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

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

to hold

look, Carter holding

I

mutters, storming past

Aurora calls after him, Oliver pausing at the door

you too,” he sighs, closing the door after him as

of air, pinching the bridge of her nose as

I can explain,” Talia says when the suffocating silence

Aurora holds up her

She

your memories as soon as

her hair and leans back in her chair with

not make this situation any

the issue?” Talia asks for

just another

“What’s the issue?”

laughs sarcastically, sitting up

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 planned to have a formal meeting with him next week

rub her temples

with Jacque all week to come up with a finalized plan to end the partnership.They came to an agreement this morning until Grayson so graciously pissed on Benoit Perrault.Now, not only

explode with frustration and

Queen for less than 3 months and I’m about to enter another war,” she whispers under breath, Carter walking

little credit,”

minutes before we went to war with the Witches and you took them down in less than 3

seem to have given her the

wave of guilt washes

fault,” Aurora says after

would have managed to cause trouble with

did it have to be

was either piss

should be thanking me.Would you shut the f**k up? I snap, Aurora bursting into

lobo, {I

before her face once again

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

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

out?” Talia asks, her hand

responds with a shrug as

promise that I would keep you safe and I have failed you now on two occasions,”

the time

around her waist and pull her close to remind

you have your reservations about wolves, so I don’t

place you somewhere else while Gwen completes

quiet for a moment, wrapping her arms

it here,” Talia whispers to herself, though we

around other wolves.He’ll have questions that I don’t know the answer to…And there are some good wolves here that he can look up to,” she

for Kota.”She looks like she has more

yes?” Aurora asks with

Zane?” Talia murmurs, slowly tilting her head to look up at

“Should we stay?”

your shadow, Grayson grumbles, the desire to punch

protect Kota

her thick lashes fluttering at

manage to nod my head

Talia replies, turning

“might like it.”

see River Moon is slowly changing your

Talia’s

through her drawers and plucks out an

be a Night of Melodies ritual.Four of our pups will receive their wolves over the next few weeks and will be initiated into River Moon 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

you, your Majesty,” Talia replies quietly, taking the envelope from my

free to

have one more question for

she rises to her

and I think I 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

for my eagerness to be useful.”I

“Great!”she says aloud.

start first thing Monday morning, 6 am sharp.Evan can pick you

and she heaves a heavy sigh, Carter laughing at

that’s everything, I’m apparently late for a meeting with the other Alpha’s.You

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

***Natalia***

of an impending

I’d only ever seen one rogue attack.It was small and luckily

Grayson with me, however, puts my mind

protect Kota without