The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Chapter 38

Chapter 38

Rafe looks at me with a little grimace, slowly taking the envelope out of the box and moving to tuck it into his back pocket for later, not wanting to make me watch.

“No, read it!” I say, flapping my hands at him and working hard to tuck my disappointment low in my stomach. Because, I mean, I know that if mom knew I was here she would never have left me out would probably have written me the longest letter of all. I can’t be hurt by this, and I don’t want him to have to wait.

“Are you sure?” he asks, hesitating, turning the envelope over in his hands.

Jesse rips his open, digging in, giving me a little shrug. I nod eagerly at Rafe, encouraging him, as Ben gives me a soft pat on the shoulder, not saying anything but…letting me know that he’s here for me.

Rafe sighs but can’t help it. He settles back into the couch cushions as he opens and unfolds his letter, a smile already on his lips as he reads through the first

words.

“Did we miss anything?” Ben asks cheerfully, tipping the box towards the two of us as we sit together on the rug, giving Rafe and Jesse their privacy.

“I don’t think so,” I say, peeking into the box again, willing to take up Ben’s offer of a distraction so that I don’t get overwhelmed by my jealousy.

“Yes, we did,” Ben says, laughing and reaching into the bottom of the box.

“What?” I say, surprised, leaning closer. “What is it?”

And my heart absolutely falls to pieces when Ben pulls from the bottom of the box a very, very pretty blue velvet hair ribbon, already tied into a bow with a silver clip. at the back.

I give an unintentional little gasp when I see it, as my eyes rove over the soft fabric, the little silver trim that runs along the edge-

Because I know, without even having to read the little tag attached to the clip, that this is from my mom, and that she sent it for me.

But my stomach plummets as Ben picks up the tag, his eyes moving quickly over my mom’s small, swirling handwriting.

Rafe-

I know that this box is to celebrate you, but I couldn’t help myself.

When you next see Ariel, will you please give this to her?

she would like

my beautiful girl we miss her and

-Mom

fill with tears as I read the note over Ben’s shoulder.

turns to me with the velvet hair ribbon flat on his palm.

a little smile. “You should have it.”

lean away from him in shock, the heels of my hands hitting the ground behind me and taking all of

Because he…

is he giving this to me?

What does he….

ribbon balanced on his hand. I whip my eyes to my brother and my cousin and sit up very straight and very still as I realize

quite

forward on the couch, his eyes focused solemnly on Ben’s face. “What are

Ben says, his eyes flicking to the blue velvet ribbon

continues, his voice rumbling low with menace now,

that to Ari?”

eyes flick back to Ben, whose gaze I’m surprised to find already

for answers. I stay very still for a second and then as he tilts his head to the side with a little bit of

realize that he definitely, definitely already knows.

out and giving him a good solid kick in

from me, a relieved laugh stumbling from him as he sees that I’m not going to kill him, just kick him. “From like, the first time we did after–hours training,

my name coming from Ben’s mouth.

my cousin before coming back to me. “She’s – she’s Ariel Sinclair, right? The Princess?” he turns to Rafe now, who still has his teeth bared. “Your

Rafe just leans forward, his tone still dangerous even if Jesse and

f**k have you

picture of shock. But then he leans forward, staring little angrily. “No one, Rafe!

Rafe’s face, $

wouldn’t

think he’s telling the truth, Rafe,” I say, turning to my brother with a grimace. “They wouldn’t have

his eyes back to Ben. “That doesn’t. mean he didn’t tell any of the other cadets.”

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