The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Chapter 0481

I sit up straighter, surprised. "The one with the crown?" I ask, a little horrified at the idea. "Or - the one next to him?"

"The one next to him," Ben says, nodding seriously, and I feel a whoosh of relief - because the one with the crown...my wolf raises her hackles at his memory. There was something wrong with him. But the one next to him - I suddenly remember the pulse that went through me when our eyes locked. Not a mating bond - no, I'd recognize that anywhere - but...a connection.

A real one I can't explain.

"Did you find out who he is?" I ask, excited.

"Of course I did, Ari," Ben says, leaning back in his chair and waiving a dismissive hand at me. "What do you think I did all midwinter? Actually, Rafe is the one who told me who it was." "Really?" I ask, my eyes going wide. "Does Rafe...know?"

nod quickly to reassure him that I'm keeping the secret. The stakes are high, after all, on this one. "But...I asked some questions about the Atalaxian delegation and got enough information

now that he has someone to talk to about this. "His name is Elias.

asks, frowning at

knows Calvin, I think," I say, nodding eagerly. "She really likes him - her one

gives me hope. It's hard enough having a mate who is Atalaxian - if his dad is cool enough that your mom likes him, hopefully Elias has some progressive

by death. God, Elias - I don't know him at all, but my heart already goes out to him. And for Ben's sake on top of that, I want to do everything

you going to do?" I

his eyes to mine

usually am, putting my hands flat on the desk between us. "But I'm also sure that your clever little clockwork brain," I point a finger at his forehead now, turning it in a circle like the shifting gears of a complicated machine, "is already

then, I think liking the metaphor as well as my instant, open offer of aid. But he sighs deeply and drops his eyes when he starts to think on what we're up against. "Obviously, I want to get him out of there, Ariel. If anyone finds out about our bond - even if he is a minor prince or whatever - they will make an example out of him. But...I mean, I don't even know

the mere idea of it, because if I had to