The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

I stare curiously at my cousin, waiting for my explanation.

“I mean he’s going to be possessive,” Jesse says, shrugging. “The same way Rafe would be if he found his mate, and me too, to an extent. He just won’t want anyone else’s hands on you, will want you all to himself. And, considering that you’re taking a very independent and somewhat dangerous path in your life…”

“Oh,” I say, thinking it through. Luca – his instincts are going to be to keep me out of danger. And if here I am, running off to war…

Jesse shrugs again, twisting his mouth to the side. “Maybe that’s another reason why our dads decided, at least initially, not to let girls into the school. Wolf affections – especially with our mates – they’re more complicated and aggressive than humans.”

“Well, I certainly don’t want Luca to like…hold me back.”

“Or push you into things you’re not ready for,” Jesse says, raising an eyebrow at me, and I immediately know he’s talking about s*x even if he’s not saying it.

“How do you know what I’m ready for?” I ask, narrowing my eyes at him even as my red.

cheeks grow

“Because, Ari,” Jesse replies, leaning forward and grinning at me, “you blush even at the inuendo. Which kinda suggests you’re not ready.”

I scowl and kick him a little, but Jesse just laughs at me and looks back to the barracks. “We should probably go in,” he murmurs, “get some sleep.”

“Well now I’m all awake,” I sigh, leaning back on my palms. “So, thanks for that. It’ll be your fault when I’m a mess at the course tomorrow.”

“Nah, that’s on you, Shrimp,” Jesse says, pushing himself to his feet and offering me a hand up, which I accept. As we turn back to the barracks, he slips that arm around my shoulder. “I really am happy for

you, Ari,” he says quietly, smiling at me in the dark..

“Thanks, cousin,” I say, wrapping an arm around my waist. “Since you like him so much, it’ll be your job to protect him when I finally have to introduce him to dad.”

Jesse laughs at this and agrees, but even as I smile at the joke….

Something picks at the back of my mind. Because even if everyone likes Luca and will be willing to convince my dad to let him have a chance…

Who would stand up for Jackson?

And…will I ever have the chance to introduce him to my dad as well? Do I even want that?

We’re all tense at breakfast, and I stifle a yawn even as I pick at my pancakes. Even though they have chocolate chips in them today my favorite – I can’t really convince myself to dig in. My stomach is already filled with anxious butterflies

Jesse and Rafe, of course, are chowing down across the table from me and Ben, who likewise picks. at his food. I glance to my right at Ben and he rolls his eyes towards the Alphas across from us, and then snorts like a pig, making me laugh.

But before I can add on to Ben’s joke, Laica slaps his tray down on my other side, making me almost leap out of my skin. I scowl as I look up at him. “Do you mind?” I ask.

“What, are we feeling jumpy today?” he asks, grinning at me and leaning close to me so that only I can hear his words, “didn’t get much sleep after sneaking out in the middle of the night with our

favorite cousin?”

I gasp a little and then shove Luca on the shoulder with the tips of my fingertips, which tingle as usual from the touch. “Creep,” I say, narrowing his eyes at him. “What, are you watching me?”

“You were clomping your way down the aisle in the middle of the night!” he counters, grinning at me as he takes his first bite.

“I wasn’t even wearing my boots!” I object, my jaw falling open.

“What’s this?” Rafe asks, suddenly narrowing in on our conversation.

Both Luca and I turn to Rafe, him grinning, me searching my mind frantically for an excuse -But, both fortunately and unfortunately, a convenient distraction arrives. Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

A mountain of a distraction, actually, his full tray balanced between his two gigantic hands.

As I look up at Jackson, my mouth falls open because I honestly didn’t think he’d take me up on my invitation to come to breakfast.

And…also because I kind of forgot that I issued it.

“Can I sit here?” he asks, his voice quiet but tense with what I now realize is anxiety, not aggression.

“Sure,” I say, my face breaking into a hesitant smile at the same moment that Rafe says “absolutely

not!”

I spin to look at Rafe, who is already glaring at me.

I narrow my eyes at my brother though, frowning, and then turn back to Jackson. “Of course you can sit, Jackson,” I say, waving a hand to the last chair next to Jesse.

Jackson starts towards it, but Rafe throws out a hand. “No way,” he says, shaking his head. “You can

“Rafe.” Jesse interrupts, staring at my brother, his expression shocked and a little appalled, “Aunt Ella raised you better than this.”

le’s eyes go wide with surprise and shame, but Jesse ignores him and turns a warm smile Jackson. “Please,” he says, nodding to the empty chair. “Have breakfast with us. I’m Jesse.”

up to

Jackson hesitates for one more second, but then puts his tray down and sits, introducing himself and shaking Jesse’s hand. Jesse goes through a bit of a farce now, introducing Jackson around to the table even though we’re all well aware of who he is, especially Rafe, who glares at me again even as he mutters a bitter hello.

But I just shrug at my brother, who has clearly figured out that I’m behind this but hasn’t yet figured out why. I know I owe him an explanation, but…well, there’s really no time for that now, is

there?

But it’s actually Luca’s cold voice that brings my attention away from Rafe.

“Hey, McClintock.” Luca says, looking Jackson up and down in a way that clearly communicates his distaste. “We haven’t really had the opportunity to interact since that first night, have we? Can’t really say that I’ve missed you.”

I go very idea.

still as I remember yet another reason why this breakfast might not have been the best

Jackson and Luca – they’re searching for the same girl, aren’t they?

Which, actually, is me.

And that…does not really make them potential friends, does it?

I sigh a little, turning my attention back to my plate, realizing that I have officially, truly stuck my foot in it this time.

“I guess we haven’t, Grant,” Jackson says, his low voice rumbling.

“Cool!” Jesse says, too cheerful in the awkward silence that reigns at our table now. But Ben laughs, and I look up to see – –

him shrugging because I mean what else is there to do? “So, Jackson,” Jesse continues, using his skills as a natural conversationalist to drag us all back together. “Anxious about the obstacle course today?”

Jackson replies that he’s not, and Ben asks Rafe something about best methods for low crawling through the sand pit, and I exhale a long breath, thinking that we might get through this breakfast without a brawl after all.

Luca stays tense and quiet beside me, but eventually things get lighter as the minutes pass by. Rafe doesn’t say anything to Jackson either, but Ben and I do, and honestly by the time breakfast draws to a close I’m much more worried about the final trial instead of whether or not my brother is going to beat up my mate, or if my mates are going to find out about each other, or any of the other thousand things can could potentially go wrong with my personal life.“Did you eat enough?” Rafe

asks, breaking out of my reverie, and I look up to see him looking at my full tray with concern.

T%

I glance down at my plate and realize that well, I probably didn’t. But I sigh and push the tray away

from me

Rafe sighs and pushes a carton of chocolate milk in my direction, but I just push it back, sticking out my tongue. “Rafe, unless you want me to barf chocolate milk up all over myself in about half an hour…”

Laica, at my side, laughs a little, clearly listening.

Rafe just grins and takes the carton back. “I just want you to have enough energy to get through the

course,

“We’ve got enough nervous energy to propel us,” Ben says, bumping his shoulder against mine. “Don’t worry about that, Sinclair.”

Rafe just shrugs, opening his mouth to say something else, but Luca beats him to it. “What about Beast Mode over here?” he says, his voice a dry and honestly a little bit nasty as he looks Jackson up and down. I frown at Luca, not sure that I like this side of him.

Jackson – he’s been quiet and a little awkward during breakfast, though not impolite. He answered who questions when asked, and he did his best – but overall? He just struck me as kind of a shy guy is feeling out his place in an established group made mostly of Alpha males, which is not the easiest thing to do.

And Luca? He seems quite determined to make sure that Jackson feels as uncomfortable as possible.

“Come on, McClintock.” Luca says, smirking at him as he pops a grape into his mouth. “You’re the only one giving Sinclair a run for his money on this course today, what’s your secret?”