Ch. 306..310: The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy Chapter 306-310

Chapter 0306

“What!?” I gasp, grabbing the magazine and lifting it up, reading the headline and realizing that the other half of the cover is, of course, a picture of Luca in his boxer’s getup – which, essentially, just means sweaty and shirtless. And, of course, he looks stupidly good with his boxing gloves up by his face, his expression all tough and gritty and determined.

But I tear my eyes away from the picture of my handsome mate to read the headline splashed across both of us.

“CONFIRMED: LUCA GRANT MATED TO PRINCESS ARIEL.”

“Ohhh my god,” I murmur, my fingers tightening against the cover in my shock. Because, I mean, it’s not a secret within our inner circles that Luca and I are mated – but this is not public knowledge, and certainly not something my parents would have wanted me to announce so openly and so early on in my relationship.

And, especially, since I have – you know – a second mate that’s going to complicate all of this – this is not at all a good thing for me.

But who did this?

I mean, I know that my family knows, and that Luca told his mom and his uncle, but to everyone else he introduced me to last night – he always said girlfriend, never mate. Because that’s incredibly personal, and considering who I am, and what my position is within this world…

God, spilling this to the press? It’s a huge betrayal.

My fingers hesitate, a little, as I begin to flick through the pages of the magazine, because I am suddenly quite terrified that I know who leaked this…

Someone who…who quite likes the attention of the press. And is incredibly proud to be mated to me. Someone who wants everyone to know that we’re mated, especially since there’s another claim on my affections that he’s quite eager to dismiss.

And suddenly I can’t. I can’t read the article. I sigh, and press the magazine shut in my hands like that could keep my secret inside.

I just…can’t get the confirmation, if it’s there at all, that Luca did this. I don’t know what I’ll do if that turns out to be the truth.

A little unsteady, I look up at my mother. “Mom?” I whisper, not really knowing what I’m asking, staring at her with all of my horror in my eyes.

"Oh, sweetie," she says, her words sounding like her heart is breaking, and she reaches for me in an instant, wrapping me up in a hug and pulling me half off my chair, half onto hers.

"Did he do it?" I whisper, horrified, not wanting an answer.

"The article is unclear, sugar," she replies, her voice grave. "He... he didn't deny it, when he was asked by the reporter."

I sit up straight, surprised and confused, wanting to see her face. "But then, who..."

"It reads that 'a source close to Luca Grant' confirmed that you two are mates," dad says, and mom leans back a little so that I can look into my father's stern face. He's not mad at me, obviously, but I can tell that he's keeping his temper on quite a tight leash.

"And then Luca was interviewed at his gym early this morning," Rafe adds from across the table. I look over to see him standing, his hands in his pockets, his face sorry for me. Next to him, Ben and Daphne look exactly the same. Jesse just looks pissed as hell, and starts across the room to pour himself a cup of coffee that he probably doesn't need, just wanting something to do. As he does, Markie slips back into his seat next to Juniper, watching everything with wide-eyed attention.

June looks at me with more empathy than I'd expect. But, then again, she is my sister. Maybe I don't give her more credit.

"Well," I say with a sigh, reaching for the magazine again. "what does the interview say?"

"The interviewer blankly told him

that she was told that he is mated to you, and asked if he would confirm it," Jesse says, his words clipped a he sloshes creamer into his coffee before t turning to me, his cup tight in his bands. "Apparently Luca Blushed and was very charmingly evasive, but he smiled and didn't deny it."

"Which we all know is tantamount to confirmation," Rafe says, his voice dry and disappointed.

I groan a little, looking down at the

magazine in my hands, devastated by this betrayal. I start to flick through the pages now, noting the pictures that they captured - pictures of Luca and me holding hands at the train station. Luca and me leaving his gym yesterday. Luca and me kissing on his front porch last night.

I gasp at this last one - because while paparazzi might easily have caught the other two - this one?

It's just too intimate - like the photographer knew just where to stand to get this shot.

Like someone tipped them off.

Chapter 0307

“Ariel, darling,” mom says, reaching out to tuck a strand of my hair behind my ear. “Tell me, sweetheart, how are you feeling about this?”

I look up at my mom, trying to sort through my feelings, trying to figure it out. Because on one hand…I mean, he is my mate – it’s just the truth, and it was going to come out sometime. And why should Luca have to deny who his mate is, or hide it, when the press asked him? If it were any other mating bond, just between two people, I’m not sure it would be as big of a deal.

But…I mean, that’s not our situation at all, is it?

Passively, I look down at the article, reading enough to gather that it is a laudatory piece. The press is, apparently, thrilled that I’m mated to Luca Grant – it marks us officially as the cutest new couple in the celebrity world and suggests that everyone’s rooting for our future. Especially today, with Luca in the spotlight and so much at stake, everyone is thrilled to have the Princess at his side while he fights for our national pride against the enemy.

But…even if it’s good…it’s not what I wanted. Not right now anyway.

“I…would have liked to be asked,” I say quietly, raising my eyes to look up into my mom’s eyes and then around the table at my sympathetic family. “It’s not a small thing to tell the world that someone’s your mate, especially when you’re already someone in the public eye. I should have been asked. I should have had…some control over it, at least been part of the interview.”

Rafe and Jesse stand coldly, still pissed and not even willing to be as fair as I’m trying to be in this moment. But Ben nods warmly towards me, and Daphne presses her mouth into a commiserating line, her expression letting me know that she understands and feels for me.

I look to the other side of the table, where Markie looks worried and Juniper stares at me evenly, like this is nothing I can’t handle. Uncle Roger gathers Cora to his side and looks at me with sympathy, like he understands how important a mating bond is, and how intrinsic honesty is between those who share it.

And as I look around at my family and friends, all so eager to support me in my own way, I feel so incredibly bolstered. Like I can certainly handle this, as Junie’s expression suggests – like it’s really not the end of the world, even if it felt that way a minute ago.

I’m even almost smiling as I turn back to my mom.

"I agree completely, baby," mom murmurs, again wrapping me in a hug as I turn my attention back to her and dad.

"It's a betrayal," dad says, meeting my eyes over my mom's shoulder and giving me a steady nod. "We're not going to stand for it, Ariel. You deserve better than this. You're absolutely right - you should have had a say in whether or not this article came out today. It's unacceptable that you did not."

Dad's words are sharp and precise, but beneath them I take in his real meaning: that Luca's in big trouble with the most powerful Alpha in the nation right now, and that he'd better watch out. Champion or not, my dad is going to have some words for him, if not more.

I press my eyes shut, taking a deep breath and letting my mom hug me tighter. Because I hate that Luca's in hot water with my family now - he's my mate, and obviously I want everyone to get along.

But, well...if he did this?

Doesn't he deserve it?

As I tuck my head down against my mom's neck soaking in her comfort as she strokes my back and I try figure out how I feel, I hear the breakfast room door creak open. The room again goes quiet, and I lift my head, kind of dreading this.

But my jaw drops.

Because...I mean, I knew who was going to be - or at least had a really good idea - and I know that a hard conversation is coming.

But I had no idea Jackson was going to look like that.

Chapter 0308

He’s standing there holding the breakfast room door open with one broad hand, frowning around at all of us, looking like a god damn model. Somehow, he got his hands on a really nice pair of jeans, and a blue button-down shirt that looks like it was made for him, rolled up to his elbows. His look is all very simple, which suits him, but it’s very clearly expensive and tailored. And it suits his body completely, making him look…honestly, almost a little unreal, unnaturally perfect.

But the real coup is his hair. Jackson has always had a longish, shaggy mess of hair that really worked for his brutal, controlled-ferocity sort of vibe. But some genius has transformed that into a style, cropping Jackson’s hair closer on the sides and trimming the ends so that they’re more even. Now his hair falls into his face in a soft curtain of silky brown, and he just looks…

God, he looks like I want to jump him right now.

But if Jackson notices the effect his new appearance has on me, he doesn’t let me see it, instead quickly surveying the room and realizing that something is wrong.

When his eyes fall on me, and he sees the trace of devastation left on my face, and puts together that something happened to me?

His response is immediate.

“What is it,” he growls, slamming the door shut and striding into the room so that he stands across the table from me, leaning far across the wood to lock his eyes with me, smacking his hand down against the surface. “Who did this to you? Are you all right? What happened?”

Jackson absolutely ignores everyone else in the room and a swell of joy and pride rises in me, pride for my big scary Alpha mate who is ready to tear the world apart because something made me sad.

“I’m okay,” I say, putting a hand out on the table like he’s doing, not reaching for him but wanting to be closer. “I promise, Jacks, I’m okay.”

Incrementally Jackson relaxes, standing taller and starting to look around the room. I do the same, a little entertained by the shock on almost everyone’s faces. But some people aren’t shocked, or don’t show it. My eyes move first to Rafe, Jesse, and my dad, who look stern and pleased, like this is precisely the reaction they were expecting from him.

And then to my mom, who I see is bursting with pride for Jackson as well, not at all startled by a huge man storming around and slamming his hand on tables, demanding answers. That’s just a normal Tuesday morning for her, after all.

And then to Cora who is...perhaps a little too appreciative of Jackson's glow-up to be shocked by anything else.

"Will someone please tell me what's. going on?" Jackson asks, his voice tense as he clearly works to balance his desire to intercede and make it all better with his need to be polite.

I sigh and untangle myself from my mom, standing and rolling one of the magazines up so Jackson can't see the cover - not just yet. "Come on, Jacks," I say, moving around the table towards him and gesturing towards the door. "Let's go somewhere quiet - I'll explain." "Wait no, don't go!" Jesse gasps. "I want to see this!"

Juniper bursts into laughter at Jesse, who she always finds much funnier than any of her actual siblings.

"This is not for your entertainment, Jess," Rafe snaps under his breath, turning to glare at our cousin.

Jesse slumps down into his chair, frowning up at Rafe. "Everything is for my entertainment."

I ignore them as I reach Jackson, looping my hand around his elbow and looking up into his gorgeous face for a long moment, willing him to relax, to see that I'm all right and that this is manageable. Feeling these emotions down our band, Jackson sighs and his shoulders loosen.

I take a moment to glance to my parents. My dad looks at me sternly but nods, just a tiny movement, to let me know that he trusts me to handle this with my mate. And, mom just beams at the two of us, her hands clasped delightedly beneath her chin. I can't help smiling at her mom, she's just so pure.

"Come on," I say softly to Jackson, tugging on his arm. "Let's go somewhere and have a chat."

 

Chapter 0309

He nods to me, and we duck out of the room.

I take Jackson down a few doors to dad’s study. Not his office, where he does all of his big work – but a peaceful room where he goes to relax and think, or to have little intimate chats with his closest advisors, or mom, or Rafe, or me. Or Markie and June now, I suppose, now that they’re all grown up too.

I can’t help but smile when Jackson walks into the room like he owns it, like he’s been there a thousand times. It’s not that he’s being conceited - Jackson just doesn’t care to look around and admire the furnishings or dad’s books. He only cares about me – this room could be filled with rubbish, for all he would notice. Jackson moves instantly to the window seat, sitting and opening his arms, a clear invitation for me to come close.

I press the door shut and go to him, exhaling in relief when he pulls me to his chest and then up into his lap, helping me to curl comfortably against him in the circle of his arms. When I’m nestled in tight, his voice rumbles out, deep and reassuring. “Tell me.”

And so I do. I hold up the magazine so that he can see it, telling him all of the details of what it contains – about someone spilling about how Luca and I are mated, and the press running with it, and printing all sorts of images that confirm it. Jackson listens closely, letting me talk, only glaring a little bit at the picture of me kissing Luca. I have to fight my smile when I see him do that, and I quickly turn the page to get away from it.

When it’s all finished, Jackson nods quietly, thinking it through. “So, do you think Luca did it? Told the press?”

“I don’t know,” I murmur, leaning into Jackson’s warmth. “It isn’t…something I think is beyond him.”

“What do you mean?” Jackson asks, confused and a little horrified. And as I look up at him, I realize it’s because he’d never do something like this – it wouldn’t even enter his head. So he doesn’t get the motive – not at all.

“Luca…likes being a celebrity, Jacks,” I say quietly, staring up into his face. “And that’s not a bad thing – Jesse likes it too, and Rafe and I don’t mind it. But Luca actively cultivates it – he’s talked to the press about his romantic relationships before. And considering how positive this article is…Luca telling the press this big news the day of his big fight? It…I can see how it would be tempting. The ratings for the fight will probably go sky high.”

"But he knew it would upset you," Jackson says, frowning.

I stare up at him, and put a hand out flat on his chest, wanting to be close when I clarify things for him. "Jacks, Luca knew it would upset you."

"What?" he breathes, screwing up his face in confusion.

"Think about it," I say, sitting up a little straighter, wanting to ensure that he understands. "If Luca did this, then he knows that I'm going to be mad at it - but he knows that I'll eventually forgive him. This isn't the sort of thing I'd leave him over - not in the long run, not with how...important he is to me."

Jackson's face goes a little dark when he hears me say that, but he doesn't say anything, listening closely.

"But Jacks continue, lifting a hand to cup his cheek, "in doing this, Luca also basically made it impossible for you to claim me publicly as mate."

Jackson's expression doesn't change - he still just frowns in confusion.

"Whoever did this made it so that the two of us me and you, Jacks? We can't be seen in public together romantically - you can't hold my hand, or kiss me, or pick me up, or give any indication that we're romantically involved. At all. Not where anyone with a camera could catch us."

"What!?" Jackson breathes, his eyes going wide as the gravity of the whole situation sets in.

Chapter 0310

“I'm a public figure too,” I explain to Jackson, incredibly sorry, “and... my reputation, unfortunately, matters. If Luca has confirmed to the entire nation that I'm his mate, and then I'm stepping out with this super hot Alpha, kissing him in the streets? The press is going to tear me to pieces — call me unfaithful, say that I've betrayed Luca. No one will believe me that I have two mates — everyone will say that I'm a liar. And...I mean, as a political figure...l can't be seen as a liar.”

"Oh," Jackson says, his eyes unfocusing as he looks away from me and starts to process this. “So...he claimed you first. So that I couldn't.”

“If he did it,” I say softly, needing that to be stated. Because, well, while it doesn't look precisely good for Luca right now...I'm not willing to damn him without confronting him first and getting the truth from his own lips.

Still, Luca isn't my priority in this moment.

"How are you feeling about this,” I murmur, softly running my fingers through Jackson's newly cropped hair, loving the way that it feels against my skin. I feel so much calmer than I did even half an hour ago — and it's not only that I got a chance to process everything, but also because Jackson is here, holding me, being steady and warm as he always is.

He turns his head to me, frowning consideringly. "How do you want me to feel about it?” I scoff and smack him lightly on the shoulder. “I want you to feel how you feel!”

Jackson laughs a little, his pretty blue eyes crinkling. “Okay, I just...I mean, I want to support you, Ariel. And I think that if he did this then it was an absolutely horrible thing to do — that you should be livid. You're right — it's not up to one person in a pair to make unilateral decisions regarding these kinds of announcements. He took that from you.”

I ned, grateful for his support, but I smack him again. “You're dodging the question.” He laughs at me, smiling, and I can’t help but grin back. "How do vou feel, Jacks?”

“Don't be mad at me,” he murmurs, leaning forward and gently pressing his forehead to mine. “But Ariel... for me? 1...1 don't really care.”

"What!?” I squeak, and Jackson grins, pulling me tighter, liking that sound. And I lift my arms, wrapping them around his neck as I shake my head at him. “Jackson, this was a blow to you! He took a shot, he made a move to actively counter your claim on me! That's bullshit!”

"He took a shot,” Jackson murmurs, “but it didn't land, Ariel. I just...I'm not wounded by this. It's not something that's important to me.”

"Please explain,” I sigh, leaning back a little and letting my fingers lace together behind his neck. “I don't get it. How does this not piss you off?”

Jackson takes a deep breath, thinking for afimoment before he speaks, trying to put words to his. emotions, which I know is N sometimes foreign to him. “If Luca did this, then he did it at least... partially to piss me off, thinking that l'ebget jealous. But I'm justnot jealous of this sort of thing.”

He shifts his eyes back to me, looking a little worried that he won't express himself clearly. I nod to him, encouraging.

‘I have a very visceral reaction, Ariel,” he murmurs, “when I see Luca touch you. That's difficult for me. And I did...” he growls a little, the sound rumbling in his chest, and I can’t help but smile, “I did not like that picture of you and him on the porch, in the magazine.”

I bite my lip, a little pleased, but he moves on.

"But this more...abstract jealousy? Where like, he has a claim on you, and it matterg because other people know aboutit? And that's supposed to botherthe?” Jackson shakes his head, clearly indicating that he Ny

thi kets nonsense. ‘I don't think that’s a natural response, Artel = think that's a very culturakthing — having to like, announce To the world that this woman is your woman, and getting all pissed off when someone else looks at her the wrong way.”

I look at him curiously, needing more.

Jackson sighs a little, wanting to be clear. "I don'tZcare if anyone else knows that'm your mate, Ariel. Don't take that the wrong way — bit what other people think and feeb.” aboutour relationship? It doesn't matter to me — the only thing that rhatters is you being herezin my arms, where you belong.” “

He says this last bit with an edge of a growl on his words and I grin at this, pleased

‘I didn’t grow up here,” Jackson continues, looking at me steadily. "I didn't. .learn how to be jealous like that — how to get mad and possessive because some other guy announces to the nation that you're his girl, when I know you're mine. I think it's kind of...dumb.