Chapter 271

Three hours later, everything has changed.

We’re still in the room, having sent word to our professors that we’re all…indisposed for the day. But mom is sitting on a cushion on the floor with Rafe’s dark head in her lap, softly stroking her favorite’s hair as he lays on a series of soft blankets that she had us lay out for him. And even though mom healed him pretty much the moment she came stumbling through the door, she still insists that Rafe not be moved – that he instead be quite intensely pampered exactly where he is.

Luckily, as the traumatized princess, I got a great deal of benefit from the Queen’s attentions too. But her administration ended the moment she realized that I was physically fine and I’d rather have something to do to help than be coddled. Since then, my job has been fetching more and more plates of food as they come out of the dumbwaiter and carrying them over to the already-overloaded coffee table.

“My poor babies,” mom murmurs, looking between us as I settle a plate of sandwiches down. “What a day you have had.”

“We’re fine, mom,” Rafe sighs, his eyes lightly shut. “You’re going to have to stop fussing at some point.”

“Never,” she sighs, quite sweet, making me smile as she leans forward and presses a kiss to Rafe’s head.

“Oh, let him up, Ella,” Cora says from her spot by the door, where she, Jesse, and Jacks are already fitting a new door into the gaping hole left by the last one. “Honestly, he’s a big boy and you’ve healed him all up –“

“He’s just a little tiny wounded meatball,” mom corrects, heaving a squeaky sigh as she wraps her arms around her gigantic son, trying to hold him as tight as she can. “He can’t help, he’s hurt.”

“Oh whatever,” Cora says, laughing a little at mom’s antics as she hands screws to Jackson as needed.

“Where did we even get a door so fast?” I ask, my hands on my hips as the dumbwaiter bell rings again. “And how much food did you have sent up?”

“All of it,” mom says, her voice stern and decided. “I ordered six of everything in the kitchen, even from the back of the deep freezer. Meatball needs to get his strength back up and should have as many options as he wants.”

“Mom, I’m fine,” Rafe says, opening his eyes and laughing. “And stop calling me meatball.”

“Again, never.” she sighs, tapping him lightly on the nose and making me laugh as he scowls. “And I’ll decide when you’re fine, cutie,”

“I’m not complaining about the food options,” Jackson murmurs, eagerly looking over at all of the food as I head again to the dumbwaiter. He still hasn’t eaten and, through me, he gave Rafe more of his strength to speed his healing before mom got here. So, while we all missed breakfast, I think Jackson is feeling particularly ravenous. Down the bond, I can basically feel his stomach rumble.

“Okay, we got him,” Luca says from the doorway as Cora screws in the final screw and Jesse gives the door an experimental swing. We all turn to see Tony standing between Ben and Luca, looking completely confused.

“Um, hi?” Tony says, peering around the room. “Wow, nice place beyond the…wreckage of the door. Being royals apparently has its perks.”

“Hi, Tony!” I call, carrying a plate of dumplings over to the table. “Do you want lunch?” I gesture to our wide buffet, which is probably more food than this crew of hungry Alphas can eat.

“The prince is laying on the floor in what looks like…” Tony steps into the room, staring around at all of the splintered wood, “a matchbox factory explosion. And you want me to come in and… eat lunch?”

“Yup!” Mom says, grinning over at Tony like she thinks he’s funny.

“Hi, I’m Cora,” Cora says, peeking out from behind the door and reaching out a hand towards Tony. “I’m Jesse’s mom.”

“Oh…” Tony says, jumping a little in surprise at her sudden appearance. He takes her hand though and gives it a shake, along with an awkward little bow. “A pleasure to meet you…your grace?”

Cora laughs a little, coming around the door and looking curiously at Tony, a big smile growing on her lips. “None of that – just Cora is fine.”

“All right,” Tony says, smiling back, and then turning back towards the room, dropping Cora’s hand to follow Ben and Luca as they walk in.

“Actually,” Cora says, watching Tony walk into the room as she swings the door shut. “We want you to come to class, not lunch. And since neither of you are enrolled in this class,” she says, pointing a finger between Ben and Luca, “neither of you need to be here!”

“But!” Ben says, looking longingly at the table as Cora, Jesse, and Jacks come to the center of the room. “The dumplings!”

“Oh, take them with you,” Cora says with a sigh, scooping the plate up in her hand just as Jesse reaches for one, emitting a devastated groan of protest when she lifts it out of his grasp and pushes it at Ben.

“I’d rather stay,” Luca says, a little awkwardly, running a hand through his hair and looking between my mom and Cora. “I was there this morning. I’d…like to know what happened.”

“I’m sure Ari can fill you in later, Luca,” my mom says, looking up at him with apology. “But we really are convening class right now, and having you here violates some of these Cadet’s right to privacy.”

Luca tightens his jaw, looking between Tony and Jackson, who he now has confirmation really are in the magic class.

“He can stay,” Jackson says, sitting down on the floor close to me and reaching for an entire plate of sandwiches – an act that makes my eyebrows go up as I realize that perhaps mom didn’t over-order as much as I thought she did. Jackson doesn’t elaborate on his reasons, but my heart swells a little to see how much Jackson has come to trust Luca. I do my best to keep my happiness at this development off my face and away from my bond, but I know I’ve failed when Jackson looks up at me with a smirk.

“Well, even if Jackson is cool with it,” Tony says, “I’m not.” He looks at Luca with a little smirk on his lips as he plops onto the couch and reaches for a round sandwich with melted cheese and some sort of spicy meat.

Luca scoffs a little. “Your first time in this room,” he says, a little bit of a territorial growl in his voice, “and you feel comfortable laying out a command regarding who can and cannot be here?”

“Look, it’s nothing personal Grant,” Tony says, crossing his ankle over his knee, apparently perfectly at ease as he looks up at Luca, that confident smirk still on his lips. “It’s just that I’m not perfectly comfortable sharing my deepest darkest secrets with you just because you’re Ariel’s boyfriend.”

“Ariel’s boyfriend, am I?” Luca says slowly, turning to look at me with his hands on his hips. “Seems like there have been some developments in our little circle of trust on which I haven’t quite been updated.”

I grimace a little because…I did kind of forget to tell him.

“Still, if Tony’s not comfortable,” Cora says, her mouth twisting a little as she gives a shrug. “I think that’s decided.”

I blush a little as I turn to Luca, sending him a little pulse of apology down our bond. I’ll fill you in on everything I can, I promise speaking to him mind-to-mind, sending warm affection along with my words. I’ll come get you for dinner, okay?

Luca smiles a little and then nods, accepting his defeat and pulling me in for a little hug and a kiss on the top of my cap before heading with Ben towards the door. Ben calls his goodbyes, his words a little muffled by the dumplings already shoved in his mouth, and then both disappear through our new door – which looks strange to me in the doorway. Too shiny and polished. I sigh a little, already nostalgic for the old door, sorry it had to get beaten to smithereens by my mates so they could get in.

I plop myself down at Jackson’s side, leaning my weight against him as I reach for a cookie from the table. Passively, Jackson wraps an arm around my back, his fingers hitching around my hip and tugging me closer.

“So…” Tony murmurs, a little delighted, looking between Jackson and I. “This is…different…”