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.

exclaims, staring at Jesse, looking more confused and at a loss for what to do than I've perhaps ever seen him. "I just - he started screaming and

of Jesse's face, the Alpha command loud in his

snapping Jesse out

Jackson snarls, menace in his tones, though I know it's not for Jesse - it's for

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

Jesse says as the shadows continue to writhe, slow and menacing, all around his limbs, his neck, his hair. I watch them,

as I search for the beginning and end of

himself - from his pores, and his nose, his mouth, his eyes. Jesse's gaze darts to me when he hears my little gasp before I stop breathing completely, horrified. "Jesse, pay attention to me," Jackson commands, drawing Jesse's eyes back to him. "Are you

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

out of Rafe as Jesse says this and I feel a similar sense of relief rushing through

"Jess," Jackson says quietly,

down at his hand, even as the shadows

to breathe easier, glancing down at Jackson's hand, seeing

voice much calmer now, infusing calm into the

now and we

breathes, barely