The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Jackson just stares at me. "Ariel, what are you talking about? What would have changed?"

I shrug, my hand awkwardly coming up, my fingers brushing the bandage over Luca's mark. "I would...I mean, I understand. If things are different for you now that I'm...marked. I know I'm not the same as I was before. I would...understand if you felt differently about me."

"Ariel." My name is almost scolding as it falls from Jackson's mouth, as his fingers snap up and capture my chin, raising my eyes to meet his. "Don't ever doubt it. Nothing - nothing about how I feel about you has changed, okay? If you feel differently, I'll understand that, but -"

"I don't," I croak out, shaking my head vehemently, tears again streaming from my eyes. "Jacks, I don't -" "Well I don't either - I'm - I'm fucking in love with you, Ariel - I'll take you in whatever form - I don't care a stupid mark -"

"But you did care," I whisper, shaking my head, taking his cheeks between my hands - not wanting him to lie just to make me feel better. "You saw it - saw me and you threw up -"

He groans, shaking his head. "Please, Ariel," he murmurs. "Forgive me - you have to forgive me for that. I was shocked, and confused, and your scent was weird, and the sight of it turned my whole world upside down but it's different now, I promise -"

But he doesn't get any more words out because I throw my entire weight against him, sobbing my heart out with relief.noveldrama

And Jackson catches me - as he always does.

He wraps me up close, and falls back to the floor, and takes me with him so that I'm sprawled out over his chest. Where I belong.

"I'm not saying that the events of the

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past week are wiped away, Ariel," he whispers, boosting me up so that our faces are even, inches apart. "The past happened - and it changes us. But if you're asking if it makes me love you any less? He solemnly shakes his head. "I love you. All versions of you. Forever."

I sniff hard and tuck my head down to rest on Jackson's shoulder, letting my eyes slip shut. He holds me for a long time laying on the floor like that, letting me cry myself out, his wolf carefully inspecting every inch of mine, licking her little face, nudging her paw so he can better see where she twisted her ankle, giving a mournful little howl in

commiseration with her pain.

At some point, Jacks stands with me in his arms, and carries me over to the Nook where we collapse into the bed together. "At some point," he murmurs, his lips against my hair. "I'm going to need you to eat. And then, when you're ready, we'll talk."

I sigh against him, content if not yet perfectly happy after all I've been through - all I've lost. "Okay," I whisper, nodding my agreement. "Food first. And then we talk."

Jackson leaves me for a few moments to ensure that the door is properly locked and then to bring over some of the food that Jesse ordered up hours ago from the kitchen. I perk up when I see the selection of cakes and pies that Jacks carries over on a tray. He laughs to see my eager expression, hear my stomach growl.

"Here," he murmurs, handing me a fork. And then to my surprise he moves around the bed to take the little DVD player out from its spot in the bottom drawer, picking out a

movie at random and turning ne

it on.

As I begin to see his line of thought a little smile takes my face as I eagerly stab at a piece of sponge cake, because as weird as it might seem, Jacks is entirely correct.

We need...a minute.

There are huge conversations to be had - very big ones. But no matter what those conversations are, Jackson and I both now know that we're on the same page: no matter where those conversations go, we're getting through them.

We're going to be together. For good. No matter what - we're going to put in the work, and the effort, and the grit to ensure that we get to a good spot. Even if we're not there yet, we both know that we're going to

be.

And with that knowledge intact, we know that we can take a minute to simply rest. To remember what it's

like to be bodily together, side-by-side, even if my bodily chemistry has changed slightly now, perhaps on a fundamental level. Perhaps forever.