The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Chapter 0310

“I’m a public figure too,” I explain to Jackson, incredibly sorry, “and…my reputation, unfortunately, matters. If Luca has confirmed to the entire nation that I’m his mate, and then I’m stepping out with this super hot Alpha, kissing him in the streets? The press is going to tear me to pieces – call me unfaithful, say that I’ve betrayed Luca. No one will believe me that I have two mates – everyone will say that I’m a liar. And…I mean, as a political figure…I can’t be seen as a liar.‘

“Oh,” Jackson says, his eyes unfocusing as he looks away from me and starts to process this. “So…he claimed you first. So that I couldn’t.‘

“If he did it,” I say softly, needing that to be stated. Because, well, while it doesn’t look precisely good for Luca right now…I’m not willing to damn him without confronting him first and getting the truth from his own lips.

Still, Luca isn’t my priority in this moment.

are you!

about this,” I murmur, softly running my fingers through Jackson’s newly cropped hair, loving the way that it feels against my skin. I feel so much calmer than I did even half an hour ago

and it’s not only that I got a chance to process everything, but also because Jackson is here, holding me, being steady and warm as he always is.

head to me, frowning consideringly. “How do you want me to feel about it?” I scoff and smack him lightly on the shoulder. “I want you to feel how you feel!” Jackson laughs a little, his pretty blue eyes crinkling. “Okay, I just…I mean, I want to support you,

for his support, but I smack him again. “You’re dodging the question.” He laughs at me, smiling, and I can’t help but grin back “How

gently pressing his forehead to mine.

that

liking that sound. And I lift my arms, wrapping them around his neck as I shake my head at him. “Jackson, this was a blow to you! He took a shot, he made a move to actively counter your claim on

shot,” Jackson murmurs, “but it didn’t land, Ariel. I just…I’m not wounded by this. It’s not something

my fingers lace together behind his

emotions, which I know is sometimes foreign to him. “If Luca did this, then he did it at least partially to piss me off, thinking that

a little worried that he won’t express

+ BONUS

to him, encouraging.

And I did…” he growls a little, the sound rumbling in his chest, and I can’t help but smile, “I did not like that picture of you and

bite my lip, a little