Mated To The Cruel Prince
Chapter 425: You Cannot Escape Me

Chapter 425: You Cannot Escape Me

Music recommendation — Broken by Jonah Kagen

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"Where are we going?" Maxi asked the Fae, her voice filled with curiosity and unease, while he guided her away.

Maxi found herself being swept away by a memory, unable to stop it. Despite her long existence, she had managed to maintain her sanity by filtering through her memories, intentionally forgetting the traumatic and useless ones. However, this particular memory had stayed with her, disturbingly vivid, except for one crucial detail - his name. It felt as though she was watching the memory from an outsider’s perspective, detached from her own emotions.

"You’ll find out when we get there," he responded, flashing her a smile that Maxi detected was filled with deceit. Even though she knew deep down that the Fae would betray her tonight, she couldn’t help but smile back and hold his hand, despite the discomfort that coursed through her. She couldn’t shake off the sadness that accompanied her actions, knowing full well that ultimately he failed her.

With each step, Maxi clung onto his hand, occasionally gazing up at his face, desperately trying to imprint his identity on her mind before he became nothing more than a distant memory. The question lingered in her thoughts - how could someone look into her eyes and still betray her? Hadn’t he claimed to love her?

So, Maxi followed him blindly, feeling like a fool, fully aware that this moment would inevitably lead to her being sold away. As she expected, an ambush awaited them as soon as they stepped into the clearing. A net made of iron was tossed onto her, causing her to feel a sudden loss of power. She couldn’t help but think of them as fools thinking that iron could affect her the way it did them. At least she had managed to keep her secrets hidden while foolishly being in love.

Nevertheless, Maxi didn’t fight back. She stayed still, pretending to be defeated, giving them the illusion of victory. This was the moment she had been waiting for, the moment he would sell her away. It seemed horse shifters were highly sought after, which explained why her kind had practically gone extinct.

And just as she had imagined, she watched through the net, weighed down by its heaviness, as the coins exchanged hands, betraying her worth. It wasn’t the first time she had gone through such an ordeal, but that didn’t make it any easier. Her heart shattered in the end, realizing that no one truly wanted her. With the heavy net draped over her, she rose to her feet, transformed into a nightmarish creature, fueled by anger.

Maxi retreated into the deepest corners of her mind, letting darkness consume her. When her eyes opened, they resembled black slits, reminiscent of the demons from hell. And then she charged. The terrible screams and grunts of the Fae filled the air as she methodically picked them off one by one, showing no mercy as she knew they would have shown her none. Who did they think they were, trying to sell her like an exotic animal when she had her own person, her own mind? Maxi left none of them alive, saving "him" for last.

When her massacre was completed, her darkened eyes flickered towards him. He couldn’t escape, pinned down by the oppressive force she had created within his mind. Fear filled his eyes as he realized he was now on the receiving end, with her as the predator.

Maybe in his next life, if he indeed had one, he wouldn’t dare to underestimate a seemingly meek and bubbly horse shifter. While she was half Fae and iron still affected her, it only dampened her powers inherited from her Fae ancestry, rather than completely incapacitating her due to her shifter side. In other words, she could withstand the presence of iron longer than a pure Fae could.

Maxi winced at the memory, closing her eyes momentarily, the details of her vengeance unsettled her. She may have emerged victorious, but she was left alone - just as she was now. She had seen this coming, as she always did, but Issac’s optimistic nature had blinded her. She had dared to hope. However, now it was clear to her that hope was reserved for fools.

Most of the fault lay with Maxi herself. If only she had controlled her anger, then Oma wouldn’t have discovered her secret. But how long could she have hidden it? Being a shifter allowed her to deceive, but in a world where honesty was valued, albeit twisted to fit their needs, her "advantage" felt wrong. It made her feel like she didn’t belong, and nature ensured she was constantly reminded of it.

She had always longed to be like them, to be accepted, just as she longed for the affection Issac had shown her. It had been so long since someone had looked at her with such tenderness in their eyes. That’s why she had felt the need to defend what was rightfully hers.

Anya’s visit had felt so out of place. Her presence disturbed Maxi, and all she had wanted was to eliminate the threat. However, she had forgotten that the stakes were higher this time, and they were in the heart of the city, where careless murder would be witnessed and recorded. It would have been a grave mistake.

Thankfully, she had stopped herself just in time, but the damage had been done. She had revealed too much, and Oma knew everything, refusing to accept her. Maxi finally saw herself through her mother’s eyes - as the monster she believed her to be. A dark Fae would never be accepted as a bride, any sane mother would reject the idea.

Maxi sensed the faint remnants of a festival in the air, but she trudged on, weighed down by the heaviness in her soul, a stark contrast to the excitement and joy permeating the atmosphere.

She had no idea where she was in the world. All she knew was that she had managed to escape when the argument had erupted. Disappearing seemed like the best option now.

Maxi wandered into an alleyway and settled down on the bare ground. She curled up into a ball, wrapping her arms around her knees and burying her face in them. Time seemed to blur in that position, and the only reason she dared to lift her head was when she sensed movement.

When she raised her face, it collided with a pair of amber eyes, causing her breath to catch. For over a minute, they simply stared at each other, the weight of unspoken words hanging in the air. Finally, she croaked, "How did you find me?"

"We are mates, you idiot!" Issac growled, pulling her into his arms and murmuring into her hair. "You can’t escape from me anymore, Maxi."

Maxi attempted to respond but instead, a sob escaped her lips. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, she broke down into tears.