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

the floor, thrusting it against my chest when I finally stand up straight. “We’ve

I shout, pushing the satchel back

run then, and Jackson beats me, obviously, even carrying both of our books. He grabs

do you even know where this is!?” I

I’m stupid for not knowing that of course. he would know where the Chemistry classroom is.

as I consider that Jackson fulfilled his promise to Rafe that he’d see me to my next class even though it means he’ll be even later for his.

know that he’s not doing it for

it for

by the time I get to the door.

asks, unstrapping my satchel from his

glancing towards the door, anxious to

Jackson murmurs, turning

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

eyebrow, which makes me laugh.

grin and grab the door handle. “Which is

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

and twist the handle, pressing into the

at me, clearly annoyed. “And what emergency has kept you

say, hurrying to my seat. “No

your next quiz, Clark” Neumann says, turning back

nod, agreeing to the terms, even as I realize that…

chance to spend the morning with Jackson under an

in a

changed into a fresh uniform, and sitting on

been!?” I snap the moment the door opens and they come

stop dead in their tracks.

staring at me, standing

shout as Rafe closes the door and I get to my feet, grabbing the note I got at breakfast off the coffee table and waving at them. “And I

room and snatches the note from my hand. I don’t answer, planting my hands on my hips and frowning at him, letting him. figure it out for

1

hell is Daphne?” Rafe