The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Chapter 35

My breathe freezes in my lungs as the young tailor and I stare at each other, neither of us blinking.

I mean, I am not someone who can claim anything close to the dangerous curves of a temptress, but I am decidedly a girl. Like my mom, I have smaller breasts, but my waist is small and my hips are far from narrow.

The seamstress stares at me for another second before she blinks rapidly, clarity suddenly coming to her face, studying me as she puts the pieces together. “Please,” I say, lifting my hands up and shaking my head vehemently, “please, I am begging you…”

And then a grin bursts onto her mouth.

My stomach absolutely sinks to the floor in relief.

The girl’s smile widens and she nods once, glancing over at the other tailors, who have not looked our way. “I’ll fudge the measurements,” she whispers, nodding to me again, more eagerly this time. “Give you a little extra room for…..mystery. And I’ll send along some stretchy fabric for…”

She quickly gestures towards her own breasts, just subtly, and relief floods through

1. me.

“Thank you,” I whisper as she beams and finishes up measuring my arms, around my neck, and finally my inseam. “Thank you, I owe you everything.”

“You’re welcome,” she says, looking up at me as if she genuinely means it. “I’m…I’m really excited for you, Cadet Clark. I think it’s great.”

And as we grin at each other, I quite suddenly wish we had more time-

Because she seems like the kind of girl that I could really talk to. And, all in a rush, I suddenly miss girl time with a vehemence that surprises me. I mean, I love my brother and my cousin and all my new friends here

But if I could just have ten minutes to sit and talk to a girl who is my friend and confidant, who I can laugh with and spill my heart to…

“Go ahead,” she says, nodding her head to the side and giving me a wink. “You’re all finished. Uniforms will be delivered tomorrow. Good luck!”

I grin my thanks to her again and, while I probably should be worried that she’s lying and is going to tell her superiors the moment I get out of the room, somehow as I watch her finish up her notes, I am not nervous at all.

jealous when I notice that Luca is the next one to step on her pedestal as I sling on my pack and pick up my boxed temporary uniform. And

and pleasure, and I can see that his charm

Jesse whispers to me. He’s already out in the hall, and he laughs as he pulls me away from

at the thought because I mean, she is pretty and clearly

have other things to wonder about right now.

I checked? I balance my box on

it even be close to Rafe and

grinning at me and putting a hand on my arm as I search.

ask, looking between them. “I’m rooming

had them add a little matchbox bed in the

did you already pull strings and make changes?” I breathe, shocked

have pulled some strings before we enrolled as candidates,” Rafe says, “just in case we got

him. “You used nepotism to get the best suite in the

we rarely use our royal privilege for anything.” Rafe says, slinging an arm

down the hall, taking me

this once-

that we grew up in a palace, and had world–class educations by the time we were

admittedly gorgeous face,

titles,” I continue, making Rafe laugh even more at his understatement.

nodding, “being a duke has gotten me a serious amount of tail, and

fascinated and dying to

we’re spoiled rotten, and mommy and daddy got us the nice room. I admit it! But…you’re not going to guilt me into

that anymore,” I breathe,

Rafe just groans, shaking his head and striding ahead. “Drop it, Ari!” he calls back. “We’re not having this conversation! Ever!”

to Jesse as we

whisper, looking up at him, my face

very wise voice as he slides his arm Rafe’s place around my shoulder, “when Rafe met this very nice foreign exchange student named

in