The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Chapter 60

Time at the Academy presents neat little patterns for us, and Rafe, Jesse, and I fall gratefully into them. Because life? It is busy. Every morning Jesse gets me up early, making me go for a run with him even before we go to breakfast. I’d enjoy these moments with my favorite cousin more if I wasn’t so damn tired every day.

“Can we get a coffee maker in the suite,” I pant, my breath puffing in little clouds in the damp and foggy air. “I can’t go for these runs without the aid of caffeine.”

“Come on, Scrimpy!” Jesse laughs, putting on a burst of speed and swatting me on the shoulder as he pulls ahead, obliging me to keep up. “Let your zest for life wake you in the morning! Not caffeine!”

“Life would be much more zesty with a little espresso,” I growl, sighing and speeding up to keep pace. “With a side of biscotti!”

After our run, we hastily get dressed and go to breakfast with our group. Luca, to my chagrin and agony, continues to ice me out. He sits with me at every meal, and at dinner he jokes with me and the rest of our group like nothing’s changed. But not once does he try to pull me aside, to make a moment to talk about what happened between us in the birch forest.

What he maybe, probably now knows the incredible secret he’s carrying, that I’m trusting

him with.

Breakfast, of course, wouldn’t be the best time to talk about anything, gathered as we are around our little round table, but still I’m dying to talk about what happened, to learn what he figured out about my secret, and he just…won’t let me.

–

“Luca,” I growl the next morning when Rafe and Jesse get up to go speak to some other warrior candidates about a group project they’re working on and Ben obligingly tucks his nose into a book. “What are –”

“No here, Shrimp,” Luca replies, his voice low. “This is a way bigger conversation that we’re not having in the Hall.”

“Well then why won’t you meet me in the…” I hesitate, glancing Ben’s way, because I almost

said dream. Ben just turns his page, looking for all the world like he’s completely lost in his textbook. “Forest,” I conclude, the word pressed between my teeth.

Luca narrows his eyes at me. “Oh, you want to meet in the forest?” he says, his lips turning up with the irony of it. “The one you can just make disappear whenever you’re done talking? Come on, Shrimp. You haven’t played fair for weeks, and you’re still not. I need… more than that.”

My mouth falls at his stubbornness and I realize, quite suddenly, that Luca – whatever he has figured out – is not at all freaked out.

mad at

we all pretty much read at breakfast today, trying to cram everything in while we can – because… Luca is right. I have not been fair, and while I’m

choices…

my mate take the brunt of it, haven’t I?

I whisper, looking down at my

head up, looking at him with wide eyes. “Don’t worry about it,” he says, glancing over at me. “Just… not here. Not at dinner, either. We need a space where it’s just

“So when…”

exasperated, lifting his eyes to meet mine. “Considering how your cousins never

blush at the way that he emphasizes the word cousins, wondering if

looking towards Luca as he lifts his coffee to his lips and swigs it

says, cheerfulness immediately returning to his expression as

get Ari to Chemistry?” Rafe asks Ben as Luca and Jesse collect their things.

towards their early class. As he leaves, Luca brushes his arm against mine casual enough that

when I look up at him, and see him looking down at me, his eyes

it, but it makes me want to jump right back into

textbook, forcing my mind onto Chemistry, because I know that Neumann is going to quiz us hard today

spot a seat away from me, his

say, looking up at him.

his eyes down, but I see the way his lips turn up. “He’s obsessed with you too, all right?” My jaw drops open a little bit. “Whatever little lover’s quarrel you’re going through here it’s going to get sorted out. Trust

–

my head to the side, still shocked but also incredibly interested. “What do you mean?”

a great guy, but he wants the upper hand.” Ben shrugs. “But think about who you are, Ari. If you owe him an apology, give it, but don’t crawl after him begging him to accept it. You,” he says, looking at me significantly, “bow

very straight in my chair for a second, staring at my very perceptive friend with an open mouth, before my face bursts into a smile. “When did

textbook as I change seats, moving closer and bringing my book and coffee along. “Like I told you, four sisters. Luca’s no puppy dog that’s going to follow you around begging for treats, but trust

he says, nodding to my

love you,” I murmur, bumping my shoulder

ya,” he sighs happily. And then we study, my mind successfully turned to the more pressing matter right now:

think to myself, concentrating. My wolf huffs in

because obviously I see my second mate that afternoon in magic class. He doesn’t greet me as I slip into the seat next to him, settling my chemistry books on the text in front of me. Instead, Jackson just glances my way before turning his attention back to the board, where Alvez