One Night

Chapter 80

Edwin & Audrey

Edwin’s POV

The door slammed behind Audrey with such force that the framed certificates on my wall rattled in their frames. For a moment, I just stared at the door, my eyes wide with shock. Then, unable to contain my frustration any longer, I slammed my hand down on the desk

“D**it!” I growled, running my hand through my hair. Why was she being like this? I was only trying to help her, and it seemed like she didn’t trust me or value my assistance at all. After everything I had done for her…?

My wolf stirred restlessly. “You’re being overbearing,” he chided me. “She’s an adult. She can handle herself”

yet

“I’m not being overbearing. I muttered out loud as I began pacing the small confines of my office. “I’m her.. mentor. It’s my job to look out for her.”

My wolf snorted in disbelief. “Right. Because that’s all this is about. Being a good ‘mentor.”

I stopped pacing and gripped the back of my chair with a grimace. “What are you implying?”

“You clearly care about this human girl. More than you probably should.”

“That’s ridiculous.” I replied with a scoff. “I don’t care that much. I like her, and I consider her somewhat of a friend, but she’s still just a student at the end of the day.”

Even as the words left my mouth, I knew they were a lie. My wolf knew it too, and he wasn’t about to let me off the **k that easily.

“Then why are you so worked up over her mistreatment? Why does this human girl matter so much to you?” he growled. Try as I might, I had no answer for that-nor did I feel like coming up with one. “I need air,” was all I said as I grabbed my coat and headed out of the office. My wolf curled back up into himself, understanding my need for solitude to clear my

mind.

Eventually, I found myself heading downtown. The streets were busy with the usual evening crowd, groups of students milling around outside bars and shops while families dined in the occasional restaurant

I wandered aimlessly with my hands stuffed in my pockets, unable to bring myself to go inside anywhere. The cool air helped a bit, although I couldn’t quite seem to shake the image of Audrey’s hurt and angry face as she stormed out of my

office.

Was I really being overbearing? I only wanted to help; I hated the thought of her not getting the recognition she deserved simply because she was a human and not a werewolf.

But maybe my wolf was right. Audrey was an adult, and maybe I needed to start treating her like one.

I almost laughed out loud at the thought. Even though we had slept together, I often forgot that she was not a child. I was ten years her senior, after all. I shuddered at that; ten years. She was just eighteen, and yet I could hardly sleep some nights because I missed her. Like I needed another reminder that I was too d***n old for her.

Almost without realizing it, I found myself in front of the local drugstore. I peered up at the neon sign, hesitating for a moment before deciding to slip inside to grab some things.

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Chapter 80

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The bell chimed as I entered, and I nodded a silent greeting to the bored-looking cashier. I made a beeline for the sh***g products to pick up a new can of s**ng cream, then decided to swing by the coolers to pick up some beers. Something cheap to clear my head and lull me to sleep tonight.

I was halfway down the snack aisle when a familiar scent caught my attention. Vanilla and lavender, with an undercurrent of something strangely familiar….

Audrey.

I peered around the end of the aisle and saw her standing at the counter, fishing in her wallet for something. Instinctively, I stepped back, concealing myself behind a shelf of vitamins.

“What are you doing?” My wolf demanded. “This is ridiculous. Just go talk to her.”

But I ignored him and stayed where I was, watching as Audrey handed over some cash. The cashier bagged her purchase-a box of black hair dye.

I frowned. Since when did Audrey dye her hair?

Audrey’s POV

Back in my dorm room, I stood in front of the bathroom mirror, the box of hair dye sitting ominously on the counter. I stared at my reflection, at the silver roots that stood out so starkly against my jet black hair.

S***d hair,” I muttered, yanking the box open with more force than what was necessary. “S**d werewolves. St**id society.”

“Hey, don’t be like that,” Tina chided me from where she was perching on the bathroom counter, a can of soda in her hand. “That Mr. Black guy was just one rotten werewolf. Not everyone is like that.”

I shot Tina a withering glance, and she fell silent. We both knew that her words were mostly a lie; plenty of people were ‘like

that: Too many

As I mixed the dye, my hands shaking slightly with anger, I couldn’t help but replay the events of the past few days in my mind. Mr. Black’s leering gaze, his disgusting proposition. Edwin’s well-meaning but overbearing interference. And now this -having to dye my hair yet again to avoid even more discrimination.

I sectioned off the silver streak and began applying the dye, the chemical smell making my nose wrinkle.

“You would think that in this day and age, people would be more accepting.” I grumbled as I got to work. “But no, we can’t have

anything silver because it might offend the werewolves. It’s just a color; not like it’s real silver or anything like that.”

Tina sighed. “It’s silly, I know. But look at it from a historical perspective; werewolves used to be killed with silver bullets, back before we integrated our societies. That wasn’t that long ago. Some of our classmates” grandparents were killed that

way.”

I couldn’t help but shudder a bit. Tina was right; our societies had only been integrated within the past hundred years. Back before then, humans killed werewolves with silver during wartimes.

“Yeah, well, you don’t see me freaking out whenever I see a werewolf’s fangs,” I said with a slight chuckle. “And werewolves used to use their fangs to kill humans.”

“Fair enough,” Tina said, sipping her soda.

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As I worked. I remembered the last time I had forgotten to touch up my roots. The whispers in class, the sideways glances int the hallways. One particularly bold werewolf had even cornered the after class.

“You trying to make some kind of statement, human?” he had sturled, his eyes flashing dangerously.

1 I had stammered out an apology, claiming that it was my natural hair color and that I had just been too busy to dye it. He had let me go with a warning, but the fear had lingered for days

And now, here I was again, erasing a part of myself just to fit in. Just to avoid persecution.

“It’s not fair.” I said, my voice cracking slightly. “First I get mistreated and fetishized for being human, and on top of that, I have to keep dyeing this d**n streak or risk getting attacked by some offended werewolf.”

“It’s tough, I know.” Tina replied. “But hey, at least it’s one streak. Not your whole head. And who knows, maybe someday, you’ll be able to stop dyeing ”

“Maybe”

I finished applying the dye and set a timer on my phone. As I waited for it to process, I sank down onto the closed toilet lid, suddenly feeling very tired.

“Do you think I was too harsh with Edwin?” I asked.

Tina paused, pursing her lips before responding. “I think… it sounds like he was just trying to help. He clearly cares about

you-

As his student,” I said with a scoff.

Tina rolled her eyes. “You know that’s not true. He cares about you, Audrey. Because he likes you. His attempt to help may have been overbearing, but it doesn’t sound like he meant to hurt you.”

“You’re probably right,” I said softly, holding my head in my hands. “I should apologize..”

“Give it some time.” Tina hopped down from her perch and patted me on the shoulder. “Tonight, just get some rest.” Nodding. I stood and followed Tina to my bedroom, where we spent the next half hour watching cheesy reality shows and painting our nails. When it was time to wash the dye out, I hopped into the shower and shampooed it carefully.

As I toweled my hair dry, I caught sight of my reflection through the steamy mirror. The silver roots were gone, hidden beneath a layer of artificial color. I looked… normal. Acceptable,

But I didn’t feel normal. I felt angry and frustrated and so, so tired.

Sometimes, I wished I was just a werewolf. My life would be so much easier then.

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