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-"

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

hanging open in

go in y-your place.I-I don’t want him to h-hurt

to remember her life

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

Kota’s hair and I sense the deep fear in

"Ta-Talia..."

gives my hand another squeeze and shakes her

"It’s okay..."

her best to

okay, so you don’t have to worry

"We'll be fine."

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

love you," she

to me in

unsaid words hang in the air but we do not get the chance to exchange them as Toran reminds us of

at the

need to prepare

softening as

"Ri..."

however, ignores him entirely, turning on

my mothers slams the door behind

man of stone returns, his face neutral and stoic once

mutters aloud before walking out

smoothing back his

whispers as he lays his head

grins, ruffling

Queen

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

family while I am away?

with Alpha Jacque

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

pro-protect my family?" I ask.we

Oliver explains.

be traveling with us.Evan audibly groans but stops when 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

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

Aurora continues.

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

shouldn’t be any

okay," Talia tries to

weak as I look,"

surrounded by wolves.We'll be

with her words but I also cannot let my mother face my father now

I'll

interlocking our hands and

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

me out of the

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

a strong smile on

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

is also there, standing just beside Rionna with an envelope in

in a conversation all on their own so we walk past them up the stairs

sets Kota down on the bed while she searches for my bag and

Talia folds some t-shirts

sweetie," Talia chirps with a

socks from the dresser," she says, pointing to

of my socks which she carefully folds

humming quietly to herself

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

and razor," Talia gasps, rushing

a few moments later with my toiletries and waves

this on.It’s hot and you’re

her face and tears

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

I whisper quietly, Talia nodding her head and running back to the bathroom

you going?" Kota suddenly asks, climbing on the bed to play with the zipper of my

going on a

with