The Alpha King's Witch Bride
Chapter 194: _Propaganda

Chapter 194: _Propaganda

I clenched my hands into fists as I stared at the television screen.

The man speaking was the so-called True Lord of the North—an elusive figure I’d been hearing about for weeks from Alphas across the continent.

He was a self-proclaimed Alpha King of North America, rallying rogue werewolves under one cause:

To rid the world of witches.

I had pushed him to the back of my mind, especially since rogue attacks had died down recently. But now, there he was—calm, confident, and seated somewhere off-screen, speaking directly to the world after hijacking the largest independent news network since the war began.

"Are none of the personnel able to do something about their towers?" Odessa asked from where she sat, visibly shaken.

I glanced at her, then turned to Layla, who shook her head grimly.

"They’ve all been taken over by rogues. It was a joint surprise attack. They’re miles away from help. The neighboring packs are trying to reach the towers, but there’s been no word yet."

Fuck.

I turned my attention back to the screen, just as the True Lord of the North began speaking again... as if he knew I was watching.

"While the people of North America sit under the illusion of peace, tied by something as fickle as a marriage between the Alpha king and a witch, the rest of the world still fights."

At that moment, the screen shifted to show aerial footage of the Eiffel Tower.

Crowds scattered in panic below as thunderclouds spun like a vortex overhead.

I squinted. The "people" on the ground weren’t human.

They were werewolves.

Every single one of them.

Suddenly, the lightning came from the clouds, rumbling and shaking the sky.

Bolts of lightning rained down like serpents of judgment, striking soldiers and civilians alike. Some were children, crying and screaming as pack warriors flanked them, looking to the sky in desperation.

"No..." Odessa whispered as the lightning hit, flashing the earth blue with the Eiffel Tower at the epicenter.

"That footage was from Paris. The people you watched slaughtered like animals were werewolves of the Moon Tower Pack... the only werewolf pack residing in the city." The Lord’s voice oozed cold contempt.

The drone footage zoomed in on the tower’s summit, revealing a silhouette draped in golden robes.

A witch.

"This happened two days ago. While North America hosted a charity ball, hundreds of werewolves were killed by a single witch, after the city’s humans and witches were safely evacuated."

The footage cuts to a rural scene in Nigeria. A Catholic church came into view, where dark-skinned soldiers raised rifles at another group—civilians, lined against a wall.

"Here, you see human soldiers executing innocent werewolves who sought sanctuary in a church."

I gritted my teeth as the soldiers opened fire while their victims screamed in pain and terror, women and children included in the massacre.

My heart dropped to my stomach and my hands shook with rage as the screen transitioned again.

"Let’s look at Mexico. Still within North America." The Lord was far from done and seemed to be eager with all this info dumping.

The next clip showed werewolves caged like animals, their necks bound with silver chains as they howled in agony. Human soldiers laughed nearby.

"Even with the so-called truce, human settlements unaligned with witches are still enslaving werewolves right under the Alpha King’s nose."

What the fuck?!

Layla still had her phone to her ear, but her mouth was hanging open in disbelief. I glanced at Odessa and saw a storm of complex emotions in her eyes... many of which I could feel as mine through the mate bond.

’I’ve failed.’ I thought, closing my eyes. I let this happen...

But then, the Lord’s voice returned, mocking and smug:

"Now, please welcome the South American Alpha King himself, here to share his thoughts on the North American truce."

My eyes flew open. The screen flickered, revealing a man kneeling on a filthy floor. Blood dripped from his mouth, and silver chains coiled around him.

His once-great grey hair was tangled and matted with dirt.

"Alpha King Leonardo..." I whispered, disbelief filling my chest.

I hadn’t checked in on him since the welcoming ball over a week ago.

"We captured this Alpha King days ago," the Lord continued. "He’s been in lockdown, waiting for the perfect moment when I would need him for an occasion like this. To tell you all the bitter truth."

A sharp whip cracked from offscreen, making Leonardo lurch forward with a grunt of pain.

"Say your lines, old man," A female voice spat from the shadows.

I balled my fists. Whatever Leonardo said next could destroy everything I’ve struggled to build with the truce.

He slowly raised his head, staring into the camera with bloodshot eyes. His voice was hoarse and his breath shaky as he spoke.

"T–The truce is a farce," He croaked. "T–The witches and humans only understand war and death. They will always see us... as beasts. I—I was nearly killed by a witch at the welcoming ball... at Alpha King Kaelos’ territory."

No.

Shit. No.

My eyes widened and my lungs squeezed tight as I clenched my jaw.

Meanwhile, Leonardo dragged in a shaky breath and continued:

"The war can only end with the witches dead. And... their human allies with them."

Odessa suddenly stood up, pointing at the screen with shaky fingers. "This... this is propaganda playing right before our eyes. Are the werewolves of North America and the world going to fall for it?"

I didn’t answer her immediately, instead staring at the screen. I saw a flash of guilt and shame in Leonardo’s eyes as he lowered his head once again, as if he was afraid I would see him.

But there was also something else in his eyes. Despair. One born out of grief. One you only fall into after losing everything dear to you.

"Gamma Zane and Celine were able to organize a small-scale coup under our noses with propaganda of some kind," I muttered finally in response to Odessa’s question, gritting my teeth before adding:

"The information shown today is just enough to grow the seed of doubt in the minds of werewolves everywhere. And I fear that seed wouldn’t take time to germinate into something chaotic."