The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

I take a moment to memorize the location of the enemy soldiers before I set my binoculars aside, pulling my gun over to me. When I put myself in position to fire and again look down the scope, I find the soldiers quickly, moving down the ravine towards the river, not bothering to try to be sneaky anymore. I guess since they made a great deal of noise taking out the other team, they know that there's not much point in stealth. No, speed is much more important.

Still, none of it's going to do them any good at this point.

"Any notes?" I ask Rafe and Jackson, centering my scope on the man in the lead.

"Fire at will, Cadet," Rafe says, pride already ringing in his voice.

I smile, take one final moment to aim, and then pull my trigger.

A bright spot of neon blue appears on the chest of the man in the lead. He skitters to a stop and then curses vehemently, punching a fist down towards the ground in his frustration. The men behind him skid to a stop too, trying to process what happened, but I'm already pulling my trigger before they can figure it out, blue splattering across the second man's chest as well.

The three behind him panic, but I'm ready for them, shifting my gaze and my aim a little higher and taking out the man in the back of the line next as he makes a run for the treeline, paint appearing suddenly across his back. This has the effect I wanted, with the last two men nearly tripping over themselves, not knowing who I'm aiming for next and blocked by the man who stops in front of them.

One spins, looking for me across the river, while the other makes a mad dash to the left-

But it's too late. Before either can really process what has happened, I've hit them too.

"Five down," I say, pleasure sweeping through me at my accomplishment and my wolf pouncing victoriously inside me, emitting vicious little yips of joy.

but inwardly I hear his wolf howl his pride. It makes me

my rifle aside, marking the KO of the men on the map before picking up my binoculars again,

comes back on. "Ariel,

the use of my

channel - just me

information as soon as he switched, but I scan the treeline ahead of me and report what I see. "Honestly it's quiet, Rafe. Why? What's up?" "It's just fucking weird,"

you're right, Rafe," Jackson says, his voice deep and wary. "It has been way too quiet. There should have been

do you think is happening?" I ask,

you to get down to the base

terminal," Rafe murmurs, and then the

Ambassador cadets appear at the riverside, carrying white flags of peace, moving forward towards us. Lwatch them curiously down my scope as Rafe and Jackson discuss how the third team, captained by two Cadets whose names I don't recognize - invested in

mouth falls open when, after a short bit of discussion, Rafe orders

"Rafe! I can't kill the

Ari," he counters, growling.

they might come

a single soldier, Clark," Jackson cuts in, smooth. "They don't have any prisoners and we don't need any supplies.

little, liking that tone a little too much for...maybe the wrong reasons,

sigh, refocusing