The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy Chapter 132

We spend a long time under that tree as Jackson tells me the long story about how he stayed up for three weeks in a row, only giving in because he was so incredibly bored by the end of it. About how he just wandered around at night all alone, doing chores and going for runs just to have something to do. About how he missed dreaming, and missed rest, because while he wasn’t precisely tired, in a bodily sort of way, he was exhausted mentally.

“We need sleep, I think, to turn off our minds,” he says at the end of it, thoughtful. “Life’s hard enough as it is – we need time away from it all, I guess.”

“Yes, that makes sense,” I murmur passively, all my words blurring together as I sit with my chin still propped in my hand, just staring at him, mesmerized.

Because god, he’s gorgeous. Jackson – he’s so brutal at first sight, all harsh lines and scars and darkness. But the more time you spend with him – and the more he opens up – the more you see the grace in him. It’s almost, somehow, like he…tucks it away, hiding it. But when he lets it out?

His face just…lights up, like a flaming beacon in the night. And god, is he breathtaking.

“I mean, it makes sense, right?”

I startle out of my reverie and curse myself for letting myself get lost in my mate’s gaze. “Hmm?” I say, straightening up.

He laughs at me. “Sorry,” he says, running a hand through his messy hair, “I’ve been boring.”

“Jackson,” I say, my voice low with the understatement, “you’ve been the opposite of boring. I got…completely lost in what you were saying.”

He grins, desperately pleased at the compliment, and opens his mouth to say more –

But I gasp, suddenly looking around. “Shit, what time is it!?”

“Oh my god,” he says, dropping my hand suddenly and springing to his feet. “Shit, Clark, we’re late –“

I squeak in protest, pushing myself to my own feet as Jackson grabs my book satchel off the floor, thrusting it against my chest when I finally stand up straight. “We’ve got to go,” he says, looking desperately back to the castle.

“Well then you carry this!” I shout, pushing the satchel back to him. “Run!”

We do run then, and Jackson beats me, obviously, even carrying both of our books. He grabs my hand and basically drags me through the halls once we’re inside, towards my Chemistry classroom.

“How do you even know where this is!?” I gasp as we get close.

Jackson just glares over my shoulder at me, like I’m stupid for not knowing that of course he would know where the Chemistry classroom is.

Inwardly, I’m pleased by this, though there’s no time to dwell on it, especially as I consider that Jackson fulfilled his promise to Rafe that he’d see me to my next class even though it means he’ll be even later for his.

But…instinctually, I know that he’s not doing it for Rafe’s sake.

He’s doing it for me.

I’m panting by the time I get to the door. Jackson, predictably, is not.

“You good?” He asks, unstrapping my satchel from his shoulder and handing it to me.

I nod, glancing towards the door, anxious to get inside.

“I’ll…see you,” Jackson murmurs, turning away.

“Come over!” I call after him, knowing that it’s costing me even more time but unable to stop myself. Jackson turns, staring at me. I shake my head, speaking all in a hurry. “Come to our room,” I beg, “come spend time with us. We want you there.”

Jackson just raises an ironic eyebrow, which makes me laugh.

“I want you there,” I say as I grin and grab the door handle. “Which is all that matters.”

He smirks for a second and then nods once before turning away, heading down the hall.