Ch. 811..815: The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy Chapter 811-815

Chapter 0811

J-jacks? Ariel's voice whispers, desperate and unbelieving. Are you real? Am I imagining you?

A sob breaks from Jackson's throat as he falls to his knees. Ari, he says to her, his mental voice shaking, I'm coming

Baby, she says, the word short and scared. Sweetheart, don't - they'll kill you -

I'll fucking kill them! He shouts back.

Ridiculously - absurdly - wonderfully - she laughs. Jackson groans when he hears it, even just in his mind, his hand shaking as he raises it to cover his eyes.

Don't, Ari says again. Please - baby, I love you so much - just...stay close, okay? It's too dangerous right now. I don't know what's happening and we need a plan. We need -

But suddenly her words cut off. Jackson groans as he feels the protective magic slamming down over the castle, knowing that it's gone.

And he - he didn't even tell her that he loved her - which he does, of course he does, so much -

But she knows, right?

She knows, his wolf murmurs, pressing himself against Jackson's heart.

Shaking, Jackson raises the binoculars again, looking at the door.

But all the Moon Valley people have disappeared inside the castle.

"So that's it," he murmurs, hardly able to think for the emotion pounding through him - the wonder at being able to reach her in his mind, the horror at having her taken away again, the fear of what she's suffering in there if she's saying that it's too dangerous. But he forces himself to focus, to be useful. "So, they have to drop the magical wards to let anyone in or out..."

Jackson hums consideringly at this new knowledge, turning it over in his mind, wondering how he can use it to his advantage.

While in his soul, his wolf raises his snout to the air, letting out a long and desperate howl for his mate. Calling to Ariel, to her wolf.

Begging her to come home.

"This suuuucks," Mark murmurs, sprawled out over his father's

favorite arm chair in the living room, idly playing with the gold chain that his mom made him start wearing forbade him from ever taking off. Necklaces provided by the Goddess's Priestesses, apparently, to keep them from getting

kidnapped away to the Underworld

like Juniper was.

All of the Sinclair kids have them now.

Rafe flicks his eyes up at Mark, a frown on his mouth. "Are you seriously complaining about being bored when your sisters have been kidnapped and their lives are at stake?"

Guilt races through Mark even as he lifts his head and frowns back at his brother. "Can't I be both?"

Rafe bares his teeth at his little brother, not in the mood for jokes.

Mark sighs, letting his head hang back. "Ariel would get it. She would laugh."

"Because Ariel is overindulgent with you," Rafe murmurs. "She loves everything her little pet puppy does." "Yeah," Mark sighs, staring at the ceiling. "I miss her."

And it's true. Even if he is bored, needing an outlet for his boundless energy even if his parents have put him on house arrest alongside all of his cousins, he does miss Ariel and he is worried for Juniper.

Well, maybe a little less for Juniper. He's a little more worried for anyone who has to deal with her in the Underworld, if he's being honest. Junie, when she's pissed off? Scary.

Mark and Rafe both start and turn to the door when it bangs open, his parents coming through - Dominic with long strides, Ella trotting determinedly to keep up with him.

"Don't you take that tone with me, Dominic Sinclair," Ella snaps, frowning up at her gigantic mate. Rafe and Mark both grimace when they realize that it's a fight another one. We've been over this. I did what I thought was right."

"Yes, Ella," Dominic says, casting a glare down at his little rose-gold mate. "You've made it quite clear that you acted with your whole heart when you made one of my most promising soldiers desert his position and go rogue

"Oh, you ass," Ella snaps, shaking her head as they reach the desk positioned before the sunny window. "You'll change your tune when Jackson brings our daughter home. Then you'll be 'oh, Ella, so wise,' and 'thank you, Ělla!""

"Thank you, Ella," Dominic says, dry, turning his shoulder to her a bit as he picks up some documents from the table and pulls his phone from his pocket, beginning to start a call. е "Now please go away so I can marshal the rest of my resources. Unless you want to send these to Atalaxia too. What does your heart say?"

 

Chapter 0812

Ella just rolls her eyes at Dominic and moves away from her mate, stepping over towards her sons with a scowl on her face.

"Don't get a divorce," Mark mumbles, covering his eyes with his hand, miserable. "Dad will want to keep us for Midwinter and he'll be crap at presents. And the food."

"Oh, he's not getting rid of me that easily," Ella mumbles, bending over to press a kiss to Mark's head and then moving to sit with Rafe on the couch, ruffling her favorite's hair as she does. And in her heart Ella knows that it's true that she and Dominic are slightly at odds at the moment because she took control out of his hands, and he hates that. But their commitment to each other is far too deep to be truly disturbed by something like a disagreement about the placement of one soldier.

Even if Jackson was probably the most powerful soldier Dominic had.

But some instinct rings true in Ella's heart - she knows, is absolutely sure, that it was right to send Jackson on a solo mission and that Dominic would have fought her on it. She explained all of this and begged Dominic to trust her demi-goddess intuition, but that had just pissed him off more. So, here they are, a week later, still pissy with each other for the time being.

"Any updates?" Rafe asks, sitting up to look into his mother's face.

She nods, curling her legs up beneath her and pulling a pillow into her lap to hug to her chest. "We heard from the delegation that they'd arrived at the Atalaxian castle and made a successful plea for entrance. Roger had very cleverly put a few tiny cameras on a couple of the ambassadors so we could see what's going on within the palace, but as soon as they got in?" She shrugs. "The feeds went dead."

"Damn Atlaxians," Rafe growls, shaking his head. "They must have some kind of magic up."

Ella nods in agreement as Mark comes to sit by her side on the floor, wanting the closeness and affection. Ella gives it immediately, running a hand over his hair, petting her youngest son. "You're getting to big for this, Markie. Soon I'll have to stand on a stool to pet you."

"No," he murmurs, closing his eyes and leaning wolfishly into her hand. "I'm very tiny. Just small."

She laughs, continuing to stroke his dark hair, grinning as she runs her eyes over Mark's handsome face and tall body, which is growing large enough to give Rafe and Dominic and Jackson a run for their money.

"And Ben?" Rafe asks, glaring a little

at Mark for continuing to joke

around and not take this seriously t

vel

God, but he's been too much indulged, allowed to remain immature while even Junipergrew up. "Any word from him?"

"Nothing in particular," Ella says, turning her eyes back to Rafe. "He's just one of the ambassadors, baby. We didn't send him in with any new technology or orders."

Rafe nods, looking down, because

he knows that's true. Ben begged to be one of the party going to Atalaxia. Rafe had argued against it, knowing that Ben is still young and

inexperienced and that the trip ion et

going to be very dangerous. There was one hell of a chance that all of the ambassadors would be

executed on sight. But Dominic had agreed, knowing that Ben knows Ariel better than the other ambassadors, that he might have some particular instinct about where she is or what she needs.

In the end, Rafe had lost the fight. And, potentially, another friend. He presses his eyes shut, worry

stacking up in his soul like bricks. One more person to worry about whether or not they're alive or dead...

Dominic snaps his phone shut and

crosses the room to join his family. "It was a miracle they were let in in the first place," he murmurs, looking distractedly out the window.l thought it was a longshot."

Mark opens his eyes and looks up at his dad. "Then why do you think they let them in?"

Dominic shrugs. "Either they've got something up their sleeve, or..."

The family waits while Dominic just frowns, trying to find his words.

Chapter 0813

Rafe sighs, frustrated and tired of waiting for his father to finish his sentence. "Or," he says, continuing where his dad left off, "Ariel did some serious damage to their forces in that battle before they took her, and Atalaxia is forced to treat with our ambassadors because they're no match for us in war. Or, they're buying time to rally their forces again."

Dominic turns his head to look at his son with pride, pleased that Rafe put that all together.

"Did Ariel really do that?" Mark asks, his eyes going wide.

"Yes," Ella murmurs, a bit of pride in her voice as she continues to pet Mark's hair. "Big Sis destroyed their entire air force and damaged a large portion of their ground troops and supplies."

"It's the reason why the physical battle has come to a grinding halt," Dominic says. "Ariel is...incredibly powerful, especially with Jackson at her side. If they hadn't managed to take her when they did, it's likely that she would have ended the war that night. Which is...insane.'

Mark shakes his head in disbelief even as Rafe nods, assured, guilt rolling through him. Because he should have protected her - both because she's his sister, and the best weapon they have to protect their people.

"So," Mark says, tilting his head back to look up at his father. "The war isn't going forward?"

"Not right now," Dominic says with a shrug. "We're in the rare position of having the tables turned for the moment, where our military has all the power. For now, they won't attack, because they now we'll take them out."

"So, why don't we just...go shoot all of them?" Mark asks, his face twisted with confusion. "Because they have my baby," Ella says, her voice soft. "And if we do, they might hurt her."

"Yeah, it's one hell of a stalemate," Dominic murmurs, running an anxious hand through his dark hair. "It's not a stalemate for long, though." Rafe murmurs, angry. His family turns to him with surprise. Rafe frowns around at all of them, not really understanding why they've let a week pass with Ariel in Atalaxian clutches. "Don't you guys get it? They're not just going to keep Ariel in a cage somewhere - they know what she can do."

"What are you saying, Rafe?" Mark asks.

"I'm saying," Rafe says, his teeth clenched, "that us biding our time like this just gives them more time to figure out how to control Ariel, how to use her as a weapon against us."

"But Ariel would never," Ella whispers, pressing a hand to her chest.

"No, Rafe is right," Dominic murmurs, shaking his head and looking down at his feet. "The Atalaxians have strong magic, just as we do. We have no idea what kinds of things they could turn Ariel towards."

"Or," Rafe snarls, angry. "How long it will take them to do it."

"This way, please," the young Atalaxian man - a boy, really says, bowing deeply to the delegation from

Moon Valley. "It will be great pleasure to show you to your chambers."

Ben starts forward but Haversham, an old and experienced negotiator who is also their lead on this

mission, casts a hand to the side, blocking anyone from Moon Valley from stepping forward.

"I don't think so, young man,"

Haversham says, his voice deep and serious. "We will not be going anywhere without first speaking to someone of authority to begin our negotiation and set a schedule for future conversations."

"Oh, I am so sorry," the boys says, bowing low again, his voice squeaky both with puberty and apology. "But I've only been given clearance to take you to your rooms.

Ben inhales a deep breath through his nose, considering this move on the Atalaxian part. They've been let inside the castle but have been greeted not by force or authority, but instead a single boy?

"Then we will stand here," Haversham says, crossing his arms. "And wait for someone with authority to appear."

The boy raises from his bow, looking

at Haversham with wide eyes. "Then I'm afraid you'll be waiting forever, sir," he says, shaking his head, worried. "This is as the King wills it. If you wish you may stay as long as you like in this chamber, but he will not meet you here."

Chapter 0814

Haversham and the boy stay silent, locked in a stalemate. Unlike Haversham, though, the boy fidgets and looks anxiously over his shoulder. "Please, sir," the boy says, true terror coming into his voice now. "I'll get in so much trouble if you don't let me take you to your rooms. It's my first day -"

Ben smirks a bit, finally seeing the plan now. That the Atalaxians have forced them into a situation where their choices are to do as they're told or play bully to a little boy. It's clever. Ben shifts his eyes to Haversham, curious about the choice he'll make.

"Fine," Haversham says, waving towards the boy and staring forward. Ben's smirk deepens because he knows Haversham by now, and knows that he didn't merely give in for the pity of some child. That he's simply consenting to play according to Atalaxia's rules a little longer. Their goal, after all, is to get in and have the conversation.

And so they must go deeper into the belly of the beast in order to reach those goals.

Ben is only mildly surprised when the little page leads them through the castle to a hallway with a long set of doors, beginning to bow and gesture to each door in turn, insisting that each of the Moon Valley ambassadors enter their individual room alone. But when they pass a few doors and Ben realizes that they're being separated from each other, each kept in individual rooms that probably lock from the outside, it becomes a bit clearer.

They're allowed to be here, but individual conversation is forbidden.

Yes, Ben thinks, running an anxious hand over his wolf's fur inside his soul. These Atalaxians, they are clever, aren't they?

Finally, it comes Ben's turn. He gives the page a little bow in turn as he steps through the bedroom door that's clearly for him. The page murmurs that he hopes that Ben will enjoy his stay before closing the door behind him.

The first thing that Ben does is try the handle on the door. As he predicted, it turns, but nothing unlatches. Yes, he is under Atalaxian control.

Sighing, Ben moves to the bed and awkwardly sits down, glancing around the fine but rather bland room as worry starts to curl in his chest. What...what the hell is he supposed to do if he's just... trapped in this room?

How is he going to find...her? Find...

Ben hangs his head, guilt rushing

-

through him at the secret he's been keeping deep in his heart. That he is here to help Ariel - of course he is and that's his first priority. But the entire time he was walking through the halls his wolf was

and forth in his soul, spining back

desperately trying to find him.

His mate.

His fucking mate.

for him,

Who is here → Ben knows he is – he can smell old stale sniffs of him everywhere, which indicates that he's been around but perhaps does not frequent this part of the palace very often. Which makes sense considering he's a god damn Atalaxian prince.

But.....how on earth is Ben ever going to find him?

Ben falls back on his bed, covering his face with his hands and heaving a heavy sigh. Because he'd thought that this was all going to be a lot

easier a lot clearer once he got to

Atalaxia got into the palan 11

But now that he's here, locked in this bedroom, all alone and completely without resources?

God, but Ben feels...just as lost as he has since the moment he heard that Ariel was taken. That she's gone.

Still, even as hopelessness threatens to overwhelm, Ben sets his heart to the task.

We're going to do it, his wolf growls, baring his teeth and prowling forward. We're going to find both of them and get them out of here.

"And take them home," Ben murmurs, nodding once, assured. "Home, where we can all live in peace."

 

Chapter 0815

I spend a long, long time in the stupid purifying bath that Pippa drew for me. And I spend most of that time crying.

At first Pippa had been afraid when I had gasped, my hands slapping across my mouth, and instantly burst into tears. She had dashed to my side, desperate to help, but I had pushed her away - desperate to just concentrate on the voice echoing in my mind.

Because it had been Jackson - Jackson's voice in my head, echoing there, letting me know that he was near, somehow, by some miracle. And of course he'd wanted to barge right through these palace walls to get t to me - but it's too dangerous. My sweet, powerful mate will be instantly outmatched. Not even he can take on a whole castle, after all.

Just...the barest snatch of the conversation, and then his voice was gone as suddenly as it came. I had cried my little heart out then, sobbing into my hands. Pippa, darling that she is, simply ascribed my sadness to monthly hormonal issues and patted me on my shoulder before leaving the room, letting me have some time alone.

I let her think that I was just experiencing some weird PMS symptom, not wanting to explain. Because even as I'm coming to trust her and consider her a friend, I still think that her allegiances are to Atalaxia. And no one in Atalaxia really needs to know that my other mate is here.

But...where is here? Is Jacks...is he in the palace?

And why could I hear him, only for a moment?

Is he a part of the delegation that Moon Valley sent? I sink lower in my bath now that my tears have dried up. Idly, I blow bubbles in the cooling water, working hard to see all sides of this. But the more I think about it the more I realize that it would be ridiculous to send Jackson with a delegation of ambassadors. To begin with, he'd immediately stick out as a warrior amongst everyone else in the cohort. He's head and shoulders taller than anyone on ambassador track and he's built like someone sent to knock Atalaxian heads off their shoulders with a single blow.

And further, the Atalaxians know who he is and what he looks like. God, if they sent him disgused as an ambassador, he would be killed for certain, just as Gabriel promised he would be. Fear rushes through me but...

I mean, I think my family is clever enough to put all of that together...

Right?

God, I hope that they are.

But if not with the ambassadors...how is Jackson here? And why? Are there more troops surrounding the castle? My blood runs cold at the thought - at a mounting battle that could begin at any moment, and me here under Gabriel's spell unable to use my magic to aid anyone.

I scowl, lifting my pruney finger out

of the water and sighing as I look again at Jackson's lovely mini mark. My little piece of him that I get to carry forever. I smile a little, remembering the day he gave it to me, the feel of his sharp canine against my skin. A little shiver runs through me from head to foot.

God, I miss him so much. My sweetheart mate. All brutal and broody and wonderful. If I ever get out of here, the entire world is going to be hard pressed to pry me from his side for a single damn moment.

I sigh then, forcing my own brooding

temper aside and pushing myself up to sit higher in the water. Because the key element in that wonderful plan is to get out of here, and I'd better

er start thinking seriously about how 'm going to do that. I climb out of the tub, quickly toweling off before wrapping myself in one of the elaborate robes that Pippa keeps stocked in here, tying it in a knot around my waist.

Instead of moving to the vanity pressed against the far wall and beginning to comb my hair, though, I cross my arms over my chest and look around the room, frowning, wondering at the possibilities here. Because I've spent a great deal of time in the Land of Darkness now, encaged. And I'm starting to wonder...

Idly, I move to the far corner of the wall and press my hands against it, looking up at where walls meet the ceiling.

And then I shift, everything falling backwards in that disorienting way, before my feet hit hard in the dirt in that dark world. I grimace, a little, that I didn't think to put on a set of my slippers. But, whatever - because the results of my experiment intrigue me a great deal more than keeping my feet clean.

What is truly interesting here is that my hands aren't pressed up against the bars of the cage as they were against the walls of the room they're actually sticking through the bars. grimace a little, wondering if the bars would like...impale me, if I accidentally shifted from the other realm into this one directly where they are.