One Night

Chapter 160

Audrey

The first few s**lakes of the year were finally beginning to fall as I stepped out of the lecture halls and into the cool evening air. Shivering. I pulled my scarf a hit closer around my face and began the walk to town.

I had just finished turning in my last exam for the semester, which meant one thing winter break was here. And after that… Just a few more months, and I would no longer be a student at Ghayspring

It was a bittersweet feeling, but I could hardly think about that as I made my way down the street.

Today was my birthday.

I pulled out my phone, my fingers already going numb from the cold. I read over the text Edwin had sent me earlier. “Come over tonight. We need to train.”

Short and to the point, as always. Oddly, neither he nor any of my friends had acknowledged my birthday. Not even a single

text message.

I knew, however, that Tina would certainly never forget… they must be up to something. Maybe they were planning to go out later tonight, I figured as I made my way to town.

Edwin’s apartment building was blissfully warm as I stepped inside. I jogged up the steps to his third-floor apartment, taking two at a time. But as I rounded the corner, my wolf perked up. I could hear voices inside his apartment-he never had

company.

Furrowing my brow, I turned the k**b and pushed it open.

“SURPRISE!”

1 jumped back, dropping my satchel on the floor, as my friends burst out of various hiding places, blowing noise makers and chucking balloons in my face. The sudden noise made my enhanced senses reel for a moment, and I stood there, clutching the doorknob dizzily.

Edwin stood in the middle of the room, wearing a party hat and looking slightly flustered but smiling. He looked adorably cute, the hat sitting askew on his usually perfectly styled hair. Someone had likely forced him to wear it.

“Happy birthday, Audrey!” Tina exclaimed, rushing forward to hug me. “Did you think we forgot?”

I laughed, still in shock. “You guys! I can’t believe you did this!”

Edwin’s apartment, which I had practically been living in myself as of late, was decorated with balloons and streamers, and a large “Happy Birthday” banner hung across the living room. The smell of freshly baked cake wafted through the air, making my mouth water.

“We’d never forget,” Gavin grinned, handing me a drink. It was warm, but I could smell alcohol inside-hot coffee with Bailey’s, it seemed.

“We’ve been planning this for weeks,” Betty chimed in. “Your mate almost spilled the beans a few times, though.” She shot Edwin a withering glare.

I glanced at Edwin, who merely shrugged with a smirk. “It’s not easy when you’re rooting around in my head all the time.”

The night was filled with laughter, games, and more food than I thought possible. We stuffed ourselves with pizza and snacks and sweets, and there were more than a few arguments over games of cards and Monopoly. Soon, the little apartment was filled with life, a stark contrast to the way that Edvin usually kept it quiet and peaceful.”

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Chapter 160

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At one point, I noticed Tina slip out onto the balcony. We hadn’t had much of a chance to talk lately, just the two of us. Not since the fateful night of the harvest feast. Grabbing two drinks, I followed her.

“Hey,” I said softly, handing her a glass. “How are you doing? I feel like I’ve been so busy lately, I haven’t had time to check in about everything.”

Tina sighed, taking a sip. Her breath fogged in the cold air. “I received a box of my things in the mail the other day, stuff from my childhood home that apparently they don’t want anymore.”

My heart ached for her. “Do you think you’ll try to reach out at all? Once you’re ready, I mean.”

She stiffened for a moment, sniffling, then shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“Even if they apologized?”

“Yeah,” she muttered, raking a hand through her hair. “Even if I got an apology, which I doubt, I’m not sure if it would be enough. The way they reacted that night…” She shook her head and grimaced as she sipped her drink. “It was unforgivable.”

I flinched just at the thought. It had been a nightmare, the way that her parents reacted. Like their own child had just died or had confessed to murder just for liking the same sex.

Tina shivered in the cold air, so I shuffled over to her and put my arm around her, tugging her close.

“I just want a family,” she murmured, wiping her damp check with the back of her wrist. “A real family. One that actually accepts me, whose love isn’t based on appearances.”

“We’re your family,” I assured her. At that, I felt her spine relax a little, and I tugged her closer. She rested her head on my shoulder. “Me, and Betty, and Avis, and Gavin. And Edwin, too.”

She chuckled. “What’s that saying? The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb?”

I nodded. “Something like that.”

Tina sighed softly. We stayed like that for a few minutes, her head on my shoulder and my arms wound tightly around her, just looking out at the glittering winter solstice lights that now dotted our little town.

“I can’t believe we’ll be done with school soon,” she mused, tracing a finger around the rim of her glass. “I almost want to go back in time and do it all over again.”

I pulled back to look at her with a furrowed brow. “And make me have to endure another four years with you?” I scoffed. Tina smacked my arm, but I grinned and pulled her close again. “I’d do it in a heartbeat.”

Tina giggled, turning in my arms and leaning up on her tiptoes. I love you, Audrey,” she said, kissing my cheek.

“I love you too, you big weirdo,” I replied, planting a big, wet one on her own cheek. She cringed and wiped it away, and I smirked.

Suddenly, we heard shouting from inside. Exchanging glances, we hurried back into the apartment.

We stopped in the doorway, taking in the scene. Edwin and Gavin were on one team for Pictionary, facing off against Betty and Avis. Edwin was at the whiteboard, frantically drawing something while Gavin shouted increasingly frustrated guesses.

“A dog! A cat! A… a giraffe?!” Gavin yelled, his face turning red.

Edwin shook his head vigorously, adding more scribbles to his drawing. His black hair was mussed, tongue out with focus as if they’d been at this for a while.

“What the hell is that?!” Gavin threw his hands up in exasperation. “It looks like a deformed potato!”

08:59 Fri, Sep 20

Chapter 160

林家72%蘭

I couldn’t help but giggle, pressing my hand to my mouth. Edwin looked up at the sound, bearning at me. In that moment of distraction, Gavin shouted out another guess.

“A llama!”

Edwin shook his head, and the buzzer went off. “It was a pig Edwin huffed, throwing the marker up in the air so hard that it hit the ceiling.

Gavin groaned, collapsing back onto the couch c**hious. “That didn’t look like a pig at all! I want a new teammate.”

Everyone burst into laughter, the tension broken. I caught Edwin’s eye, and he winked at me, making my heart flutter.

Later, after everyone had left and we had cleaned up, Edwin came up behind me as I was taking off my earrings in front of the bathroom mirror. He pressed a small box into my hands, his chin resting on my shoulder.

“One more birthday gift for my birthday girl,” he said softly, his breath tickling my ear.

Curious, I opened it to find a small silver heart-shaped locket inside. When I clicked it open, my breath caught in my throat. Inside was a picture of… my mother. My first adoptive mother, holding me in her arms. She looked just as beautiful as 1 remembered.

My eyes instantly filled with tears. “How did you..?”

Edwin smiled softly, meeting my eyes in the mirror. “Charles found it at the orphanage while he was digging for some information on your heritage. I thought you might want a little keepsake of the woman you loved so much. I know you have any other pictures of her, so

I began to cry in earnest, too overcome with emotion to speak. Edwin’s smile faltered, worry creasing his brow,

“Do you… do you like it? I’m sorry if I overstepped-”

I cut him off by turning and throwing my arms around him, sobbing into his chest. “I love it,” I managed to choke out “1 love it so much. I love you so much”

don’t

Relief washed over his face, and he gently unclasped the necklace, putting it around my neck. The metal felt cool against my skin. I turned back to the mirror, touching the locket gently as I sniffled.

“Will it be okay to wear silver?” I asked hesitantly. “I always wear gold to avoid more ridicule.”

Edwin met my eyes in the mirror, his gaze steady and reassuring “It’s okay to wear silver, Audrey. I promise. And if anyone has a problem with it, I’ll protect you. Always”

I nodded, my fingers moving from the locket to my hair. “I’ve been thinking… I think I’m going to stop dyeing it,” I said. quietly, “Let the silver show.”

Edwin’s eyes lit up. He turned me around, lifting me onto the bathroom counter. His hands slipped beneath my against my skin. “I think that’s a wonderful idea,” he murmured before kissing me deeply.

When we broke apart, both a little breathless and yearning for more, Edwin smiled and tapped my locket with one finger. “You should wear this to the party in a couple of days.”

J blinked, confused. “What party?”

Edwin’s expression turned slightly sheepish, his hand rubbing the back of his neck. “Fiona’s birthday.”