The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Chapter 0535

My eyes fly open in the real world and I'm instantly in action, as is Jackson - because the shouts here?

God, they're even louder and more panicked than those we heard dreaming.

I leap out of bed, ripping the curtain open, already starting across the room when I stumble over my own feet, my jaw dropping open when I see the sight before me.

Rafe - already across the room - staring helplessly at Jesse's bedside as our cousin sits up in bed, his arms held out in front of him, shouting in his panic as shadows writhe all around him - moving in circles around his arms like snakes, encircling his waist, his torso - Even wrapping around his neck-

"Holy shit," Jackson whispers behind me, but then he barrels past me over to Jesse's bed, reaching for him.

I follow, urging my feet faster, running to Rafe's side as Jackson leaps onto the bed, skidding to a stop in front of Jesse and reaching for him, but not touching him - not yet.

"Jesse!" Jackson shouts, "stop screaming!"

Jesse just looks at Jackson like he's insane and keeps going.

"What happened!?" I gasp, grabbing hold of Rafe's arm and looking up into his face.

at a loss for what to do than

his fist in front of Jesse's

Jesse out of it, and his shout

I know it's not for Jesse - it's for anyone that did this to him - is trying to hurt

wrap my arms around the bulk of Rafe's arm while my brother stands stock straight, terrified, both of us staring at Jesse and

as the shadows continue to writhe, slow and menacing, all around his limbs, his neck, his hair.

for the beginning and

and his nose, his mouth, his eyes. Jesse's gaze darts to me when he hears my little gasp before I

moment, panting, his eyes darting from side to side, more shadows puffing out of his mouth with each breath, smokey grey and diaphanous, slipping downward to get caught up in the eddies of his other shadows, which continue to move. "They're...they don't hurt," he says, the words spilling out of him in a raspy stutter as he - I think - comes to

out of Rafe as Jesse says this and I feel

"Jess," Jackson says quietly,

for only half a second before he reaches forward, putting his hand flat on my cousin's chest But Jackson doesn't look down at his hand, even as the shadows begin to curl curiously around it, licking

breathe easier, glancing down at Jackson's hand, seeing that he's not hurt

voice much calmer now, infusing calm into the whole

as mine now and we all stare

Rafe breathes,