The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Chapter 91

This gets his attention, and he snaps his face to mine, snarling and baring his teeth. But I just cross my arms, glaring up at him. “Would you listen to me? I know things, all right? And she’s not here.”

Jackson goes still, just staring at me.

“I’m not tricking you, Jacks!” I shout, frantic myself now, wanting to get a move on, wanting to get his mind back on the correct problem before he wastes more time than he already has. “Do you think I’d lie to you? Seriously, after everything we’ve been through in the past few months I know I’m still keeping things from you, Jacks, but do you honestly think I’d turn you away from your mate if she really needed your help!?”

Jackson’s face softens slightly as he stares at me, his teeth still bared.

And I nod once when I see his eyes clear, see him believe me.

Because, despite everything, over the past few months we have become friends. I have earned some of his trust, and he knows I won’t betray him.

Jackson stares at me for a few moments longer and I hold his gaze, willing him to take side.

And then he just turns, covering his face with his hand as he tilts his head up to the sky, groaning as he shakes his head. “God, Clark, what the fuck is going on?” he murmurs against his palms.

my

And I sigh, shaking my head, wanting desperately to tell him, to make this easier on him.

“Can we just go, Jacks?” I say on a sigh, exhausted by all of this by the Examination, by the sight of my mate so upset, by the fact that another cadet just tried very hard to murder me.

And god, we’re not even an hour into this bullshit.

Slowly Jackson turns, sighing himself, meeting my eyes. “I don’t understand this, Ari,” he whispers, and the fact that he’s using my name now not Clark

–

warms me.

Emergency calls only MOODT…

Chapter 91

“I know,” I say in reply, taking a step towards him. “I’m sorry.”

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just shakes his head, closing the distance between us and wrapping a broad hand

looking up at him. “She’s fine.”

look to the right,

on,” I say, taking a step forward and pulling him with me. “Jacks, we have to go. We can’t stay

hand, not letting me get away. “Do you promise?” he breathes, and I turn back to

you n

is now,” I say,

my arm. I nod back, steady, and then I start again, adjusting the crossbow slung over my back, and I don’t look back

is. And

long time in silence, and I give him the space to pull himself together. I don’t miss, out of the corner of my eye, that he sends worried looks over his shoulder and I swear at one point that I hear

attentive to the world around us. A thousand things could happen now, the

walk, though, I calm, and I feel Jackson next to me do the same. Passively, I wonder if that’s just normal empathy letting me know that he’s calming down and starting to concentrate on the situation at hand, or if it’s the connection between us, growing deeper.

minutes of walking, Jackson pushes a

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Chapter 91

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15:43

to the side to see him pulling his own map out of his

as Jackson holds one map in each hand looking them over. He gives a

by the way,” I say, taking my attention from the path for a moment as I hand his canteen back to

anything, just shoots me a little look and nods like it was the obvious thing to do. But guilt wells in me, because I know that even though his mate and I

a little jealousy suddenly wells

I scowl and brush

–

he was

So I do, pushing myself forward along the ridge as fast as I can, which is slower than I’d like it to

“Stop,” he says, and I turn to see him shaking his head as he looks up at the

I

map, taking advantage of the last gasps of light to review it.

trap,” I murmur, frustrated.