CHAPTER 62: CHAPTER 62: THE ARROW’S PATH

“This one’s for you, beautiful.” Axel loaded the arrow into the bow.

With his eyes still on mine, he pulled the bowstring and released the arrow. I tore my gaze away from his and watched as the black arrow flew through the air and straight into the yellow bullseye.

“I don’t even need to look to know that I got a bullseye,” he said confidently.

But I wasn’t that easily impressed. I crossed my arms and cocked my hip to the side, staring him down.

“Even a child could hit a target that close.” I gestured to the wooden post that was only twenty feet away.

Axel smirked. “Oh, sweetheart, I’m just getting started.”

He spun around and walked another twenty feet away from the starting line I’d set up for Michelle. The four of us moved away from the line so we wouldn’t be in the arrow’s path.

Axel looked at me again, lifted his bow, and shot the arrow. This one landed in the exact same place as the first and severed through the first arrow. He had to have put a lot of strength behind his shot for that to happen.

That was actually impressive.

But when Axel raised his eyebrows at me, I merely shrugged.

Determined, he turned around and sprinted back to the patio.

Isabella giggled. “He must really like you, Jasmine. He doesn’t usually try this hard to impress a girl.”

My stomach swooped a little, and I grinned when I heard Michelle retching behind me. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Elliot frown.

“Is this far enough?” Axel shouted when he was the length of about twenty school buses back.

He was standing right next to the back slider door. As he kept eye contact with me, he shot the arrow again, destroying the second arrow like he did the first one.

“Not far enough!” I shouted and laughed, surprisingly enjoying myself.

I raised my hand, shielding my eyes from the glaring sun, and watched Axel jump from the patio, not bothering to use the stairs. He moved the bow to his back and gripped the beautiful rose trellis that climbed up the side of the house. With ease, Axel scaled the trellis, managing not to destroy any of the gorgeous roses—something that I appreciated.

“Told you he was an idiot,” Michelle murmured from behind me.

“Will this suffice?” Axel shouted when he was standing on the edge of the roof.

I bit the inside of my cheek so I wouldn’t smile. “Maybe,” I yelled.

“Well, what if I raise the stakes a little?” Axel asked.

“How so? You’re already on the roof!” I shot back.

Axel grinned and pulled out something from his back pocket.

After a moment, I realized that it was a black blindfold.

“It’s a little concerning that he just had that at the ready,” Isabella pointed out, causing me to giggle.

Axel tied the blindfold around his eyes and loaded another bow into the notch.

“We should probably move farther away,” Michelle suggested, taking a giant step back.

But I didn’t move. Weirdly, I trusted this cocky guy that I had just met. And sure enough, Axel drew back the bow and let the arrow fly. It seemed to take forever to soar through the air.

I watched in awe as the third arrow landed in the bullseye, destroying the other one.

But Axel didn’t stop there. The muscles in his white shirt flexed as he sent arrow after arrow straight into the bullseye. When he was out of arrows, Axel took off his blindfold and leaped off the roof.

I held my breath as he dropped like an anchor onto the ground.

But Axel landed in a crouched position, completely unscathed. He ran back to us, his gaze on me. With a proud smile, he handed me the bow and quiver.

I couldn’t help but be impressed by his skills.

“Did you enjoy the show?” Axel asked me with a flirty wink.

“It was alright,” I responded. “But you only left Michelle one arrow to practice with.” I gestured to the arrows that were lying in pieces on the grass.

“Yeah,” Michelle agreed. “How am I supposed to train with only one arrow?”

“That can be easily fixed.” Axel took out his phone and pressed a few buttons. “Hi, can you please bring a new set of bows and arrows to Gareth Laken’s residence?” He waited a moment. “Thanks, Max.”

I eyed him as he hung up his phone. Even though Axel liked to joke around, he did seem to be well-connected.

As soon as I thought of Gareth and his intense, gray eyes, my pulse quickened, but I forced him out of my mind.

“They will be here in thirty minutes,” Axel told Michelle.

His eyes shot to me, and he walked toward me until he was only a few feet away. I wasn’t sure how I felt about his unwavering gaze.

“I only use my connections in this town when I want to impress someone,” he muttered quietly, so I was the only one who could hear him.

“Well, you’re going to have to try a lot harder than a few tricks with a bow and procuring a few arrows to impress me,” I quipped.

Axel smirked as his eyes trailed almost lazily down my body.

“Jasmine, I’m just getting started.”

His words made my throat go dry.

Did this count as flirting? Was I enjoying Axel’s attention?

“Why don’t you give me another chance?” he suggested.

“What kind of chance?” I asked hesitantly.

“A chance to impress you,” he answered. “Why don’t we spar? Maybe some hand-to-hand combat? We can see who’s the better fighter, a future Alpha or a tutor.”

His words made my teeth clench, but a strange kind of excitement made me shiver with anticipation.

“If you want, I’ll even give you the option to select a weapon of your choice to go against me.” Axel gestured to the weapons rack.

I scoffed. “I don’t need a weapon to defeat you,” I countered and started to circle him. “You might need one going up against me, though.”

“Hell, yeah!” Michelle cheered and clapped. “Get him, Jasmine!”

As we faced off, Axel’s eyes sparked with excitement. We put our hands up, and he crooked his pointer finger in a ‘come-and-get-me’ motion.

That was fine.

I had no problem making the first move.

“Make sure you’re paying attention to my technique, Michelle. I’m going to turn kicking your cousin’s ass into a sparring lesson,” I said and tensed my body to spring forward.

Michelle and Isabella cheered as I leaped forward and jabbed him in the shoulder. He didn’t have time to block my punch, and his eyes widened in surprise when I hit him.

“What? Are you surprised that I actually know how to fight?” I raised my hands again.

Axel smirked and spun around, lifting his leg into a side kick, but I managed to block him with my left forearm.

I retaliated by kicking him hard in the chest with a well-executed roundhouse, and he went flying back, landing on his back with a dazed expression. On the sidelines, Isabella and Michelle clapped. I didn’t give Axel a chance to catch his breath. I stalked forward and sprang on top of him.

But before I could pin him down, Axel caught me around the waist, flipped me midair, and brought me to the ground. His hard body pinned me to the grass. Even though he had gotten the better of me with that move, I couldn’t help but smile. Axel was a worthy opponent, and his good mood was contagious. I was having fun with him. He didn’t make my wolf purr like Elliot or Gareth, but it still felt good.

I wanted more of that light feeling spreading through my body.

Axel grinned down at me as he pinned my wrists above my head. As his strong body pressed against my soft one, my heart skipped a beat.

I looked to the side and saw Isabella gasp and grab Elliot’s hand.

But she shouldn’t be worried.

I wrapped my legs around Axel’s waist and used my momentum to flip his body over, until he was the one lying on the ground and I was straddling him, sitting on top of his hips.

Leaning forward, I pinned his wrists down to his sides. The movement caused my breasts to press against his chest. A smug smile crossed my face.

Axel had a wicked glint in his eyes, and he opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by a loud, commanding voice.

“Get your hands off her this instant!” Gareth yelled.