Ch. 776..780: The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy Chapter 776-780

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"Enough of that," he snarls, glaring hard down at me. My wolf howls in my soul, skittering away from him. Wrong, wrong, she murmurs, shaking, staring hard at his wolf.

His wolf, who stands in a what looks like nothing more than a puddle of oil that clings to his legs. His wolf, that's dripping in that blackness, his eyes alight with that same blue flame just...staring out into the void of his soul.

His wolf who...who stands on the other side of...

...of a bond...

"That's right," the man snaps, leaning close to me. And even as Jackson's footsteps pound louder, closer,

I can't take my eyes away.

"Ariel!" My mate's scream is terrified.

"How are you doing this," I whisper, shaking my head, continuing to try to set him aflame - to get him away from me - but...nothing.

Not a single flare of heat rises beyond my own skin.

"What, did you think that I was

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unprepared for you?" the man coos, ridiculous and condescending. I stare upt into his face. "That I wouldn't be able to dominate and control you, as a man should his mate?"

The word clangs through me and my mouth drops open in horror.

"That's right, little mate," he snarls, leaning forward towards me, leering. "I've been waiting a long time for you, Ariel Sinclair. And now that I have you? I'm taking you home where you belong. And I am not letting you go."

He whips his head up, grinning again, his eyes focusing on Jackson who is just feet from us now - his weapon raised - his face horrified -

"Say goodbye," my mate whispers, pressing a lewd kiss to my cheek, his eyes on Jacks as he does it. "JACKSON!" I scream, reaching for him with my free hand.

But it's too late.

We tumble backward, the experience perversely familiar now as we fall back into the void, into the darkness.

Into that new world.

Leaving everything I love behind.

Chapter 0777

Rafe just...stares.

His mouth hangs open and he stands still as he just...looks at the place his sister was standing just - just a fucking moment ago -

Where Jackson is now roaring his rage and pain as he turns, fruitlessly, looking everywhere for his mate like he's just going to find her sitting on the ground behind him or something. But she's gone - Ariel is...is fucking gone.

Vanished, like Jesse.

Like Juniper.

Who...who is taking his family, one by one?

"Let's go," Roger snarls, grabbing Rafe by his arm and striding forward, the needle still in his hand. "Roger!" Rafe snaps out, digging his feet in, shaking his head. "We have to - we have to stay - she's here

"She's not here!" Roger snaps, spinning his head back to glare at his nephew, his canines elongated, his eyes alight with rage and with pain. God, his niece - his perfect niece - gone now too? Like Jesse, his fucking son? And Juniper, who had no god damn part in this war? "We're getting out of here, Rafe! We need to regroup!"

"No!" Rafe roars, giving a mighty shake of his head. "We're not leaving without her!"

Roger yanks, hard, pulling the boy to him. "You have a responsibility to this realm, Rafe," he snarls, shaking his nephew, making him hear it. "You are second in line to this throne. Some mysterious force has just snatched the third in line from right under our eyes. I'm getting you out of here! Now!" Rafe quails at this, at the idea of just...just leaving. Of not even looking for her.

"We're getting you out of here," Roger snaps, pulling Rafe forward, and striding for Jackson. "And I need your help with him. He needs medical attention."

Confused, Rafe follows Roger with stumbling steps as he strides for Jackson, even as gunfire continues to explode on either side of them. Medical attention? Jackson doesn't need -

But then Rafe's eyes fall to Jackson's hand, which is blistered with burns.

Burns from where he held Ariel's hand, passed her his power, even when her power roared so powerfully that she nearly burned herself out. Rafe's stomach turns at the sight of Jackson's ruined palm.

But the agony on his face...

As they step closer, Rafe's devastation grows. Because Jackson just continues to roar, his unharmed hand sunk deep in his hair as he continues to spin, wide-eyed, looking everywhere for Ariel. But of course, she's not there.

"Jackson!" Roger shouts, reaching for the younger man.

But Jackson just spins, his good hand lashing out, his knuckles catching Roger backwards across the cheek and sending him stumbling back. "Don't touch me!" Jackson snarls around his canines, his eyes wide and furious.

"Jacks," Rafe cries, shaking his head, reaching for him to. "Roger's right - she's -"

"We're getting her back!" Jackson shouts.

"We will!" Rafe calls, nodding fervently. "But - you need help - we have to get off this field -"

"I'm not leaving her!"

"She's already gone!"

Jackson stills at the words, staring at Rafe with such horror and grief in his eyes that Rafe moans, holding his hand out further.

"Please, Jacks," Rafe says, his voice breaking on the words. "She's gone - they took her, she's gone -

we can't get her back by standing here - we need to go back to the base, make a plan -"

"I can't leave her," Jackson cries, his shoulders slumping in grief. "I - I have to stay -"

But he goes suddenly rigid as a hand wraps around his chest from behind. Rafe gasps in a sharp breath, horrified -

But the horror shifts to mere

confusion when Roger peers over Jackson's shoulder a moment later. And then Rafe's eyes shift to the needle in Roger's hand, the other side of which is deep in Jackson's neck. Jackson's eyes roll back and he slumps hard to the ground, almost taking Roger with him.

"Let's go," Roger barks, looking anxiously around at the battle. "It's getting bad here. And I need...your help with this guy." He looks down and grimaces at the huge form laying unconscious on the ground, clearly wondering how they're going to lift him.

"Roger," Rafe says, stepping close and kneeling down as his uncle does, already getting a hand beneath Jackson's limp form. "He's right-how...how can we leave her?"

Roger stills for a moment, sighing

and looking down. "Part of being a good soldier, Rafe, is knowing when to retreat Their forces took severe damage but they won this battle when they took her. And - I mean, can you go into that other world? Where she vanished to?"

Slowly, Rafe shakes his head, grief filling his heart. His wolf howls, devastated at his complete ineptness. God, what kind of commander or prince is he - what kind of brother - if he can't even protect his little

sister?

Chapter 0778

"Come on," Roger snaps, holding his nephew's gaze. "You think you're the only one who lost someone today? For fuck's sake, Rafe, I love you - but pull it together. We have work to do, and Ariel's never going to forgive you if you leave her mate unconscious on a battlefield when he needs Ella."

Something in Roger's tough love makes Rafe clench his jaw. He nods once, hefting hard at Jackson's body, getting him up far enough that Roger can slip his shoulder beneath Jackson's armpit and then stand.

"God," Roger growls as Rafe slips under Jackson's other shoulder. "What are you feeding this one?" as the battle continues behind them.

But Rafe can't laugh, as they drag Jackson back towards the transport, glancing back at the battle that continues behind them. Because Roger's attempt at humor, even in the worst of situations, it reminds Rafe too much of Jesse. And Rafe - he just can't go to that space in his mind right now. Not if he wants to avoid going to pieces.

So Rafe just puts his head down, and stares at the ground, and hauls his sister's mate away to safety. Leaving his sister, wherever she is now, behind.

I'm screaming as my feet hit the ground in that strange other world, as I rip my elbow back in the way that Blaze taught me, catching my mate - my fucking mate - hard in the ribs.

But he just laughs and lets me push him away. I stumble forward, hardly able to catch myself as I look frantically around at this horrible, dark world. My eyes flash up to the three moons above me for just an instant before I whirl, my canines extended, to snarl at my captor.

Immediately, I try to throw myself back to my home world, to leave this horrible place. I beg, in my soul, for the world to turn again, to send me back as it did before.

But nothing happens. My wolf howls, frantic, spinning, looking for an escape. But nothing.

"Take me back," I growl, spinning back towards my mate, my lips peeled back. "Now."

"You really are very pretty when you're fierce," he says, smiling at me like he's perversely proud of the way I'm responding.

My snarl only grows as I drop my hands to my side in fists, calling on my magic, intent on setting him on fire immediately - make him just burst into flames -

But nothing happens.

A smirk grows on his mouth and I drop my eyes down to my hands, suddenly realizing that my body is

cool again - any threat of burnout gone because - because my magic isn't working at all.

My eyes go wide when I see the two cuffs of light around my wrists, lightly encircling them like bracelets. "What the hell is this," I growl.

"Oh, just a little present," my mate

replies. I raise my eyes to see him sauntering forward. "A pretty girl like you should have the finest jewelry And you didn't expect me to let you burn me to bits the moment I had you alone, did you?" He reaches out a band, possessive, clasping my chin between his fingers.

I snarl and rip my chin from his fingertips but quick as a snake - he his hand snaps out, his palm slapping me right across the cheek. I go completely still as I whip my face back to stare at him, my jaw falling open in surprise.

I mean, it didn't even really hurt - barely stung - but I have never, ever been slapped in my entire life. And

I find that I do not, at all, enjoy the experience.

"Learn your place, mate," he says, perfectly calm, again taking my chin between his fingers and looking cooly down into my eyes. "A Luna obeys her Alpha."

"I am not your Luna." I work again to rip my chin from his hand, but he snarls, stepping close and wrapping his other hand around my neck, holding my head still.

"You are my Luna, and I will teach you your place," he growls, shaking me, again taking me by surprise. I just stare at him, completely shocked.

The smile returns to his lips as I fail

to make any further move. "Yes," he murmurs, moving his hand up and pulling my cap from my head, tossing it aside like it can't possibly matte and I'll never need it again. "Yes, once we get you dressed up and behaving properly as a woman, you'll make a very lovely Princess of Atalaxia. Won't you, Luna?"

Prin...Princess? Of Atalaxia?

Who on earth is this man?

Chapter 0779

I just stare at my mate, my mouth hanging open and my eyes going wide as I suddenly realize why his features were so familiar.

because...

Suddenly, his familiar face makes sense. My mind flashes to the meeting at Midwinter, when the Atalaxians declared war - to Ben's mate, and the flare of connection between us -

Because - I mean, this isn't him- but his face...

They're nearly identical. Which means...this man...a Prince of Atalaxia...

"Yes," he murmurs, smirking as he sees my recognition before turning away from me now and keeping a

hand tight on the back of my neck like a wayward pup. "You'll be quite the prize, Princess."

He shoves, then, hard and I go stumbling forward towards -

Towards a little electric cart or something that's right in front of me. I blink at it, wondering how of all absurd things... that got here. And what-

But then I gasp, realizing that he's taking me away. That I'm being taken somewhere else. And that if I want to go home

I groan, closing my eyes, again calling on that dark power, demanding to return to the battlefield, to my true mate and my brother and my uncle

But nothing happens. Of course it doesn't. The cuffs on my wrist hum with power.

The man laughs, grabbing my arm and hauling me towards the vehicle.

"Don't be an idiot, Ariel," he murmurs, shoving me hard towards the seat. I stumble forward, my hands hitting the side of the cart hard, my knees barking as they hit the lower edge. "Stop trying that. It doesn't work."

My mate moves behind me, grabbing me below the arms and lifting me, shoving hard to get me into the cart.

"No!" I shout, spinning, glaring up at him. "I'm not going anywhere with you! I'm -"

But suddenly, fast, a vial is in his hands. He pops it open, leaning towards me, aiming for my mouth, a frustrated sneer on his lips.

I scream and shove him away -

"Drink, Luna," he snarls, leaning close, using his body to pin me to the bottom of the vehicle and tilting the vial against my lips. "God damn it, drink, or I'll beat you, and make you drink!"

To illustrate his point he cuffs me, hard, across the head. I gasp in pain, which flares across my skull, and as I do he takes advantage, tilting the potion into my mouth.

I cough against it, trying to spit it out.

But it's heady, strong stuff.

My vision immediately begins to fade as I look up into my mate's beautiful face.

Because as much as I hate him, and still wish to make him burst into flames and reduce him to ash... God, heavens, but he's beautiful.

"That's my girl," my mate murmurs, patting me hard against the cheek as my body goes limp.

As my consciousness fades, the last thing I remember is being lifted into the vehicle and slumped over the seat.

And then I'm gone, completely lost to this world too. This new world, wherever that may be.

"Midnight!" Jesse calls out to the girl trotting eagerly before him. Jesse, in turn, is exhausted, trudging up yet another tall hill.

She doesn't respond.

He groans, loud and frustrated, before he stops and putting his hands on his hips. "Mids!"

Midnight turns, frowning at him. "What?"

"You said that your house was 'just

over the that hill' like, eight hours ago," he says, shaking his head at her, exhausted and thirsty and hungry "Do you like....have a different conception of what 'just' means? Or 'that? Or 'hill'?"

Midnight grins at him. "Oh Jesse, you're so funny," she sighs, turning back around and continuing to hike. "Seriously, it's just over this hill."

"Oh my god," Jesse mumbles, scraping his hand down his face. "Does that mean...eight more hours? Over a mountain? Beneath a mountain?"

"No!" Midnight laughs, turning to beam at him, ridiculously energetic after such a long trek. "Seriously, Jesse, just one more hill I promise."

"You promised that four hours ago,"

he mutters, sighing and beginning to walk after her again, shaking his head and knowing that he has no other choice. Again, what else would he do? Just...sit down here and rot?

He considers it for a quiet second, wondering if a peaceful death staring into the darkness of this world might be better...

But no. Midnight would never leave him alone. She'd probably...drag him or something. Bother him back to life.

Jesse sighs, indulging in some good

old fashioned self pity, his mind wandering to Daphne, the beautiful girl he left all alone and bleeding. Will her face scar, after Midnight swiped her claws across it? But no - Rafe won't let that happen. Surely, he'll get her to Ella, who will patch her up and to his mom, who will make her comfortable...

Jesse's wolf howls to think again over what she must have done in the moments after he was taken from

her room. How scared she must have been, must still be. Do they even know where he is? How could they -

His head snaps to the left, hearing the soft sputter of an engine of some kind.

Jesse pauses in his steps, frowning, peering. And then he turns, quickening his pace, heading after it.

Chapter 0780

"Jesse!"

He ignores Midnight's frustrated call, his eyes focused on the top of another rounded hill that promises a better view. Jesse breaks into a tired jog, determined to follow the sound - the first new thing he's heard in this world in hours.

Midnight calls after him again but he doesn't pay attention, instead cresting the hill and frowning as he peers far, far into the distance.

But in the darkness beneath the moons...shit, but he can't see far.

Midnight crests the hill at his side, panting a little, and he glances down to see her glaring up at him. "What, so you've got energy now? For this hill? You've been dragging all day! Honestly, Jesse, you're not very impressive -"

"What was that noise?" Jesse asks, again peering out into the darkness. Is that...are those tire tracks? There in the dirt and the dust?

"It was nothing," Midnight says, petulant.

Jesse turns to her, frowning down at the girl who has her arms crossed over her chest, determinedly not looking at him.

"You know I have five siblings, right?" he asks.

She turns her head to look up at him again, still frowning.

"And four cousins?"

Her face turns to confusion now. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"It means that I know when you're lying," he says, smiling a little, leaning down close to grin into her face. "You don't!"

"I do!"

"That's impossible!" She lashes out a hand and hits him on the arm. "Only I know when I'm lying! They're my lies!"

Something about this logic makes Jesse burst into a grin. "No," he sighs. "I have magic. I can tell. Now seriously what the hell was that noise?" He stands straight and gestures out to the tracks.

"I'm not telling you," she snaps, her lips all tight in anger.

"See? Told you I knew you were lying."

Midnight gasps a little, her eyes going wide when she realizes what she admitted. Jesse laughs - he can't help it. This poor girl has spent way too much time alone, and he has spent way too much time messing with his cousins and his siblings.

"Mids," Jesse sighs, crossing his own arms and shaking his head at her. "Come on, just tell me." "No!"

"I'm your mate, you have to."

She gasps a little with delight, looking up at him. "Does that mean you know it's true? That you accept our bond?"

"Midnight," Jesse sighs, turning his

head a little and looking down at her. "Come on. It's...complicated, all

right? But yeah, of course I know you're my mate, my wolf knows it. Of course he does. I'm not denying that anymore."

The smile that leaps onto her face - it's so sunny and lovely that his heart breaks for her again and he has to look away.

"What are the tracks, Midnight? What was that noise?"

"I don't know," she groans, frustrated

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and not wanting to answer. She grabs at his sleeve and tries hard to tug him away from the sight of the tracks, from the questions he's. asking Jesse pulls his arm away from her, not wanting the touch stiff not sure about the corruption that has seized her wolf and how it spreads. "Can you just come with me? My house -"

"Just across that last hill, right," he says, dry. But then he takes a page from Seraphina's book and sits down hard on his butt, leaning back on his hands.

"What are you doing?" Midnight asks, spinning to look at him, her frown returned.

"I'm not going to your house until you tell me what those tracks are from," Jesse says, the corners of his lips turning up.

"Jesse!" The name bursts from her lips as she turns red with frustration. "Just go!"

"No way!"

Midnight growls and grabs for him, but Jesse just hooks his foot behind her ankle and pulls, knocking her off balance and sending her to the ground too. She snarls, pushing back her riot of curls and glaring at him from beneath it.

Jesse can't help smiling - the girl is weird but...very earnest. And funny.

"I'm not leaving here," he says, slowly shaking his head, "until you tell me what that noise was and what left those tracks."

"But you'll die if you stay out here all alone!"

"Then I'll be dead!" he shoots back. "And it will be your fault and your weird Papa will be all pissed off!" Midnight gasps, horrified at the idea, and then stares at him. "Don't call Papa weird," she says, shaking her head vehemently and setting her curls bouncing. "He will smite you."

Jesse looks right back at her, not giving an inch, thinking that it is...a little too easy to manipulate this poor girl But he's also secretly glad for that, because she did kidnap him from his girlfriend's bed and he needs some leverage in this world where she and the God of Darkness clearly have all the power.

"Fine," Midnight snarls, leaning forward, picking up on the game. "But if I tell you, you'll come?"

"Yes," Jesse says, nodding once. "I promise."

Midnight sighs and leans forward, glancing anxiously towards the tracks, and begins.