The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

My eyes flash down to Jackson, still asleep beneath me, and grief floods me. My poor mate - he's been so good to me, and we've been through so much, and it was finally, finally getting good. And now this! Another bond, another mate!?

A fourth mate!? Who - who the hell needs four!?

Jackson stirs, sensing a change in the room, a little frown coming to his lips. I freeze for a moment, watching as he turns his head and then exhales slowly, peacefully falling back to sleep.

I exhale too, my breath shaky, and then quickly climb off of him. Because I can't – I can't wake him now - he'll flip out, and I'm already flipping out -

Suddenly, completely unable to think of anything else to do, I rush for the door, pulling it open and dashing out into the hall. I pull the bedroom door shut behind me as quietly as I can and then stride for the living room, desperate to get away - to get my thoughts together -

"Baby?"

I moan at the sight of my mom in the living room, sitting with a cup of coffee in her hand in the pre-dawn light, already at work.

My lip immediately starts to tremble as I stop in my tracks, staring at her. "Mom, something's wrong," I whisper, shaking my head.

"Oh, sugar," mom says, immediately standing and dropping her cup, coffee splashing all over the table. She reaches for me. "Come here. Come here right now."

I run for her and my mom wraps me up in her arms, pulling me close. "What's wrong, baby?" she whispers, her voice as terrified as mine.

I tuck my head against her and begin to spill everything out.

But I get about twelve words in when my mom goes stiff against me, sniffing at my hair, and then steps back.

"Mom," I gasp, staring at her, appalled. "Why - why the hell are you smiling!? This is a disaster!"

"You come with me, trouble," mom says, working hard to wipe the smile from her face and simply turning away from me when she fails. She takes my hand, tugging me with her as she pulls me towards her bedroom.

"Mom!" I protest, trying to pull my hand away, but she has an iron grip. She laughs.

Laughs!

I snarl, pissed as hell at her for laughing at me.

"Just come in here, Ariel," she says, shaking her head, her pretty rose-gold hair falling back over her shoulders as she tugs me into her room. "Let's sit down."

I stumble after her, still frantic,

looking into the room and absurdly relieved that my dad isn't here. Because while he's been very good to me throughout all the news of my three mates and my mate's new daughter, I don't think he's any more prepared than I am to hear the news that there's a fourth.

"You come here, baby," mom says, pulling me over to her bed and then sitting me down on it, urging me to sit back amongst the pillows and put my feet up. I just stare at her, confused and wary as she sighs contentedly and then sits down

across from me, pulling her own feet up. noveldrama

"Mom?" I ask, my voice hesitant with fear. "Why...why are you being so...cool about this?"

"Because, baby," mom says, giving me a pretty smile and leaning forward to cup my cheek in her hand. “I don't think it's all quite as horrible as you think.”

"How could a fourth bond not be as bad –“ I snap, glaring at her.

But she laughs again, silencing me, and shakes her head. "Let's just...check it out together, okay, kid?"

I scowl at her, hating her for being all calm and practical in the face of my meltdown, but I nod slowly to her, agreeing to it. Mom is usually right, after all – uncannily so. So if she's telling me to calm down and look at it...

I guess...that's the best thing to do.

Trusting my mother, as I always do in times of crisis, I take her hands and close

my eyes. "Breathe out," mom urges. "I've got you. You're safe."

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I nod, believing her, especially as her magic begins to sweep through me, all lavender and soft and warm. I exhale, long and slow, feeling her magic begin its little healing touches within me, ensuring that everything in my body is okay. Calm comes does.

With them, as it alwaysomes