The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Chapter 72

Unfortunately, that night when I go into the dream state, Luca isn’t there.

Anxiety whirs in me as I turn around in the birch forest, looking for him, but it’s…definitely just me by myself. I frown, trying to feel him…is he just…not asleep?

And there’s..certainly something there. It’s almost like I can…feel him sleeping down the bond. There’s a deep rest there, and a stillness, but…

I don’t know. It’s almost like he’s not dreaming, not at all.

I sigh, working very hard not to take it personally, and then I will the dream to end. I wake up for a moment in my little nook, frowning, wondering ridiculously if I should just…go downstairs and knock on his door, make sure that he’s okay.

But no – Rafe was really upset when he came back to the room. And not just pissed that I didn’t follow the plan to the letter, but genuinely worried for me. His shoulders had been trembling when I had come out of the shower and he had wrapped me in a big hug, scolding me but holding me close nonetheless.

He’d heard about Wright attacking me in the hall, of course, and of Luca punching him out and pulling me into his room where I’d be safe. Jesse exaggerated how quickly he got there, suggesting it had only been minutes later. Rafe, thank god, hadn’t been suspicious.

Because I don’t really need to answer my big brother’s questions, right now, about why I’m making out with Luca Grant while my mate, Jackson McClintock, lives only a few doors down.

I sigh now, looking towards Rafe’s big bed where I can hear him snoring softly, wishing he didn’t take my safety so personally. He just loves me, I know, and I love him right back but it’s not his life’s duty to keep me safe like this.

–

Regardless, as tempting as the idea to go down to knock on my mate’s door is, I’m not risking Rafe waking up to find me alone. So instead I turn over and close my eyes, letting myself drift off into a nice, restful sleep. I have the other dream again the one that I had before, of running along the moonlit cliffside in my wolf form, another wolf at my heels. It fills me with a great deal of peace and joy, running in the night.

–

I’m happy when I wake up, stretching my arms over my head as my brother and my cousin call their morning greetings to me. But there’s anxiety alongside it because where had Luca been? Why hadn’t he come?

He’s not still mad at me, is he? I thought we left that all behind…

–

in order to allow cadets to rest and catch up on some reading. But Jesse and Rafe, because they are athletic

you….hate me….” I gasp as I pull my

flipping through a textbook, taking notes. “It

abusive relationships,” I say, dropping from the bar and panting

Rafe says. “We’re just getting you strong for the Examination. What if they

melt it,” I mutter, making Jesse

but claps his hands together. “Two more sets, baby

because it aches when I set it on my shoulders, though he carries it as lightly as any of mom’s purses. I scowl at him, jealous of the passive ease with which he does hard things, but my scowl is instantly wiped from my face when we walk

burst into a grin because instantly, instantly I have an answer to why Luca didn’t come to the

are sitting at our table with full plates of food in front of them, their faces green. Ben rests his head against his folded arm and gives up halfway through giving us a wave of greeting. Luca just sits with his eyes closed, massaging his temples and looking like he’s going

can stop him, he takes my face in his hands, looking down into my eyes

so sorry,” he murmurs. “We‘

his hands away. Luca jumps a little and steps back, looking guiltily towards Jesse and then to Rafe, who

–

my heart goes out to Luca, whose emotions I can feel down the bond

passing feelings of calm and content down the bond. Because I get it – it was a mistake. He and Ben got caught up

–

Luca as we all take our seats, me by Luca’s side as usual. “You two…you look like

crap.”

says, smiling half–heartedly at Rafe, “for your kind words. I am far from crap. I aspire to be crap. I am…much much

were you drinking?” Jesse asks, helping himself to the full carafe of coffee on the table and pouring me and Rafe

vodka. One of the older cadets probably made it in their bathtub that’s

–

grabbing a blueberry muffin from

at the muffin longingly. “They look so good, and I’m so hungry, but even the idea

bite and chewing with relish. “It’s your own fault, rule

please, little miss sanctimonious,” he murmurs, low

Chapter 72