maya hoped I wouldn’t rashly reject this one. Second chance mates were rare, but third chance mates were impossible. I could take a chosen mate, but people say it’s not the same as that fated mate connection blessed by the moon goddess. Maya spent the last hour and a half begging me to give him a chance. So, for now, I’d agreed not to reject him immediately, yet that didn’t settle my nerves that he would want to get rid of me.

He’s probably planning how best to murder me and get away with it right now.

Just talk to him. You’re spiraling, Maya huffed.

Instead, I chose to do the super mature thing: I ran away.

As I strode to the door, a hand struck out and grabbed my arm.

Dropping my bag in surprise, I turned to glare at the jerk who grabbed me, ready to give him a piece of my mind. It wasn’t him. My mate. This was some other guy. I took note of his hoodie with the school logo, an athlete of some kind probably. He was fit and smug. Not that any of that mattered, I just wanted to escape.

“Oh sorry,” the guy said, “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

Tell him to go away. Our mate is watching. I ignored Maya and took a few calming breaths.

Our mate is occupied with a throng of adoring fans right now. I returned. It was true. As soon as class finished, a dozen students rushed forward and were now clamoring for his attention. The curse of the sexy people, I suppose.

“What did you need?” I asked the guy as politely as I could. He was attractive, maybe a few years older than me.

“I wondered if maybe you’d like to meet for coffee, go through our notes or something. Want to be my study buddy?” He seemed sweet so far. I was both flattered and nervous. At home, no boys my age approached me unless it was out of cruelty with the purpose of gaining favor with my brother.

I wanted to walk the line of a polite response without leading him on. So, naturally, I was stumped and said nothing. He tried again.

“I noticed you seemed distracted during class. You sure distracted me.” He actually winked at me. “Meet me for coffee later we’ll go through my notes together.” He radiated confidence, made it look easy.

As much as I said I didn’t want to date anyone, I’d always wanted to be asked out though. This made me feel normal, wanted. A soft growl that quickly turned to a small cough, reminded me that my mate was right there. A werewolf with superhuman strength, and definitely- judging by the aura I could clearly feel- an alpha.

“Thanks. I’m OK with studying OK, but just so you know, I’m not really looking for a relationship.” I mumbled, blushing a little.

“Oh, who said anything about a relationship, beautiful? We’ll just see where it goes.” He reached out to touch my arm and I instinctively stepped back.

Maya growled in my mind.

OK, definitely not sweet. I narrowed my eyes, fire rising in my chest. Punching someone during the first class would probably be frowned upon. Plus, it would probably cement this alpha-mate-professor’s opinion of what kind of rogue I was: the violent and untrustworthy kind.

Lone wolf, not a rogue. Maya interjected.

I’m not sure he’ll see the difference.

At my lack of response, once again, the guy lost interest in me. He muttered “b***h” under his breath and wandered off. I watched silently as he headed toward another girl from class.

“A word miss??”

Oh s**t, that voice did belong to my mate. And holy Goddess, it was smoldering.

No! i***t. It’s not hot. He’s going to kill you! I scolded myself.

You don’t know that. He might want us. He might give us a chance. He might protect us. Maya sounded hopeful and my heart broke for her. It sucked for her that she got paired with me. I could feel her irritation at me - because of my attitude toward mates, my fear, my talking to this guy. Everything.

Meanwhile, my mate was patiently waiting for me to introduce myself. Again my inner panic flared and I didn’t seem capable of speech. So much for the brave and independent woman I thought I was when I left home.

While the remaining stragling students exited the room, I just stood there looking lost and frightened. A great first impression. Pathetic. The whole time, I watched the door, wondering what would happen if I made a break for it. Would he stop me? Would he chase me down? Would he get my room info from the administration people and kill me in my sleep? My nervousness ratcheted up with each breath I took. It was then that my fear started to boil over into something new.

I hadn’t done anything wrong. Why does the Goddess want to hurt me? Did I do something in a past life to piss her off and this is my punishment?

“I knew there were a couple of wolves enrolled at this school but I didn’t think any were… lone wolves.”

I appreciated that I didn’t call me a rogue. Though it sounded like he wanted to too, as he grappled for the right word. I wasn’t technically a rogue. Not yet anyway. However, that will change when my father hands the pack over to Kiren next month. There’s no way I’d swear allegiance to him and suffer under my brother’s command. He’d long ago promised to banish me as his first act as Alpha. I just beat him to the punch by leaving early. I could sense this guy's alpha aura though and his disappointment. Was it my status or general existence? He seemed weary.

“I’m not dangerous or anything. I didn’t fit in my pack. I didn’t know there were any wolves here at all. I just wanted an education and a fresh start.” My words flew out rapid-fire, like the tapping of a machine g*n. I’m rarely nervous, but right now my brain was spinning as fast as my heart was racing and could barely get out a coherent sentence. I felt like a complete wimp when my words failed me and I felt a tear slip down my cheek.

Just when I thought I was free... this happened!

As he reached out and wiped up my tear with the pad of his thumb, my heart skipped a beat at the little sparks his touch produced. I sucked in an involuntary breath, utterly frozen in fear. No, it wasn’t all fear. There was definitely desire in there too. Was he just playing with me, letting me know he could do what he liked to me? That had to be what was happening here.

You need to take a few deep breathes, Maya said.

I had never been this afraid before, not of my brother, not of my mother, not of my first mate. With them I mostly felt resigned as I went through the motions of each day. Now I was standing alone in an empty classroom with a man known to murder rogues on sight, no questions asked. I could feel my whole body trembling. Goddess did he smell good and he felt somehow familiar, but I knew he was the perfect predator. His good looks and scent just made me easier prey!

Under that, I also felt a little turned on. He was looking at me like he wanted to devour me. No one had ever looked at me like that before. Was that a good or a bad thing? A little bolt of need shot through me and I wanted to kick myself for it. Who gets turned on by the guy who probably wants to kill them?

Desperate idiots, that’s who.

“What’s your name?”

Oh for the Goddess' sake, that’s enough! You’re a werewolf and an Alpha, fu*king act like it, Maya snapped at me. You don’t take orders. You don’t get scared.

In a second, I came to my senses. Again, as my fear faded, it was replaced with another growing emotion: fury. What was so wrong with me anyway? I had never hurt anyone. I’d never done anything but try to be the best person I could be, despite the BS I had dealt with my whole life. Why does everyone have something against me?

“I can find a different university. You don’t have to see me again. You don’t have to do anything … rash,” I took a few tiny steps backward, unconsciously adopting a loose fighting stance. He took several big steps closer until we were mere inches apart. I could feel his minty breath on my cheek as he leaned down and growled, “you’re not going anywhere.”

My previously clenched fists relaxed and my fingers began mindlessly twiddling my ring. My mind flicked to when dad gave me the ring he said I was to take it off when I met my mate, but he wouldn’t explain why. Only that it would help to contain my power until I needed it. Whatever that meant.

I could use some extra power. A comic book image of the Green Lantern thrusting his power ring at an enraged Sauron from The Lord of the Rings popped into my head.

Just then, the door crashed open and a female faculty member barged into the room. Another man quickly followed behind her. I took a hasty step back. Not that this exchange looked intimate at all, not with me white as a sheet with a pathetic tear tracking down my cheek. Still, a young female student in a room alone standing mere inches from her hot professor was probably frowned upon.

“Kelton, I wanted.. oh, I’m sorry I didn’t realize you were with a student.” The woman said, her amber eyes flicking between the professor and I. A small smirk tugged at her lip and I felt the sudden urge to scratch her eyes out. Or maybe that was Maya I was channeling.

“It’s no problem, Moira. Just give me one more second,” he smiled warmly at the lady who was now looking at me strangely. Probably because I was wide-eyed and mid mental breakdown. I also realized in that moment that she was a vampire. Was he going to feed me to her? What was his relationship with her? Is she his chosen mate? A little surge of irrational jealousy spiked. I just wished the floor would open up and swallow me whole.

We can take that skanky vamp, Maya snarled. This woman was pretty and she was clearly friends with my mate.

No, not my mate. I’d reject him like the last one. I just have to figure out how to do that and live.

Maya whimpered softly but she was wary too. We’d been betrayed too many times by the people who were supposed to protect and support us to fall for some mate bond. This man was dangerous. I had to remember that. And he had a vamp for a friend. She was dangerous too.

He turned to me and said, “Do not be late to my class again. I do not tolerate disrespect. Meet me in my office at 2pm to discuss what you missed.”

Asshole! I narrowed my eyes. My mood rapidly flipped back to anger.

I nodded, “Yes sir.”

I fled. I had no intention of attending that meeting. It would probably be my last.

I heard the vampire laugh. A tinkling sound that I hated.

“It’s only the first day of term and students are already leaving your class in tears.”

I didn’t wait to hear his response.

I should have gone straight to my Jeep and left but my mind was spinning at such a velocity that it wouldn't stop on a single thought. Should I leave? Should I call my dad? Should I try to talk to my mate?

Yes, you should go and talk to our mate , Maya whispered sadly. She was determined to give this guy a chance despite his reputation.

Maya, we can’t take that risk.

OK, how about we finish out today’s classes and then we decide tonight. It’s not like he can do anything in a classroom full of witnesses and there’s no way a faculty member could be seen in student dorms. So we’re safe if we are in public.

——-

Arguing with Maya for the rest of the day meant I didnt learn a damn thing and resulted in a massive migraine. By the time my afternoon classes were over, I couldn’t leave even if I wanted to. I wouldn’t have been able to drive.

By the time I made it to my room, it was so bad that everything hurt. My head throbbed. Every tiny sound hurt. The light hurt, so I could watch TV or look at my phone to call my dad, not that I wanted him to bail me out of this. I wanted to start my own damn life and stick up for myself. Though this seemed more desperate than any situation I’d found myself in before. Was it really so bad to ask for help? Could I trust him? He could have done so much more to protect me in my youth. Yet I still felt like I needed to hear a friendly voice.

I took a few migraine pills and lay down hoping it would knock the pain out. When my dad first insisted on paying extra so I could have my own room, I had resisted at first. Now I am incredibly thankful. Dad argued that it was imperative that I have my own space to maintain my secret. He argued that I could touch silver accidentally and give away the whole community’s secret. I thought he just felt bad for how my pack had ostracized me and he wanted to make sure I had the safety and comfort that I lacked at home.

Thank you, Dad. I can’t handle a roommate right now.

When my phone chimed with a message, I ignored it. Very few people actually had my number, mostly my phone chimed from app notifications reminding me to play games or read another chapter of whatever online junk I was reading.

Five minutes later, it chimed again. On the third chime, I silenced it, but when the buzzing of the vibrating notifications irritated me, I tossed the phone across the room and covered my head with a pillow.

It’ll be fine, Maya cooed.

I was aware that my brain was flipping violently between fear, l**t, fury, and hope. I felt anything but fine.