Ch. 971..975: The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy Chapter 971-975
Chapter 0971
"You're a boy, Mark," Pippa says, soft and sad. He raises his head enough to see her looking down at her baby, tears clinging to her lashes, threatening to fall. “I – I already have one child, I don't need another. I'm sorry - I'm being cruel but..." she takes a deep breath and raises her eyes to his, her mouth trembling a little. "I don't accept this bond, Mark. I - I can't. It's too hard - I have an Alpha I very much like, and he...I need to concentrate on that relationship before it all collapses before me. I'm sorry. I...I'm very sorry to cause you pain, but no."
She turns sharply, moving swiftly out of the alcove and back down the hall towards her room, her head tucked low as she goes.
Mark watches her until he can't see her anymore, his heart aching to see her go, his wolf howling for her to come back. But even as his wolf howls and nips and scratches him internally, urging him to go after her, Mark keeps his place.
After all, he knows better than to press a lady when she says no.
And it's not that he's given up... he just...needs time to think. After all, not accepting the bond is not precisely the same as a rejection, is it? Even if it is not a fantastic start.
No, Mark sighs, thinking that even if it pains him, it may be best to just give Pippa what she needs and asks for right now, even if that is for him to step away and give her space. Because she is his mate, and what she needs is now, incontrovertibly, his top priority.
Mark's wolf grumbles, discontent as he pushes up from the wall and begins to walk away in the other direction, his head hanging low. But he clenches a fist as he goes, ready, for the first time, for some big changes in his life.
I groan a little, nuzzling closer to Jackson's bare skin, wanting desperately to go back to sleep. Because I'm tired - and I was having just the best dream, which was mostly just a rehashing of what happened after Jackson laid me back on that couch in the little dining room, and slipped his hands down over my hips...
I smile, remembering it, sighing happily and turning my face over on his chest, wanting to go back to all of that...
But my eyes fly open when I realize that my wolf is standing very still in my soul. Just...staring.
At it.
What, she whispers, her eyes wide. What...the hell is that...
I gasp, sitting up straight, instantly awake and starting to pant with fear because...
Because what the hell is that!? That... that new blue line in my soul...leading off to...
Oh my god.
Oh my god.
It's...it's a fucking bond...
My mind begins to race as my wolf tosses her nose back and howls in fear, turning hastily away from the new bond, her feet scrabbling for purchase in my soul as she sprints away from it sprints far away -
-
getting as far as she can as fast as possible
Because how the fuck did this happen!?
I smack my hand across my mouth, horrified. A new bond, a new...mate!? Fucking - how!?
My mind instantly flashes through memories -
Jesse waking up in the middle of the night wreathed in shadows -
Because Midnight found him in the night, but he couldn't see her, but it developed
A bond, a mating bond became apparent between them even if he hadn't seen her yet -
My head spins around, looking frantically -
But Jackson is still beneath me, thankfully sleeping peacefully through my panic. I slam down on the bond between us, not wanting him to wake, because this is going to kill him -
And Marigold, there, in her little tiny bed in the corner – my little girl sob against my hand, because
sw novel.bet
I can't handle this -
So many changes, so fast! And now another fucking bond - another fucking
mate!? And a shadowed one, like Midnight!?
What the hell is my grandmother trying to do to me here!?
Chapter 0972
My eyes flash down to Jackson, still asleep beneath me, and grief floods me. My poor mate - he's been so good to me, and we've been through so much, and it was finally, finally getting good. And now this! Another bond, another mate!?
A fourth mate!? Who - who the hell needs four!?
Jackson stirs, sensing a change in the room, a little frown coming to his lips. I freeze for a moment, watching as he turns his head and then exhales slowly, peacefully falling back to sleep.
I exhale too, my breath shaky, and then quickly climb off of him. Because I can't – I can't wake him now - he'll flip out, and I'm already flipping out -
Suddenly, completely unable to think of anything else to do, I rush for the door, pulling it open and dashing out into the hall. I pull the bedroom door shut behind me as quietly as I can and then stride for the living room, desperate to get away - to get my thoughts together -
"Baby?"
I moan at the sight of my mom in the living room, sitting with a cup of coffee in her hand in the pre-dawn light, already at work.
My lip immediately starts to tremble as I stop in my tracks, staring at her. "Mom, something's wrong," I whisper, shaking my head.
"Oh, sugar," mom says, immediately standing and dropping her cup, coffee splashing all over the table. She reaches for me. "Come here. Come here right now."
I run for her and my mom wraps me up in her arms, pulling me close. "What's wrong, baby?" she whispers, her voice as terrified as mine.
I tuck my head against her and begin to spill everything out.
But I get about twelve words in when my mom goes stiff against me, sniffing at my hair, and then steps back.
"Mom," I gasp, staring at her, appalled. "Why - why the hell are you smiling!? This is a disaster!"
"You come with me, trouble," mom says, working hard to wipe the smile from her face and simply turning away from me when she fails. She takes my hand, tugging me with her as she pulls me towards her bedroom.
"Mom!" I protest, trying to pull my hand away, but she has an iron grip. She laughs.
Laughs!
I snarl, pissed as hell at her for laughing at me.
"Just come in here, Ariel," she says, shaking her head, her pretty rose-gold hair falling back over her shoulders as she tugs me into her room. "Let's sit down."
I stumble after her, still frantic,
looking into the room and absurdly relieved that my dad isn't here. Because while he's been very good to me throughout all the news of my three mates and my mate's new daughter, I don't think he's any more prepared than I am to hear the news that there's a fourth.
"You come here, baby," mom says, pulling me over to her bed and then sitting me down on it, urging me to sit back amongst the pillows and put my feet up. I just stare at her, confused and wary as she sighs contentedly and then sits down
across from me, pulling her own feet up.
"Mom?" I ask, my voice hesitant with fear. "Why...why are you being so...cool about this?"
"Because, baby," mom says, giving me a pretty smile and leaning forward to cup my cheek in her hand. “I don't think it's all quite as horrible as you think.”
"How could a fourth bond not be as bad –“ I snap, glaring at her.
But she laughs again, silencing me, and shakes her head. "Let's just...check it out together, okay, kid?"
I scowl at her, hating her for being all calm and practical in the face of my meltdown, but I nod slowly to her, agreeing to it. Mom is usually right, after all – uncannily so. So if she's telling me to calm down and look at it...
I guess...that's the best thing to do.
Trusting my mother, as I always do in times of crisis, I take her hands and close
my eyes. "Breathe out," mom urges. "I've got you. You're safe."
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I nod, believing her, especially as her magic begins to sweep through me, all lavender and soft and warm. I exhale, long and slow, feeling her magic begin its little healing touches within me, ensuring that everything in my body is okay. Calm comes does.
With them, as it alwaysomes
Chapter 0973
Mom's magic sinks lower and so does my attention. My wolf begins to creep back in my soul, turning towards that new bond, prowling slowly, warily towards it, her ears pricked forward.
"There now," mom says on a happy sigh. "See? It's not scary."
"It's not the bond that's scary mom," I growl, shaking my head even as my wolf steps closer, sniffing softly at the bond, peering out over the edge of our soul, looking for...whatever is on the other side of it. "It's what it implies. A fourth mate!? I can't handle that -"
"Look closer at them, baby," mom urges. "See?"
I do as I'm told, paying close attention, my wolf nudging the bond with her nose...
And as she does I realize that it's...different. Different from anything I've ever felt, different from my bond with Jackson, or Luca, or Gabriel. Somehow...smaller, more silvery and light, and incredibly, incredibly thin-
And...
And cute.
And that it's not one bond at all, that it's...
My eyes fly open. "Two?" I breathe, awed, mesmerized, terrified.
My mom's face breaks into a big smile. "Two!" she says, delight all over her face.
I just stare at her, dumbfounded. "Mom," I whisper, horrified. "I can't...I can't have five mates...that's insane."
She bursts out laughing, making me jump a bit. "Baby, you don't have five mates. Look again. What...what else could it be?" She bites her lip, incredibly excited.
I just stare at her, my face wrinkled in confusion, and turn my attention inwardly to
see -
To see my insane wolf -
Laying on her belly between the two tiny, tenuous bonds, nuzzling them warmly with her snout, each in turn - howling for joy because -
Because -
Because they're...they're ours.
Our -
Our...
"Babies," I whisper, my eyes flying wide.
Mom stays still, a little creaking squeak of joy barely suppressed in her throat as
she tries so, so hard to let me feel however I want to feel about this.
Even though she is clearly, clearly fucking overjoyed -
"Oh...oh my god..." I whisper, shock running through me even as my wolf prances between the two little
bonds, licking each in turn beforee
throwing herself down on the ground and rubbing her body all
over
them as best she can, claiming them
as her own.
"I know!" mom says, all squeaky and thrilled, raising her hands to her mouth and
pressing her fingertips to her lips. "You're "
"Pregnant!" I whisper, my eyes flying as wide as two round moons.
Mom starts to dance in place, her shoulders shaking for joy, and suddenly - as my shock breaks - a smile starts to spread across my lips.
She shouts then, seeing me accept the reality of it, and throws herself forward, grabbing me into a big hug. "Oh my god, Ariel! Congratulations, baby!"
"Mom," I whisper, still awed, laughing a little. "There...there are two of them!"
"Twins!" she says, a little shrill and shrieky. "It's so great! Two little babies! Two little baby babies, all at once!"
I just hug my mom back, barely breathing, still awed and completely freaked out even if my wolf yips with happiness, loving her little soul pups already, celebrating their existence by dancing from paw to paw
en
"Oh, sugar how are you feeling?" mom asks, doing her best - and failing to rein in her own emotions so that I can figure out my own. "I'm sorry I'm having trouble-
en
"No, it's okay," I whisper, sitting up and pushing away from her a little, fear and joy
and wonder and terror racing through me all at once. "Mom, how did this
happen?"
“Well,” she says, tilting her head to the side. "Were you...slacking on your medicine?"
"N-no!" I sputter out, shaking my head fervently. I go back in my mind suddenly, trying to remember everything, but honestly I have been diligent. "Mom, I've been very careful..."
Mom just grins at me, biting her lip.
Chapter 0974
"Oh, baby,” mom says, cupping my cheek in her hand and looking at me sympathetically. “Sometimes...the Goddess has plans for us that go beyond our
own."
"Damn right she does," I say with a scowl, flumping back into mom's pillows and shooting a little glare at the crescent moon, which I can see hovering just above the dawn horizon. "Surprise after surprise with that one."
"Are you unhappy with it?" mom asks, clasping her hands beneath her chin and looking at me, worried. "You...you don't have to be happy, sweetie. I'm sorry, I should have been more restrained -"
"No, mom," I say with a sigh, flicking my eyes to her and then down to my stomach, where I press my hands. Where two babies now live, apparently. "I... don't really know precisely how I feel - I mean, I'm really surprised – and the timeline is not fantastic but...I don't think I'm unhappy..."
I let my words trail off, trying to figure out how I feel but coming up with an answer that's split between about twelve different emotions.
A baby. Babies.
Two little babies.
Jackson's... Jackson's babies.
A tiny little smile comes to my mouth at that thought because...
I mean. They're going to be so cute.
My mom squeaks again and I look up, laughing when I see the big smile on her face. "You're smiling," she whispers, still holding her hands in fists beneath her chin. "Does that mean..."
"Mommm," I groan, pitching myself forward, still laughing, a bit hysterical. "I don't know, okay! Give me...ten seconds to figure it out." I sigh, putting my head down in her lap, closing my eyes and trying to sort through it.
"You got it baby," mom murmurs, sweet and kind, starting to stroke my hair. "Ten whole seconds, just for you."
I grumble something to her, and she laughs again, but I just allow myself to
breathe and let myself again adjust to the radical new reality of my life. It takes a long, long time to get it into my head that I'm pregnant.
That there are going to be two more little Sinclairs in the palace. And they're going to be mine.
But...are we even going to be in the palace?
Didn't I...weren't we just talking about going back to school? I sigh deeply, confused, turning my head to press my forehead against my mom's thigh.
"Tell me, baby," she murmurs, still stroking her hands through my hair, kind and sweet as she always is.
"Jacks and I were just talking about it last night," I murmur, my voice a little muffled against her leg. "About...wanting more babies someday. I didn't think it would be today."
She laughs a little. "More babies?"
I turn my head up, sighing again even as I smile. "I'm going to adopt Marigold as my own. We talked about it last night. Not right away - we want to let her adjust but...I want to be her mom. Jackson is on board."
Mom's face crumples in an instant, tears filling her eyes as she lays herself down next to me on the bed and wraps me up in a hug, pulling me close. "Oh, Ariel," she sighs, think as undone with emotion as me "I...I mean, I hoped you would. I think that's so fantastic."
“Me too," I whisper, smiling as tears prick my own eyes. "Though I guess now
she's getting... siblings. And who knows how she'll feel about that."
"Fantastic, of course," mom mutters, sniffing a bit.
“But, I mean..." bite my lip, grief
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starting to curl in me. "I'm...I'm really young for this. Three kids at twenty-three? I mean...I know it's been done before, but......." I sniff," feeling very overwhelmed. "I really liked my life! I'm a really good sniper! I Want to be a spy!"
Mom pulls me even closer, letting me cry a little into her shirt,
eli
murmuring all sorts of comforting nonsense to me about how fantastic I am, and how it's fine to be confused, and how we'll sort it all out And, as it always does, her
warmth and support bring a great deal of comfort.
Chapter 0975
A few minutes later, mom sits up, taking me with her and clucking over me as she wipes the tears from my face and pushes my hair back behind my ears. "There's my beautiful Princess," mom murmurs, stroking her hand over my hair and getting me all in order. "So strong and brave!"
“Enemy armies I can face," I say with a sigh and a little laugh. “Pregnancy, a whole new thing."
She laughs at this, patting my cheek and smiling at me again. "As it always is," she says, giving a bit of a shrug. "Your first pregnancy...is always a bit of a terror, even if you're happy about it."
"I don't want you to think I'm unhappy," I murmur. Then I look down at myself again, pressing my hands against my stomach, which is as flat now as it ever was. "I don't want them to think I'm unhappy."
"Well luckily they're just little cell bundles right now," mom murmurs with a shrug. "So, they probably can't feel anything yet."
"Is that true?" I ask, my face wrinkling as I look up at her. "At what point in conception does the bond form?"
"Oh, I don't know, I'm not a scientist," mom says, waving a hand at me and dismissing the question. I laugh a little, unable to help it. "We'll ask Cora in a couple of hours."
I sigh, nodding, looking back down, tentatively sending a little pulse of warmth and love down the bonds, wanting desperately for the babies to feel...I don't know. Welcome, I guess.
"You know, it's how I would have wanted it," mom says quietly.
I look up at her again, curious.
"If I had it my way?" she says, arching her brows at me. "I would have had it happen precisely like this. I'd have met your dad when I was twenty-two, and taken a good six months to get to know him and let our relationship develop, and then..." she snaps her fingers, grinning at me. “I'd have wanted to start popping out kids."
I laugh, harder now, starting to feel...I don't know. Abit more cheerful? Certainly less panicked. "Yeah, but you always wanted to be a mom, say, my shoulders slumping a little. "I just started thinking about being a mom like, literally yesterday
"Well, wish granted," she says with a little shrug that makes me laugh.
"I know," I say, twisting my mouth to the side, trying to parse my emotions. "I just...want other things too."
"You can have it all, Ariel," mom says
quietly. I study her, kind of
impressed with the assurance in her voice. Slowly, she nods to me. "Motherhood doesn't have to be limiting, especially when you have the help you have. A dad with lots of money, a mom very willing to spend it A whole extended family to help you with childcare. You can do this - be a mom of three, be a spy, be the sharpshooting Princess our nation needs."
A little smile comes to my lips as tears come to my eyes.
Because.....I have just the best mom. Always so supportive of our dreams, so optimistic.
But then again, I know a little about
her life and her trials. There were moments when she, too, felt
hopeless much worse than I'm feeling now. So she knows, far better than me, how important hope and determination is.
And family.
Family, more than all of it.
Because children, as she always says, are forever a blessing.
I sit a little straighter, studying my mom, proud and pleased to be her daughter.