The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy novel Chapter 312

“Oh, come on,” Jackson says, keeping his spot on the window seat and spreading out his hands, the seriousness of his gesture ruined a bit by the fact that he’s holding a raspberry pastry. “Do any of you honestly think that my presence at the Grant family home is going to help anything today?”

“It’s going to help Ariel,” Jesse says, eyebrows raised, pointing at me. My own eyebrows go up because…I mean, is it?

“Ariel can handle herself,” Jackson sighs, rolling his eyes a little bit and dropping his hands to his knees. “I mean, I get being over-protective in the Academy where people are trying to beat the shit out of her –“

“You included,” Jesse says, crossing his arms and glaring at my mate.

Jackson just returns his glare and keeps going. “But, Ariel is smart and capable – she doesn’t need her big brute mate coming along when she’s got her big brute brother and big brute cousin at her side. Besides, you know my being there is just going to set Luca off. It’s not worth it.”

I beam a little at my mate, because even if he is declining to come and defend my honor, he’s doing it because he thinks that I’m perfectly capable of defending myself. And there’s something really nice in that – in Jackson’s utter faith in me.

I send a grateful, warm little pulse down our bond, letting him know that I love that he sees me that way, and Jackson turns to give me a little wink before returning his gaze to Rafe and Jesse.

“Nah, I think he’s right,” Rafe says, turning to Jesse. “Jackson’s great backup, and he’s on Ari’s side, but in this case…it might be too much backup. Showing up to a knife fight with a rocket launcher. We want to keep this quiet, even if we do want to get to the bottom of it. Ariel’s two mates getting into a brawl before Luca’s fight isn’t going to help anyone.”

Jesse scowls but puts his hands up, willing to be outvoted. But then he turns his head to Jacks. “So, what are you going to do all morning, then?”

“I don’t know,” Jacks says, giving a shrug, looking between the three of us. “Ella said something about…shoes.”

“Shoes?” I ask, bursting into a grin, dead pleased.

“Yeah,” he says with a confused frown, even though he doesn’t seem bothered by it. Then he looks down at himself and gestures casually with his hand towards his new clothes. “She did all of…this…yesterday.”

“Ohhhh,” Jesse says, grinning now as Jackson looks back up at us. “So that’s where the glow-up came from – Auntie Ells.”

“What’s a glow up?” Jackson asks, frowning.