One Night

Chapter 202

Audrey & Edwin

Audrey

The cafeteria buzzed with the familiar sounds of lunchtime as I made my way through the line, tray in hand. Students passed by, groups of friends laughing and chatting, the scent of food wafting through the air.

A

It felt surreal to be back on campus after everything that had happened-like stepping back into a world of normalcy that I had almost forgotten amongst the chaos. I didn’t even feel like I was really here, even now, but rather watching everyone else go about their lives through a pane of glass.

“Well, if it isn’t the elusive Audrey Klein,” Tina said, lifting her head as I approached our usual table by the sunlit window. “We’ve been so worried about you. How are you doing?”

I forced a smile, setting my tray down and sliding onto the bench next to Avis and Gavin. “I’m okay,” I said, although the words felt hollow even to my own ears.

Betty’s dark eyes searched my face. “We heard about your mom. Is she…?”

I swallowed hard in an attempt to push the lump in my throat down. “She’s still in a coma,” I admitted shakily. “But the doctors say she’s stable now.”

Tina reached across the table and squeezed my hand. “We’re here for you, Audrey. Whatever you need.”

Avis nodded in agreement, her blonde curls bobbing. “Absolutely. You don’t have to go through this alone.”

Their concern was touching, and I felt a breath escape that I didn’t realize I’d been holding. “Thanks, guys. I appreciate it.” “How’s Edwin holding up?” Gavin asked innocently as he took a bite of his pizza.

My chest tightened in response to that. It was still fresh, still… painful. Just last night, we had had a conversation that I never wanted to have. It felt like a dream, but it was real, and I had made my decision.

“Edwin and I… we’re taking a break.”

The silence that followed was deafening. I could practically hear the gears turning in their heads as they processed what I had just said.

“A break?” Betty finally sputtered. “But you’re mates! How is that even possible?”

I sighed, pushing my food around on my plate. My appetite was suddenly gone. “It’s not a permanent thing,” I explained. “We just… I just need some space right now.”

“Space?” Avis asked.

I thought back to our conversation the night before, the pain in Edwin’s eyes as I told him that I needed more time. It had been one of the hardest things I had ever done, but I knew it was necessary.

“After everything that’s happened recently…” I trailed off, unsure of how to even begin, to explain. “Edwin’s protective instincts went into overdrive. He… he made some decisions that hurt me, even though he thought he was protecting me.”

Gavin frowned. “What kind of decisions?”

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I shook my head. “It’s complicated. But the point is, I realized that we’re sort of bringing out the worst in each other right

now.”

Tina’s eyebrows shot up. “Fighting?” she whispered.

+5

I shook my head again. “No, it’s just… Since I can’t shift yet, he’s stressed and overprotective. He’s just trying to take care of me, but it’s suffocating. And I really need to focus on school, especially since this is our last semester.”

“So what does this ‘break’ mean, exactly?” Tina asked, making air quotes with her fingers. “Are you two broken up, or….?”

I shook my head. “No, nothing that severe. I’ve moved back into my dorm for the rest of the semester. We’re still mates, and nothing can change that. But we’re not going to spend time alone together until I’m ready. I need to focus on school and on myself for a while.”

My friends exchanged glances, clearly trying to process this information.

“Are you sure this is what you want?” Betty asked gently.

“Being away from your mate could weaken your wolf,” Avis added.

“I know. But this is what I need right now,” I said quietly.

My friends were silent again. I stared down at my uneaten pasta, fighting back the tears that were threatening to come. It was true; being away from him would weaken my wolf, set me back in my efforts to shift. For the Silver Star, perhaps it wasn’t the smartest decision.

But for me, for Audrey, I knew it was the right thing to do.

Edwin

I closed the drawer to my bedside table with a sigh, feeling the weight of the little box containing the ring shifting back as I closed it. The velvet box seemed to mock me, a reminder of what could have been-what should have been- I hadn’t gone and let my fear and overprotectiveness get the best of me.

“You’re a blo**y fool,” my wolf snarled inside of me. “You were too overbearing, and now you’ve pushed our mate away.”

I couldn’t argue with him. The fury and disappointment radiating from my wolf were nothing compared to the ache in my chest where Audrey should have been. The apartment felt empty and quiet without her presence, her scent already fading from the sheets.

It was dinnertime; she should have been here, sitting on the counter and swinging her legs and chattering away while I was cooking for us. But she was gone. For now, at least.

“Trust me, I know,” I muttered out loud, running a hand through my hair. “I know I screwed up. Big time.”

My wolf growled in agreement, pacing restlessly in my mind. “You have to fix it,” he demanded. “I need my mate here.”

Of course, my wolf was fit to be tied without his mate nearby. Ever since I had sent Audrey away to the cottage, he had been utterly furious; and now the thought of being away from her for the remainder of the semester was enough to make him fly into a rage.

But I knew it wasn’t that simple; I couldn’t just run to her, apologize and move on like before. Audrey had made her wishes clear-she needed space, time to focus on herself and her studies. And as much as it pained me, I knew I had to respect that.

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“The only way I can make it up to her is to respect her wishes,” I said, trying to convince myself just as much as my wolf. “I have to give her the space she needs until the end of the semester. It’s the least I can do after… after everything.”

My wolf wasn’t satisfied. “And what if she needs us?” he pressed.

+5

“Then we will be there for her,” I said firmly. “But only if she asks, or if the situation is truly dire. I won’t impose myself on her again.” I shuddered just at the thought of the pain on her face when I had sent her away to the cottage. I couldn’t bear to see her like that ever again.

I walked to the window, watching as the sun began to set, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink. The sight would have been beautiful if it didn’t feel so go**n lonely.

As I stood there, watching the day fade into night, I couldn’t help but reflect on how quickly everything had changed. Just last night, I had almost proposed. I’d almost whipped the ring out of my pocket the moment we had left my father’s house, after I had seen how beautiful and powerful and terrifying she could be. All I could think about was making her my Luna.

But now, the ring sat hidden away once again, and Audrey was…

I shook my head, pushing away the painful thoughts. We would have that life someday-she just needed a little time. This was a test, nothing more. It wasn’t permanent.

The last rays of sunlight disappeared behind the h**on, casting the sky in blue and gray. Only then did I turn away the window, facing the dark apartment. The silence was deafening without her here.

This was going to be a very long couple of months.