Mated To The Cruel Prince-Chapter 830: Messed Up Parents

"Are you kidding me right now? Check it again. She might not really be pregnant," Aldric commanded the physician.

The physician hesitated, confusion flickering in his eyes. "But my prince—"

"Do it," Aldric insisted, his tone leaving no room for argument.

King Oberon, who had been watching the scene unfold, stepped forward to intervene. "Aldric—" he began, but something in Aldric’s face stopped him. There was a desperation there, a vulnerability that Oberon hadn’t seen in his son for a long time. With a sigh, Oberon stepped back, choosing not to interfere further.

The physician, seeing no other choice, took Islinda’s wrist once more, feeling for her pulse before retrieving his instruments. He placed the cold metal against her stomach, his brow furrowing in concentration.

Islinda had gone deadly still, her face pale and her lips pressed into a tight line. She bit down on her bottom lip so hard she nearly drew blood, her hands trembling despite her efforts to control them. The tempest of emotions swirling inside her threatened to overwhelm her, but she fought to keep her composure.

After what felt like an eternity, the physician straightened up, his face serious. He looked at Aldric and said, "The result is still the same, my prince. Your mate is pregnant."

Aldric staggered back as if he’d been struck, his mind reeling. "So it’s true... you’re really pregnant," he muttered, more to himself than to anyone else. He couldn’t believe it.

Islinda had had enough. With tears glittering in her eyes, she stood up, her voice shaky with emotion. "You know," she began, her voice quivering, "I understand that you don’t want c-children..." She sniffed, trying to hold back the tears threatening to spill over. "But I don’t mind. I’ll keep the child and wait for you when you come around—if you even want anything to do with them."

Aldric’s confusion deepened, and he frowned. "What are you talking about? Why wouldn’t I want my own child? I don’t understand."

Islinda stared at him, equally perplexed. "But you didn’t look too happy about the news," she explained, her voice still trembling. "You even told the physician to check again, as if you didn’t want the pregnancy."

Aldric’s expression softened as he realized the misunderstanding. "Because I wanted to be absolutely sure this wasn’t one of their twisted games," he said, his gaze flickering toward Queen Maeve and Queen Nirvana, the accusation clear in his eyes.

Relief washed over Islinda, and she felt herself relax slightly. But to be sure, she asked again, her voice hesitant. "So... you’re not angry with me?"

Aldric let out a frustrated sigh, looking up toward the heavens as if asking for patience. "The gods help me with you," he muttered, exasperation clear in his tone.

Without another word, he closed the distance between them and knelt before her, taking her hands in his. "What do you think of me, Islinda? I might be many things, but I would never abandon my own blood. Fine, I admit it—I was scared."

He ran a hand through his hair, clearly frustrated with himself. "But only because the news took me by surprise. Heck, I’m going to be a father, and we both know I’m not exactly ’father’ material. And this is hardly the right time."

Aldric took a deep breath, his eyes closing as he tried to steady his nerves. When he opened them again, his gaze softened as he looked at his mate, his beautiful, pregnant mate.

His eyes drifted down to her still-flat stomach, and he tentatively placed a hand there. The reality of it was beginning to sink in—there was a child growing inside her, their child. His hand moved gently over her stomach, and before he knew it, he was laughing—a deep, genuine laugh that bubbled up from within him.

Islinda, surprised by his reaction, found herself laughing along with him. The tension that had gripped the room melted away as their laughter filled the air. The other members of the royal family looked on, baffled by the sudden change in mood.

"We’re going to be the most messed-up parents," Aldric said between laughs. "The soon-to-be king of the dark Fae is going to have an heir."

Islinda laughed until tears streamed down her cheeks, but then, as the reality of the situation hit her, those tears turned into something else entirely. The enormity of what was happening overwhelmed her.

She was going to be a mother, and she had no idea how to be one. She had seen mothers in her village, how their lives changed, how there was no going back. And what if she got fat? What if she looked different, less beautiful than the ethereal female Fae? What if Aldric didn’t want her anymore after that?

Her laughter faded into sobs, and Aldric’s amusement turned to confusion as his mate began to cry in earnest. He froze, unsure of what to do. Dealing with a crying, pregnant mate was entirely outside his realm of experience.

"Come on, you fool, just hug and comfort her already," King Oberon instructed gruffly, his voice tinged with irritation. To think he had raised an ignorant fool like Aldric.

Aldric snapped out of his stupor and quickly pulled Islinda into his arms, holding her close. "Shh, don’t cry, little human. We’ll figure this out. You have nothing to worry about," he murmured, his voice soft and soothing.

While Aldric and Islinda comforted each other, a sudden sniffing sound caught the attention of the other members of the royal family. They turned to see Queen Victoria dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief.

Feeling their gazes, she retorted defensively, "What?! Both of them are so cute it is quite touching."

Queen Nirvana muttered something under her breath that sounded suspiciously like a curse, while Queen Maeve looked like she was on the verge of setting the entire room on fire.

Unable to bear the sight of Aldric and Islinda’s public display of affection, Valerie was the first to storm out of the room, his heart aching. The emotions that had surged within him were too much to bear, and he needed to escape before he did something reckless.

Queen Maeve followed soon after, but not before shooting a venomous glare at King Oberon. "Trust me, you are going to regret this decision," she hissed before disappearing through the doorway.