The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Chapter 0220

Dad stares at me and then up at Jackson again. “What?” he asks. “I was just being polite

((

“Jacks is…not great with polite,” I say, pressing myself warmly to his side. “Actually, I think he’d probably rather fight you than do the small talk thing.”

Jackson scowls, already coming back to himself a little. “Ari, I don’t want to fight him –”

–

“I know,” I say, nodding and smiling up into his face. “Just can we all maybe take a bit of space? Try this again over midwinter, maybe over dinner?”

“Or an activity,” Rafe suggests, knowing that even a dinner might be a bit much for Jacks. ” Or a great, great deal of whiskey – barrels of it.”

“Enough,” dad snaps good–heartedly at Rafe, waving a dismissive hand at all of us as he turns away. “Fine, fine! We’ll do it all later! I need much more information anyway.”

ແ

after him as he walks to the bed with mom

great, Jacks,” I whisper, supportive.

murmurs, glancing after my parents. “Besides, like, my name –

with a laugh. I laugh too and Jackson gives a tentative

opens again – suddenly, I long for a lock on

his hand. “I’m

the professor is looking for Jesse or Rafe Sinclair, and in the intervening moment Jackson hands me his cap, which was apparently

looking for Rafe Sinclair, Rafe glances back at me and

the professor says, looking anxiously over at the King,

the hell is going on. But

he says with a sigh, “the three of you have been marked as passing the Examination

hug. When we go all the way around before we see the professor at the door giving us a strange look.

“It’s not an issue that Cadet…Clark…” here she glances at me, and inwardly I cringe at how obvious she’s being, “was carried wounded over

giving her a deferential bow. “The rules are to cross the finish line, full stop. I think,” he glances at my dad here, “they were written that way with