Ch. 381..385: The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy Chapter 381-385

Chapter 0381

Daphne.

Daphne, the gorgeous, clever, talented, funny redhead my brother is dating. The girl he's absolutely going to have to break up with the moment his mate comes on the scene.

I lift my hand and press my face miserably against it. God, how could I have been so callous, so unthinking to make a joke about his future mate? When he's been so, so nice and considerate to me this entire time?

God, I'm such a jerk.

"Ari?"

I drop my hand when I hear Daphne's sleepy voice and tuck my emotions away. I don't need to make her day miserable too, after all.

"Hey, Daph," I whisper with a sigh as I push the door shut behind me. "Go back to sleep, I didn't mean to wake you

But Daphne gasps, her eyes flying open, and sits up straight in the bed, shaking her head to clear it.

I go stark still, staring at her, wondering what the hell -

"Oh my god, Ariel," she whispers, staring at me in awe, "did you did Jackson -"

"Oh my godddd," I groan, my head hanging back on my neck as I realize what happened - that Daphne scented me, and thinks that Jackson gave me his mark. Seriously, is it that strong!? I thought just Alphas were susceptible to these kinds of subtle changes in scent.

But I guess this one isn't so subtle.

"What!? Are you!?" She starts to scramble out of bed, tripping towards me, her hand reaching for the neckline of Jackson's gigantic black t-shirt.

"No, Daphne!" I say with an exasperated sigh, smacking her hand away. She goes still, staring at me, not understanding. "He just... scent marked me. I didn't know it was going to have this effect."

She stares at me for a long moment and then bursts out laughing. Cóntent belongs to NovélDráma. Org

"Daphhhh," I whine, my shoulders slumping. "Is it seriously that bad!?"

"Oh my god, Ariel," she says, crossing her arms and shaking her head at me. "If he didn't mark you, you must have had one hell of a night anyway."

"One hell of a night, and one hell of a morning." I mutter, slumping down on the edge of my bed.

Daphne does the same, sitting across from me, one eyebrow raised. "Does this have anything to do with Luca tearing through the palace shouting for you?"

"Oh my god," I whisper, my mouth falling open and staring at her a bit. "Are you...are you serious? Through the whole palace?"

She grimaces a little. "He was... not subtle, Ariel. And he's fast - Rafe went after him but...I mean, did he catch him in time?*

"Sort of," I sigh, and then very quickly I tell Daphne the short version of the story. By the time I'm done, she's shaking her head in disbelief, her arms crossed across her chest.

"He is a piece of work, Ariel," she sighs. "I can't believe he did that."

"You don't see Luca's side of it?" I ask, curious. "All the boys do."

She rolls her eyes. "If he wanted to reserve your time for the full twenty-four hours, Ariel, he should have gone

home with you. Why should you go to bed alone just because he wants to stay out drinking? Especially when your super hot other mate is likewise alone a few hallways away. Where you sleep, and who is in your bed, does not need to correspond to Luca's schedule just because he'd prefer it that way. And it would be different if Luca were your only mate and you were cheating on him or something - but that's not what's happening here, is it?"

I groan a little in relief to hear her support, even if it is perhaps a bit overstated to make me feel better. But still, I throw my arms around her and hug her close. "Thanks, Daph," I murmur. "I think I needed to hear that."

 

Chapter 0382

"No problem, babes," she murmurs, hugging me back. "I'm Team Ariel, all the way." She rocks me back and forth for a long moment. "Now let me go, before you mark me with Jackson's scent too."

I burst out laughing and pull away, grinning at her. "Is it seriously that strong?"

"Go!" she laughs, shoving me away a bit and lifting her chin towards my bathroom. "Take a shower, use your stinkiest lavender soap! And let me sleep, I'm exhausted."

I laugh again, getting up and bouncing away to my bathroom, waving to her over my shoulder. And then, my spirits significantly lifted, I do as my friend says and take a long, long hot shower.

When I get out I sniff at myself - at my arms and hands-frowning and wondering if it's any better. Because even though everyone protests that I've basically got Jackson coming out of my pores right now, I can't smell it at all. But I shrug, and towel off, and slip into some pajamas before heading back into my room.

I smile as I see Daphne fully asleep in my bed, glad that she's getting some rest, and I hop in on the other side, grabbing my phone out of the drawer and beginning to catch up on the thousand texts and messages that I've missed since I've been gone. The afternoon slips by then as I catch up with some old friends, making plans to meet up over break, hearing about their own lives and dramas. I order some food up to the room too around lunch time, truly treating myself to a day in bed while I let Jackson have his space and let the rest of my friends recover from their exhaustion and hangovers.

Passively, I wonder where Ben is, and send him a message too. But he doesn't answer, and I shrug, assuming that it's just as well to let him have his own space.

It's late in the afternoon, and I'm just settling in to catch up on all the celebrity gossip that I've missed in the months that I've been gone, when a knock comes after the door. Glancing anxiously at Daphne and not wanting to wake her up, I start to climb out of bed and hurry for the door when it pops open.

"Ariel?" my mom calls softly. Cóntent belongs to NovélDráma. Org

"Mom!" I whisper, hurrying towards her, eager to tell her to be quiet so she doesn't wake Daphne up. "Be -*

But she pokes her head into the room, and sniffs once, and then her eyes go wide.

I groan, stopping in my tracks, knowing exactly what this is about by this point. And that my shower apparently did nothing.

"Ariel!" she gasps, looking frantically behind her in the hall and then darting into the room, slamming the door shut behind her and leaning against it. "Oh my god!"

"Mom, it's not what you -"

"What'sgoingon," Daphne murmurs, all her words slurring together as she sits up and rubs at her eyes.

A knock comes at the door and mom's head snaps anxiously towards her. "Ella?"

I go rigid when I hear my dad's voice outside.

Because, I mean, if mom can smell Jackson's scent marking on me -

Oh my god. Dad - he's going to flip.

"Just a minute, Dominic! Mom calls to him, her voice shrill with anxiety.

"What?" Dad calls back, hearing her tone, instantly tensing. He knocks again, harder. "Ella! What's going on!?"

"Ut-ohhh," Daphne whispers.

I glance at my friend, rolling my eyes like that's one hell of an understatement.

Chapter 0383

"Ella!" my dad calls again, pounding on the door. "What's going on!?"

"It's nothing, Dominic!" mom snaps back, turning to glare at the door that she's got her back pressed against, like dad can see her expression through it. "We just need a minute! For girl stuff!"

There's a long pause outside of the door and then dad groans. "Fine!" he calls, sounding exhausted, his voice fading as he clearly walks away. "I'll go get the boys up - you handle this girl stuff. Get them up and dressed!"

*Dressed?" I ask, peering at the door like it has answers. "For what?"

*Ariel!" Mom gasps again, darting for me now that dad's gone and grabbing for the neckline of my pajamas." Where is it - where did he."

But I just sigh, putting my hands on my hips and tilting my head back so that mom can see the evidence for herself. "He didn't mark me, mom - god I'm going to get sick of saying that today."

"He didn't!?" she gasps, still looking like I'm hiding it from her or something. "Then what did he..."

But then she goes still, and takes a single step back, and bursts out laughing.

"What?" I sigh, shaking my head at her, kind of embarrassed and trying hard to hide it.

*So," she says, grinning wickedly at me as she crosses her arms, becoming my mirror image. "Someone discovered the dark delights of scent marking, did they?"

"Mom!" I protest, dropping my hands, my cheeks blushing pink.

She laughs harder, grinning at me and I just scowl, waiting for her to finish. "No, I get it!" she says after a couple more moments of laughter. "You know, your dad used to scent mark me when -* Cóntent belongs to NovélDráma. Org

"Nope!" I shout, throwing my hands up in the air and turning away from her. As I turn I see Daphne sitting up in the bed, grinning, her arms looped casually around her knees. "Too much information, mom! I do not need to know the details of this!"

"It was before I knew I was a wolf!" she protests.

*Yah!" I say, turning to give her a little glare. "And when you were already pregnant with Rafe!"

"Yeah," she says, tightening her arms around herself like she's giving herself a little hug. "Ah, the good ole days. Anyway," she sighs, shaking her head at me and glancing back towards the door. "Your dad's going to flip about this, either way, little girl. You are trying his patience with this double mate stuff."

*Is he going to be mad at me?" I ask, anxious again, following her gaze.

"Nah, I won't let him," mom says, flapping a hand in my direction. "Just, um..." she turns back to us, her face falling into more serious lines. "Actually, you two need to get up and get dressed. We have a meeting with the Atalaxians, and we want you all in on it."

"Me too?" Daphne asks, surprised.

"You're Academy staff, my dear," mom says, turning to her seriously, making sure that she understands how welcome she is. "And our honored guest. It's your choice, of course, but we'd appreciate it if you came along."

"My honor," Daphne says, starting to get out of bed.

Mom starts darts forward to give me a little kiss before darting towards the door. "I want to make sure Meatball is up - you'll be okay?" She raises an eyebrow, her hand on the door.

"Well, what should we wear?" I ask, a little confused. "Am I...am I a Princess today? Or a Cadet?"

*Princess, unfortunately," mom replies, tilting her head in apology. "But, something serious. Black?"

I nod, understanding, agreeing.

"And something with a neck tonight," mom says quickly, gesturing towards her own and giving me a wicked smirk. "Basically... the opposite of what you wore last night. Though still Black."

Daphne laughs as I shoo mom out, and then both of us move over to my wardrobe, trying to find something to wear.

Daphne's dressed before me in a serious outfit of boots, tight pants, and a black blouse while I pull on some tights and a dark sweater dress. We're still trying to figure out shoes when a quick knock comes at the door.

"Girl time over?" my dad's voice calls, sounding half amused at himself and half exhausted.

I groan a little under my breath, turning swiftly to Daphne and pulling my high neckline down a bit. "Quick, can you scent mark me too?" I whisper. "Cover it up?"

She bursts out laughing and puts up a hand towards me. "No way, I am not getting my own scent involved in this."

The knock comes again, more insistent this time.

"Come in, Dad," I call, a sigh in my words.

Dad comes in swiftly, and by his deep breath when he comes into the room I know that mom prepped him and let him know that the only reaction he's allowed to have is to be cool, calm, and collected.

 

Chapter 0384

And by the tension in his shoulders, I can tell that he's working very, very hard to embody that.

"Come here, Ariel," he murmurs, standing by the door and beckoning with one hand, the other resting on his hip.

I send one last desperate glance at Daphne before walking to stand in front of my father.

When I stand about a foot in front of him he takes a deep breath in through his nose and reaches out to brush my hair back over my shoulder. "Well, baby trouble," he murmurs. "You smell...different."

The amount of deliberate understatement in that last word makes me fight back a groan.

I bite my lip, tucking my hands behind my back. "Is it bad?" I whisper.

"No, baby," he sighs, shaking his head at me and giving me a small smile, stroking his broad hand over my hair." It's not bad, not at all. Just...not as easy for a dad. Which is something Rafe and Mark might understand one day, but fortunately for you, you never will."

I can't help it then - I pitch forward that last foot between us and wrap my arms around my dad's waist, crushing myself against his chest. "I'm sorry," I whisper, meaning it desperately, "I don't want to make you...sad."

"I'm not sad, sweetie," he murmurs, his arms wrapping around me and hugging me close. "I'm just... adjusting. You're my little girl, and now someone else has a claim on you, and that's... an adjustment. Two someone else's, at that."

"Well, it's not like you have to give me up," I murmur, shutting my eyes, wanting always - always to be his little girl.

"Oh, they'd have to kill me before I did that," he whispers, and I grin, looking up into his face, nodding.

His face shifts, though, into more serious lines as he glances over at Daphne, giving her a brief nod of acknowledgement and greeting.

"What is it?" I ask, pulling back a little and standing on my own two feet. "What's wrong?"

"I'm not sure yet," dad says, turning back to me and starting to unbutton one of the cuffs on his wrist. He looks at me seriously. "But the Atalaxians have called a surprise meeting and...I don't think it's good. I want us all there."

To my surprise, then, he reaches out his arm and wipes his wrist against my neck and then down over my hair, just as Jesse did every morning and after every shower at the academy. Almost a knee jerk reaction, I hold my own wrists up and he marks those too.

"What's this for?" I ask, confused.

*Camouflage," dad murmurs, re-buttoning his cuff. "It won't completely cover Jackson's scent - I don't think anything could do that right now," he gives me a little raised eyebrow which lets me know precisely how he feels about that, "but it should be enough to confuse the Atalaxians from across the room. Have Jesse and Rafe do it too, when you see them. And your uncle Roger, if you can catch him." Cóntent belongs to NovélDráma. Org

"Why?" I ask, completely willing to do as he says but not fully understanding.

*Because we want you smelling like a Sinclair. The Atalaxians don't need to know about your double-mate situation, and with Luca in the room too they'll notice that you smell like another man. I mean, I doubt they'll be sniffing, but...in case they are. It should be enough to confuse their noses."

"Oh," I say, looking down at my wrists and wondering why Rafe and Jesse didn't think of that this morning. Then I look up at my dad out of the comer of my eye. "Luca...is going to be there?"

"Everyone's going to be there," dad replies, nodding to me seriously. But then his mouth quirks up at the comer." Or what, did you think Luca would be too tired after his morning dash through the palace, shouting for you?"

I groan, pressing my eyes shut and turning my head away from my father, suddenly terribly embarrassed. I mean, it's not that I did anything wrong, but he is my mate-

"No," dad snaps, and it's surprise enough that I open my eyes and look back up at him. He shakes his head, dead serious as he slips his hands into his pockets. "His embarrassment is not for you to bear, Ariel. He's a big boy- he can take his own shame in hand."

I nod briskly, letting my dad know that I hear him, that I understand.

"But Ariel," my dad says, moving lightening fast and grabbing me by the chin - gentle, but serious, seizing my attention. "There is one thing I do want to say to you right now."

My eyes go wide with fear because...

Oh my god, am I in trouble?

Chapter 0385

I look seriously up into my father's green eyes, my stomach tuming over with anxiety.

"Never, ever," my father growls, "let a man raise his voice at you like that again. Do you hear me?" I can hear the anger rolling in him now - anger that I can tell he's been tucking away for my sake.

Tears spring to my eyes suddenly, even as they go even wider with surprise. Because that? I was not expecting that.

"What?" I breathe, totally confused.

Dad continues to look into my eyes as if this is the most serious thing he's ever communicated to me. "Remember who you are, Ariel Sinclair. And it's beyond the fact that you are my daughter, and that you're goddess-bom, and that you're a Princess of this nation - all of which are things that should scare the living daylights out of any man who thinks he can talk to you like that."

My mouth starts to wobble dangerously as my dad continues, his voice growing ever softer and more dangerous.

"No, Ariel," he growls, "even if you were the lowest bom girl in this nation, even if you weren't lucky enough to have a whole family to stand behind you in support? You, Ariel? You are magnificent. A creature of grace and light. Brilliant and beautiful, bold and kind-worthy of respect from every person who is lucky enough to cross your path. You have to remember that, daughter, and not accept any less - not from your mate, and certainly not from some angry boy. So don't you ever let him raise his voice to you, ever again."

Dad snarls the last words, and drops my chin, even as two tears start to roll down my cheeks. We take a long moment, just staring at each other, and I have to admit - I'm shocked to my core. Because even though I know that my dad loves me never doubted that, not a moment in my life....I didn't know he saw me like that.

"All right, trouble?" he murmurs, raising his hand again and using his thumb to quickly wipe my tears away. "No more crying over this. Just...remember, okay?" Cóntent belongs to NovélDráma. Org

"Okay," I whisper.

And dad gives me his patented Sinclair smirk, and a nod, turning towards the door. "Ten minutes!" he calls, his powerful voice booming out as his eyes flick over me. "Put on some shoes and meet us down the hall."

I laugh a little, looking down at my stockinged feet, and then over at Daphne as dad leaves. To my surprise, Daphne's just smiling at me, wiping at the tears that slide down her own cheeks. "That was really nice," she squeaks. "He's...he's really nice to you."

"Aw, Daph!" I cry out, running over to her and wrapping her up in my arms, remembering that she doesn't have a dad - that he died when she was much younger. Hearing my dad say that stuff...well. It probably makes her think of the things her own dad never got to say. "You can share mine, he's big enough for both of us."

"I might take you up on that," she says, laughing and sniffing. But then she pulls away and squares her shoulders, taking a deep breath. "Okay, Sinclair. Let's get you some shoes."

I grin at my friend and nod, leading her over to the shoe closet where I keep my trove. Nine minutes later - and I credit Daphne alone with keeping us on time - we scurry out of my room. Our boots click loud on the tiles as I push my braid back over my shoulder, hurrying out of the private Royal suite, down the hall to where the serious conference rooms are. I don't even worry about my crown falling off my head, because I figured out a trick a couple of years ago where if I loop my hair up and over the back of it before I braid it, it effectively holds it in place until I take my hair down. Convenient and chic - but solutions to princess problems I know are mine and Juniper's alone.

I stop beside a nondescript door and push it open, knowing that this antechamber is where my family and friends will gather. It connects to the largest of the conference rooms.