The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy
Chapter 0310

Chapter 0310

“I'm a public figure too,” I explain to Jackson, incredibly sorry, “and... my reputation, unfortunately, matters. If Luca has confirmed to the entire nationthat I'm his mate, and then I'm stepping out with this super hot Alpha, kissing him in the streets? The press is going to tear me to pieces — call meunfaithful, say that I've betrayed Luca. No one will believe me that I have two mates — everyone will say that I'm a liar. And...I mean, as a politicalfigure...l can't be seen as a liar.”

"Oh," Jackson says, his eyes unfocusing as he looks away from me and starts to process this. “So...he claimed you first. So that I couldn't.”

“If he did it,” I say softly, needing that to be stated. Because, well, while it doesn't look precisely good for Luca right now...I'm not willing to damn himwithout confronting him first and getting the truth from his own lips.

Still, Luca isn't my priority in this moment.

"How are you feeling about this,” I murmur, softly running my fingers through Jackson's newly cropped hair, loving the way that it feels against myskin. I feel so much calmer than I did even half an hour ago — and it's not only that I got a chance to process everything, but also because Jackson ishere, holding me, being steady and warm as he always is.

He turns his head to me, frowning consideringly. "How do you want me to feel about it?”I scoff and smack him lightly on the shoulder. “I want you to feel how you feel!”

Jackson laughs a little, his pretty blue eyes crinkling. “Okay, I just...I mean, I want to support you, Ariel. And I think that if he did this then it was anabsolutely horrible thing to do — that you should be livid. You're right — it's not up to one person in a pair to make unilateral decisions regarding thesekinds of announcements. He took that from you.”

I ned, grateful for his support, but I smack him again. “You're dodging the question.” He laughs at me, smiling, and I can’t help but grin back. "How dovou feel, Jacks?”

“Don't be mad at me,” he murmurs, leaning forward and gently pressing his forehead to mine. “But Ariel... for me? 1...1 don't really care.”

"What!?” I squeak, and Jackson grins, pulling me tighter, liking that sound. And I lift my arms, wrapping them around his neck as I shake my head athim. “Jackson, this was a blow to you! He took a shot, he made a move to actively counter your claim on me! That's bullshit!”

"He took a shot,” Jackson murmurs, “but it didn't land, Ariel. I just...I'm not wounded by this. It's not something that's important to me.”

"Please explain,” I sigh, leaning back a little and letting my fingers lace together behind his neck. “I don't get it. How does this not piss you off?”

Jackson takes a deep breath,thinking for afimoment before hespeaks, trying to put words to his.emotions, which I know is Nsometimes foreign to him. “If Lucadid this, then he did it at least...partially to piss me off, thinking thatl'ebget jealous. But I'm justnotjealous of this sort of thing.”

He shifts his eyes back to me, looking a little worried that he won't express himself clearly. I nod to him, encouraging.

‘I have a very visceral reaction, Ariel,” he murmurs, “when I see Luca touch you. That's difficult for me. And I did...” he growls a little, the soundrumbling in his chest, and I can’t help but smile, “I did not like that picture of you and him on the porch, in the magazine.”

I bite my lip, a little pleased, but he moves on.

"But this more...abstract jealousy?Where like, he has a claim on you,and it matterg because other peopleknow aboutit? And that's supposedto botherthe?” Jackson shakes hishead, clearly indicating that he Ny

thi kets nonsense. ‘I don't thinkthat’s a natural response, Artel =think that's a very culturakthing —having to like, announce To the worldthat this woman is your woman, andgetting all pissed off when someoneelse looks at her the wrong way.”

I look at him curiously, needing more.

Jackson sighs a little, wanting to beclear. "I don'tZcare if anyone elseknows that'm your mate, Ariel.Don't take that the wrong way — bitwhat other people think and feeb.”aboutour relationship? It doesn'tmatter to me — the only thing thatrhatters is you being herezin myarms, where you belong.” “Content

He says this last bit with an edge of a growl on his words and I grin at this, pleased

‘I didn’t grow up here,” Jackson continues, looking at me steadily. "I didn't. .learn how to be jealous like that — how to get mad and possessivebecause some other guy announces to the nation that you're his girl, when I know you're mine. I think it's kind of...dumb.