One Night With My Alpha Professor by Eve Above Story

Chapter

78

Audrey & Edwin Audrey's POV

No matter how much coffee I drank, could barely keep my eyes open during class. The words on the whiteboard blurred. together as Edwin's voice droned on in the background, the surface of my desk practically swimming in front of my eyes.

I hadn't slept well last night, tossing and turning as my mind replayed the disastrous interview with Mr. Black over and over again. Even though my drive with Edwin took my mind off of it for a while, the memories had returned the moment my head hit the pillow.

"Come now, Miss Thatcher. Everyone knows that human girls are desperate to be with wealthy, older werewolf men such as myself.... Don't you want to do anything you can to... get ahead?" Even now, in my exhausted state, the memory of those words made me shudder. Get ahead, he had said in that cloying tone. I knew what he meant. And I wasn't going to perpetuate the stereotype that he plastered onto me.

My head nodded forward, and I jerked it back up quickly.

Focus, Audrey, I told myself. But it was no use. My eyelids felt like they were made of lead, and my head suddenly felt like it was full of water. Perhaps I could just close my eyes for a moment...

A sudden jolt startled me awake. I blinked rapidly, disoriented, to find Edwin standing over me with a concerned expression on his face. The classroom was empty except for us, and he was leaning against the desk beside me with his arms folded across his chest.

"Good

morning, Miss Thatcher," he said. "Have a nice nap?"

My face instantly turned red and I quickly wiped a bit of drool away from my cheek with the back of my hand. "I'm so sorry," I muttered as I began to gather my things. "I must have nodded off for a moment, but I swear I heard your whole lecture-"

"Audrey, you've been asleep on your desk for over twenty minutes." Edwin cut me off with a raised eyebrow. "At one point, you were even snoring a little."

I felt my skin flush even deeper. Twenty minutes... It felt like I had blinked and nothing more.

"I'm... Sorry," I repeated quietly. Edwin watched as I quickly stuffed my rumpled notebook into my bag and stood. Before I could scurry away, he held his arm out to stop me.

"This isn't like you. What's going on?"

Biting my lower lip, I looked away in the hopes that he wouldn't see the blatant lie written across my face. "Oh, um, nothing. I was just up late studying last night."

Edwin's frown deepened. "That doesn't sound right. You never let late-night studying interfere with your classes."

was, I

that, I was lying awake, reliving every uncomfortable

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Chapter 78

Black.

that. Mr. Black's company worked closely with Brooks Designs, and I didn't want to cause any issues. So I settled for a half-truth.

expression softened ever so slightly, "Oh. I'm sorry

hard, desperately searching for an explanation that wouldn't raise suspicions. “I just...

"Your portfolio is excellent, and you're one of

bag on my shoulder, trying to appear nonchalant. "Sometimes these things just

a moment, and I could tell he wasn't buying it. But thankfully, he didn't

talk about it, you know where to

of desks-I was so focused on getting away before

Edwin," I said, forcing a thin smile. "I appreciate

lying to him, but what choice did I have? The last thing I needed was to create drama between Edwin

to find another opportunity

Edwin's POV

classroom, there was no denying the nagging feeling in my gut. It was telling me that something wasn't right; there had to be more to this story than she was letting on "Not qualified?" I muttered to myself, turning and heading back to the podium to gather my

that just didn't add up. Audrey was one of the most talented, dedicated, passionate students I had ever had. -there was no way she wasn't qualified for

I stuffed my lecture materials into my briefcase, my mind whirled with thoughts. Atticus Black had been a business partner of mine for many years; Brooks Designs often purchased all of our textiles from his company. Surely, if he saw that

I pulled out my phone and dialed Mr. Black's number on my way to my

ring

through the speaker, and I could hear the smile in his tone. "To what

office. "I wanted to discuss the interview

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Chapter 78

Mr. Black replied. "Ah yes, Miss Thatcher. What

door, stepped inside, and shut the

was wondering why you decided not to work with her," I began as I dropped my briefcase on the floor and loosened my tie. "She's an exceptional student