Mated To The Cruel Prince
Chapter 471: Strange Relationship

Chapter 471: Strange Relationship

"Could you stop looking at me like that, it’s becoming creepy," Islinda complained when Maxi wouldn’t stop grinning at her foolishly. One more stupid grin and she would slap it off her face.

"What?" Maxi pretended to be oblivious to what she was saying, however, there was still that knowing yet frivolous smiling.

The gods help her! Islinda knew she wouldn’t hear the end of it today. Just her luck that Maxi stumbled upon them in the middle of a kiss.

"So..." Maxi tilted her head in Aldric’s direction, "The both of you are together now?"

Aldric turned to Islinda who busied herself at that moment by looking out the mirror and then at the space between them. He said, "Why don’t you ask her?"

"Why me?" Islinda retorted, "She clearly asked you the question."

Aldric’s lips lifted sarcastically, "Why do you think so? I don’t want to embarrass you by assuming something you don’t want us to be."

Infuriated, Islinda faced him, with her arms folded, "Really?"

"Really." He laughed dryly, "What would your precious Valerie think if he heard that you kissed me, of your free will?"

Islinda scoffed, "And right now, you are acting like a high horse as if you really wanted to date me? As if I don’t know you have attachment issues." She retorted, causing Aldric’s expression to darken.

"Ooh, I am so loving this," Maxi chuckled, saying to Issac, "All that is missing is some snacks to enjoy this drama." She laughed.

Issac sighed, shaking his head in self-sympathy. The gods must have been bored out of their minds when they decided to make Maxi his mate. He liked her, but the both of them were nothing alike.

"I don’t have an attachment problem," Aldric said.

Islinda snorted, "Says the one who hadn’t had a stable relationship."

"I have had stable relationships."

"Oh, you mean Tatiana, the one you killed," Islinda said those words and regretted it once she saw the hurt that flashed across Aldric’s face yet vanished almost immediately.

"Ooh oh." Maxi said with a sense of dread, muttering under her breath, "You shouldn’t have gone there, Islinda."

Islinda licked her lips nervously, her heart speeding up. That was a low blow and she shouldn’t have touched such a sensitive issue, but Aldric was fond of pushing her to the limit as well. Why does it seem such a big deal now she’s returned the favor?

"I seem to have forgotten that as innocent as you look, you did claw deep," Aldric said coldly, the sneer in his tone obvious.

"Obviously, I had a good teacher." Islinda sassed. She should stop but she couldn’t control her mouth and Aldric gets on her nerves. She can’t lose to him.

"And I am so proud of you." Aldric declared proudly, his once serious face brightening up at once.

"What?" Islinda was confused, having no clue what just happened. Wasn’t he mad at her?

Before she had a chance to question the change in his demeanor, Aldric already wrapped his hand around her neck and pulled her to him, kissing her fiercely on the lips with his eyes closed while her own eyes were opened wide. What in the Fae?

Maxi whistled and cheered at the scene while Issac shifted uncomfortably on his seat especially when the kiss deepened and there were a lot of tongues in play. It was kind of weird to watch, not only because he was reserved but it was still hard getting over the fact that the dreaded dark Fae prince had feelings like him, and by the gods, he wasn’t shy in expressing it. How could Islinda stand to kiss a Fae who was considered a monster? Sure, Aldric had some redeeming points but it didn’t excuse what he was and capable of. It was simply weird.

"They are cute, aren’t they?" Issac was startled from his thoughts, turning to see that his mate had that cunning glint in her eyes.

"This doesn’t seem weird to you?" Issac asked, sparing a glimpse at Aldric and Islinda who were still kissing. With that amount of passion, he had no doubt the both of them would be doing way much more were it not for their presence.

"What is weird?" Maxi looked them over, satisfied with what she saw.

Issac opened his mouth to speak but lowered his voice, not willing to disrupt the "busy" couples.

He whispered cautiously, "It’s Aldric, we are talking here."

"So?" Maxi arched a brow at him.

"He’s a —"

"I know."

"Then you should know what —"

"I am a dark Fae too or have you forgotten?" Maxi emphasized, a stern look on her face.

"Fuck." Issac groaned, rubbing his hand down his face. He apologized, "I’m sorry."

"You’re forgiven."

Issac glanced at her, "That quickly?"

Maxi turned to him with a menacing grin, "And you really believed me?" She leaned in to whisper, "Don’t worry, we’ll settle our problem in our way." She hinted by nipping his pointed ear.

Issac swallowed with both dread and anticipation. Tonight was going to be entertaining.

"Moreover," Maxi returned to watching the kissing couples, "I have an interesting show to watch, there’s no room for distraction. Also, I think that is the longest kiss I’ve ever seen. They should be awarded."

The both of them finally broke apart from the kiss, staring into each other’s eyes. As usual, Aldric had that smugness on his face knowing he just kissed the hell out of her. Islinda froze at the scene, her mouth parted from the shock. Her heart wouldn’t pounding and the blood rushed to her heart and there was a thrill coursing through her veins. That was when it dawned on Islinda.

She was in love with Aldric.

Fuck.

It was not Valerie, but Aldric. She had never kissed anyone like this but him. No one else in the world could make her feel like this. As if she was alive and nothing else mattered except them. She liked Eli too. But you couldn’t love Eli without liking his host, Aldric. They were the same. Her eyes were finally opened and everything finally made sense to Islinda. The gods helped her, she was doomed.

"Are you okay?"

"What?" Islinda blinked up at Aldric.

"You suddenly look pale," Aldric noted with a hint of concern, his brows suddenly furrowed.

"I think I feel a little lightheaded," Islinda lied.

Well, technically, she was feeling light-headed from the gravity of her discovery. How could she be in love with Aldric? She guarded her heart against him but in the end, it turns out she was the one in denial. Andre knew it and told her. But she never believed him. More like she didn’t want to believe him.

"Never fall in love with me." Aldric’s warning rang in her head at that moment and a shudder ran through her.

That reminder caused Islinda to look at Aldric with a horrified expression like someone who had seen a ghost.

Aldric’s frown deepened, "Islinda?"

"Can I lie on your lap?"

Aldric was taken aback by the request and yet he compiled, albeit with confusion. He wondered what was going on in her head right now. Does she regret the kiss? But then Islinda wouldn’t request to lie on his lap, they would be fighting by now. It was very weird. Islinda was not being like Islinda right now.

He scooted in his position so Islinda could stretch out her legs while she laid her head on her lap and shut her eyes.

"Do you want to sleep?" He asked softly.

"Mmmm." She hummed at first, only to add more details, "I was nervous about the court hearing and couldn’t get enough sleep."

"Oh. Okay, sleep." Aldric said.

Islinda nodded in response and lay still.

At first, Aldric didn’t know where to keep his hand but he placed it on her head and then gently began to thread his hand through it. Islinda stiffened at the action but she eventually relaxed and it somehow sent a thrill through him. Islinda was beginning to trust him, although it was a bad idea considering what he planned to do to her tonight.

Aldric continued stroking her hair until he felt her breathing even out and she was deep asleep. The dark Fae prince didn’t even realize he was smiling to himself until he lifted his face to see Maxi and Issac’s shocked faces.

"What?" He snapped.

Issac did not answer and looked away but the same couldn’t be said for Maxi. She said, "The both of you are so strange right now." Maxi shuddered, "At first it was sweet, but now I just want to cringe."

Aldric told her, "I didn’t force you to enter the carriage, the door is still that way. You can jump out, I won’t miss you."

Maxi sneered, "So much for worrying about your ungrateful ass."

"Well, I did bring her back in one piece, aren’t you delighted?" Aldric hinted at Islinda sleeping in his arms.

"Lucky you," Maxi said sarcastically.

Aldric faced Issac, "How do you even deal with her? I bet she drives you crazy"

"Exactly Issac," Maxi pinned him with a look, "Tell him."

At that question, Issac, the poor fella wished the ground could open up and swallow him. Why does Aldric keep pitting him against his mate?

Issac answered carefully, "She has a charming personality. Trust me, even my family loves her."

And thus, Issac narrowly avoided his death.