Chapter 303


    Chapter 303 Swimming Lessons


    Logan.


    As the gentle hum of the evening pool party enveloped me, my eyes kept darting towards the entrance


    to the cabins, eagerly waiting for E. She had been gone for what felt like an eternity, leaving me with


    a strange concoction of excitement and nervousness.


    There was no denying that she was something special, even if our ‘rtionship’ wasn’t what people


    believed it to be.


    “I think she’s softening toward you,” my wolf said. “I could feel it tonight.”


    “That means nothing,” I said. “She may be softening, just like they all do. But the fact of the matter is


    this: she’s out of my league, and from an entirely different world. We’d neverst.”


    I felt my wolf growl inside of me, but it was true. As much as I was fascinated with E, we were just too


    different. She was a goodie-two- shoes, a princess from the light side. I grew up on the dark side, and


    no matter how badly I, too, wanted to end all of this Mafia business, I knew that it was unlikely to


    happen. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.


    As I took another sip of my drink, I suddenly felt a cold presence slide up next to me. It was a feeling I


    hade to associate with one person and one person only-Harry.


    “So, brother,” he drawled in that irritatingly condescending tone of his. “How are things with the new


    girlfriend?”


    The way he said ‘girlfriend’ didn’t escape me. There was a hint of mockery in his tone, an insinuation


    that lingered between the words. I clenched my ss tighter, hoping to keep my temper in check.


    “Everything’s great,” I replied curtly, determined not to give him the satisfaction of knowing anything


    more.


    His eyes, a shade darker than mine and always looking for trouble, darted briefly towards the cabins’


    entrance. A smug smirk stretched across his face. “Oh, really? Because from where I’m standing, you


    two don’t seem like you’re really together.”


    I felt a sh of anger, my grip on the ss threatening to shatter it. “She’s my fated mate,” I bit out.


    “You’ve no business assuming anything about our rtionship.”


    Harry’sughter, cold and mirthless, grated on my nerves. “I have no doubt you two are fated mates,”


    he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “But don’t tter yourself thinking. you’ve got everyone fooled


    with this charade of yours. I can see right through it.”


    His words hit me harder than I cared to admit. The fact that our ‘rtionship’ might be under scrutiny


    wasn’t something I had expected Harry and I had our differences, but he had a sharp instinct for


    sniffing out pretenses. It was unsettling to think that he might not be the only one with suspicions.


    “Stay out of my business,” I snapped, my face darkening. Harry leaned closer, his breath cold against


    my ear. “Maybe you should make your business less obvious then, little brother.”


    Before I could retort, he was already striding away, hisughter echoing behind him, mingling with the


    noise of the party. I stood there, reeling from the confrontation. It was never easy with Harry. He always


    had a way of getting under my skin.


    I took a deep breath, trying to shake off the uneasy feeling that had settled in my stomach. I knew


    Harry thrived on seeing others ufortable, and I refused to let him have that satisfaction. I decided


    to focus on the reason I was here: E.


    My gaze once again darted to the entrance, hoping to see her emerge. My impatience was a clear


    indication of how much she’d alreadye to mean to me, even in the short time we had known each


    other. And while our rtionship might have started under unconventional circumstances, the


    connection I felt was real.


    Whether Harry or anyone else believed it didn’t matter.


    When E finally appeared, the sight of her took my breath away. The lingering tension from my


    conversation with Harry melted away. She looked unsure, almost vulnerable, wrapped in a towel, and


    the protective urge I felt towards her intensified.


    With a single movement of her hand, the towel fell.


    There was something utterly electric about the way E stood there, draped in moonlight, her bikini


    barely there. It was, in all honesty, a bit much for my self-control, and I felt a rush of heat course


    through me.


    “Well?” she asked, looking around nervously. “It’s ridiculous, isn’t it?”


    “She looks…” I heard my wolf’s voice in my mind, urging me to close the gap between us. But I


    couldn’t. I knew that E would just shove me away if I tried anything.


    Damn, I thought to myself as I felt a strain in my swim trunks. I couldn’t let her or anyone else see the


    effect she was having on me.


    With a mixture of panic and excitement, I vaulted into the pool before she or anyone else could have a


    chance to see my arousal, sending a tidal wave of water crashing onto nearby party-goers.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    The sound of surprised yelps andughter filled the air, effectively drawing the attention away from my


    little… situation.


    As the initial shock of my jump subsided, I noticed E seated at the pool’s edge, her feet skimming the


    surface of the water. I swam over, grinning. “Why aren’t you swimming?”


    She looked away, biting her lip. “I’m… not a great swimmer. Deep water makes me nervous.”


    I couldn’t help but smirk. “The Alpha Princess is afraid of water?” I asked teasingly, cocking my head to


    the side. E’s face darkened. “Don’t patronize me.”


    I shook my head, still smirking but softening my tone. “Well, lucky for you, I’m here.” I held out my arms


    dramatically. “Come on, just jump in. I’ll hold you.”


    Her face turned a delightful shade of crimson. “You’re such a pig!” she eximed, sending a yful


    ssh my way. Iughed, the sound echoing across the pool. “I promise I’m not being creepy. Just


    trust me.”


    E looked at me, her eyes shimmering with a mix of doubt and amusement. After what felt like an


    eternity, she finally relented. Taking a deep breath, she eased herself into the water, her fingers


    clutching my arm. Her breath came out shaky, and I could feel her heart pounding.


    “Hold on,” I whispered, wrapping an arm around her waist, pulling her close. “I’ve got you.”


    We stayed like that for a while, the warmth of her body pressed against mine, the soft murmur of the


    party serving as background noise. I felt her gradually rx, her grip loosening.


    “So,” I began, curious, “always been scared of water?”


    She sighed, her head resting against my shoulder. I couldn’t tell whether she meant it or not or if all of


    that champagne was finally catching up with her. “Even during my Alpha training as a kid. Swimming


    was the bane of my existence. I’de up with every excuse in the book to avoid it.”


    I chuckled, picturing a younger E with a mischievous glint in her eyes. “I can imagine you being quite


    the handful.”


    She smiled wistfully, her eyes distant. “I was. Always getting into some sort of trouble or another.”


    The moment was interrupted by a loud whoop as one of the party-goers brandished a bottle of


    champagne, spraying its frothy contents over the pool. Laughter bubbled up around us, the mood


    instantly lightening.


    Turning to E, I expected her to look annoyed, maybe even outraged. But to my surprise, she was


    giggling, the bubbly liquid dripping down her face, her eyes sparkling with mirth.


    “You look cute like this,” I admitted, the words slipping out before I could stop them. Herughter


    subsided, reced by a soft blush. “And you look… wet,” she retorted, a hint of tease in her voice.