Mated To The Cruel Prince
Chapter 630: Unexpected Visitor

Chapter 630: Unexpected Visitor

The morning after the party :

Aldric stared down at Islinda with a conflicted expression. She was deep asleep, which was not surprising with the way he "exhausted" her through the night. Although he was mad at her for having defied his rules, Aldric had to admit he had the best night of his life.

A possessive growl reverberated from Aldric’s throat as memories of claiming Islinda in the presence of his court flooded his mind. While orgies were commonplace and accepted among the Fae, the idea of others witnessing his mate still unsettled him. Islinda belonged to him, and him alone. Yet, despite his reservations, there was a sense of satisfaction in having publicly marked her as his own. Her screams of desire had echoed through the Winter court, proclaiming to all that she was his in body, mind, and soul.

Even now, Aldric felt the mating fever coursing through him, his desire for Islinda consuming his every thought. All he craved was to have her by his side, uninterrupted, for days, weeks, even years. Just the two of them, together in blissful isolation. He would ensure her comfort and nourishment, and then they would indulge in a lot of fucking, day in and day out, making it their routine, their sacred ritual.

But Aldric was aware that he couldn’t keep Islinda isolated forever. His mate was a force of nature, a wildfire that would inevitably yearn for freedom. Fine, he would make the most of their time together and gradually seduce her into the idea of staying longer. Islinda wouldn’t even see it coming. He would captivate and fulfill her with his myriad of skills, focusing not on the location, but on the variety of positions they could explore together. And if that strange night was any indication, it seemed that Islinda’s mysterious side might just be open to the idea.

Aldric’s satisfaction grew as a plan began to take shape in his mind. He buried his nose in Islinda’s neck, inhaling her intoxicating scent—a blend of both their essences, clean, sharp, with a hint of darkness and sweetness. He longed to lose himself in it.

His fangs throbbed with the urge to sink into her neck and claim her as his own. Aldric knew he couldn’t resist the bond forever. Faeries were perceptive, and while they may not realize she was his mate, they could sense her significance to him. Soon, Islinda would become his undeniable weakness. But he was prepared to protect her at all costs, even if it meant facing off against his own kind. They could try to challenge him, but he would not hesitate to eliminate any threat to his mate.

If anything weighed on Aldric’s mind, it was the sense that Islinda was keeping something from him. He couldn’t blame her; she was wise to keep her secrets close. He wasn’t one to play the martyr, and as long as her secrecy didn’t endanger her, he would use every resource at his disposal to achieve his goals.

Aldric suspected that Islinda’s changes were a result of her bond with him. Maxi and Issac, the first bonded dark Fae couples he had encountered, both had some Faerie blood. However, Islinda was human, and it wouldn’t surprise him if bonding with him had unexpected effects on her. Moreover, even among the dark Faeries, he was considered an anomaly—conceived through their ritual rather than by conventional means.

Aldric couldn’t shake the worry that Islinda might be hiding other adverse effects from him aside from her changing hair color and peculiar behavior. Running his hand through the blonde streak in her hair, he couldn’t help but admire its silky texture. Whether her hair was blonde, red, or any other color, she would always be beautiful to him. All Aldric truly desired was Islinda’s safety and well-being.

"Your highness—"

Aldric’s growl rumbled in his throat as soon as he heard that title. He recognized the voice as Kalamazoo, his second aide, and he knew it could only mean one thing: he was needed elsewhere. It seemed he could never have a moment of private time with his mate without interruption.

"Don’t come in!" Aldric warned sharply. "I’ll meet you out there."

He couldn’t bear the thought of a foreign scent tainting the intimate atmosphere of his room, where the mingled scents of him and Islinda lingered. He wanted their scent to permeate the space for days, knowing that Islinda would likely flee out of embarrassment and might not visit him again.

"What is it?" Aldric demanded, glaring at Kalamazoo as soon as he was outside. Why did they always have the worst timing?

Kalamazoo, or Kalam for short, bowed his head. "Forgive me, your highness, but Lady Elena demands to speak with you."

Aldric’s disappointment was palpable as he realized Elena had interrupted his precious quiet time, fueling his growing anger and impatience.

"Tell her that I’m occupied at the moment," Aldric instructed, already preparing to leave, only for Kalam to interject.

To be honest, he had completely forgotten about Elena. As long as she didn’t cause trouble and stayed out of his way, he had no issue with her presence in his court.

"I did tell her so, but she insists it’s an emergency," Kalam explained.

"An emergency?" Aldric’s brows furrowed with suspicion and intrigue. "What could it possibly be?"

"She wouldn’t say, but she demands to speak to you directly."

Aldric couldn’t shake the feeling that this might be a ploy by Elena to get his attention, especially since he hadn’t entertained her for a while. Nevertheless, curiosity got the better of him.

"Fine, let her in."

Moments later, with his back turned, Aldric heard Elena’s footsteps approaching. When he turned around, he began, "They said you have something for me—"

But before he could finish his sentence, Elena enveloped him in a hug, leaving Aldric frozen in place. Recovering from the unexpected gesture, he attempted to break free.

"What are you doing?" Aldric frowned, but before he could protest further, Elena pulled away and blew some substance into his face.

Aldric’s expression turned dazed as a smug smile spread across Elena’s lips. "Now, we begin."