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?”

He 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

think a little shocked to see the funny little Shrimp he’s gotten to know push back like this.

you two talking

up towards

hands shaking a little as I grab my tray. Rafe waits patiently for Luca, Jesse, and Ben to move ahead, falling in next to me as we walk to bus our trays.

quietly, glaring down at me, “the moment we

and look up at him, words on

then I grin instead, my eyes crinkling as I look up at my brother.

full one from my hands and putting it on the rack below his. “It does,” he says, his voice sure. “I believe in you, Ari. 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 it

me at my brother’s confidence, and honestly?

think it’s precisely what I needed to hear as

Chapter 31

my fate.

Luca, Jesse and Rafe are invited in way before Ben and I. I give Jesse and Rafe both hugs and wish them good luck, knowing that

currently ranked in the middle of the pack a status which will surely

I grin as I turn away

him. As we pass through the door, I’m surprised to see a small group

study him further, I do a bit of a double–take,

the start line of the obstacle course, kneeling down and messing

and step into place at the back of the line. Once I’m there, the professors begin to move slowly down the line, the handsome professor at the center handing the orb to each of us in turn and observing us carefully for a few

looks any worse for the

turn comes.

the professor comes to stand in front of me. When

looks me seriously in

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

ball. But no one answers me. As I stare at the orb, I realize that it’s not a solid ball of obsidian glass, but instead…clear glass, in which shadows swirl and pulse. I go still with surprise as I watch the black clouds, and as I stare I even see…little pulses of purple lightening flash through them, as thin as thread and so fast you’d swear your eyes

you.

a little before handing the sphere back to him.

reply, and then I blush, because I feel 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 his colleagues

him when someone barks

all of the other candidates are lined up at the

L

over, falling in line, putting my hands on my left knee in a runners stance, ready to make a break for it when the whistle