Ch. 801..805: The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy Chapter 801-805

Chapter 0801

"You disgust me," Elias snarls, hauling Gabriel with him towards the door. "I'm taking you out of here and you will not return until Ariel invites you. If she ever does." I watch in shock, because Elias is both the younger and the smaller brother. How...how does he have this kind of authority? Why is Gabriel listening to him?

Elias glances once at Pippa, who gives him a steady nod, but then Elias and Gabriel gone, the door closing hard behind them.

Pippa holds me for a long few minutes, stroking my fur and telling me that it's all right. When I finally feel strong enough I shift back into my girl body, tears streaming down my cheeks.

"Oh, Ariel," Pippa murmurs, taking my face in her hands. "I'm so sorry. That was so horrible."

"Why - why did he do that?" I whisper, shaking my head, still terrified. I glance at the door, scared he'll come back. Because even if Blaze did teach me some things, I know I can't win against Gabriel, not really. He - like most Alphas - is just so much bigger than me.

"I don't know why he did it," Pippa whispers, softly stroking my cheek. "But it won't happen again, darling. The doors - they have locks - all of our maiden chambers do. None of them can be opened except from the inside if you will it. I promise."

A little tension goes out of me at this and I nod to her, hoping that's true.

"And I'll stay with you," she murmurs, nodding seriously. "I'll stay all night, and Elias will stay with Gabriel and talk some sense into him -"

"Why..." I say, my voice still shaking, "why does Gabriel listen to Elias? He's...he's bigger? And older?" Pippa twists her lips a bit to the side as she drops her hands from my face, giving a shrug. "Gabriel... when he took the oath to the God of Darkness, he also...lost some concept of right and wrong. He's a creature of impulse now, pursuing what he wants, giving into strong emotions like rage and lust and insecurity. Elias - for all that he sees Gabriel's faults - he loves him." She sighs, almost apologetic. "Some part of Gabriel trusts him still, knows that he will not steer him wrong."

I stare at Pippa, not quite getting it.

And Pippa smiles. "Do you not have a big tough older brother?" she says, whispering a little and leaning forward towards me. "Who you have a bit tied around your finger as well?"

Something about the truth in this makes me burst out with a shaky little laugh as I raise my hand to wipe at my tears. "Okay, yeah. That part...maybe that makes sense."

She nods. "Do you want a shower, love? Or, we can just get you out of this silly corset and straight to bed

"Just the corset, please," I murmur, turning slightly so that she can start on the buttons. "And then... Pippa...if it really is safe here. Could I sleep alone? I think..." I sigh. "I want to be alone to gather my thoughts."

"Of course, my dear," she whispers. "There's a belt pull in the corner that's attached to a bell in my and Elias's room, which is just two down. If you ever feel unsafe, even for a moment, you tug on that, okay? We will come running."

"Thank you," I murmur. And then I sit very quietly and let my friend do her work.

Once Pippa leaves I feel...empty. Just sort of dead and alone. I try to gather myself together and chuff myself up by telling myself that this is just a trial, and that I'll get through it, but...

But for some reason, I can't stop crying.

I look around my dark room and I just...I hate it here. So, so much. I want to be home, in the nook, or in

my little childhood bed in the palace, and I want Jacks there with me, with my cheek warm against his chest...

Even as I think of it, though, I just cry harder.

Still, I gather as many blankets and

—

pillows into my arms as I can and call upon that dark magic within me, tossing myself backwards into that world. When I land there - a bit hard - on my ass, I'm gratified to see that the supplies I had gathered in my arms came with me.

I sigh, a bit, to see the blankets and the pillow get very dusty in a matter of moments as I lay them out in the dirt of the Land of Darkness, but I push the thought of that aside as curl up, my head on a soft down. pillow, my eyes focused on the dark of a night sky I've never seen before. And even if the ground is hard, and the wind chilly, and the bars of the cage around me gleam in the moonlight of another world...

Still, I know that it's better, sleeping here.

That anything is better than a night in that horrible palace, with my mate probably prowling the halls,

seeking to make me submit to him whether I want to or not.

Chapter 0802

Jackson looks around Ella's closet...kind of in wonder. His wolf growls in his soul, telling him to pay attention to the mission but...god, it's hard. This closet is...gigantic, and packed with stuff. More than just clothes and jewelry. Is that - is that a mini bar in that corner? And a coffee alcove in the back? "Okay," Ella sighs, coming through a door to... god, Jackson has no idea where. It does not lead to the Royal Bedroom, or to the bathroom so...it must go somewhere else. Another...wing of the closet? Where she keeps more stuff? In her hand Ella carries a heavy backpack that she hoists up with both hands. "I think you should be all set."

Jackson takes the backpack from her and easily swings it over one shoulder. "Thank you, Ella," he says, looking her quite seriously in the eyes. "I think this is right. It's the only thing I can think to do."

"I think so too," Ella says with a satisfied sigh, looking over the dark fatigues she stole from Dominic's military wardrobe, uniform which she was not surprised at all to find fit Jackson to near perfection. "The bag has all the supplies you need and...some stuff for Ari. Once you get her back."

Jackson nods once, eager to go.

"When you find her," Ella says, looking up at him with eyes that again shine with tears, "will you -"

A loud shout comes from the bedroom, or perhaps the living room beyond, making them both snap their heads towards the door.

"Come on," Ella says, all authority now as she strides for the bedroom door. "Leave the bag."

Jackson does as he's told, dropping the backpack and working hard to not outstrip Ella as he strides for the door. But she hurries and soon they're both across the bedroom and bursting into the living room, where the family gathers and everyone is suddenly exclaiming as they look at their phones. "What!?" Ella cries, dashing immediately to Dominic's side. "What is it?"

Jackson follows close behind her, desperate to know.

"It's...fucking Atalaxian press," Dominic murmurs as he tucks an arm around Ella, pulling her close and showing her the phone. Jackson's wolf whines in his chest as he looks around, desperate for a phone for the first time in his life, dying to know what on earth is going on. Cora and Roger are here with the rest of their children, and Rafe, and Mark - all distracted -

But Rafe soon glances up and realizes that Jackson is out of the loop, striding to his side. "It's fine," Rafe says, nodding as he presses the phone into Jackson's hands. "It's proof that she's alive and...well. Ridiculously dressed but...well."

Jackson's gaze snaps to the phone as he scans the article, his fingers scrolling fast to the pictures. His heart wrenches when he sees the pictures of Ariel - his darling girl - his mate -

Dressed in an insane blue dress, wearing an elaborate crown. A growl rises in his throat as Jackson sees that man by her side - the one he saw on the battlefield, the one the Sinclair's identified as the Atalaxian prince. But Jackson barely spares a glance for him, his eyes immediately moving back to her.

Ariel, kneeling before the Atalaxian King. Ariel, kissing his hand like she's so grateful to have the chance to do it. Ariel rising on the Prince's hand, beaming at him.

"How did..." Jackson murmurs, frowning at the phone and lifting it closer to his face like it will help him see better. "How did they make her waist so small..."

"Is that seriously what's bothering you?" Rafe snaps, grabbing the phone back.

"I mean it has to hurt," Jackson murmurs, frowning at his friend, "she's not shaped like that. They must have used...duct tape."

"Jacks," Rafe growls, rolling his eyes a little, "she's swearing allegiance to Atalaxia! She's taking a role as a Princess of their court!"

"Yeah, but they probably made her

say all of that Jackson says, frowning at Rafe and crossing his arms, not really seeing why Ariel's actions in the images are a big deal. Like Dominic said, the photographs show she's alive and healthy. And that's the only think Jackson cares about.

"I agree," Dominic says, making everyone in the room turn towards him. "Ariel is staying alive, playing whateverole they ask of her, avoiding torture and imprisonment. I'm proud of her- it's clever, hard work, and I'm not sure I'd be capable of it."

"Are -" Rafe sputters, looking around the room. "Am I the only one who read the article!? They're claiming

her as a Princess of Atalaxia! They're saying she's going to have a ceremony with this Prince Gabriel character, that -"

"Rafe," Ella says, her voice low in warning, her eyes shifting to Jackson.

"That he's her mate!" Rafe finishes, throwing his arms wide, outraged.

Jackson goes cold at this. Because...what? Her...her mate?

 

Chapter 0803

"We have no confirmation of that," Dominic snaps, his eyes likewise on Jacks. Jackson starts to breathe hard, panicking at the idea of it. Was this - was this the Goddess reassigning someone after Luca rejected her? Ör-

"Really," Roger says, breaking in with a nod, "they would say that, just to establish Ariel as a member of their court, to have a true claim on her, we can't know -"

But Jackson is done listening. He turns hard on his heel, heading back into the bedroom, straight for the closet. Before he's halfway across the room, he hears the patter of the Queen's footsteps behind him. She reaches him, her hands outstretched, as he hauls the bag up on his shoulder. "Jackson," Ella says, looking up at him with worried eyes. "Don't -"

"It doesn't change anything," Jackson intones, his voice low and gravelly, looking with perfect seriousness into Ella's eyes. "Mate or not, I'm going to get her. They're still the enemy. It's still a world that seeks to... destroy its women." He drops his eyes on the words, shaking his head, hating again that she's there. That some other man even has made a claim on her, when she's so clearly his.

"Jackson," Ella says, cool and strict, making him raise his eyes to hers again. "I don't want you going out there unless you have your head on straight. No heroics. No...suicide missions. All right?"

"I promise," Jackson says, meaning it. "None of this changes anything for me, Ella. It was...good to see her well." He swallows hard, thinking of how beautiful she looked, even with her waist pinched so tight. "But all of the other stuff? It...Ella, I just want to go. Please, let me get started."

"All right," Ella whispers, looking over her shoulder at the closet door. "Let's go, darling." She nods to him once more and the two quickly leave the closet by the third door, which leads down a set of stairs and then into a servant's hall that Jackson hasn't seen before.

He follows the Queen through a long set of hallways that lead, to his surprise, out to a set of garages. "There," Ella says, gesturing towards a black car that has a man Jackson recognizes driving - one of their trusted bodyguards. "You go with Conner, he'll take you to the outskirts and then to the badlands, where you can cross to Atalaxia."

Jackson nods, knowing that it's a good plan. Fast, secret. They had decided to keep it small, knowing that Dominic would object, that he'd want to keep Jackson there to help the military. But...both Ella and Jackson know, in their hearts, that that's the wrong choice. That Jackson's abilities are best used in stealth now, going on an individual mission.

Ella reaches her arms up for Jackson and he bends down, wrapping the Queen in a big hug. "You go get our girl," she whispers, pressing a kiss to his cheek.

"I will," he murmurs, closing his eyes and willing himself to the goal. "I promise, I will."

Ella gives him one more squeeze and then Jackson strides off to get into the car, starting on a long mission that will take days before he even gets anywhere. Before he can even try to make contact with Ariel.

But Ella exhales slowly, watching the car drive away, knowing she's done the best thing that she can. For Ariel, for Jackson, for herself.

And she has faith - utter faith - that it will work out. She trusts that boy - trusts him with her daughter's life. And there's only one other man in this world she can truly say that about.

Ella sighs and turns away, walking quietly back into the palace and winding through long sets of stairs taking her time getting back to the family rooms. Mostly because she is....not looking forward to telling Dominic that she has deprived him of yet another of his most powerful warriors.

She smirks a little, thinking about how pissed off Dominic is going to be. Because he's very cute when he's all pissed off. But Ella's happiness at that thought doesn't last long, wiped away by worry for her daughters, for her nephew, all of whom are missing. God, what is she going to do

Ella's head snaps to the right when she hears a clatter and a

commotion. She blinking back to awareness and suddenly realizes that she was sort of walking on autopilot and is now at the front of the palace, heading up the formal set of stairs that leads to the family room. There's a flutter of activity at the front entrance - shouting, too.

She frowns, peering towards it, wondering what the hell...

But then Ella goes still, instantly recognizing the voice pleading desperately for entrance.

"Let him in," Ella calls, walking slowly back down the stairs, her arms crossed over her chest.

A series of no less than eight guards turn to her in shock. "Highness," one says, shaking his head at her.

"Are you sure? He's - he's very upset - he could do anything -"

 

Chapter 0804

"I'm sure," Ella says, giving the guard a steady nod.

The guards hesitate for only a second before they step back, letting the soaking wet boxer stumble into the palace, panting, looking exhausted, his eyes filled with tears.

"Well, Luca," Ella says, looking over the young man who rejected her daughter with a raised eyebrow. "I admit that I'm surprised to see you here."

"Please," Luca begs, shaking his head, desperation all over his face. "I - I know you all must hate me - but please - let me do anything I can to help - I can't believe -"

"Oh, come on," Ella says with a sigh, holding a hand out for Luca. "No need for the hysterics, boy." He stares at Ella for a second and then down at her hand as if he can't believe she's offering it. "You're lucky," Ella says, a little smirk in her voice. "Jackson just left. So the chances of you getting murdered in the next few minutes just dropped significantly."

Luca clenches his jaw but steps forward, taking her hand, clearly accepting whatever fate awaits him. "Come on," Ella sighs, squeezing his hand and giving him a little tug towards the stairs. "Let's go see the big guy. See if he has a job for you."

"Thank you," Luca whispers. And Ella just nods, pressing herself to Luca's wet side and letting him feel her warmth. Because even if she hates this boy a little bit right now...

Well. She also loves him too.

That's family, after all.

I gasp awake at the sound of feet hitting packed dirt, my head flying up as I try to make heads and tails of the sudden noise, the shape storming towards me.

"What the hell are you doing here!?"

I reel away in horror when I realize that it's Gabriel - that Gabriel has found me -

"You scared the hell out of Pippa!" he shouts, casting out a hand. "No one had any idea where you were or how you got out -"

I shout in fear and immediately throw myself backwards out of this realm, instantly transitioning and appearing back in my bed - a much softer landing, I might add, than the one I had in the Land of Darkness.

"Ariel!" Pippa gasps, and I look

around in the room in stunned silence as she dashes towards me because there are like...a lot of people here. Her eyes go wide and she grabs a throw blanket as she dashes to me, quickly throwing it over my body.

I stare at her for a second as she cries and wraps her arms around me next- and then I get it. She covered me up because I'm just sitting here in my bed in my nightgown, and there are strange men in the room.

"Ariel," Elias says, his face lax with

relief as he crosses to the edge of the bed next, reaching for me but then hesitating and pulling his hand back. Thank goodness - we thought something terrible had happened -"

"I'm sorry," I say, holding the crying Pippa to me. "I just..." I shrug. "I didn't want to be here. So I went... there."

Elias nods to me, clearly understanding my meaning, and then goes to dismiss all of the people in the

room who peer at me curiously, probably wondering how the hell I appeared out of thin air.

"I'm sorry," I whisper to Pippa, truly meaning the apology to her. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"It's okay," she says, sitting up and wiping at her face. "I'm just glad you're all right. God, Ariel, I'm

certainly giving you a picture of myself as a cry baby, aren't I?"

I laugh a little, my hands on my friend's shoulders in what I hope is a steadying way as Elias closes the door behind the last of the people and turns back to us with a smile.

"Um," I say, looking around anxiously. "Where is Gabriel? Why didn't he...come back?"

"He needs to wait," Elias says, smirking a little as he crosses to me again. "For the talisman to recharge.

Why, how long does it take for yours to regenerate?"

"What?" I ask, peering at him like he's crazy. "What are you talking about?"

Pippa and Elias both go a bit still and

then lock eyes with each other,

some communication going

between them. I frown because...are they just best friends who have known each other since childhood?

Oris there some kind of mate-speak passing between them?

"Ariel," Elias says, focusing on me and crossing his arms over his chest. "When you go to the Land of Darkness...you can just...go?"

"Yes?" I say, staring between the two of them, curious. "Why, what's a talisman?"

"She's been gifted since she was an infant," Pippa says, nodding eagerly to Elias like she's figured it out. "Just like the girl. Darkness's girl."

"Yes," Elias murmurs, curling a finger around his chin. "Yes, that does make sense, doesn't it?"

"What," I ask, seriously confused, staring between them. "What makes sense?"

Chapter 0805

But suddenly Gabriel appears in the middle of my room and strides immediately for me. "You are not to go there," he snarls. "Sleeping there!? In the Darkness!? What were you thinking!?"

I cringe away from him again even as my wolf snarls.

"Gabriel," Elias says, his voice warning. "Reel it in."

To my shock, Gabriel does as Elias says, stopping before he reaches the side of the bed and comes within arm's distance of me. Still, he turns his furious face back to mine. "Did you like the pretty cage I built for you, pet?" he growls, leaning forward to stare into my eyes. "So that even if you try to escape me by going to the Land of Darkness, I've still got you trapped."

I realize it all with sudden clarity that rather takes my breath away. That all of those cages in the Land of Darkness - they're for me. Just in case I try to run away using that world - because, somehow, I'm better at it than him. Better at shifting there, better at navigating it, because he only dedicated himself to Darkness five years ago.

But me? I've had this gift since I was born.

I fight, hard, to keep a smile from curling on my lips. But the desire to keep my pleasure hidden is aided

by the realization that...it must have taken ages for them to build all of those cages in the other world - the miles and miles of steel fence to keep me trapped.

Which means that they've been planning to trap me for...a long, long time.

I look up into my mate's seething face and suddenly make a decision that I...do not want to be in his presence any longer.

And so I shift again, as easily as breathing, my eyes catching a sly smile on Elias's face as he watches me go.

Suddenly I'm back in my bedding in that dark world, looking up at the moons that still hang in the sky, letting that smile come fully to my lips.

Because Gabriel can follow me here, but I can just shift back. And every time he chases me from one world to the other, his talisman - whatever that is - will weaken. Which means his only real choice is to eventually leave me the hell alone.

I sigh, slightly mollified by this tiny victory, and curl up in my stolen duvet, looking up at the sky, my wolf huffing with sadness as she curls up in my soul.

Because it really is just a tiny victory in a very horrible situation. Honestly, the idea that sitting alone in a cage in a wasteland world is my best refuge...

My wolf gives a little howl and I press my eyes shut, knowing that this is going to be along road. Wondering, honestly, how I'm going to survive here. Because my mating ceremony is in a week! And I can't spend the entirety of that time curled up in this cage.

Even if it's the only place where I can even start to feel like myself.

Jesse groans, pressing the heels of his palms against his closed eyes, laying flat on the ground in the yurt Because by now, to his best

estimate, he's spent a week here net

with Midnight in this strange world

of Darkness, even though it's hard to tel because there's no sun and no clocks and time is...weird here.

But regardless of how much time has passed, he's never, ever been so bored in his entire life.

Midnight, on the other hand, is delighted.

"Do you want to play the cards again!?" she asks, her voice thrilling with anticipation.

Jesse sighs and drops his hands to his chest, turning his head to watch as his funny little mate lays out

the scraps of paper in front of her, shuffling them up. In this past week they made a little deck of cards and he taught her to play poker, using little bits of stick as chips.

To his surprise, her agile little mind immediately took to the game and she fleeced him for all that he was worth after about two days. He grins at the memory, laughing a little.

"Come on!" Midnight urges, grinning at him. "I'll loan you some sticks."

"I already owe you ten thousand sticks," Jesse sighs, shaking his head. "I don't need to get into any further debt. I'll end up like my father."

"Oh, come on," she replies, laughing. "I'll go easy on you."

Jesse sighs and pulls himself up to a sitting position, groaning as he does. Because, of course, he refuses

to share Midnights bed and also refuses to let her sleep on the floor instead of him. Which makes him feel quite gallant but is doing one hell of a number on his back.

"All right, Ace," Jesse says, scooting closer to Midnight and rubbing his hands together. "Put me down for fifty stick and deal me in."

She laughs, delighted, and does as he says.

Jesse watches Midnight, a little

smile on his face as he watches her

.n

sort the flimsy little cards and then deal them out. Because even if the majority of the week has been horrible - just hard labor doing the basics to stay alive, and terrible food, and an incredible amount of boredom and anxiety worrying about everyone at home - getting to know Midnight has been...

Well, it's been lovely.

As she peeks at the two cards she delt herself, Jesse thinks again on his initial hatred of this girl. And even if he realizes that it was justified in this moment -he was scared for himself, after all, and for Daphine - he knows now that it was too harsh. Because she really is just a sweet girl in a horrible situation.