The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Chapter 66

We spend a long time under that tree as Jackson tells me the long story about how he stayed up for three weeks in a row, only giving in because he was so incredibly bored by the end of it. About how he just wandered around at night all alone, doing chores and going for runs just to have something to do. About how he missed dreaming, and missed rest, because while he wasn’t precisely tired, in a bodily sort of way, he was exhausted mentally.

“We need sleep, I think, to turn off our minds,” he says at the end of it, thoughtful. “Life’s hard enough as it is we need time away from it all, I guess.”

“Yes, that makes sense,” I murmur passively, all my words blurring together as I sit with my chin still propped in my hand, just staring at him, mesmerized.

Because god, he’s gorgeous. Jackson – he’s so brutal at first sight, all harsh lines and scars and darkness. But the more time you spend with him and the more he opens up the more you see the grace in him. It’s almost, somehow, like he…tucks it away, hiding it. But when he lets it out?

His face just….lights up, like a flaming beacon in the night. And god, is he breathtaking.

“I mean, it makes sense, right?”

I startle out of my reverie and curse myself for letting myself get lost in “Hmm?” I say, straightening up.

my mate’s

gaze.

He laughs at me. “Sorry,” he says, running a hand through his messy hair, “I’ve been boring.”

“Jackson,” I say, my voice low with the understatement, “you’ve been the opposite of boring. I got…completely lost in what you were saying.”

He grins, desperately pleased at the compliment, and his mouth to say more –

opens

But I gasp, suddenly looking around. “Shit, what time is it!?”

my god,” he says, dropping my hand suddenly and springing to his feet. “Shit, Clark,

“Oh

we’re late

satchel off the floor, thrusting it against

I shout, pushing the satchel back to

books. He grabs my hand and basically drags me through the halls once we’re inside, towards my Chemistry classroom.

where this is!?” I gasp

my shoulder at me, like I’m stupid for not knowing that of

especially as I consider that Jackson fulfilled his promise to Rafe that

he’s not doing it

doing it

to

my satchel from his

the door, anxious to

you,” Jackson murmurs,

more time but unable to stop myself. Jackson turns, staring at me. I shake my head, speaking all in a hurry. “Come to our room,” I beg,

an ironic eyebrow,

say as I grin and grab

a second and then nods once before turning away, heading down

and twist the

what emergency

my seat. “No emergencies. Just…lost track of time….

tardiness will make itself known by a reduced grade on your next quiz, Clark” Neumann says, turning back to the board as I sit down. “Don’t let

the terms,

the morning with Jackson under an oak tree, holding his hand and

do it again in a heartbeat, damn the

that I’m already bathed, changed into a fresh uniform, and sitting on

snap the moment the door

dead in their tracks.

Jesse says, staring at me, standing stock still. “What’d

get to my feet, grabbing the note I got at breakfast off the coffee table and waving at them. “And I have plans! Which you

crosses the room and snatches the note from my hand. I don’t answer, planting my hands on my hips and frowning at him,

1

hell is Daphne?” Rafe murmurs.