The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy novel Chapter 838

Jackson snarls down into my face, though I don’t budge an inch, completely unafraid. Because even if fear and anger ripple through him at that confirmation, I know that none of this is for me. For my grandmother, perhaps – but not for me.

“Hey,” I whisper, reaching a hand up and cupping his cheek in my palm. “This one? This stupid mate? I hate him.”

Jackson stares at me for a long moment before a laugh pulses through him. “Seriously?”

I nod vigorously. “He sucks, Jacks. He’s really mean, and he murdered his cousin tonight, and he punched me earlier –“

Jackson stands up straight, his eyes flaring. “He punched you?”

I smirk a little, turning my face to show him my bruised jaw. “The regicide is okay, but the punching is where you draw the line?”

He snarls, deep and true, as he leans close to me and wraps his hands around the bars. “Come on, we’re getting you out of here, and then I’m coming back to kill him.”

“Jacks,” I say, a little frantic, my hands covering his on the bars. At least, as much as they can. “Not – not yet.”

He whips his head up to look at me, again shocked. “What are you talking about? We have to go, Ariel!”

“No, please,” I beg, my wolf howling her desperation so he can see how deeply we’re feeling it. “I just – there’s so much more happening, Jackson. Can we just take a minute, and think about it, before we go tearing this cage apart and make our escape?”

“What else could we possibly want to do, Ariel?” Jackson asks, bending forward to lean against the cage, to bring his face closer to mine. “Than get you the fuck out of here?”

I bite my lip and shrug. “Um…destroy Atalaxia and end the war?”

Jackson just stares at me for a moment like I’m insane. Then he shakes his head, once, hard. “Nope. Not our job. I’m getting you out of here.”

He again tightens his hands on the iron and I smack at them. “It is my job! It is – these are my people and my nation that are being threatened by Atalaxia!”

“And my mate that they’ve got in a cage!”

“Please, Jacks,” I beg, shaking my head at him too. “Please, let me just…tell you everything. And then we’ll decide.”