The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

"You disgust me," Elias snarls, hauling Gabriel with him towards the door. "I'm taking you out of here and you will not return until Ariel invites you. If she ever does." I watch in shock, because Elias is both the younger and the smaller brother. How...how does he have this kind of authority? Why is Gabriel listening to him?

Elias glances once at Pippa, who gives him a steady nod, but then Elias and Gabriel gone, the door closing hard behind them.

Pippa holds me for a long few minutes, stroking my fur and telling me that it's all right. When I finally feel strong enough I shift back into my girl body, tears streaming down my cheeks.

"Oh, Ariel," Pippa murmurs, taking my face in her hands. "I'm so sorry. That was so horrible."

"Why - why did he do that?" I whisper, shaking my head, still terrified. I glance at the door, scared he'll come back. Because even if Blaze did teach me some things, I know I can't win against Gabriel, not really. He - like most Alphas - is just so much bigger than me.

"I don't know why he did it," Pippa whispers, softly stroking my cheek. "But it won't happen again, darling. The doors - they have locks - all of our maiden chambers do. None of them can be opened except from the inside if you will it. I promise."

A little tension goes out of me at this and I nod to her, hoping that's true.

"And I'll stay with you," she murmurs, nodding seriously. "I'll stay all night, and Elias will stay with Gabriel and talk some sense into him -"

"Why..." I say, my voice still shaking, "why does Gabriel listen to Elias? He's...he's bigger? And older?" Pippa twists her lips a bit to the side as she drops her hands from my face, giving a shrug. "Gabriel... when he took the oath to the God of Darkness, he also...lost some concept of right and wrong. He's a creature of impulse now, pursuing what he wants, giving into strong emotions like rage and lust and insecurity. Elias - for all that he sees Gabriel's faults - he loves him." She sighs, almost apologetic. "Some part of Gabriel trusts him still, knows that he will not steer him wrong."

I stare at Pippa, not quite getting it.

And Pippa smiles. "Do you not have a big tough older brother?" she says, whispering a little and leaning forward towards me. "Who you have a bit tied around your finger as well?"

Something about the truth in this makes me burst out with a shaky little laugh as I raise my hand to wipe at my tears. "Okay, yeah. That part...maybe that makes sense."

She nods. "Do you want a shower, love? Or, we can just get you out of this silly corset and straight to bed

"Just the corset, please," I murmur, turning slightly so that she can start on the buttons. "And then... Pippa...if it really is safe here. Could I sleep alone? I think..." I sigh. "I want to be alone to gather my thoughts."

"Of course, my dear," she whispers. "There's a belt pull in the corner that's attached to a bell in my and Elias's room, which is just two down. If you ever feel unsafe, even for a moment, you tug on that, okay? We will come running."

"Thank you," I murmur. And then I sit very quietly and let my friend do her work.

Once Pippa leaves I feel...empty. Just sort of dead and alone. I try to gather myself together and chuff myself up by telling myself that this is just a trial, and that I'll get through it, but...

But for some reason, I can't stop crying.

I look around my dark room and I just...I hate it here. So, so much. I want to be home, in the nook, or in

my little childhood bed in the palace, and I want Jacks there with me, with my cheek warm against his chest...

Even as I think of it, though, I just cry harder.

Still, I gather as many blankets and

—

pillows into my arms as I can and call upon that dark magic within me, tossing myself backwards into that world. When I land there - a bit hard - on my ass, I'm gratified to see that the supplies I had gathered in my arms came with me.

I sigh, a bit, to see the blankets and the pillow get very dusty in a matter of moments as I lay them out in the dirt of the Land of Darkness, but I push the thought of that aside as curl up, my head on a soft down. pillow, my eyes focused on the dark of a night sky I've never seen before. And even if the ground is hard, and the wind chilly, and the bars of the cage around me gleam in the moonlight of another world...

Still, I know that it's better, sleeping here.

That anything is better than a night in that horrible palace, with my mate probably prowling the halls,

seeking to make me submit to him whether I want to or not.