The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

He has much less, doesn't he?

"It leaves us as friends, Luca," I say quietly, meaning it very much. He lifts his eyes to me with a sigh. "We...start over from there. See where it goes." I smirk a bit. "I still own half your gym, after all."

He huffs a laugh, looking to the side. "I know. My uncle is pissed."

"Your uncle is a dick," I say, dry. Luca laughs harder at this, turning that gorgeous smile on me. And, as usual, my stomach flips a bit at the sight. "Are you coming back to school?"

He shrugs, clearly implying that he's unsure.

"Think about it," I say on a long exhale. "And...we'll go from here. But I'm sorry, Luca. And I forgive you and I care about you a great deal. I'm...very happy that you came today."

"Yeah," he says on a sigh, slipping his hands into his pockets, regret taking his features as I take a step away. "I'm glad too."

"I'll see you soon?"

He shrugs, tacitly agreeing to it but unhappy that this apparently didn't go as planned. "I love you, Ariel."

I give him my best smile - a true one, not a Princess Ariel smile. "I love you too, Luca. Just...in a different way, now."

He sighs as I turn away, clutching the magazine to my chest and hurrying into the palace. As soon as I get inside I turn my mind away from Luca, knowing I've got more important things to deal with right now. I rush up the stairs, eager as hell to find my mate and fill him in, to assure him that everything is fine.

When I hurry into the living room my eyes quickly sweep around, taking in Rafe, Mark, and Ben sitting around the coffee table with Jesse, a sleeping Seraphina sprawled chaotically over his lap. My cousin grins at me as I immediately stride across the room, heading for the hall and my room beyond.

"Hey, cuz,” Jesse says, grinning wickedly at me. "What have you been up to?"

"Try me not, fiend!" I call to him over my shoulder, lifting a hand and letting a bit of my blue fire burn there. "I've gotta go find my mate!"

"Hey, what was that magazine?" Rafe calls after me, cheerful and entertained. "Seriously, who's the mystery hunk!? Is it me!?"

I ignore them all, darting down the hall and working to steady my breath as I push open the door to my room. My eyes move

immediately to the big Alpha sitting

on

the edge of the teeny tiny bed in

the corner of the room, stroped in

hand over the hair of the little girl who struggles to keep her eyes open.

his

"Hi," I whisper, instantly becoming

softer as I realize that Jackson wasn't avoiding me - it's just that Marigold, like Seraphina, is exhausted and needed to go to bed. Relief flies through me as I push the door shut behind me and cross to them, only wondering for half a second how a kid bed got in here when neither of us were here all day. noveldrama

Because mom did it. Of course she did. My wonderful, sweet, thoughtful mom.

"Hey," Jackson says, reaching for me, pulling me close and letting out a possessive little growl as he does. I grin at that, liking it very much that he perhaps wasn't completely immune to the sight of me speaking with Luca.

I slip onto my mate's lap, running a hand through his hair and pressing a kiss to his cheek, taking a moment to let my eyes move over his face. But he sends a calming pulse down the bond, letting me know that it's all okay. I smile at him, loving him a great deal and letting him feel it. I kiss him again, on the mouth this time, and then turn my attention to the sleepy little girl.

"Hey, Goldie," I whisper, moving from Jackson's lap to the bed next to her, laying

my body horizontal and propping myself up on my elbow, laying the magazine face-down next to me. "Did you have a busy day?"

"Yes," she whispers, happy and sleepy, looking up at me. "Ariel."

"Yeah, that's me," I whisper, laughing a bit, reaching out to pet her little dark head. "You feeling sleepy?"

She nods, taking a deep breath. "Can Fifi come tomorrow?"

I laugh lightly, delighted at their growing friendship. I glance at Jacks, who shrugs, letting me know he has no idea what the plans are. "We'll see. Hey, I brought you an amazing story book," I say, grinning wickedly, turning the tabloid over and handing it to her.

Jackson leans forward, confused and curious.