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

Luca is noticeably silent as

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

I can. “He wants to see me

at office hou..

says, relaxing instantly

refolding the note and tucking it between

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 for a reason, but I think a lot of this stuff we’re learning is guess work at best. At least at the

Luca asks, frowning and

tell Luca

I say, snapping my eyes up to my cousin, who raises his eyebrows

Rafe and

sighing and holding up his hands..

do not care,” Ben murmurs from his place by the fire, and a grin breaks onto my face at his exhausted tone. “And, further, that if any of you have any pain killers….it would be great

and turn to Luca, eager for

Chapter 74

think we’re finished talking about this, he murmurs, his words a caress as much as

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

just nods, and closes his eyes, and continues his

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

mated, after all, which is apparently a

me to walk, isn’t it? Because Jackson – he has

explain that to both of them – 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, let alone his mate I can’t just casually spring that all on him when he comes by to deliver a note

wolf urges, turning a circle in

silky fur. And we will…we

–

it, knowing that I’m right that I’m trying to balance too much, and just coming out with

sigh, and close my eyes, and work to fall asleep, eager to meet my one mate who knows I exist in our little dream forest.