The Professor's Mate Clause novel Chapter 40

CHAPTER 40

FREYA’S POV

Sunlight streams through the windows when I wake up. Warm. Bright. Peaceful.

Adrian is still asleep next to me. His arm is draped across my waist. His face is relaxed in a way I have never seen before. No tension. No worry lines. Just peaceful.

He looks younger like this. Less Alpha. More just Adrian.

I watch him for a few minutes. Memorizing the moment. How safe I feel right now. How normal

everything seems.

My phone buzzes on the nightstand. I reach for it carefully. Trying not to wake him.

Three messages from Clara.

HOW ARE YOU?

ADRIAN SAID YOU’RE DOING BETTER.

COFFEE THIS WEEK?

I stare at the messages. Clara. My best friend who lied to me for two years. Who I am still not sure I can

trust.

But I miss her. Miss having someone to talk to who is not Adrian or his pack.

Maybe. I’ll Let You Know. I type back.

Adrian stirs beside me. His arm tightens around my waist. Pulls me closer.

“Morning.” His voice is rough with sleep. Sexy as hell.

“Morning.” I set my phone down. Turn to face him. “Sleep well?”

“Best sleep I have had in weeks.” His eyes are still closed but he is smiling. “Having you in my bed helps.”

“Just sleeping?”

“Well. Not just sleeping.” His hand slides down to my hip. Squeezes. “But I am not complaining about any

of it.”

Heat floods through me at the memory of last night. His hands. His mouth. The way he looked at me like I was everything.

“What time is it?” I ask before my thoughts get too detailed.

“Early. Maybe seven.” He finally opens his eyes. Blue. Clear. Happy. “We have time.”

“Time for what?”

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“This.” He kisses me. Slow and sweet. Morning breath and all. “And breakfast. And training. Whatever

you want.”

“I want all of that.” I kiss him back. “But breakfast first. I am starving.”

We get up and get dressed. Well. I get dressed in his shirt and sweatpants. He throws on jeans and nothing else. Barefoot and shirtless and looking like every fantasy I have ever had.

Downstairs he makes pancakes. Actually makes them from scratch. Flipping them in the pan like he has

done this a thousand times.

“You can cook.” I sit at the counter watching him. “Like really cook.”

“I have lived alone for a long time. Had to learn.” He plates pancakes and sets them in front of me. “Plus I like taking care of people. Taking care of you.”

The confession makes my chest feel full. Warm.

We eat together. Talking about nothing important. What movies we like. Music. Books. Normal couple things.

It feels so ordinary. So human. Like we are just two people having breakfast together. Not an Alpha and his mate hiding from people who want us dead.

“Training after this?” He refills my coffee without asking. Remembers exactly how I take it.

“Yeah. I want to keep learning.” I take a sip. “I felt good yesterday. Strong. I want more of that.”

Pride flashes across his face. “You were incredible. Natural fighter. Give it a few more weeks and you will be able to hold your own against most wolves.”

“Most wolves. Not all?”

“Not Alphas. Not yet.” He leans against the counter. “But that is okay. You do not need to fight Alphas. You just need to survive long enough for me to get there.”

The reminder that danger still exists makes my stomach twist. But I push it aside. Not now. Right now I just want this. Us. Normal.

Training is harder today. Adrian does not go easy on me. We run through defensive moves over and

over. Blocking. Dodging. Countering.

My body protests. Every muscle aches. But I push through it. Determined to prove I can do this.

“Better.” He circles me on the mat. “Your reaction time is improving. You are starting to anticipate moves.

“I have a good teacher.” I wipe sweat from my face. “Even if he is a sadist who enjoys watching me

suffer.”

“I do not enjoy your suffering. I enjoy watching you get stronger.” He moves in fast. Testing me. I block.

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Counter. Almost land a hit before he catches my wrist. “Good. Really good.”

We train for two hours. By the end I am exhausted and proud and feeling more capable than I ever have.

“Shower. Rest. Then lunch.” Adrian tosses me a towel. “You earned it.”

I head upstairs. My whole body is pleasantly sore. The good kind of sore that comes from actually accomplishing something.

The hot shower feels incredible. I stand under the spray letting my muscles relax. Thinking about how different my life is now compared to two weeks ago.

Two weeks ago I was working at the diner. Stressing about assignments. Dealing with Kelvin’s cheating.

Now I am training to fight. Living with an Alpha. Learning to survive in a world I did not know existed.

My life is insane. But somehow also better than it has ever been.

I get dressed and head back downstairs. Adrian is on his phone. His expression is serious. Tense.

“Everything okay?” I walk over to him.

“Pack business. Nothing urgent.” He pockets his phone. “Marcus is handling it.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah. Just territory stuff. Happens all the time.” He pulls me into a hug. “Nothing for you to worry about.”

I let him hold me. Breathing in his scent. Feeling safe despite everything.

My phone buzzes in my pocket. Probably Clara again.

Except when I pull it out the number is unknown.

The text makes my blood run cold.

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TIME’S UP, LITTLE WOLF. YOU CHOSE TO STAY. NOW YOU FACE THE CONSEQUENCES. SEE YOU

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