chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

Lessie's Standpoint.

I gasped softly in shock and slight happiness. This hottie was mine, but this was not the kind of fantasy I hoped for. It was a shame to me, especially as a Princess.

Swiftly, I shook the thought off my head.

This couldn't be happy. There was no way he would be my mate. Mates are supposed to be within each other's age group.

His face changed, his nostrils flared slightly as he caught my scent. His hand, still on my shoulder, tightened briefly before he snatched it away as it burned.

“You should be in class.” He said nervously, his voice suddenly rough and harsher. “Freshmen have an Introduction to Pack Dynamics in Hall B right now.”

I straightened up, suddenly aware of how close we were, how I had tilted my head back to maintain eye contact. “I got lost,” I lied, finding my voice.

“You got lost and decided to take a nap while the rest are studying? Your parents must be ashamed of you.” He snapped with a brow raised skeptically.

“What do you know about me? I was tired!” I shot back, my princess attitude slipping out before I could stop it. “And who are you to question me like you head the Pack?”

His both brows raised now with surprise flashing across his face with a blister of amused smile. “Professor Duaine Bert.” He said slowly. “Alpha of Silver Crest Pack and your Advanced Werewolf Studies instructor. And you are?”

My face dropped, and I bit my lower lip in regrets.

Of course, the strict professor I was warned about and was about to see in his office this morning. The Alpha of the entire Pack. And if Alexa's reaction was anything to go by, my fated mate.

Could this be any worse?

“Kayla Green,” I said with my head high.

“Well, Miss Green,” He said, taking a step closer. “In this university, we value punctuality and respect. Two qualities you seem to be lacking.”

His scent filled my nose, almost making me drown in it as it made my head spin. This close to him, I could see the flecks of silver in his blue eyes.

Alexa was practically howling, demanding I acknowledge the mate bond.

But I wasn't about to give in that's easily. Not to this arrogant, bossy Alpha who clearly thought he was better than everyone else.

“I'll remember that's for next time” I said coolly, packing my bag. “If you will excuse me, Professor, I have a class to attend.”

I made to step around him, but his arm stretched out, blocking me. For a moment, we stood frozen. His eyes dropped to my lips briefly before snapping back up to meet my gaze.

“This isn't the Silver Crest way. Whatever Pack you came from and whatever rules you followed there, they don't apply here. We have standards.” He said with his voice low.

“Maybe your standards need updating,” I challenged, unable to stop myself.

A muscle twitched in his jaw. “Detention! You'll be detained in my office today by four o'clock." He paused, snapped his fingers with his head slightly tilted as though he just remembered something.

“I knew it. You looked familiar.” He muttered and pulled me closer. I could feel his heartbeat against mine, but his hand held my face, scanning me.

He took a step away, almost making me lose my balance. “You were supposed to be in my office this morning for sneaking out of the orientation.”

That was right! I was so tired after the morning chores and decided to rest in the library, totally forgetting about him for a while.

“Guess you'd be making lots of trouble around here.” With that, he left the library, leaving me confused and frustrated.

Alexa whined. “Why did you antagonize him? He's our mate!”

“He's an arrogant jerk,” I cussed to myself, ignoring the curious glance from a passing student. “And he's like twenty-five years older than me. This is just… impossible.”

I knew the Moon Goddess was cruel to me, but there was no way she could assign me to a fate like this.

As I finally made my way to class, I couldn't shake off the feeling that my life had changed in ways I didn't expect. I had come to Silver Crest to find freedom and my true mate.

I have found him alright. And he was my professor and the Alpha of the Pack. None of that sounded like freedom to me.

So much for my fairy tale romance.

I found my way to Hall B, slipping into the back of a lecture already in progress. The professor, a young lady with a nice body, shot me a disapproving look but continued with her lecture without comment.

I tried to focus, I really did, but my mind kept wandering back to that moment in the library. The way his eyes wandered to my lips, the way the mate bond hummed, and how we didn't say anything about it.

“Mate,” Alexa insisted again, as if I could somehow forget.

The girl next to me nudged my arm. “You need to write this down,” She whispered, nodding toward the front, where the professor was writing something on the board. “All about the Pack Hierarchy. It will be on the first test.”

I nodded thankfully and started taking notes, forcing myself to concentrate on the lecture.

“The traditional Pack Structure places the Alpha at the top, followed by their mate, then the Beta pair and so on down the hierarchy. Here at Silver Crest, we honor this traditional structure while adapting to modern educational values.”

“Professional Lovett,” A guy in the front row raised his hand. “What about true mates? How did they fit into the modern pack structure?”

My attention snapped fully to the front of the room.

The professor smiled. “That's an excellent question. True mates, or what some call fated mates, are increasingly rare nowadays. But when bonded with their mates, they represent the strongest possible bond ever"

“But what if the mates are from different Packs?” Another student asked. “Or different ranks within the same Pack?”

“Well, the mate bond supersedes all other Pack loyalties. A true mate pairing, once accepted and completed, can't be challenged or broken, not even by ab Alpha's decree.” She explained with a smile that hinted that she was also enjoying the discussion.

My heart skipped a beat. Was she saying the truth? Could a mate bond really override an Alpha's command? Could this probably free me from my dad's marriage arrangement?

“Of course,” She continued as though she heard the questions I asked. “Recognizing a true mate doesn't mean they must act on the bond immediately. There are countless examples throughout the history of mates who chose duty over desire, who waited years or even decades before sealing their bond. And some don't, ever.”

The hope that's had briefly flared in my chest dimmed. Of course, to someone like Professor Duaine, duty would come first. That was something my father had always taught; Pack before personal desires. Always!

After the class ended, instead of going to professor Duaine's office for the detention, I headed to my dorm.

“So tired,” I sighed as I sank into the bed.

Lena's eyes darted from her watch to me. “Aren't you supposed to be in Professor Duaine's office for your detention?” Her voice trembled with fear and worry. “Nobody misses his detention.”

I shrugged my shoulder, trying to appear nonchalant. “I have things to do.”

Her eyes widened. “You're either really brave or really stupid. He will make your life a living hell on campus.”

Before I could respond, a knock on the door interrupted us. Lena jumped to answer it, then went pale.

“Professor Duaine,” She stammered in a small voice, stepping back.

My heart skipped a beat as Alpha Duaine stood by the door, his eyes looking above Lena's shoulder.

His eyes met mine immediately and his face squeezed into a frown.

“Miss Green,” He said in a controlled voice, but I could still hear the rage in his voice. “When I assign detention, attendance is not optional.”

I stood up, forcing myself to meet his piercing gaze. “I was busy.”

Lena made a small choking sound, clearly shocked by my attitude.

Professor Duaine's jaw tightened. “Lena?” He called without taking his eyes off me. “Would you give us a moment?”

Lena practically fled the room, gently shutting the door behind her.

Things changed the moment we were alone. His face softened slightly, and he moved closer to me. But I wouldn't let him get so close to me like he did in the library.

As I tried to move away from him, he grabbed my wrist and pulled my closer. Our lips were barely an inch apart and my heart pounded like a drum, feeling his hot breath on my skin.

“Let go of me,” I snapped and wriggled myself out of his grip.

He grinned. “A freshman challenging me in my Pack?” He scoffed, licking his lower lip.

“You know I'm more than that. I know you do.”

Only after I uttered those words did I realize what I've said, and I bit my lips. Silly me!

Was I shamelessly asking him to accept the mate bond and take me in as his mate?

Perhaps I was that desperate. He might be older than I expected, but he was still my mate, and he had become the key to stopping the arranged marriage my dad had made for me.

“Can we seduce him then?” Alexa purred excitedly.

“Oh!” I shunned her. “That's not happening.”

“But you started it.” Her voice dropped to a whisper in my head, echoing for a few seconds.

“What are you talking about, Miss Green?” He asked, his eyes flashed with interest, but fear quickly flashed before his eyes.

What was he afraid of?

“I'm here to remind you to be at my office tomorrow. You'll spend the entire day in detention.”

“At least, being with you for the day should be able to make up for the classes… Darling mate.”