The Silent Alpha

"*Zane*** 

"Are you fighting with me or staying out of this war?" Toran asks, a crippling fear grasping onto me.

My gaze shifts between my mate and mother, my heart unable to decide what to do.

I can’t bear the thought of leaving Talia and Kota alone knowing that her wolf will soon emerge for its first shift but I had already lost my mother once and I don’t have the strength to lose her again.

As I struggle to find my answer, Rionna replies for me.

"You will not drag my son into this," she declares, standing protectively in front of me.

"I am Ravenstone’s Luna and it’s me Sebastian wants.I’ll go back.You just leave my son out of this."

Toran eyes my mother with an emotionless expression plastered on his face and he sighs tiredly as he formulates a response.

My mind, however, drifts off to the memories of my mother and father when I was a child.

My father aimed most of his anger towards me but my mother was never exempt from his abuse.

He would not hesitate to slap or hit her if she stood in the way of my punishment and she always did.

"Why did you stop?"

My father snarls, slowly unbuckling his belt from his waist.He rises to his feet, towering over me as I hold my book with trembling hands.

"I didn’t say you could stop." I stare at the word "colonel" from the poem I am reading, tears springing to my eyes as I realize I will inevitably stutter through it. I purse my lips and shake my head, preferring to take my punishment now rather than anger him more with my failure.

"Say it," my father commands as I hold my breath, close my eyes, and start to count.

1...2...3...4...

I hear his swift footsteps start to charge towards me, the sting of his belt rippling behind my thigh.

At once, the breath I’ve been holding is released with a scream as I receive a second lick to the back of my knees.

"Dadd-"

"I told you to speak!"

My father roars, raising his hand above his head to hit me again.

"Sebastian, stop it!"

My mother begs, tugging at his shirt in a weak attempt to get him to stop whipping me.

"Stop it! Stop it, don’t hurt my baby!"

She beats her fists against his shoulders to make him stop and he shoves her away from him absent-mindedly to hit me again.

When she doesn’t stop attacking him, he turns against her, pinning her to the ground with his large thighs and grabbing at her belt, my mother begging for him to let her go.

She calls to his wolf but it seems my father is in complete control, beating her over and over again until he draws blood.

Horrified, I pick up the book again and search for my place through my tears.

"Col-co- colo-" I stammer through hiccups as my father snarls at me.

"Say it right and I'll stop," he challenges me, my legs shaking so severely, I have to kneel to keep from falling over.

"I-It’s okay, Zane," my mother wheezes.

"You can-"

"Shut up!"

My father roars, grabbing my mother by the throat before turning to me.

"You better speak up, boy or I’ll hurt her.It was the longest day of my life that day, my mother taking the blows without ever getting angry with me.Even as I failed over and over again, she did not scream at me, nor did she ever blame me for her hospital visit that day.I cannot let my mother face that monster again.

"N-no..." I protest, shaking my head at my mother and pushing her aside.

"N-no...y-you can’t go."

"Zane, it’s my pack-"

finds ou-out you married

can’t hanging

place.I-I don’t want him to

in her hands, cursing herself for being unable to remember her life with my father.It does not matter to me, however.I remember...and I do not want my father to ever touch

but she does not utter a word as I beg to

Kota’s hair and I sense the deep fear

"Ta-Talia..."

my hand another squeeze

"It’s okay..."

her best to

okay.Kota and I are going to be okay, so you don’t have to worry about us,"

"We'll be fine."

face and looks me in the eye, leaning forward to kiss

love you,"

come back to me in one

we do not get the chance to exchange them as Toran reminds

at the cars

he Sebastian launches his attack and we need to prepare for what he

softening as he looks

"Ri..."

however, ignores him entirely, turning on her heel

can only watch in distress as my mothers slams the door behind her, and

sorry, my love," he thinks to himself before the man of stone returns, his face neutral

aloud before walking out with Tylen at his

Talia smoothing back his hair

his head on

grins, ruffling up Kota’s

Talia," Queen Aurora

will be leaving in a few hours as well." My

my family while I am away?

deal with Alpha Jacque and Benoit,"

don’t worry.I’ll try to be back

pro-protect my family?" I ask.we

Oliver explains.

stops when Oliver gives him a stern look.My heart begins to beat a little faster and I question if I am

Kota, Rionna, and

Aurora continues.

twin, Celina, will be taking charge of the kingdom from the LLuvia Blanca Pack for the time being so they are in

shouldn’t be

okay," Talia tries

as weak as I look," she says with a

wolves.We'll

let my mother face my father now that she has built a new life in

on, I'll help

and pulling me towards

too eager to get rid of us, Grayson sulks, a part of him wishing

she walks me out of

lower my walls to listen in on her thoughts, hearing her count each step she takes in "Left,

strong smile

the dining

beside

them seem to be caught in a conversation all on their own so we walk

on the bed while she searches

can I help?" Kota asks as Talia

chirps with a little too much

Zane’s socks from the dresser," she says, pointing to the dresser

pairs of my socks

ignores me, humming quietly to herself

eyes scanning the room for

your toothbrush and razor," Talia gasps, rushing off

moments later with my toiletries and waves a bottle of sunscreen

to put this on.It’s hot and you’re

stunned look washes over her face and tears

cope.I can’t seem to find the right 4 words to soothe her fears, the

Talia nodding her head and

where are you going?" Kota suddenly asks, climbing on

going on

as she returns with the jar of