Chapter 80: Chapter 80 You Have No Choice
Phoebe’s POV
"There’s something I need to tell you," Perry said after Mason stepped out. His gaze dropped to the untouched food. "You haven’t eaten anything."
"I’m not hungry," I replied, my pulse hammering against my ribs. "What is it?" The two poison bottles felt like they were burning holes in my pocket. If he discovered them, especially after what happened with Helen, I’d be finished.
Perry guided me to the sofa and pulled the food tray closer. "Eat while I talk."
Anxiety killed my appetite, but maybe eating would help. At least it would keep my hands busy instead of nervously reaching for the bottles.
I picked up the fork and began eating in silence, waiting for him to continue.
His expression was grave—whatever he was about to say had to be serious. But nothing could have prepared me for his next words.
"Kevin is coming here."
The food nearly lodged in my throat. I jerked my head up, staring at him in shock.
Terror flooded through me, and Perry caught my panic immediately.
"He’s not coming as alpha," he said quickly, his hand stroking my hair. "I’m stripping his title. He’ll face punishment for what he did to you."
"But..." My chest felt like it was collapsing. I forced the words out before I lost my voice completely. "I don’t want him here... I don’t want anyone else to know about..." The shame was suffocating.
Telling Perry and Timothy had been hard enough. I couldn’t bear the thought of others learning what Kevin had done to me. The humiliation was unbearable.
Rage burned through me—why should I carry the shame when I hadn’t done anything wrong? Why was I the one suffering consequences for his actions?
The thoughts spiraled, stealing my breath. My chest tightened as panic took hold. The fork clattered from my trembling hands as hyperventilation set in.
Perry quickly moved the plate away before I could drop it too.
"Phoebe! Phoebe!" His voice seemed distant as my whole body shook uncontrollably, my skin turning ice-cold. I recognized this overwhelming feeling—the same one that hit whenever everything became too much.
Now I understood—I hadn’t been shutting him out. I’d been shutting out the world because it hurt too much. I wasn’t avoiding him; I was trying to protect myself from more pain. Even from him, because he was hurting me too.
——
"What do you mean they took him?" Sterling’s fury exploded when he learned palace warriors had dragged Kevin away on treason charges.
Not just Kevin—they’d also seized the former beta, Cameron. Perry had made that call at the last second.
"Why didn’t you stop them?"
"They’re palace warriors, alpha. We couldn’t interfere without being charged with treason ourselves. But Kevin told me to inform you about the plan. It’s our only shot at saving him."
Sterling’s jaw clenched. He despised his son’s reckless choices and brazen attempt to overthrow the king, yet he knew how calculating Kevin could be. What if his scheme actually worked?
"What plan?" Sterling’s eyes narrowed, dreading Austen’s answer.
His instincts were right. What he heard next was his worst nightmare.
"That plan will get us all executed! Have you lost your mind?" Sterling roared after Austen finished explaining.
"But it’s feasible. This could bring Kevin home, and I believe it’ll work. He planned everything carefully, but without him here, we need you to lead."
"Lead what? The rebellion you’ve been plotting to dethrone the king? I could lose my head for this!"
"Only if we fail. If we succeed, Kevin takes the throne."
"You’re insane." Sterling shook his head while Austen continued pressing, then dropped another bombshell about how deeply their people had infiltrated the palace.
"Reginald’s inside now with about four hundred warriors ready to strike from within. We have backing from eighteen packs—two of them the kingdom’s largest. They’ll attack simultaneously while the king’s caught off-guard with most warriors at the frontline. We can take the palace easily."
Sterling was genuinely stunned by the plan’s intricacy. "What about the warriors causing trouble at the frontline?"
"They’re our backup. The king might call for help from the frontline, but we’ve already compromised them. They won’t make it."
Before Sterling could ask, the answer became clear. "Poison," he stated. "You poisoned the frontline warriors."
Austen nodded grimly. "Yes." He’d opposed this part of the plan, but understood its necessity, just like Reginald’s actions against the healer who would have exposed them.
But events were moving faster than anticipated. Having Kevin inside the palace would make it easier—he could command the internal warriors.
"Damn it!" Sterling cursed, and Austen gave him space to process before continuing.
"You have no choice, alpha Sterling. If the king executes Kevin, you’ll have no heir to lead the pack. He’s your only blood."
Kevin had coached Austen to use this argument, knowing his father’s feelings about being his only child—always a sore point.
"Even if you abandon Kevin, the king won’t spare you." Austen drove home the final point. "Phoebe talked. The king believes her. You were alpha when she was tortured—do you think you’ll escape consequences?"
