Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 98496 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 492(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98496 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 492(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
“Holy cow!”
It was enough to make Kassia sit up in shock, her mind transitioning from the hazy depths of sleep to instant, panic-stricken wakefulness.
The hotel bedroom, which she had thought gigantic last night, now felt claustrophobic. Fear deprived her of rational thinking, and all Kassia could think was that she was alone with a wolf.
A wolf!
Kassia wanted to scream.
The wolf was going to eat her.
No matter where she went, no matter how fast she moved, the wolf would still catch her, and she was—-
Being laughed at.
Kassia blinked, squinted, and rubbed her eyes several times, but when her gaze narrowed back at the wolf, she realized she hadn’t imagined the amusement gleaming in its green eyes.
Holy cow, but the wolf was laughing at her.
Common sense returned in a flash, together with crucial memories. Swallowing, she ventured, “P-professor?”
The wolf’s head moved down.
Her eyes widened. It had nodded at her, hadn’t it?
“Y-you’re really the professor?”
Another nod.
A sigh of relief escaped Kassia, and when the gleam in the wolf’s eyes blazed more brightly, she knew the professor was laughing at her still. “It’s not funny,” Kassia protested. In fact, she could feel how her heart was beating like a madman pounding a hammer, and even now her mind was reeling—-
The wolf was the professor.
The professor was the wolf.
Her fingers curled tightly against the sheets as she worked to get past the anxiety-inducing truth. In front of her, the wolf suddenly moved, and Kassia stiffened instinctively.
At her response, the wolf stilled and inclined its head, as if asking if she was okay.
Forcing a smile, she stammered, “Sorry. I’m still adjusting.” It was pathetic, but it was the truth, and she didn’t want to lie to the professor.
The wolf slowly nodded. Then it inclined its head towards the bedside table, and following its gaze, Kassia saw the note lying on top. Taking it, she recognized the professor’s handwriting, which was almost old-fashioned in its precision and beauty.
Fresh change of clothes has been prepared in the bathroom for you.
Breakfast is also waiting.
When you’re done, I’ll be accompanying you back to school in Lyccan form.
Yours,
Alessandro Moretti
Kassia’s fingers itched to trace the penultimate line, and if the professor hadn’t been there, she would have.
Yours, the professor had written.
Alessandro Moretti, one of the world’s most sought-after bachelors – the sexiest man alive in her eyes – considered himself hers.
Something nuzzled her palm, and only the slightest frisson of fear ran down her spine at seeing the professor’s Lyccan form so close.
Their eyes met, and when Kassia saw the question in its gaze, as if the professor was silently asking why it took her too long to read a relatively short message, she shook her head with a faint smile. “It’s n-nothing,” she murmured, emotions she didn’t want to label making her voice husky.
Swallowing past the last remnants of her fear, Kassia tentatively reached for the wolf.
Its green gaze remained steady as she did, and even with its formidable body motionless, it still cut a dauntingly lethal form.
Finally, her fingers grazed the top of the wolf’s head, and her breath caught. Its fur was silky soft, almost luxuriously so. Which was a beautiful thing, Kassia thought, but even she knew she couldn’t stop there.
Sucking her breath in as her trepidation came back in full force, she forced her hand to move. Up. Down. Her fingers moved cautiously, the cowardly, irrational part of Kassia expecting the wolf to turn around and chomp her fingers off in any moment.
But it didn’t.
Her courage grew, and after a moment of hesitation, she ran her fingers through its fur, combing down on its flanks. Her fingers paused on the spot where she could feel its heartbeat against its chest.
She blinked in surprise.
The wolf’s heart was racing.
No, the professor’s heart was racing.
It made her own heart race as well, and even though she still had trouble reconciling that both wolf and the professor were one, she determinedly swung her legs off the bed to bend closer towards the creature.
As she touched the wolf’s head, it turned towards her, nuzzling her hand. The action made her tremble, but she didn’t pull away. A second later, the wolf licked her hand, and a surprised giggle escaped Kassia. “That tickles!”
Its green eyes gleamed before the wolf licked her hand again.
A thought strayed into her mind – that it was the professor licking her hand right now – and Kassia gulped, a forbidden thrill sweeping over her at the realization.
When she pulled her hand away, the wolf looked at her before padding towards the bathroom. Stopping in front of its door, it glanced back at her and let out a single bark when she remained unmoving.
Get ready, the bark clearly said.
She couldn’t help smiling at it, murmuring ruefully, “Even when you’re in Lyccan form, you’re still ordering me around, Professor.”
The wolf rolled its eyes at her. Naturally.