One Night With My Alpha Professor by Eve Above Story

Chapter 187 Audrey

"Audrey!" Tina squealed as I walked into the familiar bar off campus, running up to me and throwing her arms around my neck. "I missed you so much!"

I st**ed back at the force of my friend's hug, but embraced her just as tightly. "I missed you, too," I replied. "Where is everyone?"

Tina pulled back and gestured over her shoulder toward a corner booth, where the others were currently sipping their own drinks and apparently fighting over a plate of nachos. They looked up and waved when they saw me, and I couldn't help but grin in response.

"So," Tina said as we stopped at the bar first for my drink before joining the others. "How was your vacation? I hope it was nice. I spent Christmas with Betty's family and it was great."

With a deep breath, I launched into the tale of everything that had happened over the winter break. Tina's face went pale the more I explained, and when I was finished, her mouth was practically hanging open. "Wait, so how often are you training now?" she asked.

I took a sip of my drink as we made our way to the booth. "I'll be doing combat training with Edwin four nights a week now," I said. "And Peter will be coming once a week for shifting training."

Tina shot me a concerned look. "On top of school?" I nodded, and she said, "Audrey, that's a lot. You're going to kill yourself with that much work."

She was right, of course; it was a lot. I still had a thesis to work on, classes to worry about, and passing my final semester of college at the top of the list.

But what was I supposed to do? I was the Silver Star, after all. Training was just as important now as everything else.

Or at least, that was what I kept telling myself. It was the only way to keep Erik's words from New Year's Eve out of my head; I figured that if I trained hard enough, even if it killed me, it would be better than feeling like a failure.

Right?

As we settled into the booth, Avis scooched over to make room for

Chapter is:

immediately caught up in the excited chatter of my friends, a sound that I had missed sorely over the break.

But I noticed something: Avis and Gavin were cozy. Avis was sidled up against his side, her knee bumping his under the table. They kept looking at each other whenever they laughed. Avis blushing and tucking little blonde curls behind her ears.

When Gavin put his arm across the back of the booth and touched her shoulder with a finger, 1 exchanged a raised eyebrow with Tina and Betty at the same time.

"Alright, you two," Betty said, scooping up another chip and gesturing at them. "What's your deal? You're acting like a couple."

Gavin and Avis both blushed deep red and looked at each other.

we are," Gavin

went silent for a few moments, Betty, Tina, and I sharing matching expressions of

had hung out a bit over winter break, just the two of them, and... Well, when Avis had kissed Gavin one night out of the blue, he

see Gavin finding the type of love that he genuinely deserved. All this time, I had felt a little guilty for rejecting him, but

and made my way up to the bar. I ordered five rum and Cokes, tapping my foot to

Gavin said, leaning against the bar

smiled at him. "Hey

a moment. "Listen, Audrey... I wanted to ask you. something.

what he was referring to-his crush on me from before. I shook my head, placing a hand on his arm. "Not

I just... I want all of us to be happy, you know? And I value our friendship so

25

united, to

aited pulling

fuppy too. And I'm so glad

we. "I of

were both

hugged me hack tightly "You're right. Don't take this the wrong way, but I'm kind of glad we never had a real

punched his am Tm

sore arm and shook his head. "Not like that," he assured me. "I just meant that I'm glad we stayed friends and nothing more. Because now we're both on our

softly, squeezing his hand. "I

whispered in his

his heart. "I wouldn't dream

woods behind campus, the early morning air crisp and cool against my skin. Peter grinned as we approached, pushing away from a tree. "Ready to become a real wolf,

squeezed my hand before stepping back. "I'll be right here if

the center of the small clearing, instructing me to stand in front of him just as I had before. "Close your eyes," he said softly. "Feel the earth beneath you.

did as he said, feeling the cool air in

wolf," he murmured. "See her

of silver eyes emerging from the shadows. They blinked at me, curious and wild, just

her

encouraged. "What

Chapter 157

of my wolf started to come into focus. Silver fur

She's silver," I

to her," Peter instructed. "Try