One Night With My Alpha Professor

Audrey

"Oh, no! I lost my earring....." 12%7

I sighed as I stared at my haphazard reflection in the vanity mirror. My hair had come undone from its updo, my makeup streaked from tears and my dress rumpled. But most of all, my eyes were fixed on my missing carring.

My fingers traced the empty hole in my left earlobe where my favorite gold hoop used to be. It was such a small thing, but after the night I'd just had, it felt like the final straw.

Tina snorted behind me as she unclasped her necklace. "I think you have more to worry about than your earring tonight, Audrey," she chided, meeting my gaze in the mirror.

I shuddered as memories of the night's events came flooding back once again. Running into Edwin in the club, seeing that woman, being comforted by Jake, and then what Jake had tried to do.

After I had run away from Jake at the club, I had called Tina in a panic. We had rushed back to the rental house, where Betty. Avis, and Gavin were already asleep. I spilled everything to Tina-the encounter with Jake, the scream, and.. Edwin.

"I still can't believe Professor Brooks was there Tina said with a shake of her head. "Talk about bad luck. Or maybe fate?"

I turned to face her where she was sitting on the edge of my bed. "Fate?" I scoffed.

She shrugged as she ran her hairbrush through her red hair. "I just think it's strange that he came here to vacation, out of all places, and then just happened to dance with you at the club. You don't think that's sort of... I don't know, uncanny?"

Pursing my lips, I turned back to the mirror and swiped my makeup remover wipe across my face. "You know humans aren't affected by the whole 'fated mate' thing. It was just a coincidence." "Still," Tina said with a sigh. "Did you enjoy dancing with him, at least?"

"I.. did. Before that woman showed up," I grumbled, tossing the makeup wipe into the nearby waste basket. "His... girlfriend." I shut my eyes for a moment in a feeble attempt to push away the pain. "I just don't understand why he would dance with me if he was in a relationship."

Tina was silent for a moment, although I could tell we were both thinking the same thing: what if this woman had also been in the picture on New Year's Eve, when Edwin and I had slept together? I didn't want to believe he would do such a thing, but...

“Maybe they're in an open relationship?" Tina suggested, although her tone was doubtful.

I shook my head and grit my teeth. Maybe so, but he still should have told me sooner. "Or maybe he's just a cheater. I don't know which is worse."

Tina sighed again. "Look, Audrey, I know you're upset about Professor Brooks, but we need to talk about what happened with that guy. Are you sure you're okay?"

I nodded, but I couldn't meet her eyes. "I'm fine. It was scary, but I got away. That's what matters, right?"

Tina eyed me suspiciously for a moment. "And that scream?" she asked.

My lips parted, but then shut again. All I could do was shake my head. The entire memory of that interaction felt so fuzzy, 1 wondered if it was just a nightmare-Còntens bel0ngs to Nô(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

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But I still couldn't shake the thought that whatever had come out of me was not human.

Maybe there was something wrong with me. Something seriously wrong with me.

As I lay in bed later that night, sleep eluded me. I kept replaying the moment in the alley-Jake's hands on me, the fear, and then that scream. The way he had clutched his ears, blood trickling between his fingers. The raw, feral energy I had felt coursing through me.

It was just like that day in the cafeteria with Linda. The same power, the same fear and frustration. Like a bomb had gone off -or maybe more like a failsafe.

It was like something deep inside of me took over whenever I needed the help the most.

The next morning, after finally getting some sleep, my friends and I went to a local cafe for breakfast with the intention of doing some shopping afterwards and then spending the rest of the day at the beach again. I was looking forward to a relaxing day, something to take my mind off of last night's events.

At the cafe, my friends grabbed a table outside while I waited at the counter for our order. I was lost in thought, barely registering the buzz of conversation around me, when something small and metallic clinked onto the lid of my coffee cup.

I gasped as I recognized my lost gold hoop earring. My eyes snapped up, meeting a familiar gray gaze and a pair of bread shoulders towering over me.

Edwin

"You dropped this last night," he said, his voice low. He looked as if he hadn't slept much either, his firm biceps stretching the thin fabric of his t-shirt sleeves. It felt weird seeing him in something that wasn't his work attire.

I snatched the earring off the tray, my hand shaking slightly. "Um.. Thanks," I muttered, already turning to leave. I didn't want to look at him, didn't want to be near him.

But Edwin's hand on my arm stopped me. "Audrey, wait. We need to talk."

I yanked my arm away, a feg of frustration flaring up in me as images of that woman approaching us last night flashed through my mind. "What's there to talk about?" I asked, feigning ignorance. "Audrey, come on," he said, his eyes intense. "You know what this is about."

I glanced at my friends outside, who were oblivious, then looked back at Edwin. Against my better judgment, I nodded. "Alright. We can talk"

We moved to a quiet corner of the cafe. Once we were alone, Edwin leaned against the wall and regarded me for a moment

h his brow furrowed. "What happened last night, Audrey? After you ran off?" he asked softly.

1 blinked in surprise, I thought that this would be about his girlfriend. "Nothing," I replied. "Why?"

"Is that so?" He raised an eyebrow. "Because I found a guy with blood coming out of his ears, and your earring on the ground nearby. You're saying nothing happened?"

I bit my lip, debating how much to tell him. I didn't want him to know anything, not when he was telling me he was single while a beautiful woman was on vacation with him. But, knowing that he would be able to see right through my pathetic attempts at lying, I gave in.

He... he wouldn't leave me alone, alright?" I said, keeping my voice to a whisper so as not to be overheard. "He kept pushing,

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trying to get me to go back to his hotel. When I said no, he tried to force himself on me."

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Edwin's eyes.

flashed, a low growl rumbling at the back of his throat that made my heart stutter in my chest. His fists clenched at his sides, and he murmured. "Did he hurt you? Because if he did, I swear I'll—" "No," I said quickly, surprised by his reaction. "I... I got away."

Edwin's eyebrows shot up. His expression then turned thoughtful, his anger turning into curiosity. "Well, it sounds like you did a good job defending yourself."

I opened my mouth to respond, but no words would come. The gentleness in his gaze gave me pause, and I felt my earlier frustration soften ever so slightly. "But you know," he continued, taking a step closer, "if you had stayed with me, you wouldn't have had to defend yourself at

all

My eyes widened in surprise, my heart practically coming to a stop in my chest. Was he...?

"But... What about your girlfriend?" I sputtered.

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