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.

perch on the

of noise, all the candidates getting ready at once. I sit up and

hopping silently down from the side of the

blankets off and hop down softly, taking note of the single finger pressed to

thing we’re going to be talking

then out the door of the barracks. As we pass my bunk I smile at my

in our big crazy family there wasn’t much choice but

to the barracks and slips a friendly arm around my shoulders as we walk out into the dawn light, the fresh morning air bracing as the door shuts behind us. But as we start to walk, I glance back at

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

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 the school is going to cut the

can just come and

and shrugs. “Some cadets like to go for an early morning run. Which is what we’re doing.” He gives me a wink and a little squeeze around the shoulders before dropping his arm and starting to

before I scowl at him. “You said

on the track at a gentle jog. “Come on! You need to

to catch up with my cousin, who I

for a long 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 the top of a hill he signals to me to take a break and I

you so much fitter than me,” I gasp, glaring at him. “I

a deep breath, looking out over the gorgeous, hazy countryside with a smile. I follow his gaze as my breathing comes easier, likewise admiring the way that the hills roll and the early–morning clouds settle low over

contrast to such a beautiful landscape. “I hate that you and Rafe got to become bastions of athletic prowess and I got to train to

still pointing out the truth. “That was all you.

I ask, my eyes

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

by this. “So, you knew the whole time too? And wait – they had this conversation in front of

hand through his hair. “I may have

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a little bit.”

laughing as I do. Jesse – he’s always been good at

didn’t work out in that way, but the fact that your mate is here? Training for the Academy at the same time you are?”

nodding with him. “It feels

little at our inside joke of calling

surprised to hear him use my full name in such serious tones. I raise my eyebrows, inviting him to say what he wants to

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…”

a

your mate – he hasn’t figured out