The Alpha's College Mate

Chapter 11

Lucan's POV

Where the f**k was Clara?

I paced in front of my classroom while trying to lecture on Ovid, but I could not stop thinking about Clara or everything that had happened the night before. Every time the door opened, a pen dropped, or someone flipped a page, I glanced toward the exit, hoping to see Clara sterling.

She did not seem like the kind of girl who skipped class.

From the first moment I met her she had appeared meticulous and nervous about missing anything, rushing into the classics building in a flurry of anxiety, hair wild from the wind and eyes wide with fear that she might be late.

“Professor Vance?” Jasmine said, occupying Clara’s seat in the front row.

After cursing under my breath, I stepped behind the podium and rubbed my damp palms together, giving her a nod so she could ask whatever question she had this time. She had been the only student raising her hand in every class. On any other day I might have found it refreshing, but right now I could barely think straight.

Between Clara and Alpha Draven appearing on my land, I had not closed my eyes once last night. He had threatened war unless I delivered information on a new student at the university, and under normal circumstances I would have welcomed a fight with someone like him.

But now I had Clara to protect. And she still had not arrived.

“Can you give us your opinion on mythology in pop culture?” Jasmine asked.

I forced a steady breath through my nose so I would not sound irritated in front of the other students and offered her a tight smile. “Maybe another time. We have an exam coming up in a couple of weeks and need to cover this material.”

“An exam already?” she asked, and the rest of the class began to groan.

“Yes, Jasmine,” I said, wanting nothing more than to scold her through the mind link.

Once I steered the class back to the lesson, I finished the lecture early, planted both hands on the sides of the podium, and gripped it hard until the students started filing out. My mind raced with worries and possible scenarios about what might have happened to Clara.

What if someone had tipped Alpha Draven off that I had been paying special attention to her? What if he had taken her as leverage until I found the information he wanted? I would never actually give it to him, but I needed to appear cooperative until I could form a real plan. He already had our pack and this campus was surrounded.

After class Jasmine approached me with a smile. “Professor Vance, I”

“Where is Clara?” I asked bluntly, unable to hold back any longer.

Jasmine might belong to my pack, but my mate was somewhere on campus believing I had pushed her away last night because I was a terrible person. I needed to speak with her, and I needed to do it now. I did not care where she was. I would track her down.

“I do not know,” Jasmine said. “I, um, actually, I have not seen her since yesterday.”

“You have not seen her since yesterday?” I growled. “Why did you not tell me?”

Her eyes widened further and she shook her head. “I did not realize you wanted updates on her. She is just a human. There are plenty of girls like her at this school. I … I …” She furrowed her brows and looked up at me. “Oh my Goddess, she is your mate, is she not?”

I pressed my lips together, closed my eyes, and exhaled. I had not wanted anyone to know yet. I still had Draven and the council to deal with, and I needed to keep Clara safe. But keeping something like this hidden from everyone around me was nearly impossible, especially when Clara was my mate.

“Yes, she is my mate,” I said, lowering my voice so no one else would overhear.

Jasmine straightened her shoulders, tugged her shirt higher to cover her chest, and stared at the floor. “Sorry, I did not know. If I had, I would not have … um, switched into your class or, um …”

“It is fine, Jasmine. I …” I dragged a hand down my face. “I need you to watch over her and protect her for me. If you find her today, tell me immediately. I have not seen her since last night, and we have a pack sitting on our borders ready to attack.”

Jasmine nodded. “I will let you know, Alpha.”

With that she turned and hurried up the auditorium steps. Beta Milo cleared his throat and waited by the door. Jasmine passed him, bowed her head, and scurried down the hallway.

I snapped my textbook closed, on edge and desperate to locate Clara so I could confirm she was safe. I did not want to deal with pack politics or Alpha Draven right now; I needed to be with her. She drove me completely insane without even trying.

“What is wrong?” I asked, running a hand through my hair.

“Alpha Draven is looking for one of your students.”

My stomach twisted into knots. “Who?”

“Clara sterling.”