One Night With My Alpha Professor

Chapter 28

Audrey & Third Person

Audrey's POV

I stared at the cheerleading squad in complete disbelief, my jaw hanging open as they performed their routine in those all-too-familiar uniforms. The asymmetrical bodice, the sweeping skirt with that pop of burgundy, the cream knitted cardigan...

It was unmistakably my design down to the very last detail.

000 000 000000000☐☐☐

But how? I had received that email just last week, clearly stating that my submission had been rejected. So who had approved this? And why was my hard work being showcased without any credit?

Suddenly, the sensation of someone shaking my arm pulled me out of my stupor. I whipped my head around to see my friends staring at me with wide eyes, their faces just as shocked as mine was. "Audrey, is that...?"

Tina didn't even need to finish before I was turning on my heel. Gritting my teeth, I pushed through the crowd, making a beeline for the bulletin board near the gymnasium entrance. Sure enough, tacked up amongst the various announcements and flyers was an official- looking notice detailing the winning cheerleading uniform design pick.

My heart dropped into my stomach when I saw the bolded name at the top of the page.

Linda O'Malley.

Of course. That scheming little brat had obviously found a way to steal my hard work and pass it off as her own, just to spite me. Just like she had done when she trashed our studio. A white-hot flare of rage ignited within me, and I whipped around to search the gym for that familiar brunette head of hers.

"There's the little thief," I snarled when I spotted her, causing a few nearby people to jump in surprise.

Tina grabbed my arm again. "Audrey, don't-"

"No," I growled, pulling my arm away. "I'm giving her a piece of my mind. How dare she steal my design!"

Before my friends could stop me, I was already storming toward Linda and her gaggle of new friends. Stopping a few feet from her, I clenched my hands into fists and called out, "You stole my design, you bitch!"

Linda turned at the sound of my voice, and her eyes widened almost comically. Good-so she knew exactly why I was furious. Still, she tried to play innocent at first.

"Audrey! I was just about to look for you," she purred, clutching a hand to her chest in mock surprise. "Isn't this just so exciting? They chose my design!"

"Your design?!" I scoffed, loudly enough to draw the attention of those sitting nearby. I jabbed an accusing finger toward the cheerleaders still performing their routine in my stolen uniform design. "That's my work, and you know it!"

Linda's false sweetness disappeared in an instant, and she bared her teeth in a feral sneer that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. In the blink of an eye, one of her friends-a tall, brutish girl who was apparently Linda's new bodyguard-materialized beside her.

"You got a problem, runt?" she growled, taking a menacing step towards me.

I faltered, instinctively shrinking back as her eyes seemed to flicker. A tremor of fear shot through me as she parted her lips, revealing her fangs.

"Whoa, easy there, Regan," Linda purred, resting a hand on her friend's bulging arm. She fixed me with a look of pure venom. "Little Miss Priss here is just throwing a tantrum because she didn't get her way. Isn't that right, Audrey?"

Swallowing hard, I mustered up every ounce of courage and lifted my chin defiantly. "You're going to pay for this, Linda. Stealing isn't going to get you anywhere in this school-or in life. Just you wait."

For a brief moment, Linda looked almost impressed by my bravado. Then the mocking sneer returned. "Whatever you say, Audrey. Now why don't you run back to your little friends? Or should I ask Regan to walk you back herself?"

Regan rumbled out a guttural growl that sent a tremor through me; the girl was at least twice my size, likely on the rugby team. Against my better judgment, I backed away-but not before shooting Linda one final glare over my shoulder as I stalked off to find Tina, Avis and Gavin.

Linda would get her comeuppance. I would make sure of it.

Third Person POV

Hours later, when the game had ended and the crowd was beginning to thin out, Linda lingered in the hallway outside the locker rooms with Regan and a few of her other new friends. She was practically glowing with smug satisfaction over having cowed that little brat Audrey earlier.

"I'm telling you, girls," she said, dabbing at her lip gloss with her pinky finger in the mirror of her small compact, "she won't be around for much longer. This is only the beginning..."Please check at N/ôvel(D)rama.Org.

But as they headed for the exit, Linda's sharp ears picked up the sound of heels clicking briskly on the tiled floor behind them. Linda turned with a scowl already in place, ready to bite out a scathing remark to whomever else was bothering them, but the words died in her throat.

A sleekly dressed woman in a sharp navy pantsuit was striding towards them with an air of elegant confidence. Her dark hair was pulled back into a tight bun, and her ruby-red lips were curved into a polite yet disinterested smile. "Linda O'Malley?" the woman inquired once she reached them. She held out a slim hand when Linda stepped forward. "Elaine Constantine. I'm an associate of Claudia Klein-the Luna of the Silverbite Pack."

The name alone was enough to wipe the scowl from Linda's face. The other girls exchanged hushed, awestruck murmurs as Linda reached out to shake Elaine's hand.

"To... To what do I owe the pleasure?" Linda asked, doing her best to keep her tone calm and unaffected despite the excited pounding of her heart.

Elaine shot her an appraising look. "Ms. Klein was quite taken with your cheerleading uniform design. Said it reminded her of her own youth. The Luna wishes to potentially commission similar designs from you, if you would be interested."

"Of course!" Unable to contain her delight, Linda positively beamed at the woman. "I would be honored. Where can I meet with her?"

"Here." Elaine produced a sleek black business card and held it out. "This is the address of a private dining establishment where Ms. Klein will be waiting tomorrow evening at eight. Please don't be late-her time is extremely valuable."

"I won't let you down," Linda promised, accepting the card and clutching it to her chest.

As Linda watched the envious looks on her friends' faces, a delicious thrill of triumph coursed through her. Finally, someone was giving her talent the recognition it deserved instead of fawning over that loser Audrey's mediocre skills. She could hardly wait to see the look on that pathetic girl's face when word got out about this...

Who cared if it wasn't Linda's design? It was just something to get her foot in the door, something to set herself up so she could show her true skills.

Or at least, that was what Linda told her friends as they strutted away.

Little did Linda know, Audrey was lingering just around the corner. Audrey had overheard the entire conversation

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7:39 PM

Chapter 28

while waiting for her friends to emerge from the locker room, and her eyes narrowed dangerously as the pieces fell into place.

Like hell Linda would be getting away with this.