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?”

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

me, I think a little shocked to see the funny little Shrimp he’s gotten to know push back

you two talking about?” Jesse asks,

up with his own tray and nodding up towards the clock. “No one’s talking about anything anymore. It’s time to

my tray. Rafe waits patiently for Luca, Jesse, and Ben to move ahead, falling in next to me as we

at me, “the moment we get into the Academy. All

and look up at him, words

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

his empty tray, taking my full one from my hands 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 an arm around my shoulders as we

in me at my brother’s confidence, and

think it’s precisely what I needed to hear as I head into the gym, ready to meet

Chapter 31

my fate.

in way before Ben and I. I give Jesse and Rafe both hugs and wish them good luck, knowing that

pack a status which will surely change after this obstacle run – I don’t have too

and a salute of good luck. I grin as I turn away from him, hoping to hell he makes it too –

walk with the 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 to see a

I can study him further, I do a bit of a

is there, at the start line of the obstacle course, kneeling down and messing

pulled away from my mate. I shake my head to clear it and step into place at the back of the line. Once I’m there, the professors begin to move slowly down the

I do after the experience, but…I mean, nobody looks any

turn comes.

making notes on a clip board as the professor

me seriously

in your hands, Clark. Nothing else is required of

murmur, looking down at the glass ball. But no one answers me. As I stare at the orb, I realize that it’s not a solid ball of obsidian 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

you.

the professor says, and I jump a little

and then I blush, because I feel a little ridiculous. I mean, I didn’t actually do him any favors. He smirks at me, looking

after him when someone barks my

curse as I realize that all of the other candidates are

L

left knee in a runners stance, ready to make a break for it when the whistle sounds.