The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

"Ariel, darling," mom says, reaching out to tuck a strand of my hair behind my ear. "Tell me, sweetheart, how are you feeling about this?"

I look up at my mom, trying to sort through my feelings, trying to figure it out. Because on one hand...I mean, he is my mate - it's just the truth, and it was going to come out sometime. And why should Luca have to deny who his mate is, or hide it, when the press asked him? If it were any other mating bond, just between two people, I'm not sure it would be as big of a deal.

But...I mean, that's not our situation at all, is it?

Passively, I look down at the article, reading enough to gather that it is a laudatory piece. The press is, apparently, thrilled that I'm mated to Luca Grant - it marks us officially as the cutest new couple in the celebrity world and suggests that everyone's rooting for our future. Especially today, with Luca in the spotlight and so much at stake, everyone is thrilled to have the Princess at his side while he fights for our national pride against the enemy.

But...even if it's good...it's not what I wanted. Not right now anyway.

"I...would have liked to be asked," I say quietly, raising my eyes to look up into my mom's eyes and then around the table at my sympathetic family. "It's not a small thing to tell the world that someone's your mate, especially when you're already someone in the public eye. I should have been asked. I should have had...some control over it, at least been part of the interview."

Rafe and Jesse stand coldly, still pissed and not even willing to be as fair as I'm trying to be in this moment. But Ben nods warmly towards me, and Daphne presses her mouth into a commiserating line, her expression letting me know that she understands and feels for me.

handle. Uncle Roger gathers Cora to his side and looks at me with sympathy, like

I feel so incredibly bolstered. Like I can certainly handle this, as Junie's expression suggests - like it's really not the end

even almost smiling as I turn back to my

again wrapping me in a hug as I turn my attention back to her and

eyes over my mom's shoulder and giving me a steady

you el.

in whether or not this article came out today. It's unacceptable

his real meaning: that Luca's in big trouble with the most powerful Alpha in the nation right now, and that he'd better watch out. Champion

him, if not more.

shut, taking a deep breath and letting my mom hug me tighter. Because I hate that Luca's in hot

Doesn't he deserve it?

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