The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

She pants a little in her panic, looking around the room again for some help. But everyone's face - everyone's, her father's included - is rich with a great depth of sadness and pity. Maryam, finding no recourse there, turns her vicious gaze back to Rafe.

It cuts him in his soul, the hatred in her gaze. Deep, like a knife.

"I reject you, Rafe Sinclair - or whatever the fuck it is they say to make this end. Categorically, unequivocally - no. I - I will not have this - I will not have you. You have absolutely no claim on me, ever!"noveldrama

She stands to her full height then, rage pulsing through her, and then turns striding for the door. She shoves past Jesse and Ariel who stumble out of her way, yanking the door open and striding out into the hall.

The sound of the door slamming behind her echoes through the silent room. Rafe...doesn't breathe.

He just...stares. Stares after her. Wondering what the fuck he's supposed to do

now.

The party breaks up awkwardly, with Cora and Roger quietly gathering their kids together and ushering them out the door. I watch them go without protest for once, their eyes wide as they realize the gravity of the moment, even if they don't realize what happened.

I stand between Jesse and Jackson as the people not staying in the palace tonight pack up their things and say their quiet goodnights. Mom is at Rafe's side, of course - she was the first to move after poor Maryam left. Hank quickly gave his apologies and followed after his daughter, eager to comfort her in whatever way he could.

And even though I know in my heart that he doesn't deserve it, pity swells in me for Mark, who is getting the scolding of a lifetime from our dad in the corner of the room.

My mouth turns down in a deep frown as I look over at the pair of them - dad laying into Mark about responsibility and needing to realize the gravity of certain issues, of considering the consequences of his actions before he makes any moves. But my poor baby Mark - he's all pale, and his head is hanging, and he just looks so ashamed.

"Don't you dare, you big softie," Jesse murmurs to me, glancing over at me with a tiny smile. “Mark deserves every bit of that."

"He's just a little guy," I whisper, my hands pressing to my cheeks as I glance at Jesse and then back at Mark. "He didn't know what he was doing."

"You baby him, Ari," Jacks murmurs at my side. I look up at him with a very, very small snarl. But he just shrugs, standing by his words. "He's older than June, and yet you hold him to a much lower standard."

"It's true," Jesse murmurs. "If June did this, you'd be flipping out at her."

I sigh, snapping my hands to my hips, realizing that they're right and totally hating it. "Fine. I will now redirect all pity to Rafe."

"Good choice," Jesse says, smirking at me. "Come on, let's go get our boy. He's going to need some council and cheering up from all of us, who are wise and mated and can give him the guidance he needs."

"Oh, you just want to drink more and make him tell you the whole story," I sigh, following along after Jesse as he starts to move towards mom and Rafe, grabbing Jackson's hand and towing him along with me as we go.

"That too!" Jesse calls over his

shoulder, forcing himself to be more cheerful than I think he feels. "All right, Auntie Ells," he says, interrupting her as we all arrive at Rafe's side. "We're taking over from here."

Mom hesitates for a moment, wrapping her arm around Rafe's and looking around at us for a second. But then she sighs and lets him go Rafe's head hangs and he loses his balance a little, leaning on mom physically and emotionally as he was. "All right, but you be nice to my meatball," she says, narrowing her eyes around at all of us. "He's had a hard night."

"We promise," Jesse says, slinging an arm around Rafe's shoulders and grinning at him. "Kindness and whiskey. Come on, we'll go up to the yurt, let Midnight feed you cookies."

Rafe sighs and glances at mom for one more moment before nodding and shifting his weight to lean on Jesse. "Cookies sound good. Yurt sounds good. Let's do it."

“Let's go!” Jesse calls out, striding out the door with Rafe pressed close to his side.

I pause only a moment to step close to my mom and press a kiss to her cheek. "Tell dad to go easy on Mark okay?" I whisper. Mom grins at me and nods and then gives me a little swat on my rump as Jackson wraps an arm warm around my waist and the two of us likewise head towards the door.