Mated To The Cruel Prince-Chapter 905: Freedom

Aldric had a terrible dream. In that dream, his one and infuriating mate left with the enemy forces. The dream felt so real that, even while unconscious, the heartache carried over, and he groaned in pain, the sound echoing through the space.

"I don’t know if this is a good idea; his mind is incredibly strong. I’ve never encountered one like his," the witch who hovered over Aldric’s unconscious body shouted, her hand trembling from the strain of trying to keep Aldric under control.

Mother Theresa, leader of the current witches’ coven, turned to the general standing inside the tent, a deep frown on her face.

When Aldric had first awakened after being struck by the enemy’s attack, the first thing he asked about was his mate. When he received no answer, his expression darkened, and a murderous rage filled his eyes. It was clear he intended to go after her.

From the wild look in his eyes, it was evident that the dark Fae prince had lost his composure. It had taken twenty skilled Fae soldiers and five witches to subdue him and put him back to sleep.

Even now, Aldric resisted the witch’s power. He was desperate to break free and find his mate. They had underestimated the strength of the mate bond, and now they were witnessing firsthand its undeniable pull. Both parties were drawn to each other, nearly to the point of madness. free𝑤ebnovel.com

"Perhaps the other dark Fae could calm him down," the witch suggested, her exhaustion becoming more apparent with each passing second.

As if to punctuate her point, a loud, distressed whinny came from outside. Maxi had tried to intervene, but the general had sent soldiers after her, and now she fought against them in her horse form.

The general’s face twisted in a scowl, frustration seeping through him. Not only had he lost one of his greatest assets, Islinda—what in the wildest Fae had she even been thinking, pulling that stunt?—now Aldric wasn’t even stable. He couldn’t afford to lose two assets in one day.

They needed Aldric more than ever now that his powerful mate was no longer with them—if she wasn’t dead already. The barbaric creatures of the Tamry Forest wouldn’t have spared her life. Islinda was most likely dead, and perhaps Aldric could feel it in his heart, which explained his turmoil.

The general didn’t care about Aldric’s well-being; he only wanted Aldric’s strength for their battles, to win the war for Astaria. Aldric could rot in hell afterward, for all he cared.

"Take away his memories," the general ordered.

"What?" Mother Theresa turned to the general, a frown etched on her face.

"Take away the memory of his mate."

"Are you kidding me right now? Do you even realize what you’re asking me to do? A mate bond? A sacred bond, general. It isn’t something to be trifled with."

The general faced her, his tall, graceful Fae frame towering over her as he spoke with emphasis. "And I’m sure you’ve done worse. Right now, I’m asking you to do this for the fate of the Fae realm. I need a soldier, and that—" he pointed toward Aldric, "is a mess. I need him in fighting condition."

"The gods will not let this slide."

"The gods should have never let Astaria fall into chaos in the first place. This is on them!" the general roared with conviction.

For a moment, it seemed as if Mother Theresa wouldn’t comply, but then she sighed.

"Fine. But don’t say I didn’t warn you," she huffed before sitting beside the younger witch. The process would be grueling, but she was stronger than the other witch and would get it done.

Meanwhile.....

Outside the tent, Maxi, in her powerful stallion form, was held down in a crackling magical net infused with electricity. The sharp electric pulses, an element known for incapacitating even the strongest of Fae, surged through her, rendering her powerless. Electricity was the very weapon their kind employed to fight against each other, and now it held Maxi captive, her limbs twitching as she struggled.

A desperate whinny escaped Maxi’s throat as she tried to break free, her eyes glinting with the need to get to Aldric. The soldiers around her laughed mockingly, their jeers echoing through the encampment. They weren’t used to horse shifters, and watching a creature of such strength helplessly writhing in the net amused them, as much as it horrified the onlookers.

Some of the Fae citizens nearby recognized Maxi as the one who had risked everything to help rescue them. They watched with heavy hearts, unable to intervene, bound by fear and the overwhelming authority of the soldiers.

Suddenly, the mocking laughter was cut short. One of the soldiers, who had been taunting Maxi, was flung backward by a strange, forceful gust of wind. The remaining soldiers immediately tensed, eyes scanning the area. But before they could make sense of what was happening, another soldier was knocked off his feet, then another. The attacker was elusive, striking from seemingly nowhere, and panic began to set in.

In the midst of the chaos, a powerful gust of wind sliced through the electric net, severing it in one swift motion. The electricity fizzled out, and Maxi was free. With a snort of pure vengeance, she stepped out from the tangled remains of the net, her eyes blazing with fury. Without hesitation, she lunged forward, her powerful form barreling into the nearest guard, knocking him aside like he was nothing.

Out of the corner of her eye, Maxi spotted Isaac, his presence unmistakable even amidst the confusion. She neighed loudly, her hooves pawing the ground, her muscles rippling with anticipation. That was her Fae.

Lowering her head, she scraped her hooves a few times, mimicking the movements of a bull before a charge. Her gaze locked on the tent where Aldric was being held, and with determination, she bolted towards it, her hooves thundering against the ground.

The few guards still standing quickly scattered, scrambling to get out of her path as Maxi charged forward, tearing through the side of the tent with sheer force.

Inside, the general’s eyes widened in annoyance as he turned to face the intruder, but before he could make a move, Maxi was upon him. With a swift and brutal kick, she sent him flying across the tent, his body crashing to the ground with a pained groan.

The commotion was enough to disrupt the witches, their concentration broken in an instant which was a deadly mistake.

Aldric’s eyes snapped open.

His gaze was sharp and filled with cold fury. Oh boy. The younger witch swallowed nervously, her eyes meeting his for a fleeting second before terror took over. She could see the unbridled rage, the raw power lurking behind his eyes.

A heartbeat later, shadows erupted from Aldric’s body, tendrils of darkness sweeping through the tent, knocking everyone aside with an unrelenting force. The only one left untouched was Maxi.

With a triumphant neigh, Maxi communicated with Aldric, and without hesitation, he moved towards her, swinging himself onto her back.

Outside, Isaac had finally made himself visible, fighting off the soldiers with fierce precision. He turned at the sound of Maxi’s urgent neigh, his eyes narrowing as he understood the message. As Maxi began to gallop away, Isaac summoned the wind to his side, propelling himself into the air and landing gracefully behind Aldric on Maxi’s back.

For a brief moment, Isaac and Aldric exchanged a look, a silent acknowledgment of what needed to be done. No words were needed.

"Stop them! Hold the barrier! Don’t let them escape!" the general bellowed, his voice hoarse with fury as he struggled back to his feet.

The witches scrambled to obey, their hands raised as they began bringing the barrier, but Aldric’s shadows were faster. With a flick of his wrist, the dark tendrils lashed out, striking the witches down before they could complete their spell. Maxi galloped forward, her powerful strides eating up the distance, Isaac and Aldric holding on as they rode away from the chaos.

The soldiers and witches could only watch helplessly as the trio vanished into the distance, their silhouettes fading against the darkening horizon. Together, Aldric, Maxi, and Isaac made their escape, galloping towards freedom while the camp behind them descended into disarray.