The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

"Fuck, Ariel," Jackson whispers, trembling a little in shock and relief. "I've missed you so much – I'm so sorry -"

"Sorry," I say, lifting my face and sniffing hard, even as tears continue to fall from my eyes. "Why are you sorry."

"Because I let them take you," he murmurs, sticking an arm through the bar and wiping the tears from my face with his calloused thumb. "I'm so stupid -"

"Jacks," I say, scowling a little and pushing back. "Don't be ridiculous - they'd been planning that capture for months - for years -"

"I still should have -"

"Jackson McClintock," I snarl, pushing fully away but wrapping handfuls of his shirt in my hands, desperate to keep hold of him. "If you blame yourself for one more second, I'm going to punch you -"

His face bursts into his wonderful smile as he laughs at me - at my fury and my possessive love. I moan at the sight of it, loving him entirely, and stumble forward, wanting to be close again.

"No, Ariel, step back -" he says, laughing again and taking a step away that makes me clang into the bars. "Geeze, are you okay? Be careful, Ariel -"

"Jacks," I groan, reaching for him, "come back!"

"Just step away for a second - I can bend the bars -"

open as I stare

they're like...they're not very strong," he shrugs. "Cheap

raise my eyebrow at him. "Cheap materials, or

...well, it puts him at serious risk

murmurs, laughing a little and waving a hand at me as he studies

say, holding my

he asks,

here?" I whisper, shaking my head and then trying to peer around him towards the rest of the cages. "Did you come from outside the fence

still frowning at me and dismissing the point. "But why don't

head at him. "How did you...how did you get here? To the

again and huffs a frustrated sigh, seeing that we're not going to get anywhere towards his questions until he answers mine first. Then he pulls something from his pocket and holds it out to me. "This showed up in my tent," he

there, but...I think it allowed

be a talisman," I murmur, studying it. And then my eyes

gaze up to Jackson's face, my wolf suddenly yelping and skittering away

asks, going still. "No, come back..." he murmurs,

even as I shift my gaze inward to my wolf and to his, studying them. "Gabriel - he's got a talisman too that