The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy Chapter 25

My glare deepens, because we both know that’s not the truth, but I look away, not wanting Jesse to get suspicious about the connection between us. Frankly, I’m shocked Jesse hasn’t figured it out already – Luca’s making it so obvious.

“And how do you propose to help?” Rafe asks, his voice low and derisive, clearly suggesting that it’s impossible, “on a day like this?”

“I know,” Luca says, shaking his head a little bit and crossing his arms, studying me like I’m a lost cause. “It’s a shame he came in so unprepared…”

“He was a last minute addition to the roster,” Jesse says, his voice dry.

“Unprepared for what?” I ask, sitting up straighter and looking between them. “Wait, what’s today? What am I unprepared for?”

“Today ends in another combat competition,” Rafe says, glancing over at me. “It affects the rankings. One-on-one, though, not bracket style this time.”

“How do you know this shit,” I breathe, shaking my head as I stare at him.

“Our dads made the school, Ari,” Jesse says, rolling his eyes at me. “They told us. Nepotism for the win.”

“Not like it’s a big secret,” Luca says, shrugging and finishing up a bowl of oatmeal. “There are all kinds of forums online where previous cadets spill the school’s secrets, if you know where to find them. Anyone who did any kind of prep at all to be here knows the schedule of candidate exams.”

He quirks an eyebrow at me, clearly implying that I failed to do that essential research, but duh – of course I didn’t. I was busy planning my wedding.

“Well how the hell am I gonna get through this?” I ask, looking a little frantically between my brother and my cousin.

“Don’t worry about it, Ari,” Rafe says, taking a calm drink of his coffee. “They pit lowest against the highest for this one. So, you’ll be facing me.”

“So!?” I ask, my voice squeaky with anxiety. “How does that help me? I can’t beat you – you’re a gorilla – you’re twice my size!”

“You don’t have to beat me,” Rafe snaps, turning to glare at me a little. “You just have to pretend to. I’m going to take the fall.”

“What?” I breathe, shocked.

“Whoa, man,” Luca says, his eyes wide as he stares at Rafe. “You’re going to give up the number one spot? For your cousin?”

Rafe doesn’t reply, just shrugs and turns back to his tray, finishing off his food.

“I don’t like any of my cousins that much,” Luca says, glancing up at the clock. “Shit, we’ve got to go –“

“Rafe,” I say, putting my hand on his shoulder. “You can’t do that – we have to figure something else out –“

“It’s done, Ari,” he says, glancing at the clock as well and starting to stand up. “It’s not like it will knock me off the board – it will just drop me down a few spots and bring you up about half way. It’s worth it.”

“Rafe!” I protest, standing up with him and gathering my tray.

“No time to debate,” Jesse says, tugging me along with him and away from Rafe. “You have to let him do this, Ari. It’s the only way.”

I sigh, not fighting him on it as the four of us bus our trays and head for the door just as a bell sounds, signaling the end of breakfast and the start of training. But inwardly, my mind whirs – because there has to be something that I can do that doesn’t put Rafe’s spot at the Academy at risk just to save mine.

Unfortunately, as the day passes, I don’t come up with anything. We all troop into the gym together and are run through the horrible obstacle course twice as some kind of warm-up. The entire time I run it, I push my mind to come up with something – anything –