The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

"How do you do that?" I speak as if in great wonder, even though I'm a little surprised that he's spilling so much detail so easily. Is it just arrogance? Or a true desire to let me know precisely how captive I am, and him with all the power?

"It is my gift," he says, shrugging. "From Darkness himself." Gabriel flicks his wrist, a glowing blue light sparking there, trembling within his hand like lightning held there, or electricity. My eyes go wide at it because...well. That's very interesting, isn't it?

"Yes," Elias murmurs, dry, dusting crumbs off of his hands and onto his place. "Very convenient for the rest of us, to have any of our own magic negated because Gabe needs to have complete control. Explain to me again how your manic need to control everything in the entire court doesn't amount to a rather insane level of hysterical anxiety, big brother?"

"It has nothing to do with anxiety," Gabriel snaps. Inwardly, my wolf exaults a bit to see him discomposed by his brother. "My gift is a protectant, a forcefield over this entire court, keeping all other magics that could harm us out -"

"Except those gifted by Darkness," Elias drawls, lifting his eyes to his brother's with a smirk. "Convenient for you."

"Yes," Gabriel returns, his teeth clenched. "It is. So if you're finished being jealous and demonstrating your uncertain wit - the only dubious claim you have to talent at all – perhaps I could return to my discussion with my mate?"

Elias shrugs like that doesn't bother him at all and then leans towards Pippa, perfectly calm, murmuring a question in her ear about whether or not she'd like one of the sweet pastries. As he does, I watch Elias closely - because even if Gabriel has marked Elias as only dubiously clever, he really has given me a great deal of information here.

My magic - that given by the Goddess - it's not working because Gabriel is blocking it. And he's not blocking Darkness's gifts - or can't - which is the reason why I can still go to that other realm. But...why all the cages?

"You will attend to me, Ariel," Gabriel says, low and slow.

I snap my eyes up to him, realizing that I really was lost in my thoughts. I frown a little, not knowing precisely what he means.

"Your attention will be on me, at all times," he says, leaning forward towards me, holding my gaze. "Like a proper Atalaxian woman and Luna."

Even as my wolf rankles in me to be so ordered what nonsense, that a woman's attention should always be on a man I straighten my

man

shoulders and turn towards him,

willing fear back into my expression and my voice. "Yes, Alpha,"

a," say

quietly, ducking my head a bit. "As you will it."

He considers me for a moment and then smirks. know that you are faking your obedience, Princess," he says, leaning forward and capturing my chin again, as he did before. It takes a great deal of effort to not clench my jaw, to keep my canines from elongating. Just... letting him do it. “But that is all right. It will all be real soon enough."

Slowly, I shake my head. "Truly, I am grateful," I say quietly, attempting hard to be earnest. "I...I wish to be with my mate, of course."noveldrama

"Yes," he drawls, studying my face. "But which one?" He drops my chin as if done with it, a bit disgusted, and then leans back hard in his chair.

Inwardly I scowl, because I didn't

know he knew about Luca and Jackson. Of course, with the mark on my neck clearly I've had interactions with men before, but wouldn't be the only girl in Moon Valley to have been marked by their lover before they met their mate. Still, clearly he knows - but how much? Does he simply know that they exist, or does he know the details of their stories, their identities?

"How...how do you know about him?" I ask, seeking more information, my hand drifting up to cover the mark on my neck.

"Them," you mean," he drawls, smirking at me. "Luca Grant and Jackson McClintock? My intel is good, Ariel. My spy the best."