Marked By The Mad King Alpha (Phoebe and Perry) novel Chapter 136

Chapter 136: Come Here

Phoebe’s Perspective

A wave of relief washed over me the moment Perry’s eyes fluttered open, his mind wiped clean of any memory from earlier. Although he still seemed a bit unsteady, pressing matters demanded our attention—the elders were spiraling into chaos, and Elder Tricia was visibly overwhelmed by the turmoil surrounding them.

“How do you know?” Perry’s gaze sharpened, suspicion etched into his features as he scrutinized my face. “Did Tricia tell you?”

His question hung heavily in the air. I couldn’t bring myself to lie, so I simply nodded in response.

His expression darkened instantly, a sharp click of his tongue breaking the silence before he muttered a reluctant thanks for the medicine I handed him.

Carefully, I passed him the painkiller I had prepared with steady hands.

“I need to speak with Marcela. Tell her to come tonight.” Irritation radiated from him in waves, his tone edged with frustration.

Perry had his reasons for keeping Marcela in the dark about his condition—trust wasn’t something he gave lightly. She’d only been the palace healer for a few months, hardly enough time to earn his confidence. Vulnerability wasn’t part of his nature, especially not around someone he barely knew.

But there was something in his expression that set off alarms in my mind. I grabbed his sleeve gently, mouthing the word “why?” without making a sound.

My worry must have been obvious because his eyes flashed dangerously, as if ready to unleash fury. If the healer was in trouble, it was serious.

“She knows about this.” He shook the vial in his hand, holding it tightly. “I want a full explanation. Who knows what Tricia might have told her?”

Confusion clouded my thoughts until the realization hit me like a sudden thunderclap. I pointed to myself, trying to communicate that I was the one who had made the medicine.

“You did?” His brows knitted together as he watched me nod frantically. I hurried off to fetch paper and pen.

*Elder Tricia told me everything, and I asked Marcela to teach me how to prepare it, but I never mentioned your condition,* I scribbled quickly.

Perry was aware I’d been learning medicine from the healer recently. He never objected, especially since it seemed to bring me some joy.

Still, the fact that my newfound knowledge was actually useful appeared to catch him off guard.

*You don’t need to confront her,* I wrote, anxiety making my handwriting uneven. The idea of him hurting Marcela over a simple misunderstanding twisted my stomach into knots.

He studied me for what felt like an eternity before finally relenting. “Fine. I don’t mind you knowing. I might even end up relying on you more from now on.”

To me, Perry seemed perfectly normal. Perhaps Elder Tricia had exaggerated—he showed no visible sign of discomfort.

I almost believed the painkiller was unnecessary until his fingers brushed against my cheek. The icy coldness of his skin betrayed the truth: he was enduring pain beneath the surface.

How could he hide it so completely? Not even a flicker of his real suffering escaped him.

The old saying echoed in my mind: fake it till you make it. That had to be Perry’s method—pretend the pain wasn’t there until numbness took over. The thought sent a chill down my spine.

Then again, wasn’t I doing the same thing?

My steps faltered. I had no idea the alphas had been summoned too—apparently, they’d been here for two days already.

Perry had only mentioned the elders, conveniently omitting the larger guest list.

For a brief moment, I seriously considered fleeing, especially as the low murmur of conversations died down and every pair of eyes turned toward me.

“Come here, Phoebe.” Perry’s voice cut through the silence, his hand gesturing to the chair beside him.

Among the sea of unfamiliar faces, I recognized only a handful: Alpha Phil from the Crimson Moon pack, Elder Wesley, Elder Eden, and of course, Elder Tricia.

Everyone else was a complete stranger.

I bit my lip, frantically weighing my options. But really, what choice did I have?

The walk toward Perry felt like crossing a bed of burning coals. I kept my gaze fixed firmly on him, refusing to meet the intense stares drilling into me from every direction.

As intimidating as Perry could be, somehow these strangers felt far more threatening.

Maybe I’d simply grown used to him—that had to explain the strange sense of safety I felt.

When I finally reached my seat, Perry gave my hand a reassuring squeeze.