Marked By The Mad King Alpha (Phoebe and Perry) novel Chapter 125

125 Chapter 125 He Set Fire to the Whole Trail

“How long is he going to keep ignoring me?” Flynn asked, his voice calm but edged with frustration.

Compared to their last conversation, there was a new steadiness in his tone, a quiet determination beneath the surface.

Marcela hesitated, her lips parting as she searched for the right words. Yet uncertainty held her captive, freezing her in place. She could have stayed silent, letting Flynn cling to his fading hope that this punishment would end once the king’s anger subsided.

Flynn still believed that eventually, he would be allowed back into the palace.

Even though his royal beta status had been stripped away, the palace remained his only refuge—the sole place he could truly call home.

But now, Flynn would be stuck here indefinitely, surrounded by warriors. Not locked behind bars, perhaps, but this place had become his prison all the same.

Marcela could have simply turned and walked away, sparing herself the pain of delivering such harsh news.

Yet, she couldn’t let Flynn’s hope grow only to be crushed later.

“Don’t… set your hopes too high, Flynn,” Marcela finally said, her voice trembling slightly. “The king’s going to be overwhelmed. He’ll have so many responsibilities now… I think it’ll be a very long time before he even thinks about lifting your punishment. I mean, it could be forever.”

Flynn’s jaw clenched tightly. He wasn’t naive—he understood the message hidden beneath her words perfectly.

“Are you saying he’ll just forget I exist?” Flynn’s voice was raw, stripping away any pretense. “That this is my permanent sentence?”

“Nothing’s decided yet,” Marcela admitted, taking a shaky breath. “But I’m afraid you’ll be here for a very long time…”

His whole body trembled as he fought to hold back the storm of emotions rising inside him—and failed.

When he spoke again, his voice was sharp, cutting through the silence.

“Leave.”

Marcela didn’t hesitate. She stepped out of the room quietly, and just moments after the door clicked shut behind her, a sudden roar of destruction burst from within.

—

**Phoebe’s Perspective**

I fought to stay awake during the journey back to the palace, but exhaustion overwhelmed me. My head rested against the car window, jolting repeatedly as the vehicle bounced over the uneven road.

“Come here,” Perry said softly. He pulled me closer, gently positioning my head on his lap.

Maybe I was too tired or too drowsy to resist, but I didn’t try. I let him draw me nearer, sensing the quiet satisfaction in his touch.

Perry’s fingers ran through my hair, soothing and tender, lulling me into a deeper sleep.

By the time we reached the palace, I stirred, blinking away the haze. A wave of hesitation filled me as I prepared to step out of the car.

“Do you want your old bedroom back, or would you prefer a different room?” Perry asked, taking my hand and leading me inside the grand halls of the king’s palace.

“Can I help you with something?” Elder Tricia asked, dressed simply, having been preparing for bed when I arrived.

“I’m appointing you as royal beta,” I said without hesitation. “It’ll be temporary, just until I find someone more suitable for the long term.”

Elder Tricia didn’t seem shocked by my request. He had anticipated this as well. Pouring two glasses of bourbon, he handed one to me.

“So, he’s finally gone too far,” Elder Tricia sighed heavily. He knew what had happened at the beach house, what Flynn had done.

He hadn’t thought Flynn capable of crossing that line, but in hindsight, he should have seen it coming, given how agitated Flynn had become over time.

“He didn’t just cross the line. He set fire to the whole path.”

I still wanted to kill him.

The reason I hadn’t confronted Flynn was because I didn’t want to hear him justify his actions, to claim he was right. At this point, I wasn’t sure I could control my fury.

“I see.” Elder Tricia sat beside me, glass in hand. “He loves this kingdom more than anything. I hope you understand that.”

I did understand. “I do. But that doesn’t excuse what he did.”

“No, it doesn’t,” Elder Tricia agreed. “It’s tragic he chose the wrong path.”

I didn’t share his sympathy. After all, the choice had been Flynn’s alone.