The Silent Alpha

***Zanet****

"Zane, l-"

Talia pauses for a moment to wipe her tears and several thoughts fill my head.

ls my past too much of a burden to share with her? Am I too broken to love? 

“Thank you so much for sharing with me," she murmurs, my entire body tensing as I brace myself for her to turn me down for my baggage.

My mate, however, interlocks our fingers together, bringing my hand up to her lips and kissing it.

"You are so strong, Zane," she whispers through her tears.

"So strong and so brave," she adds, giving my hand a squeeze.

"My problems feel so small compared to yours now," she chuckles sheepishly.

"I had a much easier life than you did.Good parents and for a brief time, a good husband."

She fidgets with her hair at the mention of her ex husband and I frown at her.I did not show her my past to compare pain.

Pain is pain, no matter how small or big.I hold her close, hoping I can somehow shield her away from any more pain and suffering.

"I guess it’s my turn, isn’t it?" she says quietly, resting her it?"

I nod my head and place my hands over her eyes.

My walls come down and I focus on her thoughts until the pitch black fades away.

It doesn’t take long for me to figure out that I am in a hospital room of sorts, a machine steadily beeping in the corner as I look around.

The room is quite spacious with a large window overlooking the city.

A woman lays asleep on the hospital bed, a series of tubes coming out of her.

Her face is bruised and swollen, her entire body covered in bandages.

Talia sits by her side, her thumb caressing the back of the woman’s hand.

"I’m sorry, Mami," she murmurs as she strokes the woman’s cheek.

"I-I’m so sorry for pushing you away this past year.I should have...I should have tried to understand you more because I know that you only ever had the best intentions for me."

She stops to catch her breath and wipe her tears.

"I know you don’t like him much, but Christian is a good man..." she says with a forced smile.

"And he’ll take good care of me.I know he will...So you don’t have to worry about me anymore.You can rest now with Dad.Yo voy a estar bien {I’m gonna be okay},"

She leans over her mother and kisses her on the forehead.

"Te quiero mucho, mami.{I love you}.Siempre te voy a querer {I will always love you}.For a moment, she stays there with her cheek pressed against her mother’s before her phone dings and she looks down to read the message.is almost here, okay? Just a little more and then I-I’ll...I’ll let you go, okay?" she smiles through her tears.

Her lips tremble as she brushes away the woman’s hair.

"Un poquito mas {Just a little more}."

The heart monitor responds with its beeping but the woman never stirs.

Suddenly, the door bursts open, the same woman from Talia’s last memory and her ex-husband bursting in.

That must be Vanessa, I note, watching her ignore Talia as she rushes to the woman’s side and kisses her forehead.

Christian, however, comes up behind Talia and holds her to his chest.

I know it shouldn’t, but it angers me to see my mate in his arms.

"Ay, Mami,"

Vanessa whispers as brushes away her mother’s hair, her voice morphing into a sob.

";Qué te pasd? ;Qué te hicieron? {What happened to you? What did they do to you?}"

She turns to Talia, her face stained with tears.

"Are you sure she’s..."

Her voice trails off at the end but Talia understands and nods as she wipes the tears on her face.

"And Dad?" Talia shakes her head, a fresh stream of tears rolling down her cheeks.

Christain squeezes her tightly, Talia burying her face in his chest as he responds on her behalf.

"They couldn’t do anything for him.He died on impact..." he Asmall whimper escapes Talia’s throat while Vanessa caresses her mother’s cheeks.

The medical team arrives, Talia sobbing even louder now that the end is near.

"l-is she in pain?" Vanessa asks.

"Does she hurt?"

One of the nurses steps forward.

"No, sweetie.She’s not in any pain."

"Good," Vanessa nods to herself.

"And...H-how many....How many lives is she saving?"

"Four," the nurse responds.

"She’s saving four."

"O-Okay,"

Vanessa says to herself, kissing her mothers cheek.

"H-How long will it take before...she umm...before she..."

"Not long," the nurse.

a few minutes and

"O-okay,"

looking over

"Okay."

steps out of Christian’s arms to stand by her sister,

"Adios, Mami,"

squeeze as the nurse begins

reaches over to remove the ventilator from her

can’t," she

do

tries to calm her down by hugging

"Vanessa-"

"No!"

and into the The nurse pauses and looks

nurse nodding and

"It’s okay, Mami,"

wiping away the

care of her for you.You just go home

few minutes before Talia’s mother finally goes home,

holds Talia for a few more moments while she sobs silently before she rushes

Vanessa curled up on the floor, hugging

appear angry or upset, quietly

her

couldn’t watch them ...k-kill her," she hiccups, Talia

"I couldn't...I couldn't..."

into another sob, Talia giving her a tight squeeze and letting

"I know..."

into

with minimal decor, just a few

there is a reading

a book shelf full of thick

away at a calculator

are furrowed in concentration when a gentle knock

out, a beautiful woman and a brooding man walking into

flowers and a little red box in her hands,

Talia smiles happily, rushing to

the woman corrects her, her smile

Kay. You know Mrs.Hart

she puts the flowers on her desk and nods nervously

for the silent man who only gives her a quick glance and nods in

husband in the stomach to behave but Mr.Hart only growls in

cheerfully

dear," she chirps, smiling like a two years and Goddess you have

She

looks at Talia, his

bothered by his cold demeanor, keeping her attention

have a gift for you," Kay continues,

you

a beautiful bracelet with stone beads

explains, a bit of hurt flickering in Talia’s

good luck with your fertility.Figured it would be worth

"Oh I see,"

see

you.How thoughtful

few stones are going to

Hart mutters, Talia doing her

that.A real

"Christopher!"

at her

that back this

Luna, but she’s a disgrace

for her failure to produce an heir but I still see the slight tremor in

next month," Mr.Hart adds,

give him an heir or I

"Christopher!"

only glaring

of this marriage," he mutters to himself before storming

looks at Talia with

so sorry," she

didn’t...I didn’t think he

shrugs, walking back to her

getting used to

watch Talia sit at her desk for

willing them to work.She ties the bracelet on left wrist, her

as she closes her eyes to take a deep breath.I walk

not need me, wiping her

in awe of her as she dives into her work, somehow finding the

work, Talia

mouth hangs open in a silent scream and she collapses on her knees onto the floor, her arms

for her phone on the desk, her fingers shaking as she dials

into the phone, her voice

"He-help me."

the floor for several minutes before a man bursts

happened?" the man asks, pulling Talia

her

don’t know,"

"It just hurts."

"What hurts?"

"Everything!"

cries, her hands clawing

can’t breathe! Jordan, I can’t

Jordan replies, blinking hard as he tries to

pack clinic so Dr.Lila can take a look at you," he says, carrying her out of

on an exam table in a patient

temporarily, Talia no

to be fine,

tries to soothe