Chapter One
Office Hours
I’d never had a reason to go to Professor Wolfe’s office before. I didn’t need one—not until my grades slipped hard and fast enough to send a cold shiver down my spine.
Now, I was standing outside his door, staring at the brass nameplate like it might come alive and devour me whole.
Professor Lucien Wolfe, English Literature.
The hallway was empty. Quiet. Too quiet.
I adjusted my too-tight cardigan and regretted not wearing something looser. Or maybe tighter. I wasn’t sure what I wanted from him… only that I wanted something. Approval. Mercy. A second chance. Maybe more.
I raised my hand and knocked—softly at first.
“Come in.”
His voice was deep, rich with a crisp, almost predatory edge. My heart jerked in my chest.
I pushed the door open and stepped insi
