The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

"Enough of that," Rafe calls from across the room where he's tossing what few personal possessions he has into a backpack. "Hands off, Luca. Still my sister."

"Still my mate," Luca calls back, but his voice is cheerful as he pushes himself up from the wall, letting his arm drift from behind my back so that he can grasp my hand as he tugs me over to the sitting area. Ben's there too, his already-packed backpack at his feet, but he stands when we approach, going to pretend to help Jesse pack and giving us our space.

"So, I've been thinking about it," Luca says, sitting down on the couch and pulling me with him so that we sit close together.

"Yeah?" I ask, encouraging him to go on. I turn towards him, taking his hands in mine, listening closely. Because I want, desperately, to know what he's thinking - how he's feeling about all of it.

"And," he murmurs, reaching out a hand to tuck a strand of hair back from my face, "we still have to talk about...about you keeping this from me, Ariel. That was deeply unfair, and I...I think it's going to take a while for me to trust you again."

I nod, understanding, listening to him and holding back my opinion on the matter. Because I do think that I was in a hard place with that - it would have been horribly unfair to Jackson if I had told Luca that Jackson was my mate before I even told Jackson. But...that's not really important now. Instead, I just want to hear Luca, to understand how he feels.

"But I didn't lie last night," Luca murmurs, his pretty brown eyes intent as he squeezes my hands. "I'm in love with you, Ariel - you're my mate, you're...you're everything to me. I'll do whatever it takes to make this right with us."

at how good he's being. "Thank you - I feel the same way - I'll do whatever it takes too, you're so important

of my hair back again, his fingers warm as they caress the shell of my ear. "And then we'll move on! It will be amazing, Ariel, I promise

asking me? What...did I agree to something? "Luca," I say, putting a hand out between us, my palm flat as it

likewise sitting up straight and staring at me. "No to...no

leaning closer. "Luca, I'm

"What!?"

it. "This seems sufficiently intimate and complicated and like you might

stands on the other side of the coffee table, his arms crossed. "This is between me

raising his eyebrows and holding Luca's gaze for a pause before shifting his eyes

my lip, hesitating, because...I mean, even though Luca is right that

saying no to him. And quite frankly,