The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy
Chapter 0415

"Yes, come out!" I call, the fire blazing cheerfully behind me.

Mom dashes into the room, coming over and giving us all Midwinter hugs and kisses as my dad, wearing pajamas for the one day a year when he actually lets anyone see him pajamas, comes out behind her. "I held her back as long as I could," he murmurs, sleepy. "You're worse than the kids, Ella." "We just have lazy children and nieces and nephews," mom says. "But, I have a feeling that they'll start coming in now that they hear that we're up."

Mom's words are almost prophetic and the quickly room begins to fill both with people and noise. Everyone's in a good mood, of course, ready with kisses and hugs and Midwinter greetings. Mom bustles around, putting on soft holiday music, sending Rafe and Jesse down to the kitchens to collect the plates of prepared foods that the chefs have left for us, setting out stacks and stacks of presents.

Dad and Roger - when he comes back with a fresh and clean Seraphina - settle on the couch, glasses of whiskey already in their hands, shouting greetings to grandpa Henry when he rolls in and settles close to his boys, a blanket spread warm and cozy over his knees. I stay by Jacks, the only place I really want to be, curled up in our blankets by the fire. Jackson wraps an arm around me and sits quietly, observing it all with fascination as the holiday gets started in full swing. Everyone eats - toast and jam, pastries, donuts, coffee - while mom starts to pass out gifts, setting a slow, leisurely place.

I keep half an eye on Jacks as I start on my second donut, a cup of coffee carefully tucked into the blankets next to me. He watches curiously as the presents go around and I grin at the way his eyes go wider and wider when he sees the seemingly never-ending stack of gifts that mom produces from her room. But his mouth pops open with an audible click when she comes over to us with two in her hands-one for me and, to his shock, one for him.

"What?" he whispers, looking up at her, kind of appalled.

"Happy Midwinter, Jackson," mom says, quite softly, pressing the gift into his hand and then dipping down to kiss him on the forehead before walking gracefully away.

Jackson just stares down at the gift, awed. I have to bite my lip, a little undone by the shock and emotion on his face. He looks up at me, just blinking.

"This is for me?" he whispers.

"Mmhmm," I reply, holding back all the things I want to say and just...letting him have this moment.

Jackson slowly turns back to the gift, holding it reverently in his hands.

I let him take him take his time with his and open my present, cooing with delight when I see the set of three little silver bracelets that my mom picked out for me - each engraved with the initials of one of my siblings. I love it, instantly, and call my joy and appreciation over to her. Mom just winks and blows me a kiss.

But I frown when I look over at Jackson and see that his present is still just sitting in his hands, fully intact.

"Unwrap it," I urge, nudging him with my elbow and smiling.

"I don't want to," he murmurs. "It's...so good, just like this."

"Well, it's one of like, forty Jacks," I say with a little laugh. "And she's going to get mad if you don't open any of them."

He whips his head towards me, his eyes wide again. "Forty!?"

"Forty-one," I say, closing one eye and holding up a finger. "If you count mine."

"Forty-two," Rafe says, coming over and tossing something into Jackson's lap that makes him jump. "Happy midwinter, puppy."

Jackson groans, even as he laughs, putting his head in his hands. "I didn't know about this!" he protests. "I didn't get anyone anything!"

I laugh, reaching out a hand to rub his back. "No one expected you to, Jackson! It's more fun this way. You're like...a little baby. First Midwinter. It's fun for us."

He raises his head, meeting my eyes with surprise, and then looks around the room where everyone is, indeed, watching him with a bit of glee. He groans again and buries his head again in his hands, I think completely overwhelmed.

I laugh and throw my arms around his shoulders, hugging him tight. "It's Midwinter, Jacks! It's family. We love you, let us show it."

But he just keeps his head tucked down for a second, his shoulders shaking a bit, and I let him have his time.