The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Chapter 80

“So, what was going on in there?” Jackson asks softly as we move through the quiet halls, glancing over his shoulder as we go.

“Don’t you know?” I ask, frowning up at him.

He just looks at me blankly, not answering.

“Well, then why did you interrupt?” I ask, confused. Because it’s one thing if Jackson interrupted because he knew that Alvez was going to be a creep, but quite another if he interrupted for…well, why else would he have interrupted?

“I don’t trust that guy,” Jackson sighs, the words slipping between clenched teeth. “Something’s…off about him.” He moves his eyes to me again, searching my face. “Was I wrong?” His words are tense.

I sigh, shaking my head. “No, you weren’t wrong, Jackson,” I say, looking forward as we climb into an elevator and Jackson presses the brass button, closing he doors. “I was…very uncomfortable in there.”

–

Jackson grunts in a self–satisfied way, pleased I think to have his instincts confirmed. “I

don’t like the way he looks at you,” he says, quite soft. “I knew it was going to be trouble when he gave me that note, asking you to come alone.”

“How did you know the note said to come alone?” I ask, looking up at him.

Jackson turns, instantly frowning down at me like the answer is obvious. “Because I read it.”

I burst out laughing, shaking my head at him. “Jackson, you can’t just read my mail.

“I was helping you!”

“That’s not an excuse!” but I’m smiling, and he smirks back at me, figuring out that I’m not actually mad. Because he really did help me – I’d have been in a very tricky situation, I think, had Jackson not come pounding on the door.

murmurs as the elevator raises us

air. “Bring Rafe or..or come get me. Or

as he pretends not to notice that I’m looking at him. And inwardly, I wonder how the hell he’s justifying this whole hero act to

is protective of me because some part of him knows, deep down, that I’m his mate or that I’m special to him, in some way. It’s happening, I think, on almost a bodily level he’s driven to ensure my safety by the same biological mechanism that makes a hen protect her chicks.

—

back on her haunches and turning her head curiously in Jackson’s direction. He must

I study him, I’m not so sure. Jackson – he’s smart, but in some ways he’s so outside of our world, our culture. Would he

be willing to address his attraction to me, if he feels it? I’ve heard that Northern communities are much, much less progressive with things like homosexuality and gender fluidity. Even if Jackson did feel a stirring towards me, would he let himself go

the dormitory floor, shaking my head at my mate, wishing I could just…ask.

the elevator and turning his attention back to me. “Why are you sighing?

shaking my head as I continue to look up at him, at the stark panes of his face. “I just….wish I had

step as we walk down

really, to actually do that. “Me?” he says in disbelief, gesturing

–

he’s right that I’m certainly the one keeping secrets.

climb them up to my floor. “Things you’re keeping

want to know – every single thought in my head, Clark, for the

make our way to my

from the silence bemehow, by the quietness

own door, I know that I’m

Jesse and Rafe are away, probably exercising. That Luca and Ben are likewise off doing their own thing.

so easy, to

him everything…

me to do it do it do it, I shake my head up at Jackson, knowing that it’s still not

of my thoughts, knowing that I’m still