My Forbidden Mate is My Professor

Chapter 5

MAREN’S POV

It had been a week since my confrontation with Thorne in the empty classroom. At first, I believed the mate bond would torture him to the point of crawling back to me, but he remained in a deathly silence.

That’s why my head was spinning. How could he treat me like this? He was my soulmate!

We were destined to be together. Or was it that I wasn't enough to break his self-control? The doubt gnawed at me: if my own mate didn’t want me, who would?

After the last class, I returned to the dorms with my chest burning. I wanted to throw everything on the floor and roar.

“How is it possible that he hasn't dared to claim us?" my wolf growled with exasperation.

"He’s an i***t! He’s ignoring us!" I screamed at her internally.

"We can’t let him reject us, Maren. I’m an Omega; I won’t survive an official rejection..."

"Dammit, my wolf was right. We weren't as strong as the purebloods. A formal rejection would destroy our soul and our sanity. I couldn't let that happen.I needed Thorne to love me; I needed that anchor so I wouldn't fall apart

However, an idea occurred to me: if he thought I was going to be the perfect student while he ignored our bond, he was dead wrong. If the sweet, conventional Maren didn't awaken his instinct, then I would have to become someone he couldn't ignore—even if it meant betraying myself.

The next morning, I took a long, hot shower. If Thorne wasn’t going to claim me the easy way, I would turn his life into a living hell of repressed desire. As I stepped out, I looked in the mirror. My Omega body had always been curvy, but today I would make sure every piece of clothing screamed it.

"Are you seriously going to wear that?" Naomi asked from the bed, somewhere between admiration and terror. "That’s not appropriate attire for an Alpha Management class... I mean, you’re going to draw way too much attention."

I adjusted my black leather miniskirt and pulled on the high boots. I unbuttoned the first button of my white blouse, letting the lace of my lingerie peek out subtly.

My hands were shaking. I felt like I was crossing a line from which there would be no return, but the fear of being discarded was stronger than my modesty

“Don't you like it?” I whispered, trying to convince myself that this new version of me was powerful, and not just a girl desperate for attention.

Naomi sighed and checked the clock. "I think you’re going to get in trouble with the professor, but we have to go. It’s late and you don’t want them to lock the door on you."

The moment I stepped onto campus, I felt the boys' gazes piercing through me. I tried hard to get used to this. But the peace ended when the air turned rancid. Tina and Kai were there, holding hands like the perfect couple. But when she saw me, the smile vanished, replaced by jealousy and unease in her eyes, as if my presence threatened her.

Kai, standing beside her, looked at me differently too. His eyes traveled down my legs and up my hips to my lips. “Hi, Maren,” he greeted me.

Tina tugged at him, clearly angry. But she couldn't look away from Kai's gaze, so she stood between us, strong and composed, her tone full of arrogance. "Are you so desperate that you dress like a slut to seduce a professor? Do you think makeup will cover up the fact that nobody wants you?"

I felt the sting in my chest, but I didn’t back down. The giggles from her circle of followers echoed around us. I felt every eye fixed on me, waiting for me to break, to cry like the obedient Omega I used to be.

"At least I have something to seduce with, Tina. Unlike you, who needs a mark to make sure your mate doesn't run off with the first wolf that looks at him twice."

"You damn b***h!" she shrieked. Her eyes glowed with the intent to shift and attack.

For a second, my wolf trembled—after all, we were just an Omega—but I gathered my courage and stepped closer until our noses almost touched.

“First,” I said, lowering my voice until it sounded like the edge of a blade, “call me that again and I swear I'll rip that mark off your neck with my own teeth. And second..” I looked at Kai with a mix of reproach and haughtiness, “..keep a tighter leash on your dog, Tina. He hasn't stopped drooling over me"

I turned my back on them before they could react. My target was a real Alpha, not an i***t like Kai.

I walked straight to Thorne’s office, took out the documents I had prepared in advance, took a deep breath, and knocked on the door. In seconds, the delicious scent of his presence enveloped me completely, making my wolf purr with excitement. His shirt sleeves were rolled up, revealing well-defined muscles. Ah, I wish I could take a bite.

Thorne was about to speak, but paused when he saw my attire. His eyes lit up. Yes, I wasn't mistaken.

I suppressed a smile and mustered my courage: "Good morning, Professor. I have a question about your class." Then, without waiting for his reply, I walked past him into his office.

I leaned over his desk, letting my cleavage sit at his eye level. I was risking my dignity, but the thought of him rejecting me too was something my sanity couldn't afford.

His gaze lingered on me for at least 30 seconds, or longer. I started to panic.

Just as I was waiting for his reply, his voice came coldly: "Ms. Maren, I'm busy right now. I'll answer your questions about the course after the next class. Now," he stretched his arm out the door, utterly unforgiving, "please leave."

“And what if I don't want to?' I whispered, my gaze charged with defiance, though inside I was begging him to pull me into his arms and tell me I didn't have to put on this act to get his attention.

Thorne took another step toward me. For a moment, I thought he would give in, that his wolf would claim me right then and there. But his iron mask snapped back into place.

“Maren, don’t do this.” He sighed. “This won’t change anything, you know that.”

I held back my tears and ran out. No, I didn’t know, because things shouldn’t be this way.

I won't give up trying.

The next day, I went to the gym wearing a sports top that left nothing to the imagination, and pretended to fall as I approached him, deliberately getting close to his wet chest muscles.

Quickly, his massive hands gripped my waist, catching me mid-air.

I could feel his heart racing, and that gave me a desperate hope.

"Maren, enough," he growled, but his fingers dug forcefully into my waist before releasing me as if I burned him.

"Enough of what?" I looked at him with innocence, brushing my chest against his. "It was just an accident."

Thorne didn’t answer, instead, he let out a powerful growl and disappeared.

On the third day, I put on sandalwood perfume and a short dress with thin straps. With a coy smile, I took my tray and headed straight for the cafeteria, right to the table where Thorne was sitting.

Thorne dropped his napkin and leaned toward me. "Do you think this is funny? That you can harass me until I give in?"

"Harass you? I’m just claiming what is mine," I hinted, sliding my leg under the table until it brushed his.

That was the exact trigger for Thorne to bolt upright, making his chair screech against the floor.

"Follow me. Now," he ordered in a tone that made my knees tremble, but my heart leapt with joy.

I did it! Finally. I had made Thorne take the bait!

However, when we left the cafeteria, he grabbed my arm firmly and dragged me into an isolated hallway before pinning me against the wall.

His hot breath hit my face while my wolf howled with pleasure, but his words chilled me to the bone. "Don’t test my patience, Maren. I’ve spent years building a life of respect. I’m not going to let an immature girl destroy it."

His words were like a thousand daggers driven straight into my chest. He didn't see my love or my desperation; he only saw an immature girl ruining his reputation. To him, my value was zero.

I held back my tears. "Am I really that unimportant to you?"

Something was brewing in his eyes, but his words remained cold. "I explained, we shouldn't let anything happen now. You don't want things to escalate and involve the principal, right? That wouldn't be good for you."

My eyes filled with tears as I jerked away from his grip. "You’re a coward! I hate you!"

"Maren!" he shouted.

But I didn't answer. I just ran away, feeling my wolf roar in pain inside me.