The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy novel Chapter 476

The run is as grueling as I knew it would be, with Rafe, Jesse, and Jackson each taking turns to backtrack and run at my heels, forcing me to pick up speed or get trampled down by their gigantic feet.

By the end of it, I’m bending over with my hands on my knees, my head hanging, trying to catch my breath while the three of them chat casually about their plans for the day.

“Come on, little man,” Rafe says, clapping me on the back and making me stumble a few steps forward. “You smell terrible. Let’s get you showered before breakfast.” He just grins when I straighten up and glare at him.

I scowl, following along with them, but glance anxiously up at Jackson when he drapes a casual arm around my shoulder. “Do I really smell?”

“It’s a nice musk,” he says, giving me a sad smile that breaks into a laughing grin as I tilt my head back and groan with embarrassment. Together, the four of us hurry back to the rooms to clean up before breakfast.

Breakfast passes quickly as we fall easily back into the rhythms of the school. Ben and I sit on either side of Luca, giving him some tips about how to pay attention in lessons when things get particularly boring – something he’s apparently never tried before – but before I know it, we’re slugging down the rest of our coffee as we stand, Ben and I still planning to head for the library for our free study period.

“Remember,” Rafe says, stepping close to Ben and pointing a finger in his face. “You’re on bodyguard duty now and when you walk him to class. If Ari even –“

“Oh, enough,” Ben says, rolling his eyes at Rafe and ducking under the finger as he heads for the door. “We’ve survived this long, I’m sure we can make it out of the library alive.” I laugh and hurry to keep up with Ben, waving over my shoulder at my brother, my cousin, and my mates, who all wave back.

“Finally,” Ben murmurs, tossing me a grin as we start for the elevators that will take up to the library on the top floor. “An Alpha-free moment.”

“Oh, you’re an Alpha too, Benny,” I say with a happy sigh. “Plus, they’re not so bad.” We step into the elevator and begin to move swiftly upwards.

“Because you’re inured to the presence of two of them, and making out with the others,” Ben says, dry, shooting me a glance out of the corner of his eye.

Unfortunately, we don’t get far before a shadow falls across my book.

I frown, wondering if it’s a particularly dark passing cloud, but then my mouth pops open when I look up and see…

Well, see my mortal enemy – quite literally - standing there, glaring at me, his arms crossed, his guard standing stoic behind him. I just gape at Alan Wright looming above me, fear rushing through me, instantly flashing back to the memory of the last time he stood over me like this – when he shot a quarrel right into my stomach – when he –

“Do you fucking mind?” Ben snaps, intervening when he sees me gaping, fear locking my limbs as well as my tongue. “We’re trying to study. You’re blocking our light.”

“Just wanted to see it for myself,” Wright snaps, turning his glare on Ben now. “Because I didn’t believe the Royals would let their two little pets off their leashes to roam free. Do the Duke and the Prince know that you’re out alone? Without your guard dogs, where almost anything could happen?”