The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Chapter 0477

Ben laughs, low and derisive. "Are you serious, Wright? You're the one making leash jokes when you've got a literal guard keeping an eye on you all the time? Do you...are you unaware of what irony is?" Wright scowls and opens his mouth to retort, but Ben interrupts.

"Also," he says to the guard, his voice harsh, leaning to look around Wright at the soldier. "Are you going to do anything about this? Ari Clark is the student that Wright tried to fucking kill. Shouldn't you...I don't know, drag this jackass away by his hair?" Slowly, the guard turns to look at Ben. "I'm here to intercede if he makes a move against another cadet. Not to stop a bitchy little girl fight."

Something about this comment snaps me back to myself - maybe because I'm not used to that casual kind of misogyny in my life, and I'm certainly not going to stand for it at my school. "Great, then consider it over," I say, falling into a cool and collected persona that I'm not sure I knew I could embody. I look away from Wright, back at my books. "So, please take your charge out of here so that those of use whose military careers aren't completely fucked already can get back to work."

Wright's face flushes a livid red. "If you think that -"

"I said," I snap, raising my voice loud as I whip my face up to glare at him. "That I'm trying to study, you pathetic ass."

"I should have finished the job," Wright growls, leaning forward as he holds my gaze with his vicious stare. "And if you think that I won't someday -"

"Alan!" another voice barks, and my eyebrows raise when I see Perry Gibson dart forward, grabbing Wright by the arm. "What the fuck are you even thinking? Get away from them -"

growls, attempting to

Perry digs his fingers in, surprising me by tugging Wright so hard that he almost loses his balance. "Yes," Perry growls. "You fucking

with him. The guard gives us

asks, leaning forward to look at

it's not all fear - though that's there, too - but also anger, rage. God, that asshole - who the fuck does he think he is? Quite suddenly, I hope that he does try

with the new determination to really throw myself into my lessons with Blaze so that I have the capacity to do that when

breathing out a slow breath as I raise my head and meet Ben's eyes.

says, solid,

both gather ourselves after that unpleasant surprise. But then, Ben

he's such a coward," Ben murmurs, looking again in the direction that Wright and Perry walked, though we can't see them anymore. "No way he'd come over to say a damn thing to you

I realize the truth in his words. "What a worthless,

with raised eyebrows. "I mean,

shocked. He...did not seem tough. Way less tough than the guys I was in the sniping unit with, and neither of them made