The Girl He Marked by Laila Callaway novel Chapter 3

Axel's POV.

The math lesson is easy. I've already read ahead in the textbook, so I know exactly what Miss Mooney is talking about.

I rest my chin on my hand and subtly glance over at Grace.

Okay, maybe not so subtly.

She catches my eye and blushes when she realizes that I'm looking at her. She smiles and quickly looks back at the board.

I think I have a plan for our date.

I write her the note on my paper and tear it off the corner. Folding it in half, I lay it on top of her notebook.

She frowns and picks it up. A smile plays on her full lips as she reads it.

She checks that the teacher isn't watching and then writes a reply in her beautiful penmanship.

Oh Care to share those plans with your date

I smirk at her flirty reply and quickly write my response. I throw the note onto her desk, keeping my eyes trained on our teacher.

Not yet. But I'll give you a clue, it involves something you lick.

Grace's face goes bright red and her mouthparts in shock.

I feel like face—palming myself for being such an idiot. I didn't even think of the sexual connotations attached to my reply.

I grab the paper from her hands and hurriedly defend myself.

Shit!!! Didn't think that through— I meant ice cream!

I hand her note, giving her a sheepish smile. Grace eyes me warily and then opens it. She makes an adorable snort as she reads it and quickly clamps her hand over her mouth.

Miss Mooney looks up at us and we both smile innocently back. She narrows her eyes and returns to the board.

Grace bites on her bottom lip as she writes back to me. I don't play it cool at all, I have to stop myself from snatching the note out of her hands, desperate to see her reply.

Oh, I thought you were hinting at your picture of a cock.

My mouth drops open this time. I gawp at Grace, shocked that my innocent little mate has drawn a miniature phallus on our note.

Grace is the color of a tomato and won't look me in the eyes. It took a lot for her to draw that, I bet.

Wow, strawberries, was not expecting that from you!

1) I don't do that on a first date, what kind of guy do you take me for ;)

2) I would hope my dick is warmer than the ice cream we're going to eat

3) That picture better not be true to size, or I'll be very offended, strawberries.

Miss Mooney turns away from the board and addresses the class. With her eyes on us, I don't want to pass the note over the desk.

I really don't need my math teacher reading my flirty notes to my mate.

I pass the note to Grace under the desk and our fingers finally touch. Her fingers brush against mine as she takes the paper from my hand.

Warmth spreads up my arm at the contact and I watch Grace's lips part in surprise. She would have felt the tingles, too. Not like a static shock, it feels a lot nicer than that.

Grace gives me a quizzical look, probably wondering what caused that feeling. I smile sheepishly back.

I can't exactly say, 'Oh, felt that did you Well, it's because I'm a werewolf and our deity chose you from birth to be my soulmate and I'm going to mark you someday, changing you into a werewolf, too, and we will be together for the rest of our extraordinarily long lives.'

Somehow I don't think that would go down too well.

Grace subtly reads the note under the desk, putting her hand over her mouth to mask her laughter. She tries but fails to keep the smile off of her face as she looks back up.

Miss Mooney finally stops talking and gives us some questions to try out. I do the first two whilst Grace writes her reply.

She's still smiling when she passes a new piece of paperback. We were getting tight for space on the old piece.

1) Don't worry, Mr. Archer, I wouldn't take advantage of you like that

2) I really don't need to know the temperature of your dick

3) Not that I'll ever know, but I doubt the drawing is true to size

4) Strawberries

I smirk at her reply. Okay, let's take it up a notch. Whilst Grace answers the questions, I reply.

1) Thank you, I have a reputation to uphold

2) It's very warm right now

3) If you ever want to have a visual, you know, so you could make a real—size drawing, I'm game. (although you're gonna need a bigger piece of paper)

4) Strawberries. Your new nickname.

I hand the paper back and quickly do the questions. When Miss Mooney comes round to check, she nods in approval and carries on circulating.

Grace is blushing up to her hairline as she reads my response. She giggles quietly and picks up her pen.

This is the most fun I've ever had in a math lesson.

I never thought I'd be the kind of guy to pass notes back and forth with my crush, but here we are. Mates do that to you, change you completely.

Grace's hand brushes mine and I look down in surprise. She places the note into my hand on my lap, just inches from my dick, which we are currently talking about.

I grit my teeth and try to stop myself from getting hard.

This is embarrassing. I need to get a hold of myself, but it's hard when my mate is so adorable and sexy at the same time.

She has no idea what it does to me when she chews on her bottom lip like that.

I distract myself by opening the note.

Modest, aren't you

I like the name strawberries. It's my favorite ice cream flavor, too.

I smile at that.

I stayed up late last night, thinking of places to take her. I thought we could walk around the city, and I could point places out to her, and then we could end at my favorite place, Giovanni's Gelato.

I reply and pass the note back whilst Miss Mooney moves onto the next topic.

Duly noted. Hope you're excited for Thursday, Strawberries.

Instead of replying to my note this time, she smiles and nods.

'Yeah,' she whispers shyly. 'I am.'

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I have P.E next and as usual, it goes over break time as well. I don't mind in the slightest, because it means I get to carry on working out whilst my mate watches.

All of the students come out of the school at the break, whilst P.E carries on because it's a double period.

My mate sits with Rory on one of the benches and watches Xaden and I complete the circuit training.

Coach has set up a load of different stations around the field, varying from lateral runs on the agility ladders to medicine balls.

I'm sweating like a pig, but judging from the sight of Grace's flushed cheeks, she's quite enjoying watching me work out.

I work harder, knowing that she's watching me. My wolf and I want to show off to our mate, show her how strong we are, that we could fight off another who might challenge us for her.

Female shifters can easily protect themselves, but my mate is human, she is unaware of our kind, and it makes me more protective of her. She would have no chance against an angry wolf because she'd have no idea of what she was up against.

'Showing off for your girl' Xaden calls out to me as we jog a lap around the field.

I smirk at him. 'Of course. Got to impress her somehow.'

Xaden glances over at the girls and nods.

'Looks like it's working, she can barely take her eyes off of you.'

His comment makes me so fucking happy. I glance over at my girl, and I can't help but grin as I see the packet of crisps on her lap is opened, but untouched.

Her hand is frozen mid—air, holding a crisp.

She's too busy watching me.

I feel proud as hell.

'Come on, man, let's give her something to drool at,' Xaden says and pulls me over to the barbells on the ground.

This will really get her forgetting about food.

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