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?"

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being happy. If you want to learn to shift, then he'd be the best

studied his face, searching for any signs of hesitation or jealou Finding none, I felt a wave of relief wash over me. "That's... I'd like that. Thank

You are amazing, regardless of what you're capable of or not. I'd love you just the same even

I felt tears p**k at the

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

myself. Tears spilled over, trailing in twin rivulets down my cheeks. Edwin gently

ever wanted,"

"And you are."

holding me close. I buried my face in his chest, inhaling his comforting scent. We stood like that for a moment, swaying slightly, the sounds of Peter and Eliza's argument mingling with the

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

I had met this amazing, wonderful man. And while this year had had its ups and downs, while tonight had had its ups and downs, I was happy to be here now. With him. I looked up

against mine, and I felt myself melting into him, the world around us fading away. I tangled my fingers in the hair at the nape of his neck, tugging him just a little closer, needing just a

Chapter 188

had been too shocked to

enough for

know.

cheeks flushed. with a new heat that had nothing to

Eliza called from the couch, tossing a pillow in our direction. It sailed past us, landing with a

then opening his arms to Edwin and making a kissy face, to which Edwin chucked the pillow back with even more

I couldn't stop smiling. Despite everything. I was happy to be here, part of this little family. Dysfunctional as it

I was glad to go back to Grayspring and see my friends, but also sad to say goodbye to Hadley and the mansion that I

okay?" Edwin asked, leaning against

it in my suitcase. "Yeah, just...

His chest was warm against my back, and I leaned into him instinctively. "We'll be back,"