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?”

idiot, Luca,” I say, 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 your particular reason for disliking him, okay? Just because you

gaze while he just stares at me, I think a little shocked to see the funny

on earth are you two talking

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

grab my tray. Rafe waits patiently for Luca, Jesse, and Ben

explaining this,” he says quietly, glaring down at me, “the moment we get into the Academy.

look up at him, words on my

grin instead, my eyes crinkling as I look up at my brother. “Does that

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

in me at my

precisely what I needed to hear as I head into

Chapter 31

my fate.

invited in way before Ben and I. I give Jesse and Rafe both hugs 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 to get

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

group of 10, I wave to 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

surprised to see a small group of Academy professors in black waiting there, making us all stand in a straight line. I’m studying them, my eyes catching again on

can study him further, I do a

obstacle course, kneeling down and messing with the tie of his boot of all

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 line, the handsome professor at the center handing the orb to each of us in turn and observing

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

turn comes.

clip board as the professor comes to stand in front of me. When the Lieutenant nods

me seriously in the

Clark. Nothing else

in which shadows swirl and pulse. I go still with surprise as I watch the

you.

professor says, and I jump a little before

mean, I didn’t actually do him any favors. He smirks

when someone barks my name

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

L

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