Mated To The Cruel Prince
Chapter 261: He Felt At Peace

Chapter 261: He Felt At Peace

Maxi was back, the news left Issac both elevated yet unnerved. He had come across some servants discussing how strange it was for the prince’s horse to return to the castle without him.

Issac was not ignorant of the rumors surrounding Prince Aldric’s cursed black stallion and the servants dreaded it. If only they knew the horse was so much more and a horse shifter.

His mother Oma had not been kidding about sending him packing until he made it up to Maxi, not that she even knew her name or what she was. Issac had been in bed when she came in and rolled him to the ground by pulling on the coverlet. This was the beginning of his return to Aldric’s castle.

Now, not only does he need to apologize and reconcile with Maxi, but he also has to bring her home to meet his mother. By the gods, what has he done? He must have lost his mind considering he’d be endangering his family by bringing Maxi to his home.

However, he knew Oma. His mother was more human than Fae, having so much compassion that doesn’t exist in their world. She would hassle him until he met the term she gave him. If push comes to shove, Oma might even come to the castle to take matters into her own hands.

He could not let that happen. Aldric hasn’t made a move yet and it left Issac wondering what was going on in that twisted mind of his. If the dark Fae prince had forgotten about his threat by chance, he wouldn’t want his mother’s visit to trigger a thing. He had to keep his mother away from here. In one word, he has no choice but to fulfill his mother’s request.

Issac had no choice but to wait till dusk fell, that way he could find her under the cover of the night. Maxi was meticulous about her identity, at least most times. Issac tried not to think about the way she carelessly exposed herself the night of that argument. The horse shifter already made it clear she wouldn’t hesitate to take a life to protect her identity. Was that the kind of Fae he wanted to welcome into his home?

His face scrunched at the niggling feeling inside of him that empathized with the horse shifter. He betrayed Islinda to live, why couldn’t Maxi do the same? Not to mention, he somehow wanted her to live. Yes, Maxi was a dark Fae, but she was nothing like the kind described to him in tales. Stories told to them about the dark Fae War and the greatest hunt in Fae history.

Sure, Maxi still had that cruelty to her, perfectly hidden beneath the surface, but somehow she was different. As if she kept the darkness at bay. But then, how long would she be able to hide that vicious side of her? It was an error on his side to befriend a dark Fae and now have contradicting feelings for her. He shouldn’t pity her.

One day, whether he liked it or not, Maxi ultimately would be caught and killed. A knot formed in Issac’s stomach and his chest felt robbed of air at the thought. Unfortunately, that was the truth he had to begin to accept. Unless of course, Aldric becomes king and protects his kind. Which was impossible.

Like a mantra, Issac believed the only reason he was seeking Maxi out was because of his mother, nothing else. Once Maxi forgives him and she meets his mother - not as a potential mate - they are done. He would keep his distance. It was time to throw himself fully into duty, nothing else.

It wasn’t hard to find Maximus, the majestic creature was resting in its stall. His massive body was stretched out on the ground with its legs folded beneath, head lowered and its eyes closed, breathing slowly and deeply.

Issac studied her, was he or she really asleep? He had to admit that it was a bit confusing accepting that the horse shifter was an anomaly with two genders. At this point, Issac had no idea what to do, torn between decisions. Should he leave and come back later or risk waking the horse shifter and be on the receiving end of his wrath?

Issac let out a shaky breath, may the gods help him today. He carefully lifted the lock and stepped into the stall, all without waking the horse, which was an accomplishment on his part. Fae were sensitive to even the smallest of sounds.

By the time Issac got into the stall, he realized he was really tempting death. The stall was not exactly small but with a grand horse like Maximus, she literally ate up the space. In one word, If Maxi attacked him, there was really nowhere to go.

Issac sat down on the clean hay, leaning his back against the stall and choosing to wait till she woke. With a few minutes spent in silence except for the creaking of insects from the outside and the horse’s loud breathing, Issac began to feel for Maxi. To think that she was stuck in this form most of the time.

The Fae began to feel guilty for all those times he was mean to her whenever she snuck into his bed. She must have been trying to establish some kind of physical and mental connection with him. How do you stay in this form all day without going crazy?

Issac loved his quiet but he wasn’t sure he could endure being stuck with nothing but his thoughts all day. Now he could begin to understand Maxi’s impish nature and weird ways. She was starved of companionship. How awful she must feel to give her shifter side the reins over her life.

Issac felt a suffocating feeling in his chest, a bit confused about where this onslaught of emotions was coming from. He lifted a hand to his chest where it felt like there was a gaping hole. It hurt. badly.

To make it worse, a tear slipped from his eyes and he cleared it, lifting the wet finger to his face with confusion. What was happening to him? He could not understand it.

If Issac hadn’t been careful, he would have accused Maxi of doing this to him. She was manipulating him with her magic, overwhelming him with sadness. But she was asleep and couldn’t have done it.

That was not all.

Issac felt a fierce pull and the next he knew he already moved to lay beside the horse, his hand resting on her side and he shut his eyes, sleep overtaking him.

The sadness finally retreated and he felt at peace.