The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Chapter 0173

My mouth pops open in mock indignation as my sister fights her urge to smirk. “I have always been badass and cool, Juniper!” I protest, laughing.

“Ariel, believe me,” Juniper sighs, rolling her eyes but letting her smile run free. “You have been the opposite of badass and cool. You were like, a pink bubblegum fairy glitter princess

“And I still am,” I return, laughing. “Except now I can shoot a tin can off of a tree stump from half a mile away.”

–

“Ugh,” she groans. “Nevermind. Still not cool. Plus, now you’ve brought your mates home,” she murmurs, looking at Luca and then around to where Jackson is standing with our mom, clearly intuiting that he’s the other one. “Like this family needed more Alpha men around, all gigantic and eating everything in sight –”

“Not my Alphas,” I counter, grinning at her, my arm still around her shoulders. “I got them trained up real good.”

“So that’s the other one?” she says, raising her chin towards Jackson, her voice dubious.

at my mom’s side with her

and my mom. As we stand observing

with doubt as her eyes focus on mom’s arm around Jackson’s

staring at my

is leaning into Jackson’s side – being so nice to him, wanting him to feel comfortable in this big room full of people – but…yeah. Maybe looking a little too close to my mate to the eye of one who doesn’t understand how empathetic mom is as well as how incredibly

–

out a hand towards them. Jackson frowns

my little sister playfully away from me before grabbing her hand and tugging her towards Jackson and mom. “She’s just being

pretending she isn’t having as much fun as she is. “Don’t let dad see this – he’ll get all jealous, and then we’ll have a body to clean up. Which will be interesting, but messy.” I grin, ignoring her words. Because as much as she likes to pretend she’s a black sheep, Juniper is very much a part of this family, and she likes joking and teasing

that she can reach for Juniper and me when we come near. “I love seeing you two get along! It’s so rare, to have you not tearing

being nice,” Junie sighs, letting mom fold her into a hug on one side. “So, enjoy

uncle Roger says

at his own joke as he wraps me into a hug. I squeak a

Rog,” I say, beaming up into his