Mated To The Cruel Prince novel Chapter 497

Chapter 497: Perish For You

"What?" Islinda blinked at him, stunned. She hadn’t anticipated having to explain to Valerie why she had been running frantically at night as if pursued by the devil himself.

She brushed a curl out of her face and replied timidly, "It’s nothing."

Valerie’s jaw clenched immediately. He spoke sternly, saying, "Don’t tell me it’s nothing. You may be human and lying comes naturally to you, but as a Fae, I am adept at detecting such."

An irritated frown creased Islinda’s face. Firstly, it was none of his business, even if he meant well. Secondly, revealing the truth might only deepen his animosity towards his brother, Aldric. Thirdly, she couldn’t let him know that she had died and been resurrected.

She pleaded, "Can you just drop it?"

But instead of acquiescing, a feral growl rumbled from Valerie, indicating his refusal.

Valerie’s fist was clenched on the table as he struggled with his frustration and it was taking him everything not to grab her shoulders and shake the truth out of her. He couldn’t understand why Islinda kept defending Aldric, why she seemed so loyal to the dark Fae prince despite everything he had done. In Valerie’s mind, Aldric must have manipulated and threatened Islinda into obedience, and that thought filled him with anger.

"Why do you continue to defend him, Islinda?" Valerie’s voice was tinged with irritation, his words laced with disbelief. "Why don’t you see what? Do you not see what he’s capable of? The lengths he’ll go to control and manipulate those around him?"

Islinda’s brow furrowed, a mixture of confusion and frustration crossing her features. "Valerie, you don’t understand. Aldric isn’t..." She trailed off, the words catching in her throat upon realizing she was about to tell a lie. Aldric did hurt her. But she was not about to tell Valerie that, not when he had such prejudice against Aldric from the very start.

With a heavy sigh, Islinda finally relented, her shoulders slumping in defeat. "We had a fight. A big one. I was beginning to get tired of being confined to his place. So I told him that I needed space and he did not like it. However, the others came to my rescue and held him down, telling me to escape before he overpowered their effort. That was why you found me running through the night." Islinda tweaked whatever version of the truth that she could.

She added, "You rescued me last night, didn’t you? Did you notice any signs of Aldric harming me beyond the bruises I acquired while escaping barefoot?"

At that statement, Valerie’s gaze bore into her, assessing her intently from her head to the sole of her feet to her head again. She shivered under his perusal, but otherwise, maintained her composure.

But even with her explanation, Valerie wasn’t having any of it. His frustration boiled over, his face a deep scowl as he leaned forward, his eyes blazing with intensity. "So now, you finally realize how dangerous Aldric is and you shouldn’t have bedded him in the first place. He’s literally a monster, and you need to see that before it’s too late."

Islinda recoiled as if she had been hit physically, hurt flashing in her eyes but she blinked it away.

"Great!" She threw her hands up instead, her words dripping with acid, "You had to go dig that up, didn’t you?"

The air crackled with tension as Islinda and Valerie locked eyes, each refusing to back down from their stance. Islinda should have known Valerie would never forgive her for sleeping with Aldric. Not that she owed him any apology for doing so. They were no longer together when it happened and she could fuck whoever she wanted!

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