One Night With My Alpha Professor by Eve Above Story

Chapter 185 Edwin

After comforting Audrey for a little while, I eventually left her and made my way through the quiet house. I didn't want to let her go, but I had a promise to keep, after all.

I found Peter standing on the second-floor balcony, leaning against the railing and staring out into the night. The orange ember of a cigarette glowed in his mouth, and I watched as he flicked it over the railing and the ash got caught up in the wind below.

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"How many times do I have to tell you not to smoke?"

My brother startled at the sound of my voice, shoulders stiffening, but didn't respond, didn't even turn to look at me. I stood there in the doorway for a moment after that, debating whether it was a silent order to leave him the hell alone or that he simply didn't care if I was here.

Finally, I cleared my throat. "Mind if I join you? Standing, I mean. Not smoking."

Peter shrugged without turning around. "Free country."

I stepped up beside him, mimicking his posture. We stood there in silence for what felt like an eternity, the cold night air biting at our skin. The tops of the snow-capped pine trees swayed in the wind, sending little flurries of white powder raining down on the ground below.

I loved winters here. It was so peaceful, so quiet. If I reached my hand out, I could touch one of the towering pines, feel its bark against my hand. And I did. I ran my palm across the rough surface, feeling its coldness against my skin.

"I'm sorry," I said at long last, breaking the silence. "For attacking you earlier."

Peter huffed. "You've still got a knack for fighting, even though you haven't done it in over a decade."

I knew that the comment was meant to be a compliment, but it made me flinch.

"Well," I said, "I am sorry. I was jealous and angry about what Dad did, and I took it out on you.”

Peter took a long drag of his cigarette, held it, then let it out, his breath forming a cloud in the cold air. "Yeah, well, I can be pretty abrasive too. I probably didn't help matters by taking Audrey off on her own like that."

I glanced at him, surprised by the admission. "Still, I shouldn't have reacted that way."

you shouldn't have, Peter agreed with an infuriating smirk. But then, after a pause, his expression turned serious and he added,

blinked, taken

also the Silver Star. And the way Audrey looks at you, with so much love.... It's unlike anything I've ever seen. I would never try to take that from you, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't wish

my brothers saw me as just as much of a failure as my own father did, but this "You'll find your mate someday, Peter," I said, trying to sound

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Sun, Sep

click. Look at our parents-fated mates who hate each other and only ever got married because

But in their generation, once you found your fated mate, you didn't sever the bond. It was practically unheard of then, seen only as a fringe thing that

of cigarette smoke like venom. "Our father. He's a b**d who tears this family apart. The way he treated us growing

I was pretty certain that even Malakai and Axel, in their own way, despised our father. But none of us, not even Peter, had ever said it out loud. Except for

Eliza

I said, "Maybe there is

turned to look at me, eyebrow quirked. "Oh? Enlighten

simply. "At the very least, the three of us-you, me, and Eliza. Even if our parents suck and Malakai and Axel are lost causes, we have each other. We shouldn't be fighting." Peter stared at me for a long moment, then let out a short laugh. Look at you, all full of team spirit. Where

ruefully. "It wasn't my idea, actually.

his lips as he took one last drag of his cigarette and put the butt out on the stone railing. "I should have known. She's too good for any of us, that one." "She is," I agreed, turning fully to face him. "But regardless, she's part of our family now, Peter. She has suffered too, and she needs support. She needs to feel safe and

good old Brooks family antics." We fell into silence again, but this time

up. "You know, I could help you and Audrey,

"How!"

could help train her to shift for the first time so she can protect

earlier when I had seen them together. But I pushed that jealousy aside. This was about Audrey, about helping

of his playing at his lips once again. "Just so

my eyes, giving him a light smack on the arm.

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