Pregnant With Four Alphas' Babies: A Reverse Harem Romance Chapter 140: We Must Follow the Law

*Tristan*

“There he is!”

I hear King Gene bellow the statement as Kelly and I are standing in the library discussing the situation with Cora.

She’s just told me that Cora is telling everyone she’s from my pack, but I’ve never met the woman before. I can’t even stop to process that information or help Mark and Reece to know that the woman is lying because I’m now in a situation where I’m about to lose my temporary crown.

Unsure whether or not I should duck back into the wall or just stand there and take it like a man, I hesitate as I hear Adam trying to convince King Gene that I’m not me, I’m Eli.

“See, he’s talking to his brother… I mean sister,” Adam sputters, and all I can do is shake my head.

It’s not as if I have to actually listen to him anyway. Even if he’s the king and not me, I won’t do what he says when it’s immoral or impractical.

“There you are!” King Gene barks, pointing a stubby finger in my face. “I’ve been looking all over the place for you.”

“Tristan, run!” Kelly says, but she’s standing between me and the secret passage, and besides, I’m tired of running away. I need to either be in a position where I can keep Rose safe or out there on the battlefield with the other Alphas.

In order to leave the castle, though, I’d have to make sure that Rose won’t be harmed, and that means Adam needs to get his shit together.

“Oh, just the man I was looking for,” I say to King Gene. “Whoa! What’s that smell? You must’ve been taking a bubble bath… in a garden… full of roses.”

His mouth is open and his gums are flapping about how he’s been searching high and low for me when I make my statement, so he’s confused. “You… what? Were looking for me?” he asks, ignoring my statement about his floral scent.

“Yes, I’ve been trying to find you. Now, listen, I know that having the title of king is very difficult for you right now, that you might not want it, but I think it’s best if you stay here and do your duty. We can’t have the true king out hiding. That will just make us look weak to our enemies. As much as I have enjoyed making sure the kingdom is safe as the king, it’s more important that you be the face of the kingdom, Sire. Even if it’s difficult, that’s just the way it has to be.”

He tips his head to the side and stares at me, as if he can’t quite understand what I’m going on about. “But… you wanted to be king,” he says to me, a questioning lilt to his voice.

“No, I want to be king–when you’re ready to retire. But let’s face it, being king is a hard job, and no one should want to take that job prematurely. After all, if someone were to try and force the crown upon his head before the Moon Goddess was ready for that to happen, well, she would likely be very angry. She would probably curse that king, and he would probably have nothing but bad luck for the entirety of his reign.” I make a pointed look, and I see him react to my words. He knows what I’m getting at now. He understands on some level that I’m implying he’s created all of these problems by not following what the Moon Goddess wanted him to do.

He did lock his mother in a tower, after all. And while I have no way of knowing, I’m assuming that King Edward didn’t actually leave the castle without his wife and go off to some chateau somewhere and die a peaceful death.

King Gene is wormy. Anyone who would do such things to his own parents cannot be trusted. No, it’s best if we get rid of him sooner rather than later, but I’m not going to be pretend king for another moment when I can be using this time on creating a situation where all four of us share the kingdom.

Gene swallows hard and says, “Very well, then, I decree that I am king again, and that you, Tristan, are returned to your position of just Alpha.

“Oh, thank the Moon Goddess!” I blurt. “That’s great. But you should know that while I was king I made it a law that if anyone causes any harm to Rose or her children, that person would immediately be put to death by being drawn and quartered, burned at the stake, and skinned alive, all at the same time.”

Gene’s eyes enlarge to quadruple their normal size. “You can do that?” he asks.

I shrug. “I’m not sure, but I do know I wouldn’t want to be the one who has to carry out the punishment. But that would be Adam here.” I slam my paw down on Adam’s shoulder. “I made him the one to protect Rose above all else and our pups, and if anyone does anything to harm any of them, well, he’ll be the first person to carry out the death sentence.”

“But what if it’s him that does the harm?” Gene asks.

“Nope, can’t happen.” I say, shaking my head. “I wrote it into the law that whoever orders Adam to do that can no longer hold title in this kingdom, and that they will be the one to suffer the consequences.”

Gene opens and closes his mouth a few times, and Adam gives us both an assured smile. What can Gene say? He can’t tell me that he had already ordered Adam to kill Rose and my unborn child. He knows I’ll literally bite his head off. So he just stands there, flapping his gums with no words coming out.

“I have to go check on the situation at the front,” I tell them. “Adam, do your duty.” I make the sign of respect to him for emphasis, and he returns it. “Your Majesty.” I salute the king as well, but he doesn’t notice or make any move to show me respect back.

I am about to head out to try to find Reece and Mark, who are looking for Eli, when something else occurs to me.

Where the hell has Alpha Morris gone off to, and what the hell is he doing?

I have enough other Alphas to worry about that I put it out of my mind for the moment, but I do have to wonder what’s going on with that ragamuffin and his troupe of sorry ass wolves.

As I am heading out to my own troops, I message Reece, “Hey, Cora is telling everyone she’s from my pack, but she’s not. I’ve never seen her face before. Why don’t you see if you can get close to her and see where she’s really from?”

I can almost hear him gulping in my head. “You mean, like, flirt with her?” he asks.

“Yeah, sure, why not? I ask him, realizing I should’ve stopped by to tell Rose what was going on before I left the castle, but I had been so preoccupied with the false law I was telling Gene about earlier. I hadn’t actually written it, but he wouldn’t know that, and by the time he figures it out, we’ll all be back and ready to protect Rose anyway.

“But… why doesn’t Mark do it?” Reece whines. “I mean, he’s got more experience at that sort of thing than I do.”

“That’s the point,” I tell him. “It’s time for you to take one for the team, Reece ol’ boy.” I am at the castle gate now and I decide it’s time to shift. I wait until I’m outside and can take shelter in some trees to strip. I’m wearing a nice outfit, after all, and I don’t want to shred it.

“Fine! I’ll see what I can do,” Reece gives in. “But I can’t promise it’ll be that great.”

“I have every faith in you,” I tell him. “Now, I’m headed out to check on my troops before I swing back around to catch up with you daisies. Why don’t you see if you can find that missing Alpha before I get there and save me a bunch of trouble?”

The only answer I get back is a low growl that makes me chuckle.