The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy novel Chapter 791

My wolf growls and turns in my soul, worried, wishing I’d had more time to ask Elias about Jesse’s mate, this apparent master spy.

“Luca Grant rejected me,” I say, shrugging and looking down at my plate, willing myself to look sad and contrite about it. “And Jackson McClintock is nothing. A brute. A commoner. I don’t know why the Goddess saw fit to assign me to him.”

It pains me to even say the words and inwardly I shout that each one is untrue, that Jackson is the best thing in my life, the best man I’ve ever met, and I endeavor to deserve him every day.

Gabriel simply laughs softly and leans towards me, drawing my eyes back up to him. “Your relationships to your past mates are nothing to me, Ariel. Especially considering they’ll both be dead in a month.”

I pale at his words, my eyes flashing, even as I work hard to keep my expression plain.

But Gabriel just laughs and begins to push himself up from the chair. “Prepare yourself, Luna, he snaps out. “Tonight I present you to the court and then our mating ceremony will be in a week.” He leans down towards me, wrapping a possessive hand around the side of my neck, his palm pressed flat to Luca’s mark. “And then I’ll mark you myself, and wipe any memory of those pathetic wolves from your mind.”

His hand on my neck tightens as Gabriel pulls me towards him, slamming his mouth on mine, crude and vulgar, a claiming more than a kiss.

Laughing, he breaks away. “And if you do anything to displease me,” he seethes, glaring hard into my eyes. “I’ll pick either Jesse or Juniper from the dungeons, and bring them to your room, and cut their throat before your eyes. In fact, I’ll make you pick which one dies first.”

Without another word Gabriel strides for the door, yanking it open and stepping out into the hall without even looking back. I watch him in horror, my mind racing even as my wolf howls at the idea. Juniper – Jesse – do they – do they really have them both? In the dungeons? Where are those?

“I’m sorry, Ariel,” Elias says a long moment after Gabriel has slammed the door shut. Horrified, I shift my eyes to him. He just shakes his head, sorrow in every line of his face.

“Um,” Pippa says, a bit frantic, looking between us, for some way to make this better. “Maybe we should –“

“Could I…” I murmur, looking down into my lap, fighting my tears. “Just…have a moment alone? Please?”

Midnight lifts her head and wrinkles her nose at him. “What kind of name is Fifs for a little girl?”

“Are you seriously asking me this?” Jesse asks, dry. “Midnight?”

She stares at him like he’s speaking gibberish and then shrugs, moving on and turning her attention back to the pot. “Are you hungry, mate-boy?”

Jesse sighs and sits up, staring at the pot like he’s worried about the consequences of his answer. “I am. What’re you cooking?”

“Galushka!” she says, waving a hand over the pot like it’s a magic cauldron.

“What the hell is that?” Jesse asks, dubious. Honestly, he’s not sure he wants to know, because the answer isn’t going to be anything good. When Midnight had brought him to the tent – the yurt, really – last night, he’d been horrified to see that this is her home. The entire thing is so worn, and bare, and patched – it’s like she’s utterly homeless here, and not even with the resources of someone who can seek some sort of assistance or beg for spare change.