The Alpha Professors Dark Obsession

CHAPTER ONE

Cassandra's POV

The dull thud in my head was relentless as I groaned, dragging myself upright. My body felt foreign, like a puzzle with mismatched pieces. Even my throat felt dry and scratchy. I blinked against the early morning sunlight and tried to make sense of my surroundings. Instinctively, I reached out to the other side of the bed, expecting to find Nate, my boyfriend.

My hand met warm skin. But it was not Nate's.

I froze, my heart lurching in my chest. Slowly, I turned my head to see a man I didn't recognize. His face was calm, peaceful even. But it was undeniable-he was devastatingly handsome. Messy and curly black hair framed sharp cheekbones, and his full, slightly dark lips were slightly parted in sleep.

Oh, fuck no!

I scrambled out of the bed, clutching the sheet to my chest as memories of the previous night came flooding back. The party. The drinks. Nate hadn't been able to come, so I'd gone with friends. But... how had I ended up here? With him? What the fuck had happened last night?

Then suddenly the man stirred, and I stiffened in horror. All I could do was hold the bed cover to my chest and watch as he turned to where I stood.

His eyes fluttered open. They were a piercing gray, like shards of a storm cloud. For a moment, he looked at me with a small smile forming on his face. "Good morning," he greeted, his voice deep and smooth.

Panic stole what little sense I had left. "I... I need to go."

Without waiting for a response, I glanced around the room wildly for my clothes. In the passion of last night, I seemed to have flung them all over the place. Shirt was hanging from the back of a chair. Pants were squeezed into a corner of the room, behind the vanity mirror.

I rushed forward and grabbed my shirt and pants, throwing them on haphazardly. I couldn't find my panties nor my bra, but fuck those.

The man sat up, watching me. "You don't remember what happened, do you?" he asked.

I didn't respond. I didn't want to know.

Fumbling with the doorknob, I managed to escape into the hallway, leaving him-and the shame of what I'd done-behind.

********

Two weeks later, the memory of that morning still haunted me. I avoided Nate's calls and texts, because of the guilt eating at me. I convinced myself it was a one-time mistake. Something I'd bury and never think about again.

Today was no different. I walked through the halls of my college, trying to blend into the crowd. "Cassie!" My friend Lauren jogged up beside me, practically bouncing with excitement.

"Hey," I mumbled, clutching my books tighter.

"Guess what? Professor Hart is gone."

"Uh-huh." I barely registered her words.

"And we've got a new History professor!"

"That's great, Lauren," I said absentmindedly as we entered the classroom.

"Look!" Lauren nudged me, pointing to the front of the room.

I followed her gaze.

My heart stopped.

It was him.

The stranger from that night. The man in my bed. My one-night stand was standing at the podium, addressing the class.

I couldn't breathe. The world seemed to tilt on its axis as my mind raced to connect the dots. What was he doing here? How could this be happening?

"Cassandra?" His voice cut through my spiraling thoughts like a blade.

I blinked, realizing the room had gone silent, all eyes now on me.

"Is there a problem?" His gray eyes locked onto mine, and I felt like I was pinned in place.

"N-no," I stammered, sinking lower in my seat.

He smirked, just like he had that morning. "Good. Pay attention."

The hour dragged on. Every single second I spent in that class seemed to stretch into an eternity. I couldn't focus on anything except him-his voice, his movements, the way he looked at me like he knew exactly what was running through my mind.

As soon as class ended, I gathered my things, ready to bolt out of that room.

"Cassandra!" his voice called out. "A minute?"