The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Chapter 83

“Didn’t join in on the boxing, Ben?” Rafe asks, grinning at him.

“Nah, didn’t feel like getting my lights punched out by the national champ,” Ben quips, gesturing towards his face, “I got too much beauty going on here to risk that.” I grin at Ben as he sinks into Jesse’s chair. Jesse gives us a wave as he heads immediately to the bathroom for a quick shower.

“How’d the workout go?” Rafe asks Luca, smiling. “You ready? Fight’s coming up.”

“Oh, I’m ready,” Luca says, pumping a couple of practice punches into the air. My eyebrows raise, because honestly he moves so fast and with such power that I can barely see his hands move when he does that. “Going to knock Atalaxia into the last century, first round.”

“I wish you would,” Rafe sighs. “Their technology, apparently, is getting advanced.”

I half listen as Rafe and Luca chat casually about the war for a few minutes before Jesse comes out of the bathroom in his towel and Luca goes in, taking advantage of our over- luxurious bathroom as he always does whenever he has a chance. The other cadet’s bathrooms are, apparently, a far cry from what we’ve got in here.

When Luca comes out a few minutes later, dressed in a pair of Jesse’s spare pajamas, he immediately flops onto the couch next to me, his eyes fluttering shut.

“You beat?” I ask quietly.

“If you’re asking if your cousin beat me,” Luca murmurs, smirking a little, “the answer is no. He is slow, like fighting a snail.

–

“False!” Jesse calls, yawning, from his bed. “I am swift, like a bunny. I just went easy on you.”

I let my hand fall to the side of Luca’s leg where Rafe can’t obviously see it, letting my fingers idly stroke the fabric of my mate’s pajamas. “I’m sure you beat him soundly, as he deserves,” I reply with a happy sigh. “But, as you realize, I’m asking if you’re tired.”

“Always,” Luca replies, yawning and glancing towards his books with a groan. “Just let me… close my eyes here for a minute or two.”

Chapter 83

“Luca,” I groan, slapping the side of his leg a little. “You have to study too!” Of all of us, studies by far the least, which always worries me. He’s not as worried about the

Examination as Ben and I are, but he’s certainly the most at risk of failing out according to his regular coursework.

I got my Chem test back tonight. I scowl, looking over at

1. it.

tomorrow,” Luca murmurs, his voice light and unbothered. “You can be the

Luca,” I sigh, giving his leg another slap and

my own books. He just smirks and shakes his head,

bedtime rolls around a little bit later, I do my best to get up without disturbing him, heading for my nook with chemical equations rushing around in my mind. When Rafe likewise gets up and moves to shake Luca’s shoulder, I throw a hand out towards him, shaking my

Rafe, what’s the harm? He’ll sleep as well on the couch as in his

out the door, as I spread my green throw over Luca, tucking it

rest of the room going dark beyond my curtain, pulled shut tonight for a little extra privacy. Then I lay my head down, taking off my cap and unwinding my tight braid, running my fingers along my scalp and wondering if I’ll even

I very much want him to rest, I desperately hope that I do see him

friends…

we spend our evenings laughing companionably

state is where we

much every night now, and, as promised, he spends our time there teaching me a great deal about myself,

that I’m dictating the pace. But in

I admit that I’m starting to get…curious.

really, prepared to deal with the consequences of that curiosity. There’s absolutely no part of me that wants to get pregnant right now, obviously, and while Daphne has helped me with a variety of feminine products it does feel like

I can get pregnant in the

can I?!

really, really need to have a chat with my mom about this

–

gasp, suddenly, when I feel the edge of the mattress sink on my left. I instantly spin towards the movement, my eyes wide in the darkness, but a hand covers my mouth

know it in my sleep,

Luca know that I understand and he drops his hand away as he crawls onto my bed. I simultaneously sit up and make room for him, anxiously glancing beyond. him towards my

I scold, putting the word directly into his mind. What

his arms around me and pulls me close, slipping under my covers and pressing a silent kiss to

as I realize that he planned this, only pretending to be so sleepy earlier. Then I smack him on the chest. Luca! You’re taking unnecessary

Luca replies, taking my face in his hands and pressing a soft, desperate kiss to my

–

god, please, please just let me hold you in