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?

know she would like it.

beautiful girl we miss her and that she is

-Mom

with tears as I read the

with the velvet hair ribbon flat on his

giving me a little smile. “You should

stare at Ben with wide eyes, all the blood draining from my face as I lean away from him in shock, the heels of my hands hitting the ground behind me and taking all of my weight.

Because he…

giving this to me?

What does he….

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

quite

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

his eyes flicking to the blue

Rafe continues, his voice rumbling low with menace now, “are

that to Ari?”

gaze I’m surprised to find

for a second and then as he tilts his head to the side with a little bit of

definitely, definitely

giving him a good solid kick in the thigh. “How

as he flinches away from me, a relieved laugh stumbling from him as he sees that I’m not

name coming from Ben’s

says, looking between my brother and my cousin before coming back to me. “She’s – she’s Ariel

hands and falling back in his chair, but Rafe just leans forward, his tone still dangerous even if Jesse and I have given it up.

the f**k have you told,

is silent for a second, the picture of shock. But then he leans forward, staring little angrily. “No one, Rafe! Obviously, I haven’t

Rafe’s face, $

she wouldn’t

he’s telling the truth, Rafe,” I say, turning to my brother with a

eyes back to Ben. “That doesn’t. mean he

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