Mated To The Cruel Prince
Chapter 585: Freak

Chapter 585: Freak

Maxi left without telling Issac.

Anya told her to come alone which meant she had eyes on her. Maxi couldn’t help but look around, wondering who might be in cahoots with that bitch. There was always the risk that someone would uncover her identity, but she never thought it would be Anya.

Maxi had thought that with the revelation that she was Issac’s mate that the Fae would let her be, after all, it was considered an abomination in the Fae realm to get between true mates. But it seems not only was Anya a sore loser, but a lunatic. However, Maxi was determined to prove who the greater lunatic was between the both of them?

Being around Isaac has softened her rough edges and tampered down her bloodlust. But not anymore. She had never liked Anya and her dislike only grew worse, especially after learning what she had done to Issac. However, now an opportunity has presented itself to her and Maxi was determined to destroy her.

No one touched what was hers. Not Issac. Definitely not Oma. Not her loved ones!

Though the destination remained undisclosed on the paper, the inclusion of Oma’s hair hinted at a more sinister purpose—it was a tracking mechanism. Maxi seethed with frustration, recognizing Anya’s cunning. She must have employed some form of magic to trace the scent carried by the air, ensuring she could follow the trail until she reached the scene without fail.

Maxi’s pulse quickened as she followed Oma’s scent, her senses heightened with determination. Each step brought her closer to the hidden location and it was a dense forest. Of course, Maxi sneered inwardly. If Anya planned to ambush a dark Fae, this would be a great location. A closed off location. No one could tell whatever happened here.

Good. It worked for her anyway. Maxi lifted her chin defiantly. If Anya died here, nobody would question or suspect her. The air whispered with the scent, guiding Maxi through the dense forest, weaving between the towering trees like a silent sentinel.

Centuries of training told Maxi she was walking right into a trap, yet she pressed forward, the foliage thinned, revealing a clearing bathed in dappled sunlight.

In the center stood an old, dilapidated cabin, its weathered walls shrouded in secrecy. Maxi’s heart raced with anticipation and caution as she approached, the scent growing stronger with every step. Oma was in there.

With a steady hand, Maxi pushed open the creaking door, revealing the dim interior. There, bound and gagged, lay Oma, her eyes wide with fear and desperation.

Fuck. That lunatic. Maxi shut her eyes in exasperation. She was already thinking of a million ways she could mutilate Anya once she got her hands on her. She moved at once to free her mother in law from the clutches of her captor.

As Maxi leaned down, the atmosphere shifted suddenly, and Anya materialized out of thin air, launching an arrow aimed directly at Maxi. With lightning reflexes, Maxi intercepted the projectile at the last possible moment, catching it with a deft hand. Anya’s eyes widened in disbelief, startled by Maxi’s unexpected defense.

Maxi’s lip curled into a sneer. "Is that the best you’ve got?"

Before Anya could utter a retort, Maxi delivered a powerful backhand blow that sent her reeling, stars dancing before her eyes. Stumbling in her attempt to evade Maxi, Anya tripped over her own feet, scrambling backward in a desperate bid to escape. Yet, despite her efforts, the raw fear etched on Anya’s face betrayed her terror as Maxi closed in, bridging the distance between them with relentless determination.

Maxi sighed in disappointment as she witnessed Anya’s crippling fear, the arrow she had tried stabbing her with, still clenched in her hand. She said, "If I had known that you would make things so easy like this, I would have taken my time getting here."

Maxi’s disappointment morphed into astonishment as Anya burst into hysterical laughter, tinged with madness.

Raising an eyebrow in confusion, Maxi couldn’t help but be intrigued by the sudden shift in Anya’s demeanor.

"What’s so amusing?" Maxi inquired, her curiosity piqued.

Anya’s eyes gleamed with a crazed fervor as she replied, "You’re correct, I didn’t make it easy for you."

Suddenly, Oma’s muffled scream pierced the air, drawing Maxi’s attention. As she turned to look, Oma’s frantic gestures seemed to warn her against something.

Call it instinct, but Maxi turned to the arrow in her hand only to discover to her shock that it had changed to a snake, one whose jaw were wide open already and it sank its fang into her hand, biting its venom into her. Maxi recognized the snake at the last minute and it was at that moment that she realized she had fucked up. She had underestimated Anya, and would now pay the price. Or rather, she had underestimated Anya’s cunningly and cruelty.

As the venom coursed through her veins, Maxi felt her muscles seize up, rendering her completely immobile. Panic surged within her as she realized she was at the mercy of Anya, her adversary reveling in her triumph.

Anya’s laughter echoed through the room, a cacophony of madness that sent shivers down Maxi’s spine. It dawned on her that Anya had never been afraid; it was all a meticulously crafted deception to lure her into a false sense of security.

Maxi cursed her own naivety as she realized she had fallen right into Anya’s trap. Had she not been distracted... If only she had recognized the glamor cast upon the arrow, she would have seen through the illusion and recognized the deadly threat it posed—the Death Adder, renowned for its paralyzing venom.

Now, as Maxi stood immobilized, she could only watch helplessly as Anya gloated over her victory, her plans unfolding with chilling precision.

Anya’s mocking laughter pierced the air as she taunted Maxi with a chilling smirk.

"You didn’t seriously think I wouldn’t prepare myself against a dark Fae, did you?" Anya’s voice dripped with malice, her eyes gleaming with triumph. "I’ve heard all about your kind—how you can slip into someone’s mind, manipulate them against their will, and all that jazz. Well, if that’s what pleases you, my dear, then you should know we’ll have plenty of time to get to know each other." Her smirk transformed into a deadly expression, signaling the beginning of a harrowing ordeal for Maxi.

Maxi gritted her teeth in frustration, struggling against the paralysis that held her captive. Every muscle screamed for release, but her body remained stubbornly immobile, her mind trapped in a haze of helplessness. only serving to amuse her tormentor.

Anya’s thorough preparations left Maxi utterly incapacitated, her efforts to resist only serving to amuse her tormentor further. It was clear that Anya had emerged victorious in this twisted game.

"You can come out now," Anya called out, her tone triumphant. "The dark Fae whore has been subdued. It’s safe now."

Another figure stepped into the cabin, and Maxi’s narrowed eyes sparked with recognition. Though she longed to point accusingly at the newcomer, her paralyzed state rendered her motionless and mute. It was a bitter realization, one that Maxi found dark amusement in—Anya couldn’t have accomplished her scheme without inside assistance.

Though the name of the Fae eluded her, Maxi’s memory jogged with recognition. While most of Aldric’s staff remained inconsequential to her unless they held significant roles, this particular individual had crossed her path before, her presence now casting a shadow of betrayal over Maxi’s predicament.

Their eyes crossed and the Fae stopped abruptly, unsure. Fear and guilt flickered in her eyes and Maxi thought it was a good thing. If only she could talk, she would describe a million ways she would torment her for this betrayal and perhaps,the threat would convince her enough to betray Anya. Unfortunately, Maxi was helpless. Damn it, this was a big sore on her reputation. Aldric definitely would not be proud of her callous mistake.

"I told you this was going to work, didn’t I?" Anya told Soma, grinning at her victory.

Soma smiled back, however, hers look forced as If she still had reservations this wasn’t going to work and would backfire on her.

"I made a new friend, you know. She was the one who told me about your adventures as Maximus, the famed Dark Fae prince’s war horse." She laughed, "Who in the world would believe a thing as a dark fae horse shifter. You are an anomaly among anomalies. In one word, You shouldn’t even exist, freak."

Freak... freak.... Freak... The words reverberated in Maxi’s head in an endless loop. She hated that word. That word she hasn’t heard in a long time but she was greatly familiar with.

That was what they had called her even when she resided in the villagers of horse shifters. No one wanted her. No one would love her. Who would love the freak?

As if that was not enough, Anya mocked her further, "What’s even more disgusting is that the revered horse shifter would fornicate with a dark Fae to make you. You are the worst abomination. A filthy abomination."