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.

can do better than that! Punch her! Ido as l am told and swing my arm towards her face, but Mia ducks and slams her fist

spins around for a roundhouse kick to my stomach and I

Dude! Grayson growls.

but she

me in the

trees behind me startles us, both Mia and

wails, every instinct in my body telling me to run

guards appear, one

northern and western borders! We are under attack!" he says with urgency, everyone now on high

my heart beating a mile a

lead the men to

you go protect your family.I will send

white wolf and rushing towards the north with Evan and the

anger burning through me at the thought of my pup and my mate being hurt.I attempt to shift to

Gray, what the hell?

don’t have

have to do this

grounds, I find that stupid French Alpha, Benoit, cornering Talia and Kota by a tree,

a punch at Talia, hitting her jaw and

his large eyes widening when he sees

goes feral as Kota shouts

screams, sheer terror taking over as

"Mommy, wake up!"

dodges my punch, retaliating and slamming his fist on my jaw.I stumble back, hearing Kota’s screams as he shields his mom’s

combination kicks to my face and stomach,

waist, dropping into a roll so that he lands back on his feet while I fall on my knees.stomach, but I slam

back.He lands with a

his stomach over and over again,

satisfy me, I let him stand up enough so that I can deliver a punch to his left cheek, then

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

lips but

body, grabbing him by the collar with one hand and punching his face

"STOP!"

voice commands me, my body resisting the urge

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

the collar of his shirt, his face bloodied and bruised.I

as lost as you,

Aurora begins

silver wolf with the gift of illusions,

also blocked your wolf connection a little to keep you in human form temporarily.I just didn’t calculate how much of a fighter you really are even in your human form,"

you are one

groans, wiping the blood from his nose and getting back

almost beat the black out of me.Heal

Evan have a booboo?" Mia

"Can’t take a punch?"

you get in the ring

Mia

"I’m sorry, Ev,"

both of his cheeks and healing

not really mad at his Luna or his mate, especially

my hand to Evan as an apology and

lucky you’re a silver wolf," Evan mutters

would have knocked your ass out if

laughter, Evan scowling at them for their lack of faith in him, but

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

keep working on the footwork next week,"Evan says as the the

is most likely to be Alpha Jacque and

he offers his hand

me a moment to recognize what he wants me to do and I blush in

the daycare center which is on the way to the River Moon pack

other moms at the gate until we hear a loud bell announcing the end of the

he runs to greet me, a string with four beads hanging from his

up to me and proudly shows Evan and I

you!" he

string in my hand as

bracelet for you, see?" He says

cuz she’s pretty like a flower,"

cuz I like green.Green is like the trees.You are blue like the

he asks, a large grin on his

nod my head, unable to find the words

it on!"

no time wrapping the bracelet around my wrist, Kota gasping

I don’t get a bracelet?" Evan pouts, Kota

don’t know," he shrugs, turning

can we Oh dear goddess, I blush, wishing the earth would swallow me.I shake my head at Kota in hopes that

Horsey in the