Mated To The Cruel Prince

Issac burst into his room, relief flooding his eyes as he spotted the figure he had been searching for all this while. "Maxi, where have you been all this time? I almost thought..." His words faded as he took in the sight before him. His belongings were strewn across the bed, and Maxi was hastily shoving clothes into an open bag.

He frowned. "What are you doing right now?" His tone was a mixture of confusion and concern, his eyes fixed on Maxi’s hurried actions.

The air was heavy with tension, yet Maxi’s resolve remained unwavering as she replied, "Sending you away while you still have time."

Despite the gravity of the situation, Maxi didn’t break her concentration, her hands moving swiftly as she packed his belongings. Her sole focus was on ensuring his departure was swift and safe.

Issac’s frustration was palpable as he sighed heavily, his hand instinctively reaching to pinch the bridge of his nose in exasperation. With determined strides, he crossed the space and abruptly seized the bag from Maxi’s hands, disrupting her workflow.

The sudden interruption caused Maxi to pause, her gaze flickering up to meet Issac’s with a mixture of surprise, and then annoyance. Tension crackled in the air, the silence punctuated only by the sound of their breathing.

Maxi glared at him, "Hand it over."

"I thought we already talked about this and we agreed that we were going to do this together," Issac reminded her, his voice tinged with disappointment.

"Yes, I must have been out of my mind at that time, and it wasn’t two days to Aldric’s release," Maxi retorted, her insides gnawing with anxiety.

She was not usually like this, but having a mate made her vulnerable in ways she never imagined. Maxi was once carefree and reckless, giving little thought to consequences or the well-being of others. But now, with Issac by her side, everything had changed. She had someone worth protecting, someone she cared deeply about.

Maxi couldn’t bear the idea of anything happening to Issac because of her mistakes — she betrayed Aldric. She would do whatever it took to keep Issac safe, even if it meant sacrificing her own happiness. She couldn’t risk losing him, not when he meant everything to her

"Honestly, aren’t you going about this the wrong way?" Issac suddenly said, arousing her attention

"What?"

"I’m the male here, I’m supposed to take care of —" Issac was still speaking when without a second thought, Maxi lunged forward, her movements swift and calculated, pinning Isaac against the cold, unforgiving wall.

"This is not about gender, idiot. I know Aldric enough and can take care of him which means I’m the one at most advantage."Maxi spat, her hand on his shoulder, pinning him and passing the message across.

Isaac’s eyes flashed with the challenge, and before Maxi could react, she was pinned against the wall, her hands restrained above her head. Leaning in close, Isaac growled defiantly, "I’m not weak. I can protect myself. I can stand up to Aldric just fine."

Maxi, unaccustomed to being overpowered, flashed a defiant expression at Isaac. They both engaged in a power struggle, each attempting to assert dominance. The fierce confrontation led to the destruction of nearby objects as they grappled with one another, their movements blurring in the intensity of their clash. Despite Maxi’s initial advantage, Isaac managed to overpower her by a stroke of luck.

He had her pinned flat on her back on the bed, his knee between her legs, and her hands firmly held down by him. Their faces were mere inches apart as they locked eyes, both drawing long, deep breaths. Maxi attempted to resist, but Isaac’s unexpected strength surprised her, evident by the look of shock on her face. Their chests rose and fell with each breath, and despite herself, Maxi couldn’t deny the allure of their position.

"Didn’t I tell you, I am strong too," Issac said, smug from his victory.

His gaze trailed down to the soft rise and fall of her chest, and a flicker of desire darkened his eyes. Isaac couldn’t deny the rush of arousal that surged through him whenever they engaged in such intense combat. Maxi was unlike any other female he’d encountered, consistently challenging him and igniting a primal response within him.

Maxi couldn’t ignore the shift in the atmosphere, her body tensing with anticipation. She felt a surge of excitement as she noticed how close Isaac’s powerful thighs were to her center, the mere thought of him pressing against her sending a thrilling shiver down her spine.

Their gazes locked like two magnets, unable to break away. Maxi’s deliberate lick across her lips elicited a low growl from Isaac, resonating deep within her. As they leaned in closer, on the brink of a passionate moment, a sudden commotion outside their door diverted their attention. Both jerked their heads in the direction of the disturbance.

Before they could react, the door was kicked down, and in a blur, Isaac was snatched away, followed by Maxi. They were forcefully pinned against the wall, unable to move their hands or legs, rendering Isaac unable to wield his powers. Everything unfolded too swiftly for them to retaliate, leaving them both vulnerable and at the mercy of their captor.

Throughout the chaos, Maxi hadn’t caught a glimpse of their attacker, but she knew in her gut who it was. The realization made her heart race with dread as she desperately tried to break free from the icy grip that held her captive. However, her struggles seemed futile, only causing more layers of frost to envelop her, almost swallowing her arm in its icy embrace.

"Stop," Isaac urged, his voice filled with concern. "You’ll only harm yourself further." He had already accepted their grim fate, knowing it was futile to resist Aldric’s power.

"Damn it!" Maxi cursed through gritted teeth, frustration evident in her voice as her efforts proved futile, only worsening the situation. She didn’t want to admit it, but it seemed her worst fear had finally come to fruition.

Simultaneously, footsteps echoed in the room, causing Maxi to shift uncomfortably, knowing all too well who was approaching. Within seconds, Aldric loomed before them, his smug demeanor eliciting a desire in Maxi to slap it off his face if he weren’t so terrifying.

Maxi had grown accustomed to Aldric’s use of shadows, but the sudden manifestation of frost caught her off guard. The dark Fae prince had always favored darkness, considering frost to be a weaker element, and preferred the darkness which was a better extension of himself. However, with each step he took, frost spread across the floor, leaving a chilling trail in his wake. The coldness emanating from him was palpable, causing the room temperature to plummet and sending shivers down both Maxi’s and Isaac’s spines.

With their limbs immobilized by frost, Maxi couldn’t help but dread the prospect of frostbite by the end of their ordeal. Yet, in the grand scheme of things, frostbite seemed like a minor punishment compared to whatever Aldric had in store for them. His icy blue gaze bore down on them with disdain, sparking anger and resentment within Maxi as she clenched her jaw in defiance. She refused to feel guilty for her actions, knowing she had only done what was right. She had preserved what little remained of her relationship with Islinda, but the self-centered prince failed to grasp that.

Suddenly, Aldric’s voice cut through the tense atmosphere, his eyes gleaming with a maniacal intensity. "I hope I’m not interrupting anything," he taunted, his words dripping with malicious intent. "The scene earlier seemed like quite the foreplay."

Maxi’s voice was laced with a mix of curiosity and apprehension as she addressed Aldric. "How did you get out? Did those fools let you escape, even after everything I did to deter them?" She sought answers, yet her underlying motive was to stall for time, hoping the ice binding them would melt away and provide her with a fleeting chance to defend herself.

Aldric’s chuckle resonated deeply in the tense air, his amusement evident despite the gravity of the situation. "Indeed, Maxi, they’re all a bunch of fools..." His tone shifted suddenly, his eyes narrowing with a steely glint. "But did you honestly believe you could confine me for so long?" The implication hung heavy in the air, challenging Maxi’s resolve.

Maxi’s response was candid and straightforward. "No," she admitted, her gaze meeting Aldric’s without flinching. "Which is precisely why I had intended to release you in two days’ time."

Aldric’s laughter took on a sinister edge, his amusement tinged with malice. "Unfortunately for you, I managed to escape earlier," he chuckled darkly, his eyes gleaming with triumph. "So spare me the excuses, Maxi."

The tension in the room was palpable as Aldric disregarded Maxi and Isaac, striding purposefully to a nearby chair. With deliberate movements, he pulled it out and seated himself before them, crossing his legs with an air of authority.

Aldric’s gaze swept over Maxi and Isaac, his expression unreadable as he formed a rectangular space with his fingers, almost as if framing them within his grasp. Nodding his head in apparent satisfaction, he remarked, "Yes, that is a pleasing sight."

Issac couldn’t contain his disbelief, scoffing in utter incredulity. "You are really crazy," he muttered, finally seeing Aldric for the malevolent force he truly was. The realization struck him like a thunderbolt, leaving him feeling like nothing more than a pawn in Aldric’s twisted game.

Aldric arched a single brow in response, his demeanor smug and self-assured. "Shocking. I thought you knew," he retorted, wearing the title of madness as if it were a badge of honor.

He continued, "Unfortunately, you have betrayed me for the second time, and I warned you, there is no forgiveness this time. So don’t even talk to me."

Maxi’s heart trembled in her chest as she watched Aldric’s hand move with a swift and precise gesture. A shiver ran down her spine as she saw Isaac’s mouth sealed with frost, his protests muffled and his voice silenced. Despite the fear gnawing at her, Maxi couldn’t help but feel a subtle wave of relief wash over her. She had feared that Aldric was prepared to do much worse, perhaps even to the point of murdering Isaac.

"Now it’s just you and me, Maxi. Finally," Aldric declared, clasping his hands and adopting a demeanor that oozed authority and control.

Maxi scrutinized his demeanor, her mind racing with countless thoughts and emotions. Instead of voicing her myriad concerns, she decided to pose a question. "Why the ice?" she inquired, her tone carefully neutral.

Aldric hummed in contemplation, his gaze fixated on his hand as ice slithered up, encasing it in a silver sheen. "Why indeed?" he mused aloud, a hint of malice flickering in his eyes. "Of all the powers I could wield while exacting revenge on the audacious beings who drove a sword through my chest..." His words served as a chilling reminder of the grievance he held against them.

Maxi swallowed hard, summoning her courage to maintain her composure.

"On my way here, I realized I had grown too accustomed to wielding my shadows," Aldric continued, his voice dripping with disdain. "I needed to alter my tactics, especially after the one I trusted most betrayed me. And besides, winter is a formidable force—cold, unyielding, and unforgiving. Perhaps being as hardened as granite will shield me from further betrayal."