The Silent Alpha (bl version)

Perspectives

Hoseok
We walk down the road in silence, several wolves paying respect to their king with a bow as they walk past us. "Why do they bow to you?" I blurt out, wishing the earth would swallow me after the words leave my lips. "Sorry, ignore me" I mutter, avoiding his gaze. "It's okay," he says. "l am an Ivory Wolf, a special type of wolf that only exists every 150 years when a Silver and Gold Wolf are mated. You can think of me as a guardian for the werewolf race, gifted with many abilities to protect all of the children of the moon. Wolves sense my power and pay respect to me by bowing." I store this information although I did not fully understand what a gold wolf or silver wolf is. Hyungwon chuckles to herself and I raise an eyebrow at him. Did he think I was stupid for asking such a question? "Not at all" he chuckles as we arrive at a beautiful garden, brimming with gorgeous flowers, trees full of fruit and water fountains carved from stone. "I just think it's funny that you don't seem to know a lot about werewolves and yet you hate us all."
"I never said I hated werewolves," I retort defensively. "No, but you thought it" he shrugs, making his way to a small pond "Many times, I might add."
"How could you know tha- "
"I read your mind," he sighs, swinging his legs as he takes a deep breath. "It's one of my gifts. I've heard every thought you've had ever since you set foot in my office last night and while we had breakfast this morning. I've also seen all your memories, including those of your former pack." My cheeks burn knowing I had thought many vile things last night about wolves, but it was not something I planned to apologize for. I did not ask to be brought here to live among wolves. l just wanted to live my life with my eolin wangja. Why couldn't anyone understand that? "I'm not asking you for an apology," hyungwon sighs. "In fact, I understand your fears and concerns. Trust me, I know exactly what pain you're feeling- "
"You know what I'm feeling?" I scoff, crossing my arms over my chest. "You don't know a thing about me! I trusted your kind. I trusted my mate. l trusted my pack and they all turned their backs on me when I needed them the most. They shattered everything within me and the only reason I am still standing here today is because of my little boy. He is the only reason I get up every morning, working two jobs so I can give him everything he deserves! I've given him everything. Me! I did that! Not my mate! Not some pack! Not any wolf! Me!" I scream, wiping the tears that had spilled onto my cheeks "you understand the pain pain! You don't know anything about me! You get to sit here and be happy with your mate. You didn't have to fight tooth and nail to prove your worth to your people! You didn't have people waiting for you to fail, expecting you to crumble under all the pressure of being a human male-Luna. You weren't rejected by your mate and made to feel like you were worthless! My entire body trembles with rage. l want to kick myself from crying in front of a wolf and showing him just how truly broken I was. The fem-male king sits quietly in his seat, closing his eyes and inhaling the fresh summer air. For a long time, he says nothing and I contemplate just leaving and taking min-jun far away from here before he finally heaves a heavy sigh. "I was almost 13," he whispers, his eyes still closed. "I was almost 13 when I was accused of murdering my father." I stare blankly at him, not sure what to do with that information. "The beatings started almost immediately when they found me with his body, "he murmurs, fidgeting with his fingers in his lap. "I never even had a chance to explain what happened. They all just turned on me ... " His voice trembles as he continues. "My adoptive siblings, kihyun and jungkook..." he pauses for a moment to catch his breath . "T-they turned on me too... and for five years they... they beat me, tortured me in my sleep... shattered every space just trying to make it through the day." When he finally looks up at me, there are tears in his eyes . "My own mate didn't even want me when we first met ...minhyuk, he ... he rejected me." An uncomfortable smile curls on his lips. "He didn't want a murder for a male-luna" His mate rejected him? I think, wondering how he could have forgiven him for hurting him in the first place. "You see, I was not always the respected fem-male king of this Kingdom. I was once a pack slave, withering away in a basement. I was beaten, tortured, forced to work day in and day out until my bones hurt. I was not handed my crown, I fought for it, struggling against my own inner demons, my doubts, my fears, everything that made me believe I was just a worthless mutt to become what I am today," he says as he wipes his tears. "So yes, I do understand your pain. l know what it's like to be rejected by the one person who is supposed to love you most. I know what it's like to be betrayed and humiliated by your pack, by your family, by everyone you've ever loved. I know what it's like to feel like you will never measure up to everyone's expectations. I know!" he shouts back , the ground trembling beneath our feet . "I get your fears about pack life" he says softly after a long pause. "But there are monsters among all of us... both human and wolf. I would not be where I am today were it not for Aqua River. Changkyun taught me how to laugh again when I thought I never would. Jooheon taught me strength. He's the reason I learned to love myself and my body after years of hating everything about me. Shownu and jimin taught me loyalty. They had faith in me long before I did. And minhyuk? He's loved me unconditionally with all my flaws. He's patient and gentle with me even when I can't stand myself. He's there when I need him most. He's my everything. Packs aren't all bad. Sometimes you just have to leave one to find where you truly belong. I left white snow and found my home in Aqua River. Packs aren't exclusive to werewolves. They exist in every relationship you forge. You've left Scarlet blood and found a new pack, one made up of your friends and allies" he took a deep breath composing himself "jimin, your loyal companion and min-jun, your most precious gift, Jin and Namjoon, your friends who have supported you always, and Mrs. Song who stays open later to help out a young single parent struggling with his late shifts. All of them make up your pack. Taehyung and ji-won... they are just two rogues looking to be accepted by their new alpha ... You." He slowly rises to his feet, taking a few steps towards me. I flinch and try to step away, not wanting to accept his words despite knowing their truth. "I don't expect you to let go of your hatred for us overnight. Like I said, I understand your fear very well," he says as he gently rests his hands on my shoulders. "But I hope to show you that not all wolves are cruel." Could I truly trust the words of another wolf? "You remind me of me when I first arrived at aqua river" he sighs, wiping the bitter tears on my face. "Can I show you something?" Before I can respond, he flicks his wrist, a portal opening before my eyes. From where I stand, I can make out a lake and several buildings in progress in the distance. Hyungwon tries to take my hand but I flinch away as I keep my eyes on the portal. "It's okay" he soothes, his kind eyes meeting mine with sincerity. Reluctantly, I allow him to lead me through the portal and find myself in a completely different territory. "Where are we?" I ask, looking around and taking in the new scenery. The new area looks like a construction site, hundreds of wolves carrying equipment and building materials for different projects. There's also a large group of women and fem-males gathered by the lake . By the looks of it, they are in the middle of a yoga session. "This territory was formerly known as Crimson Lake, a pack from hell," hyungwon answers, leading me towards the women and fem-males. "Suho, the former Alpha abolished the mate bond and imprisoned the women and fem-males of his pack, using them all as sex slaves. Last year, my allies and I were able to liberate all of the women and fem-males, along with their kids "And the Alpha?" I ask. "I'm their Alpha now," hyungwon says proudly. "Suho won't ever hurt anyone again. Take that as you will. I intend to transform this place of misery into a sanctuary for those who suffered under suho's reign of terror. The first step is the hardest: getting them to accept my help. It's been a rough couple of months. These women and fem-males were beaten and destroyed until all that was left was a shell of who they were. Many have children with their abusers. Most don't even know how to read or write. And of course, all of them still have nightmares. Every day is a struggle for these women and fem-males, all thanks to a man who was supposed to protect them. "I stare at the group of women and fem-males working on their breathing exercises with eyes closed. They look like little angels nestled on the shores of the lake. "There are cruel Alphas ..." hyungwon murmurs. "But not all of us are out to hurt others. Some of us just want to help. l did not need to take on this burden. l have more than plenty of work handling Aqua River and the kingdom, but these wolves..." his voice cracks. "These girls and fem-males needed me. How could I turn my back on their suffering just because they belonged to another Alpha?" I feel shame settle in the pit of my stomach for misjudging the powerful being in front of me. "It's not just I who is taking on this project" Slhe adds with a smile. "The allies of my Kingdom have all been supportive with this to help train these women and fem-males. The men you saw last night are my top contributors. Stone Sea has provided security, giving me strong men to guard the territory and assigning female and fem-male trainers here so that my girls and boys can learn to defend themselves and their pups. White snow has given me access to their construction company to build a health center for the woman and fem-males equipped with a school, a clinic, and a daycare. They will soon start building new homes so my girls and boys can live here in peace."
"White Snow... The same pack that turned on you?" I ask, wondering if I've gotten my packs mixed up. He nods, looking off in the distance. "I do not believe in revenge. Turning on white snow in their time of need would make me no better than them. So, I made them my allies and we work closely now to ensure the safety of the Kingdom. I won't lie, sometimes it's hard... but I don't regret my decision. Besides, I couldn't make my twin, jungmo an enemy. He's their male-Luna and I love him too much." My respect for the fem-male king grows exponentially for I know if I were ever in his shoes, I would not be so forgiving. "Some people think it's weak to forgive, but I find the strongest people are the ones who hold no hatred in their heart," he murmurs. We both remain silent as we watch the women and fem-males complete their breathing exercise. As they open their eyes and catch a glimpse of the fem-male king "Your majesty" a fem-male cries with a beaming smile on his lips as he races to greet the king. "I'm so glad to see you!" Before hyungwon can respond, the boy collides into hid chest, hugging him with all his strength. I watch in awe as the boy seems to pour out all of his love and devotion to the king in his hug. "Taehyun, I can't breathe" hyungwon giggles, the boh jumping back with a start. "I - I'm so sorry, your majesty" the boy apologizes, lowering his gaze to his feet and his body stiffening, as if waiting for a punishment. When he receives none, taehyun slowly raises his gaze to find the king smiling kindly at him and he blushes to the color of a fire engine. "I - I did it again, didn't l?" Taehyun asks sheepishly, before scolding himself.

"I - I'm sorry . I didn't- "
"Taehyun, it's okay," hyungwon reassures him, stroking the side of his cheek. "It's your instinct... But we'll work on that together, okay?" Taehyun flinches at his touch before correcting his behavior and leaning into hyungwon's hand. He closes his eyes as hyungwon pulls him into a hug. "Just keep breathing. You're safe now" hyungwon whispers, taehyun nodding his head as he buries his face in his chest at the fem-male king. "Are you here to join us, your majesty?" Taehyun asks when he cools down. "I'm actually just taking my friend, Hoseok here, on a walk" he replies, gesturing to me. The boy blushes in embarrassment and hurriedly introduces herself. "Oh, I'm sorry for interrupting your walk. I'm taehyun."
"Taehyun is one of the survivors from crimson Lake" hyungwon explains. He's a very strong and remarkable fem-male." Taehyun's face is practically a tomato after receiving such praise from his king. Hyungwon's eyes suddenly fog over, his face growing stern. "But it looks like I will have to cut this walk short," hyungwon apologizes. "The Alphas want to discuss the training ground plans again" he sighs in frustration. "Are we really getting new training grounds?" Taehyun asks with a hopeful smile. "I will fight for one," hyungwon smiles, flicking his wrist to open a new portal. "I will see you all tonight for class, okay?" he asks taehyun. Taehyun nods enthusiastically as we disappear into the portal and are transported back to the pack house office. Only when we find ourselves alone does hyungwon stop smiling, his eyes brimming with tears. "I ... ummm ... I" For the first time today, the fem-male king seems at a loss for words. "I ... uh ... I lied about the .... Um ... the training ground meeting" hyungwon says as he wipes his tears. "One of my boys tried to kill himself today and I- I couldn't tell taehyun. He's having a good day. You can't ruin a good day for these girls and boys. Please don't tell anyone. It's hard enough for them to wake up each morning without adding this burden onto them ... They would blame themselves if they knew one of their own was hurting this much." My heart shatters as I watch hyungwon collect himself and I swear to not tell a soul. "I'm needed at the clinic to help the boy cope with what he did" he adds as he breathes in and out slowly. "You are free to go about the territories. If you need anything please let changkyun know." he opens a portal to what appears to be the clinic. "I enjoyed our walk today ... and I hope I've given you a different perspective on us wolves for you to think about." And with that, he disappears into the clinic, leaving me alone with my chaotic thoughts swirling in my mind. Perhaps ... I was wrong ...