One Night
One Night 233

Chapter 233

Audrey

The car bounced over the uneven road, rattling ominously with every dip and jolt of a pothole or cr***ck in the unkempt asphalt.

Edwin’s hand tightened around mine, his thumb slowly tracing over my knuckles. I couldn’t decide whether he was trying to soothe me or himself; maybe both. It wasn’t really working, though. Not when we were heading through Coldclaw territory. “You don’t have to do this,” he said for what felt like the millionth time that morning. “It’s dangerous. And ***. And…”

His voice trailed off, but he didn’t need to finish. I’d heard it all before, and he knew that.

I glanced at him, taking in the sharp line of his jaw, the way his brows were drawn tightly together. There was worry in the lines etched around his eyes, lines that were so deep and dark that I couldn’t help but wonder if they might just stay there once this whole ordeal was over.

“I know I don’t need to do it,” I answered, my voice surprisingly soft and steady despite my utter terror. “But I can’t let Peter die. He’s-he’s my family now, too.” I paused, then added with a tiny smirk, “Besides… We’ve got a vacation to go on next year, don’t we?”

At the mention of our trip, Edwin’s hand tightened around mine for a brief second, his thumb stilling.

It wasn’t supposed to be like this. None of this needed to happen. If only I’d shifted sooner, unleashed my powers sooner… Peter wouldn’t be held captive by Fiona and Axel and Edwin and

I wouldn’t be on our way to Coldclaw territory.

At least, those were the thoughts that I kept to myself.

Edwin must have felt it down the bond even though I tried to hide it, and he flinched.

“Don’t start blaming yourself.”

I clenched my jaw and looked out the window. “It’ll be a lot easier not to once Peter’s home. Safe.”

Edwin glanced at me. “You….” He began, but then seemed to stop himself.

Instead, his eyes drifted back to the road, as if focusing on the jagged path ahead would somehow make this easier. The plan -our plan-was reckless, but it was the only chance we had.

Fiona wanted me, and I was willing to gamble on the hope that she would stay true to her word and trade Peter’s life for mine. The thought of Peter, poor, sweet Peter, tied up and suffering because of his loyalty to us, was too much.

He was more than just Edwin’s brother to me. He was part of this family I had found, part of us. And I wasn’t going to let him die alone.

Finally, Edwin said softly, “You’ve changed so much, Audrey… You’re becoming everything they said you would be. The Silver Star. My Luna.” He shook his head. “They never told me that you’d be insane enough to do something like this, though.”

I managed another tiny smirk. “I think I partially have you to thank for that.”

Finally, the car rolled to a stop, the sound of gravel crunching beneath the tires fading into the quiet forest that surrounded us. Charles turned off the engine, the sudden stillness almost jarring.

“From here, we’re on foot,” Charles said, his voice low. He looked at us over his shoulder. “Are you ready?”

I took a deep breath, the crisp morning air biting at my skin as I stepped out into the cold. Even if I wasn’t ready, I would still need to do this. I wasn’t going to roll over anymore and let the people I care about get hurt because of me.

With hardly

a moment’s hesitation, Charles and Edwin both shifted-Charles into the form of a dusty gray wolf, and Edwin the enormous black one that I had only seen a couple of times.

Even now seeing him like this left me in awe.

To consider that I might be able to do that….

But not today. Not yet.

Since I couldn’t shift, Edwin lowered himself so I could climb onto his back. I swung one leg over him and pulled myself up, where I tangled my fingers in the thick, velvety fur between his shoulders and leaned forward to press my forehead against the warmth of him.

“I love you,” I whispered through the mate bond.

“I love you too,” his voice echoed back in my mind. “Whatever happens, just stay close to me. I won’t let any harm come to you.”

He didn’t need to convince me of that; I believed him with every ounce of my being.

With a final deep breath, I settled onto Edwin’s back and we launched into the forest. The world blurred around us, shadows and trees flying past in a dizzying rush as Edwin’s powerful legs carried us closer to the clearing where we were supposed to meer Fiona and Axel.

It was just the three of us-me, Edwin, and Charles. Crescent warriors waited by the railroad tracks that served as the border, but other than that, we’d decided to go alone.

After all, we needed to make it appear as if we were going into this blind. Panicking.

And most of all, we needed to make it seem as if we had no clue that Fiona and Axel were working together.

When we finally slowed, the clearing came into view. I saw the cabin first, a dark silhouette against the muted light filtering through the trees. I saw a figure standing on the porch-Fiona. And at least a dozen more in the woods.

Rogues, I assumed. Somehow, Fiona still had followers here even though she had failed them so many times. Or maybe they were just here for the show.

But then I saw…

Peter.

My breath lodged in my throat like a shard of glass at the sight of him tied to the porch railing. He looked broken-more than that-bloodied, his skin pale, his body sagging as if the silver were weighing him down. They’d done more than just stab him, it seemed; they’d had their fun beating the hell out of him, too.

Fiona stood nearby, a cruel smile tugging at the corners of her mouth as she watched us approach.

“Ah. Look who decided to show up,” she called out, leaning haughtily against the porch railing.

Peter’s head snapped up at the sound of her voice, and when his eyes found mine, terror filled them.

“No! No, no, no!” he screamed, thrashing against the ropes that bound him to the post to no avail-they were too tight. “Edwin, no! Why did you bring her here?! You’re a fool, Edwin, a ***g fool!”

As Peter thrashed and screamed, spittle flew from his mouth, his eyes quickly reddening with tears. He looked terrified-not for himself, but for me. That alone made me all the more convicted in my decision to come here today.

Chapter 233

Fiona sighed dramatically, stepping forward to kick Peter shar

Settle down, Petey,” she cooed, sneering at him.

The kick looked vicious, so vicious that I could almost feel it in reliving Peter’s memories in that dream. He let out a choked cr muttering, “No, no, no…”

It took everything in me not to leap from Edwin’s back and tea

“I want to kill her,” I thought fiercely through the bond, the wo

“Not yet,” Edwin’s voice answered, a low, angry growl. “Don’t st both will.”

Before I could respond, the cabin door banged open. My heart from the dark, stepping into the clearing with an air of arrogan

Axel. The traitor./

He walked toward us slowly, so slowly, his steel-toed boots crur

“Shall we get started?” he said, spreading his arms wide. “No ne

wea, UCL TO

Chapter 233

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Fiona sighed dramatically-stepping forward to kick Peter sharply in the side, right where the silver had sliced him open.

“Settle down, Petey,” she cooed, sneering at him.

The kick looked vicious, so vicious that I could almost feel it in thy own side, a reminder of the pain I’d felt when I was reliving Peter’s memories in that dream. He let out a choked cry his body crumpling further, although he didn’t stop muttering, “No, no, no…”

It took everything in me not to leap from Edwin’s back and tear her apart myself.

“I want to kill her,” I thought fiercely through the bond, the words like fire in my mind.

+5

“Not yet,” Edwin’s voice answered, a low, angry growl. “Don’t stoop to her level. But don’t worry; you’ll get your revenge. We

both will.”

Before I could respond, the cabin door banged open. My heart stuttered, the sound ominous in the quiet. A figure emerged from the dark, stepping into the clearing with an air of arrogance that made my stomach turn.

Axel. The traitor.

He walked toward us slowly, so slowly, his steel-toed boots crunching in the snow.

Shall we get started?” he said, spreading his arms wide. “No need to drag this out any longer, right, big brother?”