The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

I don't have any words in response, completely overwhelmed as I am at the incredible compliment Jackson just gave me, at the impossible way that he sees me and how incredibly much he loves me. So I just stare at Jackson, and open my side of our bond completely, letting him feel all the love and pride and joy and fear that his words have raised - fear that he loves me too much, that I'll never live up to his standards.

I can see the moment when my emotions hit him, the way his face bursts into a bashful smile, how he reaches for me. And I'm instantly on my feet, hurling myself up into his arms, him wrapping me up with a vicious snarl as he lifts me up off the ground. "You already do, Ariel."

"I love you too, Jacks," I say, sniffing hard against my tears.

"We're not supposed to cry in battle," he murmurs, tucking his head down next to mine.

"Yeah, well, I wasn't supposed to do a lot of things." I sigh as he sets me back down on my feet. I sniff again, wiping hard at my cheeks as he holds me stead for a moment, softly stroking a hand over my cap and down my neck.

I take a deep breath and straighten my shoulders, giving his shoulder a little shove. "Now go away - we have work to do."

Jackson just laughs, taking a step away from me even though I can tell that he hates it. "Shoot straight, Clark."

"Yeah yeah," I say, forcing myself to turn away and unstrapping the gun from my back. "Go...be bossy. Or whatever your job is. Punch hard."

on!" Jackson calls, starting down the little trail as I unstrap one of the magazines of paintballs and begin to load it into my

into the piece,

says, sarcastic,

line, sounding stern and a bit angry. "Bout time. The other teams are already

shots, each at longer distances along the side of our own cliff, wanting to test

my brother says, dry, making

team, we finally

now coming down from my vantage point to more fully join the battle. Imarvel at Rafe's flexibility on this point for a moment while get used

scope when I realize that maybe Rafe was...counting on this. He knew Jackson wouldn't listen to him when he said that. Jacks shouldn't babysit me the whole time, but Rafe certainly knew that I'd be

around by my side.

one last shot with the gun. When I hit a very particular leaf at a thousand

to the ravine and lifting my binoculars, beginning to survey the

report, Clark?" Jackson asks into