Marked By The Mad King Alpha (Phoebe and Perry) novel Chapter 133

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Chapter 133: His Burning Secret

Phoebe’s Perspective

Elder Tricia sank heavily into his chair, the weariness etched deeply into his lined face. The weight of the past several days had clearly taken its toll on him. Juggling the demands of ruling the kingdom alongside managing the council of elders was a crushing responsibility—one that would have worn down even someone as resilient as Flynn.

This was precisely the kind of burden Flynn used to complain about, and watching Elder Tricia now, I understood why. Age had caught up with him, and he no longer possessed the stamina to withstand such relentless pressure.

“Perry probably doesn’t remember,” Elder Tricia began, his voice low and gravelly, “but I believe the poison barely affected him this time because the former king had already poisoned him once before. Whether he recalls that incident or not, I can’t say. The poison didn’t kill him then, but it left lasting damage.”

He gestured toward the king lying unconscious on the bed, his meaning unmistakable.

“He won’t wake for at least three days. And when he does, the pain will be unbearable. He’ll need something strong to dull it. Helen always anticipated this—she kept the medicine ready every time. You’ll need to do the same.”

His eyes met mine, softening with a tenderness that felt almost fatherly as his voice dropped to a whisper.

“The fact that Perry never confided this to Marcela tells me he’s uncomfortable revealing his vulnerabilities. You know how shifters see weakness by now.”

I did. Most shifters had little patience or respect for anyone weaker than themselves. For the king of this realm to be bedridden, fever-racked and helpless for days, would be considered a deep disgrace.

“Can you make painkillers?” Elder Tricia asked. “I heard Marcela has been teaching you about medicine.”

I hesitated, shaking my head, then nodding, then shaking it again in confusion.

“You can’t make painkillers?”

Another shake of my head.

“Hmm… Maybe Helen left some in the infirmary. Could you ask Marcela to prepare some?”

I gave a small nod.

“Perry will survive without the medication, but I worry the pain will cloud his judgment during meetings—and that temper of his might flare up.”

I bit my lip, fully aware of the trouble that could bring. Elder Tricia pushed himself upright, his joints cracking audibly with the effort.

“I don’t care what others say about you, Phoebe. You balance him out. The Moon Goddess must have had her reasons for binding you two together.”

I quickly scribbled a note on my pad: [What reason did the Moon Goddess have for giving me Kevin as a mate?] The bitter taste returned to my mouth whenever anyone mentioned divine plans.

Elder Tricia shrugged, as if to say even the gods make mistakes.

“Sometimes the Moon Goddess errs too. Maybe Perry is her way of making amends to you. And maybe you’re his blessing after all he’s endured.”

***

Though I had promised Elder Tricia I’d ask Marcela to prepare the painkillers, when evening arrived and I found the healer, I surprised myself by asking her to teach me how to make them instead.

“Why do you need shifter painkillers?” Marcela asked, clearly puzzled.

Shifter medicine was vastly different from human remedies, and most of what I’d learned so far was aimed at humans—since I wasn’t truly a shifter without my wolf.