Ch. 461..465: The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy Chapter 461-465

Chapter 0461

"The committee met," Ben says, casting a hand out towards Alan as he moves towards the door followed by the man in brown, apparently wanting to get to his first class earlier than the rest of us. “They decided that the case was too inconclusive to kick Wright out completely – that there was no real proof that he shot Ari with the intent to kill."

"Um, hello!" I say, pointing vehemently at myself. "I am the proof! Me! I told them that he did it on purpose!"

“I know,” Ben says, turning towards me with a little frown. "And for what it's worth, Ari, I think they believed you. But...technically, it was one cadet's word without another. And they did send us into the Examination with weapons in hand – people get hurt in there. The compromise was that Wright is on probation and must be guarded at all times."

"Shit," Rafe says, crossing his arms as his eyes follow Alan across the room and out the door. "Well. We'll just see how long he lasts."

"What does that mean?" I ask, leaning forward towards him, narrowing my eyes.

"It means he's a Warrior cadet, like the majority of us, Ari," Luca says, meeting my eyes with an intensity I'm not used to from him - which I've only really seen when he's boxing, if I'm being truthful. "If he's happy to use violence to take you out in Academy-approved ways, then we're going to return the favor."

"No," I snap, glaring around the table at my collection of gigantic Alpha. "None of you are risking your place here for the chance to beat the pulp out of Alan Wright."

“He's just going to hate you more now, Ari," Jackson says, looking down at me from his place at my side. "He's not going to be cowed by this - I know his type. He'll want to...complete what he started, to make his point by taking you out.”

I take a deep breath, setting my shoulders as I look down at my plate, considering this point. But still, I shake my head. "I won't be part of that - I won't stoop to his level. No one makes a move against Wright unless he makes a move against me." I raise my eyes and slowly look around the table. "Am I understood?"

To my surprise, everyone just looks evenly at me. Except for Rafe, who can't help himself.

"Wouldn't you say, Ari," he counters through gritted teeth, "that shooting you in the gut with a crossbow already was the move against you?" "The Academy made its decision to keep him," I snap, definitive. "We're not in charge, even if we are smug enough to sometimes think that we are. If he can be an asset to the war then he's staying."

Rafe looks down at his plate and clenches his teeth, but I can tell by the way he exhales slowly through his nose that he accepts my point. "Fine," he growls, unhappy. "But the moment he does, Ari..."

"You'll have to beat me to it, Rafe," Jackson says, and the slow, soft vehemence with which he speaks reminds me that my sweetheart mate is still as brutally capable of violence as we all initially assumed he was. I look up into Jackson's stark face and can't help but smile, ridiculously pleased and proud to have him on our side.

Your side, he reminds me, turning his head to look into my eyes and using words down the bond for the first time.

I break into a wild smile at the development but Jackson just smirks a little and looks away, not wanting to make another scene at the table.

"Right, so, we're all calming down now?" Ben says, looking curiously around the table and reminding us all tacitly that we're at breakfast, not on a battlefield. "We're having coffee and croissant?"

"I'm afraid time for that is up," a woman's voice says, and we all spin a bit to see a willowy dark-haired woman sauntering over to our table. "Or, at least, for Cadet Clark it is."

Each of our mouths drops open simultaneously. Because who the hell is this?

 

Chapter 0462

The woman raises her chin at me and jerks it towards the door, placing her hands solidly on her hips. "Let's go, kiddo."

"Excuse me," Rafe says, his shoulders lowered in aggression as he slowly gets to his feet. "Would you like to explain who the hell you are?"

"Oh," the woman says, giving a slow and pleased smile as her eyes move to Rafe. "I wasn't aware that crown princes responded to the moniker 'kiddo."" Her smile deepens as Rafe rankles. "But unfortunately, I wasn't talking to you."

She moves her eyes back to me as I just...stare at her.

"Up," she says, her foot lashing out and giving my chair a kick. "Time for your lessons, Clark."

"But," I say, fumbling for my schedule. "I've got...espionage scheduled? Until chemistry this afternoon?"

"Yah," she says, her face spreading into a bright grin. "That's what I'm here for."

"But -"

“Enough questions," she sighs, reaching out and wrapping a hand around my upper arm, giving me a tug that pulls me stumbling to my feet. But the moment she touches me the room splits with the sound of four vicious Alpha snarls. The woman goes quite still and just stares around at the table.

I do too, a little shocked to see Rafe, Jesse, Luca, and Jackson on their feet, each of their teeth bared. Ben just stays in his seat, staring around at the group, shocked.

“Well well,” the woman says, breathy and confident even if she remains perfectly still. "Don't you have your boys trained up well."

"Hands. Off." Rafe snaps, moving around the table to glare at the woman.

She releases my arm, holding her hands up where he can see them, laughing a little and shocking me by seeming almost delighted. "Yes sir, big scary Alpha," she says, looking up at my brother through her lashes. "Although I'm kind of tempted to see what would happen if I didn't. Seems like you and I could have a great deal of fun."

"Who the hell are you?" Rafe snarls, ignoring her taunts and looming over her, clearly attempting to use his sheer physical size to scare her. A glance at the table shows that Jackson has his eyes on me, his gripping his chair so hard I'm afraid he'll snap it. Luca leans hard on his palms, so tense he looks almost ready to leap across the table.

"I'm Faiza," the woman replies, totally calm, shooting an amused glance my way as she takes a slip of paper out of her pocket.

Rafe makes a snatch for the paper and I gasp as, lightening fast, the woman moves. Honestly, I can't see her precise actions - I have no idea what she does - but suddenly she's behind Rafe, kicking out his leg so that he barks in pain as he falls to his knees -

I shout in protest as one hand suddenly fists in his hair, the piece of paper still crumpled in it, and then there's a knife at his throat –

“Stop!” I shriek, my hands going forward as I stumble desperately for my brother.

The woman ignores me as Rafe goes totally still - his hands poised out in front of him - the knife pressed tight against his Adam's apple.

The boys at the table lunge forward but I put a hand up towards them with another shriek to stop. They freeze and the woman looks up at me again with a smile.

"Tell your cousin to never, ever try again to snatch a paper from my hand," she says, slow and pleased. "It's rude."

"He can hear you," I snarl.

She laughs, grinning at me. “I suppose he can." She looks down at Rafe, turning her head consideringly. "I'm Cadet Clark's teacher, you overprotective ass. Now are you going to attack me if I let you go?"

“No,” Rafe snarls through his teeth, though I can see that he hates that he's been bested.

"Good!" the woman says, standing straight and slipping her knife back to wherever she took it from, again moving so fast that I don't see it. Then she takes a step towards me as Rafe gets to his own feet, holding the paper out to me.

I raise an eyebrow at her. "Am I allowed to take this?"

She smirks. "As long as you don't get snatchy." Her voice is light, playful and I admit...I can't help but be impressed.

I narrow my eyes a little and then take the paper from her. I quickly skim it and see that it is indeed paperwork hiring her for the professional tutoring of one student - Cadet Ari Clark - and signed by Professor Neumann.

 

Chapter 0463

"It's legit," I say to my brother, turning so that I address the rest of the table too. "It's his signature and handwriting - I recognize it from his book and all the damning things he writes on my tests and essays."

Rafe's shoulders slump a little as he turns back to the woman, as the focus of all five Alphas move towards her. "Fine. I'm coming with you."

"Oh, no you're not, you big brute," the woman says, laughing a little and boldly grabbing me again by the arm - an act that makes everyone at the table flinch in protest. She laughs and tugs me away. "This is a private lesson."

"But" Luca says, stumbling towards us.

"It's fine!" I call over my shoulder, anxious and a little embarrassed in front of my new professor that I'm so clearly being babysat by my mates, my brother, and my cousin. Jesse, Rafe, and Luca move to follow me, only held back by a vehement shake of my head. Jackson is the only one who stands stoically, though I can see it's kind of killing him to do so. But he listens to me, giving me a single nod, letting me know that he trusts me and thinks it's all right.

I'm suddenly filled with a rush of gratitude for him, my sweet vicious mate who has utter faith in me and supports my decisions.

I shoot them all a wave over my shoulder and then turn back to the woman - to Faiza.

And I'm not surprised at all to find her smirking, her eyes already on me even as we move through a room full of people who are kind of staring at us as we go. After all, she just held a knife to the crown prince's throat. Kind of in public.

"Well guarded, aren't you?" she says, her voice a satisfied purr.

"You should be careful with them," I say, hesitant, not knowing how far to push it with this woman. "They are...not kidding when it comes to making sure that I'm safe."

"A stance which has assuredly made you weak," she says, dropping my arm immediately as we step out into the darkness of the hall. I pause a little in my steps, surprised by her words, but then I hurry to keep up.

"What? How on earth would that make me weak?" I ask, tossing a hand back towards the door to the hall. "I've got four of the most powerful Alphas in the nation ready to tear you to shreds at a single word from me!"

"Which I love for you, by the way," she says, laughing and giving me another smile as she pushes through a door that leads to a staircase that spirals downwards, towards the smaller gyms like the one where I practiced archery and sharp shooting with the Captain. “But, what happens in a situation like this? When you're all alone? Because, I mean, I could absolutely kill you right now."

I pause, going still as a streak of fear runs through me, wondering if...

"Oh, come on," she says, rolling her eyes and moving swiftly down the steps, making me trot to keep up. "If I was going to do it, it would have happened by now, and you wouldn't have seen it coming. We've got work to do."

I scowl a little, but I take her point - in the absence of all of my big defenders, I really am vulnerable.

"Is that why Neumann sent you?" I ask, following her a little more eagerly into the hall at the bottom of the stairs. "To teach me how to defend yourself?"

"Neumann sent me," Faiza says slowly, turning to me as we reach a white door and she pushes it open to reveal a tiny gym with a small man waiting inside, seated on the floor. "To transform you into the spy you're capable of being. Which," she steps closer here, peering at me and then raising a hand to pat me fondly on the cheek, "if you can command a pack of Alphas like that, even though you're barely over five feet and weaker than a kitten? I think is going to be a very interesting spy indeed."

With a dark little laugh, Faiza slips her hand from my cheek to my back and gives me a small push into the room.

Chapter 0464

I scowl, stumbling into the tiny private gym. "I'm not weaker than a kitten," I mutter, putting my hands on my hips. “I can...do stuff." "As eloquent as you are sturdy," Faiza says, raising a cheerful eyebrow at me.

"Hey, I -"

"Look, kid," the woman says, taking a step towards me, her voice becoming softer, friendlier as she goes. "Neumann believes in you, and according to the records that the Captain showed me, you're one hell of a shot with a bow and a gun. I am here because I want to be - because I'm interested in this assignment. And trust me - with what I'm charging to be here? The Academy wouldn't be footing the bill if they didn't think you were worth it. So. Go ahead and drop the whole defensive attitude."

My shoulders slump a little as I stare at this woman, having no idea how to feel. Because...I mean, did she just compliment me? After telling me how weak she thinks I am the whole way here?

I genuinely have no idea what's going on. Faiza just grins, letting me know that she knows it.

Then, she lifts her chin towards the man still sitting patiently on the floor, his eyes closed. "Say hello to your fighting instructor," she says.

“But, I thought –“

"My specialty is in other things," she interrupts, giving me a wink. "Hey, Blaze!" she says, pitching her voice louder. "Wake the hell up. Cadet's here." Blaze cracks one eye, peering at her. "In all our years together, Faiza," he murmurs, his voice both warm and crinkly with age, "you have yet to learn the gracious art of patience."

"Yet another year I've skipped that curse," Faiza says, smiling at him fondly. He laughs a little, unable to help it, as he swiftly unfolds to his feet and turns towards me, giving me a little bow.

"Cadet Clark,” the man murmurs. "I'm looking forward to working with you."

"Thank you," I say, the manners that have been drilled into me since I was a child immediately surfacing when I meet someone new, especially a professor. “It's a pleasure to meet you as well. I'm...looking forward to working with you, Professor –“

He holds up a hand, shaking his head. "Not professor. Just Blaze."

I hesitate and then nod. “Then, I'm looking forward to working with you, Blaze." I hold out a hand to shake and he folds it softly in both of his own, smiling at me and then at Faiza.

"I'm looking forward to working with this one," he says, laughing a little. "It is polite."

"Yeah, well," Faiza says, crossing her arms and looking me up and down. “We can beat that out of her.”

Blaze laughs a little and then drops my hand. "So!" he says, looking me up and down as he tucks his hands neatly behind his back. "You are small. Can you fight?"

"Not well," I say, observing him in turn, taking in the slight, almost bird-like set of his limbs, the way he is a bit stooped with age even though he moves very fast, just like Faiza does. "Um, my brother and my cousin have taught me what they know but...I don't have formal training in any fighting arts."

"Shame," Blaze says, slowly starting to move around me. "And are you fit?"

"Um," I repeat, giving a little shrug. "Not compared to the rest of them. But I run every morning? I think...I'm fast for my size?"

"You should be fast for all sizes," Blaze murmurs, completing his circuit and again looking me in the face.

I'm reminded, suddenly, of Jackson saying something very similar this morning, and I work hard to fight my smile at the memory of it. Blaze's eyes crinkle when he sees me smile, and I somehow get the impression that he knows precisely what I'm thinking of.

Blaze gives me a steady nod. "You will continue to run in the morning with your Alphas," he says, looking pleased. "But at night - after your lessons - you will come here and train with me."

"E-every night?" I gasp, kind of appalled at the idea. "Sir, I have work to do - I have to study -"

He gives a little shrug. "This is study too. Important study."

Chapter 0465

"But -"

"No but's," he says, holding up a hand as he interrupts me. "This is your course of study. If you do not accept it, you can leave the school."

I scowl, looking over at Faiza, who shrugs, clearly inviting me to make whatever choice I want.

"But when will I study for my other courses?"

"You will find the time," Blaze says, smiling at me, looking almost fond already - and as odd as that idea is, it somehow feels quite true.

I scowl but I nod, shrugging, supposing inwardly that if it gets too much I can talk to Neumann about it. But, for now, I'll agree.

"Good," he says, gesturing towards the floor. "Sit. We will begin."

I do as I'm bid, folding my legs beneath me as Faiza steps forward to stand next to Blaze, looking interestedly between them. I'm surprised to find that Faiza is a little taller than Blaze, though both are equally slim. Their clothes, however, are completely different, as Blaze seem to prefer breezy linens that hang off his body while Faiza seems to be wearing some sort of specially made pants and jacket - all black fabric that moves and stretches with her like a second skin.

"You are small," Blaze says, gesturing towards me, his eyes wrinkling with kindness as he says it. "As are we." He gestures between himself and Faiza. "But, we live in a world that tells us we are weak, that holds that only the biggest and strongest are powerful. It is not true."

"The truth is that Blaze and I could kick the asses of every single one of those boys at your table," Faiza says, a confident smirk pulling at her lips. "All at once, were we to fight together."

My eyebrows go up in disbelief but Blaze nods, confirming that it is true. "There are benefits to being small, and nimble, and graceful, and fast. We will show you."

The two turn towards each other then, each raising their hands delicately – but then, between blinks, they're moving. My mouth falls open as I watch the speed with which they move - slashing out punches and slices, dipping beneath each other's arms and rolling out of the way when a blow comes too close.

Suddenly, Faiza's knife is in one hand and with a flash of silver another appears. She slashes hard at Blaze, moving steadily towards him, but he doesn't lose his composure at all, instead moving his hands and arms so fast it's like he knows where she's coming next. I remember Luca suddenly in the ring, the grace with which he fought, with which he predicted his opponent's moves.

And excitement wells within me because - could they honestly teach me that? I thought it past me - the sort of thing that Luca only learned because he's spent the majority of his life in the ring but -

Honestly, could it be real? Could I do that too?

Excitement wells within me as Blaze moves forward against Faiza, pressing her back - and then suddenly his leg moves out in an elegant sweep and knocks one of her ankles to the side. It looks so simple, next, when he smacks her shoulder with the flat of his hand, sending her to one knee in front of him.

It's only then that he produces a dagger from somewhere in his sleeve and points it almost delicately at her neck.

"Got you, little mouse," he says, smiling, not even winded.

Faiza snarls her discontent but then laughs and raises her hands, admitting defeat. Blaze steps gracefully away, turning to smile at me as Faiza regains her feet with a sigh.

"So," he says, turning his head to me, again fond. "Would you like to learn?"

"Will it really work?" I ask, leaning forward, eager. "Against an Alpha - someone much bigger than me?"

"Oh, it will work," Faiza says, crossing her arms and grinning at her power. "Not only because it uses their big meaty weight against them, but they have no idea how to defend against it."

"Deeply kept secret, this style," Blaze says, lifting a secretive finger to his lips.

I can't help it - I laugh and press my hands together eagerly. "Yes!" I say, nodding. "I want to learn!"