The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

The next two hours are…an education in boy world. I sit perched up on my bunk, staring around in awe. This room has more than a hundred boys in it right now, and we’ll all be sleeping in here together through candidacy. When that’s done, if we make it, we’ll move up to the castle to more private dorms.

But seriously? Until then? I’m kind of…thrilled.

The atmosphere here – it’s totally different than anything I’ve ever experienced. There’s a great deal of shouting and laughter, and two fist fights have already broken out, along with quite a few arm-wrestling matches.

Girls? We’d all be simpering and sizing each other up. Guys? They just clasp hands and smack each other on the back, instant friends.

But then a boy walks by in his underwear – which I’m not complaining about in itself – but my eyes go wide with shock when he just blatantly, casually dips a hand into his boxers and scratches his balls –

“So, what do you think, cousin,” Jesse says, making me jump as he pops up at my side, standing on Rafe’s bunk and using the leverage to hook his arms over the edge of mine, grinning at me. “Regretting your choices yet?”

“Boys are…” I whisper, still looking around with awe, “a completely different species.”

“I think our prim little Princess likes it,” Jesse says with a laugh, observing my fascination.

I laugh too and lift a finger to my lips. “Don’t tell Rafe,” I whisper, knowing my brother – like my dad – is crazy over-protective.

“Your secret is safe with me,” Jesse whispers back, giving me a wink. “Just…try to look more boyish, all right? You’re sitting up there like a pretty little barn owl, staring around with those big eyes.”

I gasp a little, realizing that he’s probably right. I hunch my back a little, unfolding my legs so that I’m not so prim. “Is this better?” I murmur, pitching my voice lower and laughing because I feel ridiculous.

“Just scratch your ass a little more around people,” Jesse suggests with a grin, “let people see you burp.”

glare at him. “Absolutely not.”

and then holds out his arm to me, wrist up. “Here,”

he

says, laughing, and then he beckons me closer. I lean towards him and, lightening quick, Jesse wipes

I ask,

marking,” he replies in a whisper. “Sometimes you smell like a girl. This will disguise it

smell like

cousins,” he replies. “No one

just come to introduce himself to Rafe. I

anything else besides watching them, studying how they move so I can move like that and start to

so incredibly disconcerting when I find my head snapping to the left,

I just smelled…the most amazing scent that has

– she’s usually so calm

she commands, instantly starting to prowl, go find it

aloud when I smell it again – that incredible,

of my goals, all of my dreams – just wipes them away

the word, her feet dancing. Go! Get up! Go and find him – Mate! Mate! Mate!

pillows because I know it now – know it for certain in my heart and my bones

I look around, frantic,

moan aloud this time, my lower lip starting to shake as I go limp, falling back against my pillows. I have to press my eyes shut against the leather and whiskey scent of him – red hot cinders and the sharp bite of pine on

the core, so much so that my shoulders start to

other one is still there – and this one too –

both still there, both bonds now calling to me, urging me

two directions, trying to point both north and south at the same time, my internal compass spinning –

my hands to my temples and give