The Girl He Marked by Laila Callaway novel Chapter 1

Book 1 Chapter 41

‘You’re such a dickhead, I splash water at him and he only smirks in response.

I’m just trying to get you wet, he jokes and grabs my hand, pulling me deeper into the sea until my feet no longer touch the seabed and I have to tread water.

“Very funny. I comment at his stupid remark, as I bob up and down with the waves.

We spend an hour or so in the water before coming out and lying out on our towels to dry off.

‘You look great in that bikini by the way, he remarks as we lie next to each other. I’m glad we’re both on our backs, facing the sky, so he can’t see my blush.

Thank you,’ I manage to mumble a response and try to focus on the sun warming my skin instead.

Around four o’clock, I head inside and have a shower to get all of the sea salt out of my hair. I am then faced with the task of finding something to wear for dinner, luckily I have a lot of options. I eventually choose a tight dress and decide to wear heels, because even on platforms, Eli will still be taller than me.

Earlier on, we had agreed to go on a walk before dinner, so we’d leave at six, giving me another hour to do my make-up. I take my time, wanting to look my best for him, it’s crazy how much his opinion means to

1. me.

Just before six, finally satisfied with the way I look, I come down the stairs to find Eli leaning against the wall on his phone. He glances up, does a double-take and nearly drops his phone. He catches it and quickly stuffs it in his pocket, an embarrassed look on his face.

‘Wow, you look incredible, he compliments me, and I look down at my feet, so my hair falls across my face and hides my blush.

‘Thank you, you look very nice’ I reply honestly, he looks completely edible in his white shirt and jeans.

place my hand on his proffered arm as he helps me across the gravel in my heels, and then he drives us back into town. Once parked, we walk in the direction of the pier.

We choose to start our evening on the Ferris wheel, since Eli has been paying for me all day, I convince him to let me pay for our turn and we climb into our seats and lower the bar.

Just as the wheel started to move, the lights in the fair began to flicker on. The sun is beginning to sink down, closer to the horizon, throwing beautiful oranges and pinks across the sky. All the bulbs began to hum with electricity and light up the huge pier. It looks like there are neon fireflies everywhere, the smell of cotton candy and popcorn floats around us and the sound of people chatting and laughing reaches us, even high up on the wheel.

‘Thank you so much for today, this was such a lovely idea, I tell Eli as we reach the top and despite be ing afraid of heights, the view is breath-taking

I’m glad you’ve enjoyed it, I’ve never brought a girl here before you know, he divulges and I can’t hold back my smile, it makes me feel special to know I’m the only one.

‘Well thank you for thinking I am special enough, I say, unable to stop smiling now he’s told me that.

happily agreed to be Eli’s Beta. He has been looking after Eli the past few weeks, whilst he wasn’t well be cause he hadn’t found me yet, hence why he was so angry that Eli had kidnapped me. Funnily enough, it was actually Tyler who was the wolf Eli was fighting in the woods with the night he took me.

I explain to Eli all about my ‘simple human family, how I’m an only child and very close to my parents. We don’t talk much about the night he took me, I think it is a sensitive subject for both of us and we seem to have an unspoken agreement to drop the subject.

We arrive back at the beach house at about nine, Eli opens a bottle of wine, and we sit down on a bench on the porch. The moon is out in full, casting a white beam across the sea. The only sound is the gentle crashing of the waves only a little way in front of us.