Chapter 152 Audrey
My stomach twisted into knots into knots at the sight of that peeling paint, that overgrown lawn, those cracked windows. letting in the cold late-autumn air.
The sight of my childhood home brought back a flood of memories I had tried hard to forget. The house looked even more dilapidated than I remembered, the porch sagging slightly and the windows clouded with grime.
Edwin pulled up to the curb, and we just sat there in silence for several long moments. My throat bobbed painfully as I stared up at that place through the windshield. "We don't have to do this, you know."
The sound of Edwin's voice, smooth as butter, caressed the inside of my head. I turned to look at him and saw a gentle, if not pained, expression. I had warned him that my childhood home was... a mess, although I hadn't dared to send those images through our bond.
I didn't even want to remember them myself, let alone burden him with them.
Drawing in a deep breath, I shook my head and said softly, "It's fine. We just need to grab a couple of things and then we'll leave.
"You sure?" He covered my thigh with his hand. His touch sent a wave of warmth through our bond, trying to soothe my anxiety.
*Positive." I nodded, even though I felt my wolf curl up tightly inside of me as if trying to.. hide.
Edwin nodded, his jaw set. We walked up to the door, dodging weeds that had sprung up through cr**ks in the concrete path
I didn't bother knocking. As we entered, the musty smell of neglect hit me harder than ever scent of stale cigarette smoke, old food, and something unidentifiable made me wrinkle my nose.
with
my
enhanced senses.
The
My parents were in the living room, as usual, my father glued to the TV and my mother absently flipping through a magazine. Neither looked up as we entered.
"Mom, Dad," I called out, my voice wavering slightly as we stood in the doorway. "Tm.. I'm home. This is Edwin, my fated. mate"
merely grunted in response, not even looking up from the flickering screen. My mother gave Edwin a once-over, her lip curling slightly in distaste. Her eyes flicked over me, and I thought I saw them widen slightly-no doubt as she
tone anything but welcoming.
exchanged a glance,
in the living
closet-Edwin could easily touch each wall on either side if he stretched out his arms. The bed was just
my *
first
and papers and drawings. The walls were dotted
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Chapter 152-
in here with nothing but that one blanket to keep
warm.
just take a minute," I said as I began rifling
walls. He still hadn't uttered a word, although I
connecting us.
"What are these?
of fashion magazine pictures that had been cut and pasted together; a model's
out a cluster of sketches that resembled those Frankenstein- esque creations. "Eventually, I taught myself
he reached for the
the wall with the utmost care, studying it closely. "You were talented even then," he murmured, his fingers tracing the lines
through
sorry you lived like this," he murmured, pressing a
his arms, burying my face in his
this," I said softly. "My first home was much nicer
see my mother standing in the doorway, her
was no
tightened around me. I straightened, meeting her gaze, remaining in his
or even **k a smile at the fact that I'd found my fated mate. But she just looked...
sooner," she said, crossing her
fully.
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