The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Chapter 13

I sigh and drop my head back on my pillow as I finish my sandwich, curling up tight and pressing my eyes shut, going over every moment of my conversation with Luca in my

head.

Thinking about his handsome face, the way his eyes fell to my mouth, the ran down his spine —

The fact that I did that to him…

This is…

I sigh, feeling suddenly overwhelmed.

Because this is getting into some dangerous grounds, isn’t it?

way

the shiver

Some wonderful grounds, my wolf corrects, curling into a little crescent and tucking her nose warmly beneath the edge of her tail. Sneak back over – let’s see if we can make him go all shivery again!

No, I growl inwardly, shaking my head. Because as much as I’m completely distracted and fascinated by my new connections, I have to resist the urge to explore them right now. There’s far too much at stake –

If I let Luca or Jackson in too much, I could get caught and then I risk losing my shot at trying myself in the Academy and I’ll risk having to go home and fulfill my promise to marry Prince Edward. As much as I’m intrigued…

I have to keep my distance. Which means doing my best to avoid my mates during the two weeks of candidacy.

I can do that, right? Mates are forever – I will have time to explore my connections with them later, and right now I need to turn my mind to other things.

I can do this, I tell myself with a steady nod, my eyes still pressed shut.

No you can’t, my wolf sighs sleepily, closing her eyes.

But I just ignore her, determined, and steady my breathing, willing myself to fall asleep.

When a hand shakes my arm the next morning, I gasp awake out of a much–needed deep.

in

Chapter 13

dreamless sleep.

says quietly, grinning down at me from his perch on the side of my bed. “Time to get

are a mess of noise, all the candidates getting ready at once. I sit up and look around, realizing that everyone’s still in bed.

hopping silently down from the side of the bed. “We’re going for a walk

and hop down softly, taking note of the single finger pressed to Jesse’s lips as

going to

ablutions and then out the door of the barracks. As we pass my bunk I smile at my brother’s sleeping form, grateful again that

then again, in our big crazy family there wasn’t much choice but to be able to sleep through a great deal of noise.

pushes open the door to the barracks and slips a friendly arm around my shoulders as we walk out into the dawn light, the fresh morning air

ask, confused. “Like, why are we able to just walk in and out of

says, looking around happily at the pretty morning as we start out on a dirt track that leads towards the hills. “Candidates are all here voluntarily and they’re all determined to hold themselves to the rules. Because

and go at will?” I ask.

go for an early morning run. Which is what we’re doing.” He gives me a wink and

drops open before I scowl at him. “You said walk!”

lied,” he says, grinning at me and starting off on the track at a gentle jog. “Come on! You need to keep up!”

some coffee before this, and then I hurry to catch up with my cousin, who I know is only doing this for my benefit anyway. I really

while as he puts me through my paces, making me stay by his side until I’m panting for air while he, infuriatingly, barely breaks a sweat. When we get to

me,” I gasp, glaring at him.

have been prepping Rafe and I for this since we were kids.” He takes a deep breath, looking out over the gorgeous, hazy countryside with a smile. I follow his gaze as my breathing

that you and Rafe got to become bastions of athletic prowess and I got to train to be a perfect wife and Queen.” I cross my arms, bitter

pointing out the truth.

my eyes wide.

“Yeah, she said that she had seen your future at your moonlight baptism and that guy was not your mate – so why the hell would we let you go into a marriage that we knew would fail? But Aunt Ella said you had to be free to

you knew the

laughs a little and runs his hand through his hair. “I may

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a little bit.”

laughing as I do. Jesse – he’s

trained your whole life to be a Queen, and it didn’t work out in that way, but the fact that your mate is here? Training for

whisper, nodding with him. “It feels like…grandma has a

our inside

Jesse says, and I turn to him, a little surprised to hear him use my full name in such serious tones.

warm hand on my shoulder. “I get that you’re a big girl now, and that I have no right to tell you what to do, and that you’ve already got an overprotective big brother to play this role. But…” he hesitates and I step closer, wanting to hear what he has to say. “Just…maybe give this whole mate thing a little breathing room, yeah?”

ask, a little

– he hasn’t figured out who you are