The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

J-jacks? Ariel's voice whispers, desperate and unbelieving. Are you real? Am I imagining you?

A sob breaks from Jackson's throat as he falls to his knees. Ari, he says to her, his mental voice shaking, I'm coming

Baby, she says, the word short and scared. Sweetheart, don't - they'll kill you -

I'll fucking kill them! He shouts back.

Ridiculously - absurdly - wonderfully - she laughs. Jackson groans when he hears it, even just in his mind, his hand shaking as he raises it to cover his eyes.

Don't, Ari says again. Please - baby, I love you so much - just...stay close, okay? It's too dangerous right now. I don't know what's happening and we need a plan. We need -

But suddenly her words cut off. Jackson groans as he feels the protective magic slamming down over the castle, knowing that it's gone.

And he - he didn't even tell her that he loved her - which he does, of course he does, so much -

But she knows, right?

She knows, his wolf murmurs, pressing himself against Jackson's heart.

Shaking, Jackson raises the binoculars again, looking at the door.

But all the Moon Valley people have disappeared inside the castle.

"So that's it," he murmurs, hardly able to think for the emotion pounding through him - the wonder at being able to reach her in his mind, the horror at having her taken away again, the fear of what she's suffering in there if she's saying that it's too dangerous. But he forces himself to focus, to be useful. "So, they have to drop the magical wards to let anyone in or out..."

Jackson hums consideringly at this new knowledge, turning it over in his mind, wondering how he can use it to his advantage.

While in his soul, his wolf raises his snout to the air, letting out a long and desperate howl for his mate. Calling to Ariel, to her wolf.

Begging her to come home.

"This suuuucks," Mark murmurs, sprawled out over his father's

favorite arm chair in the living room, idly playing with the gold chain that his mom made him start wearing forbade him from ever taking off. Necklaces provided by the Goddess's Priestesses, apparently, to keep them from getting

kidnapped away to the Underworld

like Juniper was.

All of the Sinclair kids have them now.

Rafe flicks his eyes up at Mark, a frown on his mouth. "Are you seriously complaining about being bored when your sisters have been kidnapped and their lives are at stake?"

Guilt races through Mark even as he lifts his head and frowns back at his brother. "Can't I be both?"

Rafe bares his teeth at his little brother, not in the mood for jokes.

Mark sighs, letting his head hang back. "Ariel would get it. She would laugh."

"Because Ariel is overindulgent with you," Rafe murmurs. "She loves everything her little pet puppy does." "Yeah," Mark sighs, staring at the ceiling. "I miss her."

And it's true. Even if he is bored, needing an outlet for his boundless energy even if his parents have put him on house arrest alongside all of his cousins, he does miss Ariel and he is worried for Juniper.

Well, maybe a little less for Juniper. He's a little more worried for anyone who has to deal with her in the Underworld, if he's being honest. Junie, when she's pissed off? Scary.

Mark and Rafe both start and turn to the door when it bangs open, his parents coming through - Dominic with long strides, Ella trotting determinedly to keep up with him.

"Don't you take that tone with me, Dominic Sinclair," Ella snaps, frowning up at her gigantic mate. Rafe and Mark both grimace when they realize that it's a fight another one. We've been over this. I did what I thought was right."

"Yes, Ella," Dominic says, casting a glare down at his little rose-gold mate. "You've made it quite clear that you acted with your whole heart when you made one of my most promising soldiers desert his position and go rogue

"Oh, you ass," Ella snaps, shaking her head as they reach the desk positioned before the sunny window. "You'll change your tune when Jackson brings our daughter home. Then you'll be 'oh, Ella, so wise,' and 'thank you, Ělla!""

"Thank you, Ella," Dominic says, dry, turning his shoulder to her a bit as he picks up some documents from the table and pulls his phone from his pocket, beginning to start a call. е "Now please go away so I can marshal the rest of my resources. Unless you want to send these to Atalaxia too. What does your heart say?"