The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy
Chapter 0396

"More than I have ever been," he says, heaving an exhausted sigh and then draining his glass. Rafe laughs and pats him on the shoulder.

"Come on, then," he says, nodding back towards the family bedrooms. "Bunk with me tonight, like you did the first night. No sense in wandering the palace trying to remember which room is yours when you're already dead on your feet." "Youuu got it," Ben murmurs, smirking at Rafe and wandering away with him.

I smile after them, shaking my head a little, because...well, in many situations, I imagine that Rafe inviting Ben to his room for the evening would be kind of a dream come true. But are things different now that Ben has discovered that he has a mate? And a really cute one? Or does he still have a crush?

"What's going on there?" Jackson asks, making me jump a little out of my reverie.

I turn my head to stare at him, my mouth making a little "o" of surprise.

He just smirks at me. "I know something's up. I felt your shock and surprise and delight coming down the bond. Are you going to tell me?"

Grimacing a little, I step to Jackson's side and wrap my arms around his waist, careful not to spill my glass of whiskey. "I promised Ben that I wouldn't," I say in a whisper. "Do you mind?"

"No, I don't mind," he murmurs, lifting a hand and drifting his thumb softly over my cheekbone. "Keep your promises to your friends, Ari. Though..." he hesitates here, and I grin. He just sighs, shaking his head down at me. "I never liked gossip before I got all wrapped up in your family, Ariel. But now I'm like...dying to know. What have you done to me?"

"You're one of us!" I squeak, delighted at the revelation, smiling so hard my eyes crinkle up into little half moons. "We've converted you! Aw, Jacks, that makes me so happy - I'm going to tell you everything -"

He laughs, pulling me tighter and taking a tiny sip of his drink. "Please, start me off easy, Clark. I'm a gossip novice, after all."

"Okay," I say with a sigh. And then I surprise myself by breaking into a big yawn.

He grins down at me. "Tired, little mate?"

"Yeah," I sigh, leaning my full weight against him, happy and content even after such a harrowing day.

"Ready for bed?" he murmurs, his eyebrows going up.

I grimace a little, not wanting to leave him but...well, knowing I need sleep. "Yeah, I think so," I whisper, nodding.

"Good!" he says, and then Jackson shocks me by moving fast, ducking his shoulder down, tucking it beneath my waist, and then wrapping an arm around the back of my thighs as he stands up straight.

I gasp as I'm quickly lifted high in the air on his shoulder, shocked and confused and -

But then I burst into laugher, even as half of my whiskey sloshes out of its glass. "Jacks!" I half shriek, working hard to keep my voice quiet even as I vent my shock. He ignores me, striding for the door to the hall.

"Jackson!" I burst out again, laughing, pounding my free hand on his back as I use my stomach muscles to hold me up so that I'm not just dangling over his shoulder with my head down, like I was at the examination. "Put me down! What are you doing!?"

When Jackson doesn't respond to my smacking him, I use that hand pressed tight to his spine to prop myself up, looking backwards over his back even as he carries me away.

"I'm taking you to bed, Princess," Jackson murmurs, pulling open the hallway door and stepping swiftly out.

"What!?"

"I have no intention, Ariel," Jackson says, his voice joyful even as I can tell that his words are dead serious, "of ever going to bed without you ever again, if I can help it. Starting...now. Or, well. Last night."

I'm completely shocked by this declaration even as I can't keep the smile off of my face. "You know, I can walk to your bedroom," I murmur, twisting to grin at him.

"I'm faster than you," he mutters. "And feeling impatient tonight."

And I just laugh again, shaking my head, letting my mate carry me away, pleased to bits at this surprising turn to the evening.