Chapter 189
Audrey
Despite my exhaustion, the idea of a date sounded divine. I found myself nodding and allowing Edwin to guide me out of the studio. We walked back to his apartment hand in hand, the cool evening air refreshing against my skin. He carried my things for me, a welcome relief for my sore muscles.
“So, what’s the plan?” I asked as we stepped into his apartment, noses and fingers chilly from the early February air.
“It’s a surprise,” he said, setting my things down by the door. “Just put on something
nice.”
I raised an eyebrow but didn’t argue. Rummaging through the drawer Edwin had cleared for me in his dresser, I pulled out a skirt, a warm sweater, and a pair of boots. After a quick shower and some light makeup to cover my dark circles, I felt more alive than I had in weeks.
Edwin whistled appreciatively when I emerged from the bathroom. “You look beautiful,” he said, pulling me close for a kiss.
I blushed as I ran my hands over his chest and took in his own outfit-dark trousers and a tight-fitting turtleneck beneath a tweed jacket. “You clean up pretty well yourself, Alpha.”
He chuckled, leading me out the door. “Not nearly as much as you. Come on, we don’t want to be late.”
As we drove through the city, lights and buildings blurring by, I grew impatient and tried to guess where we were going. “Dinner and a movie?”
Edwin shook his head, smiling. “Nope.”
“Dancing?”
“Wrong again.”
Finally, we pulled up to the local museum. I’d been here a hundred times before, only now, a banner hung over the entrance: “Traveling Fashion Exhibit-One Week Only!” I hadn’t even heard about the exhibit since I had been so busy lately, although it was certainly the type that I would be upset if I’d missed.
My jaw dropped as Edwin opened the car door for me. “Edwin, you didn’t!”
12:32 Mon, Sep
Chapter 150
He grinned, clearly pleased with my reaction I know how stressed you’ve been lately, and I thought you might enjoy this. Plus, it might give you some inspiration for your thesis.”
Hand in hand, we entered the exhibit. The warm space was filled with mannequins in glass cases displaying fashions from various eras, each one more stunning than the last. We wandered through the rooms, sipping coffee from the unall cafe inside and marveling at the intricate designs.
As we moved through the exhibit, I felt the tension of the past few weeks slowly melting away. It felt good to focus on something I loved, something that had nothing to do with training or studying or being the Silver Star.
“What do you think of this one?” Edwin asked, gesturing to a 1980s power suit with ridiculously enormous shoulder pads.
I wrinkled my nose. “Not my style. But I appreciate the statement it makes.”
Edwin laughed, pulling me close. “I much prefer you in the outfit you’re wearing now,” he murmured, his lips brushing the shell of my ear.
I shivered at his touch, turning in his arms to face him. “Thank you for this,” I said softly. “I didn’t realize how much I needed a break.”
He cupped my face gently with one hand, pinching my chin between his thumb and forefinger. “You work too hard, Audrey. It’s okay to take time for yourself sometimes.”
I nodded, leaning into his touch. For a moment, we just stood there, lost in each other’s cyes. We hadn’t had much time for this lately. In fact, we hadn’t been on a date since winter break.
With a smile, Edwin took my hand again. “Come on, there’s more to see.”
We continued through the exhibit, but as we entered the next room, I stopped in my tracks. This space was filled with wedding dresses-not just any wedding dresses, but those worn by Lunas throughout history.
Slowly, I walked through the display, stunned by the beauty of the gowns. Each one was a masterpiece, representing not just fashion trends but the power and grace of the women who wore them.
“These are incredible,” I breathed, running my fingers lightly over the placard describing a particularly ornate gown from the 18th century with a massive train and intricate hand-beading across the entire bodice.
Chapter 18h
Edwin watched me with a soft smile on his face. “Can you imagine your own dress being here someday?”
I blushed, the implication of his words not lost on me. “Maybe,” I said shyly, looking away. “But I would have to design something pretty spectacula to measure up to these.”
“I have no doubt you could,” Edwin replied.
As I moved to the next dress, a familiar voice beside me made me jump.
“That one belongs to my-1 mean, our-mother.”
Startled, I turned to see Fiona standing there with a brochure clutched in her hands. Two men in suits-clearly her guards-stood a short distance away, watching us inconspicuously.
“Fiona,” I said, surprised. “What are you doing here?”
She rolled her eyes. “The same thing as you, obviously. It’s a public exhibit.”
I studied her face, searching for any sign of hostility or deceit. But if she was here to cause trouble, she was hiding it well. And with her guards watching, I doubted she would try anything other than her usual snide comment here or there.
Before I could respond, I felt Edwin’s arm wrap protectively around my waist. Through our bond, I could feel his tension, his distrust clouding around both of us like a fine
mist.
“Get behind me,” he said through our Mindlink, his body subtly shifting to place. himself between Fiona and me.
Fiona noticed the movement and sneered. “Oh, relax, loverboy,” she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “I’m not working for Coldclaw anymore.” Her eyes slid to me, and there was no hiding the disdain in their depths. “They shunned me when they found out I wasn’t the Silver Wolf.”
I felt my muscles stiffen as I recalled those rogues over winter break. The way that they had come for me like I was fresh meat for the taking… I wouldn’t be surprised if they had immediately discarded Fiona the moment the news about my true nature had
come out.
But Edwin’s grip on me tightened. “And we’re supposed to believe that?”
Fiona shrugged, turning back to the display. “Believe what you want. I’m just here to
3/4
12:37 MN Sep 23 CE.
haron tab
look at pretty dresers”
1 glanced between Fiona and Edwin, feeling the tension c**ing in the air. Part of me wanted to believe Fiona, to think that maybe she had changed. But another part, the part that remembered her betrayal all too vividly, knew that it would be wiser to be
Cautious
A lot wiser.
“How did you hear about the exhibit?” I asked, trying to lighten the mood.
Fiona held up her brochure. “It’s all over the city. And since I’m allowed cultural outings as part of my sentence, I thought I’d check it out.” She paused, gesturing to her guards. “Although they follow me everywhere.
I nodded slowly, not sure how to respond. It was strange, standing here with Fiona, looking at our mother’s wedding dress. In another life, we might have been excited about this together.
Edwin, however, wasn’t buying it. He tugged me closer against his side, his gray eyes never leaving her.
Fiona rolled her eyes again. “Fine, fine. I know when I’m not wanted.”
With that, she walked away, her guards falling into step behind her.
The moment she was gone, Edwin relaxed, but only slightly. “She’s up to something.” he said through the bond. “I can feel it.”
I chewed my lip, considering. Maybe he was right; maybe she was up to something. Maybe she was furious with Coldclaw discarding her in exchange for me and wanted revenge. Or maybe she had never stopped working with Coldclaw to begin with.
But Edwin and I still had an exhibit to enjoy. I needed this. I didn’t want to let Fiona
ruin it.
But before I could express that thought, he turned to me with a stern look in his eyes. “We’re going home,” he said. “Now.”
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