The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy novel Chapter 694

I lean in, kissing my mate and believing him utterly.

The day-long train across the south of Moon Valley was bad, but honestly, compared to this truck?

I groan as we hit yet another bump and I’m tossed against Luca’s side, hissing as my back again hits a spot on the wall that I know is going to leave a pretty purple bruise.

“You all right?” he murmurs, subtly putting an arm around me for support.

“I think they planned these stupid transports for big guys,” I say, glaring around at the fabric-covered truck that at least forty of us are shoved into.

“Yeah, well,” Tony murmurs from my other side, dipping his head so that only I can hear him. “I don’t think they anticipated the military being infiltrated by tiny magical women.”

I laugh, just a single huff, before we hit another hole and I’m jolted again. My laugh dies, immediately replaced with a scowl.

Jackson and Rafe are at the front of the truck where they can see out the windshield – because this is their little legion, apparently. They brought Jesse with them up there, wanting his opinion, but there’s another truck behind commanded by Blythe with a slightly smaller group, and then Ben and the rest of the Ambassadors have been sent to a different area of command.

“What are you even going to do here, Tony?” I ask, peering up at him with a frown. “How are you going to use your badass assassin skills if you’re on the front line?”

“Oh, I think I’ve been reallocated for the moment,” Tony says, looking down at me quite seriously. “We’ve got no access to the Atalaxian royalty for the time being, so all of my formidable skills are laying fallow. Until I can be put to use, I think my singular role is as your cooler.”

I grin up at him. “My cooler?”

“Yeah, hose you down when you get all hot –“

I burst out laughing, but Luca snarls, pulling me subtly closer.

“Oh, get over it, Grant,” Tony says, rolling his eyes, “or people are going to assume that I’m not kidding.” He glances down at where Luca’s hand has wrapped around my waist. Luca hesitates but then sighs and drops it, realizing that Tony’s right.

Luca, I say, turning to frown up at my mate. Why do you let him bug you? You know he’s kidding.

Is he kidding, Ari? Luca says, looking down at me kind of urgently. He hits on you all the time –

Yeah, I say, interrupting, my frown deepening, but…it’s Tony – he’s just saying it to make me laugh. There’s nothing happening there. He’s just my friend.

If he had any choice in the matter, Luca murmurs, raising an eyebrow at me. He wouldn’t be so thoroughly stuck in the friend zone.

“Finally,” Tony sighs, and I look up to see him shaking his head. “We’re here.”

“Thank god,” I murmur, settling my shoulders and looking forward to a stretch. Luca sends a warm pulse over the bond, and I feel it with a vividness that makes me both smile and realize just how guarded he’s been over the past few months. I turn to smile up at him, hoping he feels how much I love it when I get all of him – unblocked, uninterrupted.

He smiles down at me, feeling all of my joy. Subtly he traces a hand down my back, letting me know he gets it and he understands and is sorry. I lean into that hand subtly, loving the experience of sharing emotions with him – not just words.

Tony moves first off of the truck, turning to hold a hand out to help me down, which I readily accept.

The moment my foot hits the ground, though, my head snaps up, because a very, very familiar scent has just crossed my nose.

“Ari!” a deep voice calls, full of happiness and relief.

My face bursts in a grin as I turn towards the man who called my name.