The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

The Alpha nods, grabs two, and hands them to the girl before beginning to unwrap the meat and eat it at a rather incredible pace. The clerk just...watches. Fascinated.

"Oh, hey!" the Princess says into the phone after a few moments, balancing it against her shoulder as she unwraps a candy bar with both hands. A huge smile breaks out on her face. "Hey, dad! It's me!"

The clerk's eyes go wide. Is...is the King seriously on the phone right now!?

"Yeah, I'm fine! I'm perfectly fine, can't wait to get home!" the Princess says, her eyes watering with tears even as she laughs in delight. "I'm with Jacks. We're... um, actually...wait one second."

Then, still smiling, the girl takes the receiver in one hand and offers it out to the clerk, giving him again that pretty, obliging smile. "Do you mind telling my dad where we are so he can come and get us? It would be a big help."

Slowly, the clerk reaches out to take the phone and raise it to his ear. "Your...your highness?"

"Now," the voice growls on the other end of the line, making the clerk jump nearly out of his boots. "Tell me where my daughter is. Right. Now."

I squeal with joy as the door to the helicopter finally, finally unlocks and I can throw it open.

"Ari," Jackson growls behind me, frustrated as I stumble out of the aircraft. "Please be careful -"

But I ignore him, regaining my feet and dashing across the rooftop, hurling myself into my dad's waiting arms. I laugh, delighted, as my dad wraps me up tight, pressing my cheek to his chest, barely noticing the tears that streak down my face.

My dad groans in relief, like he hasn't even let himself even consider relaxing for a moment until I was here again, safe and happy, under his protection.

"Ariel, my baby girl," dad murmurs, bending to tuck me in close and press his face to my hair. "My sweet girl, god damn it, I was so sacred..."

"I'm okay,” I say, laughing and sniffing and nodding all at once. "I'm fine, dad - it's all all right -"

I try to tug away, wanting to look up into his face, but dad just snarls and holds me close for a few moments more.

"Oh, Dominic," my mom says, her voice thick with tears. "Let her go - you're being selfish. She's my daughter too!"

Dad grumbles about it but does as mom bids, loosening his arms and pressing a kiss to my hair and then to my cheek before passing me to my mother. My mom gives a terrible little cry as we throw ourselves at each other, joy and

agony mixed in our voices. We both blubber for a bit, crying and hugging and telling each other how much we missed each other and how worried we were.

Behind me, just passively, my ears attune to my father greeting my mate the sound of their hands

—

clasping, and then Jackson being

pulled into a hug, and then somet

murmured words of greeting and gratitude. I smile even as I tuck my head against my mom's shoulder, refishing the feel of her in my arms and then her arms around me.

"Little baby trouble," mom coos, stroking my back and then my hair. "You smell different, you know."

I pull back a little, eagerly biting my lip, and mom pushes my long hair back over my shoulder, her eyes darting immediately to the fresh mark low on my neck. She squeals with happiness and excitement wrapping me up in a big hug and rocking me back and forth delighted. I burst out laughing and hug her tight to me, delighted too.

"What is it?" dad asks, and I can hear the frown in his voice.

"We're not only celebrating a homecoming, but the addition of a son-in-law too,"

mom says, laughing and turning me towards dad.

Dad goes a bit still, looking between us, his eyes moving immediately to my neck.