One Night With My Alpha Professor by Eve Above Story

Chapter 170 Audrey

After Peter left, Edwin remained silent, his gaze fixed on the closed door. The room felt colder somehow, as if Peter's visit had sucked all the warmth out of our cozy morning.

I moved to sit on Edwin's lap and toy with his hair, something that usually drove him wild, but he barely reacted-not even when I pressed a warm kiss to his temple.

I frowned, pulling back slightly. Even when I reached out through our bond, his mind seemed a million miles away, clenched tight.

his jaw

"Edwin?" I asked, running my fingers through his hair. The silky strands slipped through my fingers, but he didn't lean into my touch like he normally would. "What's going on? Did that memory I mentioned bring up bad thoughts?"

He shook his head, finally meeting my eyes. The storm in those gray depths made my breath catch. "No, it's not that," he said gently. "You didn't do anything wrong. You handled that perfectly."

"Then what is it?" I pressed, worry gnawing at my stomach. "Talk to me. Please."

Edwin sighed, his arms snaking around me. His familiar scent wrapped around me, but it did little to ease my growing anxiety.

"Audrey, there's something I need to tell you," he finally said after a few beats of silence. "Something I should have told you a long time ago."

I raised my eyebrows, my heart pounding so hard I was sure he could feel it. Edwin took a deep breath before continuing. "I... I was once in search of the Silver Star, too, like so many others. That's why I took the job at Grayspring. I'd heard rumors that the Silver Star might be near, and I needed an excuse to be there. So 1. applied to teach for a year?

My eyes widened, and I felt as if the floor had dropped out from under me. "What? Why didn't you tell me this before?"

Edwin's jaw clenched, a muscle ticking beneath his skin. "Because I was ashamed. My pack... Crescent... we needed the strength that the Silver Star could bring. My father demanded it

"Your father?" 1 echoed, remembering the brief, violent glimpse I had caught in Peter's memory. A shiver ran down my spine just at the thought

been named Alpha of Crescent, and my father gave me an ultimatum. Find the Silver Star and make her my Luna, or lose

up from his lap. "So you intended to make me

right away. I had some suspicions, but I didn't dwell on them because

Silver Star and you found her what would have happened? Would

stepped back, and hurt flashed across his face. The pain in his eyes was almost enough to make me

in love with you, Audrey. Not

shook my head, trying to process this new information. It felt

08:37 Sat, Sep

Chapter 170

me this as soon as we mated?"

as if his very bones were weighed down by the truth he'd

are. I was worried you would no longer love me if you knew the truth." I just stood

of me understood his reasoning,

trust each other with everything. When you training me, you promised that you'd share everything with me.

sorry I kept it from you. I should have told you, shown you, sooner. I was

suddenly feeling suffocated by the room, by this conversation. The walls seemed to be closing in, and I needed

I said. "I'm

from his s chair, concern etched into

I intended. I saw him flinch and immediately felt guilty, and I lowered my voice, touching his arm. "I'm not mad. I just... I need to think. Alone. If you don't mind." His jaw clenched, but he nodded. "Okay, but don't go too far. It's not safe out there,

off, and I pulled back. The worry, the protectiveness-it all added to that suffocating feeling. "What, are you worried that your precious Silver Star will be taken from you?"

my words. But before I could apologize, he said, his voice tight, "Enjoy your

out the door, the cold air biting at my cheeks. As I walked into the forest, further and further from my mate until I could

I grumbled out loud to my wolf, kicking at a pile of snow. It exploded in a puff of white, only momentarily satisfying. "He shouldn't have kept it from