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-"

you married T-Toran," I insist, my eyes pleading with

can’t hanging open in

place.I-I don’t want him

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

feel the slight tremor in her touch but she does not utter a word as I beg to take my mother’s place in

hides her face in Kota’s hair and I sense the deep fear in her fast

"Ta-Talia..."

my hand another

"It’s okay..."

doing her best to remain calm

you don’t have to worry about us," she says

"We'll be fine."

and looks me in the eye, leaning forward to

love you," she

come back to

not get the chance to exchange them as Toran reminds us of

you at the cars

and we need to prepare

softening as he looks up at my

"Ri..."

however, ignores him entirely, turning on

watch in distress as my mothers slams the door behind

himself before the man of stone returns, his face neutral and

before walking out with

smoothing back his hair and kissing his

as he lays his head

grins, ruffling

Queen

be leaving in a few hours as well." My heart sinks to the pit

family while I am away?

to France to deal with Alpha Jacque and

I can’t send a representative.But don’t worry.I’ll try to be back as soon as

will pro-protect my family?" I ask.we are

Oliver explains.

to beat a little faster

worry Zane.Talia, Kota, Rionna, and Agnes will

Aurora continues.

charge of the kingdom from the LLuvia Blanca Pack for the time being so they are in good hands," she smiles

be

Talia tries

look," she

surrounded by wolves.We'll

words but I also cannot let my mother face my father now that she has built a new life

I'll help

our hands and pulling me towards

of us, Grayson sulks, a part

head held high as she walks me out of the office, her face resting in

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

keeping a strong smile

Agnes is sitting at the dining table with Rionna, pouring a cup of tea

also there, standing just beside Rionna with an envelope in

a conversation all on their own so

she searches for my bag and

Talia folds some t-shirts and shorts

Talia chirps with a

of Zane’s socks from the dresser," she says, pointing to the dresser on the far side of

and brings Talia two pairs of my socks which she

humming quietly to herself as she

I repeat, Talia’s eyes scanning the room for things to

your toothbrush and razor," Talia gasps, rushing off

later with my toiletries and waves a bottle of sunscreen in

this on.It’s

stunned look washes over her face and tears gather in her

of us makes a sound as it becomes evidently clear Talia is just trying to cope.I can’t seem to find the right 4 words to soothe

her head and running back to the

suddenly asks, climbing on the bed to play with the zipper of my

is going on a little

for me as she returns with the jar