Mated To The Cruel Prince
Chapter 622: Power Over Her

Chapter 622: Power Over Her

"Do I have to spoon-feed you just to keep you from dying, for Fae’s sake!" Aldric screamed at her face, leaving Islinda utterly dumbfounded.

For a moment, Islinda blinked at Aldric in astonishment, her mind trying to grasp the fact that she was the one being yelled at. Questions swirled in her mind. Why was he yelling at her when she had done nothing wrong? She hadn’t intended to choke on her food, especially considering it was Elena’s doing, not hers.

Unaware of Islinda’s rising rage, Aldric continued his tirade. "I leave you for barely one day, and this is the news I receive. Can’t you..." He struggled for the right word before finally spitting out, "stop being weak for once! I can’t protect you all the time. The least you can do is try not to choke to death on the simplest thing like food! You are not a child!" He said in an outburst, his chest heaving from the exertion.

Aldric must have dropped everything and rushed to see her, judging by the way he stormed in like a dark tempest.

Now, the two of them stood locked in a tense stare, Islinda’s face frozen with an inexplicable expression.

Aldric reached out, gripping her shoulder and shaking her frantically. "Say something, Islinda," he implored.

He needed reassurance. A word from her to confirm that she was okay, even though she appeared physically unharmed. But he knew there could be other emotional and psychological wounds lurking beneath the surface, and Islinda was good at concealing her true feelings from him.

When they interrupted his meeting with the high Faeries he was instilling fear into, Aldric could sense their eyes lingering on his stricken expression. Knowing the manipulative and cunning nature of the Fae, he realized they must have deduced that Islinda held some sort of value to him. If any of those high Fae harbored ill intentions towards him, Islinda would undoubtedly be the target.

So, he had to school his expression and walk the rest of the way with a swagger, despite his overwhelming desire to ensure his mate was safe. Having a human mate felt like a punishment the gods had decided to inflict upon him, Aldric was certain of it.

"You think I’m weak?" Islinda’s voice cut through the air like a frigid breeze, sending a shiver down Aldric’s spine.

When she received no immediate response, Islinda’s voice trembled with hurt as she rephrased, "You think of me as a child?"

Aldric swallowed hard, a pang of regret washing over him. Had he really said that? His temper had flared, and now he could see the depth of the wound his words had inflicted upon her. The hurt in her eyes was a sight he hadn’t anticipated, and now he wished he could take back those words.

He attempted to do damage control, his voice softening as he said, "You know that’s not what I meant."

"Then what do you mean, then?" Islinda challenged, standing up to him with fire in her eyes.

Aldric recognized the danger in escalating the argument. Islinda was clearly angry and poised for confrontation, and engaging in further debate would only add fuel to the fire coursing through her veins. It would be foolish to provoke her further at this moment.

Aldric sighed, rubbing his forehead in exhaustion. "Just let it go, Islinda," he pleaded.

But Islinda, ever stubborn, shook her head defiantly. "No," she retorted. Lifting her chin high, she continued her rant, throwing his previous words back at him. "You said I’m a child, and this is what children do. At least, in the human realm where I come from, they throw a fuss and make the life of their caretaker miserable." She laughed bitterly. "I tried to kill myself by ’choking’ on the simplest thing as food? I wonder what else a child like me can do to provoke your ire next, your highness? Maybe I should try drowning on a glass of water," she added sarcastically.

Aldric was rendered speechless by her outburst, feeling a pang of guilt knowing he was partly responsible for her distress. This wasn’t his forte; his alter ego, Eli, was better suited for handling emotional scenes like this. But he couldn’t afford to let his careless and romantic side surface in the unstable winter court, where Islinda might be devoured if he wasn’t careful. His caring and loving side needed to remain tucked away while he sought a solution to their predicament.

"Why aren’t you saying something? Say something!" Islinda demanded, pushing Aldric to react this time.

She felt deeply wounded by the implication that she would carelessly choke on her food. It hadn’t even been a typical choking incident—it felt as if the food had a life of its own and was determined to end her. And she was convinced it was all Elena’s doing. But how could she prove it? She had no evidence to support her claim, and Aldric would likely dismiss her as jealous and childish, stirring up trouble again. After all, in his eyes, she was just the weak, childish human he had to take care of because he needed her. He had no idea what was really going on with her, Islinda thought bitterly.

Yet Aldric remained silent, his expression tight with concentration as if lost in thought.

Islinda felt a surge of satisfaction knowing that he had no immediate retort, interpreting it as a sign of her victory. She intensified her taunts, reveling in the upper hand she seemed to have gained. "Why aren’t you saying anything? Have you finally lost your voice?" she taunted. "Or perhaps you’ve just realized how much of a liability I am? Maybe you’re regretting not getting rid of me sooner, considering I’m practically useless to — mmmh"

The next sensation Islinda felt was a sharp pain shooting through her scalp, bringing tears to her eyes as Aldric abruptly fisted his hand in her hair, pulling her close and crushing his lips against hers. Islinda’s eyes widened in shock, and she instinctively pounded her hand against Aldric’s chest. How dare he kiss her? He was blatantly disregarding the terms of their agreement.

Yet, Aldric seemed to care little for her protests as he kissed her with a forcefulness that bordered on aggression, determined to silence her. Despite her initial resistance, Islinda found herself succumbing to the intense passion that ignited between them. Amidst the mixture of her moans and struggles, she gradually surrendered, the fire of anger within her giving way to a wave of desire that coursed through her veins.

As their lips moved together, Islinda tried to grasp onto the source of her anger, but she found her thoughts muddled and her resolve weakening under the intensity of their kiss. It was as if Aldric’s touch had a hypnotic effect, erasing her anger and leaving her unable to remember why they had been fighting in the first place. It was both exhilarating and terrifying to realize the power Aldric held over her.

And Islinda couldn’t help but succumb to it.