Tangled Hearts - The Alpha's Baby Mama
Chapter 131: Who had played the executioner?

Chapter 131: Who had played the executioner?

Noah POV

My heart pounded with anxiety as I watched the brutal images of all the packs of the Lycans present here being brutalized. In the beginning, I had hoped that this was another means to make us cower and maybe the images were fake but on a closer look, the images were real. Every one of them. Piercing cries and screams from the people filled the air, I could see all the eyes of the other kings widened in disbelief as they stared.

I couldn’t let Conrad harm the people further. Was protecting our title more important than saving these innocent lives? Would they be able to understand that it was better to have us rule them than someone like Conrad? Still... I had to reach a compromise in the meantime. Anything that will lessen the torture or slow it down.

Swallowing hard, I tried to keep my voice steady "Conad, please... let them go. They’re innocents in all this. Fine," I took a deep breath "We’ll do as you want but first let the people go. This is not fair on them, please, I beg you,".

Conrad’s gaze swung towards me. lips curled in a cruel smirk. "Their lives depend solely on your obedience. You Lycan Kings think you’re invincible and can do anything you want to but no. I hope all of you underestimating me will use this as a lesson. Sign the documents before you, submit them fully to my rule and I’ll call off the attacks.

"This won’t do!" I said in my head as I racked my brain desperately trying to come up with a favourable solution. I know the rest of the kings were holding out because I had yet to succumb to Conrad’s wiles. Even right now, I could feel all their gazes directed in my direction as if they wanted me to do something. I needed to stall... to buy us all the time so we could think of a way out.

"Fine!" I sighed "We’ll sign the document but wouldn’t it be unfair for us to sign up for what we didn’t have a chance to look at? We know we’re willing captives but the least you could do for us is to let us say our mind on the laws so far,".

"Are you trying to trick, me?" Conrad looked at me levelly "Because it’s not going to work, so, you might as well forget about that tactic,".

"The only thing I want more than anything at this moment is to return to my wife and let you do your thing. You have fought us and defeated us, so, no use crying over spilled milk. Give us just twenty minutes to examine the terms so we may discuss any of the terms we are not quite comfortable with. I’m sure that if you do this, you won’t fight it hard to rule us,".

Conrad’s eyes flashed with irritation and for a moment, if felt he would see through my lies and call my bluff but finally, he inclined his head towards me. "Fine! You have only twenty minutes to decide which of the clauses you are not comfortable with and then I want each of your signatures. If you try to stall further, then I cannot guarantee the lives of your people,".

I exhaled silently in relief as I shared a known look among them. I leaned forward to the documents before me pretending I was reading it. I could see the other kings copying my movement. After reading for about five minutes, I leaned away from the table, settling into a sitting position and then met Conrad’s eyes observing me.

"Thank you for giving us the privilege to review the documents, I have a question about the taxing system and also would like to clear up a misunderstanding. I don’t know if you know this but we only take a miserly 10% of all the taxes brought by the Alphas and the rest goes to the headquarters. Plus, there is already an automated system, we do not get to give out the tax by ourselves. We just follow a system and after that...".

"What are you trying to do?" Conrad interrupted me an amused smile on his face "Are you trying to play with me? Didn’t I tell you that you cannot trick me, Noah? What the hell are you talking about?"

"It’s true, Conrad," One of the other kings spoke "We only keep 10% to ourselves and pack while the rest of the 90% is sent out but we’ll be willing to pay whatever amount is given to us. We just want to...".

"Liar!" Conrad screamed. His eyes were already reddening with fury "You’re trying to deceive me. I know that much. Both the taxes from the Alphas and yours belong to you greedy kings 100%. Don’t play me... don’t you dare play me... I am not a patient person. I am still trying to listen to reason, y’all are trying to play my hand. you’re going to regret it, I promise you,".

"We’re not lying Conrad!" I sighed "If you’re still in doubt, you could ask for our bank details and make an investigation yourself,".

"Liar!" Conrad shrieked again placing both of his hands over his ears. While we were still going back and forth, I noticed that the mercenary soldiers stationed in the room began pressing their fingers to their earpieces, brows furrowing in confusion. One by one, they turned and began to march stiffly to the exits, dipping their head respectfully to Conrad as they passed.

What was happening? Why were they suddenly leaving?

"Hey! Where are you guys going to? We’re not done here," Conrad ran to them and tried to pull one of them back but was pushed back inside the hall. "Hey!" he growled "I didn’t dismiss you dumbs! Get back here,".

But the mercenaries paid him no heed and continued to file out of the hall in an orderly manner until it was just Conrad and us (Lycan Kings) who remained. My heart skipped a beat at the realization hit. Someone, somehow had neutralized the mercenary. I don’t know how the person did it but it was obvious from the surprise on his face that he was as surprised as we were too.

My gaze swept around the hall to the rest of the kings and a determined look passed through us. Now was our chance! At least before they returned. Thankfully, I had been working on the ropes binding my wrists the entire time. Now! I worked faster, trying to slip my hand through one of the binds that had slowly loosened.

Conrad came back to the hall, his eyes blazing with both anger and fear as he typed furiously on his phone. He came back to the hall, sparing us a glance as he said "They went to pick up stamps. Silly me, I had forgotten about that," he chuckled dryly and continued typing on his phone.

If my guess was correct: this was an unexpected event. I broke the rope and suddenly rose to my feet. Conrad whirled towards me, his eyes going wide as he saw the rope fall off my body. Without hesitating, the other Lycan followed suit, snapping their bonds and together we straightened to our feet towards Conrad who started moving back slowly.

"I don’t know if you know this about us," I said with a good-natured smile "We can find a way through any situation. As you know, we’re Lycans first before Kings. Before we’re made Kings, you cannot imagine the amount of training we’ve had to go through. If you knew you wouldn’t bind up with these weak ropes,"

"Don’t you come near me? Don’t force my hand to kill you all!" Conrad spat, snatching up a pistol lying on a nearby table and levelling it towards my chest. "Just so you know," he sneered "The bullets were made with wolfsbane, designed to kill Lycan. One shot is all it’ll take and you’ll be gone,".

I held his gaze refusing to cower under this new threat. As much as I couldn’t tell if he could shoot a gone, I had to calculate my next move carefully. Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw the other kings inching steadily, closing in a semi-circle around an unsuspecting Conrad.

To an ordinary eye, you’d not think the Kings were moving.

"Put the gun down, Conrad," I stated in a low tone "It’s over for you. Your forces have been won over and all your allies have abandoned you. There’s nowhere left to run,".

"You think I’ll give up easily," maniac laughter escaped his lips as he stared at me, pointing the gun at me and at any of us who dared to keep coming close to him. "If I die, I must take at least one of you with me," With that, his finger tightened on the trigger, his face contorted into a joyous leering smile. I braced myself...

A deafening bang split the air, as gunshot echo reverberated through the hall. Instinctively, I ducked and the rest of the Kings followed suit. After closing my eyes for a bit, I opened them wondering which of us the bullet had gotten.

Conrad’s eyes went wide with shock, the pistol slipping from his gasp as he slowly looked down at the spreading crimson stain blossoming across his chest. His legs crumpled beneath him, his mouth working soundlessly as he collapsed into a heap.

My eyes widened with disbelief as I stared at the figure at the entrance of the hall. Dread slowly filled me at the implication of what had just happened. Whoever had shot Conrad knew of the implication that would follow but had risked everything to end his short reign once and for all.

Who had played the executioner?

As the kings exchanged looks ranging from grim satisfaction to pale horror, my mind continued to pound as recognition of the figure who was at the door seeped into my senses. Nothing would ever be the same again.

NO MATTER WHAT! You do not kill one of your bloodlines. A Lycan cannot kill a Lycan... the punishment was death.

The line had been crossed, and there was no going back. The figure at the door dropped the gun and suddenly started running towards me. A wistful smile played on my lips as she came into view. She stopped when she reached me, her hands touched every part of my body frantically... there was fear in her eyes.

"Are you alright? Are you hurt? Should I call the pack doctor? Noah say something, please..." she cried.

It was Brooke!