The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy Chapter 58

I stare curiously at my cousin, waiting for my explanation.

“I mean he’s going to be possessive,” Jesse says, shrugging. “The same way Rafe would be if he found his mate, and me too, to an extent. He just won’t want anyone else’s hands on you, will want you all to himself. And, considering that you’re taking a very independent and somewhat dangerous path in your life…”

“Oh,” I say, thinking it through. Luca – his instincts are going to be to keep me out of danger. And if here I am, running off to war…

Jesse shrugs again, twisting his mouth to the side. “Maybe that’s another reason why our dads decided, at least initially, not to let girls into the school. Wolf affections – especially with our mates – they’re more complicated and aggressive than humans.”

“Well, I certainly don’t want Luca to like…hold me back.”

“Or push you into things you’re not ready for,” Jesse says, raising an eyebrow at me, and I immediately know he’s talking about sex even if he’s not saying it.

“How do you know what I’m ready for?” I ask, narrowing my eyes at him even as my cheeks grow red.

“Because, Ari,” Jesse replies, leaning forward and grinning at me, “you blush even at the inuendo. Which kinda suggests you’re not ready.”

I scowl and kick him a little, but Jesse just laughs at me and looks back to the barracks. “We should probably go in,” he murmurs, “get some sleep.”

“Well now I’m all awake,” I sigh, leaning back on my palms. “So, thanks for that. It’ll be your fault when I’m a mess at the course tomorrow.”

“Nah, that’s on you, Shrimp,” Jesse says, pushing himself to his feet and offering me a hand up, which I accept. As we turn back to the barracks, he slips that arm around my shoulder. “I really am happy for you, Ari,” he says quietly, smiling at me in the dark.

“Thanks, cousin,” I say, wrapping an arm around my waist. “Since you like him so much, it’ll be your job to protect him when I finally have to introduce him to dad.”

Jesse laughs at this and agrees, but even as I smile at the joke…

Something picks at the back of my mind. Because even if everyone likes Luca and will be willing to convince my dad to let him have a chance…

Who would stand up for Jackson?

And…will I ever have the chance to introduce him to my dad as well? Do I even want that?

We’re all tense at breakfast, and I stifle a yawn even as I pick at my pancakes. Even though they have chocolate chips in them today – my favorite – I can’t really convince myself to dig in. My stomach is already filled with anxious butterflies.

Jesse and Rafe, of course, are chowing down across the table from me and Ben, who likewise picks at his food. I glance to my right at Ben and he rolls his eyes towards the Alphas across from us, and then snorts like a pig, making me laugh.

But before I can add on to Ben’s joke, Luca slaps his tray down on my other side, making me almost leap out of my skin. I scowl as I look up at him. “Do you mind?” I ask.

“What, are we feeling jumpy today?” he asks, grinning at me and leaning close to me so that only I can hear his words, “didn’t get much sleep after sneaking out in the middle of the night with our favorite cousin?”

I gasp a little and then shove Luca on the shoulder with the tips of my fingertips, which tingle as usual from the touch. “Creep,” I say, narrowing his eyes at him. “What, are you watching me?”

“You were clomping your way down the aisle in the middle of the night!” he counters, grinning at me as he takes his first bite.

“I wasn’t even wearing my boots!” I object, my jaw falling open.

“What’s this?” Rafe asks, suddenly narrowing in on our conversation.

Both Luca and I turn to Rafe, him grinning, me searching my mind frantically for an excuse -But, both fortunately and unfortunately, a convenient distraction arrives.

A mountain of a distraction, actually, his full tray balanced between his two gigantic hands.

As I look up at Jackson, my mouth falls open because I honestly didn’t think he’d take me up on my invitation to come to breakfast.

And…also because I kind of forgot that I issued it.

“Can I sit here?” he asks, his voice quiet but tense with what I now realize is anxiety, not aggression.

“Sure,” I say, my face breaking into a hesitant smile at the same moment that Rafe says “absolutely not!”

I spin to look at Rafe, who is already glaring at me.

I narrow my eyes at my brother though, frowning, and then turn back to Jackson. “Of course you can sit, Jackson,” I say, waving a hand to the last chair next to Jesse.