The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Chapter 47

My eyes immediately dart to Rafe and Jesse across the room, but they’re caught up in their conversations with Jackson and Tony.

“No no,” Aivez says, his voice soft and pleased. “Don’t shout for your brother, Ariel. That would be a poor choice.”

I turn my eyes back to the professor as, inside me, my wolf’s hackles raise.

“Don’t misunderstand – I am excited that you are here, highness,” Alvez murmurs, giving my hand a little squeeze. “I’m looking forward to working with you, developing your powers. But, of course, if anyone were to discover that I knew that a young woman had infiltrated the academy…I would lose my job.”

I stare at him, instantly realizing the trap that he’s laid for me here. If I reveal to anyone that he knows who I am even my brothers – he’ll have me expelled, even

if it means he goes too.

“Mutually assured destruction,” he murmurs, seeing me process the consequences. “So, I think it’s best that the two of us work together, don’t you? Trust, after all,” he says, his voice low and luxurious, “is the foundation of any great relationship.”

“Fine,” I say, my word hardly a whisper as I nod. “Please just…don’t…”

“Ariel,” he murmurs, moving closer, his eyes slowly drifting over my face. “Your secret is safe with me.”

I exhale slowly.

“But,” he continues, “you could thank me for my generosity.”

“Thank you,” I say instantly, the words falling from my mouth, and the way that he grins…

Instantly I realize how under his thumb I am.

How much he likes forcing my hand, making me his little puppet.

“You are welcome, my Princess,” he purrs. Alvez takes another moment to stare into my eyes before turning to look at the marble, his entire demeanor changing in an instant. I stare at him, shocked a little to see that he is again the mind- mannered professor. “Now,” he says, grinning. “I’ll do my best to push my power

Chapter 47

towards you. What do you think, should we try to levitate it? Or push?”

“Um,” I reply, still staring at him, a little shocked.

“Let’s try push.” he says, glancing at me with a friendly grin. “Concentrate now, Clark. See what you can do.”

moment longer, still rattled by his revelation and the way that he took control. But then I loose my breath and concentrate because…what else

turns, if I do anything at all beyond what he says, I’m kicked out of school. So…I comply

my hand where it’s clasped in Alvez’s begins to heat – and more than the

my hand a squeeze. “It’s totally normal – don’t get

attention back to the marble, and I do willing it first to lift, and then to move, and then to…I don’t know,

he says, smiling at me with encouragement as he claps me on the shoulder. “It may just be that our particular magics do not speak to each other. Shall

results, but when no one reports any ability to make the marble do anything at all, he just sighs and puts us in new

Tony this time, who gives me a friendly nod.

me. After awhile I find myself almost in a…meditative state. I’m calm, and relaxed,

jump when Alvez again claps his hands – because, how long was that? It felt like

Chapter 47

about three minutes….

that about

to murmur something about. the marble

a smile on his lips, and I instantly grin as I realize that his experience, somehow, matched my own. “I kind of forgot about the

laughs. “Me

cool wasn’t it!?”

he whispers back, laughing more now with the joy of it. “I’m so cozy, warm in my soul.

I

says, pitching his voice louder to interrupt us. Tony and I both turn to him and when Alvez flicks his eyes down to our still–joined hands, I blush a little

down at me, perhaps wondering why I’m not sharing more, but I just stand straight and don’t look at him, hoping

in my soul now, her eyes half- lidded in her relaxation. Let’s not tell the professor anything until we know more about what he

agreeing with her.

says, quirking his head to the side. Then he looks up at the clock. “We are out of time,” he says with a little chagrin. “For homework, I’d like each of you to get into your last pairing and try again for longer this time. At least a full hour. Come to our class in two days ready to report your results. Sinclair? Please come over here to arrange a time to meet with me privately.”

to us before moving to his desk, starting to pack up his bag

Jackson, who turns to me.

the only

to crane my head back on my

says quietly, his

I burst into a grin and laugh, just

he asks, frowning now,

really nice,” I answer quietly, shrugging one shoulder, “even though your tone and your expression still say you want to

little and stares at me. “Wait, really?”

4. 4.