The Silent Alpha (Natalia)

Chapter 34: Hidden I
***Zane***

“Why did you hide your stutter from me?” She asks, her hand reaching out to touch my cheek.

I flinch away, my entire world collapsing in on me.

Quick! Play dead, Grayson snickers, his stupid comment making me even more nervous.

Unable to face my mate, I turn around on my side to hide my shame from her, pulling the covers over my head.

For a long time, the only sound I hear is the pounding of my heart against my ears, drumming louder with every passing second.

“Zane?” Talia whispers, tentatively placing her hand on the covers.

“Zane, please look at me.You don’t have to hide from me.”

The fear gripping my heart, however, makes it hard for me to face her.I know better than to speak.

My father spent years reminding me just how worthless my words were and he trained me to be quiet to avoid embarrassing him.

I know all too well that the second she hears my voice, she’ll laugh, or worse…she’ll hate me like my father.You’re being irrational, Grayson mutters.

If she really hated you, why on earth would she still be here with you? The Queen gave her a chance to leave and yet she chose to stay here with us! She asked us to protect her and her pup.

Our pup! She kissed us here alone with us! Does that sound like someone who hates you for your flaws? Do her actions remotely resemble Father’s? Each individual word he says makes sense, but I cannot understand their meaning together.

How could anyone love me the way lam? My own father could not even stomach the sight of me.

Gamma Wyatt never mistreated me, but he went along with my father’s idea to pass me off as Agne’s son and pretended I did not exist.

He turned a blind eye to the torture and abuse I faced in the Hive.

Agnes cannot hear me so she cannot grow impatient with me when [ have to repeat myself over and over again.

My mother was a kind woman, but I knew all too well that I was a burden to her and that I ruined a lot for her.

She and my father would have had a better marriage had I not stood in the way with my ineptitude.

I was only a month old the day my brother, Jonathan, died but there is no doubt in my mind that she wished my brother had lived instead of me.

He would have been a better son and my father would have been proud to name him as the next heir of Scarlett Haven.

Kota is the only person who does not seem to notice my imperfection, but he is only a child and he does not understand that the man he wants to call Dad cannot even say his name without getting stuck.

One day, he will grow up and find it embarrassing for me to speak around him and his friends.

pretend to not know who I

back and never say a word.I can be the Silent

who lurks in the shadows, watching over the people he loves from the

Bullshit! Grayson snarls.

to show her who we

what her former mate did

in our mate and give her a chance.She deserves it.She deserves

have a little faith in Moon Goddess for once?

chose Talia for us for a reason and I, for one, would

you? Yes, but…But nothing! Grayson

you are not the same little boy who used to stand in front of the mirror reciting poetry

mate who holds your hand when she’s scared and kisses

have a pup who wants you to be his

mother who has watched over you for the last twenty years without

friend who wants to teach you to be a better

to Talia that we deserve every kiss, every hug, and every ounce of her around and watching everyone else find their place

to build a home with my mate.I want to lead a pack like Moon Goddess intended,

rests her head on my shoulder, her body pressing up against my back as she wraps her arms around

whispers, her

but I need to know the truth about you.I need to

disappears as I concentrate on

Her mate…

around my bicep and gives it a

from me anymore,” she murmurs, her

of your flaws and imperfections…all of your pain and worries.You are

turn my head and look

so surprised,”she chuckles softly to herself before her

a lot of

side of her head.I lay between her legs, her knees propped up at my sides and an amused look on

her lips almost grazing

think I hate being me

eyes as she glares

think I’m

“Well I’m not.”

she refuses to let them fall, batting her eyes to make them all go

She hides…just like me.

us to come out of hiding.I can feel her heart fluttering in her chest, one beat after

her lips pressing up against mine in a

rushes through my body but I pull away before my

puzzled look flickers in her eyes as I push myself

closed and spin her around so that her back is pressed