Marked By The Mad King Alpha (Phoebe and Perry) novel Chapter 137

Chapter 137: Kneel Before Your Queen

Phoebe’s Perspective

A knot of anxiety twisted relentlessly in my stomach throughout the entire lunch. Each bite felt like swallowing rough stones, my nerves making it nearly impossible to force the food down. The taste was gone, but more than that, my mind was trapped in a whirlwind of unease.

Perry was plotting something—I could feel it radiating from him, like a charged current in the air—but I couldn’t quite put my finger on what exactly. It was as if the atmosphere itself was thick with unspoken intentions.

The conversation around the table was stiff, forced, and overly polite. Everyone seemed to be skirting around the real reason we had gathered, engaging in meaningless small talk to avoid addressing the looming tension. That was my impression anyway.

Most of the people barely acknowledged my presence. They tossed a few polite questions my way, but when Perry explained that I had injured my tongue and needed to stay silent to heal faster, their interest in me evaporated entirely.

Still, I felt their eyes burning into me—some openly staring without even trying to hide it. A few alphas whispered quietly among themselves, sneaking glances in my direction. The weight of their judgment was suffocating.

I wanted nothing more than to flee that room immediately.

In that moment, I made a mental vow: never again would I accept a lunch invitation from Perry. Lesson learned the hard way.

Meanwhile, Perry appeared completely at ease, piling more meat onto my plate as if trying to coax me into eating. But my taste buds felt numb, dead to the world, and after what I’d done to myself, I doubted they would ever return. Not that it mattered anymore.

Suddenly, Perry sprang to his feet without warning and tapped his glass sharply. The room fell into a heavy silence—so quiet you could almost hear the dust settling on the floor. The tension became almost unbearable.

“You all know the truth,” Perry announced, his voice cutting through the hush. “Phoebe is my destined mate. She will be the queen of this kingdom.”

There was no softening of the blow, no gentle lead-in. Perry went straight to the heart of the matter.

“Since I made my intentions clear, I’ve heard complaints from some of you.”

His gaze fixed on Elder Wesley and Elder Eden, who sat side by side. “Let me be perfectly clear—I will say this only once. Disrespect my mate, and you disrespect me. That is treason.”

Whispers rippled through the room at his words, but as he set his glass down, the murmurs died instantly.

“Once we crush the rebel packs, I will hold the queen ceremony.” Perry reached for my hand, gripping it firmly and urging me to stand. All I wanted was to disappear into thin air.

The rejection radiating from the elders’ section hit me like a physical blow—a sharp, bitter sting.

But I couldn’t embarrass Perry, so I forced myself to rise. What was I supposed to do now? Was he expecting some grand speech from me? He knew I hadn’t spoken in ages.

“How can you crown a woman who tried to destroy you? I say this because I care—for you, for this kingdom.” Elder Wesley gestured toward his four allies and the two alphas standing with him. “This is wrong. She belongs in the dungeon with her father.”

Cameron was still alive, though barely. Perry hadn’t bothered to visit him since that last brutal torture session. Cameron could rot in that cell for all anyone cared.

“She is unfit to rule this kingdom. She is a rejected mate—a walking curse. You lost Royal Beta Flynn because of her. If not for her, Flynn would still be sitting here.” Elder Wesley turned toward Elder Tricia, who remained kneeling. “No disrespect to you, Elder Tricia, but the king lost his most trusted friend because of this woman.”

Perry tilted his head slightly but said nothing, as if allowing Elder Wesley to dig his own grave with his words. His arm slipped around my waist, steadying me with a quiet reassurance.

“Are you finished, Elder Wesley?”

Perry stepped forward, motioning for me to sit back down. He knew I needed it.

“No, my king. I oppose this union entirely. It will bring nothing but ruin and destruction to the kingdom.”

“This woman?” Perry’s eyes narrowed to slits as he stopped directly in front of Elder Wesley. The elder instinctively took a step back, overwhelmed by the king’s commanding presence. “This woman is my mate.”

The next moment, Elder Wesley’s head slammed to the floor.