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

should just let Zane get away with throwing away everything we've worked

Carter coughing to hold back

Carter holding

think I

mutters, storming

him, Oliver pausing at the door and taking a deep

you too," he sighs, closing the door after

the bridge of

I can explain," Talia says when

holds up her hand, Talia clamping her

happened," She mumbles, finally

memories as soon as you walked

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

it does not make this

exactly is the issue?" Talia asks for both of

just another

"What’s the issue?"

sarcastically, sitting

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

stops to rub her temples

finalized plan to end the partnership.They came to an agreement this morning until Grayson so graciously pissed on Benoit Perrault.Now, not only are all the negotiations off the table,

explode with frustration and for

to enter another

a little credit," he

with the Witches and you took them down in less than 3

his words seem to

of guilt washes over the

your fault," Aurora says

would have managed to cause trouble with

did it have

lucky I held back, Grayson snickers.It was either piss or rip

should be thanking me.Would you shut the

lobo, {I like

before her face once again

discipline.I wholeheartedly disagree, Grayson replies before I

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

out?" Talia asks, her hand

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

keep you safe and I have failed you now

now it looks like the time of peace

shifts nervously on her feet so I wrap my arm around her waist and pull her close to remind her she has me to lean

know you have your reservations about wolves, so I

to place you somewhere else while Gwen completes her mission...But I would

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

here," Talia whispers to herself, though

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

Kota."She looks like she has more to say

a yes?" Aurora asks with a hopeful

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

"Should we stay?"

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

you protect Kota

thick lashes fluttering at

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

Talia replies, turning to look

"might like it."

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

Talia’s

young Queen rummages through her drawers and plucks out

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

Majesty," Talia replies quietly, taking the

free

one more

as she rises to her feet and switches

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

me for my eagerness to be useful."I mean,

"Great!"she says aloud.

start first thing Monday morning, 6 am sharp.Evan can pick you up and

she heaves a heavy

for

I collect Kota from the

***Natalia*** 

idea of an impending war

a time of 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 pales in comparison to an

with me, however, puts my

would protect Kota without