One Night
One Night 100

Chapter 100

Audrey

Edwin’s shoulders relaxed the second Claudia announced that this ‘Fiona’ woman wouldn’t be arriving today,

“Oh,” Edwin said, visibly relieved. “Well… She’ll be missed.”

Would she, though? Judging from Edwin’s reaction, something told me that he wouldn’t be missing her presence very much at all. Claudia, however, seemed oblivious-at least in my eyes.

“Yes, well… You know how she is,” she said, crossing over to the sliding doors that led to a garden outside. “Always busy with those friends of hers.”

I blinked back and forth between Edwin and Claudia, not at all understanding the tension. But before I could ponder it further, Claudia flung the sliding doors open, letting in a burst of cool spring air.

“Let’s go outside,” she said, gesturing for us to follow. “I could use some fresh air. It’s too lovely today to stay indoors.”

Grateful for some fresh air as well, I quickly got up and followed Claudia outside with Edwin on my heels. We stepped into the sunlight, and I inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of Claudia’s well-tended gardens. The air was fresh and the sun was high in the cloudless sky-it really was a perfect day.

“Oh, I know! How about a game of badminton?” Claudia proposed, gesturing to a net set up on the immaculately manicured lawn “I haven’t had anyone to play with in a while. What do you say, Audrey? You seem well dressed for it.”

She turned to me, eyeing my outfit-which I had, of course, designed specifically for the ‘outdoor games’ that Claudia had mentioned in her email.

But I hesitated, fidgeting with the hem of my skirt. “I’ve never played badminton before, actually. I’m not sure if I’d be any good.”

Claudia’s eyes lit up and she whirled to face Edwin. “Oh, Edwin is excellent at badminton. He’s beaten me countless times. Perhaps he could teach you?”

Edwin cleared his throat, looking somewhat uncomfortable, “I suppose I could show you the basics,” he said.

It seemed I had no choice but to agree, so I nodded. We moved to one side of the net, and Edwin positioned himself behind me. My heart rate picked up at his close proximity-I could smell his cologne, my knees weakening just upon the briefest inhale of that smoky scent.

“Here, let me show you how to hold the racquet,” he said, his breath warm against my ear.

Before I could protest, his hands were wrapping around my wrists and guiding my movements. Despite the warmth of his body against my back, I couldn’t help the shiver that went down my spine.

“Like… this?” I murmured. A small, untapped part of me couldn’t resist the urge to lean against him, if only to momentarily feel the hard planes of his body against me. It had been too long, far too long-

That was when I felt something… firm pressing against me. My breath caught in my throat, and I felt heat rush to my cheeks as soon as I put two and two together.

Edwin… There was something in his trousers. Something warm and a little hard.

Suddenly, as if sensing what I had just realized, Edwin stepped back and put some much-needed distance between us. “You should be fine to play on your own now,” he said, his voice gruff and slightly strained. He turned and strode away without

another word.

Chapter 100

+5

We began to play, and to my surprise, I found myself enjoying the game. My reflexes were quick, and I managed to retum most of Claudia’s serves. The sun was warm on my skin, and the exertion of the game brought a pleasant flush to my cheeks. Soon, I had all but forgotten about that little.. gift in Edwin’s parts.

“You’re quite good for a beginner,” Claudia remarked as we stopped to sip some lemonade that the butler brought out for us. “You’re very fast.”

I smiled, a little breathless from the game. “I was on the track team in high school. Sprints were my specialty.”

“Oh?” To my surprise, Edwin seemed to perk up at my admission. “Were you able to keep up with

your

werewolf

teammates?”

I shook my head. As one of only three humans on the team, I had often lost to my werewolf counterparts. I did win a few times, but not often.

“Not usually,” I admitted, “but I enjoyed the challenge. It pushed me to be better.”

Claudia’s eyes lit up again, another idea clearly forming, “You know, we have some excellent hiking trails on the property. They’re perfect for running. She turned to Edwin. “Why don’t you show Audrey the trails? You know them well from all the time you’ve spent here.”

Edwin hesitated, his eyes darting between Claudia and me. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea…”

“Oh, go on,” Claudia insisted, waving away his concerns. She sank down into one of the garden chairs, wiping some of the condensation off her glass of lemonade. “I’m a bit tired, but it would be nice for Audrey to see them. You two go ahead. I

insist

Edwin sighed and glanced at me. I remained silent, and finally his shoulders slumped a little. “Alright, I’ll take her.”

As we set off toward the woods, leaving Claudia fanning herself at the garden table, an awkward silence fell between us. Usually, conversation flowed so easily between us, but ever since the last time I had visited his apartment…

The crunch of leaves under our feet seemed unnaturally loud in the quiet as we walked. Even though the forest was cool as we entered the line of trees, where a wide trail had been well-manicured by Claudia’s groundskeepers, my face remained hot and flushed.

I couldn’t bear the silence anymore.

“So,” I began, desperate to break the tension, “how do you know Claudia so well? You seem very familiar with her home.” Edwin’s jaw tightened, a muscle twitching slightly under his skin “As I said, we’re family friends. Nothing more.” Something about the way he said that gave me pause. I sensed that there had to be more to the story, but I didn’t press the matter. Instead, I asked, “And Fiona? Who is she exactly?”

Edwin’s steps faltered slightly, his shoulders tensing just at the mention of his name. But he recovered quickly and answered, “Fiona is Claudia’s daughter.”

That made sense. “Is she…” I hesitated, not sure if I should bring it up, but replaceing my curiosity too strong to ignore. “Is she the same Fiona from the restaurant?”

Edwin’s eyes snapped over to me, surprise flashing across his face. “You remember that?”

I nodded. “How could I forget? She tried to throw wine in my face.

He nodded reluctantly, his expression darkening as he looked away. “Yes. That was the same Fiona.”

Suddenly, all of his earlier tension made sense. If Fiona was as unpleasant as she had been that day at the restaurant, no wonder Edwin had been dreading her arrival. I was suddenly glad that she had s**ed out on brunch, If she was willing to

10:44 Tue, Sep 17 BGD

Chapter 100

cause such a scene in public. I wondered how she acted in private-even with her mother around.

Lost in thought, I didn’t notice the tree root until it was too late. I stumbled, pitching forward with a small cry of surprise.

Suddenly, Edwin’s warm arms shot out and wrapped around me, catching me before I could fall. His reflexes were impressively fast, but I was more concerned with the sensation of his rigid body against mine.

“Edwin-

“You okay?” he murmured, glancing down at me without releasing me.

I swallowed hard, nodding. Okay? Of course I was okay, so long as he was in my arms. So long as…

As he held me, I felt that same firmness pressing against me. My eyes darted down, and I saw his pants straining slightly more than before.

My face flushed hot, and I could feel my heart pounding. There was no ignoring it this time. “Edwin, is that.”

He quickly released me, stepping back and clearing his throat. “You mentioned you like to run,” he said, changing the subject exactly? abruptly. His voice was slightly h**se. “How fast are you.

I furrowed my brow. Was that a hint of bashfulness I had seen on the icy Alpha’s face? “Fast enough. I’ve outrun a few werewolves in my time.” I said. Then, feeling emboldened by what I had just seen, I added, “I bet I could outrun you, even in your wolf form.”

Edwm’s eyebrows shot up, a challenge glinting in his eyes-our tension momentarily forgotten. “Is that so, Miss Thatcher! Are you sure you want to make that bet?”

I placed my hands on my hips. “Maybe it is, Professor Brooks. Are you afraid of losing to a human?”

A slow smile spread across his face, predatory and.. exciting. “Alright then. I’ll give you a head start before I shift and chase after you. But I warn you, I’m faster than you might think.”

My heart pounded with excitement and a touch of fear. Was I really about to race a werewolf through the woods? The rational part of my brain told me this was a bad idea, but the thrill of the challenge-and the thought of Edwin racing after me, our hearts pounding in tandem-was too tempting to resist

I took a deep breath, squaring my shoulders and positioning myself on the trail “I’m ready. Give me your best shot, Professor.”

Edwin’s eyes seemed to glow slightly, his wolf clearly eager for the chase. “Alright then. On my count.”

I tensed, lowering myself into a starting position as Edwin countered down.

3, 2, 1!”

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