Chapter 126: Chapter 126 A Fragile Truce
Timothy caught wind of the news—elder Tricia would step into the royal beta position. He clicked his tongue in irritation. Poor Flynn. Whatever else could be said about the man, he’d been damn good at his job.
The royal gamma let out a heavy sigh as his mind turned to the battle looming ahead.
Two weeks he’d been stationed here, and victory against the Obsidian Claw pack was almost within reach.
The only wrench in his plans? The Crimson Fang pack.
Those shifters were slippery as hell. Latest intel suggested they’d sealed an alliance through some mating ceremony between Reginald and alpha Theodore’s daughter.
Reginald had managed to slip away, though not without paying a price. From what Timothy had pieced together, the bastard lost sight in his left eye and a pinky finger during his clash with the king.
Shame Perry hadn’t finished the job.
"Royal gamma Timothy, movement detected at the fortress," a warrior reported, snapping him from his thoughts.
Timothy shot to his feet to investigate.
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**Phoebe’s POV**
My voice still hadn’t returned, but honestly? I didn’t mind. In fact, I suspected Perry thought I was using this as an excuse to ignore him completely. He wasn’t wrong.
Since my body remained fragile during recovery, Marcela stayed glued to my side. After the poisoning incident, she insisted on testing every morsel of food that passed my lips.
Ironic, considering Perry was the one who’d actually been poisoned.
"This is Melia Bell," Marcela said, holding up a plant with an odd, twisted shape. "It reduces inflammation and warms your body." She plucked three leaves and pressed them into my palm.
"You only need these three leaves, then add them to..."
Marcela launched into her detailed explanation about the herb.
Since she spent countless hours with me, she’d grown desperate for activities. She’d taken me wandering through the king’s palace—something I’d never had the chance to do before. Mason, being just an omega, couldn’t decide where to escort me without the king’s explicit permission.
But Marcela was different. The king had specifically assigned her to my side, with instructions to stay with me constantly. No area was off-limits, though if she wanted to take me beyond the palace walls, she needed to inform the king first and secure his approval.
Eventually, Marcela decided to teach me herbal medicine—probably because she’d run out of other ideas. Surprisingly, I found myself genuinely happy to learn something new. I asked questions and had even started brewing simple remedies under her guidance.
Marcela reported this development to the king, and apparently Perry didn’t object to me becoming her unofficial apprentice.
So I had something to occupy my mind while Perry juggled his endless responsibilities.
However, there was one matter he couldn’t postpone any longer. That night, Perry appeared in my room.
Three days had passed since his last visit.
That seemed to be his limit—the maximum time the king could stay away from his mate before losing his sanity and turning volatile.
"We’re having our ceremony at month’s end." Perry never bothered with pleasantries, so those words hit me the moment he stepped through the door.
Shock must have shown clearly on my face—a dead giveaway that this was the last thing I wanted.
"It’s just a formality." Perry entered and settled onto the sofa. I was still watching the same cartoon I’d grown fond of. "Nothing changes afterward."
I hovered near the door, every muscle tensed for flight.
"Come here. Sit with me. I won’t touch you." Perry slouched back, watching me with exhausted eyes. I could practically feel his desire radiating across the room—the urge to hold me, kiss me, claim me completely. But those thoughts couldn’t have been further from my mind.
When I didn’t move, Perry finally closed his eyes.
"Let me stay here a while," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. The elders had been making his life hell, and it hadn’t helped when he’d killed one of them during a heated argument. They’d disagreed about me becoming queen of this kingdom.
They shared Flynn’s view—saw me as a liability, a weakness that would cripple the kingdom.
They wanted Perry to forge an alliance with a neighboring kingdom, joining forces to crush the Valerium kingdom faster.
I had no backing, no confidence to speak of.
They hadn’t even met me yet, since Perry refused to let them anywhere near the king’s palace.
But they’d learned about me anyway, and what they discovered hadn’t impressed them in the slightest.
Elder Tricia was furious that Perry had killed Elder Leo.
Though it had been effective—the remaining elders stopped their complaints and thought twice before opposing Perry’s decisions.
As the night settled into quiet, I felt something shift inside me. Perry sensed my movement, though he kept his eyes closed. My scent grew stronger as I moved closer, the heat of my body betraying my approach. I lowered myself onto the sofa beside him.
Perry opened his eyes and turned his head toward me. I stared at the ceiling, lost in thought.
It was a relief to see him this way, even though I still couldn’t speak. This was better than before—at least I was truly alive now, with my mind and personality intact.
"Is there somewhere you’d like to visit?" Perry asked suddenly.
