The Triplet Alphas' Curse: Rejected by the Wolfless Luna.

Human Realm:

The sea struck endlessly against the hull of the enormous vessel, rising and falling beneath layers of grey water that seemed to stretch forever.

The Human Realm possessed none of the impossible beauty that existed beyond its borders.

Instead, it possessed weight.

The ship groaned beneath timber older than most kingdoms. Its sails cracked violently each time the wind changed.

Everything here obeyed gravity, and everything eventually rotted.

Mabel hated it.

She stood beside the narrow cabin window, watching endless water roll beneath the ship.

Ships. That was what King Fitzgerald had called them. The concept itself still felt ridiculous.

Why willingly spend so long trapped upon moving wood when portals existed?

Humans truly made life difficult for themselves. Behind her, maps covered nearly every wall of the cabin.

Some had faded with age while thers had fresh ink marking ports, coastlines, and kingdoms she’d never heard of.

England.

That was where Fitzgerald claimed they were sailing.

”England.” She rolled the unfamiliar word around silently.

The Human King spoke of it as though the name itself carried importance.

To Mabel, it meant nothing.

She had never cared enough to learn how humans divided dirt among themselves.

A kingdom was a kingdom. Someone ruled, people obeyed, amd soemtimes, dies. The details rarely mattered.

A knock sounded on her door.

She didn’t answer, but the door opened anyway.

King Fitzgerald stepped inside carrying another rolled map beneath one arm.

He had abandoned ceremonial clothing three days earlier. The sea travel apparently demanded practicality over appearance.

Right now, his royal robes were reolaced with dark boots, simple coat, and a sword resting comfortably against one hip.

Only the crown-shaped clasp fastening his cloak reminded anyone that he ruled an entire nation.

He paused after seeing her.

”You’ve hardly left this room.” He mentioned, closing the door softly behind him.

Mabel didn’t look away from the window. ”There is little worth leaving this place for.”

He smiled faintly. ”I warned you the voyage would become tedious.”

She finally turned. ”Your people are strange.”

”They’re human.”

”As I said.” She stood her ground. ”They are strange.”

That earned a quiet laugh. His eyes drifted toward the parchment resting in her hands.

He took his eyes off the parchment, and net her eyes. ”I didn’t realize your father wrote.”

Mabel glanced down. The seal had already been broken. The seal was that of a black wolf stamped into crimson wax.

”The message arrived through one of our mages.”

She unfolded it again. Her father’s handwriting remained as severe as the man himself. She had nearly reached the end when Fitzgerald spoke again.

”Bad news?”

Her eyes continued moving across the page. ”Our Luna has been missing for five days.”

Silence settled between them.

Fitzgerald studied her carefully. ”I’m sorry.” He apologised, even if he rarely cared. The moment they arrive in England, they wiukd restock the ships with more amenities, and return to the wolf realm.

Their precious ships were destroyed before they even crossed the boarders. They suffered a great loss, and the commoners in the earstern boarders evacuated beforoe any damage could be done.

For the humans, this would be good news. Now, they can strike ten times harder without the castle noticing as they spend their time in grief.

She looked up, and rolled her eyes. ”Why?”

He looked down at the parchment again. ”Because your kingdom has lost its queen.”

Mabel folded the letter neatly. ”We haven’t.”

His brows drew together.

She placed the letter on the table. ”I feel nothing.” She told him honestly, wondering if this might have been her chance to be Luna if she were to be in the wolf realm.

Her gaze hardened, and then she shook her head softly. The seer had told her that she would never be queen to the Alphas, but to another king.

This human King before her would be that king. The moment they arrive England, she would be queen.

Fitzgerald watched her longer. ”You cared for her once.” He slowly dropped the content of his hand. ”Am I right?”

”No.” She corrected him calmly. ”I simply tolerated her existence.”

He said nothing.

She walked slowly toward the table. ”Aire always believed kindness changed people.” Her lips curved into a sinister smile. ”It doesn’t.”

She picked up a small brass compass lying beside the maps.

Humans fascinated her. Everything they built relied upon tiny instruments instead of instinct.

”I warned her.” She spun the compass idly. ”I warned her that trusting people eventually becomes expensive.”

The needle settled north.

”Apparently...” She smiled. ”It finally cost her everything.”

Fitzgerald’s expression became difficult to read. ”You’re speaking about your own Luna.” He passively reminded her.

Mabel gave him a death stare. ”I am speaking about a wolfless cursed girl, whose mother was a whoring maid.” Her voice hardened with every word she pronounced. Her chest heaved.

Fitzgerald blinked, shocked by the amount of hate she just showed. Mabel on the other hand let out a breath of relief after speaking.

She blinked rapidly a couple times and only then did her heaving chest calm down, and her breathing returned to normal.

She looked toward him again. She took in a soft breath to compose herself. Only then did she part her lips again. ”I don’t mourn consequences people choose for themselves.”

”You believe she chose this?”

”I believe she walked willingly into danger despite every warning.” She shrugged. ”If she’s dead...” Another small shrug. ”She had it coming.”

The cabin became quiet.

Only the waves continued striking the ship.

For the first time since meeting Mabel, Fitzgerald found himself wondering whether the stories describing the wolves as ruthless had somehow understated her.

She simply sounded unmoved. As though another human life had been discussed, and not her own kind.

Mabel turned back to the sea, and added. ”It was only a matter of time before someone less forgiving took advantage of that.”

Fitzgerald studied her.

He had met many rulers, many princesses, and many queens. Yet had never met anyone who would speak about her own kind like this.

He found it unsettling, yet oddly fascinating.

”You truly aren’t worried?”

She looked directly at him. ”No.”

”You don’t think she’s dead?”

”I didn’t say that.”

She turned to him, and rested her chin lightly upon one hand. ”I simply said I don’t feel anything.”

He nodded slowly. ”You know, when Alpha Ashmere told me you would be of use for the war, I feared you might refuse us.” He chuckled softly. ”Hearing you lived in the castle with her, I feared you and her had a bond.”

Mabel smiled politely. ”Now you know that you were wrong.” she clarified his thoughts. ”I only loved what she represented.”

His curiosity deepened. ”And what was that?”

”My future.” She answered so matter-of-factly it almost sounded reasonable. ”Aire was useful.”

Her eyes remained calm. ”As long as she remained obedient.” She paused. ”She stopped being obedient. She trusted one of her silly visions over my words.”

The waves struck gently against the ship.

Somewhere overhead sailors shouted commands.

Fitzgerald leaned against the edge of the desk.

Mabel tilted her head, wordlessly asking him why he was staring at her that way.

A genuine laugh escaped him. ”You don’t even realize how unusual you are, do you?”

”I do.”

”You do?”

She nodded, then sighed nonchalantly. ”I simply don’t care.”

Another laugh escaped him. He couldn’t help himself. Most women tried desperately to appear mysterious.

Mabel never tried.

She simply was. She fascinated him more each day. Not because she was warm. She wasn’t.

Not even because she was beautiful. Though she undeniably was.

She fascinated him because every conversation felt like attempting to solve a puzzle whose pieces refused to stay still.

He found himself wanting to understand her.

Mabel noticed the look lingering in his eyes.

She recognized admiration immediately. It happened often.

She smiled strategically.

”Have I amused Your Majesty?”

”You have.”

She rose from her chair.

The movement brought them unexpectedly close, and neither stepped away.

”You’ll reach England tomorrow?”

”By sunset.” He replied.

She walked toward the window again. ”So that’s truly your kingdom.” It wasn’t a question, but she needed certainty.

If she would be queen, she better do it right.

”It is. And so is France. You can say I rule the whole human countries.” He cleared his throat. ”Or kingdoms, as you may call them.”

She looked out across the endless sea. ”I’ve never seen a human kingdom.”

He joined her, and moved his hand closer to hers, but didn’t touch her. He respected their distance.

”You’ll probably hate it.”

She looked sideways at him. ”You admit that?”

He chuckled. ”Our cities smell. They’re loud, and crowded. We drink too much.” He smiled. ”But...” His eyes softened. ”They’re home.”

Outside, gulls circled above the mast.

The wind caught the royal banners, sending them snapping loudly against the sky.

Far ahead, barely visible upon the horizon, there was land.

England awaited them.

And with it, an alliance that would decide the fate of kingdoms.