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

15

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 his

tank. “I mean, anything is possible, and I think he’s being nice to me because he does

“It’s all just so weird, Ari,” he murmurs, shaking his head. “I

me,” I say, but I smile at my brother because it feels

he murmurs, “that’s important. But there’s so much at risk. And he did seriously try to hurt you, which makes me very wary to let him into

you have to try, Rafe,” I say quietly. “I don’t think he’s going to try to hurt me again. Honestly, if anything, it feels like his instincts are swinging in the other direction, and he might

looking up at

me at the comparison to dad and mom – because they feel just so right together.

I…just met him.

And Luca?

both important, my wolf says, prancing gleefully at the thought of them.

12.02

Chapter 48

Tu Mar

the rump. She spins in a

head a little with a big sigh. “I’ll try to be

starting to thank him, but a knock comes out the door.

Jesse,” Rafe says, his

replies, dry, “but actually our uniforms are here.”

my cap. Rafe gets to his feet too, but his eyes move

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

my uniform to make it fit better. Rafe starts to strip off his shirt as I pull the door open, but I’m a little shocked to see Jesse standing right there, waiting for

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

there door, where I burst into a grin to see the seamstress here in

to see you! I made some modifications, but, um…” her eyes drift over to Jesse as she bites her lip.

worry about him,” I say, flapping a hand in his direction as I take the box from her hands and head for my nook. “Come over here! Thank you so much for bringing these up yourself! What’s your name? I’m

seamstress and I stop short

grimacing at my cousin a little as I resume my steps. “I forgot to

kind of…figured it out

Chapter 48

between my cousin and me. “Oh, a

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 unpack