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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Chapter 92

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that is to realize because, duh, of course your mate is supposed to

in and stepping close. “So, what should we do?”

asks, glancing over at me, hesitating. Not everyone

will all be a lot

if I do. Jackson will take one whiff of my honey and

of course, destroy his world and throw his attention off again when we both need to concentrate on getting to the top

I whisper, and my wolf howls within me to be denied the chance to run as well as the fact that we’re blatantly lying

he says, folding it neatly and sliding it into his back pocket. “See what the situation is there. Then….we can make our next

slightly behind him, letting him

out for me, pointing to tricky spots or turning to offer a hand

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

murmurs, peering through the trees. Then he looks around, interested. “Let’s get to higher ground,” he says,

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Chapter 92

up against

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balancing on it with 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 if it’s safe, but Jackson crouches casually on the edge, apparently having no such concerns.

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

time hanging out in a palace, I guess.

know what the

towards the three fires burning below and the cadets. gathered 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, my stomach turning to see

Jesse, or Luca, or Rafe. But…no, it can’t be. Their stories at the

myself to open my eyes and pay attention. “What do you

shaking 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. behind them. We need to

I ask, fear curling

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