Unveiling a Broken Alpha's Heart

"Who's 'her?'" I asked softly, tears streaming down my cheeks. My mate is mute... I can't believe it. Damn hormones are making me cry.

Kayden extended his hand to my cheek, gently wiping away more tears. His touch caused a pleasant tingle, making me smile at his warmth. This, indeed, confirmed that we were mates. Zadie was howling, overjoyed with being touched by our mate. Kayden then continued to write on the notepad's page, and wrote, 'My mother.'

His mother? Wasn't that Luna Yvette? If my memory served me right, she was the sweetest Luna I remembered. The pack only grew strong and powerful under her rule alongside the Alpha.

"Why would she do such a thing?" I asked, growing increasingly worried.

This time, though, he didn't answer. Based on his body language, he didn't want to. Kayden seemed slumped, his shoulders hunched over in shame. But why? After a series of attempts, Kayden still refused to answer my questions about his mom. Deciding that it was useless and that I would probably be doing more harm than good, I changed the subject to getting to know my mate more.

"Did you choose to be mute, or is it because your mother did something?"

He quickly wrote, "She did something."

I nodded, asking, "What's your favorite color? Mine is actually not a color; it's a shade. It's black."

He gave a small grin and wrote, 'White.'

Gosh, his smile is so adorable.

"Age?" I asked, curious.

He replied in writing, '22.'

The rest of the evening played out like that, and I absolutely loved it. Besides Zadie being amorous, everything was perfect. He was perfect. I never thought having a mate could be this enjoyable, and I wished it would never end.

Or so I thought.

...

That evening, I joined the pack for dinner and took a seat next to Kayden. Despite some initial surprise from the pack members, they welcomed me warmly. However, there was one she-wolf, Macy, who seemed to harbor resentment.

If my memory served me right, Macy was Kayden's ex. Their relationship had been short-lived, but it appeared she was struggling to let go. Was she jealous? I couldn't be certain without asking. I caught her whispering to another pack member, criticizing my appearance and claiming I wasn't fit to sit next to Kayden. Seriously?

Growing tired of the disrespect, my wolf wanted to confront Macy and find out why she was glaring at us.

"Do we have a problem, Macy?" I demanded, my authority clear in my tone.

The room fell silent as the pack members turned their attention to the unfolding confrontation. Macy's glare softened for a moment before narrowing further. "No, Luna. Everything is just peachy," she spat out, clearly annoyed.

Disregarding her disrespect, I was determined to understand her grievances. As the new Luna and a motherly figure to the pack, it was my duty to address concerns.

"Is that so? Then would you like to explain why you keep glaring at me?" I asked, my hand under my chin.

I wanted to spend more time alone with Kayden, not assume Luna duties right away. But circumstances had changed overnight.

Macy snapped, standing up and slamming her hands onto the table in frustration. "I keep glaring at you because you don't deserve to be Luna! You just appear out of nowhere and act like the pack house is your kingdom!"

I frowned, taken aback. "Excuse me?"

Her eye twitched. "Exactly as I said! Do you even know why the Alpha is mute? Were you even there when he needed you most? Huh? Or are you that oblivious to what's going on around you?"

Her words left me speechless. I didn't have all the answers, and I lacked the knowledge of what had truly happened to my mate besides the fact that it had something to do with his mother. Macy was right in some aspects, but I couldn't let her words slide.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is our future Luna. This is who we're entrusting the pack with. If it were up to me, I'm more qualified to be Luna. She doesn't even know a thing about our al-"

A loud bang cut through the air as the table shook. I turned to Kayden and saw his eyes pitch black, not in arousal but in anger. His wolf was trying to surface, wanting to protect his mate.

I reached out and ran my hands along his arms, attempting to soothe him. Sparks ignited between us, and warmth filled my body. He flinched a bit at my touch but gradually calmed down.

He clenched his jaw, his eyes clouding over. I realized he was using the mind link. Judging by Macy's reaction, with her biting her lip and eyes clouded over too, he was communicating with her.

Macy looked down in shame and apologized to me. I accepted her apology, but her words continued to echo in my mind.

Dinner was silent and uncomfortable, prompting me to finish quickly before retreating to my room. I felt heartbroken, and although I understood Kayden' reasoning, I wanted to help him.

"I'm so useless," I whispered, and Zadie reassured me, 'Don't bring yourself down like that, girl. He will tell us eventually.'

I nodded, trying to find comfort in her words.

A knock on my door made me jump, and I quickly composed myself before opening it to find Kayden with a concerned gaze.

I allowed him in and asked, stumbling over my words, "Something you need? Do you want me to stay with you?" I blushed at my own words. I needed to filter myself. This was embarrassing.

Zadie seemed eager, but Kayden blushed and shook his head, tentatively caressing my cheek as if asking, 'Are you okay?'

Offering a half-smile, I replied, "I'm fine. Thank you for coming to see me and for what you did back there. I was going to say something, but you beat me to it."

I thought he would leave right after, but he held out a hand-picked rose he had hidden behind him and offered it to me. My eyes widened in surprise, and my heart squeezed tight. It was clear he had hurt his hand a little since roses have thorns. It seemed he had never picked flowers before.

"Is that for me?" He nodded, rubbing the back of his head shyly.

Overjoyed, I impulsively kissed him on the cheek. Kayden froze at the direct contact but a small blush formed on his cheeks, making me giggle. He was so adorable.

He took out his notepad and started writing quickly. Turning it over, it said, 'I will tell you someday, but not now. I'm sorry.'

I smiled sheepishly, "It's okay. You don't have to apologize. Tell me when you're ready."

Kayden left my room after that, leaving me puzzled. Why wouldn't he want me to sleep next to him? Typically, mates would mark each other on the first day they met. However, Kayden was different. He kept me at an arm's length, as if cautious of me.

The real question remained: What had Luna Yvette done to make my mate mute?