The Silent Alpha novel Chapter 84

***Natalia*** 

"Hello Natalia," a familiar voice whispers timidly.

Gathering my bearings, I realize I’ve run right into Vanessa and knocked her over, a sheepish smile on her face as I help her to her feet.

"Where is Kota?" I ask, looking around the living room in search of my son.

"Here lam, Mommy!"

Kota squeals with his arms raised in the air, peering from the balcony of the stairs.My heart skips a beat when I see his beautiful eyes looking back at me and I rush up the steps to hold him.

"Mommy!" Kota cries, wrapping his arms around my neck in a tight embrace.

"Kota!" I sob into his hair, rocking him from side to side in my arms and showering him with kisses.

"Oh, my beautiful little bean! My sweet frijolito! ’'m here.Mommy’s here and I’m never letting you go," I weep, unable to contain my joy of holding him in my arms again.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt?" I ask, pulling away to inspect his beautiful face.

"My butt hurts," he shakes his head at me, pointing to his legs and his butt.

He wears a little pajama set and I pull back his bottoms to check his wounds.

"Quiche," I gasp, Kota nodding in agreement. I gently pat his butt, murmuring the age old Spanish chant to heal all wounds.

"Sana.Sana.Colita de rana.Hechate un pedo para ti y para tu hermana.{Heal, heal, little frog tail.Fart for you and your sister}."

[AIN: It actually makes no sense but it’s a Spanish rhyme with a twist for whenever a child gets hurt to make them feel better.] Kota bursts into laughter and a tiny stench reaches my nostrils.

"Did you fart?" I ask as he plays with his fingers.

"Yeah," he giggles, the sound breathing life into me.He's okay.My baby is okay.

"You still use that?" Vanessa chuckles softly.

"I remember mom used to say that all the time to us to get us to stop crying." I grab Kota and turn to look at my older sister, taking in her appearance.

She’s showered since I last saw her on the phone but there is still a little bruising on her face and neck.She shifts uncomfortably on her feet, and her eyes keep flickering around in search of danger.

Vanessa and I may be at odds, but I have never wished her any ill, even if she does deserve it.She has a wolf Devina whispers.It's small but I can sense it.

There’s a wall between them.

"You have a wolf,’ Vanessa whispers, a little flicker of delight in her eyes.

"And you’re marked!" she adds with a soft smile.

"Th-that’s great. I’m so happy you moved on!"

An awkward silence forms between us as she musters up the courage to keep speaking.

However, have nothing much to say to her.

"You have a very beautiful son," she says quietly.

"Very beautiful."

"Thanks," I reply after clearing my throat.

"Thank you for ...taking care of him."

"Mommy, can we take Nanessa home with us?" Kota asks, Vanessa smiling at the little boy, though the light never reaches her eyes.

"She’s my friend." She already knows my answer.

"l’m sorry Kota," I whisper, Vanessa’s smile faltering slightly.

"But your friend has her own path to take. Right, Nanessa?"

I feel heartless, but I had given Vanessa a home once and she betrayed me.I will not make the same mistake twice, even if she did protect my pup.

"Right," she answers quietly before forcing her voice to be high and happy.

"But it’s okay, Kota.Maybe one day, you can come visit me and we can have pillow fights."

"Or you can come visit us!" Kota cries with excitement.

"You can meet my Daddy!"

"No!" I snap, Kota and Vanessa both jumping in fright at the harshness of my voice.

"No," I repeat softly, shaking my head as! push past Vanessa.

"No, I’m sorry Kota, but Nanessa is going to be very busy living her own life so she can’t meet Daddy."

"But why not?" Kota whines, small tears springing to his eyes.

I resist the urge to groan and am grateful when Rionna appears around the corner.

"Look, Kota! Nonna!" I squeal with forced excitement, Kota turning in Rionna’s direction.

"Nonna!" he cries, stretching out his arms to greet her.

"Oh my Goddess, Kota!"

Rionna replies, taking Kota from my arms and peppering his cheeks with kisses.

"I’m so glad you’re safe now.I’m so sorry I lost you!"

Tears of relief roll down her cheeks and Kota wipes them all away.

"It’s okay, Nonna," he whispers.

"It’s okay."

Relieved that we are now all together, I lead everyone downstairs to discuss a plan of attack and hope Kota doesn’t bring up Vanessa again.

"So this cabin was once an old meeting place?" I ask as we gather in the living room.

"Yes," Jordan replies as I look around the cabin and notice a lot of windows and glass doors.

"Not a lot of coverage," I observe.

"Yes, the cabin was designed to look unassuming," Jordan says.

"But downstairs in the cellar is where the old meeting room used to be.Alphas from the neighboring areas would gather here for business and to settle disputes.There’s a secret entrance to the cellar from the surrounding woods," he adds.

"It was meant to allow Alphas to remain anonymous if they wanted to hold private meetings.Here, I’ll show you."

He leads us down to the old cellar, the steps narrow and creaky.The meeting room is dark but well kept, with a gorgeous antique chandelier hanging from the ceiling.

In the middle of the room is a long table with handcrafted wooden chairs and velvet blue cushions.

There are built in shelves lining the cellar walls with hundreds of books on war and political strategies, business practices and laws, religions, and even martial art disciplines.

The shelves are also adorned with beautiful wolf carvings and figurines.

Jordan walks up to a howling wolf figurine on one of the shelves and tilts it up.

A hidden door opens from behind a shelf on the opposite side of the room, a cloud of dust rising as it opens to reveal a dark tunnel.

"Do you know where exactly that tunnel leads to and if it’s still usable?" I ask through a cough, swatting my hand to get the dust away from me.

"It should be.Christian and I used to play in it when we were kids and would throw parties here as teens," he shrugs.

"The tunnel leads to the southern part of the woods and has an exit hidden within an old hollow tree." I turn to Rionna and she seems to be thinking the same thing I am.

"Well, we shouldn’t waste anymore time then," I say, taking Kota in my arms and giving him one last good squeeze.

"Nonna and Nanessa are going to take you far away from the cabin to somewhere safe in the trees, okay?" I explain to my little bean, his face filling with worry.

"But what about you, Mommy?" He asks.

"Are you coming with us?"

"No, baby," I whisper.

"I have to talk to the man who took you and make sure he never does it again."

A small whimper escapes his lips and I give him another squeeze to soothe him.

"I need you to be a brave little man for me, okay?" I murmur, kissing his chubby cheeks.

"You have to protect Nonna and Nanessa.They’re afraid of the dark.Can you take care of them for me? Like a superhero?"

"Like Daddy?" He asks.