Mated To The Cruel Prince novel Chapter 856

Chapter 856: She Can’t Be Our Queen

Gabbi spent the entire day on edge, her mind replaying Azreal’s declaration hours ago. The idea of sharing a bed with him, again, made her stomach twist into tight, uncomfortable knots.

Despite wanting to believe the birdman had been joking, her experiences with him so far indicated otherwise. Azreal wasn’t the type to joke, nor was he the type to go back on his word. She knew that much. And so, the thought of his towering presence beside her tonight left her feeling jittery and uneasy.

The routine remained the same.

Eat. Bathe. Sleep. Repeat.

Gabbi’s days were mechanical, dictated by the few servants that brought her meals but never spoke. They were courteous yet distant, their eyes never quite meeting hers, as if she were some strange creature they couldn’t comprehend. Her attempts to make conversation were met with tight-lipped smiles and nods, and it was clear they had no intention of engaging beyond what was necessary.

The door to her room remained guarded at all times. Even if Gabbi had wanted to leave, there was no opportunity. The Ravenkind guards outside were always there, silent and watchful. And deep down, even if she’d somehow managed to slip past them, the memory of falling into the abyss beneath their mountain kingdom. She hadn’t dared step near that ominous gap since.

Gabbi could feel it in her bones: the Ravenkind didn’t like her. No, that wasn’t right — they didn’t want her. Humans weren’t welcomed here. They saw her as an intruder, something foreign and unwelcome. It wasn’t just her imagination. The way they looked at her like a prey animal wandering into a den of predators confirmed her suspicions. She didn’t belong. Not in this kingdom. Not in this world.

And yet, Azreal had chosen her.

She wasn’t sure if that made things better or worse.

To distract herself from the impending night and her spiraling thoughts, Gabbi had resorted to the only thing left to occupy her time: exploring the room she had been trapped in for what felt like an eternity.

The space was surprisingly devoid of any personal touches, bare of the marks one would expect in the quarters of a king. No paintings. No keepsakes. Nothing that gave her any insight into the man or Valravn who ruled the Ravenkind.

That is, until she found the diary.

It had been hidden away carefully but there was nothing joblessness and boredom couldn’t achieve.

The moment she opened the leather-bound journal and saw the handwriting scrawled across the pages, she knew it was his. Azrael’s. The elegant script, sharp yet refined, matched his personality perfectly.

At first, she hesitated. It felt like she was invading his privacy, like she was crossing a line she shouldn’t. But boredom was a powerful motivator, and curiosity was even stronger. Besides, it wasn’t like he was ever going to tell her any of this on his own.

The first few pages were jarring, filled with anger and frustration that seemed to leap off the paper. Azreal wrote of suddenly becoming king, of his father’s death, and of his resentment toward the mate bond that had ruined his family. His mother had died first, and the bond that had tethered his father to her had only brought misery after she passed. His father had become a shell of the man he once was, eventually succumbing to illness and despair.

Azreal had been left to pick up the pieces, thrust into a position of power he never wanted. The kingdom had become a burden. His wings, once symbols of freedom, now felt like shackles binding him to the ground.

"I pray I never have a mate."

"I wish I didn’t have to be king."

"If only I were free like the birds in the air."

"To think I have wings, but can’t fly."

Gabbi’s heart clenched as she read those words. She could almost feel the weight of his pain, his anger. It was raw, unfiltered, the confessions of a man who had been forced into a role he hadn’t chosen. In a way, she understood. She, too, had been thrust into a world she hadn’t asked for.

But as she read further, something shifted. The anger, while still present, began to give way to something else.... a longing. Azreal wrote of the good memories he had with his parents, of the moments when they had been happy, before the darkness of the mate bond had consumed them. There was a quiet sadness in his words, but also a glimmer of hope.

Gabbi found herself smiling, despite herself. In those pages, she saw a different side of Azreal, not the cold, calculating king who had taken her captive, but a man who had lost so much and yet still held onto a fragile hope for something more.

It wasn’t until she reached the last page that her heart truly stopped.

"I want a mate."

The words were simple, but they hit her like a punch to the gut.

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