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

can’t hanging open

y-your place.I-I don’t want him

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 her

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

and I sense the deep fear in

"Ta-Talia..."

gives my hand another squeeze and shakes

"It’s okay..."

whispers, doing her best to remain calm

going to be okay, so you don’t have to worry about us," she says through a forced

"We'll be fine."

on a brave face and looks me in the eye, leaning

love you,"

back to me in

get the chance

you at the cars

we need to prepare for what

softening as he looks up at my

"Ri..."

him entirely, turning on

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

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

aloud before walking out with

smoothing back his hair and kissing his

whispers as he lays his head on Talia’s shoulder and waves

ruffling up

Queen

a few hours as well."

will protect my family

to deal with

representative.But don’t worry.I’ll try to be back as

pro-protect my family?"

Oliver explains.

Oliver gives him a stern look.My heart begins to beat a little faster and I question if I am making the right decision to leave my family here while I

Rionna, and

Aurora continues.

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

shouldn’t be

Talia tries

as weak as I look," she says with a forced

by wolves.We'll

uneasiness does not fade away with her words but I also cannot let my mother face my

I'll help

murmurs, interlocking our hands and pulling me

to get rid of us, Grayson sulks, a part

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

her thoughts, hearing her count each step she takes

chants, keeping a strong smile on

the dining table with Rionna, pouring

standing just beside Rionna

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

searches for my bag and she begins searching for my

Talia

sweetie," Talia chirps with

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

skips over and brings Talia two pairs of my socks which

She ignores me, humming quietly to

scanning the room

need your toothbrush and razor," Talia gasps, rushing

toiletries and waves a bottle

to put this on.It’s hot and you’re

washes over her face and tears gather in

Talia is just trying to cope.I can’t seem to find the right 4 words to soothe her fears, the uncertainty of this war clouding my every

hair gel," I whisper quietly, Talia nodding her head and

going?" Kota suddenly asks, climbing on the

on

as she returns with the jar of