The Silent Alpha

***Zane*** 

"This isn’t working,"

Evan sighs, looking down at me after having knocked me on my ass for the sixth time in a row.

"He’s not attacking, just blocking.You can’t win a fight by just blocking.You need to attack your opponent," he scolds me, helping me up to my feet.

Aurora bites her lower lip as she tries to think of a new training regimen for me, my self-esteem plummeting.

"You are doing all the right moves, Zane," Aurora tries to cheer me up, but I find it hard to believe given how long we have been at this.

I’ve been in training all week, exercising my silver wolf gifts with Aurora and learning to utilize my mind control, telepathy, and projection abilities better.

As it turns out, my mind control ability does not work on Aurora or her twin sister, Celina, but it works on pretty much any other wolf.

I do have a limit on how many wolves I can control at once, my magic number being four.

Aside from silver wolf training, I’ve been working closely with Gamma Evan, building up my muscles, endurance, and flexibility while also working on hand to hand combinations but all my efforts seem futile when I’m put in a sparring circle.

"We just need to find the right...motivation for you,"

Aurora adds with her timid smile, Evan handing me a water bottle while we take a break.I try not to sulk as she and Evan brainstorm when Aurora suddenly starts to squeal excitedly.

"Mia?" Evan asks, scratching his head in confusion.

"Why my mate?"

"Just trust me,"

Aurora smiles, flicking her wrist to open a portal and disappearing into it.Evan only shrugs, tapping me on the shoulder.

"So, how’s the mate? She like you yet?" He chuckles.

Like us?Grayson scoffs.She loves this dick- Stop talking, I mutter, forcing a smile and nodding at Evan.

"Listen, if you need any tips, I got you," Evan grins mischievously.

"I never had a brother I could pass on my wisdom to and I don’t wanna know what Aurora and Oliver do behind closed doors."

He shivers to emphasize his disgust and sticks out his tongue.

I smile and nod awkwardly, unsure how to add to this conversation.I am still not comfortable using my voice around people other than with Kota or Talia but it seems Evan doesn’t mind my silence.

"You remind me of Aurora,"

Evan observes, my ears perking up at this.

When he notices my peaked interest, he sits down on a mat.

"She was not always the strong Queen that you see now.She is still very shy and timid, but she was once also afraid.Very afraid."

I look down at the Gamma curiously.What could a wolf like Aurora have to fear?

 "Aurora was abused by her old pack, Lluvia Blanca, for years," Evan explains.

"Her family used to torture her every day and to be honest, I still don’t know most of the things she went through.All I know is she showed up here with a lot of scars, both mental and physical, and it took us a while to get her to open up to us and even longer for her to trust us.She still has bad days, though not as often." saw, but I did not know the extent of her abuse.

She seems so happy now.

I would have never guessed she is still struggling with her past.

"Look, all I’m saying is...you don’t have to be ashamed of your past and your fears.There is nothing wrong with needing a little help and guidance,especially with training.Healing is an ugly process and sometimes you're gonna stumble.No one expects you to always have your s**t together, silver wolf or not.Aurora is the most powerful wolf on the planet and she goes to therapy every week because it helps.I won’t lie, therapy sucks, but it's not meant to be easy.It takes a lot of strength to face your demons.l am only giving you this sermon because I can tell you're struggling with something.Don’t hold it in no matter how ashamed you are.There’s literally nothing to be ashamed of.You didn’t ask for your past, so why would anyone hold it against you?"

I like this wolf, Grayson says.I tell you the same thing but you never listen to me.I don’t get the opportunity to thank Evan for his words of encouragement because the next thing I know, Aurora and Evan’s mate, Mia, pop out of a portal.

Evan jumps to his feet to greet his mate with a kiss and asks Aurora to explain her idea.

"Don’t worry about it,"

Aurora smiles, instructing Mia to move to the middle of the sparring circle.

"Zane, get in your fighting stance."

Mia spreads her feet apart and raises her fists as she faces me.

Okay dude, this should be easier, Grayson says, getting into his own fighting stance.

Her punches won’t hurt as much when she knocks you on your ass.

Thank you for the encouragement, I mutter, Grayson grinning from ear Once in position, Mia begins to circle me and I shuffle my feet like Evan taught me to keep her within my vision.

A small smirk curls on her lips before she lunges forward on her right leg and kicks up with her left.I block the kick with my forearm and retaliate with my own weak high kick that she easily slaps away.

Come on, dude, Grayson groans.

told and swing my arm towards her face, but Mia ducks and

then spins around for a roundhouse kick to my stomach and I stumble back to

Dude! Grayson growls.

landing the blow, but she then backs away before I can land a

turns around and donkey kicks me in the stomach,

abrupt sound of Kota’s scream somewhere in the trees behind me startles

instinct in my body telling

one of them stepping towards

Alpha Jacque and his men have breached the northern and western borders! We are

screams, my heart beating a mile a

will lead the men to

your family.I will send back

and rushing towards the north

in the direction of Kota’s screams, anger burning through me at the thought of my pup and

Gray, what the hell?

don’t know, Grayson replies, equally confused.I can’t come out.I don’t have much time to

to do this on my

cornering Talia and Kota by a tree, Talia shielding our pup with

hitting her jaw and

large eyes widening when he sees his mom lying very

feral as Kota

taking

"Mommy, wake up!"

retaliating and slamming his fist on my jaw.I stumble back,

to my face and stomach, most of which I manage

so that he lands back on his feet while I fall on my knees.stomach, but I slam my elbow

to strangle me but I grab onto one of his arms and flip over onto his back.He lands with a groan and staggers onto his feet, giving

over and over again, Benoit grunting with

I let him stand up enough so that I can deliver a punch

I push him away to deliver the final blow, kicking him in the chest and knocking

nose, temples, and lips but my thirst for

collar

"STOP!"

commands me, my body resisting the urge to

up to see Mia and Aurora watching me and I quickly realize I’m no longer in the forest

down to see I have Evan by the collar of his shirt, his face

I'm just as lost

my confusion, Aurora

silver wolf with the gift of illusions,

your wolf connection a little to keep you in human form

you are one angry white

wiping the blood from his

no! He done almost beat the black out of me.Heal

little Evan have a booboo?" Mia

"Can’t take a punch?"

get in the ring with him.See

Mia giggling

"I’m sorry, Ev,"

both of his cheeks and

curses at her, but it’s obvious he’s not really mad at his Luna or his mate, especially when Mia kisses him

as an apology and he takes it but

silver wolf," Evan mutters at

knocked your ass out if it were

into laughter, Evan scowling at them for their lack of faith in him, but I only smile knowing he is very likely

three of them help me refine some of the combinations I used on Evan during the attack, giving me pointers on how to deliver impactful blows without wasting

the footwork next week,"Evan says as

is most likely to be Alpha Jacque and

at him as he offers his hand up

a moment to recognize what he wants me to do and

seem to mind my awkwardness and walks me to the daycare center which is on the way to the River

wait patiently with the other moms at the gate until we hear a loud bell announcing the end of the school day, several pups pouring out

Zane, look! We did colors today!" Kota cries as he runs to greet me, a string with

up to me and proudly shows Evan and I

you!" he

places the string in my hand as I kneel down to his

you, see?" He

cuz she’s pretty like a flower," Kota explains as he

like the trees.You are blue

he asks, a large

head, unable to find the words

it on!"

wrapping the bracelet around

a bracelet?" Evan pouts, Kota

don’t know," he shrugs, turning to

can we Oh dear goddess, I blush, wishing the earth would swallow me.I shake my head at Kota in hopes that Evan does not understand, but

is Horsey in