The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy novel Chapter 702

We all turn towards the entrance, though – me going stock straight with fear – when the flap lifts and a silhouette appears. I shy away from it, remembering again Gibson’s dark form against the door –

“It’s just me,” Jesse says, seeing my fear and reaching out a hand for me as he steps into the tent. “It’s all right, Ariel.”

Shaking a little, sniffing hard, I straighten up. “Is Tony okay?”

Jesse’s face falls a little as he steps into the tent and lets the flap fall, slipping his hands into his pockets. “It’s not good, cousin.”

I moan, my head falling. Jackson snarls again and I hear Jesse sigh at Jackson’s implicit command to stop saying things that upset me. But I shake my head, declining to be coddled, because I need to know.

“They don’t think he’s going to survive?” I ask.

Jesse sighs, deep. “They don’t know,” he murmurs.

“Is mom coming?” I raise my eyes to my cousin, desperate for him to say yes.

But Jesse just pauses and looks at me, I think deciding what to say.

I flash my teeth, a growl building in my chest alongside my demand.

He just sighs and shrugs. “I don’t know, Ari. They didn’t tell me.”

I clench my jaw, frustrated, and look away.

The flap opens again and two nearly identical dark heads appear. I sit up straighter, looking between my father and my brother. “Is he okay?”

Dad just sighs and snaps his fingers at Jackson and Luca, demanding a little space so he can sit and talk to me. Luca immediately gets to his feet but Jackson hesitates.

“It’s true,” Jesse murmurs, crossing his arms and looking at his dad. “We’ve all been wary around Wright, but I never gave a thought to Gibson. He’s just been a little…toad. Hopping around, completely innocuous.”

“Which made him a great sleeper agent,” Rafe murmurs. “Absolutely below suspicion.”

I sniff hard, angry at myself for not asking these questions first. But my mind – it’s so soaked in grief, so bogged down that I don’t think I can think of…anything, let alone theories and motives.

Jackson’s wolf turns in a tight, protective circle around mine, growling at me, angry that I’d critique myself in a time like this. My wolf howls and stumbles into him, ducking her head beneath his, wanting to be close and still and warm. Jackson’s wolf complies with her demands, standing strong, dipping his head lower brush his muzzle warm against hers, letting her know that she’s safe.

Or, as safe as she can be.

“That boy must have known,” dad murmurs, looking around at the rest of our group. “Must have known, somehow, that Ariel is growing more powerful, becoming central to our attack plans. Which means either that we’ve got a spy in our midst or that…the boy was just good at his job and figured it out himself.” Dad shrugs. “Either way…” he sighs, shaking his head. “We have to assume that Atalaxia now knows the threat that Ariel poses to them. And that they’re trying to take her out.”