[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-marked-by-the-mad-king-alpha":3,"chapter-marked-by-the-mad-king-alpha-marked-by-the-mad-king-alpha-chapter-18":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Marked By The Mad King Alpha",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1731999,2214,"Chapter 18 Wait Until We Are Alone","marked-by-the-mad-king-alpha-chapter-18",18,"\u003Cp>Phoebe’s POV\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Terror clawed at my chest, a familiar companion that had haunted me through every nightmare I’d lived. No matter how many times fear wrapped its icy fingers around my throat, I never grew numb to its bite.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the king strode toward the car, dread twisted in my gut like a living thing. But beneath the terror, something else stirred—anticipation that made my skin burn with shame.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My fingers found the mark on my neck before I could stop myself. I jerked my hand away, lacing my fingers together and fixing my stare on the seat ahead. Stay quiet. Don’t breathe wrong. Don’t give him a reason to end you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This could be my escape from the Obsidian Claw pack’s hell. Or it could drag me somewhere infinitely worse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment Perry slid into the car, the air turned electric. His presence hit me like a physical force, drowning my senses until I couldn’t think straight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My hands felt clumsy and wrong. I clutched my backpack like a shield, pressing myself into the seat as if I could disappear into the leather. The space between us—less than a meter—might as well have been nothing. His scent invaded my lungs, rich and dangerous, making my wolf whimper with need.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wanted to press my face against his chest and breathe him in until I forgot my own name.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thought terrified me more than anything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The car pulled away from the driveway, and suddenly he was there, looming over me, stealing every inch of space until I could barely breathe. His presence crushed down on me like a storm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Up front, his royal beta Flynn watched us through the rearview mirror, curiosity sharp in his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What is it? You’re not happy?\" Perry’s voice was silk over steel. He leaned closer until his face hovered inches from mine, his breath warm against my skin. I kept my eyes down, knowing the rules that kept me breathing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eye contact meant challenge. Challenge meant death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Look at me when I’m talking to you.\" His tone dropped, annoyance threading through the command like a blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When his hand moved toward my cheek, I flinched hard. Still, I couldn’t make myself meet his gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Look at me.\" The demand came sharper this time. I could feel his rage building, could smell it in his scent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes, my king. I... I am happy.\" The lie tasted bitter on my tongue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His scoff cut through me. Then his palm pressed against my chest, right over my hammering heart. \"I don’t think so.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My heart betrayed me, pounding so hard I was sure he could feel it through my ribs. Sweat beaded on my forehead despite the car’s AC blasting cold air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wanted to shrink into nothing. His presence overwhelmed every sense until I couldn’t catch my breath, couldn’t think beyond the panic clawing up my throat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Fuck you.\" The words hit like a slap. His eyes burned with disgust as he stared down at me. \"Wait until I get you for myself, and we’re alone.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The word shattered something inside me. My teeth chattered as I bit down hard, trying to stop the tremors. I gripped my dress with white knuckles, head bowed in submission.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kevin had used that same word. Before he’d torn me apart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Would the king become another nightmare? The thought made bile rise in my throat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perry caught every tremor, every flinch, and his fury only grew hotter. But before he could strike, Flynn’s voice cut through the tension.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We managed to secure two cities,\" he reported, his words pulling the king’s attention to the war against Valerium Kingdom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Relief flooded through me as Perry finally pulled back, giving me space to breathe again. But when he glanced at my obvious relief, his jaw ticked with barely contained rage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I must have dozed off at some point. The car’s stillness woke me, and for a confused moment, I thought I was back in my tiny room at the pack house.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then I saw him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perry sat beside me, watching with an expression I couldn’t read. Reality crashed back—the selection, the car ride, the promise of being alone with him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I dropped my gaze immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Get out!\" His growl made me jump. He stormed from the car, leaving me behind like discarded trash.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clutching my backpack, I stumbled out after him. But he was already gone, leaving me standing there with Flynn and the warrior who’d driven us. Lost.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flynn stared after his king, clearly as confused as I was. When he turned to me, his expression held no warmth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Come with me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I lifted my head just enough to follow him toward the palace, my legs shaking with every step.\u003C\u002Fp>",791,"2026-06-06T16:11:22.292Z",1,"novelbin.me","ceacbcc140e7265f331b9331dc22ac8d5cdf2459df66d63070fa907dec981c97","marked-by-the-mad-king-alpha-chapter-19","marked-by-the-mad-king-alpha-chapter-17",302,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fmarked-by-the-mad-king-alpha-cover.jpg"]