The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy novel Chapter 681

Jackson walks at my side as we all together troop out of the castle. He doesn’t need to say anything at all for me to know that he’s dead proud of me, and thinks I’m amazing, and eloquent, and finally stepping into my power. No, I can tell all of that simply by the way he stands steady at my side, by how his wolf prowls around mine in a predatory circle, snarling with a happy possessiveness that fills me with a great deal of joy.

Rafe walks at my other side, his shoulders back and his chin high. He looks down at me as Jesse moves ahead with the Captain, leading us to where we went yesterday with mom and Cora.

“Proud of you, trouble,” Rafe murmurs, just loud enough for me to hear, brushing the back of my hand with his. “You look like mom, but you talk like dad. Scary stuff.”

I beam up at my brother, laughing a little, taking his words for the high compliment that they are.

“Does that mean you look like dad and talk like mom?” I ask, raising an eyebrow at him.

He bursts out laughing and knocks his shoulder into me, sending me bouncing into Jackson, who holds me steady. But I just grin and look at my brother, who shakes his head at me. “Yeah, if I start telling everyone how adorable they are and start calling them ‘Meatball,’ then you can start to worry.”

I grin and glance over my shoulder at where Daphne and Tony follow, whispering eagerly with Ben. Luca walks alongside them, stoic and quiet. I send a questioning pulse down our bond and he immediately sends back a warm beat of support. I nod to him and turn my attention forward, knowing I’m liable to trip in the falling dark, but still – even as I do, I can tell that Luca’s walls are up again.

That whatever is happening with me, I can tell that Luca’s uncomfortable with it, even if he doesn’t want to be.

When we get to the secluded area, the sun very nearly down at this point, Jesse hesitates, gesturing towards the mostly-burned pile of wood from the bonfire yesterday. “Ari, what do you want to do here?” he asks. “Should we go into the woods and get more, or –“

“Oh, no, that will do!” I say, quite cheerful, moving to my cousin’s side. “That’s plenty.”

“How?” the Captain asks, frowning at me. “You said fire capable of burning down cities – and that’s all you need?”