Ch. 141..145: The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy Chapter 141-145

Chapter 141

My lip starts to tremble as I listen, tears again stinging my eyes, but Jesse leans forward.

“Rafe,” he murmurs, glancing between us. “Slow down a little, man. I mean, if we’re aware of what they’re feeling, then she’s aware of it double – she can feel it all down their bonds. And that, on top of her own feelings?” He shakes his head, holding Rafe’s gaze, willing him

to listen.

Rafe takes a deep breath and sighs, pushing his cake around on his plate, clearly thinking it through. In the end, though, he looks up at me. “Can you seriously feel everything they feel?”

“Not everything,” I murmur, my voice tight as I look down at my plate. “Not unless the emotion is really intense, or they send it to me deliberately. And not…across great distances. Only when they’re nearby, or in the room. Like I can’t feel them now.”

“Weird,” he murmurs, quietly eating his cake as he puts his thoughts together for a second. Jesse does the same.

After a long moment, Rafe breaks the silence.

“I just wish, Ariel,” he murmurs, truly hurt, “that you’d trusted me enough to let me know. I’d have told you, after all.”

My nose starts to sting at the true sadness and hurt in his voice, and then my throat gets tight. I blink fast, not wanting to cry, because I know that they have every right to be mad at me, but…

Well, the tears start to fall down my cheeks anyway.

“Aw, come on Ari, don’t do that,” Jesse murmurs, leaning forward and putting a warm hand on my knee. “We can’t yell at you if you’re crying, and we’re not anywhere near finished.”

“I know,” I murmur, brushing frustratedly at my cheeks with the side of one hand. “I’m sorry, I’m really sorry –”

“No, I’m sorry,” my brother murmurs, setting his plate on the coffee table and getting to his knees as he reaches for me, wrapping his arms around my body and pulling me into his lap. “I’m sorry, sis. I’m fucking livid with you but – god, fuck, I’m sorry you bore this alone. I’m sorry – I wish you’d have let me be there for you.”

I cry harder, letting myself be overwhelmed by my grief and confusion, knowing he’ll see me through it. Knowing he’s strong enough for that.

“Oh, let her go, Rafe,” Jesse murmurs, scootching closer and reaching out to put his his own plate on the coffee table, laying himself down on the couch so that all of our heads are very close together, so that we can talk and hear each other in barely more than a whisper, if we so choose. “We can’t get all the gossip if she’s crying like that.”

“The gossip?” I ask, wiping my away all my tears, kind of appalled.

“Oh, all the gossip,” Jesse murmurs, yawning and turning his head to grin at me. “Jackson’s fine, by the way, thanks to yours truly. Going to show up here to breakfast tomorrow, newly determined to try for your hand. In exchange for your genuine gratitude, my love…I will accept the whole damn story. Right now.”

“Same,” Rafe says, giving me a solemn nod. “Luca’s pissed as hell, and while…well, while he’s not precisely prepared to grovel for you…he’ll be here in the morning. So, madam trouble? The floor is yours.”

And so, with a sigh, I unfold myself from Rafe’s arms and sit on the floor next to him, beginning to tell them the whole story.

“Well,” Rafe says, about an hour later, his eyebrows raised. “Actually, in retrospect, I’m glad I didn’t know any of this. I would much rather have broken up one wolf fight after finals than have had to worry about this the whole term.”

“Such empathy in my big brother,” I say, lowering my eyelids into a half–hearted glare and reaching out my fingertips to give him a shove.

Rafe grins at me, chuckling a little, as Jesse lays on the couch next to us, staring at the ceiling, his head cushioned on a pillow.

“Honestly, Ari,” my cousin says, his voice more thoughtful than it usually is, “laid out like that I’m not sure you could have done it very differently. The only place you really seem to have fucked up was when you didn’t plan this evening – you just let both of them show up here, expecting dinner. It was a powder keg, ready to explode, but the rest of it?” My eyes are wide as I watch him shrug, desperate to know what he’ll say next.

 

Chapter 142

“Yeah,” Jesse says, considering, assessing. “Yeah, Ari, with all of it – I think you did as well as you could.”

“Really?” I ask, kind of shocked.

nueves to him. “I mean, you had to get to “Yeah, I agree,” Rafe says with a sigh. I turn know them first to know if you even wanted to tell them you were their mate. And then you certainly couldn’t have told one before the other. And if you had told me, I definitely would have gone running off to mom and then dad would have pulled you out of school. The way

you

handled this was messy but…” he shrugs again. “I get it.”

“Oh god,” I mutter, putting my face into my tired hands with a shaky sigh. “That…that makes me feel so much better.”

“Maybe you could have used the dreamscape,” Jesse murmurs thoughtfully, “and pulled them both in. And then they couldn’t have hurt each other physically, just their dream bodies…”

“Well, in retrospect,” I say, crossing my arms and giving him a little glare, “sure, that sounds great, Jess.”

“For your next mate,” he says, waving a flippant hand. “Now you know.”

I smirk at him, but turn my head back to Rafe when he speaks next.

“Tomorrow’s going to be hard, Ari,” he says, peering at me thoughtfully. “They’re going to …they’re going to really lay into you for this. And I do think you owe them apologies and explanations but…I don’t think you should let them make you feel too horrible about it.”

“Really?” I ask as Jesse turns, propping himself up on his elbow to hear what Rafe has to say.

“Yeah,” Rafe says, nodding seriously as he looks between us. “I mean, you’re not just some mean girl who is dating two guys and not telling them about it. You didn’t pick this – you didn’t even pick them! The Goddess gave you these mates, and I think it’s pretty clear that she wanted you to have them both at once.”

I perk up a little to hear it said this way.

“That makes sense,” Jesse says, nodding as well. “The Goddess put all three of you on this road together, and just because Luca and Jackson don’t like it doesn’t make it your fault. You have to remind them of that, Ari- and if they give you any shit about it, then we’ll remind them too.” He raises his fist, smacking it against his other palm with a smirk, letting me

know precisely how he intends to remind them.

“Yeah, don’t let them push you around,” Rafe says, frowning now at the idea. “Luca, especially, is going to try to convince you to turn away from your bond with Jackson. But you have every right to explore your bonds with both of your mates, to figure out why the Goddess picked them.”

Jesse nods to himself, deep in thought, speaking his ideas as he figures them out. “I mean, mates are supposed to be a gift – and she’s your grandmother, for heaven’s sake. I don’t think you should be ashamed of this, or feel bad about it, or try to stop it, Ari.”

“I agree,” Rafe says, looking at me evenly. “I think it would be a mistake to reject the

—

Goddess‘ gift like that I think she’d be pissed, and you’d do yourself a disservice. I think you should explore it. While being as fair as you can to Luca and Jackson, of course. It’s not carte blanche to be a jerk to them.”

A deep well of warmth runs through me as I begin to smile, staring at my brother, who is so sweet, and so supportive. Tears again spring to my eyes.

“Oh geeze,” Rafe says with a sigh, reaching out and wiping at my cheeks with his thumb as the tears start to spill out. “What’s all this about? What did I say now?”

“Nothing,” I laugh, shaking my head and tilting it back while I sniff. “You’re just being really nice to me.”

“Of course we’re being nice to you, Ari,” Jesse says with a yawn, reaching out to ruffle my hair like he used to do when we were kids. “You’re our little baby trouble. We love you. We’d be bored without you.

I grin at the two of them, resting my head against the couch and letting my eyes fall half- shut, so grateful to the two of them for their love and their friendship and their eternal.

support.

Chapter 143

“We got your back, Ariel,” Rafe murmurs, patting my knee. And then we spend the next few hours talking softly, letting our thoughts wander, none of us really making a move to go to bed. Instead, slowly – perhaps simultaneously we all fall asleep curled up next to each other like we used to do when we were kids. A puppy pile, mom used to call it.

And I think of that, of my mom, and my family, and how much I love the rich warmth of them as I fall asleep next to my two best friends.

Because I get to see the rest of them tomorrow.

And I can barely wait.

I gasp awake when the door flies open behind me, spinning and blinking and trying to figure out if I’m about to die

“I did it!” Ben shouts, giving a whoop of excited joy as Rafe leaps to his feet, his chest. heaving with anxiety. Jesse just groans, turning over on the couch and burying his face in his pillow as I clasp a hand to my throat, trying to figure out if I had a heart attack. “I passed my finals! I get to stay!”

“Too bad you’re going to die in like four seconds, Ben!” Rafe snaps, scowling and striding over to Ben to snatch the piece of paper out of his hand. Ben ignores Rafe, dancing around the room as he pumps his fist in the air.

“I get to stay in school! I passed – I’m an Ambassador now, for real! Or at least, on my way to it!”

“That’s amazing, Ben, I’m very happy for you,” Jesse murmurs into his pillow. “Now shut up. Go away.”

I smile as I watch Rafe collect himself and smile at our friend, reaching out to grab Ben and wrap him into a big hug as he murmurs his congratulations. I grin at Ben, who peers at me over Rafe’s shoulder, watching him take a surreptitious sniff of Rafe’s scent as they break their quick hug.

I push myself to my feet as well, wincing as my stiff muscles unfold. God, sleeping on the floor – what a stupid idea

“Congrats, Ben,” I say, holding open my arms as I cross the room to him. Rafe lets him go and Ben steps to me, wrapping me in a hug and rocking me back and forth. “I’m so happy for you!”

“Did you get your results?” he asks, eager, looking down at me.

“Um, I don’t know, you kind of woke us up,” I say, looking towards the door. “How did you find out?”

“Slipped under my door this morning,” he says, letting go of me and striding for the still- open door, looking for a piece of paper. He sighs and turns to me, shaking his head.

I scowl, flopping down on the couch and making Jesse yelp when I land on the back of his

calves.

“Oh, you baby,” I mutter, “that didn’t hurt.”

“Be gentle with me,” Jesse whines, still burying his face in the pillow and pretending to be asleep. “I’m very delicate and you kept me up all night talking and I haven’t had any coffee

I laugh, smacking him on the back even as the dumbwaiter’s bell rings. I turn towards it, eager. “Sounds like coffee’s here anyway.” Even as I watch Rafe and Ben walk eagerly to the dumbwaiter, I can’t help the anxiety that rolls in my stomach.

Why did Ben get his results, but not me?

Is it just because he’s on a different track?

Or… is it because I didn’t pass? Is a different note coming soon, telling me to pack my things for good? Is it going to be –

“Is there enough coffee for one more?”

My head spins immediately to the door at the sound of Luca’s voice, my eyes going wide. Jesse immediately sits up, his sleepy façade gone as he looks at Luca levelly, clearly

wondering – as I am just how upset he still is, and if he’s volatile.

I go completely still, waiting for Luca to give me a sign about how this is going to go.

 

Chapter 144

tmove.

As I anxiously study Luca, waiting for his but I can’t help but notice how good he looks. Luca’s freshly showered, dressed in the Cadet black that makes him look so sharp, his hair falling a little into his face in a way that just begs me to touch it, wanting to push it back. His lip is a little swollen and a bruise spreads beneath his left eye, but I don’t know something about it really works for him. He just looks tough and sexy and a little dangerous in a way that I really, really like.

“Don’t worry,” Luca says with a smile as he puts up a defensive hand, smiling around at us in a way that makes his dimples flare. I melt, just a little…

Because god, he’s just so cute-

“I’m not going to flip out,” Luca continues, shaking his head at himself like he’s disappointed in how he acted last night. “I’m just…here for breakfast. As promised.”

Luca steps into the room a little more as he closes the door, his eyes moving over Ben and Jesse and Rafe before falling on me like that’s the only place they want to rest. I hold his gaze, a little smile on my mouth. Because, I mean, I really am happy to see him – I’m always happy to see him.

But…what do we do now? Do I…should I get up and hug him? Throw myself into his arms, which is what I really want to do?

“Hey,” he murmurs, the corner of his mouth turning up in a smile that’s just for me.

“Hi,” I whisper back, though I know he can hear me. A quick pulse of joy and anxiety and apology and warmth comes down the bond, letting me know that he’s still conflicted but that he’s really, really happy to see me.

I grin, because I feel the same way.

“Of course there’s enough coffee!” Rafe says, his voice booming and making me jump as he steps around me and plops the silver coffee pot on the table with a loud thump, clearly intent on breaking the vibe between Luca and me. “So,” he says, straightening up and putting his hands on his hips. “Rumor has it that you’ve been secretly dating my sister for months. Are you going to be nice to her today?”

And I burst into a grin when I see Luca grimace a little as he runs a hand through his hair, because I suddenly realize that Luca’s been keeping a secret too. This whole time, he’s been secretly dating his friend’s sister which I’m pretty sure is against the rules, when it comes to guy friendships.

–

“Of course I’m going to be nice to her,” Luca murmurs, looking around Rafe and finding me again, taking in my wide grin. Ben laughs as he moves to the coffee table, carrying plates of pastries and cups for the coffee.

“Good,” Rafe says, the words carrying a great deal of weight. “Ariel?” he says, turning to me. I sit up in surprise. “Go get showered and changed you’re a mess.

I squeak in appalled surprise, but when I look down at myself I realize that he’s right. I am very rumpled. And if we’re going to have a nice big chat, I’m going to want to look and feel. my best.

“Fine fine,” I mutter as Ben offers me a cup of coffee made just how I like it. “But if you all eat all the breakfast while I am gone, I’m going to be mad!”

“No promises!” Jesse calls after me as I carry my coffee into the bathroom and work on making myself more presentable.

About twenty minutes later, when I draw the curtain back from my nook, freshly showered and changed with my hair braided onto my head but not yet tucked beneath my cap, I jump when I realize that Luca is leaning against the fireplace about a foot to my left, clearly waiting for me to come out.

“Hi,” he murmurs, immediately slipping an arm around my back and tugging me to his side, lowering his face to my hair and taking a long, slow sniff of my scent. “I like this,” he murmurs, “your scent by itself, not all mixed up with Jesse, of all revolting people.”

I grin, pleased despite my anxiety, leaning into him and putting a hand on the hard muscle of his stomach, looking up into his face. “Still mad at me?”

“Livid,” he whispers, but the way he smiles, and tugs me closer…I have to bite my lip,

because I think it means we’re going to be okay. I tilt my chin up, wanting nothing more

than to-

 

Chapter 145

“Enough of that,” Rafe calls from across the room where he’s tossing what few personal possessions he has into a backpack. “Hands off, Luca. Still my sister.”

“Still my mate,” Luca calls back, but his voice is cheerful as he pushes himself up from the wall, letting his arm drift from behind my back so that he can grasp my hand as he tugs me over to the sitting area. Ben’s there too, his already–packed backpack at his feet, but he stands when we approach, going to pretend to help Jesse pack and giving us our space.

“So, I’ve been thinking about it,” Luca says, sitting down on the couch and pulling me with him so that we sit close together.

“Yeah?” I ask, encouraging him to go on. I turn towards him, taking his hands in mine, listening closely. Because I want, desperately, to know what he’s thinking – how he’s feeling about all of it.

“And,” he murmurs, reaching out a hand to tuck a strand of hair back from my face, “we still have to talk about…about you keeping this from me, Ariel. That was deeply unfair, and I …I think it’s going to take a while for me to trust you again.”

I nod, understanding, listening to him and holding back my opinion on the matter. Because I do think that I was in a hard place with that it would have been horribly unfair to Jackson if I had told Luca that Jackson was my mate before I even told Jackson. But…that’s not really important now. Instead, I just want to hear Luca, to understand how he feels.

“But I didn’t lie last night,” Luca murmurs, his pretty brown eyes intent as he squeezes my hands. “I’m in love with you, Ariel – you’re my mate, you’re…you’re everything to me. I’ll do whatever it takes to make this right with us.”

“Luca,” I breathe, leaning closer, completely overwhelmed at how good he’s being. “Thank you – I feel the same way – I’ll do whatever it takes too, you’re so important to me

“So, you’ll reject him, then,” Luca murmurs, tucking that same strand of my hair back again, his fingers warm as they caress the shell of my ear. “And then we’ll move on! It will be amazing, Ariel, I promise I’ll do everything I can to make you happy, everything, and we’ll be so –”

I sit up straight, rigid, staring at him unblinkingly. Because wait…what? What is he asking me? What…did I agree to something? “Luca,” I say, putting a hand out between us, my palm flat as it presses against his chest. “Luca…no…”

“No?” he asks, likewise sitting up straight and staring at me. “No to…no to what?”

“Luca,” I whisper, horrified, leaning closer. “Luca, I’m not going to reject my bond with Jackson…”

“What!?”

“Hey!” Jesse says, shoving Rafe’s armchair ridiculously close to the couch and flopping down into it. “This seems sufficiently intimate and complicated and like you might start yelling at each other! Thought I’d join in!”

“Get out of here, Jesse,” Luca growls as Rafe comes around the couch and stands on the other side of the coffee table, his arms crossed. “This is between me and Ariel.”

“Oh, I’ll go,” Jesse says calmly, raising his eyebrows and holding Luca’s gaze for a pause before shifting his eyes to mine. “If Ariel wants me to.”

I bite my lip, hesitating, because…I mean, even though Luca is right that this is between us…

God, but I have trouble saying no to him. And quite frankly, I do want my brother and my cousin’s support.

“Ariel,” Luca growls, leaning closer to me and glaring, “are you seriously going to let them budge in on this!? This is our personal relationship! This is between you and I, and you’re going to –” 1

“Let us advocate for her?” Rafe interrupts, his voice smooth and a little mad. Luca gapes, turning towards him. “Intercede? Not let you bully her, when she’s emotional and clearly wants to do things to help you feel better, even when they’re not in her best interest?”

I feel a great deal of relief that my family is helping me, but it mixes awkwardly with the sinking pit in my stomach at making Luca feel so bad. God, crap, but this is horrible.

“Bully!?” Luca spits out, dropping my hands and staring at Rafe, truly offended. “Are you seriously saying that I would stoop so low as to bully the woman I love!?”

“You’re kind of doing it now,” Jesse says, a little dry.