The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

"Jacks!"

Jackson hears his name called behind him, but he doesn't register it, or doesn't care. Instead, he just continues to stride forward in the dark, not really knowing where he's going, just needing to get... out. Get away. Disappear into the night, into the wilds, into...whatever.

Any place but that castle.

Any place but here.

"Jacks! You asshole!" the voice comes again, closer this time, and Jackson's instincts make him pay attention to it, his wolf turning inside him to growl at whatever's coming. "Slow down! I know you can hear me!"

Jackson moves on, determined, but inside him his wolf turns again, raising his nose a little, a whine in his throat. Jackson pushes him away, but the wolf persists, pressing his snout into Jackson's hand. Come on, the wolf says, listen. It's Jesse. We like Jesse.

Jackson is the one growling now, insisting that he doesn't like anyone, but his wolf just nuzzles against his hand, sad, not wanting to run anymore. So Jackson sighs, and slows, and turns when Jesse's footsteps come near.

"What the hell man," Jesse says, bending over and panting a little, "I've been chasing you for like, twenty minutes!" "Should have been faster," Jackson mutters, shrugging and looking away, shoving his hands deep into his pockets. "Don't be a dick," Jesse growls. "I'm trying to be nice to you, the least you could do is let me."

to glare at Jesse a little. "Do you seriously think that's

says, standing up straight and crossing his arms, "I think that being nice to you is just going to make Ariel magically not have a second mate. Obviously, that's what I think." Jackson narrows his eyes. "You're being a jerk, Jesse,"

Jackson tugs his arm out of Jesse's grasp when Jesse grabs it. "Don't you get it!? I am being nice to you! This is what people do!" Sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ

glare at him. "Do what? You're not doing anything

"That's what people do! People who care about each other! When something shitty happens, you show up, and you're just there!" "That doesn't do anything," Jackson grumbles, discontent - but honestly, nothing, really, would work for him right now. Nothing can make this better - nothing will make this

had her, he'd thought - for a blissful couple of days that she was his. That everything was going to be okay.

he never really had

it was all an illusion. Because she was

sighs, grabbing his arm

Jesse... he's not big enough to actually stop him. But they pause anyway, on the top of a hill, darkness all around. And Jackson hangs his head as he waits, because...well, where

arm. "Something shitty happens, and even though they can't do anything about it, the people who care about you show up. And they hang around. So, please stop walking away from me and let me

growls,

"To show you that I care, that you're not alone! To...stop you from throwing yourself into a ditch, or whatever!" Jesse pauses, staring at Jackson, waiting for him to respond, but Jackson