The Girl He Marked by Laila Callaway novel Chapter 3

Axel's POV.

I can feel myself already getting calmer by being near her. Her scent alone is satiating my wolf.

I look up at her, watching her chest rise and fall with each labored breath. Her fingers are white with the tight grip they have on the hay bales behind her.

'Grace, I need you to remain calm,' Rory calmly orders from behind me. 'If you run, it will make him want to chase you. So please, stay put.'

Grace looks between me and Rory, her eyes wide and frantic.

'Why is a wolf chasing me' She asks, her voice a breathless whisper.

'That wolf…is Axel,' Rory answers. I can hear the hesitation in her voice. 'He is a werewolf.'

Grace lets out a small, humorless laugh. I think she might be getting hysterical.

I'm doing everything I can to hold my wolf back. I'm trying to keep him focused on the fact that our mate is here, in front of us, unharmed.

'I know it sounds crazy, but that is Axel, and he isn't going to hurt you.'

Grace's brows knit together, and her mouth opens and closes a few times, nothing coming out.

She looks down at me, staring into my eyes. In my wolf form, my eyes are the only human thing that remains.

She gasps loudly as realization dawns on her. She can tell it is me from my eyes.

'Axel' She whispers.

I nod my big head and take a step towards her. I nudge her leg with my nose. She squeaks in surprise and steps to the side, away from me.

That panics my wolf. He worries that she is trying to escape. I shift back into my human form and grab her.

I wrap my arms around her waist and press her to my body in a bone—crushing grip. Pinned between me and the bales, trapped in my arms, she has nowhere to go.

'Rory!' Grace cries, trying to wriggle out of my grip.

I growl loudly and she stills instantly, her body freezing. I bury my face in her neck and inhale deeply, trying to calm myself with her scent.

'Don't fight him, Grace,' Rory warns her. 'You'll make it worse. Don't move, just let him hold you.'

Grace nods frantically. 'But I can't breathe!' She gasps.

Rory is suddenly behind me; I can feel her near.

'Axel,' she says softly. 'You're hurting your mate. You need to let go a little.'

I growl at her, not liking that idea one bit. She is my mate; I am not letting her go.

'Just loosen your grip, you are hurting her. Do you hear me You are hurting your mate.'

Guilt floods through me. I loosen my grip on Grace, but don't let go. She takes a deep breath and relaxes a little in my arms.

'Thank you,' Grace whispers to Rory.

The three of us stay like that for a moment. No one says a word. I listen to Grace's heartbeat thumping steadily in my ear.

'Ror What's going on' Xaden's voice calls out.

I growl and hold Grace tighter again, nuzzling my face into her neck. She tenses up against my touch.

'Don't scare him,' Rory hisses. 'Find some clothes for us, Xaden. I'm fucking freezing.'

Rory turns her attention back to us again.

'I promise you that we will explain everything. We will answer every question you have. But right now, we need to be very careful. It's a full moon and Axel doesn't have control of his body, his wolf does,' Rory explains slowly.

'His wolf' Grace whispers.

'Yes, it's part of him and usually, it's under control. Not tonight. His wolf wants to mark you, which would turn you into one of us, which I don't think you're ready for yet.'

Grace shakes her head vehemently, her body quaking at the idea.

'So, you need to stay still. If Axel thinks you're trying to leave or we're trying to take you away from him, he will mark you. Stay still and let him hold you. It might be better if you touch him.'

'Touch him' Grace's voice sounds small and scared.

I nuzzle my face into her neck again and she lets out a quiet giggle.

'That tickles,' she murmurs.

I do it again.

'Yes, your touch calms him. Just hug him back and it should help.'

Hesitantly, Grace releases her grip on the hay bales and wraps her arms around my body. I relax into her touch and sigh contently.

We remain like that for some time. Grace stops trembling and relaxes into my touch. Her heartbeat returns to a normal speed.

Xaden returns with clothes for Rory. A blanket is wrapped around my shoulders and Grace holds it against me.

'What do we do now' She whispers to Rory.

'Um, this,' she replies anxiously.

A second later, there is a sharp jab in my neck, and I growl in anger. The sedative takes hold quickly. I try to keep my eyes open, but the blackness consumes me before I can stop it.

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I wake up, groggy and sore, but in my own bed.

It takes a few minutes for everything to catch up to me. I climb out of bed and stretch, popping my joints.

After pulling on some clothes, I go downstairs to find my parents and get some answers.

Xaden is eating breakfast with them at the table.

'Sorry about last night,' I tell him as I sit down next to him.

Dad serves me up a plate full of food and places it in front of me.

'No problem,' he says with a shrug.

'How's Grace'

'Rory took her back to her house to stay over. She texted this morning to say that she'd had a chat with Grace, and she was going to take her home. Her mum is going to talk to her and explain everything and then, you can visit her in the afternoon.'

I groan and rub my hands down my face.

'Fuck, I really messed this up.'

'It could have gone better, yeah.' Xaden snorts. 'But, it also could have gone worse. You didn't mark her.'

Thank Goddess I didn't mark her.

'How am I going to survive waiting all day to see her' I whine, pushing the food about on the plate with my fork. 'I want to speak to her.'

Mum puts her arm around my shoulders.

'Give her time, darling. This is a lot to adjust to, she needs some space right now.'

I know she's right, but it doesn't make it any easier.

'Rory said that she's okay. She's a bit shaken up, but she's not crying or screaming or anything.'

I wince at that thought. Poor Grace. She must be so confused.

'So, her mum is going to tell her about biological father today' I ask and Xaden nods.

'Yeah. I'm glad I'm not gonna be there for that conversation. Can you imagine how awkward it's gonna be'

I'm so relieved her mum knows about our kind and can help me explain everything. This would have been so much harder if we had to keep the secret from her too.

'I wonder how Grace will take it, finding out that her father abandoned her mother for his soul mate, and that she is mine. Will she hate me because of him'

Xaden shakes his head. 'Axe, man, you know it's physically impossible for her to hate you.'

'Yeah, I suppose,' I mumble glumly. 'I just want to see her.'

'You will, later on. She needs time to adjust to all of this. Just think, you seeing her later will be a lot more productive than seeing her now.'

I try to tell myself that, but it hurts to be away from her.

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The hours pass painfully slowly. Xaden makes me go out on a run with him. I think he's trying to get revenge for our fight last night.

He makes me run until I collapse on the ground, begging for a break.

When we get back, I shower and wash the sweat from my body. I stand in front of my wardrobe with a towel around my waist, wondering what I should wear.

It's not something I usually put much thought into, but I'm nervous about seeing Grace.

I want her to see it's the same old me. I haven't changed, not really. In fact, she now knows me better than I ever.

I pick out some plain jeans and t—shirt and then pull on a hoodie she complimented once. I let her wear it and it still smells of her. It makes me smile as I sniff the fabric.

I'm nervous as hell as I get into my car and drive over to her house.

Please, let her still love me.

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