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?”

shakes his

get away with throwing away everything we’ve

Carter coughing to hold back

look, Carter holding up his

I need some

storming

after him, Oliver pausing at the

too,” he sighs, closing the door

pinching the bridge of her nose

I can explain,” Talia says when the

up her hand, Talia clamping her mouth

already know what happened,” She mumbles, finally looking

saw your memories as

fingers through her hair and leans back in her chair with her

it does not make this situation any

is the issue?” Talia asks for

is just

“What’s the issue?”

sarcastically, sitting up

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

rub her

an agreement this 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

with frustration and

only been Queen for less than 3 months and I’m about to

yourself a little

we went to war with the Witches and you took them down in less than 3 weeks.You

not smile but his words seem to have given her the comfort

guilt washes over

not your fault,” Aurora says after a

trouble with or without Grayson’s help,” she

have to

held back, Grayson snickers.It was either piss or rip out

shut the f**k

tu lobo, {I like

before her face once

discipline.I wholeheartedly disagree, Grayson replies before I

still have something to discuss with both of you,” Aurora

Talia asks, her

with a shrug as she rests

I would keep you safe and I have failed you now on two occasions,” she smiles

the time

shifts nervously on her feet so I wrap my arm around her waist and pull her close to

know you have your reservations

somewhere else while Gwen completes her mission…But I would really love

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

really likes it here,” Talia whispers to herself, though we all

other pups…I had forgotten how much pups need to be around other wolves.He’ll have questions that I don’t know the answer to…And there are some good wolves

has more to say before now,

a yes?” Aurora asks with

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

“Should we stay?”

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

protect

whispers, her thick

to say but I only manage to nod my head at her, a small but beautiful smile curling on her

replies, turning

“might like it.”

enrolled.I’m glad to see River Moon is

Talia’s cheeks

young Queen rummages through her drawers and plucks out an

month, there will 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

your Majesty,” Talia replies quietly,

free

just have one more question for

says as she rises to her feet and

be at all interested in guard training? Now that we have a new enemy on the horizon, it would be nice to

rolling his eyes at me for my eagerness to be useful.”I mean, yes, your

“Great!”she says aloud.

am sharp.Evan can pick

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 are

collect Kota from the lawn and head back to

***Natalia***

of an impending war is

peace during my reign as Luna and I’d only ever seen one rogue attack.It was small and luckily no one got hurt but it pales in comparison

and Grayson with me, however, puts

protect Kota