EdwinThe invitation on my desk felt like it was mocking me.It was a warm and sunny day, the type of day that was perfect for basking in the sunlight and enjoying some of the peace that came along with early summer. But right now, staring at that damn invitation, I felt chills running up my spine.
“Alpha Brooks… Silver Star,” she said, bowing her head respectfully to each of us—particularly Audrey—in turn.I felt Audrey stiffen slightly at the use of the title; she was still getting used to it, still resisting being seen as anything except ‘Audrey’, but had eased into it a bit more lately. I
Audrey“If you feel the need to assault me in this dress again, at least give me a five minute warning.”Edwin’s lips curled up into a sly smirk in response to my teasing as we pulled up to the venue, although the reddened tinge to the tips of his ears wasn’t lost on me.The charity gala was held in
Stella.Edwin’s mother.Her pale blonde hair was exactly as I remembered, those cold eyes sweeping over me from head to toe as if appraising me all over again. She wore an icy blue gown that fell to her ankles, severe sleeves coming to a point at the back of each hand.The ice queen in all her glory
Audrey & Third PersonAudreyI held my arm up to shield my face from the onslaught of flashing cameras.“Look this way, Silver Star!”“Another kiss for the newspaper!”“Over here!”Somewhere through the haze of lights and voices, I felt a warm hand gently tug my hand away from my eyes. “It’s alright
“Can she shift or not?” Stella interrupted, pointing her finger at me. “I asked her to heal my back pain and she freaked out. Seems awfully guilty to me.”Another ripple of gasps worked its way through the nearby crowd, and I felt my face turn beet red. Somewhere in the distance, the rest of the att
AudreyI wasn’t alone for long before Edwin returned to the courtyard, his arms laden with plates full of fragrant hors d’oeuvres and glasses of bubbly champagne… and then some.“Are those… shot glasses?” I asked with an amused chuckle as he set the horde of food and drinks down on the stone bench b
“You look beautiful when you’re carefree,” Edwin’s voice echoed in my mind.I felt my face heat in response. “You’re just saying that because you want to make me feel better.”“Is it working?” he retorted.“Maybe,” I replied, then added a bit more seriously, “I think I’ll just feel better once I shi
“I think you’re going to change so many lives,” I said to Eliza. “Those kids are so lucky to have you.” Eliza looked down, her cheeks pink. “Thank you, Audrey. Really.” Tina piped up next. “And my LGBT counseling department is finally off the ground! ” She paused, leaning into my mother, who was
Audrey After a long flight, we finally touched down in Italy. The sunlight streaming in through the plane window was a promising golden hue, and just the sight of it made me feel like my heart was about to leap out of my chest. “I might need a nap when we get to the villa,” Edwin yawned, shaking
And as I watched, I felt a hand slip into mine. I glanced up, finding Edwin beside me, his gaze focused on the runway but his approval humming through the bond. My mother stood on my other side, wrapping her arm around my shoulders. A lump rose in my throat, and I couldn’t even speak. None of us c
Audrey Edwin and I emerged from the small room, his hand still resting protectively on my back. The hustle and bustle of last-minute preparations immediately hit us, assistants running back and forth, models being ushered into position, and the soft hum of the audience’s chatter drifting through t
“There’s always time,” I whispered, grabbing the wrist of his free hand and pulling it close to peer at his watch. The movement caused him to topple forward, and he caught himself on his other palm, caging me against the hard wood of the vanity. “But maybe not enough time to waste right now.” Edwi
Audrey Before I could even answer his question, Edwin rushed past me and locked the door. When he turned back to me, he was grinning from ear to ear. The sight of that mischievous look on his face made my breath hitch. Once, it had been like pulling teeth to get the man to smile. And now here he
He didn’t need to tell me twice. I tore into the wrapping paper, revealing a soft red scarf. I could tell immediately that it was handmade—there were more than a few uneven stitches, and the outline was lumpy. It was far from perfect. But I loved it all the more for that. “Goddess, Edwin,” I laugh
Audrey The morning of the show was a frenzy. No, more than a frenzy. It was complete and utter chaos. I spent the entire morning from sunup to noon running endlessly from one end of the venue to the other, desperately trying to make sure every last detail was perfect. The racks were lined with c
“Uh… Yeah,” Malakai said. “Coffee would be nice.” A few minutes later, the three of us sat around the table, steaming cups of pitch black coffee in our hands. I kept it bitter, just in case Malakai was here to stir up more shit. It burned a little going down, but I sipped it anyway. Malakai look