The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

"Hello, trouble," Cora murmurs, turning me away from the sight of her youngest child clambering over my mate like a jungle gym. "We were so worried for you!"

"We were," Roger sighs, wrapping his arms around both me and Cora at once, making me grin up at him. "But clearly we should have just chilled out and let you handle it. Honestly we were all so stressed when we could have just had a spa day, letting you and Jackson end the damn war -"

"Hey, I helped," Jesse says, and I grin as I peek over Cora's shoulder to see him standing there next to Rafe, both clearly waiting to greet us last so they can take longest. My heart swells to see them standing side-by-side, remembering that they fought last time I saw them together. But clearly they've patched things up.

“Hey!” I say, laughing, reaching for both my brother and my cousin at once as Cora and Roger release me. Tears again stream ridiculously down my face. "Oh god, I missed you two jerks -"

"No, you didn't," Jesse murmurs, wrapping me up warm and tight. "Please, it's creepy if you were missing me while you busy were getting that pretty new mark

I gasp, scandalized, and shove him away even as I crack up laughing, smacking him liberally on the shoulder and chest. "You're such a creep! How could you even think that -"

"Two marks, right?" Rafe says, smirking at me and reaching for my bandaged wrist. "Damn, one or two weeks in Atalaxia sure turns a girl into a tramp, doesn't it

I gasp, utterly scandalized again, and start to smack at my brother in turn as he roars with laughter and wraps me up in his arms.

"Jerks," I grumble against him, not really meaning it, relishing their stupid teasing. Rafe hums his agreement, giving me a squeeze, and I sigh and shut my eyes, loving my brother a great deal.

"I'm happy for you, Ari," he murmurs, kissing my hair and taking a whiff of my new scent. "Jacks smells good on you."

“Thanks,” sigh, pushing away a bit to smile up at him. "I think so too Hey," I glance around the room "Where - where are Pippa and Elias and Benny? And Midnight?"

—

"Ben and Elias are going to come down in a bit Pippa has begged off from the party. He looks at me seriously now. "She says she's been having minor labor pains for a few days now but..." he shrugs. "I don't really know what's going on. L'don't get the feeling that that's the whole story. And Ben like...weirdly just wants to hang out with Elas. I don't know. I don't get it. Ten hours in Atalaxia and Ben is like...very dedicated to the two of them. It doesn't make any sense."

Rafe frowns and glances towards the door, clearly confused and waiting for our friend to come in.

Slowly, my face spreads into a grin as I look between Jesse and Rafe's baffled expressions.

"Seriously?" I whisper, beaming, delighted to have a secret they haven't figured out yet. "You don't know?"

"Know what?” Rafe asks, snapping his head back to frown at me. He narrows his eyes. "Wait, what do you know?"

"Oh, nothing,” I say, crossing my eyes and looking directly at Jesse. "At least no more than what you know."

Jesse narrows his eyes at me in turn. "What are you talking about?"

Jackson

"Finally," Jackson murmurs, coming up behind me and draping his arms over my shoulders, pulling me back against his chest. "It's nice having a family and everything, but do I have to hug all of them every timed see them?"

“Jacks spilled the beans,” I say, haughty, leaning back against my gorgeous mate and grinning deviously at Jesse.noveldrama

"Jackson!" Jesse gasps, his eyes flying wide to stare at Jackson. "You didn't!"