Mated To The Cruel Prince-Chapter 894: Art Of Patience

Aldric pulled his tunic over his head, revealing his sculpted chest and the smooth, taut muscles underneath. Islinda swallowed, her throat suddenly dry. There was something about this moment, something more intimate and exposed, that made her heartbeat quicken.

The soft moonlight traced the sharp lines of Aldric’s body, illuminating the runes that marked his skin and illuminating his body as soon as her powers called to him.

Without breaking eye contact, Aldric casually pushed down his trousers, letting them fall to the ground, and stood there completely naked before her.

The air around them seemed to still. Aldric stood with arrogant confidence, his stance unbothered, as though being exposed in this way was as natural to him as breathing. His smirk remained as he glanced at her, catching the brief flicker of arousal in her eyes.

Islinda fought the urge to give in, refusing to show how much his presence was affecting her. She’d faced monsters without flinching, surely, she could handle her mate’s seduction.

Yet the sudden rush of heat coursing through her body wasn’t so easily ignored. It made her skin feel warmer, her pulse pounding quicker. Still, Islinda remained perfectly still even though Azula was screaming at her to make a move and devour the meal before her.

It was times like these that the difference between her and Azula surfaced. Unlike Azula who liked to jump headfirst into tempting offers like these, she - Islinda - liked to play hard to get and make Aldric break a sweat. That challenge was thrilling and made the effort worth it.

"Enjoying the view?" Aldric teased her, his voice deep and low, the playful edge unmistakable.

Islinda rolled her eyes but didn’t move from where she stood, her lips curling slightly into a smirk. "Just waiting to see if you’ll actually bathe or stand there preening all night."

Aldric chuckled, clearly amused with her response. He turned away from her, giving her a final, deliberately slow glance over his shoulder before stepping into the river.

At the sight of his sculpted ass, a groan that was undoubtedly Azula’s came from her lips. The Succubus was becoming frustrated with her but Islinda held the reins and she was so not letting go. Azula had to learn the art of patience.

The cold water met Aldric’s skin with a quiet splash, and he exhaled softly, the chill of it grounding him. As he waded further in, the water rippling around his legs and waist, he felt the tension of the day slowly ebb away.

Islinda remained at the water’s edge, her gaze following him despite her attempt to maintain her distance. She wasn’t about to let herself be distracted, but watching him—unfiltered, unguarded—was a temptation she couldn’t entirely ignore. There was a rawness to him in this moment, one that made her feel as though they were the only two people in the world.

Aldric turned to face her again, standing waist-deep in the water, his wet hair falling into his eyes. He ran a hand through it, pushing it back as the moonlight shimmered off the droplets clinging to his skin.

"You could always join me, you know. The water’s perfect." He tried to coax her once more.

Islinda arched an eyebrow, her expression calm despite the tension building inside her. "I’m not the one who stinks of battle,"

"Fair enough," Aldric said, though his gaze never left hers, and the playful glint in his eyes suggested he wasn’t giving up so easily.

Islinda watched Aldric begin to bathe. Each movement he made was on purpose, strong, and lazy, as though he knew the effect he had on her and was savoring it.

His hands moved through his dark hair, washing away the blood and dirt from battle, the crimson streaks momentarily tainting the clear water before the current whisked them away. ƒreewebɳovel.com

Her eyes lingered on his biceps as they flexed with every motion, the muscles in his arms rippling beneath the moonlight as he rinsed the blood from his skin. There was something undeniably intoxicating about it, the way his body moved so naturally, with raw power and grace. The masculine energy he exuded hit her like a wave, pulling her into a space where her usual calm composure began to crack.

Islinda bit down on the inside of her cheek hard, the sharp taste of blood filling her mouth, but it did little to quell the rising heat that surged within her.

Her heart was racing, her breath coming faster, and she could feel the telltale warmth pooling between her legs, a physical manifestation of the desire coursing through her. Her body was betraying her, and the line between control and instinct blurred dangerously.

Take him. Now. Azula’s voice commanded in her mind, loud and insistent. She winced from the intensity. She was still getting used to their cohabitation and the strain showed in times like this when Azula was being forceful.

Islinda gritted her teeth, fighting the primal urge that Azula fanned within her. But her control was laughable, slipping away faster with every passing moment. Her eyes traced the lines of Aldric’s body with a hunger that felt all-consuming. The intensity of her gaze was like a predator’s, focused and unrelenting, as if she could devour him with just a look.

She could no longer deny how badly she wanted him, how the sight of him, raw and unguarded, was undoing her piece by piece. Every inch of her body throbbed with need, and the burning intensity of her desire was becoming too much to contain.

Aldric finally looked up, catching her stare, his expression was unreadable for a moment before a slow smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. He knew. He could see it in her eyes, the hunger that she could no longer hide.

So Aldric decided to make things easier for them and began to step towards her. Now sensing his intention, Islinda’s breath hitched, her pulse pounding in her ears.

Azula screamed for her to close the distance between them, to let go of the last thread of control she held onto so desperately. But Islinda remained standing. She was a Queen and Queens don’t grovel.

Except Azula didn’t agree with that.