The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

I bite my lip, fighting a smile, and Jackson sends me a nudge down the bond. When I look up at him and he frowns at me, clearly wanting to know what's going on, I break into a laugh.noveldrama

He just scowls and shakes his head, wanting to know but not pushing it, knowing I'm not giving him any secrets until he tells me what Jesse told him about the Underworld. So, we are, essentially, still at a stalemate.

"Did you ever find Maryam?" Jesse asks, leaning forward towards Rafe even as his hand snatches out, grabbing a piece of Midnight's cake and making her squeak in protest as he quickly pops it in his mouth.

Ben and Elias perk up just as Jacks and I do, all of us turning towards Rafe.

"Yes," Rafe sighs, leaning back against his hands, rolling his eyes up towards the roof of the yurt. "I found her. She's...back."

"How'd you convince her to come back?" I ask, my voice a fascinated whisper. "Um," he says, looking down at his lap, grimacing. "I...kind of didn't."

"Rafe,” Jesse says, laughing and already shaking his head. "What'd you do, carry her?"

I laugh and turn back to Rafe, but when he doesn't answer - his grimace deepening and his cheeks going red - we all burst out into laughter.

I whip a hand across Jackson, smacking my brother hard on the arm. "Rafe!

Seriously!? You carried her back, kicking and screaming!?"

"Well, she didn't kick and scream the whole time," he mutters.

I lose it, falling onto Jackson's side, who likewise laughs and wraps his arms around me, holding me close.

"Oh, come on, what was I supposed to do!" Rafe groans, looking around at all of us for some sign of pity. "She was at the fucking train station with nothing but a backpack and a one-way ticket to the North -"

“You're supposed to let her go, Rafe!" Ben calls out, laughing. “She's a grown ass woman she can decide where she goes! What, is she like your, prisoner now!?"

"No, she's not my prisoner," Rafe growls.

"Is she locked in a room somewhere?" Jesse asks, leaning forward, fascinated.

"The door isn't locked!" Rafe bites out, glaring at him.

"Is it guarded?" I ask, a sneaky smile spreading over my face.

Rafe just scowls and looks away again, making us all crack up.

"It's not safe out there!" Rafe bites out, though he too starts laughing. "She's my fucking mate, I can't just let her go on a train all alone to -"

"Oh no, not on a train!" I say, overly dramatic. "Those death machines, notoriously prowled by gangs of villains eager to maim -"

"That sounds very bad," Midnight says, nodding slowly. "You were right to stop her, Rafe."

“Thank you, Midnight,” Rafe says, sighing and not bothering to engage with my critique, realizing now that...he may have over-reacted. A little bit.

"Rafe, you have to let her go home if she wants to," Ben says, laughing a little. "Her home isn't dangerous - she's lived there for years!"

"It's not her home that's dangerous,

it's..." Rafe matters. But then he

groans and lays back on the floor of

the yurt, shaking his head. "Look,,

guys, don't rub it in - I realize

being a complete idiot and a jackass. I just...can't let her go until she...doesn't hate me anymore..."

"I'm not sure kidnapping her and dragging her back to your houes is going to do

you any favors there," Jackson mutters.

"Worked wonders for us," Midnight says, grinning over at Jesse.

Jesse laughs and winks at her. "Yes, but we're a very unique pair, Midnight. Rafe and Maryam, they don't have nearly as much of our verve and flavor."

Midnight nods deeply, conceding this point making me smile between them. God, as much as I love Jesse and Daphne together...this Midnight match, it does make sense on some level, doesn't it?

“Oh, god, she's going to hate me forever," Rafe sighs, staring up at the roof of the yurt, resting his hands on his stomach.

"She'll come around," Ben murmurs, taking another bite of his cake. "Who can resist you?"

Elias snarls a little, giving Ben a subtle nudge with his elbow. I smile but Jesse snaps his head to them, his mouth falling open a little, clearly wondering what the hell that was about.

"What am I gonna do," Rafe sighs, all the words slurring together in his agony.

I pout, reaching over to pat a warm hand on his shoulder. "At least you only have one to deal with."

He snaps his head back to me. "All of yours liked you, Ari."

"Yes, but I am very beautiful," I say, grinning at him. "Even dressed as a boy."

Jacks hums his support, pulling me back to his side.

"Hey," Jesse says, leaning forward and grinning a bit deviously at Rafe. "Want to blow of the rest of the day getting completely shitfaced at all of our favorite bars and completely avoiding all of our responsibilities and the big life questions that are haunting us?"

Rafe gasps, sitting up and looking directly at Jesse. "Yes," he breathes, nodding

eagerly. "Yes, that's exactly what I want to do."

Jesse whoops, clapping his hands together, making me laugh.