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."

arms, pulling me close. "What's wrong, baby?" she whispers, her voice as terrified

my head against her and begin

get about twelve words in when my mom goes

staring at her, appalled. "Why - why the

face and simply turning away from me when she

away, but she has an iron

Laughs!

pissed as hell at her for

her head, her pretty rose-gold hair falling back over her shoulders as

stumble after her, still

and absurdly relieved that my dad isn't here. Because while he's been very 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 I am to hear

me down on it, urging me to sit back

from me, pulling her

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

giving me a pretty smile and leaning forward to cup my cheek in her hand. “I don't think it's all quite as

could a fourth bond not be as bad –“ I snap, glaring