The Professor's Mate Clause novel Chapter 52

CHAPTER 9-

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CHAPTER 52

FREYA’S POV

“Stay down.” Clara’s hand pushes my head lower behind the rusted equipment. “They haven’t seen us yet.”

“Yet being the key word.” My heart pounds so hard I can hear it. “Clara this was a bad idea. We should leave.”

“We follow Adrian’s orders. We stay until he says move.”

From our hiding spot I can see the main building. See Asher’s wolves positioned outside. See the expensive sedan that brought whoever that important-looking man was.

Adrian texted me it’s someone from the High Council. That this is worse than expected.

Everything about this feels wrong. The air is too quiet. The shadows too deep. Like the whole place is holding its breath waiting for violence.

“Can you see Adrian?” I whisper.

“No. He went inside five minutes ago. Radio silent since then.” Clara shifts slightly. Her hand stays on her weapon. “Trust him. He knows what he’s doing.”

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I want to trust him. But every instinct screams danger. The bond pulls tight in my chest. Anxious. Warning.

Then I see movement. Another vehicle approaching. Fast.

“Clara. Someone else is coming.”

“I see it.” Her voice goes hard. “That’s not part of the plan.”

A black truck pulls up, The door opens and a woman not just any woman steps out.

My stomach

“No.” The word comes out strangled. “No that’s not possible.”

how did she get out what was she doing here.

“Who is it?” Clara leans forward trying to see better.

www

“Vanessa.” I can barely breathe. “That’s Vanessa. Kelvin’s wife.”

“What? How did she…” Clara goes still. “Freya. We need to leave. Now.”

“Why? What’s happening?”

“If Vanessa is here that means they know. They know we’re watching. This whole thing is a trap.” Clara starts pulling me backward. “Move. Quietly. We need to-I

“Well well well.” A male voice behind us. “Look what we have here.”

We spin around.

Three wolves stand ten feet away. All shifted. Yellow eyes glowing in the darkness. Teeth bared.

How did they get behind us? We were watching the front.

“Run.” Clara shoves ne hard. “RUN.”

I stumble. Catch myself Start running

Behind me Clara shifts mid-leap Her clothes tear: Gray fur explodes. She hits the first wolf with a sport

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But I can’t help her. Can’t fight. Can’t do anything except run like she ordered.

My feet pound against gravel My breath comes in gasps. The bond screams at me. Warning. Demanding I find Adrian,

I round a corner. Slam into something solid.

Arms grab me. Familiar cologne hits my nose.

“Hello Freya.” Kelvin’s voice. “Miss me?”

I try to scream. His hand covers my mouth.

“Now now. None of that.” He starts dragging me backward. Toward the main building, “Father wants to meet you properly. Have a little chat.”

I thrash. Kick. Try everything Adrian taught me.

Kelvin just laughs. “You really thought a few weeks of training would help? I’ve been doing this my whole life.”

He’s right. He’s so much stronger. I can’t break free.

Then I hear it. Adrian’s roar from inside the building. Furious. Desperate.

He knows. He knows they have me.

“FREYA.” His voice carries. “LET HER GO.”

“Or what?” Kelvin yells back. “You’ll kill me? Go ahead. Try.”

He drags me through the entrance. Into the massive smelting room.

Asher stands in the center. Elder Thorne beside him. And Vanessa/All of them watching me with varying expressions.

Asher looks satisfied. Elder Thorne looks

“Let her go Kelvin.” Adrian’s voice comes fro

in the shadows. Deadly calm. “Let her go or I tear this place apart.”

going to happen. You’re going of

have you pinned. You move and they kill you.” Asher smiles. “So here’s what’s to come out. Shift back. Surrender peacefully. And maybe I let her live.”

“You’re surrounded Adrian. Eight

“You’re lying.” Adrian’s voice gets colder. “You want her dead. That’s the whole point.”

“True. But I’ll make it quick. Painless. Better than what happens if you resist.” Asher nods to Kelvin. “Bring her closer.”

Kelvin forces me forward. I can see shapes in the darkness now. Wolves circling. Waiting.

Where is Adrian? Where is he?

“I have a better idea.” Adrian’s voice echoes from everywhere. “You let her go. I let you live. For now.”

“You’re not in a position to negotiate.”

“Aren’t I?”

Then everything happens at once.

Adrian explodes from the shadows. But not as a man.

As a wolf.

Γ

Massive. Black fur. Blue eyes that glow like fire. He’s bigger than any wolt I’ve ever seen. Bigger than should be possible.

This is what he is. This is what he’s been hiding

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And he is magnificent. Terrifying. Deadly.

He hits the first wolf before anyone can react. Teeth find throat. Blood sprays. The wolf drops.

Kelvin releases me. Shifts. Joins the fight.

I stumble backward, hitting my back a wall. Can only watch as chaos erupts.

Adrian fights like something from a nightmare. Fast. Brutal. Efficient. Three wolves attack at once. He takes them all. Claws tear. Jaws snap. Bodies fall.

But there are too many. For every one he drops two more appear.

He’s going to lose. He’s going to die.

Unless I do something.

*

But what? I can’t shift. Can’t fight wolves. Can’t do anything except stand here useless.

Then I see it. A piece of rebar on the ground. Rusted. Sharp. Heavy enough to hurt.

I grab it. My hands shake so badly I almost drop it.

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A wolf breaks from the pack. Heads toward me. Yellow eyes locked on target.

I swing. The rebar connects with its head. The wolf yelps. Stumbles. Not dead. But hurt.

“That’s right.” Vanessa’s voice behind me. “Fight back little human. Makes this more fun.”

I spin. She’s in human form. Smiling that awful smile.

“You can’t win this Freya. You’re weak. Pathetic. You don’t

t belong

our world.”

“Maybe not.” I grip the rebar tighter. “But I’m not going down without a fight.”

She laughs. “How cute. Adrian’s little pet has claws.”

She moves fast. Grabs my wrist. Twists. Pain explodes. The rebar falls from my hand.

“Let me show you what real power looks like.”

Her hand wraps around my throat. Squeezes. I can’t breathe. Can’t scream.

Adrian’s roar shakes the building. I see him turn. See him notice Vanessa choking me.

See him abandon the fight. Start running toward me.

No. He’s going to get himself killed.

Vanessa’s grip tightens. Black spots dance in my vision.

“Say goodbye Freya. This is where your story ends.”

Then something crashes through the window. Glass explodes everywhere.

More wolves pour in. But these are different. These are Adrian’s pack.

Margus leads them. Shifted. Massive. He slams into Vanessa. She releases me. I collapse gasping.

The fight becomes chaos. Wolves everywhere Snarling. Bleeding, Dying.

“RETREAT.” Asher’s voice cuts through. “Fall back. NOW

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