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 in

at my plate as I push around my eggs, because I’d much rather

you today?” Jesse asks, nudging Luca with his

terse, flicking his eyes

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

digging in. “And what was so troubling about it?” he asks, and I can tell that he’s almost vibrating with eagerness now, just

my cousin, wishing I could shoot death rays from

that I knew so little about

my earlier determination to keep

was delicious,” Jesse chimes in, turning his head to Luca, fascinated as to where this

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

Luca, confused: “Why does that bother you?”

talk about desert. “Let’s just…all go around. Say our

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

then he turns to Jesse, clearly keeping me for

Rafe that he just likes chocolate chip cookies, I renew my

there again. The plan I came up with last night to convince him that it was real?

and Jesse turns to him a bit with a frown, because in public Luca never calls me by what he thinks is my name – he always calls me Shrimp.

Rafe asks, quietly looking between us.

sigh. “I like chocolate cake too, Luca,” I say casually, taking Ben’s desert when I can’t think of

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

—

peer at him, trying to figure

–

for another piece of toast from the bread basket.

Jesse,

to stay,

his mouth full, “is strawberry ice cream, with whipped cream, and

I wouldn’t even touch

cream

goes pale as I turn my eyes back to Luca.

me in complete shock, his jaw hanging almost to

table is silent for a long

he realizes that he just caused some kind of drama that he’s going to get to hear