The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Chapter 0745

I fall to my knees at his side, my shoulders shaking. "What the hell were you doing outside?" My question is tremulous, a whisper.

"Um," he says, glancing backwards at Jesse and Rafe. "I was just...being close. Because it was hard to be far. And Jesse said I should let you take charge? And wait until you asked for me, in case you...didn't want to see me?"

Jesse groans. "That's not what I said!"

"Why are you listening to Jesse?" I ask, shaking my head as tears well in my eyes. "He's the worst at emotions.

"Hey!"

"I don't know, Ariel," Jackson murmurs, sitting up and reaching for me the moment he sees me starting to cry. "You're right - that was dumb - I'm so sorry -"

I groan in relief the moment Jackson wraps me up in his arms, pulling me into his lap and cradling me against his chest, pressing as much of my body to him as he can manage. He murmurs again and again

his apologies, and I whisper back for him to stop - that he doesn't need to- that I need to -

And then I just cry, and Jackson just holds me, and his wolf moves fast across the bond to mine. She shies at first, wary after Luca's wolf's attack, but Jackson's wolf skids to a stop and lets out an

come to him. And when she does, finally pressing herself warm to his side, a fierce and possessive grumble

Jackson and

a minute..." Jesse murmurs, stepping over us

room.

Rafe says, his voice anxious. I glance up at him to see him looking worriedly down at

sit up straighter, holding my brother's pretty green gaze. "It's fine, Rafe," I say, my voice

in Jackson's lap, taking his face

so sorry, Jacks," I whisper, shaking my head at

didn't

so filled with grief, and yet so deeply happy to be here with him, to feel him, to smell

has changed. I mean, my mom said that it hadn't - not that she could tell. But she's not an

at him seriously. "I'm not blameless in any of this. I had a lot of time to think about it - and Luca - he was very bad to me,

QUMS

the very idea of this and I can feel down our bond his line of thinking and the flashes of memory that come along with it that

head, shaking all over. "I - I can't talk about that right now

groans, guilty, and wraps me up closer

I whisper, wrapping my arms around his neck. "I know the last three days were really really hard for you. And it's

he asks, pulling back