The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy Chapter 119

“Jackson,” I respond, staring up at him, meaning every word, “I promise. Never, not Alvez, not Jesse, not Rafe – nobody.”

“And not fucking Grant?” he growls, his expression suddenly harsh.

And something about it…I don’t know. I can’t help the grin that twists my lips. “Especially not Grant,” I promise with a steady nod.

“Fine,” he sighs, standing straight and running a hand through his hair. “Then yes, we know that that’s your magic because it’s not mine.”

“And?” I say, raising an eyebrow at him as I cross my arms over my chest. “Yours is?”

Light floods down the hall as the door to my room opens and Rafe pops his head out. He’s frowning, of course.

“Too long a story to tell before Rafe Sinclair storms down this hallway,” Jackson murmurs, making me smirk.

I sigh, shaking my head at him.

“Look, I’ll tell you, all right?” Jackson promises, turning towards the stairs. “Just…later. When there’s more time.”

“Okay,” I say, nodding to him, hoping that he does.

Not because I particularly need to know but because…

Well, because I want Jackson to have someone he trusts, someone he tells his secrets to.

And, perhaps selfishy, or maybe naturally…I want that person to be me.

“Fine,” he says, starting to stride away.

I scoff a little, shaking my head as he goes. “Goodnight, Jackson!” I call after him, annoyed.

He turns to me. “What?”

“Goodnight?” I reply, raising my eyebrows at him wryly. “You know, the thing people say to each other when they part for the evening?”

He stares at me for a long second and then laughs, turning again and continuing towards the stairs. “Whatever, Clark. Goodnight, if it’s so important to you.”

“It’s just polite,” I insist.

“Ari,” he says, a shiver running down my spine at the way he says my name, his voice cool and rich and low. He turns and walks backwards away from me, a little smirk on his lips, “when did I ever give you the impression that I was polite?”

I can’t help the grin that spreads all the way across my face as I bite my lip, watching him walk away.

I’m so completely distracted by the sight of his tall frame starting down the stairs, the way his shoulders move, curling in slightly as he retreats back into his own lonely world, that I jump a little when Rafe’s hand wraps around my arm.

“Come on,” he murmurs, his voice exhausted. “You can moon over your mate in the safety and warmth of our room.”

“Ew, Rafe!” I gasp, trying to tug my arm away from him and failing. Rafe just rolls his eyes at me, dragging me back.

“Whatever, Ari, if I was ten seconds later you’d have been chasing him down the stairs.”

“I would not!”

But when Rafe snaps his eyes back to me, his expression exhausted, I have to laugh.

Because…well, maybe because he’s just a little bit right.

Luca’s moody when Rafe and I come back into the room, and as Rafe presses the door shut behind us, I don’t miss the fact that Luca has curled his legs up, leaving half the couch open. It’s a silent invitation, I know, for me to join him.

But quite frankly, he’s burned his chance for that tonight.

“I’m going to take a long bath,” I sigh, grabbing my pajamas out of my nook and heading for the bathroom. I don’t need it to get clean but – I definitely want it, just to relax.

“You’re seriously not going to explain how that marble changed states of matter?” Ben gasps, watching me move towards the bookshelf that doubles as a door to our bathroom.

“Use your imagination, Ben,” I sigh, pulling the door open and slipping inside.

My last look, however, is reserved for my mate, who glares at me from the couch.

Because I am well aware that he expected to have the upper hand tonight.

And it looks like beyond all odds, I’m the one who walked away with it.