The Silent Alpha (Natalia)

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?”

his head in

away with throwing away everything we’ve worked hard on building because he can’t “You’re one

Carter coughing to hold back his

look, Carter

I need some

storming past

Aurora calls after him, Oliver pausing at the door and taking a

sighs, closing the door after

a large breath of air, pinching the bridge of her nose as she once

says when

up her hand,

She mumbles, finally

memories as

fingers through her hair and leans

make

issue?” Talia asks for both of

just another

“What’s the issue?”

laughs sarcastically,

River Moon’s the pack company, but they also 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

rub

morning until Grayson so graciously pissed on Benoit Perrault.Now, not only are all the negotiations off the table, but Lune de Minuit has declared River Moon

looks like her head might explode with frustration and for a brief moment, she

I’m about to enter another war,”

little

we went to war with the Witches and you took them down

words seem to have given her the comfort

enormous wave of guilt washes over

your fault,” Aurora

trouble with or without Grayson’s help,” she laughs

did it have to

Grayson snickers.It was either piss or rip out

should be thanking me.Would you shut the

lobo,

her face once again

needs to learn discipline.I wholeheartedly disagree, Grayson replies before I shove him

to discuss with both of you,” Aurora says, her eyes switching between

we being kicked out?” Talia asks, her hand

on you,” Aurora responds with a shrug as she

you a promise that I would keep you safe and I have

now it looks like the time of peace in my Kingdom

I wrap my arm around her waist and pull her close to remind her she has

know you have your reservations about

while Gwen completes her mission…But

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

whispers to herself, though we all hear

other wolves.He’ll have questions that I don’t know the answer to…And there are some good wolves here that

for Kota.”She looks like she has more to say before now, that is all she has

yes?” Aurora asks with a

you think, Zane?” Talia murmurs, slowly tilting

“Should we stay?”

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

you protect Kota and

her thick lashes fluttering at

only manage to nod my head at her, a small

we’ll stay…” Talia replies, turning

“might like it.”

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

chuckles, Talia’s cheeks

Queen rummages through her drawers and plucks out an envelope, holding it out for

as official pack members.We would be most honored if you would join us in this celebration.It will take place on the Buck Moon, perfect for the pups to test out their new wolves.There will be lots of food and music and plenty of pups for Kota to play with.It should be fun if

replies quietly, taking the

we free to leave

just have one more question for

rises to her

have something you could do.Would you 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 helping to protect the pack.You don’t have to do

Grayson rolling his eyes at 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

suddenly fog over and she heaves a

if that’s everything, I’m apparently late for

and I collect Kota from the lawn and head back to the

***Natalia***

of an impending war is

experienced a time of peace during my reign as Luna and I’d only ever seen one rogue attack.It was small

Zane and Grayson with me, however, puts

would protect Kota