The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Chapter 31

Jackson takes a long moment to size up Luca, I think feeling more comfortable with direct confrontation than small talk. “No secrets, Grant,” he says quietly. “Just genuinely f**king good at it.”

Luca’s smirk deepens. “At least you’re good for the grunt work,” he says quietly, and my spine straightens at the cruel edge to his words. “Even the military needs its brutes on the front line.”

The table goes quiet at the clear implication in Luca’s words. My eyes flick over Luca again, unsettled by this aggression.

“I seem to recall,” Jackson says slowly, carefully, “that I beat you out on the intelligence exam too, Grant.”

Jesse’s mouth forms into a scandalized, delighted little “o” as he looks eagerly between Jackson and Luca, and a scandalized little laugh stumbles from Ben’s mouth. Rafe and I are completely silent.

Luca just leans back in his chair and grins, flicking his eyes over Jackson like he knows he could take him.

Even though…honestly, he might be the only person at the table who believes that.

“Thanks for breakfast,” Jackson says, smoothly breaking the awkward silence and standing up from his chair.

“Stay,” I say, leaning forward, the word popping from my lips before I realize it.

“Nah, I’m finished, and I want to warm up,” Jackson says, pushing his chair in and looking towards the tray–bussing station. But before he goes, he flicks his blue gaze back to me and holds my eyes seriously. “But thank you for the invitation. No one…no one has asked me to eat with them yet. It means a lot.”

I stay still for a moment, captivated by his gaze, but then he just nods to me.

And I nod back.

And then he’s walking away.

“Ari, why the hell did you ask him to eat with us?” Rafe growls, leaning across the table to yell at me once Jackson’s out of earshot.

“Because I felt bad for him, Rafe,” I say, gesturing in Jackson’s direction. “Didn’t

– no one, for two whole weeks you hear what he just said

“And did you ever imagine,” Luca says, his voice dry, “that maybe there’s a reason why no one asked him to eat with them? Because he’s a dangerous jerk?”

blinks at me in surprise. “Don’t try to pretend I’m silly enough to not have bothered imagining why people might not like Jackson. But I also don’t imagine that most people have your particular reason for disliking him, okay? Just because you don’t like him doesn’t mean that everyone else needs to feel the same way.”

Luca’s gaze while he just stares at me, I think a little shocked to see the funny little Shrimp he’s

talking about?” Jesse asks, leaning

nodding up towards

is right, and push to my feet, my hands shaking a little as I grab my tray. Rafe waits patiently for Luca,

me, “the moment we get into the

sigh and look up at him, words on my lips ready to explain –

at my brother. “Does that mean you think I’m going to get

Even if I’m going to kick your ass for that stunt the moment we get inside,” he sighs, slinging an arm around my shoulders as we head for the gym, “I do think you’re going to pull

wells in me at my brother’s

precisely what I needed to hear as I head into the gym, ready to meet

Chapter 31

my fate.

and wish them good luck, knowing that I won’t see them again until the ceremony in which the final rankings are announced. We’ll be allowed back in the barracks after the obstacle course, but just

surely change after this obstacle run – I

and a salute of good luck. I grin as I turn away from him, hoping to hell he makes it

of my pack. But I sigh and just do my best to stand far away from him. As we pass through the door, I’m surprised to see a small group of Academy professors in black waiting

further, I do a bit of

obstacle course, kneeling down and messing with the tie of his boot of all

step into place at the back of the line. Once I’m there, the professors begin to move slowly down the line,

nobody looks any worse for the wear. So

turn comes.

a Lieutenant says, making notes on a clip board as the professor comes to stand in front of me. When the Lieutenant

the professor looks me seriously in the

the sphere in your hands, Clark. Nothing else is required of

obsidian glass, but instead…clear glass, in which shadows swirl and pulse. I go still with

you.

I jump a little before handing the sphere back

a little ridiculous. I mean, I didn’t actually do him any favors. He smirks at me, looking me up and down before he moves with

after him when someone barks my name again.

as I realize that all of the other candidates are

L

a runners stance, ready to make a break for it