The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Chapter 0381

Daphne.

Daphne, the gorgeous, clever, talented, funny redhead my brother is dating. The girl he's absolutely going to have to break up with the moment his mate comes on the scene.

I lift my hand and press my face miserably against it. God, how could I have been so callous, so unthinking to make a joke about his future mate? When he's been so, so nice and considerate to me this entire time?

God, I'm such a jerk.

"Ari?"

I drop my hand when I hear Daphne's sleepy voice and tuck my emotions away. I don't need to make her day miserable too, after all.

"Hey, Daph," I whisper with a sigh as I push the door shut behind me. "Go back to sleep, I didn't mean to wake you

But Daphne gasps, her eyes flying open, and sits up straight in the bed, shaking her head to clear it.

I go stark still, staring at her, wondering what the hell -

"Oh my god, Ariel," she whispers, staring at me in awe, "did you did Jackson -"

"Oh my godddd," I groan, my head hanging back on my neck as I realize what happened - that Daphne scented me, and thinks that Jackson gave me his mark. Seriously, is it that strong!? I thought just Alphas were susceptible to these kinds of subtle changes in scent.Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

But I guess this one isn't so subtle.

"What!? Are you!?" She starts to scramble out of bed, tripping towards me, her hand reaching for the neckline of Jackson's gigantic black t-shirt.

"No, Daphne!" I say with an exasperated sigh, smacking her hand away. She goes still, staring at me, not understanding. "He just... scent marked me. I didn't know it was going to have this effect."

She stares at me for a long moment and then bursts out laughing. Cóntent belongs to NovélDráma. Org

"Daphhhh," I whine, my shoulders slumping. "Is it seriously that bad!?"

"Oh my god, Ariel," she says, crossing her arms and shaking her head at me. "If he didn't mark you, you must have had one hell of a night anyway."

"One hell of a night, and one hell of a morning." I mutter, slumping down on the edge of my bed.

Daphne does the same, sitting across from me, one eyebrow raised. "Does this have anything to do with Luca tearing through the palace shouting for you?"

"Oh my god," I whisper, my mouth falling open and staring at her a bit. "Are you...are you serious? Through the whole palace?"

She grimaces a little. "He was... not subtle, Ariel. And he's fast - Rafe went after him but...I mean, did he catch him in time?*

"Sort of," I sigh, and then very quickly I tell Daphne the short version of the story. By the time I'm done, she's shaking her head in disbelief, her arms crossed across her chest.

"He is a piece of work, Ariel," she sighs. "I can't believe he did that."

"You don't see Luca's side of it?" I ask, curious. "All the boys do."

She rolls her eyes. "If he wanted to reserve your time for the full twenty-four hours, Ariel, he should have gone

home with you. Why should you go to bed alone just because he wants to stay out drinking? Especially when your super hot other mate is likewise alone a few hallways away. Where you sleep, and who is in your bed, does not need to correspond to Luca's schedule just because he'd prefer it that way. And it would be different if Luca were your only mate and you were cheating on him or something - but that's not what's happening here, is it?"

I groan a little in relief to hear her support, even if it is perhaps a bit overstated to make me feel better. But still, I throw my arms around her and hug her close. "Thanks, Daph," I murmur. "I think I needed to hear that."