The Silent Alpha (Natalia)

Chapter 10: Mate: Part 2

***Jane***

“I’m Kota,” he giggles, climbing off my lap.

“What’s your name mister?”

The boy grins back at me, not an ounce of judgment in his tiny body.

His pretty eyes sparkle with excitement as he waits patiently for my response.

I have been asked for my name many times in my lifetime, usually for unpleasant reasons, but never had anyone asked just for the simple reason of getting to know me.

My father asked me my name everyday growing up and everyday I disappointed him.

Last night, my own mate wanted my name so she could reject me.

And yet, this little boy with blue and brown eyes just wanted to know who the stranger in the bushes was.

His smile is infectious and as I stare silently at him, he furrows his brows and leans in close.

“Are you dead too?” He whispers, resting his chin in his hands.

“I know a dead person,” he hisses.

“Her name is Egg-Ness,” he adds matter of factly.

“She can’t hear.”

He suddenly stands close to my ear and shouts, “Can you hear me!?”

“Kota?”

We hear Talia call out and I place my hand over his mouth.

Kota.

“Hehe mommy”

Kota laughs when his mother walks right past us again without noticing our presence.

The little boy dusts off his hands and squeezes my cheeks together.

“I like you,” he laughs.

“Do you wanna play with me?”

He stares at me with his blue and brown eyes and for the first time in years, I feel completely at ease.

“Y-yes,” I whisper.

His grins, grabbing hold of my hand and dragging me out of the bushes.

“Come on!” He squeals.

“There are dragons chasing us! Mommy’s the princess. We have to save her!”

He pulls me in the direction that his mother had walked to and we stop just before Talia, her eyes narrowing to slits when she sees me with her son.

Oh dear Moon Goddess…I avoid her stare and shift uncomfortably on my feet, my legs itching to sprint out of there.I can feel my mate glaring at me and I try to run but Kota has a firm grip on my hand.

“Mommy look!” Kota smiles proudly at himself.

“I found a friend.His name is….”

He stops himself and looks up at me with a grin.

“What’s your name?”

Talia ignores me and grabs her son, ripping him out of my grip.She crouches down so that she’s at his eye level and looks at him sternly strangers! It’s dangerous!”

She snaps, the little boy’s lip quivering at the harshness of her voice.

“But mommy…”

“No buts, Kota,” she retorts, her cheeks slightly flushed in anger.

Her face softens when Kota’s eyes fill with tears and she takes a deep breath.

“Okay.Okay.I’m sorry, baby,” she whispers, pulling the boy to her chest and kissing his head.

“I’m sorry for yelling.I didn’t mean to.You just can’t talk to strangers like that, okay?” She sighs quietly.

Kota nods solemnly.

“I’m sorry,” he says, kissing her cheek.

she says, kissing him

off.I just need to talk to your

to the tree, grabbing a stick

near my son again, Zane, I will kill you.Do I make

the misunderstanding.She taps her foot impatiently as she thinks for a

get this rejection over with so we

heart beats uncontrollably, Grayson whispering his

security job, and living with friends and your mother, my best

she

it, she’s

I guess right?” She asks, tilting head slightly to

falls between us, the only sounds coming from Kota as he jumps and roars to himself, swinging the large stick at an

well like I said, I’m not interested in a mate or any other werewolf tradition, so if you could just accept my rejection, that would

I

at me in confusion, running her hands through her

said it wrong,”

Ramos, reject you

blink at her, still feeling absolutely

be saying something wrong …Grayson

a wolf

you say it,” Talia

reject me and I’ll

court, Grayson says.Perhaps my plan may work. I shake my head

down on her knees and

do anything.Anything.Please, just let me go.I can’t do

wonder.Her voice breaks and a sob

“P-please!”

crying, I crouch down and pull her close

thrashes her arms against me and screams at me to let her go but I only hold her

and rest my chin on her

Please don’t cry…

to tell her but as always, the words taste like cotton in

and runs over to us, his eyes growing

asks, wedging his small body between mine and Talia’s so that he

Talia wipes her tears and

frowns when she

little fingers and forces her cheeks up into

in her arms and smothering him

the small kisses my mother gave me after a

only person aside from Agnes who didn’t make me

glance at me, her distrust for me still lingering in her

I sign and to my dismay, she

don’t know what

frown and search for a small

to your

her concern.I might be her mate but I am a stranger after

won’t hurt you,” I

“Just talk.”

nods

“Follow me.”

has a beautiful home with a white picket fence surrounding the lawn and a big tree perfect for a child to climb on.She invites me in and has me sit at the dining table while she fixes Kota a

a nonsensical skit for story but I clap when he’s

let Zane and I talk a little while you go out and play?” She asks, handing

fusses a little but she manages to convince him to leave us

Kota occupied, Talia finds a notebook and hands it to

over a jar of pens for me

nothing, I sigh, scribbling out

anxiously, bringing her knees up on the chair

I’m all finished, I hand her the notebook and she reads

***Natalia***

reasons for wanting

and if I can convince you that I can be a good mate, you accept

he serious? He expects me to fall in love with him in just

is a joke, right?” I laugh half heartedly,

he once again scribbles on another page and hands

rejection unless you give

stranger, wanted me for no other

is this so f*****g

a little, the pen shaking slightly

a long pause, he lets out a sigh and scribbles a few

in love and I would like to know what it’s like to have a mate.” I

mates are a f*****g joke.It’s just some stupid fantasy you wolves made

furiously on his page.I read his words several times, furious that I was once

go will you?” I ask, dreading

he signs, pinching his

blink away the angry tears burning in my eyes. I know

look at me and he

Will be strong enough to resist Zane and this revolting bond? I stare out the window and see Dakota

the only good gift a wolf