The Silent Alpha

***Natalia’*** 

I can feel myself slipping away as blood pours out of my neck area and I make peace with the thought that this may be the end for me.

Zane reluctantly pulls his hands away from the wound and leans forward to kiss my forehead, his lips leaving lingering sparks on my skin and I try to savor them as he turns to leave.

"I- I'll be back," he murmurs.

This may be the last time we speak to each other, so I reach out my hand and hold onto his wrist a little longer.I want him to know how glad I am we met.

"Zane..." I croak, struggling to find my words.

"I-I love you." He does not reply but I see the anguish swimming in his eyes and it hurts.

My sweet mate is breaking inside.I just hope when this is all over, his heart is still intact.

Zane storms out of the car and Rionna kicks into action, reaching her hand over me to unbuckle my seat belt.

"Don't worry, dear.We'll get you help," she reassures me, grabbing Agnes'‘s hands and placing them over my wound.

"We just need to get you into the passenger seat," she grunts, jumping out of the car and adjusting the passenger seat so that it rests all the way back.

Dakota screaming in the background for me.

"Mommy! Mommy!" he wails, Rionna, and Agnes shifting me onto the passenger seat.

"Please help my Mommy," he sobs.

"Help her!"

I open my mouth to calm him down but only incoherent mumbles escape my lips, frustration bubbling in my chest.

Instincts take over, however, and I do my best to keep calm and slow down my breathing.If I want to survive, I need to stay calm.

Agnes tears off her shirt, ripping the fabric into strips and tying it around my shoulder and over my collar bone to stop the bleeding.

Instant pain shoots across my chest, my nails imprinting half moons into the car seat as I bite on my tongue to hold back my screams.I don’t want to scare my baby.

Rionna jumps into the driver seat, restarting the car and turning it back towards River Moon.

"Stay with us Talia.Just stay with us," she orders me as we speed down the road.

"I linked Toran and he’s getting help from the Queen.Just hang on.Don’t go.Kota and Zane still need you." I can feel myself slipping into the darkness, a coldness filling my body as more blood pools around my chest.

"Mommy!" Kota screams, my eyes struggling to stay open.

"Mommy wake up!"

But the exhaustion is only growing stronger, its claws fight to stay conscious but as we drive through what appears to be a portal, I feel myself fall into the cold pitch black, the pain subsiding and the world giving way to the abyss.I do not feel fear as I wander aimlessly for what feels like hours into the void.

The dark is quiet but in a soothing way.I must have died...I tell myself, my heart breaking a little at the thought but the memory of Kota and Zane watching the butterflies calms my fears.

Even in my absence, my son will know love.

His father will make sure of that.

Peace settles into my being and as I take a step forward, I feel the ground give way and a flutter fills my heart as I fall into the pitch black.

My arms and legs instinctively search for something to grab onto as I fall when the black nothingness suddenly fades to blue skies and fluffy clouds I can almost touch with my fingers.

Just as suddenly as the sky appears, I feel myself gently fall into a body of water, small waves washing over me until I'm fully submerged.I react instantly and swim to the water's surface, taking a huge gulp of air to fill my starving lungs.

scan my surroundings and I find myself in the middle

Natalia....

Natalia...

its voice sweet and melodic.I decide to follow it and swim towards the

between eyes gazing intently

dominance lingers around the wolf. The wolf feels familiar and as I crawl onto the shore, it rushes to help me, its tail wagging with pup-like excitement.I carefully inspect myself, realizing I'm wearing a simple white dress, my wet hair clinging to my

crazy only moments ago is long gone, flawless skin now covering my

murmur as I get up on my feet and dust off the sand from

in shock when it

it murmurs, turning its body towards the

should hurry.She’s waiting for

the wolf does not answer, running off into the

avoiding small stones and branches littering the forest

the dense forest gives way

much larger stone like chairs around a table, and the wolf takes a seat on one

to the wolf and lean my body against a stone, inhaling

a gentle voice whispers from behind the tree, hair black as night appears before

wears a simple yet elegant white dress with blue embellishments at the

red lips and her dark eyes twinkle like the

its head before the woman, the beautiful being stroking the wolf's fur in a

myself, I stand up immediately and awkwardly bow to her as I fumble

I reply softly,

ask how I know your name?" she asks, her question leaving

dead right?" I

to lead me to the afterlife...? Or wherever it is I’m supposed to

taking a seat on

not dead," she murmurs, petting the wolf who purrs contently

time yet.Zane

here?" I ask, looking

hums to

very different from your sister.Where she sought to change her fate, you do not seem

what you are so how can I ask you for anything?"

own fate.Or at least I

You wanted to make your own fate?" I raise an eyebrow

are you?" I

the Daughter of the Night, Selene, Diana, Coyolxauhqui, Hanwi, Huitaca, Moon Goddess, take your pick,"

the world have given me so many names that it does not matter what you call me. All that matters is that you respect me and

their Moon Goddess," I say in realization, my eyes flickering to the wolf

assume that’s your

me, Moon Goddess giving the wolf

of my love, my own creation,

contain a spirit, a soul that

two wolves," I mumble, shaking my head at the goddess

way.You’ve given me two head

course not," I huff,

was a mistake.Why did you do that? Why did you match me with a man who was incapable of cherishing what we had? Why did you let him hurt me? Why did you let him break

him! I loved him with every fiber in my being.I trusted him! I trusted you and you both failed me! You both broke me! And then you screwed me over by giving me another mate.I didn’t ask for one! I didn’t ask for any of this, so why? Why

remains very quiet, gently petting Devina’s snout with so much love and affection, I start to believe she may be ignoring

angry..." she

I..." she

the best for all of my children.All of them deserve their happily ever afters and I do the best I can to make that happen for every pair I make.Of course, plans don’t always go the way you hope, at least not in a world where free will exists.For you see, as any mother, I try to teach my wolves to love and respect each other, but sometimes it is out of my control.Even the best mothers cannot help a child who does not wish to be helped.I cannot tell my children how to be, I can only hope they learn from the mistakes they make along the way.It hurts to see them fight.It hurts to see my wolves in pain.It hurts to see all to be a mother sometimes.But I endure it all with the hope that one day my wolves will find peace again.I chose Christian and Jack for you because I could see he was slowly slipping away and he needed someone to ground him, someone to neutralize his temper.You were that person.Your level headedness, your intelligence and straightforward thinking, your patience

the answer you were hoping for but sometimes

mumble, crossing my hands over my

"So what now?"

thinks for a moment in silence, Devina

pause, Moon Goddess sighs and rises to her feet giving