One Night With My Alpha Professor

Chapter 186 Audrey

I took Edwin's hand and leaned against the doorframe with him, watching as Peter and Eliza began to argue over a card

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Their bickering was light-hearted, nothing like the tension from earlier in the evening. It was a welcome change, the sound of their playful jabs filling the warm living room- even if I knew that they were only doing it to give the two of us a bit of privacy and to lighten the mood.

"Are you alright?" Edwin asked quietly, his thumb tracing circles on the back of my hand. His touch was tentative but gentle and comforting, and I felt some of the lingering tension from the night's events melt away just from that single point of

contact.

I nodded, offering him a small smile. "Yeah, I'm okay now. Eliza came to talk to me after you left." Edwin's eyebrows rose slightly. "Oh? What did she say?"

"She explained a bit about the... complicated relationships in your family," I said, choosing my words carefully. I glanced back at Eliza, who was now triumphantly laying down a winning hand, much to Peter's apparent chagrin. "It helped me understand things a bit better."

"The Brooks family has been a f**g mess since the beginning," she had explained as she had thrown a soft blanket over me and pressed a cup of hot cocoa into my hands. "Don't blame yourself for the things my idiot father said and did tonight. He would have found something to pick on even if you had been perfect, because that's what he does."

Edwin's expression softened, a mixture of relief and something that looked almost like guilt crossing his features. "I'm glad. I know my family can be... a lot to take in," he murmured.

I nodded and chewed my lip for a moment, still feeling exhausted from all of it- especially now that the alcohol had worn off. A lot to take in' was putting it lightly. And Edwin knew that as well as I did. Edwin turned to me, taking both of my hands in his now. "Peter offered to help train you to shift. Is that something you would like?"

I blinked in surprise, my heart s*ing a beat. "Really? And you're... okay with that?"

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12:36 Mon, Sep 23 CGI Chapter 186

"But I don't want my boyish jealousy to get in the way of you being happy. If you want to learn to shift, then he'd be the best to teach you, given his own experience." "I wasn't easy seeing my mate in the arms of another, he said

1 studied his face, searching for any signs of hesitation or jealou Finding none, I felt a wave of relief wash over me. "That's... I'd like that. Thank you, Edwin. Thank you."

"But Audrey," Edwin continued, his voice low and earnest, his free hand coming up to cup my check, "I need you to know something. You are amazing, regardless of what you're capable of or not. I'd love you just the same even if you were still human, and my love for you has nothing to do with the Silver Star. I hope you understand that."

His words made my heart swell, and I felt tears p**k at the corners of my eyes. "Edwin..."

"I hate the idea of you feeling like a failure or anything less because of the expectations placed on you as the Silver Star," he said, his gray eyes so intense now that little flecks of gold were beginning to burn in their depths. "And I'm sorry if I ever contributed to that feeling. I promise to stay by your side and never make you feel that way again."

I couldn't help myself. Tears spilled over, trailing in twin rivulets down my cheeks. Edwin gently wiped them away with his thumbs before Eliza or Peter could see them.

"That's all I ever wanted," I whispered. "To be accepted."

"And you are."

Edwin wrapped his arms around me, holding me close. I buried my face in his chest, inhaling his comforting scent. We stood like that for a moment, swaying slightly, the sounds of Peter and Eliza's argument mingling with the soft music playing on the radio.

Suddenly, the clock on the mantel began to chime. Midnight. The sound rang out clear and crisp across the room, and everyone fell silent.

A year. It had been a year since I had met this amazing, wonderful man. And while this year had had its ups and downs, while tonight had had its ups and downs, I was happy to be here now. With him. I looked up at Edwin, a tiny smile tugging at the corners of my lips. Without a word, he leaned down and kissed me softly. Then, with a mischievous glint in his eye, he dipped me dramatically, deepening the kiss.

His lips were warm and insistent against mine, and I felt myself melting into him, the world around us fading away. I tangled my fingers in the hair at the nape of his neck, tugging him just a little closer, needing just a little more taste of him. It was exactly

what I had wanted last year, but had been too shocked to take for myself. Not anymore.

Our lips parted just enough for me to murmur, "It's just like...".

Edwin chuckled into my mouth. "I know. I've been waiting a year for this."

When he finally stood me back up, I was breathless and laughing, my cheeks flushed. with a new heat that had nothing to do with the fire or the ling ring effects of the alcohol.

"Get a room, you two!" Eliza called from the couch, tossing a pillow in our direction. It sailed past us, landing with a soft thud on the floor.

"Where's my kiss?" Peter cooed, winking first at me and then opening his arms to Edwin and making a kissy face, to which Edwin chucked the pillow back with even more force.

1 felt my cheeks flush even deeper, but I couldn't stop smiling. Despite everything. I was happy to be here, part of this little family. Dysfunctional as it might be, it felt like home.

Over the next few days, Edwin and I prepared to return to Grayspring for my final. semester. As I packed my things, a wave of nostalgia washed over me. I was glad to go back to Grayspring and see my friends, but also sad to say goodbye to Hadley and the mansion that I had grown to love over the past couple of weeks.

"You okay?" Edwin asked, leaning against the doorframe of our bedroom.

I nodded, folding a sweater and placing it in my suitcase. "Yeah, just... I'm going to miss this place."

Edwin crossed the room and wrapped his arms around me from behind. His chest was warm against my back, and I leaned into him instinctively. "We'll be back," he

promised, resting his chin on my shoulder. "This can be your home now too, you know. If you want it."

I turned in his arms to face him, cupping his square jaw in my hands. "Home for me is anywhere that you are," I whispered.

Edwin's eyes flickered yellow at that, and without a word, he leaned down and captured my lips with mine. Before I knew it, we were shoving back against the bed, a tangle of lips and limbs and tongues. It was only later, when we were both finished and breathless and still half-clothed, that

Mon, Sep

Edwin turned to me with a grin.

"One last trip to town?" he asked, brushing a thumb across my nose. "I like the idea of parading you around while your cheeks are still flushed from ravishing you."

An hour later, we were strolling hand in hand down the quaint main street of the town. The air was crisp and cold, our breath forming little clouds in front of us.

I sipped the latte Edwin had bought for me, savoring the warmth that spread through me and the sweet taste of the sugar. Just like before, people greeted us as we passed, smiling and waving at their Alpha and future Luna, only it was slightly different this time-I didn't quite balk at the title like I had before.

As we walked, we passed by the jewelry store where I had seen the ring I liked a couple of weeks ago. Almost unconsciously, my steps slowed as we approached the window, my eyes drawn to the glittering display.

I wanted to see it again. Just once.

We reached the window, and I peered in, searching for the familiar glint of silver and

the soft red of the ruby. My eyes scanned the display, moving from one beautiful piece. to another, but the spot where it had been was empty. Someone had bought it.