Book 3 Chapter 21
Axel''s POV.
Grace and I only talk a bit during the lesson. She is a real goody—two—shoes who doesn''t like to get
in trouble. Yet another thing I like about her.
When the lesson is over, we go up to the study room. I get out my maths books and go over the topics
we covered this morning.
Once she''s confident that she understands it, I change the subject to her.
''Are you new to the town Or just to this school'' I ask casually.
''I''m new to the town. We moved here a week ago.''
''We You and your parents''
She nods. ''Me and my mum and my three half—siblings.''
I look at her curiously and she obviously decides to exin before I ask.
''My dad left when I was four and my mum remarried a few yearster. My step—dad passed away two
years ago, so it''s just the five of us now.''
''Shit, I''m so sorry.''
She shrugs. ''It''s okay. It was horrible at first, but Mum''s starting to heal, and I know my siblings keep
her so busy that she barely has time to miss my step—dad nowadays.''
''How old are your siblings''
She grimaces. ''Five, seven and nine. They''re so irritating. I spend a lot of time in my bedroom, with the
door locked.''
Iugh at that. ''I''m an only child, I can''t rte I''m afraid.''
Her eyes widen. ''You''re so lucky! I''m jealous. I love my siblings, but it would be nice to have to space
for once.''
''Well, if you ever need a break, you can alwayse round to mine.''
I realize what I''ve said, after the words leave my mouth. Grace looks at me in surprise and I worry that
I''ve scared her bying on too strong.
''I have my friends over all the time. Xaden and Rory practically lived at my house over summer,'' I tell
her hurriedly, trying to make her less ufortable.
Grace smiles and I sigh with relief. ''That''s nice of you, thank you.''
Fuck it, here I go.
''I was wondering…can I take you out sometime this week If you''re new to the area, I''m happy to show
you the good ces.''
Her cheeks turn a pretty pink and she ys with her hands on herp.
''Like a date'' She asks quietly.
I smirk. ''That would be good, but, if you prefer, it can just be a local showing around a newbie.''
She giggles at that. ''Um, no, a date…sounds nice. I''d like that.''
I can''t stop myself from grinning. I want to fist pump the air and shout that I have a date with my mate.
Instead, I y it cool.
''Awesome. Shall we exchange numbers Then I cane up with a n and text you the details.''
She gets her mint phone out of her bag. ''Sure, this is my number…''
Grace and I talk for the rest of the free period. When the bell goes, I walk her outside of the school. She
tells me that she lives a ten—minute walk away.
I offer to give her a lift, but she declines. She likes the walk to clear her head before she reaches the
madhouse she calls home.
I find Xaden leaning against my car, smirking like the smug bastard he is.
''How''s cutie'' He asks dryly.
I grab his shirt and yank him upward, so that I am in his face.
''Don''t fucking call her that,'' I growl angrily.
He chuckles and pulls my hand from him.
''I''m just teasing, man,'' he says and then his eyes soften. ''I''m sorry. I won''t go anywhere near your
mate, I swear.''
Xaden might be a dick, but I know he''s not that much of a dick.
I roll my eyes at him. ''I know you won''t, but don''t call her names like that.''
Heughs. ''I won''t. That''s your job.''
Xadenes back to my house, as we often do after school. We y on my Xbox in my room.
''So, what''s it like'' Xaden asks. ''Having a mate''
I can''t stop my lips quirking up in a smile.
''Fucking awesome and I haven''t even touched her yet. It''s strange. It''s like my whole world changed
this morning. Everything I thought was important, now means nothingpared to her. I want nothing
more than to be around her constantly and to make her happy,'' I tell him honestly.
Xaden stays quiet, processing my confession.
I groan. ''Fuck. Now I miss her.''
He chuckles next to me. ''Pussy—whipped already, bro.''
I don''t try and deny it.
''I know, I am. I don''t even care though, she''s worth it.''
Xaden''s phone buzzes and he pauses the game. He looks down and reads the text. The moment he
gives me a sheepish smile, I know what the text says without even seeing it.
''Let me guess, you''re sorry to bail on me, but there''s some hot girl wanting to bang you''
Xaden grins and shrugs.
''Duty calls,'' he says dramatically and stands up. ''I gotta give the girls what they want.''
I roll my eyes.
''Just remember, every girl you sleep with, is another reason for your mate to hit you.''
Xadenughs at that. ''Then I''ll be ck and blue by the time she''s done with me.''
He opens my bedroom door to leave and then calls over his shoulder. ''But remember, I''m not getting a
mate!''
I shake my head at him in disbelief.
So na?ve.
Everyone has a mate.
?????????????
Tuesday morning, I am actually out of the house early, for once.
I told my parents about Gracest night. Whilst they''re excited for me and can''t wait to meet her, they
have their reservations because she is human.
I have them, too, I''ll admit.
It makes things harder for me. Had she been a shifter, she would recognize the mate bond and I
wouldn''t have to deal with the shit task of confessing that I''m a shifter.
It just means I''m going to have to work harder and be more patient. I need to take Grace on dates, get
her to trust me. The mate bond will do the rest. She''ll feel the pull towards me, but she''ll brush it off as
attraction.
I need to show her that it is something much deeper.
When the timees, when we''ve been dating long enough and shepletely trusts me, I will tell
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her what I am.
The Moon Goddess is generous. Humans that are assigned as soulmates to shifters tend to have a
predisposition for the supernatural. They either want to be a werewolf or have an interest in them.
It is incredibly rare to hear of a human freaking out and rejecting their mate when they reveal
themselves, but it happens. I''ll admit, I''m scared it will happen with Grace.
The timing is very sensitive. I have to make sure I do this right.
The reason for my arriving early to school for once, walks through the door into themon room.
Grace catches my eye and I grin, gesturing for her toe over. She smiles shyly and joins Rory and
me.
''Morning,'' she says sweetly.
My hands twitch, wanting to touch her. I curl my fingers into fists on myp.
''Morning, how are you this morning'' I ask her.
I can see Rory smiling in my peripherals. She''s looking down at her textbook, trying not to make it
obvious.
I know, I''m whipped already.
''Really good, thank you,'' Grace replies. ''What about you''
''Better now,'' I reply with a grin.
Grace blushes. My first blush of the day, I love it.
''We have math first; do you want to go over that topic again''
Grace nods and pulls her textbook out of her backpack.
''Yes, please. That would be helpful.''
For the next fifteen minutes, we go over yesterday''s topic again. I shuffle my chair close to hers,
breathing in her sweet scent.
I hear her heart rate increase as I sit near her, I really hope it''s from attraction and not fear.
I frown as I realize her scent is different from yesterday. It doesn''t smell like honeysuckles anymore; it
smells like strawberries.
''You smell like strawberries,'' Iment, without thinking about how weird that sounds.
Grace blushes. ''Yeah, I got a new shampoo.'' She smells her hair. ''Is it okay''
''It smells amazing,'' I tell her, and she blushes some more.
Hmm, strawberries.
Xadenes inte and smirks when he sees me. Grace packs up her things and goes off to her form.
It sucks she''s not in my form.
''Get in a cheeky morning session, did we'' Xaden teases.
I roll my eyes. ''How was your shagst night''
He shrugs. ''Same old. Not bad, not incredible.''
''Why do it then If it wasn''t even that good''
He shrugs at me again. ''It''s better than lying in the bedroom alone.''
As I said, he just wants attention,fort,panionship. If he''s on his own, he''s not happy.
In my opinion, he needs to meet his mate ASAP, before he''s slept with all of her friends and maybe
some of her family!
?????????????