Chapter 177: Chapter 177 His Fury Her Resolve
**Perry’s POV**
The same intel reached me, and fury coursed through my veins like molten steel. As king, I felt every severed mindlink—each fallen shifter a knife to my soul.
These bastards would answer for what they’d done.
Warriors dying in battle was one thing. Getting blown to pieces without a chance to fight back? Pure cowardice. No shifter worth their salt would stand for this shit.
"Keep moving," I barked, leading my warriors as we hunted for any enemy trail. I wouldn’t let them slip away.
Going back wasn’t an option—what good would that do? My presence wouldn’t bring the dead back to life. The only path was forward, making those responsible pay in blood.
But that intel turned out to be all we got.
When we finally picked up enemy tracks, one of my warriors caught up and delivered news from the capital that made my blood run cold.
——
"It’s a decoy. They’re bait to draw the king away from the palace so they can hit the central city, knowing he brought most of the warriors here," Turner voiced what Timothy was already thinking.
"I can’t reach Perry—he’s too damn far!" Timothy cursed under his breath, fighting to stay calm.
Knowing Perry, he’d charge straight back to the central city, but even running full speed in beast form, he’d never make it in time.
They were at least a day out. By the time they got there, nothing would be left. The enemy would own the central city.
And Phoebe would be in the crosshairs. As queen, she’d be a perfect hostage to cripple Perry.
"Fuck the Valeriums!" Timothy snarled, while Turner’s thoughts spiraled to his pregnant mate. The idea of enemies breaching their defenses made him sick.
"Should we head back?"
"Even if we do, we can’t help. We need to find these bastards fast," Timothy said, making the toughest call of his life. He wondered what Perry would do.
Would he return?
His answer came in the form of overwhelming blood scent. Timothy and the other warriors picked up the pace, only to find a massacre—the king had slaughtered nearly two dozen shifters that Timothy figured were enemies.
——
**Perry’s POV**
"They split," I said darkly, then shifted back to beast form to hunt down the rest.
Timothy fell in behind me as we caught the trail of fleeing Valerium warriors. We were closing in, and soon we’d have them all.
Rage drove me faster than any of my warriors. I wanted every last one of them dead, especially their royal beta. High-ranking prisoner like that would be valuable.
I couldn’t let my mind wander to what might happen to my mate. I just hoped she’d have the sense to run if the fortress couldn’t hold.
Stupid of me to think they’d only target me. Should’ve seen this coming before storming out here, but regret was useless now.
I had to finish this fast.
Soon enough, I caught up to a small group of Valerium warriors. I tore through them instantly, following their scent toward the main force.
So damn close.
——
Timothy and the others trailed Perry’s bloody path, unable to match the king’s pace.
They couldn’t keep up.
"You don’t need to go—you’ve already proven yourself brilliantly," Elder Tricia said proudly to Phoebe. She’d slapped those other elders in the face with her solution.
She’d shown them she was more than capable of wearing the crown.
Phoebe shook her head and mouthed, *I have to. I need to go.*
With the king absent, warrior morale was tanking. If the king couldn’t be there, the queen had to fill that void.
Kingdom law was crystal clear on that point.
Phoebe had studied every statute, memorized them all. If she couldn’t help Perry as a shifter, she’d find another way.
"Phoebe, this is too dangerous. You can’t go to the fortress. What would you even accomplish there?"
Phoebe pulled out her notepad and scribbled: *[I can see how they execute the plan. It’s my strategy—I have every right to watch it unfold.]*
"Don’t. Perry won’t approve."
*[He’s not here. I am. And I’ll handle this situation exactly like those elders demanded.]*
"Don’t let their words push you into being reckless."
Phoebe shook her head. *[I’m not being reckless. I know exactly what I’m doing.]*
The car sat waiting for Phoebe. Samuel and Justin both opposed her decision to leave, but ultimately, they couldn’t defy their queen. The king hadn’t left specific orders about this.
That made it even harder to stop the queen from doing what she felt necessary. It wasn’t like the king could’ve predicted this mess.
"There’s no point in you leaving, my queen," Elder Augustus said, approaching Phoebe and Elder Tricia. "Your presence there won’t accomplish anything."
Phoebe wrote something down and showed it: *[Then will you go?]*
