The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Chapter 0727

"Whoa," Ben says, holding his hands up at the door, his eyes going wide when he sees the vicious expressions on his friends' faces. "Guys, calm down. Obviously, you know I'm not going to hurt her." With a concentrated effort, Rafe reels in his protective instinct and swallows. "I'm sorry," he says through his teeth. "It is...difficult. She's hurt, we're -"

"No, I get it," Ben says, nodding as he takes a single step into the room. Jesse too settles back, just a little, though his muscles still stay tensely wound, ready to pounce. "I um...I went to the Captain and told him you needed a phone? I didn't tell him why - he wasn't happy about it, but he handed it over."

"What?" Jesse says, blinking, still trying to put all the pieces together.

"Thanks," Rafe says, solid, holding out a hand. "Bring it here. Shut the door."

"I thought you might want to...call your mom," Ben murmurs for Jesse's sake. "This seems beyond our capacities." He puts the phone in Rafe's hand and then slips his hands into his pockets.

"What do you mean?" Jesse asks, looking back down at Ariel, reaching out a hesitant hand and stroking it softly over her hair. Fear rushes through him again as Rafe dials the number and puts the phone to his ear, passing the first-aid kit to Jesse. Jesse frowns as he takes it, running his eyes over her blanketed form, wondering if there are more wounds than he's seeing besides the one on her neck. "Is she hurt elsewhere?"

"No," Ben says with a shrug. "I mean, I don't think so. I just I mean, do you know what to do? When a girl gets rejected by her mate?"

Jesse just stares at Ben, blank. Ben shrugs, glad he takes his point.

neck?" Rafe snarls, glancing at Jesse as the phone connects

as he's told, getting out some gauze and saline solution and turning Ariel's head to the side so that he can inspect the bite. He gently begins to pat at it, cleaning the blood away, his stomach sinking for his poor

Jesse murmurs,

as he runs his hand through his

asks, going still with

Ben says, awkward. "And says he's going

a long moment before he nods and looks back down at Ariel,

"If you seriously think Luca is getting away with this with his head,

the sweetest goddamn person on the earth, she's our last hope in this whole fucking wark If Luca Grant put her out of commission, he's to blame for everything that befalls Moon Valley!

god," Ben groans, dropping his head into his hands, finally

two

sounds on the other line, worried. "Mom-um - we're all alive, but we need you to get

of worry on the other end as Ella bursts out

her the details she needs. "Um - we'll tell you when you get - okay! Fine!" He sighs, shaking his head. "Luca - he

and Jesse watch in rapt