Mated To The Cruel Prince
Chapter 587: A Fate Worse Than Death

Chapter 587: A Fate Worse Than Death

She was screaming.

The venom had subsided enough for sounds to escape her mouth. Maxi speculated that it might have been due to the profuse bleeding, causing the venom to dissipate from her system. Anya seemed oblivious to this detail, or she wouldn’t have inflicted such profuse bleeding upon her.

Nevertheless, Maxi seized upon this small opportunity to test her theory. With a determined effort, she attempted to wiggle her finger and was rewarded with the faintest of movements. A surge of excitement coursed through her veins, her heart pounding with anticipation of the retribution she would unleash upon Anya once she regained her freedom.

Just as she had anticipated, Anya had indeed slipped up. However, Maxi couldn’t afford to let Anya realize her mistake. So she remained silent, feigning palpable fear in her eyes. Just as Anya had deceived her earlier, Maxi was now returning the favor.

Anya gazed at the fear etched across Maxi’s face with sadistic delight, reveling in the pained whimpers that escaped her lips. It pleased her greatly to see Maxi squirming in agony, and she relished in the power she held over her. With a calculated motion, Anya carefully removed the ring from Maxi’s lacerated finger and callously tossed the severed digit aside, paying it no more attention than if it were a discarded piece of trash.

This time, Anya regarded the ring with a solemn intensity in her eyes. "This ring should never have belonged to you," she declared possessively, slipping the ring onto her own finger. A gasp of delight escaped her lips as the ring fit perfectly, filling her with a sense of triumph. "See? It’s mine after all. Destiny doesn’t lie," she exclaimed, her voice filled with childish glee.

Maxi snorted inwardly, silently resolving not to correct Anya’s assumption that Issac had given her the ring. In reality, Aldric had bestowed it upon her to conceal her true appearance. It was far from any so-called destiny.

As if sensing Maxi’s disdain, Anya turned to her with a sneer. "Look at you, you ugly thing..." she spat, looming closer and tilting Maxi’s face, scrutinizing the black markings with disgust. "Does Issac even see these monstrous marks on your face when you’re together?" she taunted. "I bet it disgusts him. You disgust him. How could he possibly see you as his perfect match with a face like yours? Out of all the beautiful light Faeries in Astaria, he chose you? Doesn’t that speak volumes? I wager he views you as nothing more than an exotic dalliance. Once he comes to his senses, he’ll leave you for a stunning light Fae, not someone with ugly markings like you."

Although Maxi knew Anya’s words were meant to provoke her, she couldn’t help but question Issac’s feelings for her. From the start, she had been the ones making most of the moves on him. Had he ever truly been interested in her, or was it merely the mate bond that bound them together, leaving him with no choice but to love her? The doubt gnawed at her, casting a shadow over her once unshakeable confidence.

Anya’s satisfaction at seeing the insecurity on Maxi’s face was palpable as she laughed triumphantly. Her villainous laughter echoed through the room, a chilling reminder of her sinister intentions. With a bold stride, she left Maxi’s side and approached Oma, seizing the Fae and yanking her roughly to stand before Maxi.

"Look at her!" Anya’s voice boomed, nearly shoving Oma in Maxi’s direction. "Look at her closely! Look at the monster you wanted for your son! Look at the dark Fae whore you chose instead of me!"

Oma had no choice but to meet Maxi’s gaze, their eyes locking in a moment of silent communication. All Maxi perceived in Oma’s apologetic gaze was regret. If only she had been more attentive to Anya’s behavior, perhaps all of this could have been avoided. Maxi conveyed her reassurance to Oma through their shared gaze, silently promising to find a way to free them both from Anya’s clutches.

As the chaotic scene unfolded, Maxi caught a flicker of movement at the entrance, initially dismissing it as her imagination. However, when she recognized the familiar face, her eyes nearly widened in astonishment, though she swiftly regained her composure to avoid arousing Anya’s suspicions.

Anya had anticipated Oma’s fear and revulsion at Maxi’s altered appearance, but instead, she was met with an unexpected display of apology from the gentle-hearted Fae. Anya’s irritation flared at Oma’s response, finding her typical soft-hearted nature infuriating.

"This is not what I expected from you!" Anya seethed, her grip tightening on Oma’s hair as she forcibly dragged her back to her previous position and unceremoniously dumped her there.

Anya stormed back to Maxi with a livid expression, her patience wearing thin as she vented her frustration in Maxi’s face. "How is it that everyone supports you and makes me the bad—!"

Before she could finish her sentence, a sudden gust of wind slammed into her with such force that she was thrown backwards. Stunned by the unexpected attack, Anya shook off the dizziness, her anger quickly morphing into fury. Who would dare to interrupt her?

Whirling around to confront her assailant, Anya’s rage faltered as she came face to face with him. She stammered, "I—Issac..." her expression morphing into one of disbelief and shock.

Anya shot Maxi an accusing glare, silently conveying her message: "I told you to come alone." But Maxi appeared smug, knowing she had support now.

Witnessing Issac’s fury, Anya realized she had never seen him this enraged, not even when she had forced herself upon him. The sight of Maxi’s tortured state seemed to ignite a cold fury within Issac, his eyes narrowing with icy rage. If looks could kill, Anya would have been dead on the spot, pinned under Issac’s withering gaze. The atmosphere shifted abruptly, becoming stiflingly tense, and Anya found it increasingly difficult to draw breath as Issac loomed over her menacingly.

Anya swallowed nervously, her haughty demeanor crumbling in the face of Issac’s wrath. She chuckled nervously, her tone now demure and submissive. "It’s not what you’re thinking at all. I was just—" She faltered, unable to find a convincing excuse under the weight of Issac’s piercing gaze.

Isaac’s hand flew across Anya’s face with a resounding slap, the sound echoing through the room. Anya recoiled, her hand instinctively flying to her stinging cheek, frozen in shock at Isaac’s unexpected violence. He had never struck a woman before—or so she had thought—until he delivered another punishing blow.

"Issac..." Anya’s voice quivered, disbelief etched on her features as she stared up at him.

But Isaac’s fury was unrelenting. He struck her again and again, each slap landing with a force that sent shockwaves of pain coursing through her body. Anya collapsed to the ground, clutching the side of her face where the pain burned most intensely, unable to muster the strength to rise.

With Anya incapacitated, Isaac turned his attention to Maxi, only to find his mother in a similarly battered state. Uncertain of whom to assist first, Isaac glanced at Oma for guidance. She grunted and shook her head, silently urging him to tend to Maxi first. Isaac nodded in gratitude, hastening to help Maxi, wincing as his hand grazed the iron chain restraining her.

"Fuck," Isaac cursed under his breath, his eyes scanning the cabin for anything that could aid him. Finding nothing, he gritted his teeth with determination and seized the chain, ignoring the searing pain as it scorched his hand. With a forceful tug, he snapped the chain, freeing Maxi from her restraints before moving on to the next one.

Anya watched the scene unfolding before her with a shattered heart. How could Isaac betray her like this? After all she had done for him, this was how he repaid her. Suddenly, a twisted thought took root in her mind. If she couldn’t have Isaac, then no one else would. With grim determination, Anya rose to her feet, her resolve solidifying.

Anya crept up behind Isaac while he was occupied helping Maxi. With her dagger poised to strike, Maxi caught sight of her at the last moment and bellowed a warning, but it was too late. Anya was mere seconds away from plunging the blade into Isaac’s back when something struck her on the head, causing the iron dagger to slip from her grasp.

It was Kayla, appearing disheveled as if she had just escaped from her own personal hell, likely orchestrated by Anya herself. Sensing the imminent danger, Maxi didn’t wait for Isaac this time. Fueled by adrenaline, she summoned all her strength and with a determined grunt, broke free from her chains, liberating herself.

Kayla swung the club at Anya with ferocious intensity, each blow fueled by the trauma the Fae had inflicted upon her. She repeated the chant of "Die! Die! Die!" in a frenzied frenzy, unable to contain her pent-up rage until Isaac intervened, wrenching the weapon away and enveloping Kayla in a protective embrace. Overwhelmed by emotion, Kayla broke into sobs.

As this unfolded, Maxi rushed to untie Oma, who embraced her in a warm hug once she was free. Oma expressed her heartfelt apologies for the ordeal Maxi had endured. Though touched by the gesture, Maxi remained rigid, her anticipation mounting as she prepared to exact her revenge on Anya.

"All of you should leave," Maxi instructed her family, her expression inscrutable.

"What do you mean?" Isaac protested, hesitant to depart from her side.

"Because you’re not going to like what I’m about to do," Maxi replied, her demeanor shifting as she allowed her dark side to emerge.

Isaac was taken aback when he noticed Maxi’s eyes had turned entirely black, a clear indication that her command was not to be questioned. With a nod, he urged his family to leave the cabin. Anya was about to experience a fate worse than death.

Soon after, the piercing screams of Anya echoed loudly from within.

____________

Hello, my wonderful readers! Thank you for embarking on this thrilling journey with me this month. As we approach the new month, I’m excited to continue the adventure with Aldric and Islinda. What can you expect in the upcoming Chapters? Well, brace yourselves for a death duel between Aldric and Valerie. Who will emerge victorious, and who will meet their demise? And let’s not forget about Islinda—her heritage will be further explored, revealing more captivating secrets. Stay tuned for all the excitement!

As a reminder, it’s best to purchase privileges at the beginning of the month rather than the end. Thank you for reading "Mated To The Cruel Prince," and here’s to hoping for the success of my new book!