Marked By The Mad King Alpha (Phoebe and Perry) novel Chapter 103

103

Chapter 103: Let Me Be Selfish

Phoebe’s Perspective

I felt as though I were slipping in and out of a dark, murky abyss. My consciousness flickered weakly, like a fragile flame struggling against the suffocating silence that surrounded me. I tried to move my limbs, but an unfamiliar numbness held me captive, making me question if my body was even real anymore.

I was nothing more than a drifting spirit, caught somewhere between the edge of unconsciousness and the faint stirrings of wakefulness.

Slowly, this emptiness began to steal my memories, fragment by fragment, until there was almost nothing left—not even the sound of my own name.

Then, out of the void, a deep voice emerged, weighted with sorrow and regret. It called to me, pulling at the fragments of my fading identity.

“Phoebe.”

“Phoebe.”

“Phoebe… come back to me.”

In the endless darkness, a single silver thread appeared, delicate and shimmering—visible only because everything else was swallowed by shadow. I reached toward it, desperate, but suddenly, something yanked me back with violent force.

A powerful surge crashed into me, and when I forced my eyes open, the darkness was still there—but different now. Shapes began to form around me.

I found myself lying in a sterile room, the faint scent of antiseptic in the air. Someone held me tightly, their grip desperate and warm. The electricity of their touch sent a soothing current through my numbness.

For the first time in what felt like forever, I felt… safe.

“It’s okay. You’re safe now,” the man whispered softly, though his voice trembled with tension.

Who was he? I tried to focus on his face, but a sharp, searing pain exploded inside my skull, shattering any chance of clear thought.

My body felt fragile, as if it could shatter with the slightest movement. I couldn’t even cry out for help.

Have you ever been trapped inside a nightmare, unable to wake? That’s exactly how I felt—helpless and silent as the pain tore through my head, as if it might split me open.

He continued to hold me, rocking gently, unaware of the torment I was enduring.

It hurts… so much…

I screamed inside my mind, but no words escaped my lips.

Eventually, the pain overwhelmed me, and I surrendered to the darkness once again, letting it pull me back into that drifting, weightless state.

—

“We will have our vengeance,” Sterling vowed, standing beside the lifeless body of his son. “Perry will pay for this—he’ll suffer.”

Though he had never truly cared for Kevin, the boy was still his blood. No matter his faults, Sterling was determined to avenge his death.

“Forgive me, Alpha. I had no idea the king intended to execute him. I wasn’t informed of any such plans,” Reginald said, his face etched with genuine remorse. “Had I known, I would have warned you immediately.”

Murdered.

Despite the burning anger and hatred fueling him, he knew his time was limited. He needed someone to carry on his legacy.

“I’m naming you my beta,” Sterling declared, elevating Reginald’s rank. He would watch him carefully, testing whether he was worthy of the responsibility.

“I will be forever grateful,” Reginald responded, then pledged his loyalty to the alpha—a display of devotion that pleased Sterling.

—

Perry’s Perspective

I sat beside Phoebe, watching her pale face as she slept. The trembling that had wracked her body had finally ceased, and beads of sweat glistened on her forehead. Her breathing was steady now, slow and even.

In the end, I could no longer keep myself away. Let her hate me. Let her try to destroy me—I no longer cared.

This kingdom, this life, meant nothing without her.

It had been the longest stretch we’d ever been apart since I found her.

“Phoebe…” I leaned down, brushing my lips softly against hers. They felt cold, but the warmth of her breath against my cheek was a small comfort. “Hate me if you must, but please—just this once—let me be selfish. Let me stay here with you.”

I grazed her lower lip gently with my teeth, pulling her closer as if I could somehow anchor her to me. I needed to feel her heartbeat. I needed proof she was still alive.