The Alpha Professor's Dark Obsession

CHAPTER ONE

Cassandra's POV

The dull thud in my head was relentless as I groaned, dragging myself upright. My body felt foreign, like a puzzle with mismatched pieces. Even my throat felt dry and scratchy. I blinked against the early morning sunlight and tried to make sense of my surroundings. Instinctively, I reached out to the other side of the bed, expecting to find Nate, my boyfriend.

My hand met warm skin. But it was not Nate's.

I froze, my heart lurching in my chest. Slowly, I turned my head to see a man I didn't recognize. His face was calm, peaceful even. But it was undeniable-he was devastatingly handsome. Messy and curly black hair framed sharp cheekbones, and his full, slightly dark lips were slightly parted in sleep.

Oh, fuck no!

I scrambled out of the bed, clutching the sheet to my chest as memories of the previous night came flooding back. The party. The drinks. Nate hadn't been able to come, so I'd gone with friends. But... how had I ended up here? With him? What the fuck had happened last night?

Then suddenly the man stirred, and I stiffened in horror. All I could do was hold the bed cover to my chest and watch as he turned to where I stood.

His eyes fluttered open. They were a piercing gray, like shards of a storm cloud. For a moment, he looked at me with a small smile forming on his face. "Good morning," he greeted, his voice deep and smooth.

Panic stole what little sense I had left. "I... I need to go."

Without waiting for a response, I glanced around the room wildly for my clothes. In the passion of last night, I seemed to have flung them all over the place. Shirt was hanging from the back of a chair. Pants were squeezed into a corner of the room, behind the vanity mirror.

I rushed forward and grabbed my shirt and pants, throwing them on haphazardly. I couldn't find my panties nor my bra, but fuck those.

The man sat up, watching me. "You don't remember what happened, do you?" he asked.

I didn't respond. I didn't want to know.

Fumbling with the doorknob, I managed to escape into the hallway, leaving him-and the shame of what I'd done-behind.

********

Two weeks later, the memory of that morning still haunted me. I avoided Nate's calls and texts, because of the guilt eating at me. I convinced myself it was a one-time mistake. Something I'd bury and never think about again.

Today was no different. I walked through the halls of my college, trying to blend into the crowd. "Cassie!" My friend Lauren jogged up beside me, practically bouncing with excitement.

"Hey," I mumbled, clutching my books tighter.

"Guess what? Professor Hart is gone."

"Uh-huh." I barely registered her words.

"And we've got a new History professor!"

"That's great, Lauren," I said absentmindedly as we entered the classroom.

"Look!" Lauren nudged me, pointing to the front of the room.

I followed her gaze.

My heart stopped.

It was him.

The stranger from that night. The man in my bed. My one-night stand was standing at the podium, addressing the class.

I couldn't breathe. The world seemed to tilt on its axis as my mind raced to connect the dots. What was he doing here? How could this be happening?

"Cassandra?" His voice cut through my spiraling thoughts like a blade.

I blinked, realizing the room had gone silent, all eyes now on me.

"Is there a problem?" His gray eyes locked onto mine, and I felt like I was pinned in place.

"N-no," I stammered, sinking lower in my seat.

He smirked, just like he had that morning. "Good. Pay attention."

The hour dragged on. Every single second I spent in that class seemed to stretch into an eternity. I couldn't focus on anything except him-his voice, his movements, the way he looked at me like he knew exactly what was running through my mind.

As soon as class ended, I gathered my things, ready to bolt out of that room.

"Cassandra!" his voice called out. "A minute?"

I stopped mid-step, my stomach twisting. Oh, fuck and a half!

"See me in my office, will you?" He snapped and strutted out of the class.

Lauren raised an eyebrow. "What was that about?"

"Nothing," I muttered, forcing a casual shrug.

But it wasn't nothing.

********

I stood outside his office five minutes later, debating whether to run or face whatever this was. Before I could decide, his voice came from inside.

"You can come in, Cassandra."

How did he know I was here?

My hands were trembling as I pushed the door open. The room smelled faintly of leather and something woodsy. I read the name tab on his desk: Professor Marcus. He was sitting behind a large desk, papers scattered in front of him. Same curly black hair that I remembered, tumbling around his face. Same chiseled jawline. Same beautiful, pale skin.

This man was nothing if not gorgeous.

"You're late," he grunted, not looking up from his papers. "I hate tardiness, Cassandra."

The way he called my name made me feel like a bar of chocolate, melting in the middle. I opened my mouth to respond, but nothing came out.

"Close the door."

The click of the latch felt final, like a trap sealing shut.

"I don't bite," he said, finally meeting my eyes. That smirk was back, teasing and infuriating me.

"Why am I here?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady. "I just met you."

Instead of answering, Professor Marcus stood to his feet, slowly approaching me. His hands were dug into his pockets, which inadvertently made his biceps flex out. It was all I could do not to stare at them.

I swallowed against my parched throat as he reached me, leaving just a few inches between us. His hand suddenly reached out and tucked a stray strand of my hair behind my ear, and his fingers brushed my cheek. Even that light touch sent tendrils of desire pulsing through my body.

As though my senses had returned in a flash, I shot backwards, breaking the connection. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?"

Professor Marcus smirked. "Cassandra, can you not remember the night we shared two weeks ago? Don't act like you can't sense what's between us."

"Hell if I want it!" I snapped back.

He stared at me with an amused smirk. Then he turned back to his desk and retrieved an envelope from his drawer. He slid the envelope across the desk to me.

"What's this?" I asked, hesitating before picking it up.

"Open it, Cassandra."

The envelope paper felt heavy in my hands as I tore it open. Inside was something that looked like a contract, but the words blurred together as I tried to read them.

"What is this supposed to mean?" I asked, looking up at him.

"Oh, you'll find out soon enough."

I glared at him, my fear mixing with frustration. "If this is some kind of joke-"

"Do I look like I'm joking?" His tone was sharp now, making me startled.

I swallowed hard, clutching the contract tighter.

"Sign it," he said, leaning back in his chair.

"What if I don't?"

He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "That wouldn't be wise."

The room felt suddenly colder. I wanted to demand answers, to walk out and never look back. But something in his gaze held me captive-a mixture of intrigue and danger that I couldn't ignore.

"What happens if I sign?" I whispered.

His smirk widened. "Your life changes, Cassandra."

Cassandra's POV

The contract in my hands felt heavier than it should have. I stared at the words on the page, but the words didn't make any more sense to me. Across the desk, the professor leaned back in his chair, his sharp gray eyes fixed on me.

"Sign it," he growled.

I lifted my gaze in surprise, meeting his. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me," he said smoothly. "Sign it. I won't repeat myself, Cassandra!"

God, it was on with the way he said my name again! His arrogance was infuriating. I couldn't allow myself to be swayed by this arrogant hulk of a man, regardless of the fact that he had done things to my body on that fateful night two weeks ago. Things that still played over and over in my head, no matter how many times I pushed it aside.

With a burst of indignation, I slammed the contract onto the desk, the sound echoing in the small office. "Oh, you've got some nerve, professor!" I roared. "Do I look like I'm someone you can coerce with threats and a loud voice? I'm not signing anything, especially not something handed to me like this."

I turned on my heel, ready to leave and forget this bizarre encounter, but before I could reach the door, his voice stopped me.

"If you walk away, you're playing with fire."

I froze, the hair on the back of my neck standing up. I heard the creak of wood as he stood up and moved from behind the desk. His presence suddenly felt much closer. I could feel the heat of him behind me, and when I turned, he was standing barely a foot away.

Those gray eyes I had come so close to falling in love with, now blazed with anger.

"You think you can walk away from this?" he snarled. "You have no idea what you've started. You have no idea what that night together is going to cost us."

"What I've started?" I shot back, laughing bitterly. "You're insane. This-" I gestured at the contract still on his desk, "-is ridiculous."

His expression darkened. "You are the first woman I've ever been with," he growled, his voice dropping to an almost reverent whisper. "And you think you can just run away from that? From me?"

His words caught me off guard, and I couldn't stop the laughter that bubbled out of me. "What is this, some kind of soap opera? You can't be serious."

His eyes narrowed at my mockery, but I was too angry and confused to care.

The professor stared at me for long seconds. Then he stepped closer. He was so tall that I was forced to tilt my head to look into his eyes.

"You think this is a joke?" His voice was cold now, stripped of any charm.

I folded my arms, glaring at him. "What are you going to do, force me to sign? You can't make me."

"Oh, Cassandra," he murmured, his lips curling into a cruel smile. "You have no idea how easy it would be, what I could do to you. What do you think your school's board of directors would say if they heard you'd been seducing professors to improve your grades? You, a scholarship student? I heard you're graduating this year." He shook his head. "You might have to kiss your graduation goodbye."

His words hit me like a slap. My mouth opened to retort, but no sound came out.

"You wouldn't...." I finally managed, my voice shaking. "You wouldn't do that."

"Wouldn't I?" His calm tone made the threat all the more menacing.

My chest tightened. The last thing I needed was a scandal. After losing my parents, I'd worked too hard to build a life, juggling two part-time jobs and endless nights of studying just to keep afloat. A rumor like that could ruin everything.

"You're a psychopath!" I hissed. "A fucking lunatic."

"Careful," he warned with an annoying, wolfish grin. "Think very carefully about what you say next."

His cold words sent shivers down my spine. He wasn't bluffing; I could feel it in the way he looked at me, like he was calculating every move I might make. I stood there, trembling with fury. My eyes darted back to the contract on the desk.

Three months. At least, I'd been able to make out that much.

Three months of being his mistress. The thought made my stomach churn, but what choice did I have? If he followed through on his threat, everything I'd worked for would be destroyed.

With trembling hands, I picked up the pen and scrawled my name on the dotted line.

"There," I said, throwing the pen down. "Are you happy now?"

For a moment, he didn't respond, just stared at me with that same unsettling smirk. Then, he reached for the paper, inspecting it carefully.

"Good." he replied curtly, folding the contract neatly and placing it in a drawer.

I turned to leave, but his voice stopped me again. "Not so fast, Cassandra."

I clenched my jaw, spinning around. "What now?"

"As part of the agreement, you'll be moving in with me," he said matter-of-factly. "You have to prepare for that."

"What?!" I nearly shouted. "That wasn't in the contract!"

He raised an eyebrow. "It's implied. You'll be my mistress after all. It makes no sense to live so far away from me."

I laughed bitterly, shaking my head. "You're delusional if you think I'm going along with that."

I turned to stalk away. But before I could make it to the door, two men appeared, seemingly out of nowhere. They blocked my path, their expressions blank but their intentions clear. Their hands reached out and grabbed my arms.

"Let go of me!" I yelled, struggling under their grip. "Fucking gorillas! Let me go!"

"You agreed to the terms, Cassandra." Professor Marcus stepped forward. "There's no turning back now."

I struggled against their grip, my mind scrambling for an escape. "This is insane! You can't just-"

"Enough!" he snapped. "Unless you want me to follow through on my earlier threat, I suggest you cooperate."

I stopped struggling, my body going limp as despair set in. The men released me once I stopped fighting, and Professor Marcus gestured for me to follow. Numbly, I walked behind him.

As we stepped outside, the sun felt too bright, too harsh against the dark pit forming in my stomach.

This was more than a mistake-it was a trap, and I'd walked right into it.

Marcus' POV

I sat under the full moon, the silver light pouring into my study through the wide-open balcony doors. The faint chill of the night air brushed against my skin as I swirled the amber liquid in my glass. A malicious smile curled on my lips as I tipped the glass, letting the burn of the liquor seep into my veins.

This wasn't the life I was destined for. No, I was meant to be great-a king among wolves, ruling with strength and honor. Instead, here I was, exiled and cursed, all because of a betrayal so deep it still made my blood boil with anger.

I ran my fingers through my hair, staring at the moon as if it could offer some answers. Why me? The memory of that night-the night my life crumbled-was like a foggy dream, slipping through my grasp every time I tried to piece it together. They had accused me of killing a descendant of the Moon Goddess herself. Me, a loyal Alpha who had only ever sought to protect his pack.

But the evidence, or rather the lack of it, worked against me. They called me a murderer, a monster who had brought the wrath of the goddess upon us. The punishment was swift and merciless. Stripped of my title, my pack, my home-I was banished, cast out into the human world to live as a rogue.

I gritted my jaw, the glass cracking under the pressure of my grip. The Moon Goddess hadn't just cursed me with exile. No, she had made sure I would suffer in ways that was unimaginable. Unable to touch a woman, unable to find my mate-I had wandered aimlessly for centuries, enduring a hollow existence.

Until her.

I laughed bitterly, the sound echoing around the balcony. Cassandra. A fragile little human. The irony was not lost on me that the same goddess who cursed me would choose someone so weak, so breakable, as the antidote.

And yet, on the night we spent together, something shifted. For the first time in centuries, I felt the curse loosen its grip. Her scent and her touch had awakened something dormant in me. But could I trust her? Was she truly the key to breaking this wretched curse, or was she just another cruel trick of fate? I desperately wanted her to be the person who would break me out of this curse.

I downed the rest of my drink and slammed the glass onto the table. "How the mighty have fallen," I muttered to myself.

A knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts. My housekeeper stepped inside. She was an older woman who had long since learned to tread carefully around me.

She bowed her head slightly. "My lord, the girl is in her chamber."

I smirked, rising to my feet. The alcohol made my movements slower, more deliberate. "Good," I mumbled, brushing past her.

The silence of the hallway amplified the sound of my footsteps. I got to the very last door in the corridor, pushed It open and stopped in the doorway. There she was, lying on the bed, her chest rising and falling softly as she slept. Her dark red hair spilled over the pillow like a dark river, catching the faint glow of moonlight.

For a moment, I stood there, watching her. My wolf stirred within me, biting at the edges of my control. It had been centuries since I felt this kind of pull, this maddening desire.

I stepped closer, my hand trembling slightly as I reached out. My fingers grazed her arm. Her skin was impossibly soft under my touch. A low growl rumbled in my chest, but I forced it down, gritting my teeth against the primal urge to claim her.

And then she moved.

Her hand shot out, gripping my wrist with surprising strength. Her eyes snapped open, staring into mine. "What the hell are you doing here?" she demanded.

I smiled, leaning closer. "I came to spend the night with you. Accompany me."

Her lips curled into a sneer, and she pushed my hand away. "Let me refresh your memory, in case you've conveniently forgotten. I'm only here because you threatened to ruin my life. This arrangement," she spat the word like poison, "is strictly business. Don't get any ideas."

I chuckled, amused by her fire. "What if I do? What if I don't stay in my lane, Cassandra?"

Her eyes narrowed, and for a moment, I saw something flicker in them-something wild, almost feral. She sat up, the sheets pooling around her waist. "I'm warning you, Marcos. I'm not as weak as you think I am. Don't push me."

I tilted my head, intrigued. "You're quite bold for someone in your position. But boldness won't save you."

She laughed dryly, shaking her head. "You really don't get it, do you? I'm here for three months, and that's it. After that, you're nothing to me. I have a life, a boyfriend, a future that doesn't involve you. So whatever game you're playing, end it now. You won't win."

Muttering some angry words, she threw off the covers and stood to her feet. Her nightgown clung to her figure, and I couldn't help but admire her confidence, even as she turned her back on me.

I watched her walk away, the door closing softly behind her. For a moment, I stayed where I was, letting a slow smile spread across my face.

"She'll come around," I murmured to myself, lying back on the bed. The faint scent of her lingered in the air, and I inhaled deeply, enjoying it.

The game was just beginning. And I always played to win.