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 Ella. 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 ‘relationship’ 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 never last.”
I felt my wolf growl inside of me, but it was true. As much as I was fascinated with Ella, 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 had come 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 glass 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 flash of anger, my grip on the glass threatening to shatter it. “She’s my fated mate,” I bit out. “You’ve no business assuming anything about our relationship.”
Harry’s laughter, 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 flatter 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 ‘relationship’ 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, his laughter 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 uncomfortable, and I refused to let him have that satisfaction. I decided to focus on the reason I was here: Ella.
My gaze once again darted to the entrance, hoping to see her emerge. My impatience was a clear indication of how much she’d already come to mean to me, even in the short time we had known each other. And while our relationship might have started under unconventional circumstances, the connection I felt was real.
Whether Harry or anyone else believed it didn’t matter.
When Ella 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 Ella 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 Ella 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.
The sound of surprised yelps and laughter filled the air, effectively drawing the attention away from my little… situation.
As the initial shock of my jump subsided, I noticed Ella 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. Ella’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 exclaimed, sending a playful splash my way. I laughed, the sound echoing across the pool. “I promise I’m not being creepy. Just trust me.”
Ella 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 relax, 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’d come up with every excuse in the book to avoid it.”
I chuckled, picturing a younger Ella 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 Ella, 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. Her laughter subsided, replaced by a soft blush. “And you look… wet,” she retorted, a hint of tease in her voice.
