The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy novel Chapter 233

The room is silent for a long moment and I’m shocked when it’s Jesse’s voice that breaks it.

“Whaaat the fuckkk,” Jesse groans, turning in a tight circle and covering his face with his hands before dragging them down over his features and turning to glare at me, just as Rafe is.

The room explodes again into noise, everyone shouting at once, except for Jackson, who just stares at me, wary.

“Stop, stop!” I shout, putting my hands out again as tears slip from my eyes, my voice shaking. “Everyone shut up!”

To my surprise, all of the Alphas comply, going still and letting me speak.

I turn my head to look at Luca for a long moment, taking in every devastated line of his face, the shock and the heartbreak, all of which pulses down our bond as well, threatening to take me out at the knees. “Jackson is my mate,” I say quietly, solidly, claiming him. Dread fills me now, and I know that it’s only half mine as I turn to Jackson, seeing it on his face too.

Because he senses what’s coming.

“But so is Luca,” I continue, my voice hitching, my heart breaking as I look into Jackson’s eyes. Because I know – I know what it meant to Jackson to find me, to have me.

And I know what it’s going to mean to find out that I’m not his. Or at least, not his alone.

“You’re both my fated mates,” I whisper, wanting to be perfectly clear as I send all the love I can down both of my bonds to each of them, hoping to communicate how much I want them, how each of them is precious to me. “The Goddess…she gave me two mates. She gave me both of you.”

“Jackson is her mate!?” Jesse counters, turning towards him, and the two begin a hurried, angry conversation, comparing notes.

I keep my eyes focused on Luca in front of me, even though half my heart is with Jackson across the room, who I can tell is…well, having a little bit of a breakdown. I hear footsteps behind me moving in his direction, and I know instinctually that it’s Ben, being the good person that he is and going to stand with him.

“Ariel,” Luca says again, softer now, still angry but staring at me with his own grief written clear on his face as he reaches out and takes my face in his hands. “You…you picked him? You claimed him? As your mate?”

“No,” I say, shaking my head and wrapping my hands around his wrists. “Luca, I didn’t do this – the Goddess did – she…god, this is going to sound so weird, but she’s my grandmother –“