Marked By The Mad King Alpha (Phoebe and Perry) novel Chapter 174

**Chapter 174: Win The Battle, Lose The War**

“You have no idea what this feels like, Fiona. You can’t possibly understand the agony of watching your mate being intimate with another man while you stand helplessly by.”

His voice was laced with pain, each word a dagger aimed straight at her heart.

“You can’t fathom the betrayal that cuts so deep when your mate sneaks away to meet him behind your back. That’s a concept foreign to you, because I’ve never stooped to that level with you.”

As he spoke, Fiona’s sobs intensified, each one wracking her body with a violent tremor.

Desperation clawed at her as she clung to Reginald, the emotional turmoil swirling inside her like a storm, making her feel nauseous.

It felt as if her world was collapsing, the weight of her mistakes suffocating her. She could no longer hold back the torrent of anguish that threatened to consume her whole.

“What do you have to say to that? Do you have even the slightest inkling of how it feels? Here’s the bare truth—you don’t. I never treated you like trash, but I certainly know what it’s like to be treated that way, because that’s exactly the hell you’ve put me through.”

Fiona wrapped her arms tightly around him, her tears flowing freely, her lungs burning from the intensity of her sobs. She was thankful that he hadn’t pushed her away; perhaps there was still a chance to mend this shattered relationship.

“Please, tell me what I need to do. How can I make this right? How can I fix the mess I’ve created?”

“Hell if I know,” Reginald muttered, dropping his gaze to the ground. He didn’t reciprocate her embrace, and yet Fiona felt a flicker of hope that he might still be open to her. “There were times I wanted to hurt you just as deeply as you’ve hurt me, but… I don’t know. That’s just my anger talking.”

“Then hurt me, Reginald. Tear me apart if that’s what it takes for you to heal. Give me the same pain I inflicted upon you, but afterward, please find a way to forgive me.”

Reginald fell silent, the weight of his unspoken thoughts hanging heavily in the air. Fiona could sense the turmoil within him, the conflict raging just beneath the surface.

Eventually, she pulled back, cradling his face in her hands, searching his eyes for any sign of understanding. “Go find someone else. I won’t say a word. Let’s call it even. It’ll break me, but I deserve it.”

“I won’t sink that low,” he replied, his words cutting through her like a slap, revealing the depths of his disdain.

“Please, choose anyone you want. I won’t lose my mind over it. You need to blow off some steam too. All this fighting and thirst for revenge must be eating you alive. Just… have some fun.”

Reginald remained silent, but he didn’t outright reject her suggestion either.

“Go find someone who catches your eye, do whatever you want with them, but please, come back to me.”

Fiona felt herself sinking to new lows, too ashamed to look in the mirror, but she understood this was the price of her betrayal.

“I’ll think about it,” Reginald finally said, his tone cautious.

“Okay.”

**Phoebe’s POV**

It was a trap. Reginald understood that the king would charge in personally, driven by a thirst for revenge after the kidnapping. Perry was eager to tear him apart with his bare hands and feed the pieces to his wolves.

“This won’t end like last time.”

“Do you think the fortress can withstand it?” Allen inquired, his expression serious. They had executed their plan flawlessly, luring the king into their web.

This was Allen’s true motivation for supporting Reginald and his rebels.

Reginald wasn’t the only one harboring hidden agendas—the Valerium people were done taking hits. This was their moment to retaliate against King Perry.

This was the price Perry would pay for attempting to crush their kingdom.

“It will hold. Word must be reaching him now. Don’t worry. Even if the fortress falls, it will be too late for him to retreat and save his kingdom. He’s trapped either way.”

All the alphas and Darius shared knowing grins at that.

They were merely bait to draw Perry away from the palace, and Reginald made for the perfect lure.

“He might win this battle, but he’s about to lose the war.” Reginald’s eyes followed the ten thousand warriors as they moved under their king’s command.