Chapter 139: Get rid of the culprit
"Well, the deal’s done, so we can part ways now." The leader said but Rhaeger’s eyes fell on Michael.
"Hm? What about that one?"
"What about him?"
"You have to get rid of him to get rid of the evidence." Rhaeger said.
"No, I swore on my code that I would not touch a strand of his hair." The leader said, his eyes squinted in disdain. "We’ll set him free."
"No, that won’t do." Rhaeger said, stepping towards Michael but they all stood in his way. "What is this? I heard he was with child. It’s all the more reason to get rid of him."
"No, that’s more reason to let him go. They’re both innocent." Ramon said but Rhaeger’s eyes suddenly lit in a ghastly manner.
"The blood that runs in that ’things’ body is filled with too much sin. It’s far from innocent. We shall destroy it before it comes into this world." He said, letting out his claws. "You made the promise, but I never made such a promise, so allow me to do the deed."
He looked excited and they wondered if this was okay.
Seeing how they were hesitant, Rhaeger decided it was time to nip the bud.
"Ugh." He exclaimed. "You’re acting out when you’re currently a criminal who killed an Alpha."
"What did you say?" The leader asked in a roar.
"What? Isn’t it true?" Rhaeger smirked. "The evidence is right there. People will come any moment from now and see what you’ve done."
Suddenly, they began to feel tremors in the building. A lot of people were marching up the stairs.
"Ah, their already here."
"Rhaeger, you bastard!!" The leader roared.
"What? Did you think I would clean up the mess for some measly rogues? I just needed you to do the deed since I couldn’t kill the Alpha without turning into a rogue thereafter." He grinned with his lips and eyes devilishly. "But I must say, you served your purpose well."
The reinforcements arrived and surrounded the area.
"These rogues have lured out Alpha and, unfortunately, killed him." He trembled, showing his fake remorse. "We must avenge our Alpha and..."
"Get rid of the culprit." Someone said and Rhaeger repeated his words.
"Get rid of the culprit." But then he paused, his eyes widened.
Who said that? That voice... It couldn’t be.
He turned his head right away and found Noah standing on his feet. Rhaeger’s eyes widened and trembled in horror.
Wait, what was going on?
"Y-y-you..." He stuttered, and the guards, who could not understand what was going on, looked in confusion.
"What’s wrong, Rhaeger?" Noah asked, taking off the coat that had been soiled, and then glared at him. "Cat got your tongue?"
Rhaeger gulped. He could not understand what was going on. How was Noah alive? He was certain that they had dealt the blow, and Noah had died.
The rogues... They had killed him. So... Why was he standing so perfectly fine?
"Haa, I can’t believe this." The leader exclaimed, his hand on his face. "To think we almost fell for your tricks." Rhaeger turned to him, confused.
"What is going on? Didn’t you finish the job? I thought you hated the Alpha?" Rhaeger yelled.
"Oh, we did. We finished the job real good. But... It’s not the job you’re thinking of."
The rogues glared at him.
"If it hadn’t been for this one, we might’ve actually taken the fall for you, you sick bastard." Ramon added, twisting his lips in disgust. "This is why it’s never too late to change sides."
"Change sides?" Rhaeger was confused.
Just how...? How did the dumb rogues know about his plans?
There was no way they would’ve been able to plan to backstab him when he did not give them any reason to doubt him. It was flawless, the plan. He expressed his hatred and made promises.
He...
"You’re a scumbag." Michael cursed at him. "And you keep proving to be the worst of them all."
Rhaeger stared at Michael, his eyes dyed in hatred. The tears and pain he just displayed had all disappeared and what was left was the hatred and disgust that he felt towards him.
Then... Was that all an act?
Rhaeger’s body trembled. The plan fell through and he had been caught. The reinforcements he brought were loyal to the pack, so if they knew that this was all a plan he came up with to get rid of Noah, they would turn on him.
What could he do? What could he do to get out of that situation?
"All troops, stand down." Noah ordered and the guards all stood at attention. "Rhaeger," he began to walk towards Rhaeger. "Give me one good reason why I should spare you." He said.
Rhaeger’s mind was a mess. He had lost his composure but he had not completely lost his mind yet. He still thought that there could be a way to get out of this. There was certainly a way to get himself out of this mess.
And that way was through Noah.
But little did he know that he had dug himself a grave that was more than seven feet deep. Why? Because he had touched the one person Noah could never compromise.
"One reason?" Rhaeger asked, falling to his knees. "Isn’t it obvious? For the years we’ve known each other, it should be enough to earn even a little bit of sympathy from you, right?" His smile was crooked and crazy. The little composure he was trying to maintain was ripped to pieces.
He... He was reaching his limit.
’No, this isn’t how it was supposed to end. My grand plan... My quest for freedom... My revenge... Why did it have to fall through in such a miserable way?’ he trembled, bowing his head as he knew that excuse of his would land him nowhere.
Noah watched him. For the many years they had known each other, he expected him to forgive him?
If that was the basis for forgiveness then the world would’ve been thrown into chaos a long time ago.
"Then, let me ask you this," Noah said. "Why?"
Rhaeger’s eyes widened and then his pupils shook. His blue pupils had shrunk so much that they looked like black dots on his eyes, circling around aimlessly.
"Why did you want to kill me? What have I... Done to you?"
"What have you done to me?" Rhaeger repeated and then the start of it all came back to him.
The moment when he started getting fed up with his position. The moment doubt and dissatisfaction started creeping into his heart and mind. The moment he felt that no matter what he did, it would never amount to anything so long as Noah was standing in front of him.
It was long when they came back from an execution operation to wipe out the Lycans that were causing trouble.
It was a gruesome fight, and back then, he had almost lost his life, but Noah saved him.
Noah ripped the Lycan that was after his head to shreds and even when he did that, even when he knew his Beta had almost died, he kept that indifferent look on his face and then turned away, continuing as if nothing had happened.
At that moment, he felt he was very weak. So weak that it was not enough for Noah to spare him a suitable glance, not to mention melt the frozen expression on his face.
They were supposed to be friends.
Even when they were younger, when they learned everything together, Noah was always like that, always acting like he was better than him. Always being on top. Always having that expression like nothing cared at all.
He wasn’t human. He was a werewolf. He was an heir, and soon, he became an Alpha, but nothing changed, and instead of feeling proud of his position, instead of feeling accomplished, standing close to someone like Noah, Rhaeger began to feel resentful. He resented his position that made him seem invincible, a mere servant to carry out his master’s bidding.
Even his little achievements were swallowed up by Noah’s brilliance and thus, there was nothing about him to write home about.
He hated it.
So, he plotted to end it. He wanted to be the hero for once. But not the hero that would save Noah, not the hero that would defend the pack, but the hero that would take out the rogues whom even the Alpha could not handle and lost his life in the process.
If he returned with that title, carrying Noah’s corpse, there was no way anyone wouldn’t remember him and his brilliance would shine.
There would also be no one to stand in front of him either.
It was perfect.
He could see himself dancing in splendor. That wondrous glory but... Like a fragile piece of glass that had met with the teeth of a nail, it all broke to pieces and he had once again fallen into the abyss, never able to best Noah.
"You asked why I did it?" Rhaeger asked, raising his head to show the maniacal smile spreading across his lips. "It’s just because I resent you."
