The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Chapter 0968

I wait for a second, grimacing a bit, watching Jackson's face for a reaction. But he just stares at me, completely blank.

"I'm sorry," I whisper, shaking my head, reaching for him. "I'm sorry, Jacks - I didn't mean anything bad by it -"

"No, Ariel..." he replies, blinking out of his frozen state and clearing his throat. "I just I just don't understand -"

I frown at him, not getting what he doesn't get.

He narrows his eyes and leans closer to me. "How...how would you become her mother?"

"Well," I say, twisting my fingers together, feeling tense. "I would...adopt her. Legally, she would be mine as well as yours - I'd have all the rights as her mother and she as my daughter. And there's a ceremony that you can perform at the Temple before the Goddess's sacred pool - people do it all the time when they adopt kids. You ask the Goddess to bless the union so that the child is spiritually yours, as well as legally."

Jackson continues to just stare at me, though I can see his mind at work now, putting it all together.

I do my best to give him a moment to think, but eventually I can't bear the silence anymore, guilt and worry rushing through me. "And I'd never want to replace Tasha -" I say softly, all in a rush. "We wouldn't like - erase her memory, or pretend that she's not real, or keep anything a secret from Marigold - we can find ways to honor Tasha and find ways to help Marigold remember her first mom."

his head dropping like

to cup Jackson's cheek, hope and love surging through my chest. "Then a mother is a wonderful thing to have. And I really... really want to be her mom,

to mine and as soon as I see the wetness of his lower lashes

Jackson says, shaking his head, disbelieving that such a thing can be true. "It's it's

I'll understand. But...I really hope you say yes. I want to do this - I want to be a family. I want...Marigold to be mine as well as yours, a full sister to all

eighteen," he sighs, shaking his head, resting his forehead against

into laughter, pulling him close, loving him a great deal. I smile, letting my eyes fall shut, breathing in a deep breath full of

like it? Like you said I

give her plenty of time. There's no rush, right? But..." I bite my lip a little, suddenly incredibly happy at this

grins at me, likewise

arms around his neck. "She reminds me

head down next to mine, pressing a

possible. “I think...I think it's going to be really great, Jacks. Challenging but...] really like our new