The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Chapter 13

I sigh and drop my head back on my pillow as I finish my sandwich, curling up tight and pressing my eyes shut, going over every moment of my conversation with Luca in my

head.

Thinking about his handsome face, the way his eyes fell to my mouth, the ran down his spine —

The fact that I did that to him…

This is…

I sigh, feeling suddenly overwhelmed.

Because this is getting into some dangerous grounds, isn’t it?

way

the shiver

Some wonderful grounds, my wolf corrects, curling into a little crescent and tucking her nose warmly beneath the edge of her tail. Sneak back over – let’s see if we can make him go all shivery again!

No, I growl inwardly, shaking my head. Because as much as I’m completely distracted and fascinated by my new connections, I have to resist the urge to explore them right now. There’s far too much at stake –

If I let Luca or Jackson in too much, I could get caught and then I risk losing my shot at trying myself in the Academy and I’ll risk having to go home and fulfill my promise to marry Prince Edward. As much as I’m intrigued…

I have to keep my distance. Which means doing my best to avoid my mates during the two weeks of candidacy.

I can do that, right? Mates are forever – I will have time to explore my connections with them later, and right now I need to turn my mind to other things.

I can do this, I tell myself with a steady nod, my eyes still pressed shut.

No you can’t, my wolf sighs sleepily, closing her eyes.

But I just ignore her, determined, and steady my breathing, willing myself to fall asleep.

When a hand shakes my arm the next morning, I gasp awake out of a much–needed deep.

in

Chapter 13

dreamless sleep.

his perch on

so quiet. Usually the mornings here are a mess of noise, all the candidates getting

he whispers, hopping silently down from the side of

softly, taking note of the single finger pressed to Jesse’s lips as he glances towards the still–sleeping Rafe. I grimace, realizing

thing we’re going to

morning ablutions and then out the door of the barracks. As we pass

again, in our big crazy family there wasn’t much choice but to be able to sleep through a great deal of

as we walk out into the dawn light, the fresh

we able to just walk in and out of

looking around happily at the pretty morning as we start out on a dirt track that leads towards the hills. “Candidates are all here voluntarily and they’re all determined to hold themselves to the rules. Because the school is going to

just come and go at will?” I

Which is what we’re doing.”

drops open before I scowl at him. “You said

off on the track at a gentle jog. “Come on! You

coffee before this, and then I hurry to catch up with my cousin, who I know is

long while as he puts me through my paces, making me stay by his side until I’m panting for air while he, infuriatingly, barely breaks a sweat. When we get to

much fitter than me,” I gasp, glaring at him.

kids.” He takes a deep breath, looking out over the gorgeous, hazy countryside with a smile. I follow his gaze as my breathing comes easier, likewise admiring the way that the hills roll and the early–morning clouds settle

aware that my angry thoughts are in contrast to such a beautiful landscape. “I hate that you and Rafe got to become bastions of athletic prowess and I got to train to be a perfect wife and Queen.” I cross my arms, bitter as I stare out at the beautiful view. “A whole lot of good it did me, in the end.”

bitterness while still pointing out the truth. “That was all you. Mom was pissed as hell

ask, my

so why the hell would we let you go into a marriage that we knew would fail? But Aunt Ella said you had to be free to make your

him, baffled by this. “So, you knew the whole time too? And wait – they had this

little and runs his hand through his hair. “I may have been

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a little bit.”

him but laughing as I do.

but the fact that your mate is here? Training for the Academy at the same time you are?” he shrugs and grins at me, a little baffled. “Honestly, I think it sounds a little bit like fate – like you’re

nodding with him. “It feels like…grandma has a hand in

head a little at our inside joke of calling an all–powerful moon goddess “grandma.”

hear him use my full name in such serious tones. I

hand on my shoulder. “I get that you’re a big girl now, and that I have no right to tell you what to do, and that you’ve already got an overprotective big brother to play this role. But…” he hesitates and I step closer, wanting to hear what he has to

ask, a little

figured out