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.

tracks are equally good,” Rafe cuts

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

asks, nudging Luca with

Luca says, terse, flicking his eyes up

his gaze to me, but I quickly dart my eyes back to my plate,

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

eyes to glare at my cousin, wishing I could shoot death rays from my pupils to knock him dead

Luca says, his voice low and dangerous, “was that I knew so little about my friends. For instance,

earlier determination to keep

coffee cake was delicious,” Jesse chimes in, turning his head to Luca, fascinated as to where this is going.

me, “I have no idea what any of your favorite

confused: “Why does

is pretending to so casually talk about desert. “Let’s just…all go around. Say our favorite deserts. Ben?” he says, and I jump a little when he snaps his gaze to Ben

at me, picking up on the weird vibe. “Um, I

says, dry. And then he turns to

reports that his 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

up with last night to convince him that it was real? That was foolish – it is so,

and Jesse turns to him a bit with a frown, because in public Luca never calls me by what

Rafe asks,

casually, taking Ben’s desert when

and, after a long moment, see his shoulders slump. Though

—

at him, trying to figure it

–

says, laughing and shaking his head and reaching for another piece of toast from the bread basket. “Everyone knows that you

whips to Jesse, his eyes going

I start to stay, but he’s still going.

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

the memory of twenty–some birthdays when I wouldn’t even touch the cake –

cream

pale as I turn my eyes back to

at me in complete shock, his jaw hanging almost to the

silent for

swiveling 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