One Night

Chapter 175

Audrey

1 looked at the invitation that had both of our names on it. The elegant script and promise of a grand New Year’s Eve celebration sounded nice. But Edwin’s etion puzzled me. His face had gone pale, his jaw clenched tight.

“Why does this bother you so much?” I asked, picking up the invitation to examine it closer. The paper was thick and expensive, embossed with gold lettering. “It sounds like it could be fun. A big party to ring in the new year…”

Edwin let out a humorless laugh. “Trust me, Audrey, it’s anything but fun. These parties happen every year on New Year’s Eve, and they’re always a nightmare. More of a power play than a celebration.”

“Is that why you didn’t go last year? Why you were at Grayspring?”

He nodded, his expression softening slightly. “I ski**ed it.” He paused, a tiny smile tugging at one corner of his mouth. “Which I’m grateful for now because I got to meet you instead”

His eyes met mine, warm for a moment before clouding over again. “But this year, especially now that I’m mated to the Silver Star, I’ll have no choice. My father won’t allow me not to come. And he’ll mostly want to meet you.”

1 frowned, setting the invitation down. “Is that such a bad thing? I mean, I know your relationship with him is… complicated, but surely meeting your mate would be a good thing?”

Edwin sighed. “My father… he’s not like normal parents. He’s not like Claudia. He won’t care about getting to know you as a person or learning about your hobbies and passions. He’ll be testing you, trying to figure out what sort of benefit you’ll be to Crescent pack. You’ll be nothing more than an asset to him.”

The thought made me uncomfortable, a knot forming in my stomach. I recalled Edwin saying that his father had threatened to give the pack to one of his brothers if he didn’t find the Silver Star,

“Oh,” I muttered.

“Look,” Edwin said, his voice tight, “if you want to find an excuse not to go, I’d understand. I can face them alone-

“No,” 1 interrupted firmly. “I won’t let you go without me. You said you were my shield once, remember? Well, I’m yours too

I We’ll go together.”

Edwin’s expression softened again. “You’re too sweet for your own good, Audrey. But I’m warning you, it won’t be pleasant. My family has a way of bringing out the worst in each other.”

“What about the rest of your family aside from your father?” I asked, trying to find a silver lining. “Will your sister be there? I’d like to meet her, at least. Surely there’s some shred of light in your family.”

Edwin’s face clouded over, his grip on my hand tightening slightly. “My family, even my sister Eliza, is a mess. My parents, Stella and Erik, are fated mates but they hate each other. It’s like watching two people trapped in a cage, constantly at each other’s throats. Eliza is the black sheep as the only girl. Our parents treat her like a failure simply for being female, and she always gets too drunk and fights with our mom.”

He paused, taking a deep breath before continuing. “My younger brothers-you already met Peter, but then there’s Malakai and Axel. They always try to make me look bad because they want our father to remove me as Alpha and give the position to one of them. Surprisingly, Peter is the least antagonistic out of the three of them.”

1 frowned, thinking back-on Peter’s sudden appearance the other day. He was a jacka**, that much was certain. But he had also come to my rescue in the woods when I was too far for Edwin to sense my fear.

I didn’t know if he only did that because I was the Silver Star or because he cared; likely the former.

08:39 Sat, Sep 21

Chapter 175

“Well, it will be better if I’m with you,” I finally said. “We can handle the chaos if we’re together, right?”

Edwin sighed and shrugged. “You know I always prefer to have you by my side. But I promise we can leave if it gets too.

I

ugly.”

I nodded, feeling a bit relieved.

97%1

“Besides,” I added with a smile, trying 40 lighten the mood, “we have our own Christmas to enjoy first, just the two of us”

And with that, I sent a fresh image down the bond.

A carpet covered in torn wrapping paper. His hands cupping my breasts as I rode him, hips twisting, head thrown back. A big red bow around my throat.

He startled so much at the sudden image that his body jerked in shock and his knee hit the underside of the table.

I grinned impishly and sipped my coffee.

The next morning, Christmas Eve, I woke up early to find Edwin’s side of the bed empty.

The sheets were cold, indicating he had been gone for a while. Confused, I got up and searched the house for him. It wasn’t until I reached the basement door that I heard a rhythmic thumping sound coming faintly from downstairs.

Quietly, I made my way down the stairs. There, in the center of the training room, was Edwin. He was shirtless, sweat glistening on his skin as he hit the punching bag with practiced precision. His form was graceful and skilled, each movement flowing into the next. It was like watching a dance, violent yet beautiful

I stood there for a few moments in the doorway, admiring the play of muscles across his back and arms as he moved. It was mesmerizing to watch him like this, so in his element. This was the fighter he used to be, the passion he had buried for so long.

Suddenly, Edwin stiffened, sensing my presence. He turned, his checks flushing with embarrassment.

“Audrey.”

“Whatcha doing?” I asked.

“L… I couldn’t help myself.” He raked a hand through his sweat-damp hair. “Training lately has made my body and wolf react. I feel pent up if I don’t train a little.”

I smiled, walking toward him. The scent of his sweat filled my nostrils, musky and enticing.

“Don’t be embarrassed,” I said gently. “I’m glad to see you doing what you used to enjoy. You looked… free.”

The tips of Edwin’s ears reddened slightly as I approached. I reached up, cupping his face in my hands, and kissed him softly. He responded immediately, deepening the kiss as he backed me up against the punching bag. The leather was cool against my back, a stark contrast to the heat of Edwin’s body pressed against me.

When we finally broke apart, both a little breathless, I murmured huskily, Yo positive memories. Replace the bad ones with some good ones.”

Edwin’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”

know, we could fill this room with some

Instead of answering, I slowly slid down in front of him, my hands trailing down his bare chest and abs. I could feel his muscles tense under my touch, his breath catching. I h**ked my fingers into the waistband of his training shorts, tugging them down to reveal his growing erection.