The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

"Jacks," I say quietly, stroking a thumb over his bloody beard, loving him a great deal. "I need a minute with Gabriel alone."

His eyes flash, accompanied by a rough snarl. Gabriel flinches back, but I just

smile.

"No," Jackson growls, pulling me closer.

I laugh a little and shake my head. "It wasn't a request, baby."

He takes a deep angry breath in through his nose, clearly mulling it over in his mind. When he exhales, his breath carries a heavy growl. "I am not leaving you," he says, shaking his head.

But I just sigh and vanish us away to the Dark world, where we stand alone. "I'm going to take two minutes, Jacks. And then I'm coming back here."

"Ariel," Jackson snarls, shaking his head, not letting go of me.

But I step away, gently twisting my wrist in a request that he let me go. Not forcing him but...letting him know that I wish to be free.

"Two minutes, Jacks," I say, looking him clear in the eyes. "And then the rest of our lives. Me and you. Okay?"

He huffs out a sigh, putting his hands on his hips, and then he hangs his head and nods, I think unable to turn down that offer.

"I love you," I say, beaming at him.noveldrama

"Any sign of danger, Ariel," he snarls, lifting livid eyes to mine. "And you cut that two minutes short."

"I promise,” I say, pressing my hands to my chest. And then I vanish back to Atalaxia to say goodbye to my Prince.

When I appear back in the room with the Prince and the corpse of the King, I find Gabriel looking very pale.

"What am I going to do?" he murmurs, shaking his head. "How will I explain this?"

"Tell them the truth," I say, kneeling next to him and looking a bit sorrowfully at the dead King. I mean, he was a horrible man, but the end of a life...it is always a weighty thing, always significant. "Tell them Jackson did it. Or that I did. Blame Moon Valley, we'll be happy to take the credit."

Gabriel looks at me, his eyes full of wonder and a bit of fear. "I'm King."

"You're King," I say, reaching out to stroke a hand over his hair. "Can I trust you to rule well? Or do I have to kill you too?"

Gabriel laughs for a second but then stills when he realizes that I mean it.

"I want to work with you, Gabriel," I say quietly. "But Atalaxia needs to change. No more enslaving humans. No more keeping women illiterate and confining them when they get their period."

Slowly he nods. "It will take time. But we can do it."

"Moon Valley will give you whatever aid we can if that's truly your goal," I say. "But

if we get any information that it is not, we will destroy you. And the next time I

come here, it will be with a knife at your throat."

"God damn it, Ariel," he says, laughing a little in shock, shaking his head. "I did not expect...you are a surprise."

"Yes," I murmur, smirking a bit. "You underestimated me. It was to my advantage."

"Please," he begs, shaking his head, lifting a hand to caress my face. "Please stay, Ariel. Stay with me. Be my Luna and my Queen - this world needs you - we could be so good together, and could truly change Atalaxia...”

But his words fade as I just look at him with a bit of pity in my eyes.

Gabriel sighs, his shoulders slumping. "You love that other one, don't you?"

I grin a bit. "You know his name."

Gabriel narrows his eyes. "Yes. I do. I know all about him, Ariel, and the Community.too - probably more than you do. I also know that McClintock isn't even a real

surname. You'd pick a nameless

brute over a Prince? Over being Queen?"

"Your prejudice is showing, highness," I say with a smirk, my wolf growling warning in my soul. "Besides you forget that my mother was an orphan too, that she was also nameless. But she's a Sinclair now. And she's made a magnificent Queen. I think Jacks and will do quite well as a Sinclair."

Gabriel blushes and looks away, rueful. "I can't live up to him in your eyes, can I?"

"If it helps," I whisper, truly feeling sorry. "No one can."

"I still think I'm better looking," Gabriel grumbles, discontent.

I just settle back my shoulders a little and smile. Because he is getting dumped,

after all. I don't need to rub it in by telling him that he's wrong.

"Anyway, Gabe," I say quietly, rolling up my sleeve and extending my arm to him.

"I have to go. But I want your mark, if you'll give it to me."

He turns to me, his eyes wide. "What?"

"Your mark, please," I say quietly, nodding down at my wrist. "Granny's orders."