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.

can’t help but feel a little thrill of

I know who they are.

in

idea who I

not

looks like a gigantic obstacle course.

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

not,” I sigh, and Jesse grins at me to let me know I’m right. But I square my shoulders and nod to them, ready to

out to be correct:

thank them.

–

it training – it was just a lot of running through obstacle courses, throwing ourselves over barriers, and climbing chains an activity at which I completely failed. None of 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

a sand pit that I 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

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 exhaustion and lust. God damn it, having mates while running an obstacle course makes me look even more pathetic than I really

as I crawled out of the pit.“Dead last, Clark,” a Lieutenant said as I got to my feet, raising

is ranked second, and he

my direction. “McClintock went through twice, while you

thinking longingly of

next-

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

hand under my arm to

glaring at them. “I hate boy

stupid smirking mouth, “you’re the one that wanted to

my eyes to him. “What?” I

make it, Ari, you’re going to have to give

arms from theirs and willing myself to walk on my own, pushing myself to keep up with their long strides. “I can do it. I just

to get good showers – the hot water will be gone if we’re last.” Jesse nods eagerly and we all pick up our pace as we enter the barracks. When we get to our bunks we all yank off our boots as fast as we

the shelf – just towels 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

showers, hoping desperately that there’s still hot water by the time we