The Silent Alpha

***Zane *** 

"What is your name?" my father's voice booms, my shirt balled up in his fist as he holds me up against the wall.

I swallow the sob caught in my throat and blink away my tears as I try to concentrate on my words.

"Z-Z-Za-"

Before! can finish my attempt, my father's fist races towards my face, the blow connecting just below my jaw, sending a surge of pain to jolt my small body.I taste the blood instantly, the metallic lavor all too familiar against my tongue.

"Sebastian, please!" my mother cries pathetically, grabbing at my father's bicep to pull me free from his grip.

"Try again!" my father growls, slamming me against the wall.

Fear bubbles in the pit of my stomach as I stare at my father's cold eyes looking back at me with so much hatred, so much shame at having me for a son.

My mouth suddenly feels extremely dry as it hangs open.I could feel my name at the back of my throat but try as ! might, Isimply could not utter a single coherent sound.

At 6 years old, my stutter was no longer a cute little phase but a problem.

No matter how hard I concentrate, no matter how hard I try, I find stringing together a single sentence a daunting task, something pronounce my own name even to the maids.

lt was not a hard name either, Zane White.

Simple, or at least it should be.

To fix this problem, my father, the Silver wolf Alpha of the Scarlet Haven Pack, had the best speech therapists flown in, but none were successful in curing my defect.

I was incurable and in my father's eyes, this fact was unacceptable.

It had yet to be presented to the pack as the next Alpha and so far only two maids, the beta and my mother's Gamma knew what I looked like.

I was the hidden Heir of Scarlet Haven, locked away within the Pack mansion.

The one no one had ever seen before and for good reason too.

My father had a lot of enemies.

His first son, Jonathan, had been killed by our silver wolf rivals, the Ravenstone Clan just a few days shy of his first birthday and my father feared someone would try to kill me before I could take the title.

My incurable stutter only added to his need to hide me; for how could the next Alpha of one of the most prestigious Silver Wolf Packs on the West Coast have a stutter? Having given up on the professional therapist, my father took matters into his own hands, literally.

And that’s where I currently find myself now, in his hands and at his mercy.

Mom tries to help me, but she is too weak to stop the furious Alpha from taking out his frustrations on my face.

close my eyes and concentrate on my name dancing on the tip of my tongue.

I try to make a sound but the fear of my father’s fist makes my throat run dry.

Rather than my name coming out, a small squeak escapes my lips.

infuriated, my father's brown eyes begin to glow blue as his wolf makes his presence known.

His piercing eyes look at me with disgust and I suddenly fall to the ground as the Alpha tums on his heel.

"He's not even worth my time," the Alpha snarls over his shoulder.

He tums to my mother.

"Pick up your son and keep him quiet during the party.Make sure he doesn't embarrass me any further."

He slams the door on his way out and the sob I had been holding in finally breaks free.

My mother gently picks me up, cradling my head as she whispers soothing words to me.

"It's okay, Zane," she coos, "I know you're trying..."

"I-l'ms-s-orry,"I hiccup.

"H-he ha-tes me!"

"No he doesn’t,"

My mother protests, smoothing down my hair and kissing my forehead.

"He's just a little frustrated.There's just a lot on his plate right now."

She helps me to my feet and dusts me off "Come on, sweetie.Let's get you cleaned up."

After getting dressed, my mother walks me down to the car where my father waits impatiently for us.

It was the King's birthday today and all the Alphas of the Crescent Mane Kingdom and their families would be attending.

Unfortunately for me, this would also be Alpha of the Scarlet Haven pack.

I go over my lines in my head as we drive to the King’s territory where we find several guests already mingling outside of the King's Mansion.

"Hi, my name is Zane,"

myself over and over again until I feel

stops the car and stares at me through the rearview mirror, his cold eyes boring

name?" he asks through

I kept staring at those cold angry eyes, I

"Z-Zane,"

preparation for the blow / knew was coming.But it never

met with cold

up some courage, I open one eye and steal a

is clenched but he says nothing as he opens the door

he growls as he steps out of

out.You won’t be presenting yourself

into tears as he storms off towards the mansion,

best to soothe me

about you and I find ourselves a quiet place and hang out for the rest of the

my tears and she

my love," she chirps, reaching for the door

go fetch us a snack and we'll hide out until

wolves as I settle back into

eyes and stare at the guests as they arrive, trying to figure who

not the only Silver wolf pack in Crest Mane.I was curious to see if we were really the strongest pack like

the chance to see another silver wolf shift

gift many times, each time

gift of gas

could morph into a toxic gas, allowing him to avoid being injured by an

wolf has ever defeated him

father and have a

view window just

before the screaming overpowers the music playing from the Mansion, wolves

quickly whisked away by their gammas

come with

he finds my mother in time to protect

drowns out the

the terrifying screams, I climb out of the car and make a run for the trees near the house, hoping

is! who

round the comer and there amongst the trees, I hear a sickening

with fear but upon hearing my mother’s voice, I force my

most horrifying scene

wolf, my mother struggles to free

eyes

turns her head in my direction, her neck now perfectly exposed

blue orbs as we maketo scream but my voice never leaves my lips as I watch the life drain from my mother's eyes.I flinch at the memory of my mother’s lifeless

annoyance and I quickly scramble to

get a head start on the day, grabbing

steam.I count my scars as I scrub my body, a habit I developed after years

20 years since the attack and my life is starkly different now that my mother

battle, my father made the announcement that both my mother and

was locked away in my room, left to mourn the loss of my only companion

were told

silent and soon,

my father had remarried

be passing his title

my half brother, Caine, was born and given an Omega rank, was spotted near the western border and

no more than 5 feet tall and quite

looks, however, were not the reason she was spared from certain death, for Agnes had one small defect

still remember the

was the only time my father came to see me before I

.- FLASH BACK....

my father's voice echoes across

unsure

for me hadn’t faded after all this

stand before the man I once called

woman standing behind

be moving to the

you pack your

both Agnes and! remain frozen

repeat myself? Get moving!" he

her feet and collapses onto the ground

line her eyes as she looks

she flinches, her arms flying over her

again and tap her shoulder, offering my hand to help her

did not intend to hurt her, Agnes slowly lowers her arms and takes my

warm smile and places her hands in front of her face, thrusting

nose in confusion and she laughs

and shakes a

understand, she pulls out a

writes, pointing again

Agnes.What is your

shut off the shower and get dressed before the rest of the Omegas

a large building just south of the main Pack house where the Alpha