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?”

my voice 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

he just stares at me, I think a little shocked to see

on earth are you two talking

up with his own tray and nodding up towards the clock. “No one’s talking about

right, and push to my feet, my hands shaking a little as I grab my tray. Rafe waits patiently for Luca, Jesse, and Ben to move ahead, falling in next to me as we walk to bus

me, “the moment we get into

sigh and look up at him, words on my lips

eyes crinkling as I look up at my brother.

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

in me at my brother’s confidence, and

it’s precisely what I needed to hear as I head into the

Chapter 31

my fate.

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

a status which will surely change

Ben, who gives me a wink and a salute of good luck. I grin as I turn away from him, hoping to hell he makes it too – Ben, he’s become a good friend. It would be heartbreaking to have to say goodbye to him now.

best to stand far away from him. As we pass through the door, I’m surprised to see a small group of Academy professors in black waiting there, making us all stand in a straight line. I’m studying

study him further, I do a

and messing with the tie of his boot of all the things. What the

begin to move slowly down the line, the handsome professor at the center handing the orb to each of us in turn and

candidates looks as confused as I do after the experience, but…I mean, nobody looks any worse for the wear. So I attempt to pat down my anxiety as my

turn comes.

as the professor comes to stand in front of me. When the

the professor looks me seriously in the eye.

the sphere in your hands, Clark. Nothing else is

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 thin as thread and so fast

you.

you,” the professor says, and I jump a little before handing the sphere back to

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 his colleagues

when someone barks my

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

L

a runners stance, ready to make a break for it when