The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

"One, Ariel Sinclair," Ben says, laughing, "if you tried to kill me, I could take you."

I laugh too, grinning at him.

"And two," he continues, and my face falls along with his as real sorrow appears in his eyes, "if you're asking me if I'm jealous of you having two of the most eligible men in the nation so upset that you're not singularly in love with them that they're ready to kill each other?" He leans forward, a bit intent, a bit sorrowful. "Yeah, babe. I'm jealous."

"Oh, Ben," I murmur, setting my plate of cake aside on the coffee table and leaning forward to him, reaching out. "It will be all right - it will all -"

"It won't, though, will it?" Ben murmurs, taking my hand and looking down at his knees as he squeezes it, sweet and sorrowful and hopeless. "Not if I...if I want him..."

I squeeze his hand back, not knowing what to say, but the door opens and we both turn to it, both of us sighing to see an exhausted Rafe walk through.

"What is this," Rafe murmurs, his eyes flicking over my hand held in Ben's, the half-eaten chocolate cake on the coffee table. Ben and I...we really didn't go easy on it, did we? "A third mate?"

"If only I were so lucky," Ben sighs, standing up and then bending over to give me a fond kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you, Benji," I murmur, looking up at him with true gratitude, not yet letting go of his hand just yet. "For being so nice to me."

up straight, looking up at Rafe, the man he loves. "I take it my presence is

true gratitude, "we need some family

"Hours!?" I exclaim, appalled.

a way that would impress an

so Ben makes his way towards the

we all have time to pack. Neither Rafe or Jesse

know that I'm in

into the corner of the couch and making plenty of room for them. "Eat some

across the couch from me in Luca's usual spot that Ben just vacated. "And aren't you interested, young lady? In the status

him for teasing me when he knows I'm obviously dying to know

would you like an update on first?" Rafe asks, all innocence, curling his legs beneath him and sitting on the floor next to the couch as he reaches for the cake that Jesse slices, puts on a plate, and holds out to him. On the surface Rafe's being

tell

question anyway. And also, that they wouldn't have come back to the room if Luca and Jackson weren't relatively fine. "Why didn't you tell us, Ariel?" Rafe asks, more serious now as he looks down

did this out of complete selfishness. It's not like I didn't have my reasons. "You would immediately have sent me back to the Palace if I told you on the first day that