Marked By The Mad King Alpha (Phoebe and Perry) novel Chapter 126

Timothy had caught wind of the latest news—Elder Tricia was set to assume the royal beta position. He clicked his tongue in frustration, a sharp sound betraying his irritation. Poor Flynn. No matter what else could be said about the man, he’d been exceptional at his role, and losing him was a blow.

The royal gamma exhaled deeply, the weight of the upcoming conflict pressing heavily on his mind.

He had been stationed here for two weeks now, and the victory over the Obsidian Claw pack was nearly within his grasp. The tension in the air was palpable, every muscle in his body ready for the final push.

But there was a complication—one thorn in his carefully laid plans.

The Crimson Fang pack.

Those shifters were notoriously elusive, slipping through cracks like shadows. Recent intelligence hinted that they had forged an alliance through a mating ceremony between Reginald and the alpha Theodore’s daughter. A political move that complicated everything.

Reginald had managed a narrow escape, but not without cost.

From what Timothy had gathered, the scoundrel had lost sight in his left eye and a pinky finger during a brutal confrontation with the king. A costly price to pay.

Timothy’s lips curled into a bitter smile. It was a shame Perry hadn’t finished the job.

“Royal gamma Timothy, movement detected at the fortress,” a warrior’s voice interrupted his thoughts, sharp and urgent.

Springing to his feet, Timothy moved swiftly to investigate, every sense alert.

—

**Phoebe’s Perspective**

My voice still hadn’t returned, but honestly? I didn’t mind it much. If anything, I suspected Perry believed I was using my silence as an excuse to keep him at arm’s length. And he wasn’t wrong.

Since my body remained fragile during recovery, Marcela had been a constant presence at my side. After the poisoning incident, she was insistent on testing every single morsel before it passed my lips. The irony wasn’t lost on me—Perry was the one who had actually been poisoned, yet here Marcela fussed over me.

“This is Melia Bell,” Marcela said one afternoon, holding up a peculiar plant with twisted, oddly shaped leaves. “It reduces inflammation and warms your body.” She carefully plucked three leaves and pressed them into my palm.

“You only need these three leaves, then add them to…” she began, launching into a detailed explanation of the herb’s uses and preparation.

Since she spent so many hours with me, Marcela had grown restless and desperate for activities to fill the time. She decided to take me wandering through the king’s palace—something I’d never had the chance to do before. Mason, being just an omega, lacked the authority to decide where I could go without the king’s explicit permission.

But Marcela was different. The king had specifically assigned her to stay with me constantly, no exceptions. No area of the palace was off-limits, though if she wanted to venture beyond the palace walls, she had to inform the king first and obtain his approval.

Eventually, Marcela took it upon herself to teach me about herbal medicine—probably because she had run out of other ideas to occupy us. Surprisingly, I found myself genuinely enjoying learning something new. I asked questions, absorbed every detail, and even began brewing simple remedies under her careful guidance.

Marcela reported my progress to the king, and it seemed Perry didn’t object to me becoming her unofficial apprentice.

It was a small comfort to have something to focus on while Perry juggled his endless responsibilities.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify