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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happy. If 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 mate in

Finding none, I felt a wave of

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 were still human, and my love for you has nothing to do with the Silver Star. I hope you understand

my heart swell, and I felt

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

down my cheeks. Edwin gently wiped them away with his thumbs before

I ever wanted,"

"And you are."

I buried my face in his chest, inhaling his comforting scent. We stood like that for a moment, swaying slightly, the sounds of

clock on the mantel began to chime. Midnight. The sound

be here now. With him.

him, the world around us fading away. I tangled my fingers in the hair at the nape of his neck, tugging him just

Chapter 188

had been too shocked to take for

parted just enough for me to murmur, "It's just

chuckled into my mouth. "I know.

he finally stood me back up, I was breathless and laughing, my cheeks flushed. with a new heat that had nothing to do with the fire or

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

me and then opening his arms to Edwin and making

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

was glad to go back to Grayspring and see my friends, but also sad

okay?" Edwin asked, leaning against

and placing it in my

chest was warm against