One Night With My Alpha Professor

Chapter 187 Audrey

"Audrey!" Tina squealed as I walked into the familiar bar off campus, running up to me and throwing her arms around my neck. "I missed you so much!"

I st**ed back at the force of my friend's hug, but embraced her just as tightly. "I missed you, too," I replied. "Where is everyone?"

Tina pulled back and gestured over her shoulder toward a corner booth, where the others were currently sipping their own drinks and apparently fighting over a plate of nachos. They looked up and waved when they saw me, and I couldn't help but grin in response.

"So," Tina said as we stopped at the bar first for my drink before joining the others. "How was your vacation? I hope it was nice. I spent Christmas with Betty's family and it was great."

With a deep breath, I launched into the tale of everything that had happened over the winter break. Tina's face went pale the more I explained, and when I was finished, her mouth was practically hanging open. "Wait, so how often are you training now?" she asked.

I took a sip of my drink as we made our way to the booth. "I'll be doing combat training with Edwin four nights a week now," I said. "And Peter will be coming once a week for shifting training."

Tina shot me a concerned look. "On top of school?" I nodded, and she said, "Audrey, that's a lot. You're going to kill yourself with that much work."

She was right, of course; it was a lot. I still had a thesis to work on, classes to worry about, and passing my final semester of college at the top of the list.

But what was I supposed to do? I was the Silver Star, after all. Training was just as important now as everything else.

Or at least, that was what I kept telling myself. It was the only way to keep Erik's words from New Year's Eve out of my head; I figured that if I trained hard enough, even if it killed me, it would be better than feeling like a failure.

Right?

As we settled into the booth, Avis scooched over to make room for

Chapter is:

immediately caught up in the excited chatter of my friends, a sound that I had missed sorely over the break.

But I noticed something: Avis and Gavin were cozy. Avis was sidled up against his side, her knee bumping his under the table. They kept looking at each other whenever they laughed. Avis blushing and tucking little blonde curls behind her ears.

When Gavin put his arm across the back of the booth and touched her shoulder with a finger, 1 exchanged a raised eyebrow with Tina and Betty at the same time.

"Alright, you two," Betty said, scooping up another chip and gesturing at them. "What's your deal? You're acting like a couple."

Gavin and Avis both blushed deep red and looked at each other.

"That's because we are," Gavin said.

The table went silent for a few moments, Betty, Tina, and I sharing matching expressions of shock. "Oh my Goddess!" Tina exclaimed. "Wait, really?!"

Gavin and Avis nodded excitedly. They explained that they had hung out a bit over winter break, just the two of them, and... Well, when Avis had kissed Gavin one night out of the blue, he had kissed her back. And the rest was history.

I was excited for my friends, truly. Gavin and Avis looked happy with each other, and it was nice to finally see Gavin finding the type of love that he genuinely deserved. All this time, I had felt a little guilty for rejecting him, but now...

As the night wore on, my drink emptied, so I offered to buy another round and made my way up to the bar. I ordered five rum and Cokes, tapping my foot to the live music playing on the stage while I waited. Suddenly, I felt someone tap my shoulder.

"Hey," Gavin said, leaning against the bar next to me.

I smiled at him. "Hey yourself. Having fun?"

He nodded, then hesitated for a moment. "Listen, Audrey... I wanted to ask you. something. Is it... is it weird that I started dating Avis after, you know..."

I knew what he was referring to-his crush on me from before. I shook my head, placing a hand on his arm. "Not at all, Gavin. I'm really happy for you. both."

Relief washed over his face. "Really? I just... I want all of us to be happy, you know? And I value our friendship so much."

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Gavin hugged me hack tightly "You're right. Don't take this the wrong way, but I'm kind of glad we never had a real romance"

I smirked and punched his am Tm taking the wrong way"

Laughing. Gavin rubbed his sore arm and shook his head. "Not like that," he assured me. "I just meant that I'm glad we stayed friends and nothing more. Because now we're both on our own paths when it comes to love, and I still get to have you as an amazing friend"

"I'm glad, too, Gavin," I said softly, squeezing his hand. "I really am.

Then, grinning. I tugged him closer and whispered in his ear. "But if you hurt Avis, I'll kill you

He placed a hand over his heart. "I wouldn't dream of it."

The weekend arrived faster than I expected, bringing with it my first training session with Peter. Edwin and I met him in the woods behind campus, the early morning air crisp and cool against my skin. Peter grinned as we approached, pushing away from a tree. "Ready to become a real wolf, little star?"

Edwin squeezed my hand before stepping back. "I'll be right here if you need me."

Peter led me into the center of the small clearing, instructing me to stand in front of him just as I had before. "Close your eyes," he said softly. "Feel the earth beneath you. Let it ground you."

I did as he said, feeling the cool air in my lungs as I took deep breaths.

"Picture your wolf," he murmured. "See her in your mind's eye."

At first, there was nothing but darkness. Then, slowly, I began to see a pair of silver eyes emerging from the shadows. They blinked at me, curious and wild, just like on New Year's Eve. Seeing them was a comfort that I hadn't realized I'd missed since that night.

"I see her eyes," I whispered.

"Good," Peter encouraged. "What else do you see?"

1 concentrated harder, and slowly, the rest of my wolf started to come into focus. Silver fur shimmered in the darkness, and I gasped softly at her beauty.

"She's... She's silver," I replied. "All silver."

"Reach out to her," Peter instructed. "Try to touch her."

I extended my hand in my mind, my fingers stretching toward my wolf's silver fur. She arched toward me, and I could sense her excitement to connect with me as well. But as we closed the distance, my hand passed right through her, as if she were made of smoke.

"Audrey," my wolf said, "Why can't we touch?"

"I don't know. Let me try harder."

Determined, I pushed harder, trying to force myself deeper into the vision. The world around me seemed to fade away, leaving only me and my wolf. Her fur began to grow more solid, more tangible, and I knew that I was getting closer.

If only I could deepen the trance just a little bit more...

But as I pushed, something changed. The peaceful scene in my mind began to warp and twist. Suddenly, a silver arrow appeared out of nowhere, piercing my wolf's side.

A scream tore from my throat, the pain feeling as real as if the arrow had struck me. My wolf's eyes, once curious, now filled with fear and agony. I looked down, and indeed I had been struck in the same spot. There was no arrow, but there was a gaping wound in

my side, dark red blood bl polthrough my shirt.

"Help me, Audrey! Help! It hurts!"

"I'm... Trying..." I reached for her, but it was useless. She was smoke again, and now there were more arrows, more and more as if there were an army of invisible archers, and- "Audrey!" Edwin's voice sounded far away, panicked. "Audrey, wake up!"

I felt hands on my shoulders, shaking me. With a gasp, my eyes flew open. I was on the forest floor, leaves and twigs tangled in my hair. Edwin and Peter knelt over me, their faces pale. "What... What happened?" I choked out, my hand flying to my side where I'd been hit. There was no wound, no blood, but the phantom pain lingered.

Peter and Edwin exchanged glances, a silent communication passing between them.

12:37 Mon, Sep 23 CG.

"You collapsed and started thrashing." Peter explained. "We couldn't wake you at first."

Edwin took my hand. "Are you okay? What did you see?"

I shook my head, trying to clear the lingering images from my mind. "L... I saw a silver arrow. It hit my wolf. It felt so real. Another look passed between Edwin and Peter, this one filled with concern and something else I couldn't quite identify. Finally, Edwin helped me to my feet, his arm wrapping protectively around my waist. "I think that's enough for one day." "But-"All content © N/.ôvel/Dr/ama.Org.

"No buts," Edwin insisted. "We're going home."

Peter sighed, looking apologetic. "See you next week, little star."