The Silent Alpha

***Zane*** 

"You have to get out here ," Tylen groans, attempting to put weight on his injured front paw but wincing in pain.

I turn back to the harbor, seeing many wolves trying to escape the poisonous gas dispersing across the docks in small green clouds.

Tylen can’t walk...and !won’t leave him.

"Shift. Pii Carry you," I urge him, Tylen opening his mouth to protest.

"Shift now!" I growl, Tylen’s wolf morphing into its injured human.

It’s only when I see Tylen’s mangled body that I realize the severity of his injuries.His shoulder is torn open while claw and bite marks litter his chest.He won't make it unless we get him help now! Grayson hisses.

"Get on my back and hold on tight.I’m getting you out of here," instruct Tylen, Grayson lowering himself so he can climb on easier.

Once he’s on our back, I follow the other escaping the harbor.

"Where to?" I ask.

"I’m only going to slow you down," Tylen grumbles.

"Where to? " I demand, Tylen letting out a frustrated groan.

"There’s a medical tent just beyond the pack house," Tylen says through gritted teeth.

"You can take me there.Grayson picks up the pace, Tylen tightening his grip on my neck to keep from falling off and muttering that he’s going to be sick under his breath.I swear to Moon Goddess, if you vomit on me, I’m throwing you off the cliffs, Grayson mutters as he jumps over stones, vines, and fallen tree trunks.

"f**k you," Tylen moans.

As we arrive at the medical tents, I shift, throwing Tylen over my shoulders like a sack of potatoes much to his annoyance and running towards the guards standing outside the tents.

They let us through without a second thought.

Inside, we see c*****e everywhere, men and women alike lying in cots with wounds all over their bodies.

Medics run to and fro with supplies, stitching up silver wounds and injecting serums into the injured soldiers who begin to scream and cry for mercy.I find an empty cot and toss Tylen on it, several medics rushing to help the Alpha’s son.

A medic injects a black and golden fluid into Tylen and he does his best to hold back his screams of pain, his face flushing red while the veins on his neck and temples bulge furiously.

"The serum counteracts the effects of silver and wolfsbane," Toran explains, the Alpha’s voice startling me as I turn around to find him standing behind me.

"After years of war and research, we realized the answer to our silver problem was quite simple.Silver slows down our healing, but gold speeds it back up."

Tylen lets out a strained scream, Toran frowning in response.

"Unfortunately, we have yet to figure out how to reduce the pain."

Tylen continues to writhe in agony, making it difficult for the medics to stitch up his wounds.

Toran taps on my shoulder and gestures for me to help him hold down Tylen’s legs so the medics can stitch up the gashes on his torso and arm.

When Tylen does not appear to calm down, Toran takes his son’s hand, wrapping his fingers around Tylen’s thumb in a tight embrace and leaning in close to his face.

"You can do this, Ty," Toran whispers.

"Remember, pain just means you’re not dead.You're not dead, do you hear me? You’re not dead which means you’ve won your battle.You get another chance so don’t spoil it.You’re not dead.You have a chance.It hurts.I know it hurts, but you are not dead!"

For the first time since the battle began, the stone wall around the two alphas begins to crumble, revealing a bond between them I had never known before Kota, the bond between a father and his son.

"Aunty’s dead," Tylen whimpers through his cries of pain.

"I know," Toran soothes.

"But she’s with Toby now.He took her home."

I watch in envy as Toran calms his son, talking him through his pain until the serum begins to take effect.

Even when at odds with his son and in front of a crowd of war-hardened veterans, Toran chooses to be a father first and an Alpha second.

Anger and pain fills my heart as I realize I never truly had a father, just a dark figure casting his shadow of misery over my existence.

you hurt?" Toran asks, his voice pulling me from

Alpha staring up at me, his eyes scanning me for

you hurt?" he repeats,

of the tent, there is a calmness in his voice.I look down at myself, and aside from a few scratches,

me some

Tylen shaking his head in refusal despite his injuries still oozing

can still fight," he argues, attempting to climb

just need to catch

said you’re done!"

back on the

Zane alive and made sure no one made it through the channel.You’re

"Am I being punished?"

Tylen suddenly retorts.

We’ve done our job and now you don’t need us?" What

want to lose you too! Don’t

the only other woman I’ve ever loved because I lied to her.I LIED and she hates me.Look around you, son.What do you see?" he asks, gesturing

from a fight.Learn

to have a father who cares if you live or die, Grayson

right there

decisions for us.That is why Rionna hates you.Not because she doesn’t love you, but because you took her choice away and you’ve done it yet again by handing her those divorce papers.You made assumptions and decisions without consulting her.Without asking what she

They're divorcing? 

discussing this any further,"Toran says,

"Fine," Tylen scoffs.

not staying put either.I’m not a child,

acting like one,"

and when you are fully healed, you may offer your help again and I will gladly accept it. But not before you

Toran gestures

"Follow me."

but I follow him out to another tent set up beside the medical

middle of the tent sits a large table with a map spread

Zane White, the

eyes narrowing to

Luna, Silas," Toran

very particular set of skills that may come in handy and he’s

your theory was correct...The Scarlett heir did indeed survive the night of our attack, but can we

his gray eyes studying me closely as he lights

of his memories tells me he is a skilled soldier by the name

you did kill his mother, even if she revived herself

can assure you, he wants nothing to do with that beast," Toran explains, clasping his

What do we know about the Scarlett mutts?" The men glance at me, and without speaking, point to the

smile spreads across Toran’s face and I realize the

for me to react to the disrespect on my

not speak before a Scarlett mutt,

mind-links, Grayson

face," Grayson sneers through

good reason not to show you what

shock, Silas’ face flushed with embarrassment and anger that I knew what he thought of

I said, Zane has a very particular set of skills, skills that can be useful to us

wasted a valuable resource," he adds, circling the table

the same mistake.And remember, gentlemen, I never bring in strangers without good

vanishes, the room feeling colder without

don’t ever question

the men reply,

report.What

growing

have established a base on the harbor, thus controlling what goes in and out of the main island.Our scouts on the west inform us

sir, is Scarlett Haven’s control

and guns around the perimeter of the Harbor, making it hard for us

of the harbor,

either side of the bay.It is the only place boats can access the island

to cut off our supplies...I observe, noting that the harbor is down hill.But this gives us

see their movements and if we can lure Sebastian out of hiding and distract him, it'll

shares