The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Chapter 43

“Hi!” 1 say, forcing my face into my best cheerful–Princess grin. “There’s coffee! Come sit down!”

Luca just narrows his eyes at me a little more, suspicious, and goes to the other side of the table, sitting with Jesse.

My stomach twists at this – Luca almost always sits by me. And while Ben took his spot today…I don’t know. Something about the way Luca keeps his eyes on me even as he rounds the table…

God, I feel like a little rabbit being watched by a hungry wolf.

We’re wolves too! My wolf reminds me, snapping her jaws eagerly in response to Luca’s predatory prowl. Let’s not let him see us sweat.

I nod, inwardly, and proceed as if absolutely nothing is wrong, determined not to let Luca think that I know at all why he might be in a mood.

Even though that I am well aware that I am very much the cause of it.

–

–

I did more thinking last night, and I decided in the end that I’ve been very foolish with the dream state. Even though my wolf is disappointed in my decision, I’ve decided not to use it anymore – it’s just too risky.

Instead, I’m going to put my feelings for my mate aside and concentrate on succeeding here at school. After all, that’s why dad didn’t let girls in in the first place – there’s enough to do here without romantic distractions.

I’m not going to be the first girl in, just to fail out because I couldn’t stop mooning over a boy.

Rafe, Jesse, and Ben chat excitedly about their mornings, those on Warrior track eating faster than Ben and I because they have a workout this morning while Ben and I have an extra hour before class.

“Why do you think that is?” he asks me frowning.

“Who knows,” I say, giving a little shrug. “Maybe we’ll have like…extra homework to do in the mornings or something.”

“Nerd track,” Jesse murmurs, and I shoot him a dirty little glare.

Chapter 43

“Don’t be jealous, dumb jock track.” I throw back at him, and he just grins.

equally good,” Rafe

looking down at my plate as I push around my eggs, because I’d much rather he was his old self. This quiet, moody Luca – it makes me anxious.

Jesse asks, nudging Luca with

his eyes up to me. “Weird

me, but I quickly dart my eyes back to my plate, inwardly stringing

troubling about it?” he asks, and I can tell that he’s almost vibrating with eagerness now, just dying for more material to tease

wishing I could shoot death rays from

that I knew so little about my friends. For instance, I shared with you all what my

my earlier determination to keep cool.

Jesse chimes in, turning his head

says, his eyes still trained on me, “I have no

to Luca, confused: “Why does that bother

talk about desert. “Let’s just…all go around. Say our favorite deserts. Ben?” he says,

up on the weird

Luca says, dry. And then he turns to Jesse,

favorite is bread pudding, and Rafe that he just likes chocolate chip cookies, I renew my determination to stick to the plan I made last night. When Luca gets to me? I

was a figment of his imagination – I’m never going to meet him there again. The plan I came up with last night to convince him that it was real? That was foolish – it is so, so much simpler to just…..never go there again.

Luca asks, and Jesse turns to him a bit with a frown, because in public Luca never

Rafe asks, quietly looking

Luca,” I say casually, taking Ben’s desert when

and, after a long moment, see his shoulders slump. Though the expression on his face is it relief?

—

to figure it out,

–

piece of toast from the bread basket.

head whips to Jesse, his eyes going

start to stay,

he says, taking a bite of his toast and talking with his mouth full, “is strawberry ice cream, with whipped cream, and so

head at the memory of twenty–some birthdays when I wouldn’t even touch the cake – only wanting scoop after

cream

I turn my eyes back to

me in complete shock, his jaw hanging

table is silent for a long moment.

between us, delight on his face as he realizes that he just caused some kind of drama that he’s going to get to hear all