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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his head, closing the distance between us and wrapping a broad hand around my arm.

looking up at him. “She’s fine.”

look to the right, along

on,” I say, taking a step forward and pulling him with me. “Jacks, we have to go. We

he breathes, and I turn back to him, my heart aching at his

you n

is now,” I say, steady.

arm. I nod back, steady, and then I start again, adjusting the crossbow

at my side. Of course he is. And with him here, I actually have a shot

out of the corner of my eye, that he sends worried looks over his shoulder

us needs to be attentive to the world around us. A thousand things could happen now, the most dangerous of which would

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

of minutes of walking, Jackson pushes

Emergency calls onlyM

Chapter 91

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his own map out of his pocket, looking over it. “Let me see your map,” he murmurs. “I want to

a quick sip from the canteen as Jackson holds one map in each hand looking

a moment as I hand his canteen back to him.

obvious thing to do. But guilt wells in me, because I know that even though his mate and I are one in the same, that he wasn’t actually trying to save the me he knows, Ari Clark

little jealousy suddenly wells in me….

I scowl and brush

–

he was

at me, giving my soul a nip, telling me to pay attention. So I do, pushing myself forward along the ridge as fast as I can, which is slower than I’d like it

hand on my shoulder. “Stop,” he says, and I turn to see him shaking

I

out his map, taking advantage of the last gasps of light to review it. I come to his side, standing on my tiptoes so that I

bridge is a trap,” I murmur, frustrated.