Ch. 1006..1010: The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy Chapter 1006-1010
Chapter 1006
Jesse's eyes open first, and then Midnight's, slow and sleepy.
"How do you feel?" I ask quietly, leaning towards her, able to see her better now in the dawn light that streams through the windows.
"What happened?" Jackson asks. I turn to see him standing at the door and I smile, reaching out a hand. He frowns at me, sending me a little pulse of worry that I didn't sleep, and then passing me some magic energy. I grin, quite pleased as he steps close enough to the bed that I can lean against him.
"Jesse and Ariel cleared my wolf," Midnight says on a happy sigh, just before she yawns. I laugh a little as she cuddles up in my pillows, clearly exhausted and intending to sleep right there.
"Do you still have your magic?" Jesse asks, leaning towards her, curious.
"Jess, let her sleep, she can answer that -"
But suddenly shadows burst from Midnight and she fades into the shadows behind the pillows, almost indistinguishable. "Yup," she says on a hefty yawn. "Still got 'em. Darkness lied to me. They must have come from someone else." "A gift from the God of Death?" I ask, turning up my face to Jackson, curious. He shrugs down at me. "Or Life. I don't know."
I nod, intrigued, but then I yawn - despite my magical boost, I'm still tired.
"All right, come on," Jackson says, scooping me up off the bed and nodding to where Jesse has laid out along the edge, his hands tucked behind his head, his eyes already shutting. "These two have clearly claimed the bed. We'll tuck you into Marigold's."
"They're very rude," I murmur, narrowing my eyes at Mids and Jesse, not meaning a word of it. But then I just wrap my arms around my mate's neck, letting my own eyes fall shut as he carries me away to our daughter's room.
I grin, several hours later, when Jesse comes out of my bedroom, yawning his head off just in time for dinner.
"Yay!" I say, clapping my hands a little and gestoring towards the very filled coffee table, which has plenty of food and several plates which we've set aside for him and Midnight. Seeing my excitement, Marigold cheers too, clapping and
holding up her hands. Rafe and
Jackson, seated on either side of the
little Princess, grin down at her.
"I like this," Jesse murmurs, smiling at us a little and sauntering over. "I think I
could get used to applause, whenever I enter a room."
"How is she?" Jackson asks as Jesse flops down on the floor next to me, reaching for a cheeseburger and taking a big bite even without a plate. I grin and toss a napkin onto his lap.
"She's good, I think," Jesse says, nodding as he looks down at his food. "She's still asleep but...it's weird how much I can feel. Through this...bond, or whatever."
Jackson nods, smiling a bit, while Rafe's mouth twists to the side and he looks down. My heart breaks for him, because I know he wishes he had an accepted bond. Quietly, make a note to myself to ask-Rafe a
about his plans to see Maryam again, which I'm sure he's dying to do.
"How are you doing with that?" I ask quietly, reaching out and rubbing circles on Jesse's back, wanting him to feel support. I know that he'd been holding out, that he doesn't have romantic feelings for Midnight. But still, it's done now, isn't it?
He just looks over at me and shrugs and my heart breaks again, wishing this was easier.
"She scared the shit out of Daphne last night," Jesse whispers, shaking his head and dropping his gaze to his food. "I feel horrible."
"I'm sure it will be fine," I say, hoping desperately it will be true. "If we can just –“
The door to my room opens, though, and all eyes turn to Midnight as she strolls into the room, humming happily, her hands behind her back. "Hi!" Midnight says, grinning around at everyone. "Is there any desert?"
Chapter 1007
I laugh, pointing at the big plate of apple pie on the table. "Well, I'm glad to see that you're feeling cheerful," I say, grinning at her.
"I am!" she says, happily plopping down next to Jesse and reaching for the pie, pulling it all onto her lap and digging in with a fork. "I don't think that any of you can even imagine how nice it is to have years worth of darkness lifted from your soul!"
"We're very glad for you, Mids," Rafe says, leaning forward towards her, quite fond. "And glad that you get to keep your powers, too."
"Well, not all of them," Midnight says on a sigh, her mouth screwing to the side as she stabs her fork into the pie, apparently losing a bit of her appetite.
"What?" Jesse says, sitting up straight with a frown. "But you did the shadows this morning -"
"Oh, these work just fine," Midnight says, flicking first into her shadow ghoul self, and then into the darkness that lets her hide. A shiver runs through me at first because although I'm getting used to it...I mean, it's still very scary.
I glance over at Marigold, who continues to munch on her chicken nuggets, completely undisturbed. I grin, pleased to see either that my daughter is brave or has an affinity for spooky stuff.
"So, what doesn't work?" Jesse asks, his brow wrinkling.
"Well, I tried to shift to the Land of Darkness,” she says on a sigh, her shoulders slumping. "You know, for fun."
Jackson raises an eyebrow like they have very different ideas of fun.
"And I couldn't do it!" Midnight continues, tossing a hand up in the air.
"Well, is that so bad?" Rafe asks, cocking his head at her. "I mean, at least you know Darkness can't get you anymore. And you can enroll in the Academy and all."
"Yes, Rafe, it's bad," Midnight says, rolling her eyes at him like he's completely stupid. We all grin widely at that. "That's how I get around al sneaky like, even in the Academy, I could flash to Darkness and then back and appear on a completely different floor. It's very useful for spying and I'm sad to have lost it!"
She sighs and looks down at her chest, the little smile on her lips suggesting that
it was worth it, for her wolf's sake, even if she is sorry to have lost a skill.
"Oh!" Jackson says, suddenly getting to his feet.
We all turn to him but he just walks away into the bedroom, oblivious to our attention.
"He's still weird, Ari," Jesse murmurs, frowning after my mate. "You've still got a lot of work to do on that one."
I laugh and shove his shoulder, making him grin. Marigold laughs too and Jesse snaps his gaze her.
"And don't get me started on you,
baby weirdo! Jesse says, grinning at Marigold, pointing a finger right at her face. She cracks up laughing falling back into the couch cushions. "Little miss I don't even know what a lollypop is and just try to bite it!"
She laughs harder and happiness spreads through me, delighted at how much my little girl is already a part of the family.
"Does this help?" Jackson asks, coming back into the room with something held out on his palm. We all look towards him with interest, Midnight getting to her feet to peer into his palm.
When she sees what's there, she gasps, looking up into his face with big round eyes. "Jackson," she whispers, staring at him like he's magical. "Where on earth did you get that!?"
en
Chapter 1008
"What," Jackson asks, frowning down at the little rectangular stone in his hands. "Is it like, special?"
"Jackson!" Midnight hisses, standing on her toes to smack him on the chest. "They're invaluable! This is only the second I've ever seen in the world! And I only know of one besides that other one!"
"Oh," Jackson says, grinning down at her. "Cool."
I burst into a grin at my mate, who has a knack for understatement.
"What is it?" Rafe asks, getting to his feet. Marigold sits up, likewise peering, curious.
"It's the little...thing," Jackson says, looking down at it again and running a hand through his hair. "It appeared in my tent when I was looking for Ariel in Atalaxia. I used it to shift to the land of Darkness. But then I got distracted and didn't give it much thought."
"I didn't give it much thought," Midnight says, her voice a perfect imitation of Jackson's deep tones as she rolls her eyes. Jesse and I burst out laughing. "You idiot! It's a talisman!"
"Oh!" I say, pushing myself to my knees and looking more curiously at it now. "Gabriel had one of those."
"And the King," Midnight says, nodding and tucking her hands behind her back, leaning closer to peer at it. "Though yours is a different color. Theirs was black and gifted as part of their corruption and darkness. Yours is like...yellowy-white." "Like your wolf," I murmur, nodding, thinking that it's a nice cream color.
"Why didn't you get one, then?" Jesse asks.
"Because I was a talisman,” Midnight says, turning and rolling her eyes at him in turn.
My smile deepens, quite pleased to see that none of her personality has changed as a result of the cleaning away of the corruption. The God of Darkness - he really had a hold on her, but Midnight is truly her own unique little person, isn't she?
"I was gifted by Darkness early enough that I didn't need a stupid rock." Midnight finishes, turning back to Jackson's, looking at it wistfully.
"Well, now you do," Jackson says, shrugging. "Here, take this one." He holds it out to her. "Maybe we can...make it a necklace or something? Then you don't have to carry it around."
Midnight stumbles back a step, gasping up at him. "Jackson, it's - it's too precious - it was a gift from a god -"
My eyebrows raise because...wait, what? Is that really true?
Why...why is a god interested enough in Jackson to give him such a powerful tool?
And if he's got it...why isn't he corrupted? Quietly I send out my wolf to sniff at his soul but...nope, nothing. Jackson smirks, sensing what I'm doing and glancing over at me. I just shrug.
"I mean, I'm not going to use it," Jackson says, pointing over his shoulder at our bedroom. "If you don't take it I'll just throw it in the bottom of a pack at the back of our closet -"
Midnight squeaks, lunging for the talisman. Jackson grins and lets her have it.
"Thank you," Midnight says, pressing it tight to her chest, looking up at him with eyes that border on reverence. "I - I can never repay you -"
"It's cool," Jackson says, reaching out and putting a warm hand on her shoulder. "I'm glad you have it. Feels right."
She grins up at him, giving a happy nod.
"All right, cool," Jesse says, smacking his hands against his thighs and standing up. “Well, if we have a way to get to the Underworld again.....I guess it's time to go."
"Wait, what?" Midnight asks, turning to him in confusion.
"Come on, Mids," Jesse says, gesturing for everyone to stand as well. We all obey, mostly out of curiosity, getting to our feet. "Time for Ariel to have her long- promised reunion."
I gasp as Marigold runs to Jackson, who scoops her up in her arms. "Really?" I say, my eyes misting already. "We - we can go see Juniper!?"
"Oh yeah!' Midnight says, laughing. "Everyone hold hands!"
"Trust me, Ari," Jesse says, grinning at me as Rafe steps close, taking Jesse's hand. "I know you miss your sister but...Juniper isn't even the biggest draw here. Not this time."
"What?" I ask, spinning my head to look up at Jackson, even as I reach out and take the two hands closest to me. "Who, who else -"
"Oh, just let yourself be surprised,” Jackson says, leaning down to kiss me on the forehead.
Before I can say anything else, the whole world tilts forward, and we disappear. That evening, Midnight sits on the roof of the castle, thinking about...everything.
It was a nice day and all, first getting the darkness cleared and then going to the Underworld to see Juniper
and Orion and the Tony-boy. Burnet like she'd just needed. She felt
after they'd returned home, she felt
Space, and sky. When she'd lived all that time in the Land of Darkness she had nothing but sky - sky and desert and a yurt. And while she doesn't miss any of the rest of t-
not really - the wide expanse of the sky...
Well, all that infinity had been nice, hadn't it? Calming, in its own way. And she'd wanted it again, now, when she feels so confused. So, she'd climbed as high as she could in the castle to get as close to that familiar dark spread of sky as she could.
Chapter 1009
She has to admit though...the stars are a pleasant addition.
Midnight's wolf gives a little worried howl, sprawled out in her soul, her little legs too weak to carry her much or far these days. But Midnight smiles a little and strokes a mental hand over her wolf's fur, pleased to see her free and clear and happy. Excited now to have that for herself too.
The world just...open for her. Infinitely possible. Midnight smiles, looking up at the stars in the velvety black sky, full of hope.
But beneath that hope curls...worry. Dread. Because she knows...
Well, I know what I want now, don't I? she thinks, sighing long through her nose. And to get it...I have to hurt the one who loves me most.
Midnight turns her head towards the creaking of the window, and then the footstep that sounds on the roof next to her.
"There you are," Jesse says, strolling over to her with his hands in his pockets, a little frown on his lips. "We were worried for you, Mids. Are you okay up here?"
"I'm okay," she says, giving him a soft smile.
His frown deepens, his eyes narrowing, suspicious. "You're all...calm," he murmurs. "I don't trust it."
She grins, patting the roof next to her. Her mate sits down with a sigh, looping his arms around his knees. They sit that way for a long time, just looking up at the sky together, basking in the cool air and the quiet and the solitude. But then he leans closer to her, nudging her shoulder with his, inviting – or requesting - for her to tell him what's wrong.
"Jesse," Midnight says on a sigh, dropping her eyes to the roof tiles. "I...I think I need to make some changes."
He pauses for a moment. "All right," he says, his voice low. "What kind of changes?"
She bites her lip, anxious. "I..." But then she sighs, shutting her eyes, frightened and out of her element, but determined all the same. "Can I...can I tell you the long story?"
"Of course."
She nods and takes a deep breath. "My whole life, Jess," she says quietly, the words spilling off her tongue like they've been waiting there a long time. "I've been...just waiting for you to show up."
He goes still but stays silent, letting her have the space.
"That's...all Darkness ever said to me. It was the only thing that was important. That one day he would show me how to find you, and that it would be my job to bear your pups, and that we would raise them all to worship Darkness. And that you would love me and everything would beright. And I...I was so excited when Darkness finally came to me and took me to the place where I could shift to the Academy and spy on you."
She takes a deep breath, opening her eyes and turning them to her mate.
"And you were...so great, Jess," she whispers, her voice creaking, tears coming to her eyes. "I was...I watched you all for hours. And you were so funny. And you all...loved each other so much. I was so excited to take you home and make you mine."
He swallows hard, getting choked up too.
"You weren't what Darkness promised, in the end," she whispers, dropping her eyes again to the roof.
He laughs a little, a strangled sound.
"Nah, you were better," she says, sniffing, the tears finding their way down her cheeks. “You saved me instead of the other way around. And you brought me home and made me family. And gave me...so much. I love you so much, Jesse, I - I am so grateful –“
"I love you too, Mids," Jesse says, slipping an arm around her and pulling her tight. "You don't have to be grateful. You deserve...all of it. Everything."
She nods, sniffing again. "Do you promise not to hate me?"
He goes still again. "What? I mean...I mean, yes, Midnight. I'll never hate you - I couldn't. But...why on earth do you ask?"
"Because,” she whispers, shaking her head, her black curls bouncing lightly. "I'm going to ask you to let me go."
"Midnight," Jesse whispers, his arm tightening around her. "Wha - what are you talking about?"
"If you want to blame someone you should blame your mom," she says, slightly snappy, turning her face up to him with a frown. He smiles a little at this, but it falls quickly away. "She she told me that I can live whatever life I want. That I can have my own dreams. That I can do anything absolutely anything. And that no one has any power to stop me."
"Midnight, all of that is true," Jesse murmurs, just staring at her. "But...what does
that have to do with me?"
"Jesse," she says, turning and taking
his cheeks between her palms. "My whole life, all I've been told is that you're my fate and you're my destiny. And now that I know that there's more...I want that. All of it. best
And it's not that you're not tha thing on the planet - because I think you might be?" Her voice goes all high and squeaky with pain. "But I...I
want...I want to decide what my
destiny is. I want to be free."
"Midnight," Jesse says, his voice breaking on the word. "What are you saying to
me?"
Chapter 1010
"I'm saying," Midnight says, freely crying now, cupping Jesse's face in her tiny hands. "That I – I don't want to have your pups, Jesse. Ever. Ever. I don't want them." She shakes her head, vehement. "I think I'd be a bad mom. I'd leave them at the grocery store and forget they were there. I - I just don't want it."
He swallows hard, listening as she spills out her truth.
"And I don't want to kiss you," she continues, her little chin shaking as she stares up at him with her wide dark eyes. "And it's not that you're not handsome -"
He smirks a little at this, making her laugh. She smacks his cheek lightly with her palm. "You stop that, I'm being serious here -"
He does his best not to smile and nods, letting her know he's listening, intently. To all of it.
"Jesse," she says, sighing hard, her shoulders slumping. "I don't want to be your mate. I don't want to do the romantic stuff. I love you so, so much but...all of that?" she says, tossing out a hand to encompass the whole world. "I want that more. I want to be free. I don't want to be tied."
"I would never try to tie you, Mids," Jesse says, lifting a hand to stroke over her hair. "Being a mate - it's not like that -"
"I know," she whispers. "But I just...I waited my whole life to find you. And I wish..." her voice breaks now as she hangs her head, shaking it. "I wish I'd had a choice. I wish I'd had more freedom. I wish I'd had...more. And now I've got it - I've got everything at my feet - all the world, all the possibilities. And I want...that."
"Mids," Jesse says, his voice breaking with his heart. She lifts her head and cries harder when she sees him crying too. "You might...you might change your mind. You might not always feel this way."
"I don't want to ask you to wait for me," she whispers. "And I don't want to live my life by 'maybes' and 'somedays' anymore. I want...just me, in charge of me, making whatever weird choices I want, without worrying about who they affect and who wants me to choose what. I never got to choose. I want to choose. That's... that's what I want."
A sob breaks from Jesse as he wraps his arms fully around his tiny mate, pulling her close. She slings her arms around his neck and presses her face into his shoulder, crying hard. They hold each other that way for a long time.
"I don't want to lose you, Mids," Jesse whispers, his whole body shaking. "You're...so incredibly important to me."
"You're not losing me," she whispers. "I'll still be family. Right? Would that be okay? I can be family just...not a mate?"
"Of course," he says, tightening his arms, terrified at the thought that she wouldn't be. "Midnight Sinclair. I think...it has a nice ring to it. Family."
Her face bursts into a wide smile, even pressed to his chest. "Yeah, I think I like that," she whispers, nodding.
Bet
Jesse pulls back a little, taking a deep breath, looking his strange, wonderful little mate in the eyes, smoothing a hand over her hair. you've thought about it, Midnight. And it's what you really want. Then...I accept it. Whatever you need.
"Okay,” she whispers, smiling at him through her tears. Just the most...lovely, rich,
warm smile. "Then...I reject you, Jesse Sinclair. I love you, but I reject you."
He stills for a moment and then moans moans, falling forward against her as his wolf howls long and low. Midnight's teeth howls in return before bringing her teeth to their bond and beginning to tear it away. Jesse and Midnight both sob, their bodies shaking in physical pain, their emotions raw and ragged.
"Please," he whispers, his eyes pressed tight shut, groaning against the agony. "Just... leave a little, at the end, all right? So we'll always have a connection. I can't - I can't bear to not have a piece of you -"
She nods, not saying anything, biting her lip. Her wolf obeys, leaving just a thread
of connection at the end - strong and bright and pretty, even as the rest of the bond falls away.
And then it's done.
Jesse groans, letting her go and falling back onto the roof tiles, pressing his hands to his eyes, panting, tears slipping from beneath his palms.