Ch. 676..680: The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy Chapter 676-680

Chapter 0676

Jackson growls comfortably, cuddling me close and nudging my chin aside so he has access again to my neck. "When I give you my mark for real," he murmurs, "I'm putting it right here." He presses a kiss, then, to that special spot low on my neck. And I shiver with delight and anticipation, again wanting it now - right now.

I bite my lip, looking at Jackson with hazy eyes, slinging my leg up over my hip. "How long does it take?" I whisper.

"For what?" he murmurs, already moving closer.

"For you to be like...ready again." I laugh a little, not knowing how to say it.

"Oh," he sighs, pretending to consider it as he brings his mouth close. "Just about...this long." And then my mate kisses me and turns me over again in the sheets. As always with Jacks, I'm immediately lost to him.

A few hours later, Jacks and I are all cleaned up and much more composed. We took an actual shower, complete with washed hair this time, and changed the sheets, made the bed, and put on our clothes. Indeed, if it weren't for the fact that we can't stop touching each other, and that Jackson won't let me step further than an arm's length away from him, I honestly think we're doing a pretty good job of pretending that nothing happened.

But when Daphne's steps into the room first, and her eyes immediately catch on mine and flare, I know that she knows.

"Oh no," I say, dropping the pen I'm holding as I sit in Jackson's lap and work on some chemistry homework. "Is it that obvious?"

Daphne bursts into a grin. "Only to me, I think!" she says, squealing and dashing across the room to me, her hands out. I climb out of Jackson's lap and take her hands, looking anxiously around.

"But we made the bed - and we showered and everything -"

"No, it's just you!" Daphne says, happy, wrapping me up in her arms. "You looked so happy, all curled up in his lap, I can tell that you're closer - I just knew -"

"I'm going to...go pretend that I heard the dumbwaiter bell," Jackson murmurs awkwardly, standing and wandering over towards the little door. "No mark, though?" Daphne asks, leaning forward and pulling at my collar.

"No," I scowl, tilting my head so she can see my bare neck. "We decided - well he decided - that the timing wasn't right."

"Oh well," she says, shrugging and dismissing the point. "There's time. Was it good?"

“I'm still here!” Jackson calls, even as he opens the dumbwaiter door and needlessly peers inside.

I nod eagerly and wrinkle my nose at my friend, tugging her over to the couch. "Do you think the others will know?"

"No, boys are oblivious," she says,

coming with the. But then she hesitates, glancing at the door. "They should be back soon, though - we got word that the Games were complete. And..." she hesitates grimacing a little. "That...the guys in charge are pissed. Does your being back early enough to have one hell of an afternoon have something to do with that?"

"Kinda,” I say, scrunching my nose and shrugging.

"She doesn't mean 'kinda," Jackson says, wandering back over now that he senses the conversation is safe and sitting next to me on the couch, wrapping an arm around me and gently pulling me back to rest against him. “She means absolutely, she started a shit storm, defied everyone's direct orders, and might get us kicked out of school."

Daphne gasps, but then her face breaks into a big smile. "Fun!"

Jackson and I laugh as he shakes his head at her. "You certainly found the right friends, Daph, if this is your definition of fun."

Daphne grins at him but we all turn towards the door as it opens, all of our gigantic Alpha friends starting to spill through it. I smile a little, not missing the fact that Jesse ist first one through the door and

Daphne is immediately

the

room and in his arms. He laughs, hugging her close and cheerfully asking how she is as Tony, Luca, Ben, and Rafe spill into the room after him.

"What happened!?" I gasp, desperate to know, sitting up a little and peering around at everyone.

“All hail the returning champion!” Ben says, laughing and turning to gesture at Rafe, giving an elaborate bow as he does. “The singular winner of both Games 1 and 2!"

I shout with joy and congratulations, but even my voice fades as I see that Rafe does not look very happy for a returning champion.

That his face actually falls slack as he looks around the room and sees his cousin talking excitedly to Daphne, an arm around her waist, gazing happily down into her pretty blue eyes.

 

Chapter 0677

 

Jesse feels the change in the room almost immediately and turns towards the rest of the group. "Yeah, Rafe beat me in the end," he says with a wide smile, breaking into the silence and carrying on as if nothing happened. He doesn't dropping his hand from its place on Daphne's back but certainly not staring at her anymore like she's the only person in the room – perhaps on earth.

“He had my help," Luca says with a proud smirk, shutting the door behind him and striding happily to the center of the room.

"I mean, if I had simply had command from the start -" Jesse says, sending Jackson a wicked grin.

I look anxiously between my brother and my cousin, seeing the question on Rafe's face as he starts to put together the start of what I've known for a long time.

"Oh, you're lucky I gave it to you at all," Jacks calls, grinning at Jesse as the cheerful vibe returns to the room. I grin a little as I turn my face to Jackson, because it's clear to me that he's completely oblivious to the Daphne drama. Rafe roughly shakes his head like he's trying to clear it, as Daphne moves away from Jesse and takes her spot on the couch next to me. He blinks hard like he's not sure if he believes what he just saw. “And what other choice did you have?" Jesse asks, putting his hands on his hips as everyone else settles into the room. Luca comes to me immediately and I reach out for his hand, squeezing it as he drops a kiss to my cheek and then settles on the floor at my feet.

A very tiny growl grumbles in Jackson's chest but I put a hand on his knee and he settles, taking a deep breath and shoving down his newly intensified instincts regarding his mate.

"The other choice would have been me!" Tony says with a happy grin, leaning back on his palms as he sits next to Ben across from me, the coffee table between us. "Though honestly, I was perfectly happy messing around with the drone and the sniper rifle Ari left me." He turns to me with a wink. "Thanks for that, babe."

Luca growls this time and I can't help but laugh.

"Any time, Tones." I say, wrinkling my nose at him.

The dumbwaiter bell rings and Jesse moves off to fetch our dinner as the rest of the group happily chats. My stomach growls audibly as I turn towards the dumbwaiter - we didn't have lunch, after all, and it's been a long and busy day since breakfast. The mood is very cheerful in the room as we all eat the cheeseburgers and fries that the kitchen sent up, everyone filling me in on the results of the games.

Apparently, once Jesse quite ably took control of Jackson's abandoned team, Ben brokered a deal between my brother and my cousin so that Jesse and Rafe took Wright's entire team out together. Then, they went head-to-head in a bloody - or at least paint-y – battle that lasted most of the day. Halfway through the story the results arrive, slipped under our door, and we spend a great deal of time pouring over them and fussing over our victors.

To my distinct pleasure, Tony took top kills again and this time he wasn't disqualified. Luca and Jesse likewise distinguished themselves, though Rafe took the crowning champion spot now that he has two Games wins under his belt,

Jackson, Blythe and I are listed at the bottom of the page with little to distinguish us, except two stars next to my name that indicate I killed two team leaders, alongside DQFF. grin to see the stars, knowing that it probably killed the Captain togive them to me since I earned them in direct rejection of his order that I play the game as assigned.

"Honestly it was a little unfair," Rafe says, turning his eyes towards me, smiling happily now that he's put the Daphne Business out of his mind "It was supposed to be four teams When Jesse and I ganged upon Wright, it was a pretty easy business."

"Yeah well," I say with a happy sigh, stretching my arms above my head. "Sometimes a girl just needs a day off."

“Seriously, Ari,” Ben says, raising an eyebrow at me. “What the hell were you thinking?"

"I was jealous of Tony," I say with a smirk, making my grey-eyed friend burst into a grin. "He can't be the only flashy wild card in the Games. I like to keep people on their toes too."

"Yeah, but you're just a copy cat," my friend says, grinning at me. "I'll always be the progenitor of the plan to toss a grenade into my own team and then go home to chill."

"I live in constant awe of your devious mind, Tony," I say, laughing and giving him a little bow. "I take no credit for originality."

He grins at me and nods and I laugh, loving that we have this connection.

"Seriously, though," Luca says, frowning up at me. “What the hell happened? Jesse told us you just showed up, shot Jacks, and left.”

I don't miss the subtle jealousy in his voice.

"Yeah well," I say with a happy sigh. "I needed to send a message."

Chapter 0678

"Which was?" Rafe asks, raising an eyebrow at me, not so delighted with my performance as everyone else. "Seriously, Ariel, the Captain's not going to be happy. You're going to be in deep shit about this - way deeper than he was." My brother points at Tony here.

"Did you get in trouble?" I ask, blinking at Tony in surprise.

"Demerits," he says with a shrug, like it can't possibly matter to him. "Restriction to my room until further notice. That sort of shit."

I frown. “But I...just saw you in Newtown..."

"What the Captain does not know," Tony says, "does not hurt him." He presses a sincere hand to his heart - one that is immediately betrayed by his wicked grin.

I laugh, opening my mouth to ask more, but Rafe interrupts.

"I'm serious, Ariel," he says, his face looking a great deal like dad's as I turn my head to him in surprise. "What's your plan here, trouble? It's one thing to throw a grenade into the Games just to throw everyone off - but have you thought about the fallout to this?"

"Of course I have, Rafe," I say, frowning at him, not liking how much he's underestimating me here. "Don't talk to me like I'm stupid and did this just because I'm mad."

"But then why -"

Almost precisely as if I timed it this way, a hard knock comes at the door. Rafe goes quiet as we all turn towards it.

"That will be for me," I say with a sigh, standing up and smoothing my hands down over my uniform before starting off for it.

"Ari," Rafe says, standing up and starting along with me.

But I turn back to him as I reach the door, putting a hand out towards my brother. He goes still. "My grenade, Rafe," I say quietly. "My fallout. I'll handle this."

I turn back to the door and pull it open. As I turn my face up to the Captain's glowering one, I unconsciously press my thumb against the mini mark that Jackson gave me this afternoon, wanting this tiny support even if I'm pretending to be all brave and stoic and alone on this. A warm pulse of support comes down my bond with Jackson and I wrap it around my heart, letting it bolster me.

"Cadet Clark," the Captain says, glaring down hard at me. "Would you like to join me in my office?"

"No thank you, sir," I say quietly, quite calm, folding my hands behind my back and looking up at him as evenly as I can.

He goes immediately beet red with rage.

"Please, sir,” I say, stepping back and nodding towards the rest of the room. "This involves more than just me. There are several here who are necessary to this conversation."

"This conversation is regarding your insubordination and your possible expulsion."

"Yes, sir," I say quietly, still holding my ground. "Amongst other things."

His mouth falls open a little bit as he sees me refuse to collapse to his will. "You will come downstairs, Cadet, or you will be expelled from this Academy."

"With all due respect, sir," I say quietly. "I am not leaving this room before we have this conversation in the presence of all of these people."

"Really," the Captain says, sneering

down at me and glancing over at the group assembled in the room. "You risk expulsion because all of these people need to be present for this conversation? Including the

Academy's youngest tailor?

I grimace a little, realizing I may have made a mistake there - and as I glance at Daphne and see the way she shrinks a little against the couch I realize that she's probably not supposed to be here.

But. What's done is done.

"Yes," I say, boldly raising my chin. "I stand by my statement. All of them."

"Well, Cadet," the Captain growls. "If you refuse to come downstairs, then I am forced to inform you here and now that will be journeying down there myself to process your expulsion paperwork. For

ovel:

insubordination and blatant defiance

of orders."

"You'll regret that," I say quietly, still meeting his eyes. "In expelling me you'll cost this military the strongest weapon it has. Something that could actually turn this war around."

The Captain blinks at me, shocked and confused. But then his anger retakes possession of his will. "Your actions have been deliberately insubordinate, Cadet," he growls. "You were ordered to play in the Games as

et

drafted and you madeca

mockery of the exercise,

intentionally disrupting other Cadets' educational training. While you were a fine military candidate, your arrogance and willful determination to have your way at the expense of your fellow Cadets mark you as a danger to the future of the nation's military." He leans closer now, anger boiling in him as he says his final words through his teeth. "Not it's savior. And for that, you will be expelled."

I nod, hearing every word he says. When the Captain straightens I loose a long breath, keeping a tight hold of my wolf's fur between my mental fingers, not letting my temper slip for a moment.

"All right, sir." I say, nodding once. "Are you finished?"

He pauses for a moment, studying my face. "I am.”

“Good." I take a deep breath and straighten my shoulders. "Then let me begin."

Chapter 0679

Silence rings out in the room behind me but I keep my eyes firmly on the Captains.

He straightens up, again looking at me with surprise.

If I'm honest, I think he expected a meltdown - expected me to protest, and to yell, and to demand reconsideration. In short, I think - quite frankly - that he expected me to act like a spoiled little girl.

But that's not what I am. At least, not anymore.

"I've been spending quite a lot of time considering my identity over the past couple of months." My voice is quiet, though not a single person here has any trouble hearing me, as I'm pretty sure that most of them are holding their breath. "And honestly, sir, I'm not entirely sure who I am anymore. I'm certainly not Princess Ariel, who was willing to completely negate her happiness and sell herself into a loveless marriage for the sake of a treaty." The Captain blinks at me, taken aback. I don't give him a chance to protest and instead move forward with what I have to say.

"I became Ari Clark in September,” I say, quite calm. “But I'm not him either – not really. He was frightened, and just wanted to be with his friends, and had no real purpose. No, I'm someone else now."

I glance back here at everyone else in the room, wondering if they're aware of the full transformation that I've gone through in the past few months. And with the way that some of their mouths turn up at the corners - Jesse, Rafe, and Jacks in particular - I know that they get it.

"But even if I am confused about my personal identity," I say, turning my attention back to the silent Captain, "there are some things I do know for sure. And one of that is the law of Moon Valley, which my father changed the day he ripped out the previous King's throat. With his teeth."

I let my own teeth show a bit, even as I stand proud and calm before this man.

"Are you aware, sir?" I continue. "Of

who takes the throne in the case of the horrible occurrence of Rafe's death?" I nod over my shoulder towards my brother, though I don't look at him. "Because should Rafe be tragically taken from us, it's not my Uncle Roger who would take the throne. And it's not Roger's heir, Jesse Sinclair. It's not my grandfather Henry, it's not my mother, and it's not even my little brother Mark."

I take one step towards the Captain, whose eyes widen.

"No, sir,” I say, dropping my voice lower. "The third in line to the throne of this nation is me. A fact which I sometimes forget, and which I think you have too."

I let silence reign for a moment as I stand before the Captain, looking evenly at him even if I have to tilt my head back to do it. "Now, I'm not sure how it is that you and your colleagues decide which Cadets at this school are suitable for

net

Command positions. I do nove

begrudge your decision to mark Jackson and Rafe as worthy of command they were excellent choices who have proven their worth."

I frown, tilting my head to the side, considering my superior officer.

"But this Academy has long made the mistake of assuming that only Cadets with remarkable physical prowess those on Warrior track, mean - are suitable for Command. Never ever has a Cadet been marked for Command from

ovel

Espionage, Ambassador, of Assassin track. In fact," lgfance now at the little handbook still sitting on my desk in the nook, "we're ineligible for it."

"Your point, Sinclair?” the Captain growls, starting to grow impatient and perhaps seeing the fault in his plans here.

"My point, sir,” I say, a little thrill going through me to hear him address me - finally - in the same way that he addresses Rafe. "Is that from the very start you have marked me as ineligible for Command. Which is a mistake, considering that if I am not the hardest working Cadet at this school, I am also potentially the smartest, the best shot -"

He opens his mouth now to interrupt and I simply raise my voice, speaking over him.

"Not to mention a politically poised demigoddess of remarkable power who recently discovered that she has the probable capacity to burn a city to the ground simply by raising her hand."

Chapter 0680

I unclasp my hands from behind my back as I speak and calmly raising one at my side, palm up. Whatever words the Captain was going to say get stuck in his throat as he just stares at me, stunned by my claims.

But they're not claims. My wolf howls in my chest, proud and angry, knowing that they're true. That I'm all of that and more.

"Now I've seen you listen to Jackson when he interrupts your plans," I say quietly, not looking to my mate but feeling his wolf close to mine, just at the other edge of the bond, ready to race across it should I need him. "When he told you that he wanted to train me differently, to teach me how to sharpshoot on the run, you listened to him. In fact, you immediately approved the addition to my training. Because he's short-listed for Command."

The Captain closes his mouth, standing straighter.

"And I don't know whether it is simply because I am ineligible for command," I continue, my voice quieting now, "or if it is simply because I am a girl, and I am small, and I am pretty, and have a tendency towards a sweet disposition. But despite the reason, I find that it is true that you will hear out Rafe and Jackson. You took two meetings with them regarding the draft, heard their case for why I should be reassigned." I pause, turning my head to the side and considering him. "But when I asked you for the same courtesy last night - for you to simply hear me out and watch a simple demonstration that proves incontrovertibly why I should not be trained separately from my team - you refused."

The Captain inhales a deep breath, clenching his jaw, realizing that I'm right.

"And now that I've done enough to finally get your attention, sir," I say, "that's again all that I ask - for you to simply hear me out as you do Jackson and Rafe. And once I have finished explaining you why I should not be trained separately from Jackson, Jesse, Luca, and Tony, I will follow every single one of your orders without hesitation or complaint.”

Finished, I stand straight before the Captain, evenly meeting his eyes.

He takes a long moment, standing very still, before he inhales a deep breath and crosses his arms across his chest. "I am not so arrogant as you would believe me, Cadet," he growls. "I can admit when I've made a mistake."

I nod to him, knowing better than to preen at his tacit admittance that I'm right - that he did dismiss me, a little, because I'm an Espionage cadet and a girl. That had it been Rafe demanding a demonstration last night, he would have listened.

The Captain sighs deeply then, glancing down the hall then, towards the stairs.

"All right, then," he says. "If you've got some sort of earth-shattering power that will change my mind. about all of this and keep you in this school, then I guess I'd better see it."

UMS

I squeal then with triumph and excitement, jumping once and clasping my hands together in front of my chest.

The Captain turns immediately to me and raises an eyebrow. I clear my throat, dropping my hands and giving him a serious nod.

But he smirks, and I can't help the smile that breaks out on my facezas I turn to everyone in the room and wave them forward. "Come on!" I

call, eager. "Let's show him what we

call eager.

can do!"

“Oh, god, the whole party's coming?" The Captain sighs as all of my friends get to their feet and move towards the door. “Even the seamstress?"

"Yes," I say, nodding to him as I step into the hall at his side. "I need her opinion on fire-retardant battle gear."

The Captain does a double-take

when he realizes that I'm serious, but then he groans and turns, heading down the stairs. "Come on!"

he calls, waving us after him. "Team Sinclair, outside with me. Now."

I bite my lip with excitement, glancing over my shoulder at all of my friends as we together troop down the stairs.