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.

pedestal as I sling on my pack and pick up my boxed temporary uniform. And as she greets him, he’s

the nice tailer looks up at him, her eyes widen with surprise and pleasure, and I can

the hall, and he laughs as he pulls me away from the doorway. “Time to go to the dorms. She’s not going to steal your man in

mean, she

I have other things to wonder about

laugh at myself, because how can this not be the first thing I checked? I balance my box on one arm, lifting open the top and reaching my hand in, searching for

it even be close to Rafe and Jesse? What will the bathrooms be like

and putting a hand on my arm as I search. “We made sure you’re in with

ask, looking between them. “I’m rooming with

Jesse says, slipping an arm around my shoulders. “We had them add a little matchbox bed in the corner for our pet

strings and make changes?” I breathe, shocked and suddenly very excited. “Did you already

dad….might have pulled some strings before we enrolled as candidates,” Rafe says, “just in case we got admitted as cadets.” He shrugs like it’s no big deal, which just makes me burst out

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

for anything.” Rafe

down the hall, taking

this once-

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

gesturing to his admittedly gorgeous face, “completely inherited. I did nothing to earn

making Rafe laugh

a duke has gotten me a serious amount of tail, and your

fascinated and dying to know

so he can give Jesse a shove. “Fine, you both got me, we’re spoiled rotten, and mommy and daddy got

cares about that anymore,” I breathe, rapt, “tell me

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

step closer to Jesse as we

me tell me tell me,” I whisper, looking up at him, my face all eagerness.

five years ago,” he says, his voice very wise voice as he slides his arm Rafe’s place around my shoulder, “when Rafe met this very nice foreign

in