Mated To The Cruel Prince
Chapter 548: Kill Issac —1

Chapter 548: Kill Issac —1

"I didn’t betray you," Maxi retorted through gritted teeth, her voice edged with frustration. "You brought it upon yourself! What were you expecting? That Islinda would forgive you after you attempted to kill her, your own mate?"

"I was out of my mind at that time!" Aldric shouted back with intense fervor, his words striking Maxi with such force that she found herself momentarily stunned.

Their gazes locked in a fierce clash of wills, but Aldric eventually relented, his chest heaving with the effort of his outburst. His tone softened almost to a whisper as he continued, "I just found out that my alter ego had been harboring a deep secret all this while. Eli knew she was my mate all along and intentionally brought us closer because he feared what I would do."

"Oh, he sure was a smart one. I should applaud him, even though his efforts were in vain, considering you still attempted to murder Islinda," Maxi snarked, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

Even in her vulnerable state, incapacitated and at Aldric’s mercy, Maxi refused to cower. She remained unafraid to speak her mind, her defiance evident in every word she uttered.

Aldric drew in a deep breath, attempting to rein in his temper. But when his gaze flickered back to hers, Maxi could see that he had reverted to his usual emotionless state, confirming the fact that he was indeed the same cold-hearted bastard she had come to know.

Isaac’s confusion deepened as he watched the conversation unfold, his muffled sounds echoing across the room. What in the Fae were they talking about? The mention of an alter ego left him utterly perplexed. What did Aldric mean by that? It was clear to Isaac that Maxi had kept this secret from him, even though they were mates. He felt somewhat betrayed and excluded from a significant aspect of Maxi’s life. And it was made worse knowing that Maxi had a lot of secrets that he had not even come close to learning.

"I begged you not to imprison me," Aldric reminded her, his voice laced with bitterness as he recalled the lowest moments of his captivity. "I told you I was going to treat her better, and yet you let her go, and now..." Anger surged within him, fueled by the betrayal he felt. "My mate is with my brother, Valerie, my nemesis! Do you even know what that means?"

Maxi said. "It means that you don’t trust Islinda at all. If Islinda is indeed your mate, then she would not be interested in other males, and you have nothing to worry about."

"She’s human and might not feel the pull of the mate bond as much as I do. Moreover..." Aldric’s voice deepened, a flicker of fear momentarily glinting in his eyes before he pushed it aside. "It is my brother that I don’t trust, and you sent my mate right into his arms."

"That wouldn’t have happened if you had let Islinda go peacefully. So stop blaming me, asshole," Maxi spat at him, her teeth bared in defiance.

Suddenly, Aldric surged to his feet, slamming his hands on either side of Maxi with such force that the wall cracked, causing Issac to let out a muffled scream that sounded like a string of threats if anything happened to Maxi.

Despite the intimidation tactic, Maxi remained unflinching, her gaze meeting Aldric’s with unwavering resolve. She refused to be intimidated by his display of power. In that moment, it became evident to Aldric that Maxi was just as unfeeling and resilient as he was, except for when it came to Issac.

At that moment, Issac’s protests escalated to such a degree that they became a disruptive clamor, echoing throughout the room. He thrashed against the frost with a vengeance, his struggles intensifying. Aldric had no choice but to reinforce the ice, causing more frost to creep up Issac’s arms, mirroring Maxi’s own predicament. Layers of frost sealed Issac’s mouth until his screams were barely audible.

"Stop it, you’ll kill him at this rate!" Maxi cried out, her voice filled with desperation and concern.

Aldric withdrew, his gaze locked on Maxi with an indescribable emotion flickering in his eyes. His lips pressed into a thin line, a familiar expression that Maxi recognized all too well – his disapproving look.

He continued, his voice laced with a mix of nostalgia and bitterness. "I couldn’t help but think about our times together. You were always a loyal partner, unwavering in your commitment to our cause. You couldn’t care less about anything or anyone..." He paused, sparing Issac a brief but piercing glance that spoke volumes. "All you were interested in was achieving our goal of conquering Astaria, until he came along..." His tone dripped with anger and resentment, as if Issac had stolen a part of Maxi that he could never reclaim.

His voice grew harsher as he bellowed, the accusation ringing through the air like a thunderclap. "The Maxi I knew would never betray me! She would never stab me in the back!"

"You dare accuse me of change when you are no different!" Maxi’s voice reverberated through the room, filled with righteous indignation.

"What?" Aldric was taken aback by her sudden outburst.

Maxi laughed sarcastically.

"Fine, let’s talk about change then. Because the Aldric I know would never get so obsessed with a human that he would jeopardize our goal!" She fired back, her words cutting through the tension like a knife. The accusation hung heavy in the air, challenging Aldric to confront the truth of his own actions.

Instead, Aldric’s anger flared at Maxi’s comment, and he jabbed a finger towards his chest, his voice escalating in pitch. "I would never jeopardize our goal! Islinda is essential to our plan. Everything begins and ends with her! Or have you forgotten that I need her to reach Valerie?!"

Maxi’s sneer deepened, her gaze unwavering as she met Aldric’s fiery stare. "Is that the excuse you tell yourself to sleep well at night?" Her words dripped with sarcasm, devoid of any hint of fear. A wicked smile curled her lips as she continued, "And yet you accused me moments ago of sending your mate straight into Valerie’s arms. I can’t help but wonder, Aldric, is Islinda still essential to the plan or are you simply overprotective of your ’mate’ ?"

Aldric remained speechless for over a minute, his usually confident demeanor faltering. Maxi locked eyes with him, daring him to try and twist his way out of the truth. But then his expression hardened, his features transforming into a cold mask as he finally broke the silence.

"I should have never gifted him to you in the first place," Aldric declared, his voice low and chilling. "He has twisted your mind and turned you into someone I don’t recognize anymore. Fortunately, I gifted him to you, and I can just as easily take him back."

Maxi’s eyes narrowed in understanding as she deciphered whom Aldric was referring to, just in time to see a spear of ice forming in his hand.

"No, no, Aldric, don’t..." Maxi’s desperate plea echoed through the room, but it fell on deaf ears as the spear of ice continued to form and grow, poised to strike Issac