The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy novel Chapter 744

The room is quiet when I get back in the morning, dressed again in Cadet black with Rafe’s cap on my head. I look around and frown as Jesse and Rafe escort me in, doggedly close to my heels and my side.

Very sweet in thought. Very annoying in practicality.

“Where’s Jacks?” I ask, turning towards them when I realize that he’s not here, as I assumed he would be.

“He went to class, Ari,” Rafe says, quietly shutting the door and watching me carefully.

“Well, why aren’t you in class?” I ask, putting my hands on my waist and glaring at my brother and my cousin.

“Because we’re not letting you out of our sight ever again, you idiot,” Jesse says, cheerful, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and leading me over to the couch where very gently forces me to sit down and then spreads a blanket over my lap. I scowl at him and his over-protective Alpha bullshit.

But then my fears catch up with me as Rafe crosses to his chair and sighs, plopping down into it.

“But…” I bite my lip, looking between them as Jesse sits too. “Jackson…is letting me out of his sight?”

“It’s not like that, Ariel,” Rafe says, sighing and resting his head against his fingertips. “We didn’t know what you wanted – if you wanted to see him immediately. We still don’t know how you’re feeling or where your heart is. What you’re ready for.”

“Oh, but you rashly assumed I was ready for you?” I say, glaring a little.

“She’s healed!” Jesse says, grinning and casting a hand out in my direction. “Look at that! Saucy and cruel, just how we like her!”

“We did what we thought was right, Ariel,” Rafe says, ignoring Jesse and concentrating on frowning at me. “He’ll come later. If you want him to. He’s…been having a really hard time. Let’s all just take it easy, okay? One step at a time.”

“Okay,” I sigh, looking down at my hands pressed tight against my blanket.

“Are you hungry?” Rafe asks.

“No.”

“Are you going to fight us when we try to force food down your throat?” Jesse asks this time.

I sigh and look up at them. “Is it going to be healthy?”

“No,” Rafe murmurs, a small smile coming to his lips

“Then no.”

Jesse grins as he gets up to walk to the dumbwaiter and order something up. I take the moment to look Rafe seriously in the eye, knowing he won’t lie.

“Does Jackson hate me?” The question is barely a whisper.

“Ariel,” Rafe says, leaning forward and holding my gaze. “I promise you – he loves you very, very much. Just…let him take his time with it too, okay? It’s hard.”