AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I stand up, resuming my pacing. The walls of my apartment feel like they're closing in on me. I need to get out, to clear my head. But the thought of going outside, where Mark might be waiting, makes my stomach churn.
I'm trapped, not just by Mark's threats, but by my own fear.
A sound from outside makes me jump. A car door slamming, nothing more. But it's enough to send my heart racing again. I hurry to the window, peeking out through the curtains. Thestreet looks normal, no sign of Mark. But that doesn't mean he's not out there, watching, waiting.
I let the curtain fall back into place, leaning my forehead against the cool glass. The coolness does little to soothe the turmoil in my mind. Lucas's words echo in my thoughts: "You're my mate, Sarah."
What does that even mean for a shifter? Lucas tried to explain it, but it all seemed so intense, so permanent. If I break things off with him, how will it affect him? Will he be okay?
But then Mark's threatening voice overrides Lucas's in my mind, reminding me of the very real, very immediate danger we're both in. I've seen what Mark is capable of firsthand. The memory of his anger, his possessiveness, sends a shudder through me.
I don't fully understand what being Lucas's mate means, but I do know the threat Mark poses. And right now, that threat feels more real than any mystical shifter bond.
My finger hovers over the call button again. Just as I'm about to press it, I hear a sound that makes my blood run cold.
The front door is opening.
I freeze, my heart pounding so hard I can hear it in my ears. I didn't imagine it. Someone is in my house.
"Sarah?" a familiar voice calls out. "We need to talk."
Mark. He's here.
Chapter 10
Lucas
The polished wooden door of the Dean's office looms before me, its brass nameplate gleaming in the fluorescent light. I take a deep breath, centering myself. The scent of old books and leather mingles with the faint aroma of coffee, a familiar combination that usually puts me at ease. Not today.
Today, everything changes.
As I raise my hand to knock, an image of Sarah flashes through my mind. Her smile, bright and genuine. The way her eyes light up when she talks about her research. The feel of her in my arms, safe and warm. My mate. My everything.
A surge of determination courses through me. I'm here for her, to ensure she never has to worry about our relationship again. To protect her, not just physically, but emotionally and professionally as well. With that thought firmly in mind, I rap my knuckles against the door.
"Come in," Dean Hart's voice calls from within.
I enter, my stride purposeful. Dean Hart looks up from her desk, her eyebrows rising slightly at my serious expression.
"Dr. Morgan," she says, gesturing to the chair across from her. "What can I do for you?"
I sit, meeting her gaze steadily. "Thank you for seeing me on such short notice, Dean Hart. I have an important matter to discuss with you."
She leans back, her expression curious. "I'm listening."
I take a deep breath. Here goes everything. "I've come to disclose a personal relationship with one of my students, Sarah Mitchell."
Dean Hart's eyes widen, her professional mask slipping for a moment to reveal genuine surprise. "I see," she says, her tone carefully neutral. "And how long has this been going on?"
"It's a recent development," I assure her quickly. "And I want to be clear that it hasn't affected my professional judgment in any way. Sarah's work has always been evaluated fairly, based solely on its merits."
The Dean's eyes narrow slightly. "Dr. Morgan, you understand the serious ethical implications of a relationship between a professor and a student, don't you?"
"I do," I nod, leaning forward slightly. "Which is why I'm here. I want to address this proactively and transparently."
I pause, wishing I could make her understand the depth of my connection to Sarah, the power of our mate bond. But how do you explain something so primal, so integral to my very being, in terms a human can understand?
"Dean Hart," I continue, my voice low and intense, "I need you to understand that Sarah isn't just another student to me. In shifter culture, we have what's called a mate bond. It's a deep, instinctive connection. Sarah is my mate."
