The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Midnight grumbles something about not wanting to be fair, turning her face away from him.

Jesse sighs, not enjoying making her unhappy but knowing that it all needs to be said. “And,” he continues. "While I want you to enroll if that's what will make you happy, I have to say - I don't think Uncle Dom is going to be thrilled about having a young woman corrupted by Darkness within his Academy and his military."

Midnight snaps her head to him, her mouth open. "What!?"

Jesse shrugs. "Darkness has a hold on you, Mids," he says. "I don't honestly know what that means, but if there's a chance that Darkness can control you? Or see through your eyes -"

"He can't see through my eyes," she mutters, rolling them.

"Are you sure?" Jesse asks, leaning closer.

Midnight stills, her face falling, making it abundantly clear that she...is not sure.

"Darkness is our enemy right now, Midnight," Jesse says softly. "I don't know what's fully going on, but he was clearly using Atalaxia to attack us as the Goddess's children and heirs. And now that Atalaxia is gone he's going to find some new method to do it. Maybe the Community or maybe..."

"Maybe me..." Midnight whispers, horrified. She starts to rock back and forth, uncomfortable, her shadows swirling.

Jesse lets her sit in it for a moment, putting a hand out on her shoulder, wanting her to feel that he's on her side.

To his surprise, Midnight fixes her eyes on the little girls across the yurt, on their laughter and play. She watches them for what feels like a long time, her mind clearly working on the problem, on her priorities, on what she wants for her life.

She turns her head back to Jesse, her eyes sad and worried. "I don't want anyone in my family to get hurt because of my powers," she whispers quietly.

Jesse nods, his heart aching for her, squeezing her shoulder in his palm.

"But," she continues, her voice wavering. "I...don't want to give up my powers, Jess. I...don't know who I am without my powers. I don't want to be weak." Tears fill her eyes.

Jesse sighs, his heart breaking for her, and he scootches closer to Midnight, gathering her up in his arms and pulling her into his lap, cradling her close to his chest. "You'll still be Midnight," he

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murmurs, pressing a kiss to her dark curls. "We'll still love you precisely as much."

"But I won't be powerful," she whines, desperately sad.

"Are you sure?" Jesse asks, considering it, pressing his cheek against her hair. "Mids, how much of your powers are...your gift? How much are a result of the corruption?"

She goes a bit still. "What are you talking about?"

Jesse sighs and then begins to speak his thoughts aloud as he thinks them, musing on Gabriel's ability to use his powers even after Ariel cleared him of his darkness thoughin a different, lesser form. “I just wonder if the same would be true for you," Jesse murmurs. "If you'd actually lose anything. Or if....it

would just be different."

"I don't want less power," Midnight says, frightened. "I don't want to be weak."

"There are other ways to be strong," Jesse says softly. He lifts his head, putting a hand on Midnight's shoulder to push her back a bit so that he can look into his face. "And your wolf, Mids- she's...suffering." He turns inward again, his wolf howling to see hers still stuck in that oily muck, unable to move or to play, her breathing labored. "What would you gain if she was free?" noveldrama

"I don't know," Midnight says, a little whine in her voice. "Jesse, I don't know - it's all so scary..."

He hums in agreement, not wanting to push her. It's her choice, after all - her body, her magic, her wolf, her life.

After a moment, he tries one last foray. "Do you think," he murmurs. "That if I got Ariel up here just to talk to you about the possibility of clearing your corruption... do you think you'd talk to her about it?"

"I don't want to be forced to do anything," Midnight growls, sniffing hard. "You said you wouldn't force me, Jesse."

"And I won't," he whispers, holding her close. "I promise, Mids. Just...please talk to her. Maybe she can tell you what would happen. I want you to know all of your options. And then you can decide."

She sighs, leaning hard against him. "All right," she says, her voice barely audible as she closes her eyes, trusting him. "All right, Jesse. I'll talk to her."

"Thank you," Jesse says, wrapping his arms around Midnight and holding her close. Inwardly his wolf stands straight, shaking out his fur, determined to do as best as he can by this girl.

To help her live her life as she chooses, whatever that looks like.