The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Chapter 57

“Sorry,” Jackson says, frowning a little at me as he continues to hold the plate out, his own dinner plate in his hand. “You…said to come for dinner. Should I…not have come?”

“N–no,” I stammer, taking the plate from him and shaking my head. “Of course, Jackson. Forgive me…I just….lost track of time.”

He shrugs, the corner of his lip turning up. “Happens to the best of us. So…” he says, straightening up and holding his plate with two hands, glancing over his shoulder at the packed room. “Where should we…”

I look with him, a little surprised to see all four of the usually chatty boys eating quietly, bent over their own textbooks. And then I scowl, realizing that there’s absolutely no room for Jackson and I to comfortably sit.

“Best plan,” Luca offers, glancing up towards us, “is probably just to settle yourself into the Shrimp Nook. Plenty of room in there.”

Rafe snaps his head up, scowling at Luca, and I clench my own teeth.

Because Luca – he doesn’t know just how far he’s pushing his “I don’t care” attitude. He’s trying to embarrass me, but if he knew precisely who he was inviting to sit in my bed with me? He’d flip out.

Luca just smirks, unable to hide it as he focuses on his book.

Jackson turns to me, raising an eyebrow.

But I just sigh and gesture at the other half of my bed, inviting Jackson to take a seat.

As he does, my wolf yips with happiness, pouncing excitedly in my soul. Close the curtain!, she urges, nearly delirious at the smell of Jackson so close in our personal space, see if you can get him to take off his shirt!

I grown inwardly, trying to shove her away, but she just ignores me, continuing to spin.

Rafe clears his throat and my eyes dart immediately to him as he glares at me. But I just

1/5

sigh, and shrug, and look meaningfully at the curtain, which is wide open.

His glare intensifies but I roll my eyes. Because honestly, even if Jackson is my mate and is technically on my bed, what the hell does Rafe think is going to happen with the curtain open and an audience of four spread directly in front of us?

see if you can

says, turning towards me as he unrolls his fork and knife from his napkin and settles his plate on

twines egg noodles onto his fork before stabbing a meatball, lifting both to his mouth. I can’t help it when my eyes drift to the way his biceps swell, even the muscles of his forearm defined

only when he starts chewing and frowns at my elongated silence before

he so gorgeous even when

to remember what he’s here for. “Oh, um,” I say, suddenly turning towards my bedside table and looking for the marble. Jackson’s hand snaps out, catching the edge of my plate before it falls from my lap.

“Careful,” he murmurs.

grabbing the marble, setting it between us when I sit back up straight.

looking down at the marble. “Are you comfortable?”

bed, and my pillows, and my

my mouth before straightening pillows, closing my books, and pulling myself on top of my blankets. I take another bite of my dinner

turn to Jackson, swallowing my food, I’m shocked to

I ask,

the shaggy brown hair that he’s tucked behind his car. I blink only when he clears his

I can focus on the marble, though I admit that my gaze drifts up to where Rafe is scowling in his chair and Luca looks completely unperturbed, reading his text like it’s the most fascinating thing that’s ever presented itself,

to Jackson. When he doesn’t take it, I turn to him, surprised – because…I mean, Alvez said we had to have

his eyes from my hand to meet my gaze. “I mean,” he says, soft enough to not be overheard, “what if

even though I know we’re both aware of

then shrug. “Maybe it will help,” I whisper back, dropping my hand to the blanket between us but still keeping

keeps his eyes on mine, though his narrow a bit. Then he glances, just for half a second at everyone else in the room. “But why,” he says, frustration on the edge of his voice, “does your magic call to mine? Or vice

I know the answer to

I’m deliberately keeping it from him.

me to just tell him, to let him smell my scent, to

in on it.

just can’t. There’s still way too much

I’m lying. He doesn’t know what,

murmurs, “Let’s just…do this.”

his hand and grabs mine, our palms pressing flat together, his fingers folding around mine in

always does when my hands touch him. My eyes instantly dart to the room as Rafe and Jesse

us, but past them whatever force Jackson and I created brushed by