The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy novel Chapter 982

The King and the Alpha stand in silence, staring at each other.

Jackson breaks first.

“Please, Dominic,” Jackson says, laughing a little desperate laugh, turning a palm over in a plea for mercy. “I – I don’t get it. Please tell me what I’m doing wrong – I’ll fix it, immediately I’ll fix it.”

Dominic bursts into another grin, shaking his head at the poor young man who is so talented in so many ways, and so naïve in others. “You’re mated to a public figure, Jackson. I’d like to see you make things official with Ariel – claim her. Publicly. As your mate.”

Jackson just blinks at the King and then leans forward, confused. “But she is my mate,” he says softly, narrowing his eyes. “Didn’t I – didn’t I do that? She’s got the mark…” he gestures unnecessarily to his own neck.

“She’s your mate, and we all know that,” Dominic says, nodding. But then he raises a hand, pointing it to Ella’s bedstand. “But to the rest of the world you’re the Mystery Hunk. And everyone in the country thinks my daughter is mated to the tragically unfaithful Luca Grant. It will thus be very scandalous when, in six months, she gives birth to two pups who look particularly…hunky.”

Jackson groans, covering his face with his hands, hating to the ends of him that Dominic Sinclair knows about the whole ‘mystery hunk’ thing. Dominic laughs again, slipping an arm around Jackson’s shoulders and leading him across the room, through the door of the closet, and then over to the mini bar that Ella keeps in there.

“So, what do I do?” Jackson asks with a sigh, accepting the very small dram of whiskey that Dominic pours for him.

“I’d like you to consider having a mating ceremony,” Dominic says, pouring a second drink for himself and leaning against the minibar. He takes a sip of his drink as he studies his daughter’s mate. “So that the world can see and acknowledge you as Ariel’s choice. A member of the royal family. The father of her children. Public, official.”

Jackson nods slowly, looking down into his drink. Anxiety rolls in him as he does. And it’s not – at all – that he would mind having a ceremony with Ariel in front of friends and family. That might actually be nice. It’s just…the whole ‘before the whole nation’ thing. He’s always been very careful, very private.

But now…

Dominic laughs, wrapping a hand around Jackson’s elbow to hold him back, well aware that the kid would march Ariel down to the Temple right now if it’s what was right. “Don’t worry about the ceremony just now, Jacks. Ella will handle all of that, after all. She’d kill you if you didn’t let her throw Ariel some big elaborate ceremony.”

Jackson pauses and then nods, understanding that. He turns back to Dominic and raises his eyebrows, a question still there about what the hell to do next.

“Well, you should probably ask Ariel,” Dominic says with a smile. “It’s usually tradition. Though…I think I personally skipped that step when it came to Ella, so if you want to surprise her, there’s some precedent for that.”

“No,” Jackson says, instantly. “I don’t like surprises. I’ll ask her. But…if there’s time? Maybe I can do it in my own way? Not like…right now, in the living room?”

Dominic nods, letting him know that that would be all right – perfectly fine. “Don’t wait too long. Ella can’t keep ceremony planning a secret for any extended time. It will kill her.”