The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy Chapter 52

I hurry my own pace, darting for an empty shower stall now, willing to take whichever is free – however filthy –

“Ari!” Jesse hisses behind me. “Are you – are you kidding me – is he your –“

I squeak a little in dismay. “Don’t know what you’re talking about, Jesse!” I hiss, darting into the stall and yanking the curtain closed behind me.

“Ari!” Jesse shrieks, and then he lowers his voice. “Are you – are you fucking using the dream state with him!?“

“I can’t hear you!” I shout, desperate, flipping on the water even though I’m still dressed. Jesse starts to tug at the curtain but I snap it shut. “You can’t come in here!” I protest. “I’m naked!”

“ARI!” Jesse shouts, completely freaked out.

But suddenly he goes silent, and I go still.

“What the hell is going on here?” Rafe’s voice asks, just outside the stall.

My eyes dart around as I pray – pray that Jesse holds his tongue –

“Nothing,” Jesse says, laughing and playing it off. “Ari just…played a prank on me. Lunchmeat…in my bed.”

“That’s not a prank,” Rafe says, confused. “That’s just…gross.”

“Yeah well,” Jesse murmurs. “He needs to…work on his practical jokes. I guess.”

“Whatever,” Rafe says, sighing, his voice tired as he moves away, heading back to the bunks. “You guys got this? I’ll see you in a few?”

Jesse calls confirmation over his shoulder before turning back to my curtain. “This conversation is not finished, Ari,” he says, spitting my name out like it’s a dirty word.

I don’t say anything, but when I hear his angry mutters move away, I exhale a deep breath and begin to strip down, using the entire length of my very long, very hot shower to decide what the hell I’m going to say to my cousin.

When I finally step out of my stall, damp but dressed and tugging my hat down over my head, I have a plan.

I mean, it’s a very basic, stupid plan. But it’s a plan.

“Ari,” Jesse growls, standing right outside the stall as I step out, his arms crossed over the chest of his clean uniform, glaring at me beneath his freshly-washed hair. “You need to tell me. Now.”

“Fine,” I sigh, looking up at him and giving him my best baby-cousin look. “Just…can you scent mark me first? I don’t want to…”

Jesse scowls but reaches out his wrist, rubbing it across my neck and my own wrists, perhaps a little more roughly than normal. “All right, with Ari, out with it –“

“Can’t talk now, bye!” I shout, and then I bolt – dropping my towel and running as fast as I can for the bunk room and the safety of Rafe’s side.

“Ari!” Jesse shouts after me, pissed now – but the element of surprise did its job, as well as his week of training me to run faster, and by the time he reaches me? I’m already throwing myself into Rafe’s bunk alongside him.

“What the hell is going on?” Rafe asks, jumping a little as I dart behind him.

“Nothing!” I say, laughing and panting a little. “Just a race! I win!”

“Ari!” Jesse shouts again, skidding to a stop between our bunks and glaring at me, his eyes flicking to Rafe. And I look over Rafe’s shoulder at my cousin, my eyes pleading – because he did promise he’d keep my secrets, and even if I am desperately avoiding this conversation, I do trust that he’s not going to break that promise.

Not right now, at least.

“You’re such a little rat,” Jesse growls, reaching behind Rafe to smack at me.

Rafe bursts into laughter as I shriek and Jesse, figuring out my plan, continues to wail on me half-heartedly until, laughing, I cry mercy and Rafe pulls me safely to his other side, protecting me beneath his well-muscled arm.

“Enough,” Rafe sighs, though he smiles at both of us. “We’re supposed to stick together –“

“I’m not sticking with that rat cousin,” Jesse grumbles, giving me a little kick as he settles against Rafe’s pillow.

“Rat or not, you’re stuck with me,” I say, peeking out from behind Rafe and grinning at him, trying to make peace.

Jesse shakes his head at me a little, but he smiles, and I know we’re all right.

We spend the next hour or two comfortably in Rafe’s bed, telling about our days in the woods. It’s quite cozy, really, pressed warm against my brother’s side. Ben comes over too, sitting on the edge of the bed and telling us the story about how they couldn’t catch any fish and almost came up on the time limit, but then he suddenly remembered that dandelions are edible and found a few sad little plants growing by their edge of their camp.

We grin, congratulating him on his last-minute pass. Ben looks down, though, even if he smiles. Because, technically, his team didn’t fully pass – they didn’t make the ten-mile hike home. Anxiety is tight in my chest as I consider what this is going to do to his ranking, which was already on the cusp of failure.

But the doors to the dining hall open, and we stand up, all hungry and ready for dinner – and the rankings that are going to come along with it.