Ch. 256..260: The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy Chapter 256-260
Chapter 0256
“Come on,” Luca murmurs, smiling down at me, and when I open my eyes I can’t help but smile back. “Let’s get inside – they’re probably eating Daphne alive in there.”
“Oh, no they’re not,” I say, dismissive of the idea and unwilling to go inside just yet, relishing this moment alone with my mate. I leaning closer against him for a warm moment, enjoying the hard muscle of his chest against my cheek, knowing that Ben and Rafe and Jesse are being perfect gentlemen inside. Or, at least, Ben and Rafe are, which should be enough.
But Luca gives me a nudge, and when I look up at him, he wrinkles his nose at me. “Come on, gorgeous, let’s get you some of that champagne.”
“You trying to get me drunk, mate?” I murmur, smiling.
“Oh, absolutely,” he growls, dipping his face closer to mine for a quick kiss. And I laugh, but look over my shoulder, newly eager to get inside and see what my parents have set up for us. “Come on,” I say, grabbing Luca’s hand and turning to tug him inside, wanting him to see it. Because the train car – it really is something special.
As we duck through the door and I place my backpack on the little luggage rack next to the door, I do my best to tuck my anxieties about the missing Jackson away, not wanting Luca to feel any of it. Because I am excited to be here with him, and with the rest of my family and friends, and none of them deserve to have their excitement spoiled by me worrying about where my second mate is.
But I have to admit – it’s very difficult. Because where is he? Did he seriously choose two weeks of solitude over winter break with me, just because he’s overwhelmed?
I put a determined smile on my face, though, shoving these worries away as wave Luca into the beautiful train car, enjoying the way that his mouth hangs open as he turns around, taking in the gorgeous woodwork, the red leather and velvet seating all around. But even as I smile at Luca, my
eyes catch on Rafe, who stands by the window with his arms crossed, watching me with a raised eyebrow.
Rafe and I don’t have a mind-link, obviously, but I can read the question all over his face. He’s intuiting that I have definitely noticed Jackson’s absence, as he has, and he’s asking me silently if I’m okay.
I give my brother a short nod and a shrug when Luca’s back is turned because what am I supposed to do about it now? Go to pieces, and ruin everyone’s good mood? Rafe holds my gaze for a long moment and then nods once, steady. And in that, I know that he’s telling me that he hears me, and he understands, and that whatever he needs me to do – he’ll do it.
And I beam at him, loving my brother anew for his secret, steady empathy, for his willingness to already be there.
Bolstered, I turn my attention back to the room, taking a further step in and deciding to dedicate myself to this moment, and to turn my mind to Jackson when I can. Because there’s already enough here drawing on my attention.
“This is amazing…” Luca murmurs, his eyes wide as he finishes looking around at the long row of windows on both sides of the car that allow us to look out over the countryside, the rich warmth of the wood-paneled walls. A little overwhelmed, he sinks onto a plush velvet seat by the window, leaning his arm against the adjoining table and staring over at the bar at the far side of the room where – of course – Jesse is already pouring drinks, Daphne at his side being helpful and setting out the glasses.
Behind Jesse is a set of glass-lined refrigerators and cabinets that display an insane amount of delicious food – far too much for the six of us to eat and drink on the journey to the Capital. But mom’s hand is all over it, and I can see that it’s her gift to us, her hearty congratulations. She’s
stocked all of our favorites, after all – all the sandwiches we like, all the treats, all the things we like to drink.
Only wine and beer, I note with a grin, because she wants us to show up to the capital sober enough to walk. But, she also wants us to have a good time.
“Do you like it?” I ask, stepping closer to Luca with a smile and running a hand through his hair, unable to keep from touch it.
“Um, obviously,” he says with a laugh, grinning up at me and slipping a hand around my hips. “Do you seriously travel like this all the time?”
“This,” I say on a sigh, trying to sound as snobby as possible and make him laugh. “Or the private jet, or the helicopter, if we’re only going short distances – but the bar cart on the helicopter is just terrible –“
Luca bursts into laughter, as I hoped he would, and pulls me into his lap, wanting me close. I press a kiss to his cheek, nudging him with my nose a little, so incredibly happy to be here. “Do you mind if I talk to Daphne?” I whisper, my eyes darting over to her behind the bar where Jesse is finishing up pouring out champagne. “I want to make sure that she knows that we’re okay –“
Chapter 0257
“Of course, Gorgeous,” Luca says, frowning at me a little, like he’s ashamed that I felt like I had to ask. He loosens his arm around me. “You don’t have to –“
“I know,” I say, interrupting and looking at him quite seriously. “But Luca, it’s not like we haven’t had our own challenges these past two days too –“
He smiles at me, at the understatement of it all, and I can’t help the matching smile that takes my lips.
“I just don’t want you to think you’re not important to me,” I murmur, pressing a warm hand to his cheek and sending a great deal of warmth down our bond. “Or that she’s more important, or –“
“I get it,” Luca says, nodding to me and pressing a kiss to my cheek. “We’re good, Ari – go check in with your friend! Friendships are important!”
A great deal of love swells in me at Luca’s support and I hug him tight for a moment, so grateful for him. Because there’s something in me that knows that he came off as the selfish one in this whole thing – that he was the one to first say he wanted me to give up Jackson, that he wanted a timeline on me making my choice between them.
But really, overall, Luca has been so supportive of me at every turn. Hell, he was eager to have me even when he thought it meant changing his entire understanding of his sexuality. He just…loves me, and wants me to himself like everyone else with a mate does, and he isn’t shy about voicing that. But when it comes to what I want, and what I need?
At every turn, Luca has been on my side, even if it takes him a moment to get there.
I’m just so, so lucky to have him in my life.
“Love you,” Luca murmurs, holding me tight for a second before he lets me go. And I beam at him, pressing another kiss to his mouth before I stand up and move over to the bar. Ben – angel that he is – takes two glasses of champagne off the little tray next to Daphne and carries them over to Luca, wanting to keep him company.
“Hi,” I say, almost skipping to Daphne’s side, where she hands me a glass of champagne and gives me a shy smile.
“Hi,” she replies, laughing a little.
“Be careful with that,” Jesse calls to me with a studied frown, peering over Daphne’s shoulder. “I poured this champagne, and checked to ensure the bottle was sealed before I opened it, but Daphne may have slipped something in that when my back was turned –“
Daphne groans, covering her face with her hand and shaking her head, even as she laughs a little at Jesse’s teasing.
“You could wake up on the floor of this train twenty-four hours from now, or absolutely anywhere else, completely under Daphne’s control –“ Jesse continues in mock-seriousness, grinning at me now that Daphne can’t see.
“Will I never live this down!?” Daphne calls, her face still buried in her hand.
“Oh, when you’ve given him ammunition like this?” Rafe asks, laughing and stepping close, taking his own champagne glass from Jesse. “Daphne, this is enough for years worth of teasing. He may spin this one out until the end of time.”
Daphne sighs, dropping her hand to look up at the Prince and the Duke with a little good-humored exhaustion.
“Greatest midwinter gift I’ve ever been given,” Jesse says, grinning at her and lifting his glass of champagne in her direction. “I’m eternally grateful, Daph.”
“Yeah, yeah,” she murmurs, flapping a hand at him, “saves me from having to buy you a sweater, doesn’t it?” We all laugh as the train chugs along, our little car rocking softly from side to side as we go.
“To Daphne,” Rafe calls out, raising his champagne glass. We all do the same, everyone smiling – even Daphne, who blushes a warm and pleased red. “Who has knocked us all out with her poison, yes, but especially with her warm presence and rich company. We’re so pleased you’re here, Daph.”
And as I raise my glass to my friend, I don’t miss the way that Rafe smiles at her.
It’s a smile that I’m not sure I’ve seen before on Rafe, a very…rare sort of smile. That he perhaps saves for a very rare sort of girl.
Anxious, my eyes dart to Ben, who I see…
Well, I see that Ben doesn’t miss it either.
And that his own smile looks more forced than it usually does.
Chapter 0258A cheer goes round the train car and we all lift our glasses higher, toasting our friend and making her feel at home, before we each take a sip. Daphne, a little embarrassed but clearly pleased, struggles to take a sip because she’s smiling so hard. A little rush of joy moves through me as the rich taste of the champagne moves across my tongue, the bubbles echoing the effervescent happiness of my soul in this moment.
“Well, thank you,” Daphne says, nodding her head around to all of us. “But the true celebration is your success at the Academy this first semester –“
We all cheer round at this too, laughing and shouting, I think needing this outlet after the stress of it all.
“To making it through!” Daphne says, raising her glass again, and we all toast to this as well, sipping more. When it’s all done, I frown at mine and Daphne’s half-filled glasses and move around her to grab the second bottle of champagne out of Jesse’s hands the moment he pops it open.
“Hey!” he shouts in protest, but I know that he doesn’t really care as I take the bottle by the neck and move back to Daphne’s side.
“Sorry, this is girl champagne,” I say, giving a little shrug and carefully looping my arm with Daphne’s, grinning at her and nodding towards the door to the bathroom at the far end of the room. I turn my smile on her alone now. “Want to take a second, just me and you?”
“Well, if there’s girl champagne involved,” she says, giving a happy little shrug. “Who am I to protest?”
“I know there’s some boy champagne back here,” Jesse murmurs jokingly, ducking beneath the bar and pretending to search.
“Boy champagne is just whiskey,” Rafe mutters, dry, as Daphne and I move along to the bathroom and I push open the door. “Is there any of that back there?”
“Yes!” Jesse shouts, victorious, popping back up with a tiny bottle that our dad either forgot to have removed or secretly hid there, knowing Rafe would want it. It’s his drink, after all. “Boy champagne, all around!”
And, as the boys start to pull out cut crystal glasses to drink their own toast, I shut the door behind Daphne and I and prepare myself for a much-needed bit of girl time.
When I turn around, prepping to pour both of us more champagne, I smile to see Daphne looking around a bit in awe.
“Um,” she murmurs, taking in the wide pink cushion that stretches along the length of the window, the crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling, the marble finishes to the sink and the tucked-away toilet area. “This was…not what I was expecting when I thought ‘train bathroom.’”
“I know,” I say, laughing and gesturing over to the window seat. “This was…all mom. But she knows that a bathroom is for more than bodily function.”
It’s true, though. As Daphne and I settle ourselves onto the pink cushion and I refill our flutes, I consider that while mom and dad designed this caboose together – as they do most things – she really took the reins in here. The main room of the train car has much more dad in it – dark colors, masculine lines, polished wood - all rich monied elegance. But here, with rose-gold details and lilies and soft bright lighting?
Yup. Dad probably didn’t even think about the bathroom, and mom snuck this in. Which is probably why it’s my favorite space.
“Ari,” Daphne sighs, and I open my mouth to stop her saying that she’s sorry – but she puts out a hand towards me. “Will you please let me get this apology out? It’s important to me.”
“But I’ve already forgiven you,” I say, smiling softly as I rest my head against the wall. “If there’s anything to forgive.”
“I know, and I’m grateful for that,” she says, nodding, “but…I mean, it’s unforgiveable, isn’t it? I feel like you may never trust me again. You should be able to trust me implicitly – know that I’d never, ever slip something into your drink or betray you in any way. Because, I mean, if I can be bought so easily…well, why would you trust me in the future?”
“What do you mean, bought?” I ask, frowning.
“They were having trouble figuring out how to knock you all out before the trial,” she says with a worried frown. “Most of the cadets were eating alone or in two’s, so they just slipped it into the food, but you guys, with your party…. They came to me last minute and told me the plan. I refused at first, but they said if I didn’t do it then they’d fire me.”
“Daph,” I say, shaking my head. “That was unfair of them, not you – you were just doing your job. And it was absolute crap for them to make you do something you were uncomfortable with and threaten your job if you didn’t.”
“I know,” she replies with a frown. “But still…I don’t want anything to be damaged between us.”
“And I promise you, it’s not!” I say, reaching out and putting a hand on her knee, willing her to believe me. I watch as her eyes flick to the door too. “And they’re not mad either. Honestly, Daphne, we’re good! If anything, I’m going to have a talk with my dad about how they threatened you at work. That’s not right.”
Chapter 0259
Daphne sighs and we talk through some further protests, but finally we get to the point where we both feel like we’re on even terms. The champagne helps, I think, unwinding our tongues and our inhibitions, and after long I think we’re feeling even again, renewed.
Which is how I know that it’s time to blow up our world again.
“What?” she asks, frowning at me, sensing that I’m prepping to tell her something as she holds out her glass for a refill. I oblige her, filling my own as well.
“I’ve been keeping secrets, Daph,” I say with a sigh. Her eyes go wide and I laugh little, shaking my head. “Nothing to do with you, but…”
And then, with another big sigh – honestly, I’m getting kind of tired of sighing – I spill. I tell her everything – about having two mates, and Luca and Jackson figuring it out last night, and how everything went to pieces, and how Jackson didn’t show up for the train today.
Daphne is an amazing listener, scooting immediately closer to me and wrapping an arm around my shoulders. She quietly listens to the whole story, nodding her understanding and hugging me tighter and tighter as I go. “Wow,” she murmurs when I’m all finished. “Ari – that’s…that’s insane.”
“I know,” I groan, shaking my head.
“I can’t believe Jackson didn’t come home for winter break,” she murmurs, looking over her shoulder out the back window of the caboose, almost as if she’ll see him running back up the tracks behind us or something. “What a jerk.”
I laugh a little, straightening up and shaking my head at her. “He’s not a jerk, Daphne, he doesn’t have it in him to be a jerk –“
“All men do,” she says with narrowed eyes, and I laugh, which just makes her laugh in turn.
“No, Jacks is…he’s just delicate in this way,” I say on a sigh. “I guess he just…needed a minute alone to figure out how he feels about all of this. But at least Luca’s here.”
“Yeah,” Daphne says, patting my shoulder warmly. “But I get it. You wanted both of them – you want both of them. It’s hard for everyone, I think.”
She takes a moment to consider me, tilting her head a little bit. “So,” she says quietly, “they want you to choose between them?”
Slowly I nod, sipping my champagne.
“And are you…leaning one way or another yet?” Her question is hesitant, careful.
My eyes go wide and my mouth pops open. “No!” I say, shaking my head vehemently.
“Really?” she says, leaning forward, pressing but doing so delicately. “Like, not even at all? Not even a little bit of you liking one more than the other, or seeing a…a better life match? Or…” she wrinkles her nose a little bit here before lifting her champagne to her lips, “who might be…better in bed?”
I burst out laughing at this and cover my face for a second with my hands. “No, Daphne,” I say with a sigh, dropping my hand and smiling at her. “I mean, honestly, they’re both really different and bring different thing to the table – but maybe it’s because I’m mated to both of them? But I’m absolutely not leaning towards one or the other right now. They’re both…mine.”
I sigh, hoping it makes sense, even though I know it’s probably impossible unless you’re in my own heart.
“Well, then that just makes it all harder, doesn’t it?” Daphne says, twisting her lips a little as she stares at me with empathy.
I nod, leaning my head against the wall, grateful that she understands.
Daphne’s eyes move over me now, taking in how sad and exhausted I am by all of this. I mean – it’s been a big couple of days. I think it makes sense that I’m tired and stressed by it all, even if we are celebrating today.
“You know what might make you feel better?” she says, soft and encouraging. I lift my head, curious. She grins, leaning closer. “Turning you back into a girl.”
I sit up straight, laughing “What!?”
“Come on!” she says, her smile deepening. “Don’t you want to go back to the Capital as a girl!? You can borrow some of my clothes, and I have make up –“
“Yes!” I shout, immediately enthused. “Oh my god, yes!”
That’s enough for both of us. We jump off of the window seat and hurry for the door. The boys all turn to us in surprise as we burst through it, but we ignore them. Daphne heads immediately for her suitcase as I dash behind the bar, getting a bottle of wine instead of champagne so that we’re thoroughly fortified for our mission.
“Important Princess business!” Daphne says loftily as she strides back towards the bathroom, her case swinging in her hand.
Chapter 0260
“Yes, pay no attention!” I call to all the boys, chin high, as I head back into the main room of our train car after Daphne. “However, the bathroom will be off limits for the next hour, so you can all just…deal with it!” I’m about to close the door behind me when I hear Luca’s next words.
“Do I even want to know?” Luca murmurs to the boys, a little shocked and fascinated as he watches us go.
I grin, pressing my eye to the crack in the door and watching this unfold.
“Nope, it’s girl stuff.” Rafe says, clapping a hand on his shoulder. “So, you definitely do not.”
“You poor thing,” Ben says, resting his hand supportively on Luca’s other shoulder. “I always forget you don’t have sisters, so you’re completely unaware of the rules and codes of girl time.”
“Welcome to this land of mysteries,” Jesse says gravely, raising a glass of whiskey towards Luca. Luca responds with a smirk, raising his own glass and clinking it against my cousin’s. “There’s a lot of glitter here.”
I laugh, rolling my eyes at all four of them, and press the door firmly shut. And with that Daphne and I lock ourselves away and get to work.
My brows arch when I see the incredible amount of clothes that Daphne has packed into such a small case.
“I know,” she says as we lean over cache together and she quickly sorts through it. “I’m a great packer. Plus, I really like these thin fabrics that really save space –“
Daphne quickly explains the logic behind her packing choices while pulling out a few options that she thinks will suit me. Daphne is taller and a little fuller-figured than me, and certainly more gifted in the chest, so she picks a few options that are not quite as fitted. I admire each of them in turn, but
a soft “oohh” slips from my lips when she pulls out a mod-style navy dress with white trim and gold details.
“Yeah!?” Daphne says, grinning at me. “You like this one?”
“Can I?” I squeak, taking it gently in my hands. Daphne laughs and pushes it towards me and I quickly change as Daphne pulls a pair of white booties out of the bottom of the case. As I pull the dress over my head, I bless our luck that our feet are miraculously the same size.
When I turn to look at myself in the large mirror above the sink, I give a little gasp. Because, I mean, it’s just a chic little day dress – it’s certainly not the most dramatic thing I’ve ever worn. But in the mirror I see a girl looking back at me –
And god, god I’ve missed being a girl.
“Yup, this is the one,” Daphne says, coming to stand beside me and tugging at the dress in her seamstress way. “Let’s just fix the hem a little –“
I laugh and wave a hand at her. “It doesn’t need to be fixed, it’s perfect –“
“It’s an inch too long!” Daphne protests, horrified, even though the hem is already a little past mid- thigh. “And if this is my first time dressing a Princess, then it’s going to be perfect!”
“You’ve been dressing a Princess for months,” I remind her, dry. But Daphne just laughs and ignores me, getting her needle and thread and rapidly making the changes she wants to ensure that the fit is, as she said, perfect. That done, we move on to my hair and my makeup – just light touches, but things that make me feel more and more like my former self as the time passes.
But as my image in the mirror transforms, I have to admit – I’m not sure how I feel about it.
“What?” Daphne asks, leaning back a little as she takes in my frown, the little stick of eyeliner suddenly still in her hand. “You don’t like this color?”
“No,” I murmur, shifting my eyes to her from my reflection in the mirror. “It’s just…I don’t know if I want to be Princess Ariel again. She was kind of a pushover. Cadet Ari Clark is…tougher than she is.”
“I hate to break it to you,” Daphne says, leaning in with a false grimace. “But Ariel…they’re the same person.”
I burst into laughter, cheered, and she does too. “No, but seriously, Daphne! I’m afraid I’ll fall into all my old ways – I used to be so pleasant and obliging. I was willing to do anything – get married, even! Just to make peace and help the country. I guess I’m afraid that now that if I’m stepping back into that role, I’ll step back into those old habits.”
“Yeah, but now you’re also a kickass marksman who knows a lot about poisons,” she says, shrugging and turning my face so she can finish the make up on my other eye. “So, if anyone tries to make you do anything you don’t want to, you can just smile pleasantly and slip something terrible into their dinner.”
“Good point,” I murmur, but my mind still turns on it, wondering what it’s going to be like to go back the life of a Princess. Being a cadet – being a boy – there were so many freedoms there, even if there were a great deal of secrets.
“Well, I’ve got your back,” Daphne says quietly before she blows on my closed eyelid to dry the liquid eyeliner. “And so does your cute little pack of Alphas out there –“