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-"

he finds ou-out you married T-Toran," I insist, my eyes pleading with her

hanging open

in y-your place.I-I don’t want him

holds her head in her hands, cursing herself for being unable to remember her life with

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

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

"Ta-Talia..."

hand another squeeze and shakes her

"It’s okay..."

her best to remain

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

"We'll be fine."

looks me in the eye, leaning

love you," she

come back to me in one

unsaid words hang in the air but we do not get the chance to exchange

at the

and we need

falters slightly, softening as he looks

"Ri..."

however, ignores him entirely, turning

the door behind her, and his

before the man of stone returns, his face

walking out with Tylen

tiredly, Talia smoothing back

lays his head

ruffling up

Queen Aurora

a few hours as well." My heart sinks to

protect my family while

to deal with Alpha

worry.I’ll try to be

family?" I ask.we

Oliver explains.

heart begins to beat a little faster and I question if I am making the right decision to leave my family here

Kota, Rionna, and Agnes will be

Aurora continues.

of the kingdom from the LLuvia Blanca Pack for the time being so they are in good

be any

tries to reassure

look," she

surrounded by wolves.We'll be perfectly

does not fade away with her words but I also cannot let my mother face my father now that she has built a new life in

I'll

hands and pulling

sulks, a part of him wishing Talia would get on her knees and beg us to

held high as she walks me out of the office,

hearing her count each step she takes in "Left, right, left, right,

keeping a strong

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

beside Rionna

to be caught in a conversation all on their own so

down on the bed while she searches for my bag and she begins searching for

I help?" Kota asks as Talia folds

sweetie," Talia chirps with

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

Talia two pairs of my socks which she carefully folds and

quietly

Talia’s eyes scanning the

and razor," Talia

toiletries and waves

put this on.It’s hot and

face and tears gather

to cope.I can’t seem to find the right 4

gel," I whisper quietly, Talia nodding her

are you going?" Kota suddenly asks, climbing on the bed

on a little

she returns with