The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

I

“Wait, what?” I gasp, shocked.

“Oh yeah,” my mom says, her own eyes going far–off as she apparently remembers this long -lost, incredibly important and interesting detail. “I forgot about that…”

“You knew!?” I’m scandalized – mom and dad, they’re so perfect for each other. The idea of dad being mated to someone else…

God, I can’t even imagine it.

“Of course I knew, baby,” mom says, leaning closer and tucking a strand of my bloody hair behind my ear as Cora stands up and begins to fuss with the IV, apparently remembering suddenly that I’m coming off the edge of death and need some fluids. “Dad and I don’t keep secrets. Plus, I knew her.”

“Real piece of work,” Cora murmurs, shaking her head as she reaches for my arm.

“What!?” It’s all I can say in my shock as Cora hooks me up to the IV, helping me get on the mend in her own non–magical way.

“It wasn’t at the same time, like you and your boys,” mom says, turning her head consideringly. “He rejected her and then was single for a long time before he met me. Which, I mean, thank god I don’t think I’d have been able to handle that. I’d have been so jealous, and she’d probably have tried to kill me. I mean, more than she eventually did.”

My face screws up in shock and confusion as I stare at my mother, but she just waves a hand, dismissing it.

“Speaking of the jealousy,” Cora says, sitting down next to me and taking my wrist so she can check my pulse. “How are your boys handling it?”

“Um,” I say, looking between them. “They…aren’t. Because they don’t…know about each other.”

Mom and Cora’s faces are twin pictures of shock and then delight before they burst into scandalized laughter.

“You little minx,” mom says, leaning forward to prod me with the tips of her fingers. “How the hell did you manage that!?”

“I didn’t manage it,” I murmur, not really liking the implication here that I’m doing it nefariously and for my own good. “It was…I didn’t want anyone to find out, at first, that I

was a girl. And then I…it took a while to get to know them, and to decide I could trust them.”

“Wise,” Cora says, nodding as she slips a stethoscope out of her pocket and slips it around her neck. “And Rafe and Jesse?”

“Um,” I say, because…well, this one is a little more nefarious, I guess. “Rafe knows about

“I Jackson. Jesse knows about Luca.” My mom and my aunt grin at me again, but I just shrug and sigh.

“Well, how are you feeling about it, baby?” my mom asks, leaning forward and taking my hand. “It must be a lot, in addition to your studies.”

“It is a lot,” I say, my shoulders slumping in relief to hear her voice it aloud, to have her understand. “It’s scary! And they’re both so great, but…” I bite my lip and shake my head, looking down at my lap, “it’s really confusing.”

Mom begins to murmur comforting things about how of course it’s confusing – it’s bound to be but suddenly the door flies open again.

This time, broad shoulders fill the frame and I blink because….

Well, for a second, as embarrassing as it is, I did think it was Jackson.

But my eyes fill with tears the moment that I realize that it’s my dad.

“Dad!” I croak, suddenly completely overwhelmed with emotion as I try to pull myself up, to move to him, to get immediately to his side.

Because I mean,

I love

my mom – endlessly, in every atom of me. But my dad…. Content bel0ngs to Nôvel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

“Baby,” he groans, striding across the room and scooping me up off the bed even as I

scramble for him. He groans again when he ducks his head and presses his cheek to mine, as I burst into tears and wrap my arms around his broad shoulders.

My dad holds me tight for a long, long few moments, and Cora and my mom stay quiet, letting us have this time, understanding the bond between us.

He takes a shuddering breath before raising his head, looking into my face. “Are you okay, sweetheart?”

I nod, sniffing. “Just a little overwhelmed, pops,” I murmur, which earns me a smile. “Mom fixed me up good. I’m fine.”

Dad growls deep in his throat as he lowers himself to the bed with me still in his arms, clearly not ready to let me go but ready to join the conversation. Cora, smiling, goes and closes the door before untangling the IV chord and laying it out neatly. Then she sits down

on the edge of the bed opposite my mom. The poor overloaded bed gives a desperate little creak, but we all ignore it.