The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

I can't help it. I just get incredibly jealous.

"Tell me," Jackson urges, feeling the shift in my emotions, tightening his arms

around me.

"I just want to do that," I say, laughing a little, shaking my head, feeling petulant. "It sounds so cool, and important, and... vivid. I want to do that work, Jacks. I want to help."

He nods, humming his understanding, letting me have the space to speak.

"I just...Jacks, I don't know if I'm going to be a very normal kind of mom," I say quietly, worried about it. "I don't think I can do it."

"What's a normal mom?" Jackson asks, genuinely curious.

"Like my mom," I say quietly. "Dedicated to raising the kids and keeping the family together. Letting the man in the house take charge."

"She does more than that."

"I know," I say on a sigh. "But...mom and dad fall into some really normal gender roles. It works for them. Family has always come first for mom - she loves it."

don't think you'll

say quietly, looking out the window at our vast and beautiful country. "But I love other things too. I think I'm more like my dad. I think I want and need to have more balance. Are

know that he means it. “If it helps, I don't think I'm

to him, smiling up into his face. "You're going to do great, Jacks." "So

a kiss to

that you and I are going to do everything we can to love and raise these girls," Jackson murmurs "And...I don't have any knowledge to back this up with, but I think

a

he has no idea what he's talking about. Or what that punishment would even

actually have the heart

out laughing

much I'm loved. Which is a great deal. Marigold looks over at us at the noise

at it," Jackson whispers, kissing

a sigh, resting against

running through him alongside his very real worry that we have no idea what we're doing. But the confidence wins. We're going to figure it out and

is," Jackson says. "What do we do

do you want to do?" I whisper, turning my head to