The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy novel Chapter 38

Chapter 38 

Rafe looks at me with a little grimace, slowly taking the envelope out of the box and moving to tuck it into his back pocket for later, not wanting to make me watch. 

“No, read it!” I say, flapping my hands at him and working hard to tuck my disappointment low in my stomach. Because, I mean, I know that if mom knew I was here she would never have left me out would probably have written me the longest letter of all. I can’t be hurt by this, and I don’t want him to have to wait. 

“Are you sure?” he asks, hesitating, turning the envelope over in his hands. 

Jesse rips his open, digging in, giving me a little shrug. I nod eagerly at Rafe, encouraging him, as Ben gives me a soft pat on the shoulder, not saying anything but…letting me know that he’s here for me. 

Rafe sighs but can’t help it. He settles back into the couch cushions as he opens and unfolds his letter, a smile already on his lips as he reads through the first 

words. 

“Did we miss anything?” Ben asks cheerfully, tipping the box towards the two of us as we sit together on the rug, giving Rafe and Jesse their privacy. 

“I don’t think so,” I say, peeking into the box again, willing to take up Ben’s offer of a distraction so that I don’t get overwhelmed by my jealousy. 

“Yes, we did,” Ben says, laughing and reaching into the bottom of the box. 

“What?” I say, surprised, leaning closer. “What is it?” 

And my heart absolutely falls to pieces when Ben pulls from the bottom of the box a very, very pretty blue velvet hair ribbon, already tied into a bow with a silver clip. at the back. 

I give an unintentional little gasp when I see it, as my eyes rove over the soft fabric, the little silver trim that runs along the edge- 

Because I know, without even having to read the little tag attached to the clip, that this is from my mom, and that she sent it for me. 

But my stomach plummets as Ben picks up the tag, his eyes moving quickly over my mom’s small, swirling handwriting. 

Rafe- 

I know that this box is to celebrate you, but I couldn’t help myself. 

When you next see Ariel, will you please give this to her? 

I know she would like it. 

Tell my beautiful girl we miss her and that she is much loved. 

-Mom 

My eyes fill with tears as I read the note over Ben’s shoulder. 

Very quietly, almost gently, Ben turns to me with the velvet hair ribbon flat on his palm. 

“Here,” he says, giving me a little smile. “You should have it.” 

1 stare at Ben with wide eyes, all the blood draining from my face as I lean away from him in shock, the heels of my hands hitting the ground behind me and taking all of my weight. 

Because he… 

Why is he giving this to me? 

What does he…. 

A snarl suddenly rips from Rafe’s throat and Ben goes very, very still, the ribbon balanced on his hand. I whip my eyes to my brother and my cousin and sit up very straight and very still as I realize that this… 

This just got quite dangerous for Ben. 

“Ben,” Rafe says, leaning forward on the couch, his eyes focused solemnly on Ben’s face. “What are you doing with that?” 

“Um,” Ben says, his eyes flicking to the blue velvet ribbon on his palm. 

“Why,” Rafe continues, his voice rumbling low with menace now, “are you giving 

that to Ari?” 

My eyes flick back to Ben, whose gaze I’m surprised to find already on me, wide 

and frantic, looking at me for answers. I stay very still for a second and then as he tilts his head to the side with a little bit of irony, looking at me like this is all my fault- 

I realize that he definitely, definitely already knows. 

“Oh god damn it. Ben!” I shout, lashing a foot out and giving him a good solid kick in the thigh. “How long have you known!?” 

His face suddenly bursts into a grin as he flinches away from me, a relieved laugh stumbling from him as he sees that I’m not going to kill him, just kick him. “From like, the first time we did after–hours training, Ariel –” 

Jesse gasps to hear my name coming from Ben’s mouth. 

Ben turns when he hears it. “I mean, that’s it, right?” he says, looking between my brother and my cousin before coming back to me. “She’s – she’s Ariel Sinclair, right? The Princess?” he turns to Rafe now, who still has his teeth bared. “Your sister, not your cousin?” 

Jesse groans, covering his face with his hands and falling back in his chair, but Rafe just leans forward, his tone still dangerous even if Jesse and I have given it up. 

“Who the f**k have you told, Ben?” 

Ben is silent for a second, the picture of shock. But then he leans forward, staring little angrily. “No one, Rafe! Obviously, I haven’t told anyone, or 

into Rafe’s face, $ 

else she wouldn’t be here!” 

“I think he’s telling the truth, Rafe,” I say, turning to my brother with a grimace. “They wouldn’t have let me in if they knew who I am.” 

Rafe glares at me for a second before turning his eyes back to Ben. “That doesn’t. mean he didn’t tell any of the other cadets.” 

“Who the hell else would I have told,” Ben says, leaning forward with his open palms out, “I only hang out with you guys 

Rafe sneers. “You could have told anyone for the leverage.”