The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Chapter 7

“Wait a second,” Luca says, cocking his head and looking the larger candidate up and down. “How do we even know we’re looking for the same girl?”

I snap my attention to the other guy as I subtly move further back into the pool, seeking shadow. God, if the moon could just slip back behind the Academy…

“Don’t be an idiot, Grant,” the taller one growls, advancing on Luca another step. “Do you seriously think that there are two girls wandering around the candidate barracks of Alpha Academy?”

“Point taken,” Luca says with a shrug, not giving any ground even though the larger

candidate looks like he outweighs him by at least thirty pounds of solid muscle. “But let’s be sure – what’s your girl smell like?”

My eyes flick between them as they share notes on my scent, coming to the conclusion that they are indeed both chasing the same girl who smells of smoke and cloves and honey. Is that seriously what I smell like? I wonder absently as my mind focuses on the more important thing: coming up with a plan to get the hell out of here.

Yes, my

wolf replies, preening as she prances, we smell very nice.

And suddenly, as the boys again begin to argue about whose mate she is, I realize exactly what I need to do.

“Um,” I say, pitching my voice louder to be heard over their argument. The boys stop talking and snap their gazes immediately to me, which makes me sink deeper into the water, even though my wolf nips me internally, urging me ridiculously to just climb n*ked out of the pool and go to them. “You’re looking for the person who smells like cloves and honey?”

“What do you know about it,” the big guy snarls, stepping towards me with narrowed eyes as if he’ll leap into the pool and beat me to a pulp if I say anything out of line.

“Nothing!” I protest, putting my hands up, even though just my fingertips stick out of the water. “Um, sorry – I didn’t get a good look – I didn’t even realize it was a girl – I only saw like, a silhouette.”

“Well, where did she go,” the larger cadet growls, and as I look up into his face I’m suddenly shaken by…

+5

Well, by how incredibly gorgeous he is beneath his scars and his snarl. Besides being so large that he could toss me around like a rag doll, his face is shaped by a square jaw and a long, straight nose beneath dark brows. And his eyes…

Despite myself, I take a step forward, peering closer –

Because I think they’re blue – the darkest, most gorgeous shade of sapphire blue, such an unusual contrast with his chestnut hair….

“Is something wrong with you?” he spits out, looking at me in shock and rage.

I flinch back, realizing that – oh my god – I was just gazing into his eyes when he’s ready to kill me –

“Nope!” I squeak, shaking my head and backing up again into the shadow. “Sorry, yeah, she went that way!” I point out into the distance, away from the barracks.

she look

I think, frantic. “Um, really tall! With like, lots and lots of

his head in the direction I indicated. He shoots

think, staring unblinking at Luca now as he studies me. Why

eyes, trying to get a better look at me. “Why are

because I can’t think of anything

take a shower, like the rest of us?”

they were gross,” I hear myself say, and then I gasp at how stupid I’m being and duck half

his head and smiling at me, “but you’re funny. I like funny.”

on her haunches and lifts her nose to the sky, howling in

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this spring and into his arms –

–

oh my god, something in me melts at the sight of it. I actually have

say anything, Luca just laughs again and shakes his head. “Anyway,” he continues, “thanks for the tip on the girl.

vigorously, not even looking where he points because

go-

nods to me one last time before turning and running off.

me for a few minutes. And then, when I hear

—-

–

grasses

pool and pull on my clothes as fast as I can – seriously, I’ve never gotten dressed faster – I have no idea if my

of my bathing kit, I sprint

–

because any second I expect a hand to grab me by my

—

can find out that my mates are here

and reckless tonight, I should have

–

into the pool with us, my contrary wolf grumbles. Then we

–

voice away as I reach the barracks, my feet stuttering to a stop as I reach the door. I force myself to take slower, softer breaths as I grab

slapping against the floor. I’m way too full of frantic energy to help that, but I hope that wakes up just thinks I’m a candidate running

anyone who

stuff

I hurl my

lands silently, and then leap ungracefully onto Jesse’s

begging him to be quiet. He shouts my name, but it’s muffled by my hand, and I glance