The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Chapter 20

Jackson raises his left arm, bending it and pressing his forearm tight against my neck.

The moment our bodies touch – he only had his hand fisted in my uniform before it happens. again.

My eyes fly open as the pulse pounds through the air, almost audible this time. Jackson’s eyes go wide as he stares down at his arm. Desperate, I snap my hands up, pulling at his arm – but, f**k, they do it again my hands start to heat immediately when they come into contact with him –

“What the f**k!” Jackson shouts, but he doesn’t run this time, he leans in closer, cutting off my air with the pressure of his arm against my windpipe. “What the f**k is happening!? What – what are you!?”

I cry out in pain and fear as Jackson realizes again what he must have dismissed as his imagination before-

That there’s something about me about us – that’s that’s different –

I scrabble at his arm, desperate to get away, but he’s so much bigger than me –

Suddenly there’s a sound like the crack of thunder in the air and I gasp as my breath comes back. My eyes fly open and I gasp as Jackson falls away from me, clutching the side of his head.

“Get the f**k away from him!” Rafe roars, his voice louder than I’ve ever heard it before, the Alpha command thick in his voice.

Jackson stumbles back and almost falls to the ground, but regains his footing as Rafe strides towards him, pulling his fist back and cracking Jackson against the jaw once – twice –

Jackson moans the second time and falls to the ground, his hands going to his face. Rafe pulls his leg back and delivers a kick to Jackson’s ribs and I swear I hear something crack.

“Stay the f**k away from him,” Rafe shouts, his voice desperate and afraid. “You touch him again, and I will kill you!” He kicks Jackson again and something in me breaks when I hear Jackson groan and then cough into the dust.

“Rafe!” I shout, stumbling forward. “Rafe, stop!”

My brother doesn’t listen, continuing to kick, and then he kneels down on the ground next to Jackson and cocks his elbow, ready to punch him in the face again while it’s pressed against the ground.

“Rafe!” I scream, running forward and grabbing his arm, putting my whole weight into it and knocking Rafe off balance so that he and I both fall into the dust.

Jackson pushes himself away from us, gasping for air and scrambling to his feet. Rafe turns to him in a rush, pushing to his own feet, and I let him go, covering my head, terrified suddenly that

Chapter 20

Jackson will retaliate-

away into the fog, working himself into a run and getting

spin to my brother, calling his name,

tears when I see blood on Rafe’s knuckles, because I have no idea if it’s Jackson’s, or if Rafe busted his hands when

me fall flat on my

go wide in horror when

gasp, desperate

to his knees. “I have been begging you to be careful – what the f**k were you thinking going out here

was just – I wanted to

tears that fall from his eyes. My eyes go wide and my heart sinks, because – I mean, I know he

bad idea for you to come here –” he growls, his voice shaking and desperate, “I told you it would be dangerous – but you and f**king Jesse just laughed and pretended

desperate, getting to my own knees now and crawling towards

him.

what dad would do to me if you got hurt!?” he shouts, his voice breaking now as he grabs my shoulders and shakes me. “Do you –” his lip trembles now, and he completely gives up on trying not to cry – “do you know what it would do to me if you got hurt? F**k, Ariel, it would kill me -” his hands move to my

of my

guilt filling every sorry,” I cry, shaking my head.

me to him, his arms around me tight. “I love you so much I’ve always loved

hysterical little laugh breaks from me and I bury my head against his chest.

Chapter 20

feel his rage passing a little, his breaths coming slower

–

my eyes shut and lean my cheek against his chest. “You’re right it was stupid I should have

–

help the smile that comes back to my face, because I can tell that he’s…he’s merely pissed now, instead of in a full–on dad–style Alpha rage. Rafe raises a shaking hand to stroke my head, almost as if he’d run it over my hair, if I weren’t wearing this stupid ever–present

mutter, laughing a little.

on me, looking down into my face and shaking his head. at me like I’m the most agitating thing he’s

he’s exhausted, he falls back on his ass in the middle of the trail, clearly

from him, hunching over, emotionally and physically exhausted even though it’s not even seven in

on, Ari,” Rafe whispers, still shaking his head a me like he’s trying to figure it out. “That guy he’s got it out for

–

my lip, because….well, because I have an answer to

move to my mouth and his eyes flare, flicking back up to mine. “What is it?” he instantly demands, because, damn it, he’s known

lip, my own eyes going