The Silent Alpha novel Chapter 67

"*Zane*** 

"Are you fighting with me or staying out of this war?" Toran asks, a crippling fear grasping onto me.

My gaze shifts between my mate and mother, my heart unable to decide what to do.

I can’t bear the thought of leaving Talia and Kota alone knowing that her wolf will soon emerge for its first shift but I had already lost my mother once and I don’t have the strength to lose her again.

As I struggle to find my answer, Rionna replies for me.

"You will not drag my son into this," she declares, standing protectively in front of me.

"I am Ravenstone’s Luna and it’s me Sebastian wants.I’ll go back.You just leave my son out of this."

Toran eyes my mother with an emotionless expression plastered on his face and he sighs tiredly as he formulates a response.

My mind, however, drifts off to the memories of my mother and father when I was a child.

My father aimed most of his anger towards me but my mother was never exempt from his abuse.

He would not hesitate to slap or hit her if she stood in the way of my punishment and she always did.

"Why did you stop?"

My father snarls, slowly unbuckling his belt from his waist.He rises to his feet, towering over me as I hold my book with trembling hands.

"I didn’t say you could stop." I stare at the word "colonel" from the poem I am reading, tears springing to my eyes as I realize I will inevitably stutter through it. I purse my lips and shake my head, preferring to take my punishment now rather than anger him more with my failure.

"Say it," my father commands as I hold my breath, close my eyes, and start to count.

1...2...3...4...

I hear his swift footsteps start to charge towards me, the sting of his belt rippling behind my thigh.

At once, the breath I’ve been holding is released with a scream as I receive a second lick to the back of my knees.

"Dadd-"

"I told you to speak!"

My father roars, raising his hand above his head to hit me again.

"Sebastian, stop it!"

My mother begs, tugging at his shirt in a weak attempt to get him to stop whipping me.

"Stop it! Stop it, don’t hurt my baby!"

She beats her fists against his shoulders to make him stop and he shoves her away from him absent-mindedly to hit me again.

When she doesn’t stop attacking him, he turns against her, pinning her to the ground with his large thighs and grabbing at her belt, my mother begging for him to let her go.

She calls to his wolf but it seems my father is in complete control, beating her over and over again until he draws blood.

Horrified, I pick up the book again and search for my place through my tears.

"Col-co- colo-" I stammer through hiccups as my father snarls at me.

"Say it right and I'll stop," he challenges me, my legs shaking so severely, I have to kneel to keep from falling over.

"I-It’s okay, Zane," my mother wheezes.

"You can-"

"Shut up!"

My father roars, grabbing my mother by the throat before turning to me.

"You better speak up, boy or I’ll hurt her.It was the longest day of my life that day, my mother taking the blows without ever getting angry with me.Even as I failed over and over again, she did not scream at me, nor did she ever blame me for her hospital visit that day.I cannot let my mother face that monster again.

"N-no..." I protest, shaking my head at my mother and pushing her aside.

"N-no...y-you can’t go."

"Zane, it’s my pack-"

"M-my father will ki-kill you if he finds ou-out you married T-Toran," I insist, my eyes pleading with her to listen.

"H-he can’t hanging open in shock.

"I-I-I go in y-your place.I-I don’t want him to h-hurt y-you again."

Tears fill Rionna’s eyes and she holds her head in her hands, cursing herself for being unable to remember her life with my father.It does not matter to me, however.I remember...and I do not want my father to ever touch her again.

Talia squeezes my hands tightly and I feel the slight tremor in her touch but she does not utter a word as I beg to take my mother’s place in this war.

She hides her face in Kota’s hair and I sense the deep fear in her fast beating heart.

"Ta-Talia..."

She gives my hand another squeeze and shakes her head.

"It’s okay..."

She whispers, doing her best to remain calm in Kota’s presence.

"It’s okay.Kota and I are going to be okay, so you don’t have to worry about us," she says through a forced smile.

"We'll be fine."

Talia puts on a brave face and looks me in the eye, leaning forward to kiss my cheek.

"I love you," she murmurs.

"Just come back to me in one piece."

So many unsaid words hang in the air but we do not get the chance to exchange them as Toran reminds us of the severity of the situation.

"We’ll meet you at the cars in one hour,"

Toran says as he Sebastian launches his attack and we need to prepare for what he might have up his sleeve."

Toran’s usually calm face falters slightly, softening as he looks up at my mother.

"Ri..."

She, however, ignores him entirely, turning on her heel to storm out.

Toran can only watch in distress as my mothers slams the door behind her, and his thoughts slowly trickle into my mind.

"I'm sorry, my love," he thinks to himself before the man of stone returns, his face neutral and stoic once more.

"One hour," he mutters aloud before walking out with Tylen at his heels.

Kota yawns tiredly, Talia smoothing back his hair and kissing his forehead.

"Hi Evan," he whispers as he lays his head on Talia’s shoulder and waves "Hey squirt,"

Evan grins, ruffling up Kota’s hair.

"Zane, Talia," Queen Aurora sighs.

"I'm afraid Oliver and I will be leaving in a few hours as well." My heart sinks to the pit of my stomach.

Who will protect my family while I am away? 

"I’ve been summoned to France to deal with Alpha Jacque and Benoit," the Queen explains.

"Unfortunately, I can’t send a representative.But don’t worry.I’ll try to be back as soon as I can."

"W-Who will pro-protect my family?" I ask.we are away,"

Oliver explains.

"Evan will be traveling with us.Evan audibly groans but stops when Oliver gives him a stern look.My heart begins to beat a little faster and I question if I am making the right decision to leave my family here while I fight.

"Don't worry Zane.Talia, Kota, Rionna, and Agnes will be safe,"

Aurora continues.