One Night

Chapter 191

Audrey

The cool night air was refreshing against my skin as I hurried down the street to Avis’s apartment. Finally, for the first time in two weeks, I felt as if Iuld breathe.

Blissfully, I could see a light on in Avis’s window. So she was awake after all. When I reached her door, I hesitated for a moment before knocking softly.

Avis opened the door a few moments later, mousey blonde hair pulled back into a messy bun and wearing her pajamas. Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw me standing there. “Audrey? What are you doing here so late?”

“Hey,” I said, suddenly feeling a bit sheepish. “I was wondering if I could hang out for a bit. Is that okay?”

Avis nodded, stepping aside to let me in. “Of course. I’m just working on some tailoring orders for clients. You’re welcome to keep me company.”

I followed her into the small living room, which was currently overtaken by fabric swatches and half-finished garments. Avis cleared a space for me on the couch, and I sat down, watching as she returned to her work.

‘So,” Avis said, threading a needle, “what brings you here at this hour? Everything okay with Edwin?”

I sighed, unsure of where to even start. “It’s… complicated,” I finally said.

Avis raised an eyebrow. “Complicated?”

I nodded, then launched into the story of what had happened at the museum and the subsequent weeks of Edwin’s paranoia. My friends had had suspicions that something was going on, but I hadn’t gone into this much detail. As I spoke, I found myself helping Avis with her work, pinning fabric and sorting buttons-anything to keep my hands. busy.

When I finished explaining. Avis was quiet for a moment. “It sounds like he’s just trying to protect you,” she finally said.

“I know,” I said, sighing again. “I understand that he’s scared for me. We’ve been through a lot. And if I’m being honest, it’s not even really him that’s the issue. It’s all of this… Silver Star nonsense.”

Avis set down her work, giving me her full attention. “What do you mean?”

1 Roundered for a moment, struggling to find the right words. Finally, I managed, “All my life, I dreamed of being special Of being more than just a human. Of being wanted. But now I tasted off, blinking back tears.

“Now you wish you were ordinary again?” Avis asked softly.

1 nodded. “I love being a werewolf, but I dont want to be the Silverar. It feels suffocating. I can’t even go out without Edwin worrying that I’ll be kidnapped or And I hate the way it’s making him suffer, too. He’s terrified all of the time

woric.

Avax eyebrows furrowed with concern. But before she could answer, a loud banging on the door made us both jump. Avis and 1 exchanged worried glances before I stood up to answer it, already knowing who it was.

I could feel him through the bond before I even opened the door.

With a deep breath, I swung the door open to find Edwin standing there, looking wild- eyed and disheveled in his pajamas. He burst in, immediately checking me for injuries as if I had been mauled by a wild animal.

“Edwin.” I said, taking a step back. “I’m okay.”

He reached for me, but I stepped out of the way, and his hands fell to his sides. He glanced around, seeing Avis still sitting there on the sofa, her owlish eyes blinking up at him.

Not a Coldclaw rogue in sight.

“I woke up and you weren’t there,” he said quietly. “I thought-

“I needed help with some tailoring orders,” Avis suddenly said, standing. “I asked her to come give me a hand.”

Edwin’s shoulders sagged with relief. I knew he didn’t believe her, but it seemed he was just glad to see me in one piece.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

Avis waved off his apology. “It’s okay. I understand.”

Edwin nodded, then turned back to me. “We should go home now, Audrey. It’s late”

I wanted to argue, to stay longer with Avis, but I could see the barely contained panic in Edwin’s eyes. So I nodded, said goodbye to Avis, and followed Edwin out of the apartment. He held my hand the entire way, terror and worry rippling across the bond in waves. I remained quiet, contemplating.

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Chapter 191

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But the moment we were back inside his apartment, I pulled my hand away and turned on him. “You didn’t have to come running after me like that.”

“I had to,” Edwin replied, his voice tight. “I thought Coldclaw had taken you. You should have at least left a note or something.”

I felt a pang of guilt at that. “I’m sorry for not telling you,” I said softly. “I was just so suffocated in here, I needed to get out and didn’t think of that.”

Edwin’s expression softened slightly, but his next words made my heart sink. “Audrey, I understand. But if you needed a walk, you should have brought me with you. You’re the Silver Star, after all. Coldclaw or anyone else could try to take you the moment you’re alone.”

“Yeah, well, I’m tired of being the Silver Star,” I growled, turning on my heel and plopping down on the nearby sofa. “I hate being the Silver Star. I hate it.”

Edwin flinched. “Audrey-

“I just want to be me again,” I cut him off, too angry to even hear him out. “I mean… F**k, even my grades are slipping because every day is a battle. At first I wanted to train, wanted to uncover my powers, but now…” I shook my head and curled my lip. “Now, I just want to get through my last semester without failing.”

Edwin’s eyes widened in shock. “Why didn’t you tell me it was that bad?”

I felt tears welling up in my eyes, exhaustion taking over my anger. “Because I knew you would overreact in some way. Try to protect me and just wind up making it worse.”

“You think I’d make it worse?” There wasn’t anger or frustration in his voice. Just hurt. And realization.

“The one time you tried to do something lighthearted lately and take me to the museum, you pulled me out as soon as you felt paranoid,” I admitted, blinking back the tears that were threatening to spill. “I didn’t know what you would do if I told you. about how stressed I was. I didn’t want to find out.”

Edwin remained silent. I took a shaky breath, trying to compose myself. “I love that you care about me, Edwin. I do. I love that you want to protect your Silver Star. But I want to be Audrey.”

still

Neither of us spoke for several long moments, the air between us stretching into a thick silence.

Then, to my surprise, he strode over to me and dropped to his knees. He gripped my

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Chapter 191

hands, his eyes pleading.

“Goddess. I’m so, so sorry, Audrey,” he said. “I’m just so terrified that you could die again, which 1 still blame myself for. I didn’t realize that I was stifling you so much.”

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I looked away, as if that would somehow hide the tear that suddenly escaped and rolled down my checks.

“I don’t want to live the rest of our lives in fear because of what I am.”

His shoulders slumped, although his hands tightened around my own. “I know. Neither do L

I sat there for a long time, my shoulders trembling as I fought back more tears. Finally, unable to hold it in any longer, I leaned forward and buried my face in his neck. He wrapped my arms around me and held me tight, stroking a cool hand down my hair.

After a moment, he pulled back slightly to look at me. “What can I do to make this right?” he whispered.

I thought for a moment, then said through my quiet s**s, “I miss my friends. I want to go out with them, without any worries. Just be a normal college student for a while. I… I think I need a couple of weeks off of training.”

Edwin tensed, but a withering look from me had him relaxing again. He nodded, reaching up to thumb a tear away from my lip. “If that’s what you want, then I think you should do it,” he whispered. His voice was strained, as if the words pained him, but he was understanding.

He was my shield, but he was also my equal. And that was all that mattered.

That was why I loved him.

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