The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy novel Chapter 480

“It happened just how you described, Ari,” he murmurs, shaking his head as he recalls it. “Of all things, it seriously felt like someone threw a damn brick at my wolf.”

I smile a little, remembering telling him that metaphor at the club after Luca’s boxing victory but hating that it feels so accurate for my friend.

“It happened the first time at the boxing match. I knew he was there…instantly, as soon as he walked in.”

“Did you know who it was? Like, you could pick them out of the crows?” I ask, a little breathless with interest but not wanting to push him too far.

“I knew…the area…in the crowd. That something in me had suddenly turned to the Atalaxians. But I couldn’t pinpoint it at first.” Ben raises his hands to his temples and rubs them in soft, worried circles as he remembers. “But I wasn’t sure what precisely it was – my wolf insisted, of course, that my mate was there, but I mean – what the hell does he know.”

I smile a little as my wolf bristles inwardly, appalled that Ben would ever doubt his wolf. I smooth a hand over her fur and she turns to give my fingers a fond lick.

“So,” I say, hesitant. “What happened?”

“I felt…sick,” he says, raising his head and meeting my eyes. “Did you feel like that? Like…nauseous?”

“I didn’t feel nauseous,” I say, turning my head to the side. “But my center of balance was off. I couldn’t walk right – and it was just before we had to go have that first hand-to-hand fight.” I grin at the memory fondly, even though I wasn’t so happy at the time. “I think Rafe was worried I had a stroke because I couldn’t walk in a straight line.”

“God, no wonder you lost so spectacularly,” Ben says, laughing a little. “But it sounds about the same, though – both of our bodies responded almost as if we were seasick, like gravity and perception changed.”

I laugh, delighted, and Ben goes along with me.

“Wait, but did you guys…acknowledge each other? Did you figure out who he was? Did you ever get a chance to talk to him!?”

“I didn’t get to talk to him,” Ben says, dropping his hand from his face and leaning forward towards me now, not holding back now. “But…he looked at me, once, and I know he felt it, Ari – felt what I was feeling. We didn’t say anything – or express anything – but we…we knew what we are to each other. It was…amazing. I mean, terrifying, but…amazing.”

“Wow,” I breathe, likewise leaning forward, wanting to know more. “But which one was it?”

“I feel like you’ll remember him, Ari - you noticed him,” Ben says, nodding to me. “I saw you two lock eyes as well.”