[{"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-229":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},1732248,2214,"Chapter 229 Scent of Blood","marked-by-the-mad-king-alpha-chapter-229",229,"\u003Cp>Phoebe’s POV\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shapes emerging weren’t our enemies—wild wolves had been tracking us. No pups traveled with the pack. These were fully grown adults, primed for battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The wild wolves... they’ve been tailing us,\" Wade whispered, and I caught the wonder threading through his voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We froze in place until one wolf padded forward, pressing its snout against Wade’s leg—a clear signal for us to keep moving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On any normal day, I’d have been captivated, wanting to linger and count how many wolves lurked behind the trees and undergrowth, hidden so expertly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We need to keep going,\" Wade finally said, shaking off his amazement as he guided us toward safety.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The path to Alpha Wallace’s territory proved brutal. My pregnancy made every step a struggle—I gasped for air constantly and begged for breaks that only put us in greater danger. The guilt ate at me, knowing my condition exposed everyone to risk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why don’t you go ahead without me? You could reach the pack faster and bring reinforcements, I scribbled when I collapsed for the fifth time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Absolutely not.\" Marcela crumpled my note without reading it fully. \"Stop beating yourself up.\" She grasped my hand, conducting a thorough examination during our brief five-minute rest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When she stayed silent about my condition, I tapped her arm for attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How am I? I mouthed, my hand instinctively moving to my belly. I knew this baby was doomed, but I needed to know.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You’re holding up,\" Marcela answered, her tone heavy with unspoken truths that confirmed my worst fears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I squeezed her hand, searching her eyes, but she looked away—all the confirmation I needed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We couldn’t discuss this openly with Wade present. Not here, not now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I bit my tongue, forcing myself not to interrogate her further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only we knew about the pregnancy. Too dangerous to reveal, especially since we never intended to keep the child anyway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The revelation would create catastrophic complications.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Time to move,\" Wade announced reluctantly. He clearly hated pushing us, especially seeing how pale and drained I looked, but what choice did he have? Our survival depended on it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let’s go,\" Marcela said, wincing as she helped me to my feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The wolves maintained their escort, shadows guarding our flanks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We hadn’t traveled far before I crumpled again, completely spent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Please, continue without me. I’m only slowing everyone down. Leave me—I’ll manage, I wrote, hating my weakness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Never happening, my queen,\" Wade declared firmly. \"Protecting you is my duty and my mission.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though new to his warrior role, his loyalty rivaled any veteran’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Climb on. I’ll carry you,\" Wade crouched before me, offering his back. \"This isn’t proper protocol, but it’s an emergency. Forgive the informality.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, we have too far to travel to the next pack, I wrote frantically. I refuse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wade’s right, Phoebe. Get on so we can reach safety,\" Marcela insisted, grabbing Wade’s pack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I can manage the pack too,\" Wade protested.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Focus on the queen. I’ll handle this,\" Marcela shot back, and Wade eventually surrendered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I climbed onto Wade’s back, silently apologizing, but the young warrior just chuckled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You’re no burden, my queen. This is my honor and responsibility. Something I’ll brag about to my kids and grandkids—my first real mission,\" Wade said with his usual lightness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite our circumstances, the young wolf’s spirits stayed high. We covered ground for another solid hour.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wade had been right—this method worked. His stamina shocked me; he didn’t even break a sweat carrying me this distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My training was tougher than this, my queen. Besides, you weigh nothing,\" he said cheerfully. We were just thirty minutes from Alpha Wallace’s pack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I felt grateful, but it didn’t eliminate our danger. Minutes later, something shifted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The wolves sensed it first—a synchronized growl as they stopped and shifted into defensive positions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wade immediately lowered me, and Marcela pressed closer to us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They caught up,\" Wade muttered, testing the air. Too many scents. He couldn’t fight them all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He definitely couldn’t fight them all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only one option remained to save me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he caught it—the sharp, metallic tang of blood.\u003C\u002Fp>",678,"2026-06-06T16:11:22.572Z",1,"novelbin.me","dc278f75ea7364b0819d42a297605a6e11af7ec4532c5a9e0efc7f857d40ec7f","marked-by-the-mad-king-alpha-chapter-89","marked-by-the-mad-king-alpha-chapter-88",302,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fmarked-by-the-mad-king-alpha-cover.jpg"]