The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Chapter 0718

"Come on, Shrimpy," Luca says, quite cheerful for my sake as he puts his arm around my shoulders and gives me a tug towards the door. "Let's go drink this." He holds up the bottle of wine still in his other hand and gives it a little shake.

I grin up at him. "You don't even have glasses."

"You can lap it out of my hand," Luca murmurs, pulling me towards the door. "Or use the cup in my bathroom."

"The one I'm sure you haven't cleaned all year -"

"Fine. I'll wash it, just for you."

I laugh and wave over my shoulder to Daphne and Jesse, who call their goodbyes. But as we slip out the door and I begin to pull it shut behind me, I don't miss that they go silent. My final glance back into the room gives me a glimpse of her hand fisted in his shirt, pulling him hard towards her.

Grinning, I shut the door and slip my arm around my mate's waist, following him down the hall towards the staircase.

No one bothers us on the walk to Luca's room, though I admit that I'm jumpier than I used to be in the halls. I mean, Gibson being the one who attacked me has really thrown off my feeling of safety. For weeks now I've felt utterly fine walking in the halls of this Castle, even getting frustrated with Rafe when he suggested I needed a chaperone.

But now that I know that at least one Cadet was placed here by the Atalaxians? And that my fire did not work as well as I thought it would when put to the test like that? God, anything could -

hand around my shoulder. "You don't need to go there, Ariel. You're

sigh, leaning against him. "I know.

twists his mouth a little as he looks down at me, sympathetic, and

approach Luca's door, I smirk a bit too. "Remember why I was in here the first and only time

sick of giving you the silent treatment and

you'd just punched the crap out

he door shut,

up into my face as I smile down at him. "Let's get you drunk so

dip my head and kiss my mate, loving him very dearly and feeling quite safe in his

hour and a half later, Luca's

wine and have moved on to some whiskey, which tastes terrible but definitely has me feeling all tingly. And my worries all feel quite, quite far away in the happy buzz of my mind. "Why do

murmurs,

sit next to him. "We could put sugar in it to

back at him, letting my eyes drift all the way down his long form, I can't help the smile that

asks,

shrug. "You're