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 nation

that 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 me

unfaithful, 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 political

figure...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 him

without 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 my

skin. 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 is

here, 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 an

absolutely 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 these

kinds 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 do

vou 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 at

him. “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 he

speaks, trying to put words to his.

emotions, which I know is N

sometimes foreign to him. “If Luca

did this, then he did it at least...

partially to piss me off, thinking that

l'ebget jealous. But I'm justnot

jealous 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 sound

rumbling 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 people

know aboutit? And that's supposed

to botherthe?” Jackson shakes his

head, clearly indicating that he Ny

thi kets nonsense. ‘I don't think

that’s a natural response, Artel =

think that's a very culturakthing —

having to like, announce To the world

that this woman is your woman, and

getting all pissed off when someone

else looks at her the wrong way.”

I look at him curiously, needing more.

Jackson sighs a little, wanting to be

clear. "I don'tZcare if anyone else

knows that'm your mate, Ariel.

Don't take that the wrong way — bit

what other people think and feeb.”

aboutour relationship? It doesn't

matter to me — the only thing that

rhatters is you being herezin my

arms, 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 possessive

because 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.