The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Chapter 48

1

My eyes go wide as I gasp, spinning to see Alvez walking down the hall, completely nonchalant. But that was no ghost, sneaking an intimate touch when my brother’s back was turned.

“What is it?” Rafe asks, turning towards me.

“Sorry, I uh–just saw a spider,” 1 murmur. “Really big one.”

“Gross,” Jesse says, a shiver running through him. I grin at him, because Jesse hates spiders.

“Yeah, let’s get out of here,” Rafe says, nodding towards the elevator at the end of the hall. “Ari and I have to have a chat after all.”

“Really?” Jesse gasps as we step into the elevator. “What about!? Do I get to come. too?”

“No,” Rafe says, slinging an arm around my shoulders and glaring over at our cousin. “Siblings only for this one.”

Jesse hangs his head back as the elevator lifts us swiftly into the air. “That’s so unfair,” he groans. “Come on, I’m basically a sibling – our dads our brothers, our moms are sisters! Genetically, I’m pretty much the same

“Don’t be weird,” Rafe says, glancing over at Jesse with his brows knit as the elevator door opens and we start down the hall.

Jesse continues to complain all the way into the room but Rafe ignores him and I laugh, because Jesse can be such a baby when he doesn’t get his way. But eventually Jesse flops, defeated and depressed to be deprived of the gossip, onto his bed as Rafe pushes me towards the bathroom.

“Rafe, you can pee alone,” I mutter, tossing my chemistry book onto my bed as I

1. go.

“This is about secrecy not bodily functions,” he murmurs, shutting the door behind him and leaning back on it. “Which I’d think would be something you appreciated, considering this is a conversation about your mate. So?” He raises an eyebrow at me. “Spill.”

I sigh, closing the lid to the toilet and sitting down on it, taking off my cap and

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Chapter 48

taking a moment to massage my sore scalp under its tight braid. Rafe listens quietly and carefully as I tell him everything about Jackson about his apology in the bathroom that allowed me to see a different side of him, my impulsive invitation to breakfast, and then about his waiting to go into his obstacle course. with me, and the hint and the help he gave.

more contemplative than angry, which is probably a good thing. “So,” he says, looking studiously down at the floor with

being nice to me because he does sense a connection. between us. But I think that if he knew I was

before he sinks to the floor a bit. “It’s all just so weird, Ari,” he murmurs, shaking his head. “I

because it feels nice to be able to talk to

you have a right to get to know your mate,” he murmurs, “that’s important. But there’s so much at risk. And he did seriously try

again. Honestly, if anything, it feels like his instincts are swinging in the other direction, and

he’s your mate, he’s got some impulse to protect you?” Rafe asks, looking up at me. “I mean, that makes sense…the way dad protects mom feels just like

stirs in me at the comparison to dad and mom – because they feel just so

Jackson? I…just met him.

And Luca?

at the thought of them. And very good

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Chapter 48

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the rump. She spins in a circle

his head a little with a big sigh. “I’ll try to be nicer. Though it will not be easy.”

smile, starting to thank him, but a knock comes out

somewhere else, Jesse,” Rafe says, his voice exhausted.

Jesse replies, dry, “but

Rafe gets to his feet too, but his

mine?” he asks, heading for it. “I want to

say, grinning at him and heading for the door, eager to see what the seamstress did to my uniform to make it fit better. Rafe starts to strip off his shirt as I pull

snicking the door shut behind me. “You have a guest, Mr. Clark,” he says, his voice half devious and half angry. “Who is asking

I follow Jesse’s gesturing hand towards there door, where I burst into a grin to see the seamstress here in the flesh, a black box

so happy to see you! I made some modifications, but, um…” her eyes drift over to Jesse

from her hands and head for

seamstress and I stop short in our

say, grimacing at my cousin a little as I resume my steps.

kind of…figured it out yesterday.”

Chapter 48

spreads on the seamstress’s face as she looks between my cousin and me.

his hands and turning away from me, his—- shoulders shaking a little bit. “You can’t

seamstress asks, stepping closer to me as I put the box on my bed and start to