The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

"You're all knocked up!" Jesse whispers, his tone incredibly sweet, like it's the most adorable thing he's ever thought of in his life. "Oh my god, Ariel!"

"No way," Rafe whispers, striding over to me, staring at me unblinking. Then he bursts out laughing, raising his hands to his hair, digging his fingers into the thick dark strands. "This is - this is insane! No way!"

"Way," I say, laughing too, giving a little shrug. "Um, we just found out -"

"Found out!?" Jesse spits out, staring between Ella and I.

"I thought it was two more mates," I say, laughing at myself now, falling back into the pillows of the bed. "I'm such an idiot, I didn't even think the bonds were kids -"

Jesse howls with laughter, collapsing onto the bed with me and wrapping me up in a hug as he presses kisses to my cheeks and hair, hugging me tight.

But Rafe stands right where he was. "Two?" he whispers, staring at me. "Bond... bonds? With an -s on the end?"

Jesse gasps, putting it together, letting me sit up as I shrug and smile between them. "Yeah," I say, a little helpless to do anything but smile. "Yeah, twins, I guess."

"Oh my GOD!" Rafe shouts, finally coming back to himself and leaping on the bed, fairly tackling me with his hug.

"Gentle, gentle!" Mom cries, smacking at him.

But my big Alpha brother is, as usual, very careful with me, wrapping me up tight in a hug but in control enough that I'm not hurt at all. "This is so insane, Ariel," he murmurs, hugging me close. "Congratulations, trouble - I'm so excited -"

"Who's the dad?" Jesse asks, dry.

I gasp, shoving Rafe away - and when I see Jesse's shitty little grin I snarl and kick at him, making him roar with laughter as he swats my feet away, not letting a single blow land.

"You jackass!" I shout, even as I laugh, kicking him harder.

"No fighting on my bed!" mom shouts, laughing too, swatting at me.

"No calling my sister's virtue into question!" Rafe roars, joining in on my mission to destroy Jesse and giving him a hearty shove. We're all laughing, a bit swept away in the moment, when a a creaking noise from the door makes us all basically freeze in place.

I turn my head, eyes wide, to Jackson standing in the doorway, Marigold held high

on his arm in her little footie pajamas, both of them peering at the four of us in wonder and curiosity.

Jesse moves first. "Ooookay," he says, shoving himself up from the bed and dashing over to Jacks. "Give me the baby," he commands, reaching for Marigold.

"What?" Jackson says, frowning at Jesse and stepping away. "Why?"

"Because you're going to collapse in about four seconds, my guy," Jesse says, stepping closer and taking Marigold under the arms, gently lifting her away from her dad and settling her cheerfully on his hip. noveldrama

Marigold gives a worried little squeak, looking between Jesse and Jackson, sensing the tension in the room.

"Nah, you're fine, Goldie Girl," Jesse says with a grin, pressing a kiss to her hair. "No worries for you."

She grins at him even as Jackson still continues to stare at Jesse. "Worries...for me?" Jackson asks, going tense.

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Jesse sighs, and tilts his head towards me and Rafe and mom, who are all still frozen on the bed. "You need to take a deep breath, Jacks Jesse says, nodding slowly to him and tapping his nose And then go to your girl."

Jackson frowns at Jesse for a second and then does as he's told, taking a deep

breath in through his nose.

Suddenly he freezes to, spinning to me, shocked.

"Oh...oh my god," Jackson whispers, his mouth falling open.

"Jacks," I whisper, worried for him, starting to push myself off the bed.

But before I can get there Jackson stumbles back against the door and then slips down to the ground, not taking his eyes from me for a second as I dash across the room to him.

"See, Golds," Jesse murmurs to her. "I told you he was going down."