The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy novel Chapter 477

Ben laughs, low and derisive. “Are you serious, Wright? You’re the one making leash jokes when you’ve got a literal guard keeping an eye on you all the time? Do you…are you unaware of what irony is?”

Wright scowls and opens his mouth to retort, but Ben interrupts.

“Also,” he says to the guard, his voice harsh, leaning to look around Wright at the soldier. “Are you going to do anything about this? Ari Clark is the student that Wright tried to fucking kill. Shouldn’t you…I don’t know, drag this jackass away by his hair?”

Slowly, the guard turns to look at Ben. “I’m here to intercede if he makes a move against another cadet. Not to stop a bitchy little girl fight.”

Something about this comment snaps me back to myself – maybe because I’m not used to that casual kind of misogyny in my life, and I’m certainly not going to stand for it at my school. “Great, then consider it over,” I say, falling into a cool and collected persona that I’m not sure I knew I could embody. I look away from Wright, back at my books. “So, please take your charge out of here so that those of use whose military careers aren’t completely fucked already can get back to work.”

Wright’s face flushes a livid red. “If you think that –“

“I said,” I snap, raising my voice loud as I whip my face up to glare at him. “That I’m trying to study, you pathetic ass.”

“I should have finished the job,” Wright growls, leaning forward as he holds my gaze with his vicious stare. “And if you think that I won’t someday –“

“Alan!” another voice barks, and my eyebrows raise when I see Perry Gibson dart forward, grabbing Wright by the arm. “What the fuck are you even thinking? Get away from them –“

“I’m not done here,” Wright growls, attempting to shake Perry off.

But Perry digs his fingers in, surprising me by tugging Wright so hard that he almost loses his balance. “Yes,” Perry growls. “You fucking are. Let’s go.”

Without another word, Perry hauls Wright away with him. The guard gives us an impassive glance but then follows his charge at a leisurely pace.

“You good?” Ben asks, leaning forward to look at me over his book.

I look back at him, realizing that adrenaline is racing through me, making my hands shake a bit. But as I glance down at my hands I realize that it’s not all fear – though that’s there, too – but also anger, rage. God, that asshole – who the fuck does he think he is?

“I didn’t,” I say, leaning forward with wide eyes. “I mean, honestly, Ben, I’m kind of shocked. He…did not seem tough. Way less tough than the guys I was in the sniping unit with, and neither of them made it through.”

“Perry’s ambassador,” Ben murmurs, glancing again after them. “But I didn’t think he did particularly well in the course. Or the Examination. I wonder what strings he pulled to be here…”

We both stare for a second, considering it.

But then Ben heaves a heavy sigh and snaps his book shut. “I’m not going to get anything done while I’m all worked up like this. Do you want to get some air?”

“Air?” I ask, frowning at him. “Ben, we’re…on the top floor. What, do you want to go open one of these windows just so Wright can shove me out of it?”

Ben laughs but then gives me a clever little grin. “Come on, Clark,” he says, standing up and holding out a hand to me. “I’ve got something I think you’ll want to see.”