Their Hidden Princess Novel

---- Chapter 21 "And why would | believe you helped me?" | snapped. | crossed my arms over my chest. Maximus's foot was still caught in the door. | couldn't push past his massive frame and ignore him. So, | decided to piss him off. Maybe then he'd storm off in a rage again and | could go the fuck to sleep. "| didn't want a dead idiot on my porch," Maximus sneered cold as ever. "Well | didn't die," | snapped. "And I'm not dead so if you could please, move-" | wrenched the door open but it didn't move. | looked up and saw Maximus's hand holding it half open. His body was smack in the middle.

| narrowed my eyes at him. "You're going to get yourself killed," he leered. | tried the door again. "I will if | don't get home-" | grunted and tried to shove myself past him. My arm was about to hit his when he flinched out of the way. His hand dropped the door and | scurried past him. "Don't fight Kairos," he called as | ran up the stairs. ---- | stopped and turned around to look at him. For once, he genuinely looked sincere as he said it. | figured it was just a rouse to get me to submit to the almighty douchebags of Alpha Academy. | narrowed my eyes again, glaring down at him.

"Why not?" | challenged. "It's impossible," Maximus said. "No wolfless has ever beaten him. Those that try and sent to the infirmary for months." | stood up straight. "Nothing is impossible," | said, voice barely above a whisper. But Maximus seemed to hear it. He set his lips ina thin, angry line and all but punched the door open, going back into the night. | rolled my eyes at his dramatics then walked the way up to my room. As | went into my room, quietly as | was sure that Loren had passed out by then, | noticed a note wedged in the frame.

| slipped it into may hand as | walked into the darkness of my room. Luckily my desk lamp was still on. | pushed the note into the light and marveled at the elegant script written across it. Tomorrow. Same time. Same place. | smiled. It was from Valentin. | tucked it deep within my desk before I went to get ready for bed. | would truly show Maximus that nothing was impossible. ---- The next morning, | walked into the gym just shy of six in the momning. Valentin was there, hair swooped back into a bun off his face.

He was wearing a similar get up to my previous training session, though this one was a navy blue. It made his eyes stick out even more in the hazy morning glow. "Good morning," | smiled at him. He didn't return it and my face fell. "What?" "How much clearer did | need to be about Kairos?" he hissed. "I told you he was unbeatable at your current strength and you still challenge him?" | scowled back at him. "Who's your little spy on campus, telling you all this then? Is it Loren?" "Miss Moonbeam would do it if | asked but, no," Valentin shook his head. He took a step closer to me.

His eyes pinned mine. "I am the Headmaster of this institution, Princess. | know everything that happens on my campus." His words set a shiver down my spine. | tried to not fidget and show him how affected | was by him. But | felt my hand twitch slightly. My heartbeat sounded in my ears. There was that gentle hum behind it. Valentin took a step back. It disappeared. "You're not fighting Kairos," Valentin had an air of finality in his voice. ---- "lam," | threw back. "Your mother would be livid!" Valentin said, his voice raising slightly.

"Have you even thought of how you're going to deal with the aftermath? Kairos will break every bone you have, Zora." It was the first time he'd said my name. Usually he referred to me by my human last name or "Princess." Something about my real name on his tongue made me feel butterflies in my chest. | ignored it and kept scowling at him.