[{"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-216":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},1732220,2214,"Chapter 216 Unanswered Questions","marked-by-the-mad-king-alpha-chapter-216",216,"\u003Cp>Phoebe’s POV\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Justin, Orion, and Wade stayed quiet initially, but then the youngest warrior praised the meal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d been honest earlier when he mentioned becoming chattier during nervous moments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This meat tastes incredible. What’s your cooking method? I’ve attempted cooking before, but everything gets charred.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under the table, Justin nudged Wade’s leg, signaling him to quit talking. The young warrior caught on, yet moments later resumed speaking—the quiet was unbearable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The sauce has great flavor, though it could use more heat.\" Wade wasn’t addressing anyone specifically, just muttering his thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You can’t even cook, yet you’re critiquing someone else’s food?\" Orion’s narrowed gaze made the young warrior duck his head apologetically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My apologies.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their exchange lightened my mood, and I chuckled at their playful arguing. This drew their attention—all three looked my way simultaneously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I enjoy mealtime conversations. Please continue talking freely, since this awkward silence might give me indigestion from the stress. I scribbled my thoughts and displayed the note for them to read.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Justin and Orion appeared uncomfortable, while Wade brightened at getting permission to speak. He addressed me respectfully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are you enjoying the meal? What dishes do you prefer, my queen?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Justin kicked Wade’s leg again under the table, warning him against becoming too familiar with me. After all, I remained the queen, not a casual friend.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, I placed my hand on Justin’s, gesturing for him to ease up on the young warrior.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Following that, I responded to Wade’s questions, genuinely conversing with him despite having to write everything down, which seemed to worry Justin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You’re disrupting the queen’s dinner. Stop asking questions,\" Justin told Wade, who hung his head like a scolded child. Again, I touched Justin’s hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not at all. I prefer this atmosphere. You’re being too stern. I wrote something additional. What foods do you both enjoy? With that, we four engaged in an extended dinner conversation. Eventually, the three men chatted about random topics while I contributed occasionally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We remained seated even after finishing our food, too absorbed in our discussion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without realizing it, the sky had darkened completely—tonight looked stormy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Rest well, my queen. I’ll notify you when dinner’s prepared.\" Wade walked me back to my room and wished me pleasant rest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thank you, I mouthed, and Wade bowed respectfully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young warrior was endearing. I liked his innocence and how he spoke about Gamma Timothy... he clearly admired the gamma tremendously. When Justin and Orion teased him, he grew frustrated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I aspire to match gamma Timothy’s strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s what Wade had declared. Justin and Orion then joked about whether he harbored romantic feelings for the gamma, which irritated the young warrior.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I respect him. Your remarks are highly disrespectful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Somehow, I found their banter amusing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I felt more uplifted after my depressing morning conversation with Marcela.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In my bedroom, I opened the balcony doors facing the forest. The palace’s tallest tower was visible in the distance. So near, yet impossibly far.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not long had passed, but I already longed for Perry. I wondered about his current activities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Following our plan, Perry would reach the border soon, meaning he was currently traveling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I miss him...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I thought silently while gazing at the dark sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rain began falling, so I retreated inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My bedroom contained numerous books, so I selected one to pass time until dinner. Given the earlier pleasant atmosphere, I anticipated the evening meal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I sought comfort wherever I could find it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>---\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fiona woke when someone entered the room. She became alert, prepared to defend herself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Reginald, her shoulders relaxed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reginald noticed the tension in Fiona’s expression. Understanding the situation, he sat on the bed’s edge beside her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The boat was compact, with only three lower deck bedrooms—one for Royal Beta Allen, another for Reginald and Fiona, and the third for Alpha Sterling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The remaining warriors slept wherever space allowed, which didn’t bother them. They grieved their fallen comrades and faced an uncertain future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore, little else could trouble them currently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sleep. We’ll dock soon,\" Reginald said, stroking Fiona’s cheek. She leaned into his touch—it felt comforting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rather than sleeping again, Fiona sat up, embracing Reginald and burying her face against his chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She felt grateful he’d rescued her from Allen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They both understood Allen’s intentions perfectly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reginald frowned but eventually caressed her back. Fiona lacked the brown hair he favored, yet something about her stirred emotions when he witnessed Allen’s intended actions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you believe this is correct? Will this lead to freedom or trap us in fresh misery?\" Fiona raised her head to meet Reginald’s gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What are you implying?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We’re offering ourselves to the Valerium Kingdom. Do you think they’ll treat us well? Will we survive there? What happens after Valerium destroys Mya kingdom?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reginald breathed deeply. \"That’s distant future. We’ll address it later. We’ll ensure those who created this situation pay.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fiona disagreed. She didn’t think this was entirely the royal warriors’ fault, or even the king’s responsibility.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the beginning, the desire to overthrow the kingdom originated with Alpha Kevin and several alphas who despised King Perry. It started there and expanded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now Alpha Kevin was dead, along with the rebellious alphas.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was the point of all this? Their warriors died in a battle they could have prevented by pledging loyalty to the king and seeking forgiveness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But circumstances had grown complicated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I wish we could return to peaceful times,\" Fiona said absently. \"I wish we’d never joined the coup. I wish everything was different.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reginald stopped stroking her back. He studied her intently, though his thoughts remained unreadable. He appeared lost in contemplation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After prolonged silence, he freed himself from Fiona and stood. \"I need to discuss something with Allen. Sleep—I’ll wake you upon arrival.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fiona still wanted to continue talking. \"Are you certain... about this...\" She lowered her head, staring at her still-flat stomach. \"Do you... want me to bear another man’s child?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reginald clenched his teeth. \"That child ensures our survival. Yes, I want you to have the baby.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Reginald...\" Fiona called before he left her alone in the bedroom. \"Do you love me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She’d expressed her feelings before, but remained uncertain about his. \"Do you love me?\" she repeated, her voice filled with pain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fiona had heard about mates’ possessiveness toward their women, but Reginald showed none of that. She recognized their weak mate bond but assumed it was because they weren’t destined mates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"After everything I’ve endured, you still question that?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reginald’s narrowed eyes made Fiona feel guilty for asking. \"I’ve told you before—how many times must I repeat it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After saying this, Reginald left the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hadn’t answered the question.\u003C\u002Fp>",1105,"2026-06-06T16:11:22.572Z",1,"novelbin.me","b7ca4263b61aee3ca353d3eff60c0fe4b0bdadcedf33ef6f7c75fb4e6e5514d2","marked-by-the-mad-king-alpha-chapter-217","marked-by-the-mad-king-alpha-chapter-215",302,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fmarked-by-the-mad-king-alpha-cover.jpg"]