The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Jesse puts his head down, panting, and pushes harder to keep up with Rafe.

Because Jesses's fit, of course - he can beat almost anyone else in Warrior track now that Grant has left the school. But Rafe? He's always been faster. Still, if Jesse pushes a little more, he knows he can keep

up -

But he gasps, almost falling on his ass to avoid slamming into Rafe, who has stopped suddenly in the middle of the forest path that they run every morning.

"Rafe, what the hell!" Jesse stumbles out, tripping over his feet as he works hard to stay upright. "Why did you_"

Rafe turns towards him, the stern set of his mouth, the hurt and anger in his eyes suddenly putting a stop to Jesse's entire train of thought.

"Rafe..." Jesse pants, going still. "What's...wrong?"

"I tried," Rafe says, his voice low and devastated. "I kept it in this entire time that Ari's been sick, and away, because she needed us -"

"Kept what in?"

"It, Jess," Rafe snaps, turning fully towards his cousin now and taking a step towards him. "The fucking truth. But I can't do it anymore - now that Ari's doing better - now that she doesn't need my constant vigilance - I can't -"

"Rafe," Jesse says, stepping towards his cousin, not understanding. "What is it? What -"

"What the fuck are you doing sleeping with Daphne!?"

Jesse's jaw drops open as he stares at Rafe, whose grim face looks ready to kill.

How? How...how the fuck does Rafe know about...him and Daphne?

"Did you think you got one over on me, Jess?" Rafe growls, storming forward and forcing Jesse to take several shaky steps back. "Showing up like that, after Ariel had been rejected, when you were supposed to be watching her? Fucking smelling all over of the girl I'm in love with, your clothes all fucked up!? Did you think I was just too fucking stupid to notice that?"

Jesse just stares at Rafe, his heart sinking, because he - he doesn't think Rafe would be too stupid to notice that. No, it was him, Jesse, who was the stupid one -

He didn't even fucking think of it - didn't even realize - he'd just wanted to get upstairs as fast as possible, to get to Ariel's side -

Because Rafe's right, he was supposed to be watching her. The whole thing had been his fault.

Guilt sweeps through him absolutely, from head to foot.

"Rafe," Jesse says, his head tilting to the side, his voice pleading.

"What the fuck, Jess!?" Rafe shouts, his voice breaking on his cousin's name as he grabs Jesse's collar, hauling him closer. "How could you do this to me!?"

"Rafe," Jesse says again, grief in his voice, his shoulders slumping as he puts his hands up, giving in to the larger Alpha, the man with the moral high ground here. "It's not like that -"

"So, what, you're not fucking her?" Rafe's words are a snarl as his rare anger finally starts to take pride of place in his heart, his mind.

Jesse's eyes narrow. "Stop saying it like that."

Rafe goes still, staring at him. "What the fuck did you just say to me?"

Jesse's arm sweeps up, knocking Rafe's aside, making him drop his collar. "It's not like that, Rafe. It's a gross way of describing it - I'm not fucking her. I'm in love with her

Daphne and I are together

swnov

"No," Rafe growls, his own face shutting down as rage begins to brew in his chest. "That's fucking bullshit, Jesse."noveldrama

"It's not!" Jesse shouts, stepping

forward to Rafe, hating his cousin for a moment for doubting this single thing that means the most to him in the world. "I'm going to fucking marry her - she's my-"

"Your mate!?" Rafe bites out, livid. "You're a fucking liar, Jess!" "She is!"

"She so fucking is not!" Rafe sputters out a mocking laugh, just staring at Jesse. "If she was your mate you'd have told fucking everyone the moment you met her! You'd have been crowing it from the rooftops! Not watching me bring her home to meet my family at Midwinter -"

-

"Our family," Jesse growls, stepping back and crossing his arms. "And Ariel fucking brought her, not you

"Oh whatever, Jess, you're not her fucking mate." Livid, Rafe turns on his heel, unable to believe that Jesse would ask him to believe such a blatant lie.

"I think I'd fucking know!" Jesse shouts, storming after him. "It's my life -"