The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

"What!?" I gasp, grabbing the magazine and lifting it up, reading the headline and realizing that the other half of the cover is, of course, a picture of Luca in his boxer's getup - which, essentially, just means sweaty and shirtless. And, of course, he looks stupidly good with his boxing gloves up by his face, his expression all tough and gritty and determined.

But I tear my eyes away from the picture of my handsome mate to read the headline splashed across both of us.

"CONFIRMED: LUCA GRANT MATED TO PRINCESS ARIEL."

"Ohhh my god," I murmur, my fingers tightening against the cover in my shock. Because, I mean, it's not a secret within our inner circles that Luca and I are mated - but this is not public knowledge, and certainly not something my parents would have wanted me to announce so openly and so early on in my relationship.

And, especially, since I have - you know - a second mate that's going to complicate all of this - this is not at all a good thing for me.

But who did this?

I mean, I know that my family knows, and that Luca told his mom and his uncle, but to everyone else he introduced me to last night - he always said girlfriend, never mate. Because that's incredibly personal, and considering who I am, and what my position is within this world...

God, spilling this to the press? It's a huge betrayal.

My fingers hesitate, a little, as I begin to flick through the pages of the magazine, because I am suddenly quite terrified that I know who leaked this...

the press. And is incredibly proud to be mated to me. Someone who wants everyone to know that we're mated, especially since there's another claim on my affections

can't read the article. I sigh, and press the magazine shut in my

all, that Luca did this. I don't know what I'll do if that turns out

little unsteady, I look up at my mother. "Mom?" I whisper, not really knowing what I'm asking, staring at her with

and she reaches for me in an instant, wrapping me up in a hug and pulling me half

whisper, horrified, not wanting

replies, her voice grave. "He...he didn't

up straight, surprised and confused, wanting to see her

back a little so that I can look into my father's stern face. He's not mad at me,

Jesse just looks pissed as hell, and

looks at me with more empathy than I'd expect. But, then again, she is my sister. Maybe I don't give her more

with a sigh, reaching for the magazine

blankly told

told that he is mated

asked if he would confirm it," Jesse says, his words clipped as he sloshes creamer into his coffee before turning to me, his cup tight in