The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Chapter 0472

"What...what does un-sorted mean?" I ask, looking first at Luca and then a little frantically around at the rest of the boys, all of whom are equally a bit dour.

"It just means that they're deciding where Luca fits," Jesse says, giving a shrug.

"He's sugar coating it," Luca corrects, and I turn my head back to him. "It means that they don't yet see me as... fit for upper service. That I am, essentially, a high-powered grunt for now." "Luca," I say, again raising my hand to his cheek as I frown at him. "Who -"

"Those are his words," Rafe interrupts, and I turn to look at him. "And he's being way too hard on himself. Every Cadet that graduates from the Academy is elite - some are sorted into specializations, some are not. Luca, as-yet, was not. And he might later, or he might not, but it's not a poor reflection on him."

"And now Rafe's being too nice," Luca murmurs, turning back to me and I think - putting up one hell of a front to hide his disappointment. "It's all my fault. I did...kind of shitty on the finals, Ari. I think they might have failed me if it wasn't such a big deal for me to be a Cadet while I was in that boxing match. I think they kind of...pushed me through."

"Luca," I murmur, frowning at him, feeling absolutely terrible that he feels that way. "I'm sure that's not true."

all here working your asses off and I was just...fooling around and napping and cracking jokes. Riding my

true!" I protest. "You

Ben says, and I turn sharply around to glare at him. He holds up his hands. "Look, the truth is somewhere between all of it, Ari - and you're not doing him any favors by fawning over him and telling him how great he was and it was not his fault. Luca didn't study - he could have tried harder. And if he does, he'll see results." Ben peers around me to look Luca in the eye now. "None of us think you're stupid,

to him with a sigh because...well.

mouth as the other boys turn towards each other and start to talk, giving us a moment

show me those pens again? Maybe your color coding system can actually help me this time

a grin, incredibly

door every half hour, because that's where my wolf's attention turns, even as I sit close to Luca. She looses a tiny little howl at one point,

I can, though, and barely an hour later I'm yawning every

arms over his head. "Walk me downstairs

like the sack of potatoes you are," Luca murmurs, giving me a kiss on the