Ch. 751..755: The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy Chapter 751-755

Chapter 0751

And then I lift my finger, and hold it close to Luca's mark for comparison, and see that Jackson's...right. That it's quite subtle, but the mini mark is...different. It...shines, almost? Just barely perceptible, an incredibly faint line of silver tracing through it? And Luca's mark has none of that.

"Oh, that's really incredible," I murmur. Then I burst into a smile, looking at the mini mark. "See? I knew the mini mark was real."

Jackson just laughs and shakes his head, putting his hands on my hips and stepping close, dropping a kiss to my hair. "Not my mark yet, tiny. But..." he hesitates and then drops the point. I lift my eyes and meet his in the mirror, knowing what he's thinking, because I'm thinking the same.

That he needs to give me his mark. That the Goddess ordered it, and we both know it now. But also that...I am not ready. Not right now - not so close to my last marking which was, at best, traumatic. And even though I know Jackson would give it to me now if I asked for it...

"I just need a little time?" I whisper.

He nods to me, just once, quite simple. Letting me know that he understands and that the moment I'm ready, he's here. And not because the Goddess demanded it - because it's time.

For us, it's time.

I sigh, leaning back against him, and Jackson wraps his arms fully around me.

"Did my scent change?" I murmur.

He sniffs my hair experimentally, almost performative, because it's not like he hasn't been smelling me all night.

"A little," he murmurs, "though not badly. Honestly, you did smell different when I saw you in the hall - I think your scent...did change. And then when he rejected you it started to revert back- I read that that's what happens with scents of rejected mates. But it's almost back to normal now."

I frown at him in the mirror. "Where on earth did you read that?"

He frowns back at me. "The internet, Ariel. Obviously."

I burst out laughing and turn towards him, wrapping my hands around his back and grinning up into his face. Jackson smiles down at me like he can't help it, like looking at my face is the great joy of his life.

I sigh and gaze up at him. "You really think we're going to be okay?"

"I mean," Jacks murmurs, stroking

his heavy palm over my hair. "I'm not giving you free reign over my heart to go out wantonly taking lovers and getting marks, Ariel." I smirk at the idea, jokingly turning my head to the side and considering it, making him laugh. "But do I think we're going to be okay? Yes. Of course Pdo."

"How did I get so lucky?" I rest my chin on his chest, gazing up at him with all of my love shining in my eyes.

"Nah, that's my line," Jacks

murmurs. And then he dips his head, and presses his first gentle kiss to my lips, quite simple and full of love. I stand on my toes and kiss him back grateful for him, for his kind heart, his enduring nature, not entirely sure if I deserve him.

But even if I don't, I'm going to take this gift the universe has given and run with it. Because I know what I've got and I'm never, ever giving it up.

Jackson breaks the kiss for both of us, tucking away any physical desires that that's stirring in him for my sake, knowing that I'm not ready for that just yet. But that at some point I will be.

"So." He clears his throat, looking away for a second as he works to control himself. I grin up at him,

watching his face. "Wanna get some breakfast in the hall with everyone else?"

"Yeah," I say, still smiling softly as he turns his eyes back to me. "Yeah, that sounds great."

Then I shriek with laughter as Jacks grabs me and tosses me over his shoulder, carrying me back into the room. "All right! Then let's get going, tiny! I'm starving!"

"What?" I gasp, and then my eyes

flare wide when I realize that the only thing I've seen Jackson eat was a couple of bites of cake last night from my fork when I offered them to him. Jackson - when's the last time you ate!?"

"Four days ago!"

"Jacks!" I gasp, my eyes wide. But then, before I can truly begin to smack at him, Jackson tosses me onto

the bed and strides for the dresser where we keep our clothes.

"Let's go!" He barks out, cheerful, tossing one of my uniforms at me. "I want some eggs! And toast! Jam - sausage - biscuits! I'm going to put bacon inside the pancakes and -"

The list goes on as the two of us get changed.

And as long as Jackson rambles on about all the breakfast food he's going to devour, I don't stop smiling once.

 

Chapter 0752

Jesse puts his head down, panting, and pushes harder to keep up with Rafe.

Because Jesses's fit, of course - he can beat almost anyone else in Warrior track now that Grant has left the school. But Rafe? He's always been faster. Still, if Jesse pushes a little more, he knows he can keep

up -

But he gasps, almost falling on his ass to avoid slamming into Rafe, who has stopped suddenly in the middle of the forest path that they run every morning.

"Rafe, what the hell!" Jesse stumbles out, tripping over his feet as he works hard to stay upright. "Why did you_"

Rafe turns towards him, the stern set of his mouth, the hurt and anger in his eyes suddenly putting a stop to Jesse's entire train of thought.

"Rafe..." Jesse pants, going still. "What's...wrong?"

"I tried," Rafe says, his voice low and devastated. "I kept it in this entire time that Ari's been sick, and away, because she needed us -"

"Kept what in?"

"It, Jess," Rafe snaps, turning fully towards his cousin now and taking a step towards him. "The fucking truth. But I can't do it anymore - now that Ari's doing better - now that she doesn't need my constant vigilance - I can't -"

"Rafe," Jesse says, stepping towards his cousin, not understanding. "What is it? What -"

"What the fuck are you doing sleeping with Daphne!?"

Jesse's jaw drops open as he stares at Rafe, whose grim face looks ready to kill.

How? How...how the fuck does Rafe know about...him and Daphne?

"Did you think you got one over on me, Jess?" Rafe growls, storming forward and forcing Jesse to take several shaky steps back. "Showing up like that, after Ariel had been rejected, when you were supposed to be watching her? Fucking smelling all over of the girl I'm in love with, your clothes all fucked up!? Did you think I was just too fucking stupid to notice that?"

Jesse just stares at Rafe, his heart sinking, because he - he doesn't think Rafe would be too stupid to notice that. No, it was him, Jesse, who was the stupid one -

He didn't even fucking think of it - didn't even realize - he'd just wanted to get upstairs as fast as possible, to get to Ariel's side -

Because Rafe's right, he was supposed to be watching her. The whole thing had been his fault.

Guilt sweeps through him absolutely, from head to foot.

"Rafe," Jesse says, his head tilting to the side, his voice pleading.

"What the fuck, Jess!?" Rafe shouts, his voice breaking on his cousin's name as he grabs Jesse's collar, hauling him closer. "How could you do this to me!?"

"Rafe," Jesse says again, grief in his voice, his shoulders slumping as he puts his hands up, giving in to the larger Alpha, the man with the moral high ground here. "It's not like that -"

"So, what, you're not fucking her?" Rafe's words are a snarl as his rare anger finally starts to take pride of place in his heart, his mind.

Jesse's eyes narrow. "Stop saying it like that."

Rafe goes still, staring at him. "What the fuck did you just say to me?"

Jesse's arm sweeps up, knocking Rafe's aside, making him drop his collar. "It's not like that, Rafe. It's a gross way of describing it - I'm not fucking her. I'm in love with her

Daphne and I are together

swnov

"No," Rafe growls, his own face shutting down as rage begins to brew in his chest. "That's fucking bullshit, Jesse."

"It's not!" Jesse shouts, stepping

forward to Rafe, hating his cousin for a moment for doubting this single thing that means the most to him in the world. "I'm going to fucking marry her - she's my-"

"Your mate!?" Rafe bites out, livid. "You're a fucking liar, Jess!" "She is!"

"She so fucking is not!" Rafe sputters out a mocking laugh, just staring at Jesse. "If she was your mate you'd have told fucking everyone the moment you met her! You'd have been crowing it from the rooftops! Not watching me bring her home to meet my family at Midwinter -"

-

"Our family," Jesse growls, stepping back and crossing his arms. "And Ariel fucking brought her, not you

"Oh whatever, Jess, you're not her fucking mate." Livid, Rafe turns on his heel, unable to believe that Jesse would ask him to believe such a blatant lie.

"I think I'd fucking know!" Jesse shouts, storming after him. "It's my life -"

 

Chapter 0753

"There is no bond!" Rafe shouts, turning back towards him. When Jesse's steps slow, his mouth drawing to a thin line, Rafe laughs and crosses his arms. "Go ahead, Jess. Tell me there's a bond. Honestly, say it, truthfully, and I'll believe you. I'll get on my knees and beg forgiveness."

Jesse glares, raising his chin. But he doesn't say a word.

"That's what I fucking thought," Rafe growls, pointing a finger in Jesse's face. "If she was a mate a bond would have snapped into place, that's how it works Jesse -"

"That's not how it worked in my family!" Jesse snarls, smacking Rafe's hand away. "Dad and mom's bond took ages - they didn't know - he went on faith for months, but he knew it was true, he - "

Rafe gapes at Jesse before he breaks in, enraged. "That's completely different, Jess! Your mom is human - her wolf hadn't awoken! The moment her wolf woke up the bond snapped into place! You and Daphne have wolves! You'd know!"

Jesse gathers himself up, all of his pride, all of his conviction steeled in his core. "She's my fucking mate Rafe. And I'm sorry if you don't like it, if you have feelings for her? But she's mine. I'm in love with her, and I'm going to marry her, and I'm sorry we didn't tell you-

"What fucking ever, Jesse, you're so fucking pathetic," Rafe snaps, turning again and stalking back towards the Častle.

"Pathetic!?" Jesse storms after him.

"You never should have touched her, Jess," Rafe growls, glancing over his shoulder. "I have feelings for that girl. You should have respected that."

"I tried," Jesse pleads, chasing after Rafe's long stride, grabbing for his cousin, desperate to get him to turn, to talk to him again. "Rafe, if she wasn't my mate

"Oh, would you fucking lay off of that stupid mate bullshit!?" Rafe shouts, shoving Jesse to the side when he walks next to him. "She's not your mate, you're just fucking into her because I was into her first, like you always are with these girls -"

Jesse stops in his tracks, staring after Rafe, appalled again.

Realizing that Jesse's not following, Rafe turns about ten feet further down the path, glaring hard at his cousin, not willing to let it end there. "You're just fucking with her, Jess, because you're desperate to be even with me. You did it with Lindsey and Kristy too you can't stand not to pick a girl up after I've finished with

her -"

"I -" Jesse sputters, pressing a hand to his chest. "I'm fucking with her!? I'm fucking with Daphne!?" "Yes," Rafe growls, taking three cruel steps closer. "You're messing with her head if you know you have a mate out there, lying to her, pretending it's going to work -"

"That's what you were doing!" Jesse shouts, appalled, sweeping a hand out to encompass Rafe's whole hypocritical self. "That's like - exactly what you were doing!"

"I never told the girl I was going to marry her," Rafe growls, pressing a hand to his chest. "Plus, I never slept with her! And we broke it off!"

"You didn't break it off, Daphne

dumped you Jesse shouts, his voice ringing out through the forest as he stares at his cousin, stunned at his level of hypocrisy. "And lam not lying to her - she's my fucking mate, whether or not you decide to believe me!"

"You know the only real reason you want Daphne to be your mate, Jess?" Rafe says, stalking towards him, shaking his head with pity he forces himself to feel, even if his

wolf is howling with jealousy annet

hurt pride. "Is because it's the first time, ever, that a girl has dumped me and told you that she liked you more. And you're kissing her ass for it because you've been hungry for that your whole life. And you know it will never happen ever again."

Jesse's face goes pale and falls slack.

Rafe seethes, staring into his cousin's eyes, his chest pounding with his rage.

But when Jesse fails to move, fails to make a noise, Rafe checks himself, standing straight, his own face

falling when he realizes that he has gone too far.

"Fuck you, Rafe," Jesse says, his voice shaking with hurt and rage.

Jesse works hard to clench his jaw but finds that he can't do it. His mouth is trembling too hard.

Chapter 0754

"Jess -" Rafe holds out a hand towards his cousin, deeply aware that he's crossed a bridge he never, ever wanted to cross. That he's said the words his cousin has maybe been waiting for, and fearing, his entire life.

"No," Jesse says, shaking his head, his eyes filling with tears. "You said it. Now own it. Because you're fucking right.'

All of Rafe's anger leaves him in a rush and he stares at his cousin, agonized at what he just did. At what he let his stupid rage lead him to saying words he didn't even fucking mean to his best friend in the world, just because he lost his temper and wanted - so badly - to hurt him in turn.

"Do you think it's been easy for me?" Jesse asks Rafe, wiping hard at his eyes with his sleeve, desperate not to cry in front of his cousin but failing immediately at the task. "Growing up in your shadow? Standing next to you - the perfect Prince - my entire life? Being compared to you at every turn - in athletics, in academics, in looks, in charm, in ability, and yeah - in success with women? And always, always coming up short?"

Rafe stands straight, watching his cousin back away, hating himself.

"And I have never resented you for that Rafe - because I fucking love you. I celebrate you every day - all of your successes, and victories, and accomplishments, because I think you're fucking great and you're my cousin and my best friend. You're my fucking brother. But did you ever think about what it was like for me? Did you ever consider that this is why I feel like I have to be funny all the time - because to get anyone to even look at me next to you I had to become your jester, your fucking clown?"

Jesse shakes his head, sniffing hard, trying desperately to stand straight.

"She is the first person who has seen beyond that," Jesse says, pointing out towards the Castle where Daphne is. "Or at least, the first person outside of our family to see something in me that doesn't pale in comparison to you. So excuse me if, yes, I run towards that, if I rejoice in finding someone who sees something good in me and want to hold on to it forever. Someone who wants to be with me for who I am, for what I have to offer."

"Jesse, I -"

"No, fuck you Rafe," Jesse snaps, cutting Rafe off with a sharp shake of his head. "Because it doesn't kill me that she liked you first, I'm fucking used to that in my life. This whole thing," he gestures around at the forest, "this entire fight is happening because it's killing you that she had you kneeling at her feet and she still decided that she likes me better. You can't stand that - you can't stand one person on this earth not choosing you.'

Rafe hangs his head, devastated, wondering if Jesse is right. If he's that arrogant, that conceited.

"You could have just let me have this one, Rafe," Jesse says, his voice flat and fading as he turns. "You have literally...everyone else."

Jesse walks away.

Leaving Rafe completely alone.

When Jackson and I walk into the breakfast hall, Ben basically jumps to his feet, nearly dropping his coffee cup in his attempt to get up from the table and across to me as fast as he can. But he doesn't have to go far, because I'm already dashing to him by the time he opens up his arms and wraps me

up.

"Oh god, Ari," he murmurs, holding me tight and rocking me back and forth, his cheek pressed to my cap.

"I'm so, so relieved to see you awake - and walking - and clothed -"

I laugh as he releases me, but I don't miss that his eyes drop to my neck. But there's nothing to see there - just before we left a package came up from Daphne with a little cylinder of black fabric that I can wear around my neck like a tube scarf. When tucked into the collar of my cadet uniform, it really does just look like a turtle neck. It's not precisely uniform regulation, but ubiquitous enough to pass most notice.

Unless, you know, you're the one who found me naked and bleeding from my neck in someone's dorm room a couple of days ago. Then, you notice.

Jackson lets out a possessive little snarl as he catches up to me, but he murmurs an apology to Ben when Benny looks up at him with a little bit of fear. "I'm on overdrive," Jackson murmurs, holding up a hand to him. "Ignore me."

"Plus he's hungry," I say, beaming up at Ben.

"I know, meals have been lonely,"

Ben murmurs, gesturing around at the empty table. My heart sinks as look around at it, because even if Rafe and Jesse aren't back from their run yet - there are still two seats that aren't going to be filled anymore.

Tears fill my eyes and Ben sighs, leading me the last few steps to a chair next to Jackson, settling on my other side. "Oh, I'm sorry, Ari," he murmurs, shaking his head as I wipe at my cheeks. "Don't think on it much. It's too hard."

I nod, knowing that he's right, exhaling hard and closing my eyes for a moment as I force myself to think of other things. "Um, is there coffee?"

 

Chapter 0755

"Sure is, whole pot since we beat Jesse here," Ben murmurs, beginning to pour. Jackson puts a warm hand on my knee as I open my eyes and force a smile to my lips, watching the pretty brown liquid splash into my cup.

I send a warm pulse of affection to Jacks and chat with Ben as I sip slowly at my coffee, giving my heart a minute to settle as Jackson digs into basically...everything on the table, even as he signals the waiter and orders mountains more. The waiter balks a bit, flicking his eyes to me to check and see if Jackson is actually serious about the amount of food that he's ordering. I just shrug, kind of implying that my sweetheart mate, bottomless pit that he is, is of sound mind and probably wants precisely what he orders. The waiter nods, a little stunned, but walks back towards the kitchens. As he does, my eyes move to the hall's door to see Jesse walking in, his face stern and drawn. Rafe follows about twenty feet behind, looking pale and...

And god, devastated.

"What happened?" I breathe, looking up into Jesse's face the moment he comes to the table.

"Nothing," he snaps, sitting down next to Jacks and reaching for the coffee.

When I open my mouth to push he just glances at me, pleading and serious, for a long moment. And I shut my mouth, turning towards my brother as he comes to the table.

"Are you okay, Rafe?" I ask, watching carefully as he settles in next to Ben - as far from Jesse as he can get.

Rafe just nods, curt, and keeps his eye on his plate, not reaching for any food at all, his hands folded in his lap.

Ben gulps and looks at me, anxious.

Jackson just ignores everything, or doesn't notice in the first place, tucking into the pile of food that's delivered to his seat a few moments later.

"Shit," Jesse murmurs, glancing at Jackson's plate, I think forcing humor into his voice for the rest of us. "Can I have a bite?"

Jackson growls and wraps a protective arm around the plate, hunching over it. "Get your own." And I can't help it - I laugh, even if I'm the only one at the table to do it.

The entire breakfast goes...precisely like that. Rafe quiet and still, Jesse drinking coffee and adding a quip or two, each of them half-hearted. Jackson just eats a rather astonishing amount of food while Ben and I chat quietly, picking at the scraps of the muffin basket that Jackson left behind. My poor Benny does his best, but not even he can drag my eyes away from the two empty seats across from me. Because I know, if they were here, it would be different.

No part of me wants to see Luca right now, not really - but he was an important part of this group right from the start. What are we going to do without his brash comments, his swagger and cheer?

And Tony - he'd cut through all of this weird awkward silence between Rafe and Jesse, call everyone on their bullshit. He had such...courage.

Jackson stops eating when he senses my sadness, wiping his mouth and looking over at me. "Do you need to get out of here?" he asks quietly, meaning it - like he'll drop everything, his entire day and lessons and responsibilities to go back to the room and sit with me if that's what I want.

"No," I sigh. "We have to get back to normal sometime."

"Ari," Ben asks, his odd tone drawing my attention back to him. "What even...is normal anymore for you?" "Hmm?" I ask. I mean, I have no idea how to answer that question anyway, but what is he talking about?

"I mean, you're not an Espionage

Cadet anymore," he says, screwing his face up. And even if you were...you're the only one here," he casts gut a hand towards the rest of the breakfast hall where, indeed, I see no familiar Espionage faces.

God, they must all be in Atalaxia.

Or...worse.

My heart sinks.

"So," Ben continues. "What are your...classes?"

My eyes go wide. "I honestly don't know."

"We'll take you to the Captain," Rafe says, clearing his throat and speaking for the first time. "Get your new schedule. I imagine you'll be with us."

I nod, recognizing this, especially if

I'm...on Command track now? I mean, is that even true? Am I...a Warrior, cadet? My tongue sticks out a little involuntarily, because I don't like that. I liked being espionage - I liked my studies, plus it was...cool.

"Well, looks like we don't have to bring you anywhere," Jesse says, slumping back in his chair and looking over my shoulder.

I turn, curious, my heart sinking when I see the Captain striding decidedly our way.

"Oh hell," Jackson sighs, setting down his fork and turning grimly his way too. "What is this about?" "You five," the Captain barks out, looking around at our table. "With me. Now."

"What's going on?" Rafe asks, wary as he gets to his feet.

"You'll find out in a moment," the Captain shaps, turning away and expecting us all to fall in line behind him, which we do, with me at the center of the little group. "You have a call waiting for you."

Rafe and I glance at each other, because we know that a call can only mean one thing.

Our parents have something to tell us.