The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy



"They're positioning all of our year of Academy Cadets here," Rafe says, tapping the map again with his finger. We all lean forward, studying it - even Jackson, who I know was in on the meeting with Rafe and saw this all before. "With our little group in the center of it."

"Wolf pack," I murmur, nodding.

“What?” Tony asks, looking over his shoulder at me.

I blush slightly. "Something Neumann called it," I respond, refocusing on Rafe as he continues explaining, either not having heard me or ignoring me.

“I don't hate it,” Tony replies, giving a shrug and turning back to the map.

"The whole point of calling us up is sheer numbers," Rafe explains, drawing his finger now across the entire line of Moon Valley troops. "Roger wants a big assault on this cliff-side entrenchment, says we've got to get the Atalaxians out of there and on flat ground, either in front or below it."

"He's not wrong," Jackson adds, giving a steady nod.

Rafe nods too, continuing on. "So it's a big assault. The problem is, every time they've considered or tried it before the Atalaxians see it coming and route the forces from behind. So we've basically got to surround them in a semicircle so they have no way to get around us. Then we tighten in, like a fist."

He uses his own hand to demonstrate. I gulp.

"Academy Cadets are in the least important strategic position," Jackson says, leaning around me to tap at our location on the map again. "We're unlikely to be the focus of the attack - and the hope is that the Atalaxians don't notice all the fresh faces and terror in our eyes, so they won't know we're vulnerable there. We'll just be troops like all the others."

"Oh," I say, sitting back a little, feeling better.

"Yes, the hope is that we'll just be bodies," Rafe says, quite serious, looking around at all of us, his eyes pausing on Daphne as she keeps her eyes on the ironing, her mouth firmly set against whatever it is that's pounding in her heart. “That we won't see any big battle and we'll be back at school in a few days."

"Okay," I say with a sigh, sitting back against the cushions. "That...that sounds like it could be worse."

The group all nods with me, even as the dumbwaiter bell rings, signaling the arrival of dinner.

But even as I say it...something in me makes my wolf turn with anxiety. Because it can't be that easy, right?

As the hour grows late and the boys start to pack up their bags, heading back to their room for the night, è Jesse keeps an eye on his girl. How could he not, after all? Daphne she's gorgeous, and lovely, and

concerned, and his. Content belongs

"I'm going to get some fresh air," Jesse says with a sigh, pushing up from his arm chair and deliberately not looking at her.

"Fresh air, Jess?" Rafe says, looking

up at his cousin like he kind of doubts it."once heard you say you wish you had a personal air conditioner and filter that you Could carry around in front of you, blasting you in the face at all times.

"Yeah, well, I get allergies," Jesse murmurs, heading for the door. "Besides, the night before he goes to war a man wants to...smell a tree. I don't know. Don't think about it too hard."

He slips outside the door but doesn't go far.

Doesn't need to, not really - Daphne is out the door not two minutes later.

And when Jesse drops his shadows from where he stands in the corner by the stairs, leaning against the wall, her face bursts into a smile that only lasts a second before her eyes fill with tears.noveldrama

"Daphne, don't," Jesse begs, holding out his arms to her. Daphne rushes to him, pressing herself against his chest, tucking her head beneath his chin. Jesse cradles her close, letting one hand get lost in her hair, his fingers tangling in the long red strands, the other stroking comfortingly up and down her back. He pulls his shadows up so that they have a little secrecy in case anyone else comes out of the room.

"How can I not!?" Daphne groans, sniffing hard against her tears as she attempts to obey. "Jess, you're going to stupid battle tomorrow -" "Where I will win great glory and victory in your honor!"

She lifts her head to glare at him. "Don't use that 'honor and victory, baby, it's all for you' speech on me, Sinclair. I want you here, safe." "You sure?" he asks, twisting his lips with doubt. "I could bring you war spoils. I could bring you gold, and diamonds. An Atalaxian general's head." Daphne's expression is one of great disgust, which makes Jesse burst out laughing as he holds her tighter, loving her a great deal in this moment.