The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Jesse nods once, agreeing to it, and I make the squeaking noise again, needing to know what's going on.

Rafe laughs and squares his shoulders, nodding to me and getting started. "Look, it's not a big deal, I just...I wanted to take a minute with the two of you alone. Because...because you two mean a lot to me."

My little wolf howls in my heart, bursting with pride and love for my brother and my cousin. But I do my very, very best to keep quiet, even as tears start to well on my lower lashes, threatening to fall.

"I just..." Rafe sighs, hanging his head for a second and collecting his thoughts. "It's always been the three of us, hasn't it? Growing up...I know I was first, but I can't even remember a time when I didn't have the two of you by my side, when you weren't my best friends. And Ariel, I'm so glad you didn't marry that asshole and came to school with us instead." He flashes me a big smile now, and Jesse follows suit, tightening his arm around me as he does.

And I can't help it - it's all too much. The tears start to spill down my cheeks.

Rafe grins at me, pushing forward, because he knows he only has so much time before I burst into sobs. "It wouldn't have been the same without you, Clark," Rafe says with a smirk. "And I think...I think it was meant to be - you there, with us, like you've always been. We were always meant to be together. But...we're growing up now. Aren't we?"

Rafe's smile falls a bit, and my mouth trembles into a frown. Even Jesse looks serious all of a sudden, which is a feat unto itself.

"And things are...changing," Rafe says, looking between us, heaving a sigh. "We're going to...grow up, and meet our mates - if we have them -" he glances at Jesse here, whose mate-status hasn't been confirmed, "and...follow our own paths. We won't be together every day - not forever."

I sniff, my free hand pressing again to my chest as more tears slip down my face. Because Rafe's right, and it's breaking my heart to think of it.

"None of that's bad, though," Jesse says, and my head spins when I hear his voice is tight. Because, god, if Jesse cries I'm going to completely lose it.

"I know," Rafe says quickly, nodding his agreement. "I just..." he raises his glass again, toasting us. "I wanted to take a moment, while we have it, to say... what an honor it's been spending my life with you two at my side. You're my best friends and...I love you. We're really lucky."

Rafe hangs his head and quickly brushes his hands across his cheeks and I give a little cry, pitching forward and wrapping my arms around him. I spill my champagne but who cares -

"Ari," Rafe laughs, wrapping his arms around me in return. "We don't need to get maudlin about it."

"Yes, we do!" I moan, overwhelmed and miserable. And then I turn back to Jesse, desperate to have him close, and open up my arm. He laughs and joins our hug, all of us wrapping our arms around each other, and even Jesse's eyes are wet now. "Look, why don't we make a pact?" Jesse says, quiet and eager. "No matter what happens in our lives - no matter how they change, and how many mates or children come and try to disrupt -"

I laugh at this, shaking my head, wondering that he can even think that far ahead with war on the horizon. But I don't bring it up - because I don't need to. I know we're all thinking it.

"Let's always meet, on Midwinter night, at midnight," Jesse continues, smiling at us, "always find space to have a secret toast. Just like this, just the three of us, like we're doing right now."

"That's a great idea, Jess," Rafe says, smiling softly at him. And then he drops his arms from around us and raises his glass in the center of our circle. "Midwinter at midnight, just us three. Every year." "It's a deal," I sniff, raising my glass too. Jesse is last, clinking his glass against ours.

And then we all drink deep and take a moment to laugh together under the light of the midwinter moon, warmed by the idea that every year - no matter what - we'll return to do the same.