The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy novel Chapter 758

“Jess!” Rafe barks out as Jesse leaves, flipping Rafe the middle finger as he goes.

Then Rafe, growling, storms back to his own sleeping area and begins furiously pulling his dresser drawers open, not seeming to get much done but needing the distraction of having something rather violent to do.

“What…what is happening?” Jackson murmurs, tearing his eyes away from the Prince and looking down at Ariel, worried.

“Oh, puppy,” she sighs, beaming up at him and squeezing his hand. “Come help me pack, I’ll explain everything.”

“Pack?” he says, grinning down at her, unable to help it. Then he snarls and snatches her up into his arms. “Pack!? I have nothing to pack – you’re my only luggage, tiny – I’ll zip you up in a bag right now –“

She shouts with laughter that goes right to Jackson’s heart, makes everything actually feel okay, makes war and devastation and death and the thought of losing her feel very, very far away. Jackson laughs too, falling with her onto the bed as she quickly begins to explain a very baffling story about Jesse and Daphne somehow being in love.

But even as his mouth falls open in surprise, Jackson only half listens. Because his heart and his soul are elsewhere, on other thoughts.

We have to mark her, his wolf growls, pacing back and forth in his soul as Jackson’s eyes fall to her neck, to that spot he’s been thinking of for months, even if it’s covered now with black fabric. We should do it now.

Patience, Jacks murmurs, running a comforting hand over his wolf’s raised hackles. She has to be ready. It has to be right. She can’t have two bad experiences being marked – I’m not going to ruin this just because we’re impatient.

No time for patient, his wolf growls, shaking out his fur, anxious. Now. We have to do it now, before it’s again too late.

Jackson just grits his teeth, forcing himself back to the moment, ignoring his wolf and concentrating on his girl.

Who is, after all, the center of the entire world.

Ariel grins up at him. “You’ve been lost in your thoughts, haven’t you, pup?” She runs a soft hand through his hair and Jackson smiles, leaning into it.

“All thoughts of you,” he murmurs, utterly truthful.

She beams. “Good thoughts?”