The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy novel Chapter 527

“What’s going on, Daph?” I ask, frowning, genuinely concerned for her. After all, I want my friend to be happy, especially when we discuss her relationship with Rafe.

“To begin,” Daphne says, straightening her shoulders and looking right at me. “Can we pretend, for a little bit, that we’re not talking about your brother? That could get…weird.”

“No problem,” I say, nodding eagerly, understanding as I hold my mug of wine tight in my lap.

“Um,” she says, running a hand through her long auburn curls in what I think is an anxious habit. “Things just have been…progressing, lately. In a way that I’m not sure I’m comfortable with.”

“What like, emotionally?” Ben asks, totally casual, taking another sip of his wine. “Or like…physically?”

“Mostly emotionally,” Daphne answers on a sigh, “but…yeah. Also physically.”

I go a little stiff, not sure if I’m ready to hear the details of this. Daphne glances at me and then laughs, shaking her head, raising her glass to her lips and taking another long sip. I take her point, doing the same, as Ben chuckles at us.

“Look,” Daphne says on a long sigh, smiling at Ben and me. “It’s not like he’s pressuring me to do anything I want to do – we just haven’t had sex, and things are progressing towards it. And I can tell that he’s getting deeper and deeper into his feelings and I’m just…not sure I want to go there.” She gives a little shrug, looking down at the floor, I’m not sure knowing precisely how she feels.

“He really likes you, Daphne,” Ben says gently. “So…if you’re afraid he’s just using you or something, I don’t think that’s the case.”

“No, I believe that,” she says. “Even if…well, if I can’t quite believe that Rafe Sinclair likes me.”