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,"

over and over again until I feel I could say

through the rearview mirror, his cold eyes boring

name?" he asks

eyes to concentrate because I knew if I kept staring at those

"Z-Zane,"

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

I'm met with cold

eye and steal a glance at

clenched but he says nothing as he opens the door

disappointment," he growls as he steps out of the

bother coming out.You won’t be presenting

tears as he storms off towards the mansion, completely

tries her best to soothe me but

place and hang out for the rest of the evening.Just the two of

as I wipe my tears

my love," she chirps,

a snack and we'll hide

disappears into the crowd of wolves as I settle back into

the car, I squint my eyes and stare at the guests as they arrive, trying to figure who

memorized all of the packs in the Kingdom and knew Scarlett Haven was not the only Silver wolf pack in Crest Mane.I was curious to see

get the chance to see another silver wolf shift or use their

times, each time leaving any onlookers

the gift

him to avoid being injured by an attacker while simultaneously allowing

has ever defeated him

my first shift that I would not disappoint my father and have a decent gift worthy of the Scarlet Haven reputation hear

just in time to see a large pack of wolves storm in

music playing from the Mansion, wolves rushing to protect their

are quickly whisked away by their

had come with his

just hope he finds my

in my chest almost drowns out the sounds of death around me

of the car and make a run for the trees near the house, hoping somehow to

is!

round the comer and there amongst the trees, I

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

horrifying scene

my mother struggles to

eyes

my direction, her

lips as I watch the life drain from my mother's eyes.I flinch at the memory of my mother’s lifeless body and fall

groan in annoyance and I quickly scramble to

to get a head start on the day, grabbing my

jets drum against my skin, the room quickly filling with steam.I count my scars as I scrub my body, a habit I developed

attack and my life is

returning from battle, my father made the announcement that

me were sworn to secrecy while I was locked away in my room, left to mourn the

to visit me and the maids were told to never speak

world became silent and

that my father had remarried and was

be passing

formally stripped of my rank the day my half brother, Caine, was born and given an

a small woman, no more than 5

from certain death, for Agnes had one small defect that

the day

to see me before I

.- FLASH BACK....

my father's

freeze, unsure if I heard him

me hadn’t faded after all this time we

I stand before the man I once

a small woman standing behind

be moving to the Omega house

help you pack your

when both Agnes and! remain

myself? Get moving!" he commands, pushing Agnes

trips over her feet and collapses onto the

eyes as she looks

and she flinches,

else to do, I reach over again and tap her shoulder, offering my hand to

did not intend to hurt her, Agnes slowly lowers her

me a warm smile and places her hands

nose in

her ears and

pulls out a pen

she writes, pointing again to her ears and

name is Agnes.What

get dressed before the rest of the Omegas come rushing in to

building just south of the main Pack house where the Alpha and