The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Chapter 11

“Cut the crap, Rafe,” dad snaps, and my eyes go immediately wide because dad only uses that tone when he’s really mad. “What the hell are you doing at the Academy when you told us two nights ago that you were taking your sister somewhere safe?!”

Jesse visibly gulps while Rafe struggles to keep his composure under what is probably dad’s most menacing glare. While the three of us obviously know that he loves us, he’s still probably the scariest man on the planet. Only mom is completely immune to him.

“Rafe, you look so cute!” My face bursts into a smile when I hear mom’s voice coming through the video call. “Show me Jesse! Oh my god, your little uniforms!”

“Ella -” Dad says on a sigh, reminding her that they called for a reason.

“Oh right. Yes! Boys, where is your sister!?”

“It’s fine, mom,” Rafe says, and I know that he feels more secure now, talking to her. Rafe

we’ve got and mom have always had a special bond, just like me and dad. “I promise you everything under control, Ariel’s doing great

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–

“How is that possible,” dad grumbles, cutting him off, “when you are at a military Academy and she is – Rafe! Where the hell is she?!”

I wrap my arms around my legs and stare up at my brother, wondering if he’s going to break under the pressure of dad’s glare. Deep down I desperately hope he doesn’t – I’m not done here, not nearly.

“We’ve got

it all under control, Uncle Dom,” Jesse says, reaching out and turning the tablet so that my parents can see him. “We promise – we’d never let her be in any danger, and it’s actually safer if we’re the only ones who know!”

“You have to trust us, dad,” Rafe snaps, turning the tablet back to him, starting to glare back at our parents now. “You know that we would both rather die than let anything bad happen to Ariel. So, either you call us all back right now, or you trust the three of us together.”

The other line is silent for a moment and I go tense with hope.

“We trust you, Rafe,” mom says, her voice thick with emotion. “If you promise that she’s safe and that you’re taking care of her? I believe you.”

Rafe and Jesse shift their eyes, clearly looking at dad now. His answer takes longer.

–

“She’s my little girl, Rafe,” dad says, his voice cracking on the words in a way that makes my entire stomach tie in knots. “I know she’s growing up – you all are but god damn it, if you let anything happen to her “

won’t,” Rafe says, giving a single nod and looking steadily into the camera. Jesse nods too, sealing his promise as well.

clearly unhappy with how this went but determined to trust his kids.

let them beat you

–

smile now too, saying their final goodbyes before Rafe turns the tablet off, tossing it on the bed before looking around to see if any of the other candidates have been listening in or figured anything out. When

better not make a liar out of me, Ari,” he growls, shaking

did I do!?” I gasp, sitting up straight and glaring right

–

since we were six – “that you’d better not do anything stupid that makes dad tear me to pieces because you got hurt, or killed, or pregnant.” He delivers the last

jumping to my feet from Jesse’s bunk and glaring back at him. “I’m not doing anything but trying

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the other candidates like they were prime cuts of meat –”

his chest and shoving him, hard. “Rafe, you’re being ridiculous

me, his face unusually grave. Because now…well, he’s probably figured out what,

can he have

of them can say anything else I grab my toothbrush kit from the edge of my bed

the hell do you think you’re going!?”

me stumble a few steps back. His mouth pops open in surprise and I see the apology on his tongue for almost knocking me over, but I wave a hand in his face, dismissing it. “What, I can’t even do this alone!?” I

words, realizing that he has perhaps. stepped a little over the line between protective big brother and complete asshole tonight. So I nod curtly once more and turn on my heel, storming into the bathroom alone.

catching the final now–icy showers, and instead stalk right to the row of

myself, anger still pulsing through me.

against my soul and making me

spit my toothpaste

straight and swishing her tail. Cheer better things to concentrate

up

–

we’ve got

I ask, standing up straight, but before I can even fully consider her words, a hand grabs the fabric at the back of my uniform and begins to haul me along, away from the

me as he pulls me towards the

my weight back into and trying to get out of his grasp. “Let go of me! I’m not going anywhere

my heels

kiss you – maybe he’ll take his shirt off! But I hastily shove her away, glaring

1. me.

go

you were really doing out last night in front of your over- protective cousins, who I’m starting to realize don’t know anything about your midnight. bath and

– if he’s figured out