The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy
Chapter 0425

Hank grimaces. "A little," he says, shrugging. "It's a miracle, honestly, that we even have wifi."

Ella and Sinclair immediately look at each other, unspoken ideas passing to each other down their bond.

"Nope!" Hank says, pointing at the camera on his computer. "Whatever it is you're thinking-stop. We're going to be fine - we do not need help."

Ella sighs and just glares at the screen, thinking Hank knows her a bit too well, but Sinclair just moves on. "We apologize, Hank, for getting you up so early the day after the holiday."

"Yeah, what's up?" Hank asks, his voice deepening with worry as he runs a hand through his fully grey hair. "You two- it's not like you to insist on a meeting like this."

"It's war," Sinclair says seriously. Hank's face pales. "The Atalaxians are pushing their attack - they've promised to destroy us within a month."

"God," Hank breathes, shocked and dismayed. "But, what does that have to do with me? I'm...about as far from the front as I can get up here."

"It doesn't," Ella says with a sigh, glancing at Sinclair, who nods to her, giving her permission to take over. "Hank, we want to talk to you about our daughter's mate."

"Luca Grant?" Hank asks, smirking a little.

Ella laughs, a little delighted. "You follow the gossip columns way up there, boxed in with the snow?"

"I have to admit," Hank says, laughing with a shrug, "my youngest was devastated at the news. I think she had always imagined herself with the Champ - has his poster on her wall and everything."

"Oh, Annabell," Ella says, pressing her hands to her heart and pouting. Sinclair clears his throat, though, urging Ella to get back on task. "But actually, Hank," Ella says, dropping her voice a little. "It's about Ariel's...other mate."

Hank's eyebrows go steadily up as Ella quickly spills out the story of Ariel and Jackson, of Jackson's upbringing in a place called the Community, of his strange lack of knowledge about some basics regarding the world that everyone else they know takes for granted. By the time Ella finishes, Hank is looking at the pair of them with real shock.

"Seriously?" Hank breathes, staring between them. "From the Community? Are you serious?"

"What?" Sinclair snaps, leaning forward with a frown. "Is that bad?"

"Um, I'm not sure it's bad," Hank replies, looking away and running a hand again through his hair. "It's just...that's amazing. I've been trying to get an inside look at the Community for years, Dominic - but they won't let me in. Not at all. I've offered them everything I have - free aid, medical knowledge, funds. But they don't trust humans, and they certainly don't trust someone as close to the crown as I am." "Really," Sinclair says with a frown, looking at Ella with concern.

"Hank, he's a lovey boy," Ella says, drawing Hank's attention back to her. "Do you...I mean, is it something to be worried about? I don't like that they stonewall you out - they're our people, they're entitled to your care."

"Entitled to the crown's care if they want it," Hanks says with a shrug. "But... Ella, it's a cult. A straight cult - with a charismatic leader, and people falling in line beneath him. And not even the kind of cult that falls apart after a few years from too much drugs and weird sex- like, they're very strong, and very dedicated. From what I do know life inside is absolutely brutal - and the children raised within it are...militant, with little to no knowledge of the outside world. And absolutely allegiant to the Community - there's no doubt about that." "What aren't you saying, Hank," Sinclair bites out, harsher than he means to. But Hank ignores it - he's known Sinclair for years and is used to him snapping by now.

"I'm saying that if this is a lovely boy, Ella?" Hank replies, quite serious. "That...he's either a miracle, to have come out that way, or he's...a very good actor."

Ella goes white, staring at the computer screen and then up at Sinclair. "No..." she breathes, shaking her head. "Not...not Jackson."

"Look, Ella, I'm...I'm really not happy with the idea of a Community member in the palace," Hank says, putting out a hand and leaning forward towards his screen. "But they would be thrilled to have someone that close to the royal family. If they could accomplish it, they would. And any information they had...they'd be feeding to the Atalaxians."

"What?" Dominic breathes, staring at the computer in shock.