The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Chapter 0751

And then I lift my finger, and hold it close to Luca's mark for comparison, and see that Jackson's...right. That it's quite subtle, but the mini mark is...different. It...shines, almost? Just barely perceptible, an incredibly faint line of silver tracing through it? And Luca's mark has none of that.

"Oh, that's really incredible," I murmur. Then I burst into a smile, looking at the mini mark. "See? I knew the mini mark was real."

Jackson just laughs and shakes his head, putting his hands on my hips and stepping close, dropping a kiss to my hair. "Not my mark yet, tiny. But..." he hesitates and then drops the point. I lift my eyes and meet his in the mirror, knowing what he's thinking, because I'm thinking the same.

That he needs to give me his mark. That the Goddess ordered it, and we both know it now. But also that...I am not ready. Not right now - not so close to my last marking which was, at best, traumatic. And even though I know Jackson would give it to me now if I asked for it...

"I just need a little time?" I whisper.

He nods to me, just once, quite simple. Letting me know that he understands and that the moment I'm ready, he's here. And not because the Goddess demanded it - because it's time.

For us, it's time.

I sigh, leaning back against him, and Jackson wraps his arms fully around me.

"Did my scent change?" I murmur.

sniffs my hair experimentally, almost performative, because it's not like he hasn't been smelling me all

different when I saw you in the hall - I think your scent...did change. And then when he rejected you it started to revert back- I read that that's

at him in the mirror. "Where on

back at me. "The internet, Ariel.

his back and grinning up into his face. Jackson smiles down at me like he can't help it, like looking at my face

him. "You really think we're going to be

mean," Jacks murmurs,

and getting marks, Ariel." I smirk at the

lucky?" I rest my chin on his chest, gazing up at him with all of

that's my

and full of love. I stand on my toes and kiss him

I'm going to take this gift the universe has given and run with it. Because I know what I've got and I'm never, ever giving

of us, tucking away any physical desires that that's stirring in him for my sake, knowing that I'm not ready for

clears his throat, looking away for a second as he works to control

some breakfast in the hall with

turns his eyes