The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy
Chapter 0473

"Oh, I don't need espionage training to notice when my prized possessions are missing," I say, yawning and letting myself flop down on the couch pillows. "I grew up with Jesse. He stole everything. All of my toys." "Lies!" Jesse calls from across the room. "...I only took the little ponies. The ones with the fancy hair."

Luca laughs too and leans down to press another kiss to my mouth - a nice, lingering one- and then he and Benny are gone, off to bed.

I haul myself up off the couch with a groan and flop over to the bathroom, getting myself ready for bed and giving my teeth a good scrub. I stare at the shower for a long moment, contemplating it, wondering if I have the energy or can just be smelly for a night when a familiar scent wafts in the door.

I laugh in delight, quickly rinsing my mouth, and then I'm dashing out the bathroom door and jumping immediately into Jackson's arms.

"How did you know!?" I ask, laughing, holding him close and then pulling away to peer into his beautiful face. "How are you here three minutes after Luca left!?"

"Because someone's little wolf was howling for mine all night," Jackson growls happily, lifting his face to nudge my nose with his. "And when she finally stopped, I knew it was time to come up." I start to laugh, but Jackson silences me by planting a firm kiss on my mouth. A little moan slips from me as I kiss Jackson back, a little more deeply than I usually would in front of my brother and my cousin, not really able to help it.

"Enough of that," Rafe growls, smacking me on the arm as he passes me for his turn in the bathroom.

I grin and pull my face away from Jackson but otherwise ignore Rafe. "I'm glad you came up so fast," I whisper. "I missed you."

"Did you think I was going to waste a second of my allotted time?" Jackson murmurs, carrying me over to the nook and falling backward onto my poor little bed, which groans mournfully under our combined weight.

I laugh and shake my head at him, laying over his chest and beaming down into his face. "I heard you got the command specialization," I whisper, thrilled. "I'm so proud of you, Jacks."

"Thank you," he murmurs, and I can tell by the swell of pride that comes down our bond that he's happy about it too. He traces the length of my spine and then his fingers make quick work of my uniform where it's tucked into my pants, pulling it free and then slipping his hand beneath so his palm lays flat on my skin.

I groan a little at how good it feels to have Jackson's skin again against mine, dipping my head so that my forehead rests against his chest.

God, how can I have gone all day without this? Jackson near me - it feels so essential, like...breath, or water. He pulls my cap from my head before he wraps his arms around me, pressing a kiss to my hair. "I know," he murmurs. "I missed you too."

"I have so much to tell you," I sigh sleepily, already feeling myself drift off.

"Go to sleep," he says quietly, calmly. "I'll meet you there."

I look up at him, fighting the way that my eyelids want to drift shut. "You just got here. You aren't even ready for bed."

"Neither are you," he reminds me, laughing a little as he tugs on my uniform top for emphasis - a fabric which is certainly not pajama material.

I laugh but then sigh and roll myself away from Jackson's body, giving him a little shove towards the room. "Oh, go be polite and say hello to Jesse - he'll cry if you don't. And brush your teeth and get ready for sleep," I cuddle up in my blankets, telling myself I just need a minute to rest and then I'll put my pajamas on. "I'll stay awake until you get back."

"Okay," Jackson says, pressing a kiss to my cheek and doing as I bid, slipping off the bed and going into the room to do...whatever the hell he does.

Unfortunately, by the time he gets back, he has figured out that I've told a lie.

Because by the time Jackson slips back into bed with me, dressed for sleep in his in his pajama pants, and wraps me up in his arms? I'm fast, fast asleep.