The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

"I hate that," I murmur, working to press myself closer to him, even though that's not really possible. "I hate the idea of you scared, and alone, and talking to girls when I was just like...half a city away." "But you were engaged," he says, his voice strange - I think a little amused? I don't know. I can't quite parse it.

"You knew about that?" I ask, looking up at him wide-eyed.

"How could I not?" he asks, grinning at me. "You were all over the media - and it's all anyone would talk about, especially as it got close."

"Well," I say, smiling myself a little too and reaching up to stroke my fingers through his hair. "What did you think about it?"

was all very far from what I had been instructed to think was important, what I could understand - a royal wedding..." he shakes

on," I say, shoving his shoulder a little, my

at me for a long moment before he breaks, looking away from me like he can't hold my eyes while he admits it. "Fine," he says, heaving a little sigh. "I thought you were...very pretty." "Pretty!?"

he mutters, still not looking at me, a faint blush on

were a boy, Ariel - and you smelled like a boy, and I had no reason to equate the lowest-ranked Candidate at the academy with the pretty girl I'd seen on a magazine cover -" "You thought I was prettttty," I sing, a little

all that bride-y gauze." "Yes, all that bride stuff really was crap," I say with a sigh, staring

quieting down, sitting up straighter and resolving to be good. "How'd you spend your time off? Did you hang out with the

the world right now is to sit right here in my mate's lap, listening to him talk for hours, spinning out the story of his life. I'd listen for days, if time and circumstance would