The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Chapter 40

“What, you’re not going to show me!?” Luca presses, laughing and reaching again for my schedule.

my

“No way!” I shout, turning so that my back is to the arm of the couchand I’ve got feet between us, ready to kick him away if I need to. I grew up with brothers and cousins, after all I know how to do a couch war. “I didn’t even get a look at it yet!”

“Well, then just tell me what your track is –”

“I cannot,” I say, holding my paper close so that it mysteriously covers half my face. “It is…a state secret.”

Luca laughs again, leaning forward. “You spy,” he hisses, and then quick as a snake he snatches the paper from my face, immediately leaning away and holding the paper far out of my reach.

“Give it back!” I demand, laughing, and throw myself after him, landing half in his lap as I reach for it. Luca laughs hard, but holds his long arm even across Rafe’s body. Rafe, grinning and obliging, snatches the paper out of Luca’s hand and gives it to Jesse.

“Not fair!” I shout, glaring at my brother and my cousin, even though I’m still laughing. “I didn’t even get to look at it yet –”

“Well you’re a shit spy, Ari,” Jesse says, grinning at me and lining my schedule up with his and Rafe’s on his lap, “if you don’t get the information and keep it to yourself for more than ten seconds.”

“Well, I haven’t learned anything about being a spy yet, Jesse,” I say, rolling my eyes at him even as I grin. “That’s why I’m here.”

“Congrats, Ari,” Rafe says, grinning at me. “I know you wanted Espionage Track.”

“Seriously, Shrimp, congratulations,” Luca says, smiling down at me, and as I turn my face to him I realize that I’m…well, I’m kind of still sprawled over his lap, aren’t

I?

I blush beet red, mumbling something about how I’m happy too, and do my best to gracefully crawl off of my mate and back to the corner of the couch.

Chapter 40

68%

Luca grins at me, his smile widening as he notices my awkwardness and my blush. “You’ll be great at it at least you’ll definitely be able to squeeze into all sorts of

tiny spaces.”

I prove him right by pressing myself deep into the corner of the couch, and when I glance to my side to I see Ben grinning at me in absolute wicked delight. I give him a dirty scowl, which just makes him laugh harder.

up at me

us?” I ask, taking my paper from Luca when he passes it to me, glad to have a minute to look at

says, leaning back in his chair and studying his schedule. “Ben, do you have a weird unnamed class in the afternoon with the three of us?

studying his schedule, “and no, I’ve got diplomacy every afternoon this week. Weird,

right. Almost every morning this week I’ve got Chemistry and Marksmanship, but twice this week – tomorrow included – I’ve got an unnamed seminar

my chin to peer over at his sheet. Seeing my interest, he hands his schedule to me and scooches closer so that we can study the papers together. He presses his shoulder to mine to do so, and

his eyes moving back and forth between our schedules. “Looks like we don’t have a single thing together, Shrimp.” He sighs and sits back, studying me with a sad twist to

fondly,” I reply with mock seriousness,

sweet place like this?” Luca leans forward, grabbing his unfinished dinner off the coffee table and starting to dig

Sun, 10 ar

Chapter 10

little bit at the prospect, leaning down to pick

light a fire.” Jesse says, leaning back in his chair and still studying his schedule with interest. “Let’s

68%

eagerly to the fire, starting to re–stack the logs so that they suit my liking a bit more. “You’ve all got to try some. Nan would

to myself, opening the flue to the chimney with a little smirk on my mouth.

but not too late – walking a fine line between knowing that they’re not going to be able to sleep tonight for the sake of excitement, and wanting very much to get

room is very cozy at night, it turns out. We spend a couple of hours laughing and chatting around the fire, the oil lamps that Rafe lights around the room giving everything a particularly comfortable glowing ambiance. The coffee cake really is very good, and I

from drifting back to Luca’s laughing face. I let myself fall quiet, allowing the boys take over the conversation, and instead I just…listen. As their words fade to a steady hum I drift away

want to tell my mom everything, all about it.

hand drifts to the hair ribbon in my pocket, and I doze off a little while I stroke the soft

don’t know how long later, and my eyes slowly drift open. It takes a second for me to focus on Luca, leaning towards me a little, but then I

10

Chapter 40

his lap. “Oh, I’m sorry.” I gasp, starting to pull them back, “I’m hogging

couch –”

68%

jump away. Slowly, liking the feel of his hand on my leg a little too much, I relax. “I’m just leaving now.” He murmurs. “But I wanted to say goodnight.” Slowly – almost like he

almost the sort of thing he wouldn’t notice that he was doing. But when I move my eyes back up to his, and find his intense stare

knows what

kind of at a loss for words, but when I glance up at the clock I startle. “Luca!” I gasp, leaning forward to smack him on the shoulder, “You have to get up in seven

says, shrugging and ignoring my weak blow. “Besides, it was

–” very relaxing listening to

up straight. “I did not –”