Ch. 56..60: The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy Chapter 56-60

Chapter 56

I lounge for a good ten minutes in perfect comfort, letting my mind turn where it will, brushing my fingers through my hair and wishing for a proper brush instead of the scanty little combs that the Academy provides to its boys, who apparently have no real need for hair care.

I’m passively wondering if there’s some way to requisition’a proper brush when suddenly the little bell on the dumbwaiter rings. Eager, a little excited, I jump up and scurry over to it, delighted when I open the door to find a little plated lunch waiting for me – just a sandwich and a glass of apple juice, but still.

I mean, it’s not a power bar, right?

I whisper my thank–you to the dumbwaiter, which I realize is stupid even as I do it, pressing the door shut with my shoulder as I carry my food over to my nook. There, I climb into bed with it, digging into my sandwich as I simultaneously open my Chemistry book, getting started where I left off this morning.

The material is fascinating to me, thank goodness. I mean, I’ve studied chemistry before, but as I work my way through our assigned chapters I realize that this text has been specifically designed for precisely the kind of chemical study that an assassin might need. I frown for a moment but am ultimately unsurprised when I flip to the front of the book, looking for the author’s name.

I find it, immediately under the title. Dr. Francis Neumann. I laugh, shaking my head – of course he wrote it, just for us.

The next few hours pass easily as I sink into the text, eagerly consuming the information and taking notes that I hope will be useful for review tomorrow morning. As I read I rebraid my hair on my head, gathering my discarded clothes and putting them back on after a trip to the bathroom to take a hasty shower and get cleaned up. Because as much as I’m enjoying my alone time, I am aware that my brother and my cousin are going to come back eventually, probably with Ben and Luca in tow.

And even though I suspect that all of the boys know my secret now…

Well, it’s not going to be good to get caught in my underwear, is it?

So towards the end of my study hall I pull my cap back onto my head and tuck myself beneath by blankets fully dressed, wanting to be cozy and warm while I have the chance, as Rafe’s probably going to make me go work out in some cold gym.

The plan backfires, unfortunately, and I get a little too cozy.

So cozy that my eyes start to drift shut bit by bit, my exhaustion from yesterday catching up with my sleepness night, which combines with the fascinating but difficult information in the book.

Eventually I stop fighting it, letting my eyes close and my head drift back onto my pillow, promising myself…just a moment to rest my eyes…

Aaaand I fall in to a deep, consuming, dreamless snooze that lasts way, way longer than five

minutes.

The next thing I know, something is gently drawing a line down my cheek…

I breathe in a deep breath, my eyelids slowly lifting, and I turn towards whatever is touching me, confused

My eyes focus, a little, on a hand that pulls away from me, tucking itself into the pocket of a pair of black pants.

“Time to get up, Shrimp,” the voice says, and my eyes widen. “You were really out.”

I stare, and then startle, and then sit up dead straight to stare up into Luca’s face, my mouth slightly open.

What what the hell is Luca doing here during my study break!? Why

–

But then I glance past him, seeing that the room is bizarrely full

–

–

Rafe and Jesse, sitting on their armchairs, talking easily about their workouts that day. Ben sitting on the floor, cushions spread out around him, leaning back on his hands, laughing at something Jesse said…

What…what the…

“It’s almost dinner time.” Luca says, laughing a little. “Seriously, that was one hell of a nap.”

“Luca,” I whisper, looking up at him, my eyes suddenly full of pleading. Because I want nothing more than to know that it’s okay between us that he forgives me for the secrets I had to keep from him.

But Luca – either he doesn’t notice the question in my eyes or he ignores it. Because he just shrugs and turns back to the room. “Come on,” he calls back to me, heading for his corner of the couch. “Let’s eat.”

I just stare as I watch him – because this was our moment. No one was going to notice if we had a private chat for a few seconds –

But Luca, he walked away like…like he doesn’t want to have that chat.

Or doesn’t know we need it? I groan a tiny little groan, putting my face in my hands for a second, trying to deal with my frustration even as I simultaneously try to wake up.

“Are you okay, Ari?” Rafe says as Luca falls gracefully onto the sofa, grabbing a book out of his bag as he stretches out his legs, taking up nearly the entire length. “We had a consultation about whether or not to wake you a fairly loud consultation – and when you slept through it Jesse persuaded me to let you out of workout tonight and let you rest.”

—

“You’re a prince, Jesse,” I call to him, my words muffled against my palms.

–

“Duke,” he corrects, standing and heading for the dumbwaiter when the bell sounds again.

Seriously? How can it be time for dinner, when I just ate…

But when my stomach grumbles, I realize that I must have slept much, much more than I thought.

I get up, stretching myself before heading to my corner of the couch, but when I get there… Luca doesn’t move his feet.

“Luca,” I say, swatting the toe of his boot with my hand. “One, boots off the furniture.”

He smirks, but doesn’t look up at me.

Chapa

“And two,” I continue, putting my hands on my hips. “Move! You’re in my spot.”

–

“Sorry, Shrimp,” he murmurs, turning his page, his eyes fastened to his text. “You’ll have to find a new space we’re having a studious dinner tonight, and I need to lounge while I study. Otherwise the info

doesn’t stick.” He taps his temple with his finger, letting me see precisely where he wants the info to go.

My jaw drops. “Luca!” I say, swatting him again. “This is my room! My furniture!”

“And you,” he says, looking up at me now with a little smirk on his lips, “have an entire nook to yourself, complete with bed and desk! I would suggest you make use of your surplus of study spots and leave me to the paltry couch!”

I just stare at him, realizing, quite suddenly that…

That Luca is icing me out.

That he doesn’t give a shit about studying that he’s actively refusing to talk to me.

As Luca sees me put the pieces together, his smirk

grows.

Oh my god, I say internally, glaring at him. You are so god damn petty.

He grins, shaking his head almost like he understood my words through my expression, dropping his head again to his book.

Punishment! I can almost hear him saying, every smug line in his body confirming it. You’re withholding secrets from me for weeks? Time for a taste of your own medicine.

I scoff, bitter, but storm away, climbing back into my bed and pulling my chemistry book into my lap, so angry that I could spit. I mean, seriously? He wants to play games now!?

Fine. Fine. If Luca wants to be petty, then two can play at this game. I seethe, attempting to concentrate on my textbook, blocking out all sound and distraction from the outside world. I scribble

furiously in my notebook, not truly processing the information, but not caring because I’m so livid at my stupid mate that I can’t even

A plate appears in front of me, wrapped knife and fork perched neatly on its side.

“Oh,” I say, and then I laugh at myself for being surprised. I mean, obviously I knew dinner was coming, I heard the dumbwaiter and saw Jesse get up to receive it. “Thanks,” I murmur, lifting my eyes to show my gratitude to whoever…

But I freeze immediately, completely shocked to see my mate holding the plate out to me.

But not Luca.

The other one.

Chapter 57

“Sorry,” Jackson says, frowning a little at me as he continues to hold the plate out, his own dinner plate in his hand. “You…said to come for dinner. Should I…not have come?”

“N–no,” I stammer, taking the plate from him and shaking my head. “Of course, Jackson. Forgive me…I just….lost track of time.”

He shrugs, the corner of his lip turning up. “Happens to the best of us. So…” he says, straightening up and holding his plate with two hands, glancing over his shoulder at the packed room. “Where should we…”

I look with him, a little surprised to see all four of the usually chatty boys eating quietly, bent over their own textbooks. And then I scowl, realizing that there’s absolutely no room for Jackson and I to comfortably sit.

“Best plan,” Luca offers, glancing up towards us, “is probably just to settle yourself into the Shrimp Nook. Plenty of room in there.”

Rafe snaps his head up, scowling at Luca, and I clench my own teeth.

Because Luca – he doesn’t know just how far he’s pushing his “I don’t care” attitude. He’s trying to embarrass me, but if he knew precisely who he was inviting to sit in my bed with me? He’d flip out.

Luca just smirks, unable to hide it as he focuses on his book.

Jackson turns to me, raising an eyebrow.

But I just sigh and gesture at the other half of my bed, inviting Jackson to take a seat.

As he does, my wolf yips with happiness, pouncing excitedly in my soul. Close the curtain!, she urges, nearly delirious at the smell of Jackson so close in our personal space, see if you can get him to take off his shirt!

I grown inwardly, trying to shove her away, but she just ignores me, continuing to spin.

Rafe clears his throat and my eyes dart immediately to him as he glares at me. But I just

sigh, and shrug, and look meaningfully at the curtain, which is wide open.

His glare intensifies but I roll my eyes. Because honestly, even if Jackson is my mate and is technically on my bed, what the hell does Rafe think is going to happen with the curtain open and an audience of four spread directly in front of us?

Lots can happen! My wolf unhelpfully provides. Just, see if you can get Jackson to slip under the covers with us…

“So,” Jackson says, turning towards me as he unrolls his fork and knife from his napkin and settles his plate on his knee. “Where do we…start?”

I stare at him for a long moment, completely blank as he twines egg noodles onto his fork before stabbing a meatball, lifting both to his mouth. I can’t help it when my eyes drift to the way his biceps swell, even the muscles of his forearm defined as he moves…

It’s only when he starts chewing and frowns at my elongated silence before I that out of my reverie –

God, why is he so gorgeous even when he’s just eating?

I force myself to concentrate, to remember what he’s here for. “Oh, um,” I say, suddenly turning towards my bedside table and looking for the marble. Jackson’s hand snaps out, catching the edge of my plate before it falls from my lap.

“Careful,” he murmurs.

“Thanks,” I reply, stretching behind me and grabbing the marble, setting it between us when I sit back up straight.

“Alvez said…an hour,” Jackson murmurs, looking down at the marble. “Are you comfortable?”

I sigh, looking at the scattered remains of my bed, and my pillows, and my chemistry book, and my

dinner. And then I get to work, shoving a forkful of food into my mouth before straightening pillows, closing my books, and pulling myself on top of my blankets. I take another bite of my dinner before putting the plate on my bedside table and finally placing the marble on top of my chemistry book, which I’ve placed before us.

When I turn to Jackson, swallowing my food, I’m shocked to find a little grin on his mouth.

“What?” I ask, confused.

“You’re just…funny,” he murmurs, dropping his eyes a little bit. I frown, staring at the strong lines of his profile – his straight nose, his square jaw, the shaggy brown hair that he’s tucked behind his car. I blink only when he clears his throat, raising his eyes to the marble. “Ready?” he asks.

I, too, shift so that I can focus on the marble, though I admit that my gaze drifts up to where Rafe is scowling in his chair and Luca looks completely unperturbed, reading his text like it’s the most fascinating thing that’s ever presented itself, ignoring me completely.

“Ready,” I say, holding out my hand to Jackson. When he doesn’t take it, I turn to him, surprised – because…I mean, Alvez said we had to have body contact to do this…

Jackson lifts his eyes from my hand to meet my gaze. “I mean,” he says, soft enough to not be overheard, “what if the…thing happens.”

I blush, suddenly, to hear him address the connection between us. Because even though I know we’re both aware of it, this is the first time either of us has acknowledged it.

I stare at him for a second and then shrug. “Maybe it will help,” I whisper back, dropping my hand to the blanket between us but still keeping it palm up. “I mean, isn’t that what Alvez was saying? That magic calls to magic? Maybe that…thing…is just our magic trying to talk to each other.”

Jackson keeps his eyes on mine, though his narrow a bit. Then he glances, just for half a second at everyone else in the room. “But why,” he says, frustration on the edge of his voice, “does your magic call to mine? Or vice versa? Or…whatever…”

And guilt floods me then, because I know the answer to that question.

And I’m deliberately keeping it from him.

My wolf howls inside me, begging me to just tell him, to let him smell my scent, to let him

in on it.

But I just…I just can’t. There’s still way too much at stake.

“I don’t know, Jackson,” I whisper, and the frustration with which he sighs lets me know that he’s well aware that I’m lying. He doesn’t know what, but he knows I’m keeping something. from him. He turns his eyes away from me, focusing on the marble.

“Fine, whatever,” he murmurs, “Let’s just…do this.”

“Jackson,” I say again, pleading in my voice. But before I can say more, Jackson just reaches. out his hand and grabs mine, our palms pressing flat together, his fingers folding around mine in a way that just…hums, filling me with warm vibrations.

I have to catch my breath that the swell of warmth that floods my body as the magic again. pulses between us, as it always does when my hands touch him. My eyes instantly dart to the room as Rafe and Jesse look up – not towards me,

me, towards us, but past them whatever force Jackson and I created brushed by them like a ghost, dragging its fingers. across their skin.

as if

Jackson’s hand tightens and I look up at him to see that his face is tense. He shakes his head at me, confused and angry about it. But I just sigh, and tighten my fingers too, and turn my attention back to the marble.

“Come on,” I say, feeling guilty and overwhelmed, still buzzing with the warmth of him flooding through me. “Let’s try to…float this damn marble.”

“Whatever you say,” he replies, his shoulders slumping as he rests his chin in his other palm, likewise staring at the little ball of glass.

Half an hour passes.

Nothing happens.

I still feel the heat passing between us, just in the same way that it did when I held Tony’s hand in class. There is something about our magic that calls to each other, I can definitely feel it, but as for manifesting anything? For making anything happen at all?

Zip.

“Are you trying?” I whisper, spinning my head to him.

“Trying to what?” he replies, his voice equally soft, glaring at me a little.

“To lift it!”

“Well how the hell am I supposed to do that!” he says, frowning at me, lifting his face from his hand.

“I don’t know!” I reply in a rush, exasperated. “I’m trying!”

“Trying to do what?”

“To lift the marble into the air!”

“With like, your mind?” he asks, shaking his head at me. “Clark, that’s a waste of time.”

I stare at my mate, shocked. Is he finally showing his true colors to me? Is this the side of him that Luca sees?

Was I just so blinded by his handsome face that I didn’t see it before?

Chapter 58

“It’s not a waste of time,” I counter, glaring at Jackson. “It’s the assignment.”

“The assignment was to get the marble to do something. If your powers aren’t telekinesis, why would you try to lift it?”

I stare at him, confused. “Well, how do you know my powers aren’t telekinesis?”

He smirks a little. “Because if they were, you’d probably have lifted the marble by now.”

I blink at him, half baffled by his logic and half…well, half persuaded. I turn back to the marble, which hasn’t moved an inch.

“Maybe you’re right,” I murmur. “Tony wasn’t able to move the marble because his magic has nothing to do with lifting marbles.”

“Alvez is just spinning his wheels, having us all take shots in the dark, hoping we turn something up. Next week he’ll have us trying to do something else.”

“Well, that sucks,” I sigh, slumping a little. “I really wanted to make it float.”

There’s a long silence between us as I scowl at the marble, my hand pressed to his, wondering what the hell I’m supposed to do next.

“Wait, really?” Jackson softly asks.

I turn to him, confused.

He stares at me, and despite any efforts to concentrate on the assignment I find myself again a little lost in the dark blue of his eyes. Such a rare color – I lean a little closer, trying to see the details of it.

“You want to float the marble?” Jackson says softly, his hand tightening just incrementally around mine. “That’s what you’d pick, of all the possible magical gifts you could have?”

I turn my head to the side, considering it. “Well, I mean, it wouldn’t be a bad one…” I murmur, and then I smile softly. “But you’re right. I guess that I don’t want to float the

We

marble.”

He smiles too. “Well then. Mission successfully completed,” Jackson says, turning back to the marble. “A+ on this one, candidate Clark, if that’s the new goal.”

I laugh a little, still studying his face. “What would you pick?” I ask.

He shrugs a little. “Don’t know,” he murmurs, “Never thought about it. You?”

I bite my lip, because I mean…I have thought about it. We’ve known about our potential gifts since we were teens. I’d bet that Rafe and Jesse have also spent a couple of idle hours wondering what they will be.

“I think I’d want something useful,” I sigh, and he turns his face back to me, interested. “I mean…well, I’m not really supposed to tell you this,” I say, grimacing a little and deciding to do it anyway, especially as my wolf prods me with her nose, urging me to trust my mate. “But my aunt Ella – she can heal people. Like really heal them – that’s her magic. She accesses her gift and their wounds just knit together.” I snap, emphasizing my point.

“That’s amazing,” Jackson says, his eyebrows going up. “So, that’s what you’d pick?”

I sigh and he grins at me.

“Well, I should pick that,” I say, tilting my head and looking at him with a little bit of guilt. “It could help so many people. But…I mean, if I’m really telling the truth? I’d want something cool. Like flying. Or talking to animals.”

Jackson laughs openly at this, and from the corner of my eye I see Luca turn his head towards us, frowning.

“You want to talk to animals?” Jackson repeats, shaking his head like he clearly does not see why that is as cool as I think it is.

“It would be awesome!” I insist, squeezing his hand, willing him to believe me. “Like, even beyond just having chats with your pets, you could persuade an army of bees to attack people! Or, during a famine, you could persuade all the fish into the sea to jump into a net

“That’s cruel,” Jackson says, shaking his head at me, “you can’t use your powers to convince

an animal to sacrifice itself.”

My mouth twists a little. “You’re right. I would only use my powers for good.”

Jackson smirks at me before peering around the edge of the curtain, looking for the window. “So, do you want to go outside? Try to…talk to a bird or something?”

I laugh now and Jackson turns back to me, surprise and delight suddenly on his face. And my smile deepens as I study him, because I’ve just realized that…he probably doesn’t make people laugh very

often, does he?

And he quite distinctly enjoyed the experience.

“No,” I say, still smiling at him. “Let’s just…save that for another time. Maybe we can try to… explode the marble a little bit. See if one of us is a blower–upper?”

“Be my guest,” Jackson says, gesturing towards the marble.

“Hey,” Luca calls from the couch, drawing both of our gaze to him. “How much longer is this little homework session going to last? Getting a little…loud. Over there.”

Jesse, his eyes still on his book, smirks at Luca’s clear jealousy.

“Fifteen more minutes,” Jackson calls back. Luca narrows his eyes but turns back to his homework.

“I mean,” Jackson murmurs, leaning close to whisper in my ear, “if you want to refocus the exploding attempt on a new target, the couch would also be…fine…”

I burst out laughing at this, slapping a hand over my mouth to muffle the sound so Luca doesn’t know how hard Jackson has made me laugh, but also because I remember what Ben said about me laughing like a girl.

When I look back at Jackson, I see he’s doing his best to suppress a smile.

“All right,” I say, straightening my shoulders and focusing again on the marble. “Let’s try again.”

We spend about ten minutes sitting in silence then, with me focusing hard, Jackson’s hand

tight in my own. As we go, heat wells in my body, building and building. I’m fascinated by it, especially by the comparison with Tony’s magic, which cooled me down.

But no matter what I do…nothing happens to the marble.

I’m trying a new tactic – attempting to transform the marble into something else, rather than move or destroy it – when Jackson startles me a little by speaking again.

“Hey, is she…is she okay?” Jackson whispers.

I almost let go of his hand, spinning my head towards him.

“What?” My word is nothing more than a puff of breath.

“My mate,” he says, studying my eyes seriously.

I just stare at him.

and I

“Please,” Jackson says, all earnest honesty. “I know we got off to a bad, weird start really am sorry for that. But I know you remember that first night, out by the pool. My mate – she’s around somewhere, I keep catching whiffs of her all over this castle and campus. But I can’t figure out for the life of me what’s going on. But,” his brows draw together now as he frowns at me, “I know you know something, Clark. I know this is somehow connected to you.”

I begin to lean away, a little afraid, and he clicks his tongue, sighing and leaning closer to me, keeping our intimate distance the same.

“Please,” he murmurs, “I’m sorry – I don’t – I’m not very aware of like, when I’m being intimidating or whatever. I’m not trying to…” he hesitates, at a loss for words, and I exhale an unsteady breath, sitting

back up straight.

“I am not trying to…do anything, Clark,” Jackson says, still peering at me, almost unblinking. “It’s just… god, she’s my mate!” His voice cracks a little, breaking my heart. “You don’t have to tell me anything,” he insists, shaking his head. “But…if you know something…….. just….is she okay?”

“Jackson,” I sigh, my wolf nipping at me, her whole body pressed against my heart, urging me to tell him everything, to let him off the hook he’s clearly hanging from by the tips of

his fingers. “Jackson, she’s fine, all right?”

He exhales a huge breath then, staring at me in both disbelief and relief at once.

“She’s okay,” I insist, nodding carnestly to him. “Just…that’s all I can say, all right? There’s… reasons for it. But I promise you that she’s fine, that you don’t have to worry about her.”

“Well of course I’m going to worry about her,” he snaps, his brows knitting together again.

And despite myself I laugh, just a little bit. “But you don’t need to. She’s cared for – I promise. In good hands.”

Jackson takes a deep breath, and as he exhales it he tilts his head back and closes his eyes, a whole well of tension I didn’t realize he was holding leaving his muscles in a rush.

And as the tension goes, I am suddenly flooded with warmth. So much so that I gasp aloud, and drop his hand, and almost yelp a little bit, skittering away from him across the bed.

“What?” he gasps, snapping his face back to me. “What, Clark!?”

But I just stare at him, shocked, the warmth still rushing through me, though it’s starting to fade now.

“Whoa,” a voice says from the room beyond my nook, and both Jackson and I turn our heads to see Jesse staring at my bed.

My eyes move immediately to the marble on my chemistry book and I gasp again.

“Hoooooly shit,” Jackson murmurs, leaning forward to stare.

–

Because the marble it melted. Completely melted into a little puddle of glass that is now again hardening against the ruined cover of my textbook.

Chapter 59

“Well,” Jackson whispers, half to himself, “I guess we don’t need to go outside anymore to try to talk to any birds.”

“Not unless we want them to melt,” I say, grabbing my knife off of my dinner plate and leaning forward to prod at the glass.

There’s a tiny moment of silence before Jackson bursts out laughing, but before I figure out what’s so funny, the four other boys in the room come to stand at the edge of my bed, staring down at the glassy puddle that was a marble a few seconds ago.

“What the…fuck is going on here?” Ben asks, looking between the marble and me and Jackson. “What kind of weird–ass homework is this?”

“Seriously,” Luca says, crossing his arms and frowning. “You guys just hold hands for an hour and then…” he shakes his head, baffled, “I mean, I don’t even have an ending to that sentence. What is going on here?”

“None of your business,” Jackson says, gruff again as he starts to get up from the bed. I snap my head to him, realizing that while he’s fine with me, he is not okay talking about this with the four other young men in the room. “I think that successfully concludes the homework, Clark. See you in class tomorrow.”

“Wait,” I say, leaning towards him, wanting to talk to him about this more – to figure out what the hell just happened. “Jackson, stay –“

“It’s late!” he calls, standing to his full height and striding for the door. “I’ve got Warrior track homework too, need to finish it up before morning.”

“Jackson!” I call again, a little angry now. Rafe grabs for my arm as I push myself up out of the bed, but I just glare at him, moving away and chasing Jackson out the door.

Jackson’s already halfway down the hall on his long legs by the time I pull the door shut behind me, wanting a little privacy. He pauses, though, and turns when he hears me shout his name again as I run down the hall towards him.

“I’m not going to tell them!” I say, gesturing down the hall towards the room. “Ben and

Luca? I’m not going to tell them anything – I would never –

“Tell them whatever you want, Clark,” Jackson says with a shrug, “it’s your magic.”

“Alvez said to keep it between us – maybe it was a mistake to even try to do the homework with them in the room…” my words fade off as I frown at Jackson, taking in the meaning of his words. “Wait,” I say softly. “What do you mean it’s my magic?”

Jackson scowls, looking down the hallway at the stairs, clearly aggravated with himself and wanting to get away.

“Tell me!” I insist, the word squeezing between my teeth as I reach out a hand and smack him on the chest.

But, perhaps unluckily, that little pulse pounds between us when I do.

“Tell you?” Jackson snaps, knocking my hand away so that I’m not touching him anymore. “Tell you when you won’t tell me –”

“I did tell you something today!” I protest, whipping a finger up and pointing it into his face. “And don’t try to pretend that I didn’t! You asked me if she was okay and I told you!”

“Doesn’t mean you’re not still keeping secrets,” he hisses, glowering down over me.

“Don’t throw that in my face,” I snap, narrowing my eyes at him. “I have been fair, as much as I am able. You owe me this – if you are insisting that that was my magic in there, I have a right to that proof. So tell me!”

Jackson grits his teeth, turning to glare towards the stairs, clearly torn.

But suddenly, I don’t need an explanation as the pieces snap together in my mind. “Oh my god,” I murmur, my hand falling to my side. “You know that it’s my magic because…it’s not yours. You already know what yours is.”

Jackson sighs, his eyes closing as his head drops. And he looks so defeated, suddenly, that I have the impulse to reach out and comfort him. I stop myself, though, remembering that pulse. Not wanting to remind him, again, of this thing between us.

I stand for a long moment, waiting for him, and slowly Jackson raises his head, opening his

eyes. He glances quickly towards the door to my room, still closed, before looking at me with a serious gravity in his expression. “I need you to promise not to tell anyone,” he says softly, looking at me with such pleading in his eyes that I can hardly bear it.

“Jackson,” I respond, staring up at him, meaning every word, “I promise. Never, not Alvez, not Jesse, not Rafe – nobody.”

“And not fucking Grant?” he growls, his expression suddenly harsh.

And something about it…I don’t know. I can’t help the grin that twists my lips. “Especially not Grant,” I promise with a steady nod.

“Fine,” he sighs, standing straight and running a hand through his hair. “Then yes, we know that that’s your magic because it’s not mine.”

“And?” I say, raising an eyebrow at him as I cross my arms over my chest. “Yours is?”

Light floods down the hall as the door to my room opens and Rafe pops his head out. He’s frowning, of course.

“Too long a story to tell before Rafe Sinclair storms down this hallway,” Jackson murmurs, making me smirk.

I sigh, shaking my head at him.

“Look, I’ll tell you, all right?” Jackson promises, turning towards the stairs. “Just…later. When there’s more time.”

“Okay,” I say, nodding to him, hoping that he does.

Not because I particularly need to know but because…

Well, because I want Jackson to have someone he trusts, someone he tells his secrets to.

And, perhaps selfishy, or maybe naturally…I want that

naturally…I want that person to be me.

“Fine,” he says, starting to stride away.

I scoff a little, shaking my head as he goes. “Goodnight, Jackson!” I call after him, annoyed.

He turns to me. “What?”

“Goodnight?” I reply, raising my eyebrows at him wryly. “You know, the thing people say to each other when they part for the evening?”

He stares at me for a long second and then laughs, turning again and continuing towards the stairs. “Whatever, Clark. Goodnight, if it’s so important to you.”

“It’s just polite,” I insist.

“Ari,” he says, a shiver running down my spine at the way he says my name, his voice cool and rich and low. He turns and walks backwards away from me, a little smirk on his lips, “when did I ever give you the impression that I was polite?”

I can’t help the grin that spreads all the way across my face as I bite my lip, watching him walk away.

I’m so completely distracted by the sight of his tall frame starting down the stairs, the way his shoulders move, curling in slightly as he retreats back into his own lonely world, that I jump a little when Rafe’s hand wraps around my arm.

“Come on,” he murmurs, his voice exhausted. “You can moon over your mate in the safety and warmth of our room.”

“Ew, Rafe!” I gasp, trying to tug my arm away from him and failing. Rafe just rolls his eyes at me, dragging me back.

“Whatever, Ari, if I was ten seconds later you’d have been chasing him down the stairs.”

“I would not!”

But when Rafe snaps his eyes back to me, his expression exhausted, I have to laugh.

Because…well, maybe because he’s just a little bit right.

Luca’s moody when Rafe and I come back into the room, and as Rafe presses the door shut behind us, I don’t miss the fact that Luca has curled his legs up, leaving half the couch open. It’s a silent invitation, I know, for me to join him.

But quite frankly, he’s burned his chance for that tonight.

“I’m going to take a long bath,” I sigh, grabbing my pajamas out of my nook and heading for the bathroom. I don’t need it to get clean but I definitely want it, just to relax.

“You’re seriously not going to explain how that marble changed states of matter?” Ben gasps, watching me move towards the bookshelf that doubles as a door to our bathroom.

“Use your imagination, Ben,” I sigh, pulling the door open and slipping inside.

My last look, however, is reserved for my mate, who glares at me from the couch.

Because I am well aware that he expected to have the upper hand tonight.

And it looks like beyond all odds, I’m the one who walked away with it.

Chapter 60

Time at the Academy presents neat little patterns for us, and Rafe, Jesse, and I fall gratefully into them. Because life? It is busy. Every morning Jesse gets me up early, making me go for a run with him even before we go to breakfast. I’d enjoy these moments with my favorite cousin more if I wasn’t so damn tired every day.

“Can we get a coffee maker in the suite,” I pant, my breath puffing in little clouds in the damp and foggy air. “I can’t go for these runs without the aid of caffeine.”

“Come on, Scrimpy!” Jesse laughs, putting on a burst of speed and swatting me on the shoulder as he pulls ahead, obliging me to keep up. “Let your zest for life wake you in the morning! Not caffeine!”

“Life would be much more zesty with a little espresso,” I growl, sighing and speeding up to keep pace. “With a side of biscotti!”

After our run, we hastily get dressed and go to breakfast with our group. Luca, to my chagrin and agony, continues to ice me out. He sits with me at every meal, and at dinner he jokes with me and the rest of our group like nothing’s changed. But not once does he try to pull me aside, to make a moment to talk about what happened between us in the birch forest.

What he maybe, probably now knows the incredible secret he’s carrying, that I’m trusting

him with.

Breakfast, of course, wouldn’t be the best time to talk about anything, gathered as we are around our little round table, but still I’m dying to talk about what happened, to learn what he figured out about my secret, and he just…won’t let me.

–

“Luca,” I growl the next morning when Rafe and Jesse get up to go speak to some other warrior candidates about a group project they’re working on and Ben obligingly tucks his nose into a book. “What are –”

“No here, Shrimp,” Luca replies, his voice low. “This is a way bigger conversation that we’re not having in the Hall.”

“Well then why won’t you meet me in the…” I hesitate, glancing Ben’s way, because I almost

said dream. Ben just turns his page, looking for all the world like he’s completely lost in his textbook. “Forest,” I conclude, the word pressed between my teeth.

Luca narrows his eyes at me. “Oh, you want to meet in the forest?” he says, his lips turning up with the irony of it. “The one you can just make disappear whenever you’re done talking? Come on, Shrimp. You haven’t played fair for weeks, and you’re still not. I need… more than that.”

My mouth falls at his stubbornness and I realize, quite suddenly, that Luca – whatever he has figured out – is not at all freaked out.

He’s mad at me.

And my heart sinks as he sips his coffee, turning his eyes back to his textbook – we all pretty much read at breakfast today, trying to cram everything in while we can – because… Luca is right. I have not been fair, and while I’m not sure that I’d have made any different

choices…

I’ve really made my mate take the brunt of it, haven’t I?

“I’m sorry,” I whisper, looking down at my plate, feeling forlorn.

“We’re good,” Luca says, his voice still soft so only he and I can hear. I snap my head up, looking at him with wide eyes. “Don’t worry about it,” he says, glancing over at me. “Just… not here. Not at dinner, either. We need a space where it’s just us, and a long time to chat.”

“So when…”

“I don’t know, Ari,” he says, a little exasperated, lifting his eyes to meet mine. “Considering how your cousins never let you out of their sight, that’s going to be a little difficult, isn’t it?”

I blush at the way that he emphasizes the word cousins, wondering if that means…

But before I can consider anything, Rafe and Jesse return to the table. “Ready?” Rafe asks, looking towards Luca as he lifts his coffee to his lips and swigs it down in one go.

“Yup!” Luca says, cheerfulness immediately returning to his expression as he gets to his feet.

“You’ll get Ari to Chemistry?” Rafe asks Ben as Luca and Jesse collect their things.

Ben shoots a thumbs–up over his shoulder, still concentrating on his book, as the Warrior- track boys start to head towards their early class. As he leaves, Luca brushes his arm against mine casual enough that it could be accidental.

But lingering enough that, when I look up at him, and see him looking down at me, his eyes warm?

God damn it, but it makes me want to jump right back into his arms, my legs wrapped around his waist.

I sigh, returning to my own textbook, forcing my mind onto Chemistry, because I know that Neumann is going to quiz us hard today to see who has been able to keep up with the insane amount of homework he has assigned.

“Don’t worry too much about it,” Ben murmurs from his spot a seat away from me, his voice so soft that he could be talking to himself.

“Huh?” I say, looking up at him.

He keeps his eyes down, but I see the way his lips turn up. “He’s obsessed with you too, all right?” My jaw drops open a little bit. “Whatever little lover’s quarrel you’re going through here it’s going to get sorted out. Trust him – he’ll come around when he decides to.”

–

Ben flicks his eyes to me now, and I turn my head to the side, still shocked but also incredibly interested. “What do you mean?”

“I mean that Luca’s the definition of an Alpha – he’s used to getting his way. He’s a great guy, but he wants the upper hand.” Ben shrugs. “But think about who you are, Ari. If you owe him an apology, give it, but don’t crawl after him begging him to accept it. You,” he says, looking at me significantly, “bow to no one.”

I sit up very straight in my chair for a second, staring at my very perceptive friend with an open mouth, before my face bursts into a smile. “When did you get so wise, Ben?”

He shrugs, smirking down at his textbook as I change seats, moving closer and bringing my book and coffee along. “Like I told you, four sisters. Luca’s no puppy dog that’s going to follow you around begging for treats, but trust me – he likes you. Big time. So…just let him

work it out. And get back to work,” he says, nodding to my homework. “You’ve got bigger things to worry about.”

“I love you,” I murmur, bumping my shoulder against his.

“Right back at ya,” he sighs happily. And then we study, my mind successfully turned to the more pressing matter right now: not failing out of school.

Mates can wait, I think to myself, concentrating. My wolf huffs in discontentment, but she doesn’t stop me.

Unfortunately, my own life proves me wrong again, because obviously I see my second mate that afternoon in magic class. He doesn’t greet me as I slip into the seat next to him, settling my chemistry books on the text in front of me. Instead, Jackson just glances my way before turning his attention back to the board, where Alvez is drawing out some complicated diagrams.

I laugh to myself, shaking my head at Jackson’s perpetual lack of greetings, allowing myself to get distracted by Rafe’s conversation with Jesse about how combat went that morning. They’ve moved on from hand–to–hand to working with swords, apparently, which Jesse thinks is incredibly cool but which Rafe argues is impractical.

I’m half lost in their argument when Jackson’s deep voice makes me jump. “How’d that go?” he asks.

I turn to him, surprised, and just stare into his face. “What?”

He smirks and then nods down at my chemistry book, a little burned mark still on the cover where I pried the melted marble away. Dr. Neumann had raised an eyebrow at the condition of my text, but hadn’t asked any questions.

“How did class go, Clark?” Jackson says, his words snapping a little more than necessary. But I just smirk at my mate, wrinkling my nose, because I know him enough now to know that he’s not being nasty – he just doesn’t have a lot of social graces.

–

“It went great, actually,” I say, sitting up straight, excited that he asked. Rafe had been distracted on our walk here I haven’t had a chance to brag yet. “We had a pop quiz and I am fairly certain that I did not disgrace myself. I really like the material too – I didn’t realize how much biology I’d have to learn alongside the chemistry. I mean, not only do we

have to think about how the poison itself is made, but we have to understand what it does in the body as well. I never thought about…”

Jackson lets me prattle on for awhile while Alvez finishes up his writing on the board, and while his expressionless face doesn’t really give me a lot to go on, I think he’s at least a little bit interested. He doesn’t interrupt, at least. Instead, he props his chin on his palm and just listens, looking at me, until Alvez clasps his hands at the front of the room, drawing our attention to him.

“So,” Alvez says, smiling his dark smile as he looks slowly around at us. “Any…results? From your experimentations?”

Anxiety floods me

–

because I’m suddenly torn between wanting to explore my magic and keep my promise to Jackson that I won’t tell what I know about his.

But still, I’m dying to know both what his gift is, and why for some reason he’s not telling

anyone.

Not even the professor who stares at him so, so eagerly from the front of the room.