The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy novel Chapter 896

I look over at Mark to find him likewise studying Rafe in the same way I am, confused. Jesse clears his throat and I look over to see him nodding eagerly to me, darting his eyes over at Rafe, letting me know that he, too, clearly sees that something is up.

“Well!” Mom says, smacking her leg and getting hastily up, dislodging Cora, who gives a tiny yelp as she spills to the side. “I need a refill. Who else!?”

Rafe immediately stands, as do others, and Jesse takes the opportunity to scootch over to me.

“Hey,” Jesse whispers, looking up at me from the floor with a grin, “want to go visit Midnight and talk about how weird Rafe is being?”

“Yes!” I gasp, jumping to my feet. I turn to Jackson with a grin. “You in!?”

“No, I want to have a word with Hank,” Jackson says, standing and pressing a kiss to my hair. “You go…if…” he frowns, turning to Jesse as he stands up. “You’ll keep her safe, right?”

Jesse pauses, going a bit still, and then breaks out into a laugh. “Jacks, she has full goddess-controlled fire magic now. She’ll be keeping me safe.”

“Yeah,” I say, grinning up on my mate and flicking blue flame to life in my palm, letting it play over my fingers. “No worries, baby. I’ll be all right.”

Jackson grumbles, truly not liking to leave my side, but he bends low to press a quick kiss to my lips. He also very subtly, surreptitiously swats my ass before striding away, making me yelp and then laugh. Jesse grabs my hand, grinning at me, and tugs me quickly from the room.

“Nooo,” I cry, glancing back towards the party, “we forgot wine! I need more wine! They didn’t give me any wine in Atalaxia, and Jackson didn’t think to pack any for his weird solo trip –“

“There’s wine on the roof!” Jesse protests, laughing and hauling me along. As we run suddenly a group of little puppies come spilling out of the party room, chasing us and yelping their eagerness to come along.

“We’re going to the roof!?”

“Yeah, well,” he sighs, patting my back. “Don’t give me too much credit.”

I hug him for a moment more while the pups set up a racket, barking at the flap that functions as a door to the front of the yurt. And even as I smile and laugh at the sight of them, my heart suddenly seizes as I remember that…

That I have a friend. Who I have spent far too little time thinking about in the past few days. A friend to whom Jesse was likewise just as secretly sweet, if, perhaps, in not so performative a way.

I push away from Jesse with a little gasp, looking at him, a little afraid to ask.

My cousin sees my face and immediately senses the direction of my thoughts. “Don’t, Ari,” he begs, his expression falling slack. “Not – not here, okay?” He nods his head towards Midnight’s yurt.

I immediately understand his complicated situation and force myself to tuck the question away, my emotions with it.