The Alpha’s Triple Lunas

(Red Mountains)

Frederick heard of the war brewing between Craitan and Galdrish. He had been hoping Galdrish’s call for peace failed. And it did.

Galdrish had been harboring fugitives who should have been slaves, slaves for both Craitan and his pack. They’re time was over.

Fredrick scrunched his nose when the Craitan Representative walked into the room. He hated the smell of humans but they needed to ally.

Another human walked into the hall but had a pleasant smell. It was the Craitan princess. Blonde haired, blue eyes, she looked so delicate.

She snuggled besides the representative, looking around frightened, at the men gawking at her. Fredrick mind linked to his men to stop.

“Thank you for this invitation. I am the first Lord, Lord Gaston of Craitan. Here with me is my beloved fiancée, Princess Lena from Craitan”.

The Princess stood and bowed, Lord Gaston looked at her disapprovingly, she calmly sat down back.

Fredrick in turn, bowed to her. She smiled.

“Since we are allies now. We can spare future pleasantries” Lord Gaston grinned. It looked forced but Fredrick didn’t mind.

“Yes, and as ally, we’d share the products and ruins of the war” Fredrick bargained. Lord Gaston looked at the princess, she gave a nod.

Gaston mumbled some incoherent words to her, then smiled at Fredrick, “Yes, we would” his smile was force and Fredrick wished he’d stop.

“It’s settled then” the elderly woman announced. She stared at space for a while. The princess looked at her questioningly.

Young girls, dressed in pale pink, came from behind the hall’s curtains, serving them drinks. The girls had chains to their legs and hands.

The smallest girl served the Princess, she tarried long admiring the princess’s delicate face. When she met her gaze, she looked away.

“I suppose your maidens are at the least educated?” the princess spoke for the first time. There was melody in her every word.

Fredrick wanted to nod, she looked offended and he wanted her not to be but instead he shook his head, “My slaves are not”.

Gaston helped a girl drop the tray of fruits she held. It was bigger than her and her little hands shook.

“At Craitan, our younger maids are taught to read and write. If they’re stupid they’d be of no use to us. The older ones work” he advised.

Fredrick rolled his eyes. And why would he teach human children how to read and write? What usefulness could they ever be to him?

“I understand that we’re not your kind. And this alliance is risky so the children of this war would rather stay at Craitan” the princess ordered.

There was murmurings in the hall. Lord Gaston turned to his fiancée speechless. And if Red Mountains refused? What’d she do?

“I am sorry we can’t have an alliance based on that. All slaves are to be shared equally” the elderly woman raised her voice.

The Princess stood, Lord Gaston did the same, some men surrounded the elderly lady while she didn’t move an inch.

“Don’t raise your voice at me, Abigail. Children stay at Craitan. Some to study or be dancers for our pleasure. You won’t subject them to hard labor here!” there was finality in her voice.

Fredrick was aghast at the authority with she spoke, she still looked delicate and gentle only he didn’t know if he’d burn if he touched her.

He heard the elder woman in his mind link say one word, “Reject!”. He stared at her, her face was distorted and vexed.

“Now, now, it’s not so hard to do. Children can’t even work very well. Unlike the older ones, right?” Lord Gaston tried to clear the air.

The Princess smiled sweetly at him, replacing herself on her chair. She saw the little girls peeking from behind the curtains.

“You have a slave market where you sell children. Do you know what work they do…?”.

“It honestly isn’t our business anymore. They’re sold. To humans. You’re werewolves, making it harder for me to let you have human kids” the princess interrupted.

The elderly woman spoke again to Fredrick the same word. He exhaled, keeping his eyes fixated on the princess, “We reject the alliance then”.

The princess sprang from her seat immediately, a hidden smirk on her lips, “Good. Not an ally is an enemy” she went to the door.

Lord Gaston looked dejectedly at the Red Mountains Alpha, “We have other allies. The dark dynasty kingdom. This is at your own risk”.

The Princess cleared her throat from standing too long so the Lord immediately left to her.

“Wait!” Fredrick left his seat. The elderly women scolded him through mind link and for the first time he shut her up.

“Partnering with dark dynasty? This means that you’re enemies with Forbidden forest pack and Blue Moon pack?” Fredrick enquired.

The last time Scott and Red came to him, dark dynasty was their enemy.

The Princess stopped Lord Gaston from replying, “I am Princess Lena and I don’t want anything to do with werewolves rivalries”.

The elder woman could read what the Alpha was trying to get, “Lena. If you don’t agree to our terms, how can we agree to yours…”.

“I don’t need you agreeing. I dare you to reject” she chuckled slightly, before keeping a straight face. There was silence in the hall.

Lord Gaston shook his head all through since till something struck in him, he whispered to the princess and her eyes shone.

“Is Scott an Alpha of any of the packs? The pretty redhead boy?” she looked from the elderly woman to Fredrick.

Fredrick frowned at the way she addressed Scott, “Yes. And our enemy. Why?”.

She snapped, “Well, I guess the alliance is on. Return that boy to me. Along with his father. We have unfinished business”.

Fredrick nearly spoke but the elderly woman did it, “His father is dead. I am disappointed that your father still craves that family”.

She had a disgusted scowl. Princess Lena shrugged, what could she do? It was her father’s only wish to her.

Lord Gaston looked uneasy.

“So the alliance is still up and running?” Fredrick finally spoke. Lord Gaston, brought out a treaty from his breast pocket for him to sign.

Fredrick was trying to read it when the Princess held unto his hand. Flustered he gazed up at her, “Here, sign it” she gave him a feathered ink.

The elderly woman sensed foul play in her actions and Lena was never good at hiding her evil smirk, especially from her.

“Thank you, your highness” Fredrick blushed, he immediately signed the treaty and handed it back to her.

“Scott’s mine. Handle Blue Moon pack as you’d like. Our soldiers and warriors are now one” she shook hands with the Alpha.