The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy Chapter 72

I am instantly at home, and instantly in love.

“I mean, I know it’s small,” Rafe says, running a hand anxiously through his hair, “but we thought you’d want to room with us, and we wanted to give you a little more privacy –“

“I love it!” I shout, hurling myself at my brother and wrapping my arms around his waist. He stumbles back in surprise, but laughs and puts his arms around me too. “I love it, Rafe, it’s perfect.”

My big brother hugs me back, rocking me a little in his arms, and I rest my head on his broad chest as we both study my nook. “Only takes two weeks in the barracks to be impressed with a little alcove, after a lifetime in the palace,” he murmurs.

“Nah, this is way better than the palace,” I whisper, meaning it. “It’s mine.”

I mean, we’re not kids anymore, but it’s not like Rafe or Jesse or I ever really left home and got our own apartments or anything. For all of us? This is our first taste of independence, and I know we all feel excited about it, even if it doesn’t match the luxury we grew up with.

Or, well, some of it. The amount of pillows and linens heaped on each of our beds – that just screams mom’s motherly touch, wanting us to be cozy and comfortable in our own little nests.

“Very swanky spot, little Shrimp cousin,” Jesse says, coming over to see my nook and looping an arm around Rafe’s shoulder. I wiggle my way between them – my habitual spot – and wrap an arm around Jesse’s waist too. “Perfect little matchbox bed, just like I said.”

“We tried to get you a bigger one,” Rafe murmurs, looking down at me with a little guilt in his eyes, “but they said this is the only one that would fit –“

“It’s great!” I say, laughing and wrinkling my nose up at him, not wanting him to feel bad about it for even a moment. “I’m not a gigantic Alpha like you – no chance of my feet hanging off the edge of a standard-sized bed.”

“I think I need to commandeer some of these pillows, though,” Jesse says, moving forward into my nook and reaching for my bed, “far too fluffy, there won’t even be room for you –“

“Hands off!” I snap, jumping forward and swatting at his arm. He laughs, backing away, and I turn around again, looking for another door.

“So, do we share a bathroom with everyone else, like in the barracks, or something?” I ask, curious. My heart drops a little at the idea – it would be so great to be able to have some privacy, not to mention control over how filthy the shower gets.

“Nah,” Rafe says, smiling again and walking over to a bookcase in the corner. “Are you ready for the best part?”

I frown at him, not getting it yet, but then my jaw drops again – god, I’m going to wake up with sore cheeks tomorrow, after all of these surprises – when he pulls on a book and the case itself swings open – revealing a huge bathroom beyond.

“Oh my god,” I gasp, darting in and spinning as I stare around in the room. Honestly – I mean, it’s a bathroom that rivals even mom and dad’s at home. A wide tiled shower with a rainfall shower head at the top and multiple jets along the wall – and two wide sinks, even a little vanity in the corner next to an ornate full-length mirror. God – why would boys need a vanity – why would they need a mirror –

But the true triumph is the huge soaking tub sunk into the floor, probably about five feet deep by the looks of it, to accommodate Rafe and Jesse’s huge Alpha bodies.

“Wow,” Jesse says, looking at the tub with wide eyes. “God, you could do laps in that thing.”

“Dad had it put in for us,” Rafe says, a little smug. “You can turn it into an ice bath too, for when your muscles get sore –“

“Out!” I say suddenly, knowing immediately that I’m getting first dips on this. The boys stare over at me in surprise. “Out!” I say again, striding back across the room and shoving them both on the chests to back them out of the room. “I’m taking thirty minutes in here, and I do not want to be disturbed.”

My brother and my cousin start to laugh, pretending to put up a fight, but eventually they allow themselves to be shoved from the room. They call their farewells after them as they go, but I don’t even listen, pulling the door shut and immediately moving to the soaking tub, flicking on the industrial faucet and starting to strip off my clothes.