The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

My eyebrows go up, because Luca's told me about his uncle - the man who raised him, kept him out of trouble, turned him into the champion he is today. "Uncle," Luca says, grinning at the older man and slipping his hand out of the first glove, starting on the second himself now that the first is gone. "This is Ariel Sin-"

"I know who she is," Bruce says, gruff. Then he lifts his eyes to me, giving an awkward little bow. "Your highness," he murmurs, clearly not happy about saying my honorific but doing it anyway. "It's a pleasure to meet you. You're welcome here, and to our family. We're honored to have you, and glad Luca finally met a mate so he'll stop being such a damn ass with women."

My eyebrows go up because...well, I wasn't expecting such a warm welcome from this gruff man. I clench my teeth to keep from laughing, giving a solemn nod to Bruce as Luca bursts into laughter. "I'm not an ass with women," he sighs, shaking the sweat from his hair and handing the second boxing glove to his uncle. "I'm just –“

"A damn ass," his uncle says, cuffing Luca over the head again, softer this time, with a tiny smile on his lips. "Now go get a shower, so you can be presentable for your mother and your grandmother. Miss Ariel, he says, shifting his eyes back to me and giving me a nod, "I'll look forward to seeing you again at home."

hopping down to the floor. My mate reaches for me as he nods his hello to Conner, wanting to give me a sweaty hug, but I squeak and swat at him. "You're all sweaty!" I protest. "And I have to meet your mom!" Sᴇaʀ*ᴄh the

fine," he sighs, shaking his head a little and spraying me with sweat in a way that makes me shriek again but which...well, which I don't hate. I mean, I like my mate all sweaty after a workout, I guess. Especially when

to go with him. "I'll be fast. Mom and

over the gym, and I follow Luca towards the locker room. He leads me inside and I'm surprised to see that it's tiny - just one shower,

just mine," Luca says, shooting me a grin as he quickly pulls off his shoes and socks before stepping into the little

little impressed as I sit on the little wooden bench in front of the lockers and listen as Luca turns the water on. As steam starts to rise above the curtain bar, Luca's hand reaches

But if