Ch. 826..830: The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy Chapter 826-830

Chapter 0826

I wrinkle my nose at her and lean forward, nodding. "It really is great, Pip. Especially...especially if you love them. I know that Elias is your best friend and he's good to you. But...I want more for you than that." She takes a deep breath and looks away, shaking her head slightly. "Oh, I don't know if that's in the cards for me."

"Maybe it will be," I say softly. "When we get you to Moon Valley. And don't worry," I say with a smile. "I won't let any of those big Alphas go anywhere near you until you want them to.'

She lets out a long breath as she smiles. "Yeah. But. Maybe one day...I'll want them to."

I smile back, my heart singing with joy and hope for her.

Before I can say more, though, a soft knock comes at the door.

"That will be the tea," Pippa says with a sigh, rising to her feet. "Do you mind if the maid comes in? It will be a woman, of course."

"No, I don't mind," I say, wrapping my arms around my knees as Pippa moves to the door. "I could use a cup."

I stare idly at the water for a little bit as the maid wheels a little trolly in and Pippa thanks her politely for her service.

But I go very still the moment the maid begins to speak.

"This one is for the Princess," the maid says, calm and quiet. And even though I've never heard this person's voice be calm and quiet except in the deadliest of situations, I'd recognize it anywhere. My head whips up. "We heard in the kitchens that she is entering her Confinement, so we included a few pain tablets on the saucer."

Even as I stare, frustration grows in me at the fact that apparently everyone in the castle knows that I've started my period.

But there's no time for that thought as I lock eyes with the maid for a single moment before turning away, remembering my lessons. Remembering everything that she, indeed, taught me.

Because Faiza would be deeply ashamed if she worked so hard to get into my room at the Atalaxian palace only to be unmasked now.

I don't look at Faiza as she leaves, though I desperately want to take another look at the false nose she's wearing, as well as the grey hair that's aged her at least twenty years. Is it a wig? Or has she dyed it? She goes and I just sit idly in the bath, hoping desperately that Pippa can't sense the new pounding of my heart.

"Do you want these tablets?" Pippa asks, pouring out two cups of tea and looking.askance at my saucer "It's probably too early for your cramps to be hitting as hard as they will can just toss them aside and

we'll get fresh ones later. Oroh wait, darling, your jaw -"

"Yes, I'll take them now," I say, doing my best not to sound too eager. Pippa just nods to me, understanding, and brings the two cups of tea over, sitting next to me and handing me my cup.

It takes an incredible amount of willpower for me to quietly sip my tea, not even looking down at the two little pills until Pippa gets up to fetch me a new robe, my bath finished.

But when I do glance down, a little thrill runs through my heart.

Because just as I suspected, they're not pain killers at all.

No, I recognize these anywhere - Neumann taught us to recognize cyanide by sight, smell, and taste.

Very carefully I palm the pill-shaped poison in my dried hand as I stand and allow Pippa to help me into

my robe. And then I slip them quietly into my pocket as we move into the other room to pick out clothes for me tonight.

And all the time, even as I chat with Pippa, my mind whirls with how to wield this new power.

Because with this little gift, suddenly everything has changed.

Jesse lounges back on his new cot in the yurt, his head nestled against a soft pillow. He runs his hands idly over his stomach, which is

distended with too much cake. Hoet

smiles as he turns his head and observes as Midnight happily sets new order to her "kitchen," finding places for all of the new pots and cooking tools that Juniper and the rest of the kind people in the Fancy House sent home with them.

God, but it was good to see June, even if all it did was make him worry more. He hadn't even known she was gone. And if he hadn't known

-

that - what on earth could be happening with the rest of his family? Were they even...okay?

"You want more cookies?" Midnight asks cheerfully, putting away the last of her new dishtowels and beaming over at him.

"No, I don't think I'll ever eat another cookie ever again," Jesse sighs, smiling at her.

She frowns at him. "That's ridiculous, Jesse. Cookies are delicious. Why would you even say that?"

He just heaves a happy sigh. "I don't know, kid. I was joking."

 

Chapter 0827

She narrows her eyes at him, trying to figure out what about that could be funny, and he laughs.

Midnight turns her head at Jesse, curious. "Why are you upset? We have so many nice new things - how could you be upset?"

Jesse frowns at her. "How'd you know I was upset?"

"You get a big line," she murmurs, drawing a finger between her own eyebrows and the perfectly smooth skin there. "It's all angry and bothered, like you got scratched by a weasel."

Jesse laughs again. "How on earth do you know what weasels are?"

"We have Weasels of Darkness here, Jesse," she says, looking at him with wide eyes and nodding seriously. "You do not want to mess with them."

Jesse laughs again but her face falls into a frown.

"Seriously, Jess," she says, her shoulders slumping. "Our lives are so good right now. Better than they've ever been. And soon your Juniper will be Queen of the Underworld - she's much prettier than the seal girl. Why are you so sad?"

"Because, Mids," Jesse says, reaching out a hand for her. She quickly scurries to the side of his new single-person cot, taking his hand. "Seeing June just made me worried about the rest of my family. You took me away from a war. They could be hurt, or dying. I can't help them while I'm here."

She frowns, squeezing his hand, and he can tell that even if she doesn't fully understand...she wants to. "Please, Midnight," Jesse says, looking at her earnestly. "Please take me back. Take us back." She snarls, her eyes going dark, and she whips her hand from his. "I'm not taking you there, Jesse." "Please," he begs, sitting up, reaching for her hand again, wanting to honestly plead his case. "My family is all there - our family - it will be so good -"

"Your family is there, but so is that whore." Midnight bares her teeth as she glares at her mate.

Jesse just drops his hand and doesn't say anything, because Midnight's not wrong. He has been thinking about Daphne - dreaming about her every night - even if he feels guilt about it with every breath he takes, because he knows it's not fair to Midnight or to Daph. But still, he can't help it - he's still in love with her. His wolf howls the confirmation in his soul.

"I am never taking you there," Midnight snarls, standing sharply up and storming across the yurt, grabbing her little purple backpack as she goes.

"Then take me to the Atalaxians!" Jesse pleads, pushing even though he knows he shouldn't - he knows that Midnight doesn't budge when she's lost her temper like this. "I want to see what they're building! You should show me!"

"No!" Midnight shouts, ducking

behind a little folding screen that

effectively cuts the yurt into two separate sèctions. Juniper gave it to them vaguely "for privacy," but Jesse is very glad to have it. It has been...challenging, to say the le

to share a one-room yure least,

his

strange little mate.

Jesse just sighs, turning his head back up to the ceiling. "What are you doing over there?" he calls, wondering about the choice to bring the purple backpack.

"I'm learning about getting the pups!" Midnight shouts back, still peeved. "I'll give you the pups, and then you'll want to stay! Everyone says so!"

Jesse groans inwardly but just turns

his head back up to the roof of the yurt, mildly miserable now. He sighs, wondering how one can be so miserable after eating such

quantities of cake. Surely, the two

states cannot co-exist.

He sits, pondering on it for a long few quiet moments, when suddenly a horrified squeak sounds from behind the screen.

"Midnight?" Jesse calls, sitting up, worried. "Are you okay?"

Suddenly she storms out from behind the screen, the book Juniper gave her clutched tight in one hand, her face furious.

Jesse's eyes go wide as she hurls the book at his head.

"How dare you, Jesse Sinclair!" Midnight shouts, enraged.

"What did I do!?" Jesse gasps as he dodges the book and then turns back to Midnight, stunned.

"If you think I am doing any of that!" Midnight continues, her arms stiff at her sides, her hands clenched in fists, "to give you a pup! Then...! Then...!"

As he sees her struggling for words, Jesse can't help it as his face bursts into a wide grin. "The idea of getting a pup is not so appealing now, is it?"

"You stay away from me, Jesse Sinclair!" Midnight shouts, livid. "And you keep your clothes ON!" She storms out of the yurt, clearly needing a minute.

Jesse just turns on his stomach and

laughs and laughs into his pillow, desperately needing to let it out even as he doesn't want her to hear..

Because he knows his laughte would hurt her feelings, and above all things...

Well, above all things, he just wants Midnight to be happy, and healthy, and safe, and loved.

Which means getting her the hell out of here.

But how on earth is he ever going to convince her to leave?

Chapter 0828

Pippa fusses over me when we leave the bathroom, chattering about my poor bruised jaw and how we're going to cover that up with makeup. But I sit down on my bed and make a big show of yawning, wanting a minute alone to catch my proverbial breath and better hide my new weapon. As I lean back against my pillows, though, something crinkles beneath me in a very non-fabric-y way.

It takes all of my willpower not to let my eyes fly wide, to grab at whatever little piece of paper is there. Instead, I just lean more fully back and stretch my arms over my head.

"Oh, you poor dear," Pippa murmurs, noticing finally. "I'll leave you for a little, perhaps? So you can take a nap? I'm always sleepy on the first day of my confinement."

"Perhaps a nap would be best," I sigh, letting my eyes fall half-shut. Inwardly, my wolf howls our victory and hops from foot to foot in her eagerness to get started on our plans. But as Pippa comes close and fluffs my pillows a bit, I frown at her. "Pippa, do you seriously do this every month? Just...sit alone for two full days?"

"Is your cycle only two days?" she asks, looking at me with wide eyes.

I blush a little but shrug, admitting it, knowing that I'm luckier than others. But otherwise I just look at her, waiting for an answer.

"Yes, I do it," she sighs, shaking her head a little as she does. "Not that Elias ever cares or follows the rules. He always sneaks in and spends nights together with me as usual - it would be very dull to be without him at night."

I smile a little, loving the closeness of their friendship, but also wondering...

Well. Wondering what's going to happen when Ben comes on the scene. Because I'm not foolish enough to think that Ben just came to Atalaxia to help me. No, he's been worried about Elias for months, working hard to study Atalaxian history and political theory so that he could be an ambassador and come here. But his coming here and finding his mate...is it going to destroy Pippa's life? She is, after all, having a child with this man who is clearly her best friend.

"Would Elias get in trouble?" I ask quietly. "If he were found breaking your confinement?"

"Oh, the men don't actually get in trouble for anything," she murmurs, frustrated, as she straightens up and puts her hands on her hips. "Honestly, I'd probably get in more trouble for tempting him. But we're pregnant now, which means we're not so closely watched."

"Are you excited?" I ask quietly. "To become a mom?"

Pippa shrugs, running a hand over

her belly always knew it would happen someday. And there

were suspicions about Elias and his lack of interest in women before

this."

I frown a little, noting that Pippa didn't really answer the question.

"Okay, darling," she says with a sigh, a forced little smile appearing on her face. "You take your nap, and I'll come and check on you later."

I settle back on my pillows with a

sigh and wave to Pippa as she slips out the door and pulls it shut behind her. As soon as she's gone I whip up, shoving my hand under the pillows, grasping everywhere for a piece of paper. As soon as it touches my fingers and I yank it up and out, unfolding it as fast as I can.

Immediately, I recognize Faiza's handwriting and burst into a grin.

My sneaky spy professor. God, I love her.

But the contents of the note immediately make the smile fall from my face.

Accept the bond - it says, the words hastily scrawled across the paper. And then, in a line beneath it: Trust your grandmother.

I inhale deeply, re-reading it again and again because...

Seriously? That's her advice - that's what Faiza wants me to do?

I scowl as fall back on the pillows again, my mind racing. Inwardly my wolf whines and turns in a slow, tight circle before plopping down on her haunches, confused and afraid.

He'll corrupt me, she murmurs, anxious. If we accept him and build the bond, his wolf will cross it and bite

me and get that oily stuff all over me and claim me for Darkness.

 

Chapter 0829

I shudder at the thought, every instinct in me screaming not to do it. My wolf is right - Gabriel's bossy wolf will bully her, and corrupt her, and turn her to his will. The idea of my sweet rose-gold wolf all covered in oil, her eyes glowing in the darkness, her lungs heaving with her singular desire to fulfill the God of Darkness's will...

I clench my teeth against it as another whine slips from her muzzle. No, impossible - I'll never let that happen.

But...Faiza is right. My grandmother gave me this bond for a reason - and now that I know that accepting the bond and receiving my mates mark gives me new and intensified access to my magic? Isn't it...isn't it my duty, and my fate, to accept that magic? Especially if it can help my nation and even – maybe - end this war.

I mean, that's possible, after all. Look what I can do with only two mates by my side. What will my magic become with three?

I groan, torn, falling back against my pillows with a scowl. Maybe if I just...wait three months the Goddess will make good on her promise and give me a new mate instead of Gabriel, whose good looks do nothing at all to counterbalance his crap personality and penchant for violence. I growl a little as I raise my hand to my bruised jaw, pissed off and kind of wishing that Faiza did indeed send me some pain killers alongside the poison.

God, what the hell am I going to do? Now that I have a weapon, how will I wield it? And what steps do I want to take before I do? Would I be worth exploring my connection with Gabriel now to investigate how his magic impacts mine?

Or should I just kill him now and have it done?

I sigh, tucking myself into the pillows and letting my mind turn over the problem, closely inspecting every detail.

"Gabriel!" My door flies open and I shriek, nearly jumping out of my skin at the sudden noise after several hours of relative silence. "Don't you dare go in there!"

"Oh, shut up, Pippa," Gabriel snaps, sneering over his shoulder at Elias and Pippa as they storm in after him.

"She's being confi-"

"No one cares!" my mate barks as Elias angrily shuts the door behind him, sending me an apologetic look. Gabriel turns to me, his hands on his hips. "Get up."

I narrow my eyes and settle myself more completely in my pillows. "I can't," I say, petulant and pouting. "I have cramps. Ow."

My mate rolls his eyes at me. "You women and your weakness. Get up!"

I take a deep breath, prepared for a prolonged fight in which I force him to drag me to my feet if he wants me to get out of this bed, but Elias sighs and steps forward.

Get

"Honestly, Ariel, it's not worth it,” he says, shaking his heads and slipping his hands in his pockets as Pippa comes this side, her face furious. "He's called a banquet tonight and he wants you there. He'll drag you there by your hair if he has to, confinement or not."

Gabriel bares his teeth at me, letting me know that it's true.

"This is scandalous," Pippa growls. "The entire staff know that she's being

confined – this breaks a thousand years of tradition –“

"Well, I will be King soon,” Gabriel snaps, his eyes still on me. "Which means that I get to say what tradition is. And if I want my mate by my side, she'll be there, confinement or not."

I go a bit still as I stare at my mate, at the coldness of his blue eyes. Because what does he mean he'll be

King soon? After all, he's still got a cousin and an uncle in the way.

en

"Come, mate," Gabriel snarls, looking me over. "It's time for you to dress for

dinner. And tonight I will have you looking every inch my Queen."

Chapter 0830

An hour later I enter the banquet hall at Gabriel's side, my hand perched quaintly atop his as the Prince escorts me forward. I'm again wearing the diamond collar that hides Luca's mark, though I've got no crown today, which is fine by me. Pippa dressed me in acres of pink satin overtop another corset which does nothing to aid the cramps that torture my back and my stomach. At every moment, I avoid the urge to scowl for more reasons than one.

But my face shows none of it, a pretty smile and vacant look in my eyes as my head swivels around, nodding to everyone who sits at the tables which are arranged in a wide horseshoe before the small King's table at the front so that all of the courtiers can get a good look at us.

And not just the courtiers, I realize as I smile around the room. It takes a great deal of control to keep my face bland as my eyes sweep over the table of Moon Valley ambassadors who have been included in this event. Their table is tucked away behind the table of Atalaxian nobles and heavily guarded, but they're here.

I let a little surprise and fondness show as I give them a tinkling little wave, as if seeing an old acquaintance about whom I don't particularly care. My eyes find Ben's, though, and he smirks at me, shaking his head a bit, onto my game. But the rest of the ambassadors just look terribly confused, clearly wondering how I've fallen this quickly under this Atalaxian spell.

I quickly turn away from them all, wondering what the hell is going on. Why does Gabirel want us all here for dinner? And why would he invite the delegation from Moon Valley - what does he want them to see?

Gabriel predictably leads us immediately to that front table, even as Elias and Pippa fall to the side, taking seats of honor closest to the high table. I frown as they sit, wondering where Elias and Gabriel's father is. Calvin - my mother's friend - the King's brother. I haven't seen sign of him at all since I arrived. Is that odd? Should he be here? I don't even know.

The King gives Gabriel a loud, formal welcome as we finally reach our destination. Gabriel bows, answering in a bored way as I dip into a deep curtsy, ignoring their words and concentrating instead on the fact that neither the King's Luna nor the Prince's are here. And, indeed, that there is no chair for me.

Just...a big red velvet pillow on the floor next to the high table.

Inwardly my wolf growls as I see where this is going. Because even though I wasn't raised with a great deal of ego regarding my royal status, I certainly was raised with enough pride to know when I'm being insulted. And to resent it.

"Princess," Gabriel says, flopping back into his chair and grinning darkly at me he gestures to the pillow. "If you wouldn't mind. My feet do ache."

"Of course, my love,” I murmur, folding my legs elegantly beneath me as I settle on the pillow and let my skirts spread prettily around on my floor. Then, as Gabriel extends his booted foot my way, I reach out and take it in my hands, holding the boot steady as he pulls his foot away.

Over the course of the next hour, I seethe quietly as I rub my mate's feet. I do my best to tuck all of my anger away, forcing myself to play the role of the imaginary, perfect version of the Atalaxian Luna who really would want to rub her mate's feet after his long day of stomping around, being a cursed jerk.

But I can't help, a few times, the cruel little pinches and squeezes that make Gabriel growl quietly but which he cannot allow to show on his face either. Because he, too, is bound by the ridiculous gender roles of his nation and couldn't ever let anyone know that his pretty little Luna could hurt him.

So instead I just rub until my hands ache, well aware that I'm being humiliated, that the whole thing is in service of showing just how completely he's tamed me, and that photographers have captured the entire scene to print in the world-wide press tomorrow.

But whatever. Anyone I care about will just see these images and laugh.