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

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

coughing to hold back

him a deadly look, Carter holding up his

think I need

storming past

calls after him, Oliver pausing at the

love you too," he sighs, closing the door

breath of air, pinching the bridge of her nose as she once

Talia says when

was just-" Aurora holds up her

what happened," She mumbles, finally looking up at

as soon as you walked

leans back in her chair with her

not make

Talia asks for both

just

"What’s the issue?"

sarcastically,

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

to rub her

until Grayson so graciously pissed

looks like her head might explode with frustration and for

months and I’m about to enter another war," she whispers

yourself a little credit,"

to war with the Witches and you took them down in less

not smile but his words seem to have given her

of guilt

Aurora says after a deep

cause trouble with or without Grayson’s help," she laughs

have to

snickers.It was either piss or rip

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

tu lobo, {I like your

giggles, before her face once

needs to learn discipline.I wholeheartedly disagree, Grayson replies before I shove him to the back

discuss with both of you," Aurora says, her eyes switching

out?" Talia asks, her hand squeezing

entirely on you," Aurora responds with a shrug as she rests her hands on her

you a promise that I would keep you safe and I

now it looks like the time of peace in my

I wrap my arm around her waist and pull her close to remind her she has

you have your reservations about wolves, so I don’t

arrangements to place you somewhere else while Gwen completes her

quiet for a moment, wrapping her arms around my

really likes it here," Talia whispers to herself, though we

much pups need to be around other wolves.He’ll have questions that

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

is that a yes?" Aurora asks with a

slowly tilting her head

"Should we stay?"

to my cheeks andI blink ather.She's asking me? No, Zane.She’s asking your shadow, Grayson grumbles, the desire to punch my own wolf growing

you protect

whispers, her thick

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

we'll stay..." Talia replies, turning to

"might like it."

it that he’s enrolled.I’m glad to see River Moon is slowly

chuckles, Talia’s

and plucks out an envelope, holding it

reminds me, in less than a month, there will be a Night of Melodies ritual.Four of our pups will 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

your Majesty," Talia replies quietly,

we free to leave

just have one more question

says as she rises to her feet and switches to

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 silver wolf helping to protect the

reply almost too quickly, Grayson rolling his eyes at me for my eagerness to be useful."I mean, yes, your Majesty.I would like that

"Great!"she says aloud.

am sharp.Evan can pick you up and he'll take

heaves a heavy

apparently late for a meeting with the

from the lawn

***Natalia*** 

of an

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

and Grayson with me, however, puts my mind

protect