One Night With My Alpha Professor by Eve Above Story

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

game.

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?"

1A1

12:36 Mon, Sep 23 CGI Chapter 186

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

any signs of hesitation or jealou Finding none, I felt a wave of relief wash over me. "That's...

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

words made my heart swell, and I felt tears p**k at the corners of

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

cheeks. Edwin gently wiped them away with his thumbs before Eliza or Peter

all I ever wanted," I

"And you are."

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

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

now. With him. I

I tangled my fingers in the hair at the nape of his neck, tugging him just a

Chapter 188

but had been too shocked to take for myself.

enough for

know. I've

new

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

arms to Edwin and making a

smiling. Despite everything. I was happy to be here, part of

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

against the doorframe of

my

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