The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

"Ariel," my mom calls after me. "Please, come and talk to us -"

"It's time for the meeting anyway, Ella," dad murmurs. "She needs space to think and we don't have any more time to talk."

As I head into the darkness of the hall Jackson's voice appears in my mind, soft and apologetic.

Do you want me to come and talk to you? Please - I'm having trouble understanding what's best right now.

I sigh, holding Goldie closer, and send Jackson a little pulse of love down our bond. Because I'm angry and frustrated and feel betrayed, but he's still my mate, and he's just expressing his opinion on what he thinks will be best for our tiny family. His first instinct, after all, is to protect us.

No, I respond back to Jackson, mind-to-mind, doing my best to sound cheerful and not be curt. You go...have your meeting. It's important. I'll just...take care of Marigold.

I can almost feel Jackson sigh as I open the door to the room and step inside, because he's well aware that we've just fallen into some gendered roles that we've never, ever subscribed to before. And he knows I'm not happy about it.

But I grin at Goldie and wrinkle my nose at her, not wanting her to see or feel any of it. Because the opportunity for an afternoon alone with my daughter - that's never a bad thing, is it?

"Should we order up a big breakfast, Golds?" I whisper, conspiratorial. "All the good stuff, nothing healthy?"

me and nods eagerly. I laugh, hoisting my daughter higher on my hip and heading over to the intercom to

big breakfast with chocolate-chip pancakes and a side of gummy worms. Then we have more bath time, which she loves, and for the first time I get to pick out

leisurely day in the park with a picnic lunch. Mark comes too, which means our body guards can stand further back, and my baby brother keeps me laughing all day with his high spirits and silly sense of humor. He shows Marigold all of the miniature houses he made and hung for the squirrels, all connected with an

is beyond my control now. That in falling pregnant I've lost authority over my life, just when I'd

back to the palace in the evening the family apartments are quiet, suggesting that the business with

but also glances at the

say, laughing a little and giving him a shove on the shoulder with my free hand, the other

shrugging sympathetically. "I love you, Ari. I

alone if

say, smiling at my

stepping close and pressing a

tell Mark that love him

him another. shove

whatever it

settling her down in her

to my room finally opens again, the sun has long