The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Chapter 92

“I’m not leaving you behind, Ari,” Jackson spits out, glaring at me like I’ve said something. horrible and ridiculous, like we should both throw ourselves off the cliff.

“I’m just slowing you down!” I say, throwing out my hands for emphasis. “Seriously, if you hadn’t back–tracked for me, you’d be like, finished now

“I didn’t backtrack for you,” he mutters, still staring at me, “I backtracked for

“Your mate, whatever,” I sigh, rolling my eyes. “Either way, it’s not fair. I’ll find my own way

the mountain, it will be fine.”

up

“It will not be fine,” he says, reaching out to grab my arm. “Do you think I want to do this without you!?”

“What?” I ask, suddenly baffled.

“Not…not this, Ari,” Jackson says, waving the map around at the darkening forest. “Not the Examination. I mean, the Academy. Do you think I’m not aware that you’re the only person who has been nice to me? That you’re you’re the only human connection I have at all?”

–

“But,” I frown at him, “Rafe and Jesse –”

“Are only friends with me because you make them be

“That’s not true, Jackson,” I whisper, turning to face him, desperate for him to believe me. “They like you for who you are sure, I was the start of it, but they really do –”

–

“Ari,” Jackson sighs, his shoulders slumping, “this isn’t the time for a pep talk. Just – I’m not leaving you behind, okay? I found you in the woods, for some reason – because you’re always weirdly around when I smell her scent – but…I’m not leaving you behind now, all right? There’re ways to do this, even if I have to drag you up the mountain myself.” He mutters the final words, looking back at the map, and a slow, terribly pleased smile creeps over my face.

Because my mate- he likes me. He’s my friend.

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realize because, duh, of course your mate is supposed to like you as a person…god, it means everything in the

stepping close. “So, what should

he asks, glancing over at me, hesitating. Not everyone

ability. “This will

will take one whiff of my

off again when we both need to concentrate on getting to the

“No,” I whisper, and my wolf howls within me to be

down at the map. “Well, let’s get to the bridge then,” he says, folding it neatly and sliding it into his back pocket. “See what the situation is there. Then….we can make our next

fall in slightly behind him, letting

silently, almost passively watches out for me, pointing to tricky spots or turning to offer a hand when the terrain is particularly steep. I stop noticing the pulse that rushes

of us become intent, though, when we see fire ahead. I focus my eyesight, seeing the edge of the ravine and the start to the bridge next to it. Clearly, a group of cadets truly has set up something of a toll at the crossing, and they’re not being shy about announcing

Then he looks around, interested. “Let’s get to higher ground,”

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incredible grace that makes me wonder if he’s part goat shifter, instead of all wolf. I do my best to follow, clinging to the rock and taking his patient hand when I need to. Twenty minutes later we’re about thirty feet in the air on a flat jut of rock about ten feet wide. I hesitate, wondering

close to him, wishing I moved in the wilderness with his clear ease and confidence.

time hanging out in a palace, I

to know what the situation below looks at from his

around them. “Already done some damage.” He points to the side now and I grimace to see that there are about ten cadets passed out to the side,

Ben, or Jesse, or Luca, or Rafe. But…no, it can’t be. Their stories at the Academy can’t end like that, and neither can

pay attention. “What do you think, do we risk it?

his head. “They’ll hold out overnight, hoping to take out more. Then, in the morning, they’ll shift and run. Maybe cut the bridge.

ask, fear curling in

and pointing left along the trail, beyond the bridge. “It’s….harder,