Ch. 656..660: The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy Chapter 656-660

Chapter 0656

 

"But I was fine!" I protest, casting out a hand. "That guy with the beard - he was just hitting on me! He was harmless - he went away as soon as you asked him to!"

"Right," Tony says, nodding to me. "But he could have been dangerous. It was just luck that brought a relatively nice guy over to your table. Luca left you high and dry, Ari, and you should be madder about it than you are."

"I'll be fucking mad about it for you," Jesse murmurs, slumped in his chair with his arms crossed.

I take a deep breath, looking down into my lap, getting angry. Because everyone's being very cruel about Luca – and no one's giving him a chance. “Luca is a full, complicated person," I say, a bit between my teeth. "And he's allowed to have flaws. He's...he's got a lot going on, emotionally. He doesn't have it all figured out!"

"You're very kind, Ari," Ben says, reaching out and putting a warm hand on my knee. I look up at him, blinking hard against the tears stinging my eyes. "It's one of my favorite things about you."

I gulp back my tears, nodding to him, thankful to have such a good friend.

"Ariel," Tony says, gentler than before. I turn my eyes back to him to see his face looking almost...pleading. Like he really wants me to understand. "Just...one more thing, okay? And if I'm wrong about it, I'll back off. I promise. Even be nice to that prick -"

"Tony," I growl, warning, even as I sniff back my tears.

His face twists into a sad little smile, but he nods to me, agreeing to be nicer to begin with.

I nod to him in turn, letting him get to his one last thing.

"After I left the table," Tony says, measured and low, "and you guys left the bar - let me just tell you what I think he did, according to who I think he is and how he treats women. Okay?"

I hesitate but then nod, allowing it. Kind of curious, despite myself, if Tony knows Luca better than we all thought. Better than me, even.

"My best guess," Tony says, his face even, "is that you left the bar together and you were angry and told him how you felt. Then he apologized immediately."

I go a bit still with how right Tony already is.

"And then," Tony says quietly, nodding in tune with my reaction, "Luca told you something that made you feel sorry for him. And then you

spent the rest of the night talking to

him about his problem, about something that made him sad. So essentially, he did something shitty to you and instead of spending the rest of the night making you feel better about it.... he turned the tables, and you spent the rest of the night making him feel better."

My jaw drops open as I stare at Tony.

Because...when he says it that way...

I realize that that's exactly what happened.

"Manipulation 101," Tony says, quiet and sad. "Find a nice girl. Treat her like shit. Make her comfort you for doing it."

Tears again fill my eyes as I look down at my hands, not liking this realization at all. Kind of wishing I'd never heard it. Because honestly, it was almost easier when I didn't see it.

"And today," Jesse says, his voice thoughtful. "Ari has an incredible breakthrough with her magic -"

Ben perks up a little at this news.

“And instead of celebrating her by coming to dinner and making her feel amazing about it, Luca mysteriously disappears and makes you feel sad instead. Makes the way you're feeling tonight all about him, instead of about you..."

I sniff hard, whipping my eyes up to

my cousin, my lip trembling even as I frown. "He's tired," I say, my voice all wobbly. "He... he has complicated feelings about being part of my magical gift...he's allowed to have feelings."

"I'm sorry, Ari, but that's bullshit," Tony says, his voice full of grief. "He

just can't stand that you're the most powerful, badass person in this school, maybe this nation. He thought the Goddess gave him a princesstrophy mate and he's now figuring out that he's the side piece who stands around holding your hand while you make a burning Whirlwind of destruction. It makes him feel worthless and instead of dealing with that his solution is to make you feel worthless in turn. Seriously, you have this amazing breakthrough today, and he's got you so worked up that you're too sad to eat? You're being way too kind, Ariel. He's treating you like crap and I can't fucking stand it."

I drop my eyes to my lap again, tears slipping down my cheeks.

Chapter 0657

"Ooookay,” Ben says, his own voice low and sad. A moment later I feel his arms around my shoulders, feel him pull me into his lap and tilt me back so that my head is against his chest, my head tucked beneath his chin. "Maybe...maybe enough of the tough love for now. She's not going to eat a single taco at this rate."

"I'm sorry," Tony murmurs, and I glance over to see his own head hanging.

But even if my throat is too thick right now to enunciate it, I'm not mad at him. I mean, he's just speaking the truth, isn't he?

Because as much as I hate it, every single piece of that was true.

"Jesse?" Ben murmurs, glancing over at him. "I think we need chocolate?"

"On it," Jesse murmurs, pushing himself up from his chair and heading over to the nook.

"Don't get my chocolate!" I call out, frowning to him. "Get yours!"

"Your chocolate is way better, Ari," Jesse says, turning to glare at me, his hands on his hips.

"It's supposed to be a present to make me feel better," I growl, pointing vehemently over at his dresser, where I know he has a stash.

Jesse sighs and goes over to his dresser as I close my eyes, resting my head back against Ben. He tightens his arms around me in a warm hug and I smile a little, even as I sniff. But I jump when a huge weight lands in my lap, gasping as I look down at Jesse's entire candy stash.

"You can have all of it if it'll make you feel better," he murmurs, peering down at me. "You're too cool to cry, Ari." His mouth twists, almost as if he'll start crying too to see me so sad with no obvious solutions.

“Jesse,” I croak, reaching out a hand for him.

But Jesse sniffs and turn hard towards the door. "Nah, you eat a bunch of sugar, I'm going to go...for a walk..."

"Jesse!" I gasp, sitting up straight in Ben's lap, appalled. Because Jesse has never just gone for a casual stroll in his life. He's way too lazy.

"What!?" he growls over his shoulder, defensive, as he strides for the door. "I'm definitely not going to go beat the crap out of Grant -"

"Jesse!" I shout again. "Get your ass back over here - that is so not your -"

But the door clicks and then swings open and the four members of the Square of Secrecy all go silent as we stare at Rafe and Jacks, coming through the door.

They both immediately frown.

"What the hell is going on?" Rafe asks, pushing the door shut and turning towards us with a glare. "Why are you so quiet?"

Jackson's eyes immediately move to me curled up in Ben's lap with my cheeks streaked with tears, my lap full of candy. A growl bursts from him and he crosses the room in a few short strides.

Ben grimaces and immediately

unfolds his arms from around my shoulders, realizing he's in a potentially dangerous situation, but Jackson ignores him, bending low and immediately snatching me up, my knees folded over one of his arms as the other supports my back. Candy flies all over the floor, making Jesse gasp.

"What's wrong?" Jackson growls down into my face, all murdery and sweet.

I can't help but smile, lifting a hand to his cheek. "Don't worry, I'm okay."

"You're crying," he snarls, vicious.

“And...” he looks down at the table at

my still full plate. "You didn't eat anything." He whips his head to

glare at the Ben and Tony. "I told you to make sure she ate!"

"Yeah, we did a shit job at that, didn't we," Tony murmurs, still lounging in Rafe's chair, his mouth twisted in disappointment. To his credit, he shows absolutely no fear of Jackson's foul mood.

"It's okay," I say again, laughing a little and patting Jackson's cheek before I wrap my arms around his neck, wanting him closer. My mate calms slightly, exhaling a long breath as he holds me close promise I'm okay. Just...a lot

el?

of

et

emotions, all right?" Content belongs

"I hate that you're being vague," he growls, slowly rubbing a comforting hand up and down my back. "You'd better tell me everything."

I nod, agreeing to it. "Tony used to be a busboy," I whisper in his ear.

Jackson pulls back to frown at me and then turns his confusion on Tony, who just sighs and lifts a shoulder, not bothering to deny it. "Secret's out." Jackson turns back to me. "Why are you crying about that?"

I laugh a little, unable to help it, but before I can explain Rafe is at Jackson's side, peering at me. "Are you seriously all right?" he asks.

"Yes, Rafe, I'm fine just...girl stuff." I sigh, then try to look over my shoulder. "Don't let Jesse leave," I say. "He wants to go on a nefarious mission which has not been approved."

Chapter 0658

Oh, Jesse's not going anywhere," Rafe says, reaching out a hand to beckon to our cousin. "We've got to talk. As a group." "Where's Luca?" Jackson asks, looking around the room with a frown, probably noticing his absence for the first time.

Ben, Jesse, and Tony collectively groan and I grin at my mate. "I'll tell you later," I whisper, nudging his nose with mine. He growls a little, intuiting now the source of my tears, but doesn't fight it.

Tony slips unasked out of Rafe's chair and everyone settles in around the coffee table. Tony refills his plate with tacos as Jesse falls angrily back into his chair and Jacks sits on the couch with me in his lap, pressing a kiss to my cheek and holding me close to his chest. Inside my soul his wolf gives an impatient nudge at the bond, which I open completely so that he can trot across the little bridge and turn in a protective circle around my wolf, rubbing his head against her and growling his wary unhappiness.

My wolf gives a happy little howl and returns the gesture. Both Jackson and I physically relax, warmed at the contact, feeling much more at ease. "How'd it go?" Jesse asks, clearly forcing himself to the new topic. "With the Captain?"

"Poorly," Rafe grumbles, sprawled in his chair. "He's pissed we even asked to switch things up. Ordered us unceremoniously out of his office, told us we're facing demerits for insubordination."

Jackson growls aloud, as if the thought of a demerit could even deter him.

"Thanks for trying, guys," I say, sitting up a little, really feeling much better. Even if Luca is being a jerk, it's wonderful to know I have so many other people beside me, fighting for me. "I think we need to try again, though. I don't think there's any reason why I should be running this scenario at Blythe's side."

"What do you mean?" Tony asks, genuinely curious.

"I mean that it's...stupid," I say, giving a simple shrug. "The group of us want to go to war together not because we're just buddies who want to protect each other, but because it makes sense. And after we saw what I can do today, with Luca and Jackson and Jesse at my side?" I shrug like it's obvious. "I mean, to send me to war - even practice war - without them is -"

But I'm interrupted by a steady, stern knock at the door.

Each of us turn towards it, surprised and expecting it to just swing open. I mean, all of our usual visitors won't even bother to knock.

But when nothing happens and the knock slowly comes again, I swallow, pushing myself out of Jackson's lap.

Rafe gets to his feet and moves towards the door, sending a glance back at me. But I nod to him, letting him know that I'm ready.

When Rafe swings the door open and gives the Captain a salute, I'm not at all surprised to see him.

And I'm not surprised, either, when he ignores Rafe and sets his angry eyes on me alone.

"Cadet Clark?" he snaps, nodding to the empty space in front of him. "Clearly, we need to have a conversation about insubordination as well."

Slowly, I get to my feet, a very slight

et

bit of anger starting to burn away all of the other emotions that have been rushing through me tonight sadness, and betrayal, and even the very small bit of comfort that Jackson has given me in the past few minutes.

"Have I been insubordinate, sir?" I ask, folding my hands behind my back.

"You've been insubordinate by proxy," he says, his own anger showing through. "Sending your brother and your mate down to make ridiculous requests in your favor."

I straighten my shoulders immediately. "Rafe and Jackson acted of their own accord."

I stand still for a moment but then

slowly start across the room towards him. I feel Jackson flinch behind me, wanting to pull me back to him where I'll be safe, but inwardly my wolf gives his wolf a little lick on the cheek and then trots away. He lets me go to handle this on my own, and I send him a wave of love and gratitude in turn.

Slowly I cross the room and stand before the Captain. But then I stop.

"Whatever you have to say to me can be said before the rest of them," I say quietly, tilting my head back to look up into his face. "They are my team, after all."

A little growl hums in the Captain's chest. "You will fall in line and come with me, Cadet."

"Please, Captain," I say, quite prim, gesturing into the room. "Won't you come in?"

 

Chapter 0659

The Captain and I are locked into a stalemate for a long, long moment, neither of us given in. He glares down at me, baring his teeth just slightly, trying to get me to break.

But I just stare back up at him, impassive.

I've dealt with Alphas bigger than him all my life. If he thinks he can scare me, he's got a big surprise coming.

The Captain snaps his head to the side, looking in at the room of quiet Cadets just quietly watching us in a little bit of fearful awe.

"Perhaps you all do need to hear this," he growls, stepping into the room, pretending like it was his idea all along. I very carefully keep the smile off of my face as I press the door shut behind him and then move to stand before him, Rafe a few protective feet behind me, even as he lets me take the lead.

"I want to make it very clear," the Captain barks out, finishing his little survey of the room before returning his eyes to me. "That you all need to stop thinking that you have special privileges because of your connections to the throne. You are under my command here at the Academy and you will fall in line."

“Have we broken the rules, sir?" I ask, folding my hands behind my back, my fingers twisting tensely together.

"You have made a ridiculous request to re-form the draft pick from this morning, to bend the rules in your favor so that you can have the teams you want. It will not be done. The draft was fair and in accordance with the rules of the Game."

"Not the teams we want, sir," I say, holding his gaze. "The teams we need."

His growl deepens as he glares at me, not liking at all that I'm not simply folding under his command.

I stay silent, looking up at him.

"This is finished," the Captain growls, starting to turn to the door. "I came up here merely to remind you of the chain of command. Stop wasting my time by acting like spoiled royals - you've already had enough special concessions to last a lifetime."

As he reaches for the handle, I clear my throat. "If I may, sir?"

He turns towards me, a little appalled that I have anything to say.

But I just stay silent, staring at him, waiting for permission to speak.

He raises an eyebrow, the only invitation I'll get.

"Thank you," I say, giving a little half bow of thanks for his concession in hearing meg out. "But sir, we don't want to play in

the Gameser

1.n

simply because it gives us an advantage." I glance back at the group, fully aware that this

conversation that we were just

the

having. "But because it would be foolhardy to train us separate from

each other. We need to train in battle

situations together."

"Why?" he growls.

"Because," I say, giving a simple shrug. "We need to go into battle together. It's...just a fact."

My words set him off and the

Captain takes three steps closer to

me, snarling. Rafe closes the

distance too, just slightly, but enough to make the Captain move his eyes briefly to him, to see it. "You will all go into battle in whatever formations the military sees fit to assign you," he snaps, starting to lose his temper. "It has nothing to do with what your preferences or friendships are. You will go where

you are useful and that is the end of

the story."

"I understand, sir," I say quietly. "But we are most useful at each other's side. It is...frankly, sir, it is stupid to train us apart."

The Captain gives me a livid snarl and I swallow hard, thinking that...well, that perhaps that pushed it too far.

"Sir, if you could only see what we can do -"

"Enough, Cadet!"

"Please, sit, what we developed today in our magic class is incredible - the implications it can have for the war - if you could just see it you would understand why we shouldn't -"

"Enough!" he roars, his face turning bright red, leaning close enough to me that his spittle this my face. "You will fall inline! You will follow orders! You will stop asking for these concessions and play the Game in the order you were assigned!"

I purse my lips hard, an imaginary hand inwardly gripping my wolf's fur as I hold her back. "Please," I beg, between my teeth. "If you would simply allow us to demonstrate."

"You will obey, or you will be kicked out of this Academy, Cadet," the Captain snarls, truly at the end of his tether.

 

Chapter 0660

I stare up at him, my temper firmly leashed, my jaw set even though I am absolutely filled with rage from head to toe. How dare he - how dare he not even listen to me!? When I have so much to give - and so much I can offer.

"Is that your final word on this, sir?" I ask. "You won't even allow me to demonstrate what I mean?"

"No," he snarls. "I would like you to demonstrate your obedience, like every other Cadet here."

When I feel my palms start to heat with my anger, my gift starting to make itself known, I check myself, force my anger down. My wolf curls herself in my soul, even though it takes a great deal of effort to do so, closing her eyes even as a growl slips from between her teeth.

The Captain takes this as affirmation, turning hard towards the door. Before he can go, though, I call out his name one more time.

He turns to me, slow, his expression letting me know that I am on quite dangerous ground.

I look down at the floor, steadying myself, forcing my breath to stay even. "Please, sir, about my safety in the Games, considering everything that happened in the Examination."

He stays silent and still, allowing me to continue.

I raise my eyes to meet his. "Considering that Blythe and Wright were partners," I says quietly. "I wont play tomorrow if you can't assure my safety. I don't know Blythe. I don't trust him. Them," I say, gesturing to my group of Alphas. "I trust."

The Captain straightens slightly, holding my eyes, I think realizing that this is a reasonable request - and perhaps also a concession he can make. "I will guarantee your safety, Cadet," he says quietly.

"Thank you,” I say, bowing a little, inhaling deeply as I do, letting it end there.

Rafe scoffs behind me, ready to protest, but I throw out a hand towards him, stopping him in his tracks as he strides for the door.

The Captain glares at us anew but leaves without another word, slamming the door shut behind him.

"Ariel," Rafe snarls, turning to glare at me now. "You should never have agreed to that - I don't want you in that Game without at least one of us by your side, if not all of us -"

"I didn't agree to anything, Rafe," I sigh, turning back towards the room and striding across it myself - heading for the bathroom, though, instead of the couch. Because m pissed as hell, and exhausted after crying so much earlier.

"Ariel!" Rafe barks after me. "This is not finished!"

"Yes it is!" I snap back, reaching for the door handle.

To my surprise, a hand appears on top of mine just as I reach the door - not stopping me, but making me pause. I look up into Jackson's eyes, wondering how the hell he got there so fast.

"Please,” he says, more of a growl that a calm request, clearly keeping a leash on his own frantic anger as well. "Come and talk to us, Ariel. We're not finished here."

“I need a minute to myself, Jacks,” I say, quite snarly myself.

He softens at that and sighs, lifting his hand up. "You're okay?"

"I'm okay," I whisper, reaching up to trace my fingers briefly across his cheek. "I just...need a minute. Truly. Are you going to be okay with that, if I take a little time to process my thoughts?"

Jackson sighs but then nods to me, letting me have my space.

Pet

I slip into the bathroom, not even letting my thoughts get very far, my wolf nipping each one off in turn. Because if myself fully indulge in everything that's going through my mind -how angry I am at the Captain, and how incredibly hurt at Luca's actions, how frustrated and scared I am about the war how anxious I am about the Goddess's timeline for my marks, and how frightened and thrilled I am in turn at the change in my magic and all the possibilities it presents...

God, I'm just going to spiral and go insane.

So I just flip the taps on the gigantic tub, and let it fill all the way to the top as I strip off my clothes. When it's finished, I walk down the little set of steps until I'm up to my

vers

shoulders, and take a deep breath, and sink to the bottom.

And when I get there, I open my mouth and scream my frustration out as loud as I can.