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?"

shakes his head in

away with throwing away everything we've worked hard on building because he can’t

coughing to hold back his

deadly look, Carter holding up his hands

think I

storming past

t'aime," Aurora calls after him, Oliver pausing

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

of her nose as she once again rests her head in

I can explain," Talia says when the suffocating

just-" Aurora holds up her hand, Talia clamping her

happened," She

saw your memories as soon as you walked

her hair and leans back in her chair with her

make

the issue?" Talia asks

just

"What’s the issue?"

sarcastically,

they also 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

rub

graciously pissed on Benoit Perrault.Now, not only are all the negotiations off

her head might explode with frustration and for

to enter another war," she

little credit," he

Witches and you took them down in less than 3

not smile but his words seem to have

of guilt

fault," Aurora says

with or without Grayson’s help,"

did it have to

held back, Grayson snickers.It was either piss or

me.Would you shut the f**k up? I snap, Aurora

lobo, {I

giggles, before her face

Grayson replies

have something to discuss with both of you," Aurora says, her eyes

out?" Talia asks, her hand

with a shrug as she rests her

that I would keep you safe and I have failed you now on

now it looks like the time of peace in my Kingdom is

on her feet so I wrap my arm around her waist and pull her close

have your reservations

place you somewhere else while Gwen completes her mission...But I would really love it if

very quiet for a moment, wrapping her arms around my stomach and burying her

it here," Talia whispers

forgotten how much pups need to be around other wolves.He’ll have questions that I don’t know the answer to...And there are

looks like she has more to say before now, that is all

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,

protect Kota

her thick lashes fluttering at

my head at her, a small but beautiful smile curling on her

stay..." Talia replies, turning to look at

"might like it."

to see River Moon is slowly changing

Talia’s cheeks

young Queen rummages through her drawers and plucks out an envelope, holding it out for

receive their wolves over the next few weeks and will 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 pups for Kota

quietly, taking the envelope from

free

have one

to her feet and switches

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 be nice to have another

for my eagerness to be useful."I mean, yes, your Majesty.I would like that

"Great!"she says aloud.

morning, 6 am sharp.Evan can pick you up

over and she heaves

everything, I’m apparently late for a meeting

from the lawn and head back to

***Natalia*** 

idea of an impending war is

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

Grayson with me,

would protect Kota without