The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy novel Chapter 933

“Um,” Mark says, running a hand through his hair, his eyes again straying to the exit. “I think I want a walk.”

“You okay, baby?” I ask, turning to him with a frown. Mark – why is he being weird now? Honestly, with all of these developments, I’m not sure I can handle anything new from Mark too.

“I’m fine,” Mark says, turning and giving me a big grin. “Don’t worry about me, Ari. You have enough on your plate.”

“Does she ever,” Rafe says with a sigh, turning to me and handing me a fresh glass of white wine that he just poured. Mark waves to us over his shoulder, calling to us that he loves us, even as he heads for the door.

“He’s the most mysterious of the Sinclairs,” Jesse says, smirking after Mark even as he heads for the couch and waves for Rafe and me to follow. We do, Rafe carrying a glass of wine for him and Jesse too.

“No, he’s not,” Rafe and I both say at once. We all laugh as my brother and my cousin settle down with me, Jesse with me on the couch and Rafe in the arm chair to my left.

I sigh and slump back against the cushions, lifting my glass to my mouth and gulping down a great deal of wine in one go.

“So,” Jesse says on a happy sigh, grinning his wicked smile between the two of us. “You two have had some…developments over the past few days. Haven’t you?”

“You’re the one whose mate is sleeping on the roof in a tent, Jess,” Rafe replies, dry, making us both laugh, Jesse’s head tiling back on his neck as he does. “When it comes to weird developments, you have no room to talk.”

“True,” Jesse says, lifting his head back up and grinning at both of us, I think genuinely happy to have our little trio back together. “But tonight’s really about Ariel anyway. How you doing, kid?” He gives me a prodding little nudge with his foot.

“I don’t know,” I groan, letting myself slump further against the cushions, tucking my legs up beneath me. “That…I mean that all happened so fast. This morning Jackson and I woke up alone and everything was fine, and then two hours ago I’m just on a video call to Daphne, and then boom! All of a sudden my mate has a daughter and mom is tucking her into bed in my room!?”

I sigh, baffled by it all.

“To constant surprises,” Rafe says on a sigh, lifting his glass to both of us. “At least this family never gets dull.”

“We could use a little dull,” I grumble, staring into my wine.

“Would we call this poise?” Jesse murmurs wonderingly, narrowing his eyes and gesturing at me with his drink.

I snarl, glaring at him.

“And continuing on that point!” I say, only baring my teeth at him a little bit. “Why would you assume that I’m not going to do right by Jacks!?”

“Well, are you?” Rafe asks, leaning towards me, stern and curious.

“Because if you’re not,” Jesse says, likewise leaning in. “We’re not going to forgive you for it, Ari.”

I spin my head back and forth between the two of them as I gape at both, shocked to be at the center of this interrogation that just seems – so ridiculous to me!