Mated To The Cruel Prince-Chapter 831: Fear

"Valerie, stop right there!" Queen Maeve’s voice cut through the corridor like a whip, her footsteps echoing as she stormed after her son the moment she stepped out of the meeting room.

Valerie, however, was in no mood to heed her call. He strode ahead, his body tense, his hands balled into tight fists. His jaw was clenched so hard that it was a wonder his teeth didn’t shatter under the pressure. Rage burned through him like wildfire.

But Queen Maeve wasn’t the type to back down. She kept up her pursuit, her voice growing sharper. "Stop right there, Valerie Huxstabel! Don’t make me chase after you!"

Valerie’s pace faltered for a moment. It wasn’t every day that his mother called him by his surname, and when she did, it meant trouble. He wished his quarters were closer so he could slam the door in her face and lock her out. Unfortunately, his wing was still a long way off. Realizing he couldn’t avoid the confrontation, he turned the corner and reached for the first door he could find.

When he opened it, he found himself in a storage room where four maidservants were busy arranging supplies. Their heads whipped around at his sudden intrusion, confusion plain on their faces.

"Get out," Valerie commanded, his voice low and dangerous.

The maids stared at him, wide-eyed and frozen like deer in the headlights. His patience snapped. "I said get out!" he bellowed.

They jumped at the intensity of his voice, whimpering in fright as they scrambled to exit the room. Valerie slammed the door shut, but a hand caught it at the last second, holding it open with surprising strength. Queen Maeve stepped in, her face twisted in fury.

For a split second, a flicker of fear entered Valerie’s eyes. He could tell from the cold fury on her face and the way she stalked into the room like a predator that she was more than ready for a confrontation. But the rage boiling inside Valerie was stronger than any fear he felt. For the first time, Valerie didn’t care about the consequences.

He didn’t see it coming, but he should have. Queen Maeve’s hand lashed out, and Valerie’s head whipped to the side from the impact of her slap.

"You fool!" she raged, her voice raw with anger and emotion. "See what your foolishness has caused?! If only you had given up on that Islinda girl and went along with my plans, Aldric would be out of the picture by now! You could have been king already, with a wife and probably a child! But no! You let it all go to waste! Even with the blue flame, you accomplished nothing! Had I not intervened during the death duel, you’d be dead now!"

She threw her head back and laughed dryly, her laughter filled with contempt. "Sometimes I wonder why I even bother with you. You’re nothing but a fool, a disappointment—"

"That’s enough, Mother," Valerie cut her off, his voice cold and filled with bitterness.

He didn’t need her constant reminders; he already knew he was a failure. He had failed to win Islinda, failed to defeat Aldric, and now his mother was rubbing salt into his wounds.

No matter what he did, he would never measure up to Aldric in her eyes. But that was fine. He had no more motivation to go on. Islinda, who had once been his only source of happiness, now belonged to Aldric. They were going to have a happy family while he remained his miserable self. At this point, all he wanted was rest. He was just so tired. Nothing mattered anymore.

But Queen Maeve couldn’t see that. She kept pushing, her words like daggers.

"You are a failure, Valerie! You will never catch up with Aldric, especially now that he’s about to become king of the dark Fae." She sneered, her lips curling in disdain. "How could you possibly catch up? He’s about to have an heir, someone who will certainly challenge your claim to the throne. All the resources I invested in you—what a waste. I can’t help but wonder if I should have claimed Aldric as my son. At least he would have made me prouder than you ever did—"

Valerie snapped.

Before she could react, Valerie had her pinned against the wall, his hand wrapped around her throat. Her eyes widened in shock and she beat against his arm, her own breath coming in shallow gasps.

There was a wild, feral look in his eyes, a look that promised death. He spoke slowly, his voice dripping with venom. "Perhaps I should make things easier for you by eliminating you. You wouldn’t be disappointed in me when you’re dead."

In that terrifying moment, Queen Maeve realized that Valerie was serious. He intended to kill her. She struggled against his grip, her panic rising, but he was stronger, fueled by rage and a lifetime of frustration.

In a desperate move, she kicked him between the legs, a blow that momentarily stunned him. She took advantage of his momentary weakness to summon a wave of fire and sent it crashing into his face. Valerie staggered back, giving her just enough time to scramble to the door.

Queen Maeve bolted from the room, running like her life depended on it. She didn’t stop until she reached her chambers, her heart pounding wildly in her chest. She slammed the door shut and locked it, her breath coming in ragged gasps. She leaned against the door, trying to steady her racing heart, her mind reeling with disbelief.

Her own son—Valerie—had just tried to kill her.

For a long moment, Queen Maeve stood there, her chest heaving with each breath. She had always known that Valerie was capable of anger, of hatred, but this—this was something else entirely. She had pushed him too far, and now she was reaping the consequences.

She sank to the floor, her hands trembling. Her carefully laid plans were crumbling around her, and she was losing control. Her son had become a danger not just to himself, but to everyone around him. And for the first time in a long while, Queen Maeve felt a flicker of something she hadn’t felt in years.

Fear.

Real fear.