The Silent Alpha

***Natalia*** 

"What the f**k do you want?" I snarl, Jordan stammering on the other end.

"Luna, I-"

"I'm not your Luna!"

I hiss furiously.

"Get that through your head and stop calling me.Your Alpha and Silver Crest are not my responsibility anymore.You chose Vanessa, so ask her-"

"Would you just listen to me!" he blurts out.

I count down my breaths to control my anger before speaking.

"I told you everything," I whisper softly, pain laced with every word.

"I told you how much it hurt...How much pain I was feeling...I confided in you my worst fears and self doubts ...And you made believe that it was all in my head and I just had to try a little harder.You let me believe I was going crazy and that I was not enough."

My voice cracks a little from the memory of it all but my feelings quickly shift to complete rage.

"But I have found someone who believes I’m enough.Someone who actually listens to me and I will not let you come into my life again to ruin my happiness.I’m done listening to you," I snarl.

"I don’t trust you or anything you have to say anymore."

"But Christian is coming!" he pleads, but only I burst into laughter.

"He can come," I sigh in annoyance.

"He won’t find us."

I hang up the phone before he can say another word, turning to look at my pup as he snores lightly in his sleep.

Christian is never going to find him, I think to myself, crawling back into bed to hold Kota in my arms.He will never get him.

I find it hard to fall back asleep and just watch Kota as the sun rises, hoping Zane is safe wherever he is.

The morning is relatively mundane when Kota wakes up.

We brush our teeth, comb our hair and dress like any other day but even as we go through these motions, I feel Zane’s absence.

"Mommy, you forgot this!" Kota cries, reaching for Zane’s small bottle of cologne.He stands on the tips of his toes and leans over the sink, grunting as he tries his best to reach it.

I grab it for him and he closes his eyes and puffs out his chest for me to spray him with his father’s cologne.

"Now I’m ready," he grins, stomping away down the hall.

I follow him into the kitchen where we find Agnes already preparing breakfast.

Kota stomps his feet on the wood floor to make his presence known and Agnes looks up from the stove to greet him, forcing a smile on her face.

It appears she did not get much sleep last night either, dark circles clinging to her under eyes.Her usually glowing skin is quite pale and she looks as defeated as I feel.

"I- help - you,"

Kota signs to Agnes, Agnes’s face lighting up as she hands Kota some plates.

We set up breakfast together on the patio and as we settle down to eat, Zane’s absence becomes blatantly obvious when I have to pull out a little pen and paper to speak with Agnes.

I have been practicing ASL with the girls at the clinic but I am still not proficient in the language to carry a full conversation on my own.

Luckily for me, Rionna arrives and joins us, and she is able to translate for Kota and I.

Butterflies dance in my belly when I notice Kota mimicking Rionna and singing the words he does know as he speaks so Agnes doesn’t feel left out of the conversation.

While they are few and far and between, I am sure Agnes appreciates his efforts.

Zane has only been part of our lives for a few weeks and he’s already impacting our son in such a beautiful way.

Devina purrs happily while watching our baby trying to be like his Dad.

"Nona, how do I say Eggness with my hands?" Kota asks, opening and closing his hands.

"Her name is this," Rionna explains, spelling out the name AGNES.

Her spelling reminds me that I have never seen Agnes use a name sign before when referring to herself but Zane appears to have a name sign.

"Does Agnes have a name sign?" I ask Rionna who translates for me.

"I know Zane does.She makes the letter Z over her heart every time she addresses him." Agnes gives a response.

"Name signs are usually only given by members of the Deaf Community," Rionna explains.

"It's like an initiation of sorts and it’s a huge honor to be given one if you are not Deaf. Since Agnes does not know anyone in the community, she has never been given a name sign but she has given one to Zane."

"Can I have aname?" Kota asks, smiling his toothy grin.

"That is for Agnes to decide," Rionna explains, translating for Agnes who gives a short response.

"She says she wants to give you a good name sign so she will think about it a little longer."

"Yay!"

squeals between mouthfuls of chocolate chip

please," I scold him gently, Kota sitting up a little straighter in his seat and

Rosalie and Celina arrive along with Rio who wags his tail happily

is nearly knocked over by the oversized puppy who showers him in sloppy

and gentleman," Rosalie

all doing?" she asks

best," I shrug with

at the table, Celina sitting beside

your minds are all over the place right now

things up for the

is the last thing on my mind right now but I need the distraction, especially after that call with Jordan and it would be nice to take Kota out for a little while even if

Celina asks, my body freezing

"How do you-"

"Sorry," Celina laughs sheepishly.

are just really loud," she says,

Jordan guy…

I mutter

"Past tense."

"IS," Celina corrects.

why picking the right one is

get to pick mine,"

Crest when I became Luna.I just accepted

"Hmm," Celina hums.

"Were you close?"

thought we were," I

he was my best friend.Turns out, he was just

he called you?" Rosalie

What did he

morning to warn me that my ex is

the past four years and he hasn’t done

not the least

does he know about this Kingdom.I am not in any danger and even if by some miracle, Christian did find me, I’m in one of the

them, both Celina and

Kota has Aurora’s medallion and I am

life.My only concern right now Is my

to see you finally

you

goes instinctively to my neck and l stroke the groves of

she's blushing!" She

family and it makes me so happy to see you accept

on my face but Celina still seems

you sure there’s no danger for

I promise,

shake

Christian would find me here.There’s no need to

but doesn’t press any further, rising from her chair and calling

in an hour at the pack house

snacks for the trip

as I

them to places where

"Okay, mommy," he nods.

from

"No."

when

"Yeah!"

house as planned but as we

murmur,

with you?" he pleads, his beautiful eyes glazing

to drive again, Devina whines, wanting to step

and carrying him inside the SUV.I set

to be okay," I murmur,

to be scared,"

play a game. Help me name the

his own fears, and

a visit to the florist for Rosalie to finalize the design

go

pick a

and it was up to Rosalie to make sure each gift was complete

in her work, going through each

to die of boredom," Celina mutters as Rosalie requests

dresses for the party?" she

cool smirk

Agnes and Rionna don’t

party, Celina drags us to a nearby boutique while Rosalie finishes

sure you’ve managed your own Night of Melodies before as Luna but everyone always does theirs differently," Celina

dresses for the pack run and then dress in pack colors for the party.For River Moon, that’s midnight blue and

leads us to the racks at the back of the boutique with several elegant dresses and

look like you’re swimming in fabric."She hands me several dresses

first,"

a high neckline and long puffy sleeves,

length dress with a cape, making her look like an elegant empress as she steps out onto

your dress," Celina