The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy



Luca just rolls his eyes a little and turns back to me. "All right," he says, clearly frustrated but accepting it. "Let's get in there - I think Blaze has been waiting."

"See you tonight," Jackson murmurs, dipping in and pressing a kiss to my cap before heading off down the hall. I only spare half a second to watch him go – unable to help it - before slipping my hand into Luca's and moving into the gym.

"You are late," Blaze says the moment I step through the door, standing in the center of the room. And somehow, without any proof at all, I know that he's been standing there patiently this entire time.

"I'm sorry," I say, dropping my bag by the door where Luca settles down in his usual spot. "It's -"

"No need," Blaze interrupts, holding up a hand and studying me carefully as I come to the center of the room. "I can see by your face, little bird, that it was not a paltry thing that kept you away."

I sigh, letting my shoulders slump a little as I come to stand before him. But I nod, letting him know his assessment is correct.

"Then let's get to work," Blaze says quietly, leaning closer to me, his eyes kind and wrinkling at the corners. "There is nothing for processing difficult thoughts like movement in the body. Come - we will beat the sadness out of you."

And then to prove his point, he whips his hand up and gives me a fairly hard smack on the arm that makes me stumble to the side even as it makes me laugh.

"Hey!" I say, coming back to the center and grinning at my teacher. "Didn't anyone ever tell you not to hit sad girls?"

"Sad girls don't want to get hit?" he says, quirking his head to the side. "Sad girls need to dodge."

His hand whips up again but I'm ready for it this time, dodging beneath and lashing out with my foot, a sharp kick aimed at his ankle. But Blaze just laughs and sweeps his leg back - and then we're off, moving fast, me trying to land a blow and him issuing commands to make me better.

As the minutes pass I find that my professor was right - that in keeping busy and moving my body, my mind does turn away from the troubling events of this afternoon, giving me much-needed space and respite. Because I can always turn back to them later - but now?

Now I've got to learn to kick some ass, just in case any stupid jerk dark Gods try to kiss me again.

Because trust me - one kiss from my grandma's ex was certainly enough for this lifetime.

By the time my workout with Blaze finishes, I'm sweaty, panting, and in a much better mood.

"There is my little bird," Blaze says, giving me a brilliant smile and wrapping me in a hug. I burst out laughing as he does because I'm totally gross right now but he

doesn't care. "All of your emoti

are brilliant," he says with a happy sigh, rocking me back and forth, "but to see you smile after you have worked hard does my heart good. I am proud of you, swift little thing."

"Thanks, Blaze," I say with a sigh, resting against him and hugging him back, truly meaning it in the depths of my soul.

"You are welcome," he says, pulling away and patting my cheek before turning towards his mysterious door. "See you the day after tomorrow! Now, I am on vacation!"

I wave back to Blaze as Luca comes to the center of the ring, rolling his shoulders. "You know, I'm getting a little jealous of that guy," he says, the corner of his mouth quirking up as he gestures over his shoulder to Blaze's closing door. "He's got all the good lines."

"Oh yeah?" I say, putting my hands on my hips and wrinkling my nose at my mate. "You want to call me your little bird and tell me how brilliant my emotions are?"

"See?" Luca says, his mouth

broadening into a wide grin as he steps into his fighting stance. "That is a line that would work. Ifnoveldrama

wasn't already so gone on you I'd be

using that at all the clubs."

I burst out laughing, ducking under Luca's raised fists to wrap my arms around his waist and grin up into his face. "Do it and die, Grant," I snarl, jealous already.

He laughs with me, dropping his hands to my back and lacing his fingers together lightly behind me.

"Hey," I say, beaming up at him. "What do you say we play hookie on the rest of this fighting lesson and go do something else instead?"

“Oh yeah?” Luca asks, raising an eyebrow at me. “What do you have in mind?”