The Professor's Mate Clause novel Chapter 51

ADRIAN’S POV

The steel mill looks worse up close.

Rusted beams. Shattered windows. The whole structure groans in the wind like it might collapse any second.

Perfect place for a secret meeting. Isolated. Abandoned. Defensible.

I hate it.

“Alpha. We’re in position.” Marcus’s voice crackles through my earpiece. “North entrance secured. No movement yet.”

“Copy. Hold position.” I scan the perimeter from the roof of the adjacent warehouse. “Clarà. Report.”

“South side clear. Freya’s with me. She’s fine.” Clara knows I need to hear that last part.

Freya. My mate. Right in the middle of a potential war zone because she’s too stubborn to stay safe.

“She shouldn’t be here. We should have locked her up.’

We tried that. She would have followed anyway. At least this way I can protect her.

“Protect her by bringing her here? Brilliant.”

“All units maintain radio silence unless you spot targets.” I keep my voice low. “We observe. We listen. No engagement unless absolutely necessary.”

A chorus of confirmations.

Six wolves scattered around the perimeter. All trained. All loyal. And Freya. My mate. The reason my heart won’t stop racing.

I shift position. Get a better angle on the main entrance. The meeting is supposed to happen inside the old smelting room. Large enough for privacy. Isolated enough that sound won’t carry.

“Movement.” Marcus’s voice is sharp. “Two vehicles. Approaching from the east. No plates.”

My pulse spikes. “Stay hidden. Let them enter. We need to see who shows up.”

Two black SUVS pull up. Expensive. Out of place in this wasteland.

Doors open. Wolves emerge. Five. Six. Seven. All armed. All scanning with trained eyes.

Then Asher steps out.

He looks older. Gray streaking his hair. Lines deeper around his mouth. But his eyes are the same. Cold. Calculating. Filled with

hate.

“Kill him now. End this.”

Not yet. We need information first.

Asher’s wolves move through the building. Checking corners. Securing exits. Professional.

“He brought more than expected.” Clara sounds tense. “This could get messy.”

“Hold position. Do not engage.” I watch Asher disappear inside. “Stick to the plan.”

Minutes crawl by. Every second Freya is here feels like a lifetime. Every moment she’s exposed to danger makes my control slip.

“Second vehicle.” Marcus again. “From the west. Alone. Moving slow.

+25 Bonus

I shift to see better. A single black sedan. Older model. Nothing flashy.

But the way Asher’s wolves straighten when they see it tells me everything. Whoever is inside matters.

The sedan stops. Driver gets out. Opens the back door.

A man emerges. Tall. Distinguished. Expensive suit. Silver hair. Weathered face but strong.

I know that face. From pack records. From history books.

“No.” The word slips out.

“Alpha?” Marcus sounds concerned. “You recognize him?”

“Elder Thorne.” My voice is barely a whisper. “High Council. Second in command of the entire North American pack network.”

Silence on the comms. Everyone processing what this means.

“If the High Council is involved…” Clara trails off.

“Then this is bigger than we thought.” I watch Elder Thorne shake Asher’s hand. “They’re making this official.”

*Get our mate out. Now. This is too dangerous.*

Not yet. We need to hear what they’re planning.

Elder Thorne and Asher disappear into the building. The guards take positions outside. Blocking exits.

My phone buzzes. A text from Freya.

*I can see them from here. Who is that with Asher?*

I text back quickly.

*High Council. This just became much worse. Stay hidden. Do NOT move unless I say.*

Three dots appear. Then disappear. Then her response.

“Okay. Be careful.”

Those two words make my chest tight. She’s scared. I can feel it through the bond. Feel her fear mixing with my own.

“New plan.” I speak into the comm. “I’m going inside. Getting closer to hear what they’re saying.”

I

“Alone?” Marcus sounds incredulous. “That’s suicide.”

“That’s an order. You and your unit stay ready for extraction. If I’m not out in ten minutes you get everyone out. Including Freya

No arguments.”

“Adrian…” Freya’s voice cuts through. Soft and terrified

Hearing her say my name like that almost breaks me. Makes me want to abort everything. Get her to safety. Damn the

consequences.

But I have to know what they’re planning. Have to understand what we’re really fighting.

“I’ll be fine.” Another lie. “Just stay with Clara. Do exactly what she says.”

I move before anyone can argue. Across the roof. Down the fire escape. Into the shadows.

The guards are focused outward. Not expecting someone already inside their perimeter.

Amateur mistake.

*

1 slip between them. Use the darkness. Use every skill tny father taught me about moving like a ghost.

The entrance is ahead. Unguarded.

Too easy.

*Trap. This is a trap.*

Maybe. But I’m committed now.

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