The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

"Luca, I'm so sorry for not even thinking about your family and making you come to see mine," I murmur, taking little handfuls of his shirt in my fists as I lean my weight against him, looking up into his face. Luca smiles at me, his arms loose around me.

"Don't be sorry," he murmurs, "I wanted to meet your whole family. It was important for me too."

"Good," I say, nodding. And then I hesitate. "And are you...ready? For the fight?"

"I will be," he says, nodding. "Though it's important for me to see my uncle - he trained me, after all. He'll get me back in the right headspace over the next day or so - don't worry. But will you come tomorrow? Come see my gym, and then come to my gran's house? Meet everyone? I'm dying to introduce you."

"Oh!" I say, surprised but then thrilled at the idea. "Yes!" I say instantly, beaming at him, but then I remember that I'm a princess again and I glance back at the door, wondering what my parents have planned for me.

"It's okay," Luca says, lifting a hand to my cheek and turning my gaze back to him. "I already cleared it with your dad - he says you can have the afternoon off from Princess-ing."

"Oh," I say, a little surprised at this. But then, I suppose there's nothing wrong with that - Luca's very thoughtful, isn't he? And proactive. "Okay, then yes, I'll come. Of course I will. I can't wait."

come to the fight too, right?" he says, giving

up at him, because why would he ever think that I

pressing a warm kiss to my mouth. "I'll need my best girl there for moral support." Sᴇaʀch Thᴇ

I murmur back, my lips still brushing against his, letting my hands sink into his hair, pleased at the idea that my presence would help

again, and then kisses me deeply, pulling me tight against him like he can't let me go. We stay like that for a long while - long enough that I lose myself in him, that I forget where I am, and that there's a room full of people behind me probably waiting for me to come back inside so

hard to say goodbye, Gorgeous,"

press one final kiss to his mouth, and then I push

close for one last peck before letting

see you tomorrow!" I call as Luca walks backwards down the hall, unable or unwilling to take his eyes off

the front of the palace, and I sigh as I push open the door

fix immediately on Jackson, who doesn't

herding us into my bedroom. "Daphne, we'll have another room made up for you tomorrow, we just didn't know how many were coming tonight - and I thought you might want to be in with Ariel anyway, on your first night in a strange