Piss Off, Alpha! You Lost Me Forever-Chapter 117 Professor Archer

DAMIEN’S POV

I’d been looking forward to this dinner.

It was supposed to be a quiet business meeting with Professor Archer Reese to discuss funding for his new medical research initiative. Simon had joined because he was always interested in philanthropic opportunities, and Tiffany had asked to come because she wanted to discuss her own academic struggles.

What I hadn’t expected was for Tiffany to spend the first twenty minutes of dinner nervously fidgeting with her napkin while Archer reviewed her academic records with a frown on his face..

"Miss Tiffany” Archer said finally, setting down the tablet he’d been reading from. "I’m going to be blunt with you. You secured a postdoctoral position six months ago. In that time, you’ve produced exactly zero publishable research."

Tiffany’s face turned red "I’ve been trying to find the right research direction. I want to make sure I choose something meaningful-"

"Meaningful?" Archer scoffed. "Or are you simply avoiding the hard work? According to your advisor’s reports, you’ve missed fifteen percent of your scheduled lab hours. You rarely stay past five p.m., and you haven’t been to the research library after hours even once."

"I have other commitments," Tiffany said "Family obligations, and-"

"Medicine doesn’t care about your other commitments." Archer leaned forward. "Let me be very clear, Tiffany. You are wasting valuable academic resources. Lab space, equipment, funding - all of which could be going to students who actually want to be here."

My wolf stirred uncomfortably. This wasn’t what I’d expected from this dinner. Tiffany had asked me to come for moral support, but I hadn’t realized how serious her academic problems were.

"Professor Reese," I started, trying to intervene. "Perhaps we could discuss-"

"With all due respect, Alpha, this is an academic matter." Archer didn’t even look at me. His eyes stayed locked on Tiffany. "Miss, I’ve been teaching for thirty years. I can recognize when a student is passionate about medicine versus when they’re just going through the motions. You fall into the latter category."

Tiffany’s eyes were filling with tears. "That’s not fair. I care about medicine-"

"Do you? Because your actions suggest otherwise." Archer’s voice was col. "You chose this program for the prestige, not the work. You want the title of ’doctor’ without putting in the hours of research."

"That’s not true!" Tiffany’s voice broke.

"Then prove me wrong. Show me research. Show me dedication." Archer sat back in his chair. "Or do us all a favor and quit now before you waste more of everyone’s time."

Simon’s wolf flared with protective anger. I could feel it radiating off him.

"Now wait just a goddamn minute," Simon growled. For a second, his eyes turned gold. "You can’t talk to her like that. Tiffany is brilliant, she’s talented, she’s-"

"She’s undisciplined," Archer interrupted calmly. "And you enabling her isn’t helping."

"Enabling?" Simon stood up, his hands flat on the table. "I’m supporting her! There’s a difference!"

"Is there?" Archer didn’t seem intimidated by Simon "Tell me, when was the last time you actually pushed Miss Myres to work harder instead of making excuses for why she isn’t producing results?"

Simon’s jaw clenched. He looked at me, silently asking for backup.

But I was watching Tiffany. She’d shrunk in on herself. Her head was bowed and she had tears streaming silently down her face. She looked devastated.

"The problem with students like you," Archer continued "is that you can’t handle solitude. You can’t sit alone in a lab for twelve hours running tests. You can’t spend weekends in the library reading through research papers. You need constant stimulation"

"That doesn’t make her a bad doctor," I said quietly.

"No, but it makes her unsuited for research medicine." Archer looked at me directly for the first time. "Alpha, you’re funding a significant portion of my program. So I’ll ask you plainly: do you disagree with my assessment?"

Everyone was looking at me now.

The truth was, I didn’t disagree. I’d seen the same patterns Archer was describing. Tiffany loved the idea of being a researcher, loved telling people about her work at parties, loved the status it gave her. But I’d never actually seen her lose herself in the work the way Sophia used to.

Sophia, who would spend entire nights reading medical journals, who’d forget to eat when she was deep in a case, who’d light up talking about new treatment protocols the way other people talked about their hobbies.

I pushed the thought away.

"Simon," I said. "Why don’t you escort Professor Reese out? I think we’re done here for tonight."

"But-"

"Now, Simon”

He recognized the alpha command in my voice and stood, though he looked like he wanted to punch something. Archer stood as well, gathering his papers.

"Before I go," Archer said, looking at Simon, "I should mention that the student who operated on your mother - the one who saved her life when everyone else had given up - that was one of mine. So when I say I know how to recognize dedication and talent, I’m speaking from experience."

Simon’s face went pale. He was talking about Lance.

"I’ll see myself out," Archer said, nodding to me. "Alpha, we can discuss the funding another time. When there are fewer... distractions."

After he left, the table fell silent. Tiffany was crying softly. Simon looked furious and confused.

"That arrogant bastard," Simon finally said. "He only acts like that because he knows you’ll keep funding his program no matter what. He thinks he’s untouchable."

"He’s arrogant because he’s earned the right to be," I said. "And Simon? He has more than just my funding. Half the medical community respects him. Don’t do anything stupid."

"I’m not going to do anything."

I turned to Tiffany, who was still crying. "

Hey," I said gently, reaching for her hand. "Don’t listen to him. He was being unnecessarily harsh." 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

"But he was right," Tiffany whispered. "I haven’t been focused. I keep making excuses. I’ve been wasting time."

"Then stop wasting time." I squeezed her hand. "Focus on your research. Find a direction that actually excites you. Write your thesis. Prove him wrong."

She looked up at me with red, swollen eyes. "Will you help me?"

"Of course. We’ll find you the right research direction”

"Thank you." She wiped her eyes. "I don’t know what I’d do without you."

I pulled her into my arms, letting her cry against my shoulder. Over her head, I saw Simon watching us with a small smile.

And I realized what that smile meant - he was relieved. He was relieved that I was comforting Tiffany, defending her, choosing her.

Relieved that I’d moved on from Sophia.

The thought should have made me feel... something.

Instead, it just made me feel empty.

But I pushed that feeling down and focused on Tiffany, stroking her hair, promising her everything would be okay.

Because that’s what I was supposed to do.

Even if part of me wondered if Archer had been right about more than just her research habits.

Even if my wolf was pulling at me, trying to make me acknowledge that something was very, very wrong.

I ignored it all and held Tiffany closer.