The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Chapter 17

“Well?” Jackson says, his voice low, and I flinch again god, that’s getting annoying as I snap my head up to look at him. He gestures towards the head table. “Hand in your test.”

“Um,” I say, and then another chair scrapes in the room. Someone else is finished too, and headed this way. “You take it.” I say, making a snap decision and nodding towards it.

“You finished first,” he growls, taking a menacing step towards me.

I shock myself by holding my ground. “Just turn in your test, Jackson,” I growl, looking up into his eyes, starting to get pissed. Because if one of us doesn’t do it, whoever finished next certainly will.

Jackson comes to the same conclusion that I do at the same moment, seeing the next candidate. walking towards us. He snaps his gaze to me for a moment and then turns, expressionless, and places his test face–down on the table. I follow, doing the same, fully aware that if Jackson did as well as I did on this exam he just took first.

Which…well, it doesn’t really make much of a difference to our rankings, not really. But at least, to me, it feels like we’re more even now.

He gave up one for me, even if he didn’t mean to. And now? I’ve given one back.

As far as I’m concerned, we’re square.

face And as I walk about ten feet behind him towards the barracks, doing my very best to turn my away so that I don’t catch any spare sniffs of his scent. I very much hope that that’s the end of any interaction that me and Jackson McClintock get to have for my entire time at the academy.

Or, at least that’s what I tell myself.

My wolf, who lifts her head in the air and eagerly sniffs at his scent, her eyes half–lidded, her tongue. lolling from her mouth?

She, clearly, has other ideas.

Get ahold of yourself, I growl to her.

No way, she says, shaking her fur out as a shiver passes through her. Do you remember the way pinned our wrists above our head? Imagine what he could do in bed

“Oh

my

y god,” I murmur aloud, clenching my fists and storming past Jackson as we both walk through the door, locking down my mind and not letting any more of my wolf’s ridiculous thoughts in.

Because the last thing I need to be thinking about now is…

close to

he

on top of my blankets, tucking my cap low over my eyes before I close

I don’t have long to wait. They’re not stupid,

Jesse says, popping up by the side of my bed and making me gasp a little in surprise. He laughs as he reaches out to shake my shoulder. “Nicely done!

done a little faster,” I say, raising an eyebrow at him as I sit up, “if you’d kept your eyes on the exam, instead

says, rolling his eyes, “when the exam was so

everything is fun, Jesse,” I say, sighing and hopping down from my bunk, starting to gather my

bath stuff.

up and putting out a hand out to stop me. “Not yet. We’re not

them. I mean, the day is done there is nothing else scheduled, and frankly

and

I have a bad feeling that whatever this is? It’s not going to be fun. But before we can get to the door, Rafe pauses,

head snap up, confused. “Come

a line of confusion forming between

fast, looking between us all

an hour,” Rafe says, flicking on the lights and striding into the room.

is this?” I ask,

credit,” Jesse says, turning to grin at Ben and me as he walks backwards into the room after Rafe. “You both need the extra work if you’re going to make any

saying that we’re going to spend an extra hour kicking your

Chapter 17

Ben says, his eyes

my shoulder at where the showers are probably already filling up

Rafe says, nodding towards a pull

and heading over to him, but

and my cousin. “Him, I get,” he says, gesturing towards me

shrugs. “I think you got a bad turn, being pitted against me in the bout today. So, I figured, why not give you a

underdog – he can’t help it, he’s soft–hearted

Ben says, smiling and running a hand

says, gesturing for him to come over. “I noticed, on the first day, that you’re… kind of shit at throwing a punch. Let’s

work as I walk over to Rafe and

big brother is nice,” I say softly,