The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Gabriel's breath hitches and he stands straight as I roughly push myself away from him, taking a step back, wiping my cyanide-coated fingertips against the fabric of the apron. "Thanks for providing me a room with so many beauty supplies,” I say, quite casual, as his breath starts to come short. "The petroleum jelly is very useful for chapped lips and..." I wave my fingertips at him. "Keeping poisons from entering through the skin."

"You bitch," he rasps, stumbling back, oxygen already starting to fail him. "Have - have you killed me?"

"Not yet,” I sigh, crossing my arms over my chest as I watch him fall to the floor. "I just gave you a little bit of cyanide. Because I still have questions. Bye bye for now!" I wave to him as his eyes flutter shut and he begins to moan in pain and confusion, a hand going to his chest, where he's likely started having heart palpitations.

I watch him for a moment, considering my dosage and the effects, monitoring him closely. But when I'm pretty sure that I've gotten it right and that he's in no physical state to grab and hurt me, I stride forward and sort through his pockets until I find the talisman there. I study it - just a little rectangular rock very similar to the one Jackson showed me last night, though black instead of grey. I sigh, putting the talisman in my pocket, taking my nearly unconscious mate's hand and smiling down at him.

"Let's take a little trip to Darkness," I say quietly. "Don't worry, I've got a little nest all set up for you there."

I pull on my inner power and tilt us both away to the cage. Gabriel moans, his eyes fluttering as he works hard to hold on to consciousness.

"It's okay, baby," I coo, patting his hand. "Let it go. I'll take care of you."

He snarls and I grin, but otherwise ignore him, sitting next to him and keeping his hand in mine.

Before I do anything else I shut my eyes and shout in my mind for Jacks, the signal we arranged earlier, urging him to come back. There's no immediate response but I don't worry about that, instead focusing on the man laying in front of me.

I shift my focus inward to my wolf. Is his wolf down? I ask, eager and interested.

Yes, she replies, prowling back and forth at the edge of my soul, peering to where his wolf is laying in a puddle of that oily substance, gasping for air, just his snout

holding above that dark liquid

Pity

fills me as I look at that poor abused wolf, but I force myself to turn away, knowing that pity isn't going to get me anywhere right now.

Is he faking it? I ask, anxious, not wanting to take any risks on this point.

I don't think so, my wolf murmurs in reply, still peering at him. I think...I think he's

taken down by the poison too. He was very weak to begin with.

I nod once and then stand, shaking my head at the prince for a moment. "Okay, say to him, even though i doubt he can hear. "I'll be back...in a little bit."

And then again I vanish away to my room and stride for the bell pull that connects

to Pippa and Elias's room, giving it a strong tug.

A heartbeat after I pull the bell a worried knock sounds at my door.

"Well, that is...way too fast," I murmur, frowning.

I hesitate only a second before the knock comes again, alongside a shouted "Ariel!"

I gasp and dash for the door, yanking it open and grabbing Ben, pulling him inside.

"How the hell did you get here!?" I gasp, staring at him with wide eyes as I slam the door shut.

"Ariel," he says, staring back at me,

just as appalled. "The castle

is...complete chaos. Half of our

guards have been diverted to

searching for this mystery murderer - I spent the entire night sneaking

out of my room and trying

bribenoveldrama

people to find out which room was yours -"