Chapter 0221

“Well, that’s enough of that,” my mother says with perfect calm, standing and catching Jackson’s eye. He freezes for a moment and then steps back, standing up straight again.

Mom, ever-charming, turns a smile on the professor and thanks him for the news, ensuring him that Sinclair and McClintock will follow in a few minutes to be transported back. When the professor leaves, mom turns back to Jacks with an eyebrow raised.

“You’re going to have to get better at that,” she says quietly, gesturing towards the door. “If Ari is going to return to the Academy, you’re going to have to keep her secret, which means not acing all mate-y whenever someone comes to deliver perfectly normal news –“

“She’s not going back,” my dad says, stepping towards my mom with a glare.

Mom’s mouth pops open in surprise but then they begin to fight, the way they always do – with a great deal of heat and talking over each other. But Rafe and I just look away from them and towards each other, used to it, because it all turns out right in the end.

“Oooookay,” Aunt Cora says, stepping away from the bed and coming over to us. “Why don’t I walk the two of you out,” she says, nodding to the big Alphas on either side of me. “Ariel will –“