Marked By The Mad King Alpha (Phoebe and Perry) novel Chapter 1

Chapter 1

I tore through the dense forest, the chill of the night air slashing against my cheeks and clawing at my lungs with every desperate breath. My legs burned fiercely, protesting each pounding step as if ablaze, yet halting was unthinkable. If I slowed—if even for a fleeting second I hesitated—they would catch me. And capture meant nothing less than death.

“Phoebe! Get back here!” The furious roar of my father echoed violently through the pack link, pounding relentlessly inside my skull. I didn’t need to glance behind to know Beta Cameron was among my pursuers—alongside him were my stepbrother Reginald and that arrogant alpha’s son, Kevin. They all wanted me trapped, dragged back in chains like some criminal.

The forest seemed to come alive around me—branches whipping at my arms, roots grasping at my feet like claws, the relentless rhythm of my hunters pounding close behind. A dozen Obsidian Claw warriors chased me, and deep down I knew outrunning them was nearly impossible. Still, a stubborn flicker of hope burned within my chest. The pack border was near—I could feel its pull, like an invisible thread pulling me forward.

Adrenaline surged through my veins, dulling the ache that threatened to overwhelm my body. The sting of thorns, the sharp bite of rocks beneath my feet—all of it blurred as I pushed onward. Moon Goddess, please, I begged silently. Just one miracle. Only this once.

Almost there. Just a little farther. Don’t stop.

Suddenly, a sharp tug yanked me backward. My backpack had caught on a low-hanging branch, tearing open as my few possessions spilled across the forest floor. For a brief moment, I nearly turned back. But instinct roared louder than reason. I ripped free and continued running.

Clothes, food, whatever I’d lost—they could be replaced. Freedom could not.

The bitter irony wasn’t lost on me. In two days, I would turn eighteen and finally experience my first shift. But I couldn’t wait that long. Not after what Kevin had done. Not after what my father had permitted.

“You’re dead when I get my hands on you!” His voice thundered again through the link, dripping with rage. I tried to block it out, but his Beta dominance sliced through my mind like a whip, overwhelming my resistance.

Then, through the trees ahead, I spotted the silver gleam of moonlight reflecting off moving water—the border. A shallow river divided Obsidian Claw territory from the Crimson Fang lands. I’d chosen this route because their patrols were thinner here, their guards fewer. It was my only slim chance.

My heart pounded wildly as I burst through the last thicket. Cold water splashed around my legs as I plunged into the river. Each step felt heavier than the last, but I forced myself forward until I stumbled onto the opposite bank, collapsing with chest heaving and throat raw.

For a moment, all I heard was the frantic pounding of my pulse and the soft whisper of wind weaving through the trees. My muscles trembled violently, my body screaming in protest—but I had made it. I was free.

A savage howl shattered the night. I spun just in time to see Kevin and Reginald on the far side, shifting back into human form. Their eyes burned with fury, but the river stood firm between us—a boundary neither dared cross without igniting war.

I wished I could savor the victory, but I knew better. Crimson Fang patrols would sweep the area soon, and they showed no mercy to trespassers. I had to reach the Solitary Lands to the south before dawn, then keep moving toward the human world. That was the only place they couldn’t reach me.

“Get back here, Phoebe!” Reginald’s voice cut sharply across the water, thick with anger. Kevin’s glare was worse—cold, cutting, and brimming with murderous intent.

I wanted to shout something defiant, something that would remind them I wasn’t the helpless girl they assumed I was. But my lungs rebelled. Each breath was a battle, and I needed to conserve my strength.

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