The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy



When my eyes open in the morning, still far too early, I stifle a groan because I'm not sure I got a lick of sleep. I just dozed in and out of consciousness, anxiously waking every fifteen minutes or half an hour, scared I'm going to miss something.

I sigh, heartily disappointed, because I never even sunk deep enough into sleep to go into the dream state with Jackson, as planned.

My wolf huffs disappointedly. We could have gotten the mark, she mutters, angry.

It would have just been a dream mark anyway, I reply on a sigh, lifting up a finger and seeing my little mini mark glinting in what light is available in the nook with the curtain closed. My wolf steps forward, inspecting the little nipped cut on my finger, which seems to shine almost silver.

Yes, that's a good start, she murmurs, approving.

I smile a bit, pleased that she's pleased, but I let my hand drop to Jackson's chest so that my chin is resting on him and I can peer up into his perfect face. I study him in peace, glad for his stoic nature that allows him to sleep through almost anything as well as the boundless energy that I know will wake him up fresh.

Jacks. He really is something special, isn't he?

Yes, very good, my wolf says, prowling forward across the bond and inspecting Jackson's gigantic wolf as he, too, sleeps. She trots around him like a pirate queen quite pleased with the hard-won booty that she's captured, preening. And soon, she says, stopping at the wolf's face and lowering her snout to give him a good sniff, we will have a mark and then we will be complete.

Two marks, I remind her, sighing and turning my head to look at the curtain that falls over the nook's entrance.

But my wolf goes a little still before turning around and walking back across the bond, closing it as she goes.

What? I ask, frowning at her inwardly. What's wrong with that idea?

She shakes her fur like she's trying to get water out of her fur, uncomfortable. Luca's wolf...she murmurs, turning in an anxious circle. He's not ready for that too skittish and wild. And Jackson's...

My wolf looks longingly over the bond towards her mate, the one to whom she's grown very close.

"It will kill him," I whisper aloud, knowing that it's the truth.

My wolf gives a sad little howl of confirmation, agreeing with me. Jackson's mark first, she says, decided. It is what I want. And then...when Luca's wolf is ready, we will get his too.

I hesitate at this, knowing as well as my wolf does that the Goddess put me on a timeline and that neither of us want to risk losing Luca - losing either of them. Still, she nips me inside.

Jackson's first, she whispers, sure. It's the only way.

I nod, agreeing to our little internal plan and sighing as I realize that I need to have a very real

conversation with both of my mates. That it's only fair to tell them what's happening so that they can prepared. As I exhale, Jackson starts.

"Who are you talking to?" he asks, gruff and confused.

"Just my wolf," I say, frowning at him, suddenly anxious. "Can you...hear us?"

"I don't know," he murmurs, groggy and confused. "I don't think so. You said you were going to kill someone?"

I grin, glad when I realized that he simply misheard when I murmured my thoughts aloud. "Yes, I discovered that Jesse's been pilfering my snack collection. He's marked for death."

Jackson snarts at that, stroking a

hand down over my hair, ever supportive even if he doesn't quite think it's a capital offense. I smile, snuggling closer to him, loving the little sense of humor that's making itself known in its own way.

We're quiet for a few minutes, both of us drifting off a bit, before Jackson's deep voice wakes me again. "You ready for all of this, tiny?"

"No," I say instantly, knowing that it's the truth. "But I'm going to do it anyway. It's our duty, and what we've been trained for."

"Anything I can do to make it better?" he asks, peering down at me.

"Energy," I sigh, quite dramatic, making him laugh as he immediately begins to pass me energy though our bond. "Also, a mark, please," I say, tilting my head back and baring my neck to him.

This makes him laugh even harder, turning me over in the bed so that I'm pressed beneath him, just how I like. "Too little time and too many people in this room for that," he murmurs.

“Oh, come on,” I sigh, grinning and snuggling close. “Just one little nip –“

"Not the way I've planned it,noveldrama

Princess," he growls, wrapping his

hand in my hair and baring my throat to him again, licking his tongue tong up along the length of it just once in a way that makes me shudder, makes my knees go quite weak.

But we both sigh when we hear Rafe's bed creak across the room, hear his blankets shift and then his feet hit the floor moments before footsteps begin to cross the room.

"Guess it's time to go," I whisper, looking up into Jacks's eyes with a great deal of fear in mine.

"Just stick with me, trouble," he murmurs, looking down into mine with a great deal of faith. "I'll keep you safe."