Chapter 191
Lily POV
My heart sank. Retired? But I had just spoken with her a few weeks ago. Around that time, I and Kai were having issues with the girl he rescued. Unless… unless that conversation had taken place longer ago than I remembered. The past week had been such a blur of trauma and recovery that my sense of time might be completely off.
“No, thank you,” I said, forcing a polite smile. “I was just hoping to continue a conversation we’d started p>
Mrs. Foster nodded sympathetically. “I understand. Mrs. Thompson mentioned she had several ongoing research projects with students. If you’d like, I can try to contact her—she left forwarding information for academic inquiries p>
“That would be wonderful,” I replied, making a mental note to return tomorrow with more specific questions about how to reach the woman who might hold answers about my mother’s past.
I selected a corner table in the quieter section of the library, away from the undergraduate study groups and closer to the graduate research area where serious academic work took place. The spot was partially hidden by tall stacks, providing privacy while still offering good lighting and easy access to resources.
Carefully, I spread out my collection of materials across the large table, grouping them by subject and priority. The volume of it shook my heart with fear—weeks’ worth of reading assignments, video lectures, problem sets, and research projects that would need to be completed in addition to my regular coursework.
And I only had three weeks at most before the exams.
I pulled out a fresh notebook and began crafting a study plan, determined to approach this challenge with the same methodical precision I’d learned from Mr Sterling about Pack Management.
First, I categorized each subject’s topics from the most easily understood to the most difficult, creating a logical progression that would build on previous knowledge.
Mathematics and Statistics formed one column—concrete subjects with clear right and wrong answers that were easily solvable. Political Theory and Psychology occupied another section,
The most challenging category was the History curriculum. His materials were extensive and complex, requiring not just memorization but deep analytical thinking about cause and effect, pattern recognition across centuries of werewolf society development.
I would need to give it significant time to this subject, especially given his warning about my fragile academic standing.
Time passed as I recopied the soggy notes from earlier today. After that, I started working on assignments that were past due. The aim was to get at least four of them done before it is time to meet with my history lecturer.
I was completely absorbed in it, that I forgot my surrounding. It was only when I was done with the last of the assignment and dropped my pen that I finally looked up, stretching my neck and shoulders to ease the tension from hunching over my notebook.
I scanned the library, noting that there were few students on this side and they all seemed absorbed with their work. My gaze finally ended on a figure sitting across from me at the adjacent table, so close I could have reached out and touched his coffee cup.
It was the history lecturer.
He was hunched over a laptop computer, his wire-rimmed glasses reflecting the screen’s glow as he typed with focused concentration. Beside his laptop lay an open hardcover book—old and worn, with handwritten notes visible in the margins.
How long had he been there? How had I not noticed him arrive?
As if sensing my gaze, he raised his head from his work, and our eyes met across the small space between our tables. For a moment, neither of us spoke, the silence stretching awkwardly as we took in each other’s presence.
His dark hair was slightly mussed, as if he’d been running his hands through it while working. The sleeves of his burgundy sweater were pushed up to his elbows, revealing forearms marked with what looked like old scars—thin, precise lines that suggested either accidents or something more. His expression was unreadable, those intelligent brown eyes studying me with the same intensity he brought to his historical research.
“Miss Stone,” he said finally, “I didn’t expect to see you here so late in the day p>
I glanced at the clock on the wall and was startled to realize it was nearly four o’clock. I had been working for over an hour without realizing how much time had passed.
“I lost track of time,” I admitted, echoing the excuse that had gotten me into trouble yesterday. “I was organizing my study materials and creating a schedule for catching up on everything and also doing my assignments p>
His gaze moved to the spread of papers, books, and color-coded charts covering my table. Something that might have been approval flickered across his features.
“Impressive organization,” he observed, closing his laptop and giving me his full attention. “Will you be able to manage everything with the exams coming p>
“I can try,” I said with a small smile. “I’ve broken everything down by priority and I will work with that p>
“And where does our tutoring session rank in this carefully constructed organization?” he asked.
Heat flooded my cheeks as I realized I had forgotten about our scheduled meeting. Again. “I’m so sorry—what time were we supposed to meet p>
“Two o’clock,” he replied, consulting his watch.”Which was approximately two hours ago p>
My stomach dropped. After all my promises about not being late again, after his ultimatum about this being my last chance, I had completely lost track of time and missed another appointment.
“Sir, I can explain p>
“Can you?” he interrupted, leaning back in his chair with an expression that was part curiosity, part resignation. “Because I’m beginning to think that time management isn’t your only challenge, Miss Stone p>
“I was working on my schedule,” I said lamely, gesturing to my color-coded charts. “I genuinely lost track of time p>
He studied me for a long moment, his fingers drumming silently against his closed laptop. “Tell me, Miss Stone,” he said finally, “what exactly is so important about your schedule that it takes precedence over keeping your commitments p>