The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Chapter 74

“Luca,” I growl, shoving uselessly at his shins, “let me up.”

Luca just glares at Jackson at the door and then over at me. He can come to you, Luca says. into my mind, possessive and predatory. I narrow my eyes at him, pissed.

But there’s no time to think any more about it, because suddenly Jackson’s smokey pine scent strengthens and I look up to see him at my side.

“Here,” Jackson says, holding out the note to me and looking between Luca and I curiously. He frowns, a little, when he notices Luca’s legs stretched out over my lap.

“Thanks, Jacks,” I say, smiling up at him.

“Jacks?” Luca asks, and I turn to see him raising an eyebrow, his eyes flicking between the two of us. “What, the two of you are on like…a nickname basis now?”

The room is silent for a long, awkward moment as my two mates glare at each other and my cheeks go red. Honestly, I hadn’t even noticed that I’d given Jackson a nickname it all happened very naturally.

“Yeah, I guess we are, Grant,” Jackson says, his voice quiet and dangerous.

–

The room returns to its awkward silence as I lower the note to my lap and awkwardly stare at it, not knowing what to do or how to mediate this. Because obviously, obviously I’m the cause of all of this and I’m the only one who knows it.

–

“Well, I for one like it!” Jesse says, grinning at the drama and leaning against the doorframe. “Are you sure you won’t stay for dinner, Jacks?”

I flick my eyes to my cousin, grateful.

“Nah,” Jackson says with a sigh before reaching out a hand and giving me a warm pat on the shoulder. I look up in surprise at the touch, and then grin at him, unable to help it. He smiles back before he turns and heads towards the door. “A little…crowded in here, as it is.”

Ben and Rafe call their goodbyes as Jesse ushers Jackson out the door, telling him to come

silent as I unfold my note and read

towards me, almost as if he is trying to see the writing in my

Alvez,” I ignoring Luca’s jealous energy as best I can. “He wants to see me at office hours tomorrow.”

office hou..

says, relaxing instantly and

the note and

boring,” Rafe replies, and I remember now that he got paired with Alvez for his magic homework. “Just a lot of sitting around trying to….do things to a marble. I mean, I’m sure mom hired him

about?” Luca asks,

intending to tell Luca

cousin, who raises his eyebrows in surprise that I want to keep the secret from my mate.

not the only ones in that class,” I say cagily, looking between Rafe and Jesse. “It’s not right to share anything unless Jackson and

Luca says, sighing and holding

exhausted tone. “And, further, that

turn to Luca, eager for the opportunity to

Chapter 74

a smirk. But in my mind, he takes a different tact. Don’t think we’re finished talking about this, he murmurs, his

impression of the dream state, letting him know that we can talk about it more

nods, and closes his eyes, and continues his

finally shuffled off to bed, I finally rest my freshly–showered head down on my pillow, a little anxious about how to handle this conversation with Luca. I mean, I get why he’s jealous of Jackson – why he doesn’t want any other young men near me showing me any special attention.

newly mated, after all, which is apparently a very volatile

Because Jackson – he has just as much of a right to my company

– but doing that opens a whole can of worms that I’m not sure I’m ready to face just yet. I mean, I haven’t even let Jackson know that I’m a girl yet,

him, my wolf urges, turning a circle in my soul. We should

a hand over her silky fur. And we will…we just…we

–

little howl of discontent but lets me be with it, knowing that I’m right that I’m trying to balance too much, and just coming out with the truth to everyone right now could make it all come crashing

eyes, and work to fall asleep, eager to meet my one mate who knows