The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

"No way," Jackson breathes, shaking his head, his eyes moving down to Rafe's chest, where his wolf lives. "There's...there's no way -"

"Jacks," Rafe groans, leaning into his friend's hand a little bit. "Please, don't tell anyone, I'm so confused – I have no idea what's going on –“

"No way," Jackson whispers again, fascinated. "I mean, Rafe, are you sure? It - it's not possible -"

"Are you sure?" Rafe growls, snapping his eyes up to meet Jackson's. "If I tried to tell you that Ariel wasn't yours, what would you say?"

Jackson rankles at even the hypothetical. But still, he pushes. "She doesn't even have a wolf, Rafe. How can there...how can there be a bond?"

"I don't know," Rafe growls, closing his eyes and shaking his head. "But...my wolf is sure. And he's been flipping out — it's so fucking annoying - he's so excited every time she opens her mouth to say anything and he keeps urging me to do all this stupid stuff -"

"Yup," Jackson says, laughing a little and squeezing Rafe's shoulder. "That's... that's a mate, all right."

"You went through this?" Rafe asks, his eyes opening with a bit of hope.

"Oh my god," Jackson says, nodding eagerly. "The insane shit my wolf told me to do when we figured out it was Ariel, not Ari. He wanted me to rip off -" but Jackson cuts his words off abruptly, standing straighter, clearing his throat, remembering that this is Ariel's brother he's talking to. "It was intense, yes."

Rafe opens his mouth to ask another question but he's interrupted by a hysterical, disbelieving laugh from across the room. Both Rafe and Jackson spin their heads towards the closet, where there's suddenly a figure standing there, silhouetted against the light.

"You've got to be kidding here," Mark breathes, fascinated and delighted. "Are you — are you serious, Rafe!? Maryam is your mate!?"

"Mark!" Rafe barks out, his head clearing slightly in his panic. "Get your ass over here!"

"No way!" Mark laughs, taking it all as a joke – as he always does. Rafe snarls as Mark begins to stride for the door to the living room, his face lit with a wicked glee. Inwardly Rafe's wolf howls in desperation - because Mark - he's so fucking immature, and he's the worst secret keeper in the family, one little nudge from Ariel and Mark will tell her everything -

"I'm serious, Mark!" Rafe snaps, striding for his little brother, grabbing for his arm. "You have to keep this to yourself! This is serious -"

"I have to go find Ariel!" Mark snaps back, laughing and pulling his arm out of

Rafe's reach. "She's going to die - this is going to be so great -"

Rafe snarls, true violence in his tone now as his heart begins to pound. He

snatches again for his brother, whiskey sloshing out of his glass and all over the floor.

"Mark!"

"If you think I'm keeping this to

ou're insane! It's way too

g good, even the idea theet

-"

The door to the living room creeks open -

"Boys?" Ella calls, soft, curious.

you

“Could be mated!” Mark continues,

loud, laughing, not noticing his mother standing in the open door. "To fucking Maryam! That she would be our future Queen!"

Rafe and Ella go still.

Jackson groans, ducking his head into his hand.

Beyond Ella, every single person gathered for the party in the room beyond goes still too.

Except for Ariel and Jesse, who burst through the door that opens to the rest of the palace, gasping for air.noveldrama

"Rafe!" Jesse calls, desperate, but

then he and the Princess go still when they realize that everyone else at the party has frozen in shock.

"Oh, shit,” Mark whispers, going pale as his mother looks at him with wide eyes,

disappointment all over her face.

Silence rings out in the room for three long, desperate heartbeats.

And then a single hissed word breaks through the air.

"What?"

Slowly, everyone turns to where Maryam stands, livid at father's side, her hands clenched into fists.

"What did you just say?"

Her voice is a growl, low and vicious enough to match any Alpha.