The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

"All right," Rafe snaps, nodding to Mark. "Anything else, Luca?"

"Um, just this missive," Luca says, reaching for a pink scrap of paper on the desk. "From that Hank guy - letting your mom know that he's coming in via helicopter tomorrow with a report on The Community - that place Jackson is from. He says he's hoping he'll be able to have an audience with her, but he

understands if she's busy."

Rafe rolls his eyes a little and takes the piece of paper. "I can't believe Hanks asking for that at a time like this," he murmurs, tucking it into his pocket. "But mom will make space for him. She always does."

He turns away, waving to Mark to come with.

"Rafe!" Luca calls out behind him as the Sinclair boys move towards the door.

Rafe sighs, but turns.

"Please," Luca says, holding out a pleading hand. "Can we talk? I'm - I'm so sorry, man -"noveldrama

"You know, things might have been different," Rafe interrupts, harsh. "If you'd been there on that

battlefield? If you'd been holding her hand, like Jackson was?" Rafe shakes his head, anger welling in him.

Luca takes a deep breath, dropping his eyes and leaning hard against the desk in front o fhim.

"We can talk when she comes back, alive and safe," Rafe snaps, turning away. "Until then, I don't have a god damn thing to say to you."

He strides from the room.

Mark hesitates for a second, looking between Luca and the door, worried and torn. Because...even though Rafe is right, Mark's wolf scratches at the dirt of his soul, urging him to realize that somehow Rafe is being unfair. That Luca could have helped - but his presence on the battlefield...

Would it truly have prevented Ariel from being taken?

But whatever the answer is - if there even is one - Mark turns to follow Rafe, knowing that even if he is being unfair, Rafe is still his brother. And his allegiances, always, are with his family.

"See you soon, Luca," Mark calls to the boxer as he goes, feeling sorry for him.

"Yeah, you too, Mark," Luca murmurs. After a second of standing very still he sighs, getting back to work. Gabriel shifts us back into the hallway outside my door, which is bustling with people. Gasps echo around us as Gabriel angrily shoves open my bedroom door, striding into the room and slamming it shut behind him.

Two more gasps sound as Gabriel strides across the room and tosses me hard on the bed.

"Oh, Ariel," Pippa moans, dashing immediately for me.

But Gabriel steps in front of her, blocking her hard with his arm. "You will leave my Luna where she is, Pippa," Gabriel snarls. "Especially considering that it was you who let her out."

"Don't you dare touch Pippa," Elias snarls, stepping forward and grabbing Gabriel's arm, hauling him away. "That is my fucking Luna, who is carrying my child."

I snarl at Gabriel, sitting up on the bed and pushing myself back so that my back is against the cushions and the headboard. "Leave Pippa out of this," I snap. "She didn't do anything. I tricked her so I could escape."

Elias steps close to Pippa, wrapping her up in his arms, looking anxiously between Gabriel and I.

"You think I am a fool, Ariel,” Gabriel snarls, stepping closer to me and leaning over the bed to glare into my eyes. "You thought that you could go flitting around the castle as much as you wanted, and that as long as caught you running around the exterior fence in the Dark Lands that I'd think you were trying to escape. I know you went for the

ambassadors. I know you spoke

with one of them, or else you'd never have gotten to that part of your plan."

Inwardly, I curse my grandmother for giving me a mate who's not only completely evil but smart enough to

see through my plans. God, couldn't she at least have been cool and given me a dummy?

"You have embarrassed me for the last time," Gabriel growls, leaning closer and raising his hand, the threat to strike me real. I lean away, genuinely afraid, my hand going to my jaw. Because if he hits it again – I don't think it would stay intact -

"Gabriel!" Elias barks out, horrified.

d

Gabriel stays his hand, but doesn't take his eyes from me. “I have important things in the works tonight. And you will fall in line, Princess, and be the utter picture of what an Atalaxian Luna is meant to be when I bring you out in public this evening."

I stare up at him, hate in every line of my face.

"And if you don't," Gabriel says, quite soft. "I will not only beat you until your entire body is black and blue

- but I will kill each and every one of those Moon Valley ambassadors in front of your eyes. One by one. Is that clear?"

He snarls once more before he turns and stalks from the room, leaving me panting with fear.

"Oh, Ariel," Pippa whispers, climbing onto the bed and scooting close to me. "Oh, darling, are you okay?" But I can barely pay attention to her ministrations as I shift my eyes to Elias.

He looks at me, terrified, a silent question on his face.

I just nod, slight enough that Pippa doesn't notice my confirmation.

That Ben is here with the Ambassadors. And because of my actions today, his life is on the line.