The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy novel Chapter 550

Jackson and I look up at Tony at the same instant, realizing that we’ve made a mistake. Cora and Jesse grin, picking up on things instantly as they sit down next to each other on the armchairs.

“I thought Ariel Sinclair was mated to Luca Grant,” Tony says, grinning at me and nodding to the door where he just left.

“Um,” I say, my voice high and prim.

“Was that just tabloid gossip?” Tony presses, leaning forward a bit and I think enjoying himself. “Or was that kiss at the boxing match subterfuge, meant to distract the public? Or is this…” he says, tarting a finger between us, “somehow illicit?”

Jackson just growls a little, his eyes on Tony as his arm tightens around me, I think a mostly unintentional reaction to the suggestion that our connection is illegitimate.

“Oh, she’s mated to Jackson too,” my mom breaks in as Rafe sits up and the two of them gather around the table as well. Rafe spins to mom with his mouth open, appalled that she’d drop the secret like that, but mom just flaps a hand like she can dismiss the tension like smoke in the air. “Honestly, that drama is the least of our concerns today.”

Tony raises his eyebrows at me and I just shrug as Jackson takes a rather vicious bite of his sandwich, daring Tony to doubt for a second that he’s my mate. Tony’s face breaks into a grin and I work hard to fight my own.

“Cool,” Tony says, shrugging and apparently taking the news in stride, nodding to Jackson to let him know that they’re good. Jackson’s arm loosens around me, just slightly. “So…not that I mind his absence, because I think he’s full of crap, but…if this is magic class, where is Alvez?”

“Jackson punched his lights out,” Jesse says happily, leaning back in his chair with a clever grin, watching Tony’s face go pale at his words.

“Are you serious?” Tony breathes, turning to stare at Jackson.

“Only a little,” Jackson says with a shrug before taking another huge final bite of his sandwich and then reaching for another. “Then Jesse grabbed him with his shadow magic and shook the soul of the God of Darkness loose. I think that’s what really took him down.”