The Silent Alpha

***Zane*** 

Talia orders a pizza and the three of us sit by the fort and watch Shrek in Spanish.I can’t follow most of what is being said but the subtitles help.

Talia seems restless as we watch, glancing at me from the corner of her eye every so often and shifting on her pillow over and over again.

I know there’s something on her mind but I cannot bring myself to invade her privacy, so I timidly place my hand over hers, Talia flinching as the sparks ignite between us.

Ashamed, I pull my hand away but she takes it in hers and interlocks our fingers, muttering an apology under her breath.

"Sorry...it'll just take a little getting used to," she blushes, her thumb caressing mine.

"Your hands are...warm..." she smiles nervously.

She says nothing more, turning her attention back to the movie.

I want to ask her what is on her mind but before I can figure out a way to communicate, there’s a knock at the door.

A bit of dread settles in the pit of my stomach when I see Evan standing in the doorway.

He tries to hide his worried face with a smile, but his eyes give him away.

"The Queen wishes to speak to both of you about today’s… incident," he says, carefully picking his words.

"Zane didn’t do anything wrong,"

Talia huffs, taking a Grayson practically swoons over the gesture and like a love sick puppy, demands to come out and mark her on sight.

Is that all you can think about right now? I snap at him, knowing we are very likely going to get kicked off the territory for his behavior.

No, I'm definitely thinking about her t**s too, Grayson replies nonchalantly.

Just look at how she’s puffing out her chest.

They look great in this top...

I despise you, I sigh, knowing there is no way to trade wolves at this point.

Trust me, I'd trade humans in a heartbeat, he retorts.

"I never said Zane did anything wrong,"

Evan explains calmly, though I can see the fear flicker in his eyes as he backs away from my small Latina mate who glares furiously at him.

""Trust me, I would have loved to piss on Benoit Perrault years ago."

"So then why-"

"Things are more complicated than you think and unfortunately, Zane and his wolf only made things worse,"

Evan interrupts.

"Please, just come to the Pack house so Aurora can speak to you both."

Seeing that we would have to face Aurora sooner or later, we grab Kota and head to the pack house where Evan takes Kota out to play with Rio on the lawn while Talia and I head upstairs to Aurora’s office.I don’t smell the visiting Alphas anywhere, meaning they nervous.

Talia must be nervous too because she holds my hand as I open the door to the office, giving it a tight squeeze as we enter.

The tension in the room is thick, Aurora resting her head in her hands as she focuses on her breathing while her mate, Oliver, gives me a murderous look.

Carter, their Beta, seems to be the only one not upset at the moment, greeting both Talia and I with a smile.

A spine tingling fear washes over me when Oliver opens his mouth to speak.

"Do you have any idea what you two have done?"

Oliver growls, his blue eyes flickering between sapphire and silver.

"Do you have ANY idea how much you f****d up-"

"Oliver, stop it..."

Aurora warns, her face stern as she looks at her husband.

"Let them speak for themselves before you place blame on anyone."

"You know as well as I do that it does not matter what the reason was.Zane had no right to pee on an Alpha visiting my territory!"

"Our territory,"

Aurora corrects him, Oliver’s mouth closing instantly.

"You forget, Zane and Talia are my guests here and Benoit, as a visitor, should have respected me by respecting my guests.You and I both know he has not!"

"So what do you propose we do?"

his head in

just let Zane get away with throwing away everything we've worked hard on building because he

coughing to hold back his

deadly look, Carter holding

think I

mutters, storming past

Oliver pausing at the

love you too," he sighs, closing the door after him as

of air, pinching the bridge of her nose as she once again rests

says when

holds up her

happened," She mumbles, finally looking up

saw your memories as soon as you walked

runs her fingers through her hair and leans back in her chair with

not make this situation

the issue?" Talia

is just

"What’s the issue?"

laughs sarcastically,

have a huge influence over our other shareholders.Alpha Jacques’s eldest daughter, Adeline, used to manage these shares before she went rogue 6 months ago.Benoit is the heir apparent to the Alpha title and has been managing the shares from France.He is set to take the title next month, so we planned to have a formal meeting with him next

to rub her temples

this morning until Grayson so graciously pissed on Benoit Perrault.Now, not only are all the negotiations off the table, but Lune de Minuit has declared River Moon and, by proxy, my kingdom, an

young Queen looks like her head might explode with frustration and for a

can’t believe I’ve only been Queen for less than 3 months and I’m about to enter another war," she whispers under breath,

yourself a little credit,"

we went to war with the Witches and you took them down in less than 3 weeks.You can handle a snobby Alpha and his son with your hands

not smile but his words seem to have given

guilt washes

fault," Aurora

would have managed to cause trouble with or without Grayson’s help,"

have to be

Grayson snickers.It was

you shut the f**k up? I snap, Aurora bursting into

tu lobo,

before her face

disagree, Grayson replies before I shove him to the back of

of you," Aurora says, her

being kicked out?" Talia asks, her

with a shrug as she rests her hands on

that I would keep you safe and I have

it looks like the time of peace

around her waist and pull her close to remind her she has me

you have your reservations

else while Gwen completes her mission...But I

a moment, wrapping her arms around my stomach and burying her nose in

Talia whispers to herself, though we

never been around other pups...I had forgotten how much pups need to be around other wolves.He’ll have questions that I don’t know the answer

Kota."She looks like she has more to say before now, that is all she has to

a yes?" Aurora asks

think, Zane?" Talia murmurs, slowly tilting her head to

"Should we stay?"

blink ather.She's asking me? No, Zane.She’s asking your shadow, Grayson grumbles, the desire

you protect

whispers, her thick

only manage to nod my head at her, a small but beautiful smile curling

replies,

"might like it."

to see River Moon is slowly

Talia’s cheeks

and plucks out an envelope, holding

be initiated into River Moon as official pack members.We would be most honored if you would join us in this celebration.It will take place on the Buck Moon, perfect for the pups to test out their new wolves.There will be lots of food and music and plenty of

your Majesty," Talia replies quietly, taking the envelope from

free

just have one more question for

says as she rises to

here in River Moon and I think I have something you could do.Would you be at all interested in guard training? Now that we have a new enemy on the horizon, it would

Grayson rolling his eyes at me for my eagerness to

"Great!"she says aloud.

thing Monday morning, 6 am sharp.Evan can pick you up and he'll take

suddenly fog over and she heaves a heavy sigh, Carter laughing

apparently late for a meeting with the

the lawn

***Natalia*** 

of an

Luna and I'd only ever seen one rogue attack.It was small and luckily no one got hurt but it pales

Grayson with me, however, puts

protect Kota without