Obsessed with the Alpha Professor

I always knew my sister disliked me, but it wasn't until my eighteenth birthday that I realized just how deep her bitterness truly went.

Dad, our only living parent, lavished me with gifts. Across the room, my sister brooded in the shadows, sulking like a spoiled brat.

But nothing could spoil my happiness. Especially when Dad confirmed his friend and the man of my dreams, Damien, would be attending my birthday.

"Dad, you're spoiling Linda too much,"Erica whined, her face scrunched up like she'd just bitten into a rotten lemon. "You didn't celebrate my eighteenth like this. You weren't even in town!"

I tuned her out immediately, because I've heard this jealous statement countless times. I picked up the short, black gown I'd been saving for tonight-the one that hugged every curve like a second skin and left just enough to the imagination. I glanced at my reflection, admiring the way it revealed the entire length of my back.

My phone buzzed. It was Damien's daughter, my best friend, confirming they were almost here.

Perfect.

My birthday was a cruel reminder of my mother's death as she'd died giving birth to me, and the anniversary always made this day hard. But for the first time, I was happy because Damien would be here.

Damien was many things to me: my dad's closest friend, my best friend's ridiculously attractive father, and my crush of the past two years.

From the day he and his daughter moved to town, he'd been the center of my attention-and pretty much everyone else's too. It was like he walked in with a spotlight attached, turning heads left and right.

Tall, dark, and devastatingly handsome, with that mysterious vibe. Every girl with a pulse practically drooled over him. Unfortunately, he didn't seem to notice me. No stolen glances, no casual smiles in my direction-nothing.

I was just another face in a crowd, and that stung more than I'd care to admit. The competition was fierce, and I was stuck on the sidelines. A classic case of one-sided love, and let me tell you, it sucked.

I'd picture him looking at me, actually seeing me, not just as his friend's daughter but as a woman who loved him. In my mind, he'd flash that roguish smile, call me by name in that deep voice, maybe even brush my hair behind my ear like they do in the movies. But nope-real life wasn't that generous.

No one knew about my feelings for Damien except my sister Erica, who had stubbornly read my journal. She threatened to report to Dad and I had to tone my obsession for Damien down.

"He's twenty years older than you, stupid. How are you not seeing that?"

Erica had no idea what it was like to be in love with someone you couldn't control your feelings for.

"All I want is for him to notice me as a woman, not a little girl."

"Are you out of your mind?" Erica bristled. "You're going to embarrass yourself, and when it blows up in your face, I'll be right there to tell you 'I told you so.' Mimi is your best friend. Do you honestly think she'll be okay with you dating her dad? If the roles were reversed, would you want her hooking up with our dad?"

I ignored Erica. She'd been riding the "I'm the older, wiser sister" wave for so long. But I was eighteen now, technically a full adult. What was so wrong with telling Damien how I felt? It wasn't like I was breaking some law by having a crush-especially one as serious as this.

And if he didn't like me back and ended up rejecting me, I'd live.

Sure, it might sting, but I could move on.

The party was in full swing, with music blaring and people dancing. My dad, ever the eccentric, was dancing around with my classmates, his long, scraggly hair flopping around his face like an old rock star.

Despite the fun atmosphere, I couldn't relax. I scanned the room, searching for Damien. He hadn't arrived yet, and without him, the whole party felt pointless.

The night dragged on. I kept my eyes glued to the driveway, waiting for that familiar black Range Rover to pull in.

After what felt like forever, Damien arrived. His daughter rushed ahead of him, excitedly holding a bag of gifts. She was saying something, but I barely heard her. All I could see was Damien, stepping out of his car with that same calm, commanding presence that made my heart race.

His shirt was unbuttoned at the top, revealing just enough of his muscular chest to make my head spin. He was like something out of a dream.

He caught my gaze and gave me a brief nod, his face as unreadable as ever.

"Happy birthday, Linda," he said, handing me a neatly wrapped gift. "I'm not great at picking out presents, but I hope this is something you'll like."

Our fingers brushed as I took the gift, and the contact sent a jolt through my body. I quickly opened it to find a beautifully illustrated encyclopedia about forests. I smiled, remembering how he used to humor me when I'd pester him with questions about his environmental research.

"Thank you," I whispered, trying not to let my voice shake. He gave me a small smile but quickly looked away when I adjusted my top.

Before I could say anything else, Mimi dragged me inside, completely oblivious to the moment I'd just shared with her dad.

"So, tonight's the night you finally get laid?" she teased, her eyes sparkling mischievously. "I mean, seriously, how are you still single with that hot body? Are the boys blind or what?"

I shrugged, glancing over at her dad as he made his way toward the art studio.

"I don't need a boy. I'm waiting for the right man," I said proudly, letting the words roll off my tongue like a mantra.

Because, seriously, who had time for the immature, clueless boys running around with no ambition beyond their next video game session? Boys were fine for passing time, but I wasn't here to play games.

No, I was holding out for someone like Damien, a man who walked into a room and made every head turn. Someone who knew who he was, who didn't need to prove anything.

Mimi wrinkled her nose. "You sound like you're straight out of one of those weird romance novels you're always reading."

I laughed it off, but my mind was elsewhere. All I could think about was finding Damien alone. My heart pounded with anticipation.

I slipped away when Mimi got distracted, searching the house for Damien. I found him in the studio, but my blood turned cold when I saw him. He wasn't alone.

Erica's hands were on his neck, and she was kissing his neck!

My heart dropped into my stomach.

"Erica!" I blurted out, my voice trembling with shock.

Both of them froze, turning to look at me. Erica's face went blank, but Damien's eyes were filled with guilt.

"No," I whispered, shaking my head in disbelief.

"Linda," Erica said, stepping toward me. "It's not what you think-"

I didn't wait for her to finish. I bolted upstairs, tears blurring my vision. I slammed my bedroom door shut and collapsed onto the floor, my heart shattering into pieces.

With shaking hands, I logged onto the college admissions website and accepted my spot at Brookstones University, far away from everything and everyone I'd ever known.

I needed to get out of here. Away from Erica. Away from Damien. Away from the broken pieces of my heart.

Damien

I gripped my beer bottle and my heart pounded harder with each passing second. The noise of the party swirled around me, but all I could focus on was the mess I'd made for pushing my mate away.

Pretending to be kissing the older girl had been a foolish, desperate attempt to redirect my attraction from Linda, but it only made things worse.

Why the fuck did I ruin her party? A day that should've been filled with joy and celebration, was now marked by the foolish mistake I had made.

My wolf was furious at me for the stunt I pulled. It growled inside me, screaming for release, demanding that I claim Linda. But after seeing the hurt in her eyes, all I could do was drink and hope the alcohol would numb my body enough to ignore the beast's hunger.

Linda was far too young for me-half my age, with the innocence and inexperience that came with it.

I'd only met her for the first time when she was sixteen, and even then, I hated my wolf for feeling a bond with a young human.

Two years later, that pull had morphed into something much more intense, something I had no business feeling. She was my daughter's friend, and it was wrong-every part of me knew that.

My damn wolf didn't care about societal rules or age gaps. Every time she was near, he would stir and become relentless.

Here I was, a man who prided himself on his control, my years of discipline, of making the right choices-and suddenly, one glance from Linda, and it all crumbled. My wolf was stubborn, snickering at my attempts to brush her off, and mocking me for even trying to hold back.

And to be honest, he had a point. Despite every reason to stay away, I couldn't deny the way she intrigued me. She was smart, bold, and surprisingly mature for her age. She had a fire in her that only seemed to grow, and that fire was like a siren's call.

Coming here tonight was a mistake, but Linda's father, Maddox, insisted. He and my daughter, Mimi, left me with no choice but to attend, and I thought I could handle it. Instead, I let my emotions get the better of me and acted recklessly.

A surge of guilt twisted my stomach as I remembered Linda's eyes, filled with tears, just before she ran away. I wanted to go after her, to tell her it wasn't what she thought, but what could I say? I was the one who had betrayed her trust. I was the one who caused her pain.

Erica, with her boldness, had pressed herself against me earlier. I didn't realize she had feelings for me until tonight. She was twenty-four, still young, but old enough that it didn't feel completely wrong. But it wasn't her that I wanted.

My mind was consumed by her sister's beautiful skin, her wild curls, and her round, full figure that drove me insane.

I tried to drown those thoughts, taking another long drink, but it was useless. Every sip of beer, every deep breath, was filled with her scent. My wolf kept taunting me with images of her in that tight, sultry outfit she wore tonight, her body swaying as she walked, teasing me with every step.

I felt sick. Sick with desire and self-loathing.

The noise around me continued to hum in the background as Maddox stumbled over, already deep into his drinks. He had a woman with him, someone I didn't recognize, with her hair pulled back so tight I wondered how she could stand it.

"Damien, my friend!" Maddox's voice was loud and slurred as he grinned at me. "This is Nella. You should talk to her. Single, smart, and-" he paused to hiccup, "-she's great company."

Nella smiled shyly, revealing a gap between her teeth that might have been endearing to someone else. But I barely noticed. She was beautiful, no doubt, but my mind was elsewhere. She adjusted her dress, making sure I noticed her cleavage, but it did nothing for me.

"Nice to meet you, Nella," I managed to say, forcing a polite smile. "Maddox here is quite the matchmaker."

"Oh, don't listen to him," she replied, laughing. "He's been trying to set me up with half the town. I suppose it's my turn now."

Maddox laughed, patting her on the back. "She'll keep you entertained. Just give it a chance."

I shrugged, taking another swig from my bottle. "I'm more of an outdoors kind of guy. Not much for small talk."

Her smile faltered. "Outdoors? Like hiking and stuff?"

"Something like that." I sighed inwardly, wishing I could excuse myself.

Eventually, she gave up, sensing my disinterest, and wandered off. Maddox stayed behind, rambling about something I wasn't really listening to, until he was distracted by someone else and left me alone. I leaned back in my chair, letting my eyes wander to the family photo on the wall-Maddox, his wife when she was still alive, Erica as a little girl. They looked so happy back then.

The beer wasn't working. It wasn't enough to quiet my mind or the wolf inside me.

I wasn't supposed to feel this way. After my wife disappeared all those years ago, I'd sworn off love, told myself that I would focus on raising Mimi and nothing else. But Linda had changed everything. The first time I saw her, I felt a pull I couldn't explain.

I tried to fight it. I tried to convince myself that it was just a phase, a passing infatuation, but it wasn't. Every time I looked at her, I felt alive again, like I hadn't felt since Kia left.

But Linda was too young. She didn't deserve someone like me, someone haunted by the past, by the mistakes I'd made.

I stood up, tired of the noise, and made my way toward the door. Maddox caught me just before I left, offering me one last drunken smile and a slap on the back.

"Don't be a stranger, Damien!" he called after me.

I nodded and walked out, heading for my car. Mimi followed me, her usual bright smile replaced by a yawn. "Ready to go?" she asked, already climbing into the passenger seat.

I nodded again, too tired to say much. We drove in silence for a while before Mimi spoke.

"Linda seemed kind of upset tonight," she said, fiddling with the radio. "She kept talking about leaving home and wanting to get far away."

I swallowed hard. "Did she say why?"

"No, but I think something's been bothering her for a while now."

I nodded, keeping my eyes on the road. She had every reason to want to leave. I was the reason.

Later that night, I couldn't sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Linda's face-her hurt, her confusion.

I got up and walked outside, needing the cool air to clear my head. My wolf stirred as I moved through the woods, desperate to run, to unleash the pent-up frustration. But it was no use. Even in wolf form, I couldn't escape the mess I'd made.

I thought about my wife, about how she had been my anchor before she vanished. I had spent years searching for her, but eventually, I had to accept the reality that she wasn't coming back. Now, I had to accept that I had ruined any chance of happiness with Linda before it even began.

But the wolf wouldn't let me. It wanted her, craved her, and it wasn't going to let me walk away without a fight.

The forest called my name, and I ventured into the woods. The scent of damp earth and pine needles filled my nose as I ran.

My bones shifted, and my muscles flexed as my human form gave way to my feral, wounded wolf.

My wolf hadn't forgotten the betrayal. It hated the moon goddess for abandoning us in our time of need. And now, it hated me for rejecting Linda, our last shot at happiness.

Linda

The crisp morning air stung my cheeks as I hurried across campus, weaving through students. My mind wandered, distracted by the thoughts and memories that always seemed to surface when I least wanted them to.

Three months had passed since I started at BrookStones, and despite my initial doubts, I was beginning to find my rhythm. I hadn't planned on attending BrookStones, but after everything that had happened, it seemed like the only option. Leaving my hometown behind was difficult, especially since it was six hours away, but being here gave me a fresh start-something I desperately needed.

Dad had been shocked when I told him I wasn't going to the school we'd discussed for years. My best friend was downright furious. I spun a story about wanting independence and needing space to figure things out on my own. It wasn't entirely a lie, but the truth was more complicated.

I couldn't stay in a place where every corner reminded me of Damien-my dad's best friend and the man I had foolishly fallen for. The worst part? I chose environmental management because of him, hoping that by sharing his passion, I'd somehow win his attention. How naive. After everything I'd done to impress him, he broke my heart by kissing my sister. The humiliation still stung.

Now, miles away from all that, I was trying to move on, to focus on my future. But as much as I wanted to forget, his memory still clung to me, a stubborn shadow I couldn't shake.

"Shut up," I muttered under my breath, berating my inner thoughts as I rushed into the lecture hall, scanning for a seat.

I plopped down in the middle row, nodding to Tracy and Linda-friends from high school who had also ended up here. As the lecture began, my stomach growled loudly, a reminder that I'd skipped breakfast again. I blamed Jovita, my demon of a roommate, for making me so self-conscious about my eating habits. She never missed a chance to point out how much I ate, calling me a "bottomless pit."

The lecture dragged on. My mind wandered to everything but the topic at hand. I glanced at my laptop wallpaper-a picture of me and my sister on a hiking trip. Sighing, I decided it was time to change it. We hadn't spoken in months, not since that night.

Erica had become a stranger, all because of Damien. She crossed a line that night, and I wasn't ready to forgive her. The betrayal still felt fresh, and I couldn't bear the thought of telling Dad what had happened. He was already overwhelmed, trying to be both a father and mother to us after losing Mom. Learning about Erica and Damien would break him.

After class, I headed toward my second lecture, passing the library and the administrative office when I spotted my boyfriend, Ronin, surrounded by his obnoxious frat brothers. Ugh.

"Linda!" Tony, one of Ron's friends, hollered across the courtyard, waving me over like I was his personal entertainment.

I rolled my eyes and forced a smile, silently cursing Ronin for always drawing attention to me in public. I hated scenes like this, and I'd told him a thousand times to get his friends to chill, but clearly, that message never got through.

"Hey, guys," I greeted them, giving a half-hearted wave before trying to slip past unnoticed.

Ronin wasn't having it. "Baby, wait up!" He jogged over, attempting to kiss me on the neck. I pulled back. "You heading to class?"

"Yeah," I said flatly. "I'm late. We can talk later."

As I started to walk away, a random guy on a bike sped by, shouting to Ronin, "Damn, your girl's got a huge ass!"

The guys laughed, and I could feel my face flush with embarrassment. I glanced at Ron, hoping he'd shut them down, but instead, he puffed up like a proud peacock.

"Can I go now?" I asked, barely containing my anger.

"Sure," Ron said with a grin. "Let's grab dinner later, okay? Same spot as usual."

I nodded, though I had no intention of going. I couldn't stand his friends, and lately, I couldn't even stand him. I wasn't sure why I had agreed to date him in the first place. Maybe it was desperation-an attempt to move on from Damien by being with someone who actually wanted me. But Ronin wasn't the answer.

Damien...

His name still brought a wave of complicated emotions. Ronin was nothing like him-immature, reckless, and, honestly, kind of a jerk. Damien, though... He was everything Ron wasn't. Older, more sophisticated, with a brooding intensity that had captivated me from the moment I met him.

But he kissed my sister. That part of my life was over, and I had to accept it.

After my final class, I headed back to my dorm, climbing the stairs and feeling utterly exhausted. The sight that greeted me as I opened the door made my blood boil-Jovita's mess was everywhere. Clothes piled on her bed, papers strewn across the floor, and a half-eaten bowl of cereal sat on the desk.

"Of course," I muttered under my breath. Jovita had once again left the room in total disarray. How I ended up with her as my roommate was beyond me. In high school, we had been rivals, constantly competing for grades, friends, everything. Now, we were stuck sharing a dorm, and she was driving me insane.

I tidied up her mess, grumbling to myself as I did. After scarfing down a bowl of cereal, I showered and prepared for my last class of the day. As I entered the lecture hall, the room buzzed with excited whispers.

"Have you seen the new professor?" one girl gushed behind me. "He's insanely hot!"

"He looks like a Viking," another girl added, giggling.

"Come on, you guys are exaggerating," a guy chimed in. "You're all drooling over some married professor while guys your own age are practically begging for your attention."

I smirked at his comment, then pulled out my phone to text Mimi.

/We're getting a new professor today, and everyone's acting like he's a movie star./

/Lucky you. The professors here are ancient. Speaking of hot guys, I met someone last night./

/No way! Tell me everything./

/Well, he's tall, dark, and totally my type. We hit it off right away./

Before I could reply, the room fell silent as the professors walked in. I quickly tucked my phone away and glanced up.

The shock hit me like a ton of bricks. There, standing at the front of the room, was Damien.

My heart stopped. What the hell was Damien doing in my school?