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 excitement

know

in

noooo idea

least, not yet.

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

Rafe says, shaking his head down at me. “Training is

I sigh, and Jesse grins at me to let me know I’m right. But I square

out to be correct: I have absolutely no

thank them.

–

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

myself through the final obstacle – a sand pit that I had to crawl through under a set of low ropes. As I hauled

an experience that made me emit an embarrassing moan as my arms gave out so that

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

is ranked second, and he

Lieutenant said, raising a snide brow in my direction. “McClintock went through

my head back, thinking longingly of the

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 –

just say that when they drag me back to the barracks, each with a hand under my arm to help hold me up, they’re not doing it for show.

I grumble, glaring at them. “I hate

smirking mouth,

me, drawing my eyes to

“You gave up. A lot. If you’re going to make it, Ari, you’re going to have to give it your all. You’re going to have

yanking my arms from theirs and willing myself to walk on my own, pushing myself to keep up with their long strides.

our pace as we enter the barracks. When we get to our bunks we all yank off our boots as fast as we can and then hurry into the bathroom, beating

open showers which are already spurting hot water. But then they glance at me, sigh, and join the short line

glance at the long row of open showers, hoping desperately that there’s