The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy novel Chapter 940

“Whoa,” Jesse says, starting back from the door a bit as he peers into the room. “Should I…go?”

“Jesse,” Marigold whispers, peering over Jackson’s arm, her eyes locking on my cousin. Jesse beams at the little girl, I think quite pleased that she remembers his name.

“Who…” Jackson says on a sigh, loosening his hold as he realizes that it’s not some great threat, just another branch of the Sinclair family. “Did you bring…?”

“Not the whole pack,” Jesse says, glancing over his shoulder. “Just mom and dad and Seraphina.”

Jackson sighs, looking down at the top of Marigold’s head, clearly at war with himself.

“What are your hesitations, Jacks?” mom asks, stepping closer to us, tucking her hands behind her back. “Please, you’re in charge here, but…I think people are just excited to meet her.”

“She’s not used to a lot, Ella,” Jackson murmurs, settling Marigold into his lap. “The flashes that I’m getting from her of her life – it was very basic. She didn’t even have running water. And she didn’t really know any other kids. I remember what it was like coming here to the capital for the first time, and how stressful it was, and confusing and overwhelming. I just…don’t want her to be freaked out. Slow and steady is…better”

Jackson strokes his hand over Marigold’s hair. I smile as I watch him, shocked to see him so…fond of her, so paternal, so protective in less than twenty-four hours.

Wow. This wolf dad stuff must really run deep.

Or maybe just in guys like Jacks.

“We can go if you want, Jacks,” Jesse says, stepping just barely over the threshold and glancing back over his shoulder. “I totally get it. But Seraphina did bring Marigold a present, and if she doesn’t get to give it, she’ll…probably flip out. So would you mind, if maybe she came in for just a second?”

Jackson narrows his eyes. Marigold watches everyone very carefully, her eyes snapping from face to face, taking everything in.

“What kind of present?” Jackson asks.

Jesse smiles softly, incredibly fond of our family’s baby, and pushes the door open a little bit to show Seraphina standing there with a little bouquet of flowers that she clearly picked herself. Weeds, mostly – early dandelions, and chickweed, and clover – all tied together with a wide purple ribbon.

“Just something small,” Jesse says, looking down at his smallest sister with a great deal of love.

“I don’t know. Flowers. You can have them. I found them in the back yard and I picked them for you.”

“Thank you,” Marigold whispers, taking the flowers and holding them awkwardly in her hand. I smile softly, looking a bit breathlessly between the girls, wondering what the hell is going to happen next.

The two just stare at each other for a long moment before Seraphina cocks her head to the side. “Wanna play?”

Jackson tenses. “I’m not sure I –“

But Seraphina bursts out into a giggle and shifts in a flash into her puppy form, stretching her front paws out in front of her in a clear invitation to play before darting off behind the couch. Marigold gasps and drops her flowers, a huge smile breaking across her face before she shifts too, scrambling out of Jackson’s lap in her puppy form to chase Sera.

“Wait!” Jackson calls, fear clear in his voice. “I –“

“Jacks,” I murmur, putting a hand on his knee. “Seraphina is a good kid – she knows how to play.” I bite my lip, not wanting to push too far. He’s her dad, after all. “You can’t control everything and…maybe it will do her some good, to have some fun. Get sleepy so she goes down for a nap.”