The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Chapter 0972

My eyes flash down to Jackson, still asleep beneath me, and grief floods me. My poor mate - he's been so good to me, and we've been through so much, and it was finally, finally getting good. And now this! Another bond, another mate!?

A fourth mate!? Who - who the hell needs four!?

Jackson stirs, sensing a change in the room, a little frown coming to his lips. I freeze for a moment, watching as he turns his head and then exhales slowly, peacefully falling back to sleep.

I exhale too, my breath shaky, and then quickly climb off of him. Because I can't – I can't wake him now - he'll flip out, and I'm already flipping out -

Suddenly, completely unable to think of anything else to do, I rush for the door, pulling it open and dashing out into the hall. I pull the bedroom door shut behind me as quietly as I can and then stride for the living room, desperate to get away - to get my thoughts together -

"Baby?"

I moan at the sight of my mom in the living room, sitting with a cup of coffee in her hand in the pre-dawn light, already at work.

My lip immediately starts to tremble as I stop in my tracks, staring at her. "Mom, something's wrong," I whisper, shaking my head.

"Oh, sugar," mom says, immediately standing and dropping her cup, coffee splashing all over the table. She reaches for me. "Come here. Come here right now."

run for her and my mom wraps me up in her arms, pulling

my head against her and

get about twelve words in when my mom goes stiff against me, sniffing at my

her, appalled. "Why - why the hell are

smile from her face and simply turning away from me

protest, trying to pull my hand away, but

Laughs!

pissed as hell at her for

Ariel," she says, shaking her head, her pretty rose-gold hair falling back over her shoulders as she tugs me into her room.

after her,

good to me throughout all the news of my three mates and my mate's new daughter, I don't think he's any more prepared than

pulling me over to her bed and then sitting me down on it, urging me to sit back

me, pulling her

ask, my voice hesitant with fear. "Why...why are you being

smile and leaning forward to cup my cheek

as bad –“ I snap, glaring