The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Chapter 31

Jackson takes a long moment to size up Luca, I think feeling more comfortable with direct confrontation than small talk. “No secrets, Grant,” he says quietly. “Just genuinely f**king good at it.”

Luca’s smirk deepens. “At least you’re good for the grunt work,” he says quietly, and my spine straightens at the cruel edge to his words. “Even the military needs its brutes on the front line.”

The table goes quiet at the clear implication in Luca’s words. My eyes flick over Luca again, unsettled by this aggression.

“I seem to recall,” Jackson says slowly, carefully, “that I beat you out on the intelligence exam too, Grant.”

Jesse’s mouth forms into a scandalized, delighted little “o” as he looks eagerly between Jackson and Luca, and a scandalized little laugh stumbles from Ben’s mouth. Rafe and I are completely silent.

Luca just leans back in his chair and grins, flicking his eyes over Jackson like he knows he could take him.

Even though…honestly, he might be the only person at the table who believes that.

“Thanks for breakfast,” Jackson says, smoothly breaking the awkward silence and standing up from his chair.

“Stay,” I say, leaning forward, the word popping from my lips before I realize it.

“Nah, I’m finished, and I want to warm up,” Jackson says, pushing his chair in and looking towards the tray–bussing station. But before he goes, he flicks his blue gaze back to me and holds my eyes seriously. “But thank you for the invitation. No one…no one has asked me to eat with them yet. It means a lot.”

I stay still for a moment, captivated by his gaze, but then he just nods to me.

And I nod back.

And then he’s walking away.

“Ari, why the hell did you ask him to eat with us?” Rafe growls, leaning across the table to yell at me once Jackson’s out of earshot.

“Because I felt bad for him, Rafe,” I say, gesturing in Jackson’s direction. “Didn’t

– no one, for two whole weeks you hear what he just said

“And did you ever imagine,” Luca says, his voice dry, “that maybe there’s a reason why no one asked him to eat with them? Because he’s a dangerous jerk?”

low. He blinks at me in surprise. “Don’t try to pretend I’m silly enough to not have bothered imagining why people might not like Jackson. But I also don’t imagine that most people have your particular reason for disliking him, okay? Just because you don’t like him

I think a little shocked to see the funny little Shrimp

talking about?”

up towards

is right, and push to my feet, my hands shaking a little as I grab my tray. Rafe waits patiently for Luca, Jesse,

glaring down at me, “the moment we get into

him, words on my lips ready to

as I look up at my brother. “Does that mean you think I’m

and putting it on the rack below his. “It does,” he says, his voice sure. “I believe in you, Ari. Even if I’m going to kick your ass for that stunt the moment we get inside,” he sighs, slinging

wells in me at my

I needed to hear as I head into the

Chapter 31

my fate.

and wish them good luck, knowing that I won’t see them again until the ceremony in which the final rankings are announced. We’ll be allowed back in the barracks after the obstacle course, but just to grab our things. We’ve got

the pack a status which will surely change after this obstacle run – I

as I turn away from him, hoping to hell he makes

group of ten through the entrance to the course, I’m a chagrined to see that Graham Wright is part of my pack. But I sigh and just do my best to stand far away from him. As we pass through the door, I’m surprised

before I can study him further, I do a bit of a double–take,

is there, at the start line of the obstacle course, kneeling down and messing with the tie of his boot of all the things.

Once I’m there, the professors begin to move slowly down the line, the handsome professor at the center handing the orb to each of us in turn and

of the candidates looks as confused as I do after the experience, but…I mean, nobody looks any worse for the wear.

turn comes.

the professor comes to stand in front of me. When the Lieutenant nods that

professor looks me seriously in the

your hands, Clark.

glass, but instead…clear glass, in which shadows swirl and pulse. I go still with surprise as I watch the black clouds, and as I stare I even see…little pulses of purple lightening flash through them, as thin as thread and so fast you’d swear your

you.

the professor says, and I jump a little before

I blush, because I feel a little ridiculous. I mean, I didn’t actually do him any favors. He smirks at me, looking me up and down before he moves with

when someone barks

and then curse as I realize that all of the other candidates are lined up at the start of the course waiting

L

my hands on my left knee in a runners stance, ready to make a