“I’d like that, Professor.”
Professor Milliner tapped his papa’s book with a meaningful stare.“This might give you the answers you’re looking for.Particularly Chapter Five, which details many first-hand accounts of omegas who claimed to have communed with Omha.Non-Seers who dreamt of a warning that prepared them for an event that later came true, or who felt a bond before their alpha did, sometimes years in advance, though they could never legally tell anyone.”
Lucky raised his head, stunned.“One of my friends felt the bond and filed it, but he can’t reject them because the alpha hasn’t felt the bond.”Was Omha taking a hand?Had She given Kain insight so he wouldn’t suffer a mate like Lincoln?
Professor Milliner nodded.“I’ve heard rumours about Kain’s true mate bond with Lincoln Halloway.I’m glad he avoided the pain of making a bond that would only be broken, but I can understand why it would be hard for him to talk about.”He paused, frowning.“Your papa mentioned that one of your mates is ORT.Perhaps he can expedite the situation?You could tell him about Kain and leave it in his hands.I’m sure the ORT would be happy to take care of the problem.”
“I’ll do that.”Lucky would do anything to heal Kain’s pain, hating that he’d been the cause of confusion and doubt, just because Lincoln wouldn’t accept that his feelings were one-sided.“I’ll read this from cover to cover.Hopefully, my papa will talk it through with me, if I have trouble.”
The professor laughed, pushing his glasses up his nose.“I doubt you will.You are remarkably like your father, with the same ideals and philosophies.Sometimes I read your papers and have to remind myself that you’re not Xavier.”
“Thank you, Professor.I consider that a compliment.”
“You should.”The professor walked him to the door.“By the way, have you registered with the school as AOA?”They reached the doorway where Chase and Grant were waiting.“If you intend to bond, you should update your next-of-kin forms.There are three lines for a reason.”
Professor Milliner tucked his hands into his trouser pockets.“I’d suggest reading the professor biographies on the campus website.If you have questions, you’re welcome to ask.Though I’m sure you understand that I don’t want to be disturbed for the next hour.It’s rather hard to get time alone with a bonded mate who is academically inclined.Worse when one is a professor with tenure, one working towards a graduate degree, and another a police officer.”
Lucky’s mouth dropped open in understanding.
Chase slid a hand over his waist and stepped away from the wall.“I’ll be speaking to you soon, Professor.And I’ll make sure I don’t hold you up after class again.”
“I’d appreciate that.”Professor Milliner returned to his classroom and closed the door behind him.
Lucky shook his head.“He can’t mean?”
Chase removed his phone from his back pocket and looked up Professor Milliner’s profile on the campus website.
Name: Professor Cyran Milliner.
Position: Tenured Professor of History.
Relationship: mated and bonded, in a registered AOA.
“Wow.”Lucky looked at Chase, relieved his favourite professor had meant it when he’d said he could understand.He wasn’t blindly talking about omega rights and changes to the laws—he understood, because he had an omega who faced the same challenges Lucky did.
Chase flashed a cautious smile.“If the university recognises an AOA, then it must be legally accepted by the government.”
Gods, he was right.The Roach knew the term, and now a police officer and a college professor were in a recognised, registered relationship of a similar dynamic to theirs?two alphas and an omega.
Chapter Fourteen
Lucky
“Lucky,” Professor Juniper snapped from the front of class, “stay behind.”
He rolled his eyes and wished he was back at the hotel.Clearly all his luck had run out to have Professor Juniper on his first day back.The last few days with Chase and Ford had been strangely nice, despite the circumstances.He should have known it couldn’t last.
While the rest of the class filtered from the room, Lucky packed his books and stood to toss his bag over his shoulder.Heading to the front of class, Lucky hovered at Professor Juniper’s desk as she filled out paperwork.The evil bitch made him wait until she was finished.Half the time he was sure Professor Juniper knew when he had Professor Flanagan directly after her, because shealwayskept the class late.He was convinced she did it on purpose because she hated that there was an omega professor teaching them the truth while all Juniper could spout were pro-alpha lies.
“You were absent on Friday and Monday,” the professor said with utter contempt, clearly not caring that he’d also missed Tuesday and Wednesday because Lucky didn’t have her class on those days.“You’ll return at the end of the day, and every day for the rest of the week, to complete two hours of detention, to make up for the two days of class you recklessly missed.”Capping her pen, Professor Juniper clasped her hands over her papers.“You wasted my time and yours by choosing the whims of your omega urges over your education.”
Lucky would normally hold his tongue around Professor Juniper because he didn’t want to get in trouble and put his education at risk.He’d always known she was a bitch, but this was outrageous.So much for Professor Milliner promising he wouldn’t face any problems about his time off.“Professor, it may have escaped your attention, but I was kidnapped from campus on Thursday evening.By a trafficker from the Omega Market.”
Professor Juniper firmed her jaw and tipped her head up, clearly not believing him.
“The only appropriate reaction to that should be to ask how I’m coping.Since my safety and welfare clearly mean nothing to you, I won’t waste my breath with an apology you don’t deserve.”Lucky adjusted his bag over his shoulder and took a step back.“Fuck your detention.If you want proof, I’ll get the ORT to testify that I was high on OX while you think I should have been attending class.I’m sure they’ll have a lot to say about your priorities once they find out.”
He turned to walk out, and was surprised to find Chase stood in the doorway, leaning on the frame with his hands in his pockets.He looked pissed off, but didn’t interrupt Lucky despite having clearly been there for a while.
