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

Wolf Realm:

The throne room doors slammed against the stone walls with such force that every conversation died instantly.

The echo travelled through the entire chamber. Everyone turned to the door at once, and King Elijah stood in the doorway.

His cloak still carried dust from wherever he had walked in from, his sword remained strapped to his side, and his breathing came harder than it should have from the short walk between the courtyard and the throne room.

His black eyes burned with rage and generations long hate.

The witches immediately lowered their heads.

The King did not acknowledge any of them.

His eyes found only three people. Nate, Xander, and Alaric. For several unbearable seconds, no one spoke.

"Tell me." King Elijah finally spoke, his anger beyond reasoning. "Tell me the messenger misunderstood."

None of the brothers answered.

Elijah’s jaw clenched. "I said..." His voice rose, making the stained-glass windows tremble. "tell me he misunderstood."

Nate held his father’s gaze. "He didn’t."

King Elijah finally snapped. "You reached the Light Fae?!" He yelled at them. "I permitted witches!" His voice exploded through the chamber. "I permitted rituals!"

He pointed furiously toward the women standing near the altar. "I permitted desperate measures inside this kingdom."

His arm swung toward his sons. "I did not permit you to involve the faes."

The last word dripped with open hatred.

Around the chamber, a good amount of the witches lowered their eyes. Nobody had heard the King speak of the Light Fae in years.

Not once. Not since the old war.

Alaric stepped forward. "We didn’t have another—"

"You had every other option!" Elijah roared at him. His voice bounced from pillar to pillar. "You search, and you hunt. I permitted it."

He pointed a finger at Alaric. "You tear this kingdom apart stone by stone if you must. But you do not..." His breathing became uneven. "invite those creatures into our affairs."

Xander’s expression hardened. "They haven’t asked for anything."

King Elijah turned to him sharply. "They never do." He began pacing around with great fury as he tried to calm. "They smile, and they offer help." He stopped abruptly. "And then they take. They take what you least expect, after telling you that they want nothing."

His fists tightened. "I already have enough to deal with because of the humans." He turned away from them. "I will not add those selfish..." His shoulders rose sharply. "manipulative creatures," He looked back over one shoulder. "to the list."

The chamber remained silent.

Nate finally broke it. "They haven’t manipulated us."

Elijah rounded on him instantly. "You don’t know them."

"I know enough."

"You know nothing!" The King’s voice thundered. "For once, keep quiet while I speak. I watched them destroy everything that mattered." He paused to catch a breath. "Right after they told me they want nothing."

Nate refused to lower his eyes. "And we are watching our mate disappear."

Elijah face darkened further. "Do not compare the two."

"I’m not comparing them." Nate’s voice remained steady. "I’m telling you that neither ends with us standing here doing nothing."

"Enough." Xander cut Elijah off before he could completely form his next words.

The single word stopped everyone.

Xander rarely interrupted his father.

Today, he did. "I’ve respected every order you’ve ever given." He took one measured step forward. "I’ve obeyed every lesson you taught."

He stopped. "But I won’t obey this one."

The room became impossibly still.

Elijah stared at his eldest son. "You refuse your King?" He asked, using his Alpha tune.

Xanden face hardened. "I refuse anyone asking me to abandon my mate."

Elijah pointed toward the doors. "No one asked you to abandon her."

"You asked us to refuse the only lead we’ve had in seven days."

His father’s eyes flashed. "I asked you not to trust the people who murdered your mother!"

"I trust the witches." Xanden retorted.

"They’re reaching the Light Fae!"

"They’re reaching magic older than this war."

Elijah stepped so close that only inches separated him from Xanden. "You think help makes old enemies harmless? What exactly do you think you’re doing?"

"I’m bringing her home." Nate simply responded. He was tired of the back and forth between his father and brother.

If his father hates the faes so much, he can turn a blind eye to this. At least until they bring Aire back home.

Elijah ran a hand through his hair, visibly frustrated. If war doesn’t kill him, his sons would kill him first..

"You sound just like your mother."

Before Nate could answer, Xander moved.

"If Mother were standing here..."

Elijah’s head snapped toward him.

"would she tell us to stop?"

The King’s eyes hardened. "Don’t bring your mother into this."

"You bring her into everything. Do not ask me not to." Xanden scoffed. "Would she?"

"I said don’t."

"Or would she walk into the Light Realm herself if it meant bringing someone she loved home?"

Elijah’s chest rose violently. "You know nothing about your mother. I’ll ask you__"

Alaric cut him off. "You’ve spent years grieving her. And you’ve spent all those years making sure we grieved her too."

Elijah’s breathing remained heavy. His eyes slowly moved across his sons.

There had been a time when all three of them barely reached his waist. A time when grief had still been new, fresh, and manageable.

Now, they were standing against him.

He looked between them, hating the road he was taking. He needed to see reason, yet they were refusing to. "You think I wanted any of you to know what losing a mate feels like?"

No one answered.

His jaw tightened. "I buried your mother." The words came out raw. "I buried what remained of her." His breathing faltered. "I watched..."

His voice cracked for only a fraction of a second. "I watched those beastly creatures take her."

The chamber remained deathly still.

Alaric slowly stepped forward.bHis expression was no longer angry. He was devastated. "And that’s exactly why you should understand." He said softly.

Elijah’s eyes snapped toward him.

Alaric swallowed. "You lost yours. So why..." His eyes glistened, as he swallowed softly. "why are you asking us to lose ours?"

"I am not asking that!"

"You are!" Alaric breathed. "I have spent seven days wondering if she’s alive."

His breathing became uneven. "I’ve replayed every conversation, and every stupid little argument." His chest rose sharply. "And every night every single night I keep wondering if she’s frightened."

His fists clenched. "I wonder if she thinks we stopped looking." His eyes became bright with restrained tears. "And now..."

He looked directly at Elijah.

"...you’re asking us to gamble with the only chance we’ve been given."

"I am asking you to think!" Elijah roared.

"I am thinking!" Alaric shouted back. "I’m thinking exactly like you taught me!" His breathing grew harsher. "You taught us an Alpha protects his own."

He pointed toward the witches. "They’re trying to help us protect ours!"

"They’re using the people who destroyed your family!"

"They’re using people who might save it!"

Elijah’s face darkened.

Xander immediately stepped between them to stop Elijah.

The movement alone shocked the room. The King’s eyes slowly lowered to the hand barring his path.

Elijah looked up.

Xander stood like stone. "If you’re going to strike someone." His voice remained frighteningly calm. "Strike me."

Alaric looked at him.

Nate looked at them, irritated. He needed this to be over, so he xould attend to the wit hes to save his mate. King Elijah seemed momentarily stunned.

Elijah’s face twisted.b"You arrogant boy."

"I’m your arrogant boy." Xander replied. "And I’m terrified."

The confession caught everyone off guard.

He looked toward Elijah.

"And every morning..." His voice softened. "I wake up hoping someone tells me this was all a nightmare."

He shook his head. "But no one does."

"So if I have to trust Light Fae..." His eyes hardened. "or witches or the bloody gods themselves..."

He stepped forward. "I will."

Elijah’s breathing grew ragged. His slammed both hands onto the nearest stone table. The crack echoed through the throne room. Maps slid onto the floor, and ink spilled across parchment.

Fear replaced the fury in his eyes. "I AM TRYING TO SAVE YOU!" His roar shook the chandeliers. "I HAVE ALREADY LOST ENOUGH!"

Nate stepped closer. "You loved Mother. And because you still love her..." Nate’s expression softened with understanding. "...you should understand why we refuse to stop."

King Elijah grabbed his cloak. His movements were sharp, and violent as he walked towards the door.

He looked once more toward the witches.

"If this fails..." His voice became cold enough to freeze the room. "every one of you answers to me."

None of them replied.

His gaze shifted back to his sons. He stared at them with disappointment, fear, love, and anger.

"You want to gamble with ghosts?" His jaw clenched. "Then do it."

He spun toward the doors.

"But when those manipulative bastards betray you," He didn’t look back. "...don’t expect me to forgive what follows."

The enormous doors flew open, then slammed behind him hard enough to shake the entire throne room.

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