The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Chapter 12

I gulp as we approach Luca’s lower bunk because I am completely out of my element never, ever been in a boy’s bed before except, obviously, a member of my family –

—

I’ve

But Luca, to my relief, gestures me towards the head of his bed before sitting down on the other end, lounging back against the metal footboard with one leg bent at the knee, his arm wrapped casually around it. I grimace a little inwardly to see that his left boot is sole–down on his blankets. Slowly I lower myself onto the bed, perching on the edge, my eyes unblinking as I watch him.

“Make yourself comfortable, Shrimp,” he says, raising his chin and indicating that I should relax. “I’m not going to bite.”

My wolf gasps. Do you think we could get him to do that? He could give us his mark!

Mentally I smack her on the nose and she gives a little yelp, but it does nothing to defer her excitement.

Slowly I do as Luca bids, leaning back against his pillow a little and curling my bare feet beneath me. I don’t say anything though, letting him start the conversation.

He grins at me, lifting his other leg and stretching it out along the length of the mattress, effectively pinning me in on my left side. I glance down at his gigantic foot, which is just inches from me now, before raising my eyes back at him. Without intending to, I wrinkle my nose.

Luca bursts into laughter.

“Are you like, a clean freak or a germaphobe, Shrimp?” he asks, turning his foot so that he taps me with the dirty toe of his boot.

“No!” I protest, even as I flinch away from his boot – mostly because I don’t want any more tingles but, also, yes! Because it’s a dirty boot!

away.

“You totally are,” he says, grinning at me from the other end of the bed but turning his foot

“First you go

take a secret bath in the middle of the night, then the only time I can get you alone is when you’re brushing your teeth, and now you’re scared of a dirty boot?” He raises an eyebrow at me, clearly entertained.

“Did you ever consider that you’re just dirty, Luca?” I ask, leaning forward and flicking my eyes deliberately to where his shoe is pressed into his clean blankets. “Because I think that

S

wanting a hot bath and brushing my teeth just makes me normal.”

“So,” he says, leaning forward to peer at me, his smile deepening. “You know my

I sit back, fast, blushing a little to have been caught out.

name.”

“Don’t worry,” he says, laughing again as he, too, leans back. “I know yours too, Shrimp.”

“It’s not Shrimp,” I say, renewing my glare.

he says, tilting his head at me.

let my inner victory show, because of course he doesn’t know

prompts. Maybe he’ll say

to run in excited circles. I sigh inwardly because she’s making it hard to

frankly, so is

he is handsome. The way he’s sitting there, with his powerful body so relaxed – and how his

shower – I’m suddenly hit with the memory of him

thinking about

was just taking a bath,” I reply, my voice cold. “Like I said. Now are you going to let me go back

bunk?”

are the chances,” Luca says, ignoring my question, “that you and my mate would be outside at the same

myself wryly, my eyelids lowering a little at the irony

say, not bothering to answer, even as my body settles back against his pillow a little. Because as much as my mind

lightly interrogated by my

yips

ignoring my comment and speaking

gone.

something in me wanting to

she’s not,” he says, shaking

“I didn’t get a good look

you say she went north, and then when I pointed south, you confirmed

I breathe,

–

you sent McClintock in one direction and me in another,” he says,

for not catching that. I remember, suddenly, the moment he’s talking about – after Jackson ran and Luca stayed crouched by the pool. I didn’t look where he pointed, I just said yes to whatever direction he was indicating. I just wanted him to go

suddenly changing as he leans forward further, studying my face. “Seriously, Shrimp – why are you holding out? Is she…is she in trouble or something? What bad thing would happen if you just told

lying –”

lying,” he says to me, stating a simple fact that’s frustrating because it’s true. It’s bizarre – like he can already read me or something. “You

from you,” I say quietly.

mate?” Luca asks,

silent for a long moment, torn. Because on one hand I

அ

I’m sitting here in his bed. And I could

sitting right here, and we’re staring at each other in silence, and I know that there’s absolutely no

except maybe a little closer to him…

head a little. I am…I am

in curiosity as he studies me

–

comes over me – I

lower lip before pressing my lips together, wetting them. And then I leave my mouth slightly parted so that my breath rushes out over my lips as I exhale a

subtly then, fastening on my mouth

I swear to god, a shudder passes through him,

sit up straight, suddenly realizing

what the hell I realize because a new hand wraps around my arm now

doing here,” Rafe growls, glaring down at me as I scramble for my feet.