The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Chapter 9

“Oh god,” I groan, sinking my face into my hands, my dreams of becoming an Academy cadet suddenly slipping through my fingers.

“Don’t worry about it, Ari,” Jesse murmurs, wrapping an arm around my shoulder and giving me a manly squeeze. “We’ll train you up good. You just had one bad day, and they didn’t measure any of the things you’re actually good at.”

“He’s right,” Rafe says, and I raise my head to see my brother looking at me seriously. I blink a little, emotion swelling in me because Rafe looks so much like dad when he looks at me like that, with a mix of stern expectation and love in his eyes. “We’ll get your number up fast, Ari, you just need…a little more training.”

“Not like you two have to worry,” I sigh, leaning into Jesse for just a second before glancing up at the board again. “You two are…” and then I scoff a little in jealousy because their numbers are one and four. “Seriously, guys!?” I say, pouting at them. “You had to show me up that bad?”

“Someone had to uphold the Sinclair name,” Rafe murmurs, smirking a little as he finishes off his plate, shoveling the food into his mouth. “Seriously, Ari, eat up,” he says, gesturing towards my plate with his fork. “You need the energy today!”

I sigh and eat the sausage in two bites, finishing up the orange as we bus our trays and head for the door. But as I swallow the last little bit of orange, I realize that I didn’t even look –

I spin at the last minute, my eyes roving over the rankings for their names –

Luca Grant – that one’s easy. Number five, right at the top, right under Jesse. Does that mean…did Jesse beat him in the bracket yesterday? Surely he would have mentioned

But Rafe – if he beat my other mate in the final match that means…

Number two.

My eyes dart up the chart, fastening on his name.

Jackson McClintock.

That’s him, I think, even as Rafe grabs my arm and hauls me out of the room.

Jackson. Luca and Jackson.

–

–

My mates.

towards the gym… I can’t help but feel a

stomach. Because I know who they are.

in

noooo idea who

least, not yet.

moving towards the group of candidates who stand before what looks like a gigantic obstacle course. “Thanks, guys,” I whisper, suddenly overwhelmed by a rush

his head down at me. “Training is about to kick your ass.

me know I’m right. But I square my shoulders and nod

prediction turns out to be correct:

thank them.

–

it had anything to do with fighting anyone, as far as I could see. And it certainly was not an activity that played to my skill set. Thankfully, nothing today counts towards rankings – we’ll run the obstacle course again at the end of the two weeks, which is when it will actually affect our

had to crawl through under a set of low ropes. As I hauled myself forward with my burning forearms, I was shocked to see Jackson passing me, barely giving me

that I got a good whiff of his scent as he pulled ahead, an experience that made me emit an embarrassing moan as my arms gave out so that I faceplanted in the sand, completely overwhelmed by

sand as I crawled out of the pit.“Dead last, Clark,” a Lieutenant said as

I panted, gesturing towards Jackson. “McClintock is ranked second, and he

raising a snide brow in my direction. “McClintock went through twice, while you did it once.”

head back, thinking longingly of

next-

and hauled me towards the last task of the day: a five–mile run that left me gasping for air because Jesse and Rafe refused to let me finish last again and made me keep up with them the whole time. Honestly, I had thought I was a good runner – I’m usually pretty fast – but my exhaustion, combined with my lack of sleep, combined with my realization that Jesse and Rafe really have been going easy on

each with a hand under my

at them. “I hate

smirking mouth, “you’re the one that wanted to be a boy.”

eyes to him. “What?” I

he says, frowning at me in turn. “You gave up. A lot. If you’re going to make it, Ari, you’re going

keep up with their long strides.

nods eagerly and we all pick up our pace as we enter the barracks. When we get to our bunks

and soap again – I see Jesse and Rafe look longingly at the tiled rows of open showers which are already spurting hot water. But then they glance at me, sigh, and join the short line for the three curtained showers with me again standing between

long row of open showers, hoping desperately that there’s still hot water by the time we have a chance to get in