Ch. 131..135: The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy Chapter 131-135

Chapter 131

“Um,” I say

say, feeling utterly awkward as I look between Ben’s slack jaw and Jesse’s appalled expression. I am suddenly very, very aware of Jackson’s forearm tucked neatly below my ass, holding me up against him, and the way that my leg intuitively curled itself over his hip, like it belongs there.

–

Ben’s mouth drops open further as he realizes that this is not a mistake that I’m not fighting Jackson, demanding that he put me down.

“Get off of her!” Jesse shouts, starting forward, livid, raising his fist like he’s going to beat the shit out of Jacks.

Jackson snarls, taking a step away, holding me possessively to him as Rafe stands and jumps between my mate and my cousin.

“Whoa, whoa, Jess!” Rafe shouts, putting out a hand to stop our cousin in his tracks. “You don’t have all the information here!” Jesse obligingly skitters to a stop, looking between Rafe and me with his mouth open.

–

“What are you talking about!?” Jesse shouts, staring at Rafe in shock. “You’re just – you’re okay with this!? What the hell happened out there –”

“You didn’t tell them?” Jackson murmurs, turning his face to me with a little frown of confusion.

“Tell us what?” Ben asks, eager, sitting forward and resting his chin in his palm. His expression has turned from one of shock to delight at the drama unfolding before him. “Um,” I reply, going still with awkward fear, having absolutely no idea what to say. “No, she didn’t tell them,” Rafe sighs, turning back to Jesse. “Though she should have –”

“What information am I missing here,” Jesse says, speaking fast in his outrage and growing panic. “Because, Rafe, I actually think you’re the one missing some facts – Ariel and Jackson cannot date, she’s already –”

“Jesse!” I shout, bursting into action in my panic and wriggling in Jackson’s arms, desperate to get down. “Shut up!”

“Shut up?” Jesse asks, sufficiently diverted but turning to me now, angry. “What…why do you…Ari!” he shouts, stepping towards me now as Jackson hesitantly lowers feet, but doesn’t let me out of his arms. “What the fuck is going on!”

a to n

Ben just stares between all of us in shock and delight as Rafe sighs, shrugging at me. “It’s time, Ari. You should just let everyone know now – no reason to keep it a secret anymore.”

I open my mouth, not knowing what to say, feeling that Jackson is looking down at me with love and support in his eyes.

And then, just at the absolute worst moment possible…a little knock comes at the open door.

“Hey, guys, did dinner come up yet?”

We’re all completely silent as we turn to look at Luca, who cheerfully steps into the room and presses the door shut behind him.

“Is Ari here?” he asks, looking around.

And then his eyes fall on me, peeking out from Jackson’s other side, my mate’s arm still wrapped around me. Luca’s face falls slack, probably matching mine for shock and pallor.

Shit shit shit.

How am I not better prepared for this!?

Luca processes his shock faster than mine, instantly moving into rage.

“Get your fucking hands,” he snarls, taking a dangerous step forward into the room, his canines lengthening as he levels a murderous glare at Jackson, “off of my fucking mate.” “Wait, what?” Rafe snaps, taking an aggressive step towards Luca.

Jackson snarls in response, releasing me from his embrace only to tuck me protectively behind his back. “She is my mate, Grant,” he growls, and I can feel his rage pulsing through him now at the claim Luca is making on me.

The claim Jackson doesn’t know that Luca has every right to make.

“Stop!” I gasp, sensing the perilous edge that both of my mates are teetering on right now, about to tip into violence. I dart to the right, trying to get around Jackson, to meet Luca’s eyes, sending a desperate plea down both of my bonds to stop, to calm, to wait

Because both of them, I can tell, are on the brink of shifting. And neither is going to survive it if they tear into each other now.

“Ariel!” Luca snaps, “get over here!”

His words are desperate, a plea as much as a command. He’s asking me, publicly, to recognize him – to tell everyone who he is to me, what we are to each other.

Instinctually my feet move, and I step to Jackson’s side, eager to get between them. Jackson gasps, his hand reaching out, grasping my arm. “Ariel,” he stutters, shocked, “what are you

“Get off of her!” Luca roars again, taking another step towards us, his eyes locking on Jackson’s hand wrapped possessively around my arm.

Chapter 132

“Luca!” Rafe shouts, just as Jesse shouts Jackson’s name, both of them baffled.

I shake my head at Jacks, begging him to understand as I keep moving forward, as I place myself between my mates. And the moment I step actually between them, holding out a hand, palm out, towards each, begging them to stop

I realize that it was a mistake.

I mean, I don’t know what else I could have done, but it was a mistake.

Because in that moment, each of my mates sees that I’m not denying the other. Luca’s eyes flash to Jackson’s just as Jackson’s move to his. There’s a brief moment of silence before Jacks releases a horrible, desperate snarl. Luca roars in response before, in a flash, they both shift into their wolves.

Ben realizes what is happening half a second before everyone else, and he’s the only one to move in time. My friend releases a shout, hurling himself up from the couch and leaping over the coffee table to tackle me to the floor jus

as the two wolves crash into each other

above us.

And god, the sound they make –

The crashing roars they release sound unending, so loud in our tight stone room that it feels my eardrums will shatter. Ben wraps an arm around me, pulling me away, back against the stone of the fireplace as I cover my ears with my hands, tears slipping down my cheeks. I try to look, but god, there’s blood-

And as each of my mate’s emotions rage through me, I’m completely overwhelmed. I no longer have any idea which of my emotions are mine, and which are theirs scream, and scratch, and bite, and intercede, and stop them, and

– I want to

Somewhere, outside, I feel Ben wrap me up in a tight ball as more noise adds to the fury-

And suddenly, somehow, the feelings change shock and confusion adding to the anger, and a sudde

sense of shame, and restraint

–

–

I open my eyes, my senses slowly coming back to me, and my face goes still when I see that there are four wolves in front of me now Jackson’s scruff in his mouth, not biting him but a warning growl rumbling deep in his

Rafe’s huge dark wolf snarling as he holds chest. Jesse’s familiar brown wolf stands between Rafe, Jackson, and the fourth wolf, who is a lighter brown – almost blonde – panting and snarling his warning. But then Jesse shifts,

his hands out between them.

“This is done!” Jesse shouts, glaring viciously between Jackson and Luca. “Shift the fuck back! We are getting to the bottom of this, right now!”

There’s a long pause as we all look around at each other before Jackson shakes himself, just a little, and Rafe loosens his grip on his neck. Luca shifts then, and my eyes go directly to him, groaning when I see his bloody lip, the swelling already starting around his eye.

I move, wanting to be next to him instantly, to check on his wounds – but Ben tightens his hands on my arms. “You stay…right here…” he murmurs in my ear. “For just a little longer, okay?”

Realizing that he’s right, I stop, though I can’t stop the whimper in my throat as Luca stares at me, appalled.

There’s another flash to my right, and when I look I see Jackson getting slowly to his feet. He didn’t come out of it as badly as Luca did, but I see his hand move instantly to his jaw, rubbing it like he’s assessing the damage.

Rafe shifts a moment later, turning to me in his rage. “Ariel!?” he says, glaring down at me. “Is there something that you want to explain here!?”

fe

“Um,” I say, glancing at Ben, who sighs and releases his grip on me. The two of us get to our and I look awkwardly around the room, tears welling in my eyes, not knowing where to begin. I feel so horribly selfish and overwhelmed because I know I need to tell them – all

of them.

It’s just – I have no idea where to start…

“Ariel,” Luca says, his voice desperate and heartbroken as he takes a step towards me. A snarl breaks from Jackson and my head whips towards him, but I see Rafe’s hand out in a flash, catching Jackson in the chest.

“Stop,” Rafe growls, glaring at the other Alpha who only he could probably hold back. “Let them talk.”

I turn my head back to Luca, who is just staring at me, crushed. “Why…Ariel, why is he saying that he’s your mate?”

“Because,” I whisper, locking my eye with his. “Because, Luca…he is.”

Chapter 133

The room is silent for a long moment and I’m shocked when it’s Jesse’s voice that breaks it.

“Whaaat the fuckkk,” Jesse groans, turning in a tight circle and covering his face with his hands before dragging them down over his features and turning to glare at me, just as Rafe is.

The room explodes again into noise, everyone shouting at once, except for Jackson, who just stares at me, wary.

“Stop, stop!” I shout, putting my hands out again as tears slip from my eyes, my voice shaking. “Everyone shut up!”

To my surprise, all of the Alphas comply, going still and letting me speak.

I turn my head to look at Luca for a long moment, taking in every devastated line of his face, the shock and the heartbreak, all of which pulses down our bond as well, threatening to take me out at the knees. “Jackson is my mate,” I say quietly, solidly, claiming him. Dread fills me now, and I know that it’s only half mine as I turn to Jackson, seeing it on his face too.

Because he senses what’s coming.

“But so is Luca,” I continue, my voice hitching, my heart breaking as I look into Jackson’s eyes. Because I know I know what it meant to Jackson to find me, to have me.

–

And I know what it’s going to mean to find out that I’m not his. Or at least, not his alone.

“You’re both my fated mates,” I whisper, wanting to be perfectly clear as I send all the love I can down both of my bonds to each of them, hoping to communicate how much I want them, how each of them is precious to me. “The Goddess…she gave me two mates. She gave me both of you.”

Silence again, for a long moment, before Jackson breaks it with a long moan that tears my heart to pieces. Because my stoic mate- if he’d had any choice at all in the matter, he’d never have made a sound, never have let anyone know how he feels. But this he couldn’t help it.

A terrible sob rips from me as I watch Jackson turn away to face the wall, watch him cover his face with his hand, watch his shoulders shake as he tries to process everything. And the grief that ripples off of him in a wave – I stumble back a step, and only Ben reaching out to take me by the shoulders, to steady me, stops me from falling to the floor.

But that’s not the end of it. God, crap, it’s just the beginning.

“Are you fucking kidding me, Ariel!?” Luca gasps, stepping forward towards me, mad as

hell. Jesse steps forward too, ready to intercede, but I put up a hand towards him. Because Luca’s my mate – there’s no way he’d consciously hurt me, and he has every right to be livid with me right now.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper, shaking my head as I look up into his eyes. “I didn’t know…how to tell you. Either of you. It was all so new and everyone thought I was a boy

–

“this is…this “Wait,” Rafe says, and from the corner of my eye I see him step towards us, is real? Luca is her mate? I thought Jackson

“Jackson is her mate!?” Jesse counters, turning towards him, and the two begin a hurried, angry conversation, comparing notes.

I keep my eyes focused on Luca in front of me, even though half my heart is with Jackson across the room, who I can tell is…well, having a little bit of a breakdown. I hear footsteps behind me moving in his direction, and I know instinctually that it’s Ben, being the good person that he is and going to stand with him.

“Ariel,” Luca says again, softer now, still angry but staring at me with his own grief written clear on his face as he reaches out and takes my face in his hands. “You…you picked him? You claimed him? As your mate?”

“No,” I say, shaking my head and wrapping my hands around his wrists. “Luca, I didn’t do this – the Goddess did she…god, this is going to sound so weird, but she’s my grandmother –”

Chapter 134

“What?” he sputters, disbelieving.

“It’s true, but it’s not important – but she picked Jackson, she picked both of you for me

“That’s fucking impossible!” Luca yells, dropping his hands from my face and throwing them out to the side. “You get one mate опе

I don’t know who told you that you could have two, but they were lying, Ariel!”

–

“Actually,” Jesse snaps, pausing his angry conversation with Rafe to turn to us. Luca’s eyes. move instantly to him. “It’s not impossible. Their dad had two fated mates.” Jesse points between Rafe and me. “So,” he shrugs. “Family precedent. And all that.”

“Wait, what?” Rafe sputters, grabbing Jesse’s arm and making him face him. The two begin. to speak again in hushed tones as Luca stares at them for a second before he shakes his head. to clear it, turning back to me.

“Listen, if it’s real- and he just hasn’t tricked you into believing he’s your mate or

something,” Luca shouts, “I don’t even care how it happened! But you have to end it, Ari! Just reject him!”

My eves on und

horrified at the suggestion.

Luca sees my reaction and his jaw drops. “You…you’re not going to reject him!?”

“Luca, no = ”

He groans, turning away from me like he can’t bear to look at me anymore, his whole body starting to tremble with the insane mix of emotions coursing through him right now. “Luca, I can’t ”

–

“You can, Ariel!” he shouts, turning on me and clenching a fist between us but determined. “I don’t know what the fuck is going on here, but you and me!? We’re

not violent,

meant to be together! I don’t care who the fuck that guy is, or what some Goddess said, you are my mate,” he pounds his fist against his chest now with the words as his voice cracks, and tears start to slip down my cheeks as I feel every inch of how much he means them.

I shake iny head, not knowing what to say as I press my hands to my heart. “I am your mate, Luca –”

“Don’t you get it?” Luca says, softer now, coming close again, staring down at me desperate and devastated. “Don’t you get how shatteringly in love with you I am? Ariel…” he shakes

his head, wrapping a gentle hand around my neck and pulling me closer to him. “I am yours, and you are mine, and that is the end of it. The end of everything of the entire fucking universe=”

–

And then his hand tightens, pulling me closer so that he can kiss me. His lips move on mine like a promise, like everything is complete.

And my heart breaks, because as much as half of me sings to hear him say it – that he loves me, beyond just being mated to me –

The other half of my heart is storming towards the door now, devastated.

I pull my face from Luca’s, a little cry on my lips as I watch Jackson tear open the door, watch him move swiftly through it. I move instantly towards him, needing to catch him, needing to explain

But Luca grabs my arm. “Are you kidding me!?” he shouts, appalled. “Ariel! Do not go him!”

“Luca!” I shout back, gesturing towards the door. “He’s my

after

“Your fucking mate,” Luca groans, dropping my arm and lifting his hands to knot them in his hair, at the end of his patience, maybe even his sanity. I stare at him, wanting to go to him as well, to explain further because he needs so much information, and he deserves it, I know that now-

But…

My eyes move again to the door, wanting to follow Jacks too because he deserves the very same thing. And as much as Luca is throwing a fit right now not that I blame him, it’s a very well–deserved fit – I know that Jackson is taking this harder.

To Jackson, I was the one good thing in this world.

Chapter 135

And now he thinks he’s lost me.

And he’s just…gone.

“Stay here, Ariel,” Jesse says, and I jump when I realize that he’s standing at my side. “I’ll go after Jacks. Just….stay in the room, all right?”

“Jesse,” I murmur, reaching for him, apology all over my face.

“It’s fine,” my good cousin says, taking my hand and giving it a little squeeze. “I mean, it’s not fine, but…” he sighs, shaking his head. “We’re fine, all right? Deal with your drama, I’ll be back when I can.”

And with that, my cousin storms off after my mate.

I turn back to Luca, who I’m surprised to see standing staring at me in a newly determined way, his hands on his hips. “I’m not doing this,” he says, shaking his head, his voice set. End things with him, Ariel – I’m not…I can’t do this. I love you too damn much to share you with that jackass.”

Luca tears his eyes from me like he can’t bear to look at me anymore and strides for the door, yanking it open and likewise starting down the hall. I stare after him with my jaw open – not because what he said is really that surprising or even unfair…

I just…

God, what the fuck just happened? How did the entire world just explode within the last five minutes – all

all my carefully veiled secrets, ripped open at once…

“I’ll take care of that one,” Rafe says, sending me a glance as he, too, strides for the door. ” But don’t even think that we’re done talking about this, Ariel.”

I don’t say anything, just watching in shock as Rafe, too, passes through the door and slams it shut behind him.

And then the room is…absolutely silent. Stupidly silent, after everything that just happened.

God, what the hell, they transformed into their wolves for heaven’s sake – they fought each other…

And now I’m just standing here in silence. With Ben.

I almost leap out of my skin when the dumbwaiter’s absurdly cheerful bell sounds, but I

don’t even turn to watch as Ben quietly moves to the dumbwaiter and takes something out. Instead, I just stand and stare into space, trying to put the shards of my reality back

together.

They know. My mates know after months of keeping it secret….

Now they just…know.

From the corner of my eye I see Ben carry whatever he took from the dumbwaiter quietly to the coffee table, but I don’t pay attention to it. I barely notice, still staring at the door, when he takes me by the shoulders, and guides me over to the couch, and sits me down, and lays the green blanket over my knees, and puts a fork in my hand.

I only start to come back to the present moment as Ben lifts a knife to cut the ridiculous chocolate cake in front of us that reads “Congratulations!”

I sit in perfect silence, holding my fork, as Ben lifts a slice and puts it on a plate, sighing as he holds it out to me.

“Come on, Princess,” he murmurs. “You need this.”

I stare at Ben, blank, as I take the cake from his hand and settle the plate on my lap.

“If it helps at all,” Ben murmurs as he cuts another slice and leans back onto the couch with it, scooping up a forkful and lifting it to his mouth. “I’m gay and in love with your brother.”

I quietly watch as Ben takes a bite of the thick cake, chews it and swallows.

“Yeah,” I sigh, turning to look down at my plate as I cut off the corner of my cake with the edge of my fork and lift it to my lips. “I kind of figured.”

Ben just huffs a little laugh, taking another bite.