Chapter 202: Chapter 202 The Price of Mercy
Perry’s POV
"My king, please, don’t do that. My mate is pregnant. It will be hard on her. She won’t be able to handle it," Turner begged, his voice cracking as he learned what I had planned for his mate. The desperation in his eyes told me he dreaded my willingness to use a pregnant woman.
I wanted Viola as bait to draw out her mother, knowing Tiara was hiding among the fugitives and had somehow survived this long.
This would be their first reunion in years, and from what I’d discovered, Tiara would do anything for her daughter.
"If you agree to this, I’ll spare her mother from execution. She’ll be allowed out of her cell once a month. Isn’t that what you want?" I tilted my head, studying his reaction.
Turner had been begging for Tiara’s life because Viola’s pregnancy hormones made her emotional and desperate for her mother’s presence.
As her mate, he’d tried everything to make her happy, but it wasn’t simple. Tiara was a fugitive facing certain death, unless...
I decided otherwise.
For a long moment, Turner stayed silent. I could practically see him wrestling with the choice. He wanted to save Tiara for his mate, but putting Viola in danger terrified him.
I scoffed and observed my senior warrior. "I understand your need to protect your mate. I feel the same way. But I still carry rage over what your mate did to mine in their old pack. All of Phoebe’s suffering and those vicious rumors happened because you both ran away, leaving my mate to face the consequences alone."
Turner’s head dropped lower. He knew the truth, and he knew my retribution would be severe.
"If you can’t decide, let’s bring your mate here. She can tell us what she wants."
I mindlinked a warrior to fetch her while Turner fumbled for words. I could see his uncertainty about whether Viola should be involved.
But I was right - if this concerned her, she should choose, even though Turner already knew what her answer would be.
Soon after, Viola waddled into the war room, looking confused and heavily pregnant.
She’d been summoned here instead of the throne room, but seeing her mate kneeling made her panic.
"Turner?!" Viola dropped to her knees beside him with great difficulty, and Turner steadied her.
Not knowing what had happened, she started pleading because she feared me. When someone triggered my wrath, there was usually only one outcome... death.
"Please, my king. I don’t know what’s wrong, but have mercy on my mate." Her whole body shook with terror.
"No, it’s fine. I’m okay." Turner tried comforting his mate, who was sobbing uncontrollably. Her emotions had been all over the place lately. "Listen to the king’s explanation, alright?"
"What?" Viola looked between her mate and me, even more confused, but she quieted down.
I wouldn’t waste energy repeating myself to Viola, so I had Timothy explain everything.
My royal gamma looked irritated - Turner should have done this job, but I was getting back at Timothy for his earlier interruption.
"Is that... is that true?" Viola asked carefully. "Will you really pardon my mother?"
"I’ll spare her from execution," I corrected.
Viola nodded immediately. A pardon from death was already impossible, but monthly visits were more than she’d dared hope for.
"Yes, I’ll help. I’ll do whatever you tell me to do," Viola agreed instantly, nodding frantically. Nothing mattered more to her right now than her mother.
Then Turner made a bold request. "My king, please let me go too, so I can watch over my mate closely. I won’t have peace unless I can guarantee her safety."
"You’ll all leave early this morning," I said, granting his request.
I glanced at the window where the sky was already brightening. It was early morning now.
I’d broken my promise to come to bed with Phoebe.
"Meeting postponed until after lunch."
With that, I left the war room and headed straight to Phoebe’s bedroom. She was still asleep, curled in a fetal position, clutching a pillow.
I removed the pillow and pulled her against me. I kissed her forehead and stroked her back. She moaned softly, still lost in sleep.
I had no intention of waking her since I was exhausted too. Holding her like this was enough, knowing I was heading to war with no certainty of when I’d return.
I wanted to end this conflict quickly, but it would depend on how fiercely the Valeriums fought back.
Somehow my thoughts drifted to Viola’s pregnancy... if only our baby had survived...
