The Silent Wolf: From Broken Mother to Shadow Queen Chapter 01

The Silent Wolf: From Broken Mother to Shadow Queen Chapter 01

Five years ago, our pup had just been taken. But my Alpha mate spent the ransom on his mistress.

“Stop pretending,” he said. “You just want attention.”

Three days later? The captors sent me my son’s finger. He was gone.

So I stopped begging him. I went to the Pack clinic and ended the other pup I was carrying.

I left behind a break-bond agreement and walked away.

Five years later, we met again.

He questioned me, “You hid my child from me for five years. I have to see him today.”

I brought him to the grave.

“This is your son. You’ve seen him now. Are you satisfied?”

***

The moment Ellis went missing from training camp, my whole world caved in–The kidnappers wanted fifty million dollars to let him go.

I reached out through the mind-link right away to my mate, Dorian Vale, Alpha of Shadow Moon Pack.

His answer almost made the wolf inside me lose it right there.

“Christine, drop the act.” His voice was cold as a blade. “It’s Selka’s birthday. Can you not use Ellis for attention, just this once?”

Selka Reed’s voice cut in.

“Dorian, Ellis is your heir, after all. Luna Christine wouldn’t joke about something like this, would she? Maybe we should notify the pack enforcers, just in case?”

For one second, I actually believed her.

God, I was pathetic.

She never notified anyone.

Instead, she sold the story to every outlet she could find. The headline: Shadow Moon Pack’s Heir Kidnapped by Crimson Thorn Pack Traitors.

Within hours, the whole pack was in an uproar.

I panicked.

I actually got down on my knees and begged the pack reporters. Stop broadcasting it. Don’t let the kidnappers find out it had gone public.

And Dorian?

He just stood there, watching coldly, like he was bored by some pointless show.

“Selka’s trying to help you. Don’t be so dramatic, okay?”

Three days later.

The package arrived.

The kidnappers had sent my son’s finger. One small finger, soaked in blood.

I stared at that mangled piece of flesh, and the wolf inside me completely lost it.

My chest felt like it had been torn open by claws. My throat tasted like rust. Everything went black.

I knew right then. Ellis’s ability to shift was destroyed. Even if he survived, he’d never be Alpha material again.

Outside, the pack reporters circled our territory like vultures, their voices carrying through the walls.

“Breaking news! Shadow Moon Pack’s heir, Ellis Vale, executed by Crimson Thorn Pack traitors!”

“After three days of searching, the Alpha pup didn’t make it.”

“The Elder Council is investigating, but the killers have vanished.”

Their voices buzzed in my ears like a swarm of wasps.

I hated them. If they hadn’t spread the story everywhere, Crimson Thorn Pack wouldn’t have killed him so fast.

I hated Selka. That bitch who’d leaked it on purpose.

But I hated Dorian more. Ellis’s own father, the “good dad” who’d rather buy Selka an estate than save his own son.

Day one.

I begged him not to let the news spread through the pack, not to let Crimson Thorn Pack realize things had gotten out of hand. If I could just get the fifty million to the drop point they’d named, Ellis could still be saved.

But what did he say?

“Christine, of course I’ll save him. But fifty million isn’t nothing. Just wait a little longer.”

Day two.

I listened. I waited.

And what happened?

He’d bought Selka a piece of territory. A vacation estate worth more than a hundred million.

I nearly lost my mind and shifted right there.

“So Ellis’s life means nothing to you?” I snarled at him, claws almost breaking through. “That estate could’ve saved Ellis four times over!”

He kept that same cold expression.

“Christine, don’t overreact. Ellis is an Alpha pup. This is just a little test for him. He might even get himself out.”

“Those rogues wouldn’t dare hurt him. They wouldn’t dare cross Shadow Moon Pack. And like I said, once I’ve gathered enough…”

I couldn’t listen to another word.

“Gathered enough?”

Shadow Moon Pack’s territory was rich. We had two gold mines running. How could the Alpha possibly not have the cash?

Fifty million, and Ellis would live.

He just didn’t want to.

Day three.

Dorian disappeared completely.

I sold off everything of value like a madwoman. Jewels, rare furs, every gift he’d once sworn meant he’d cherish me forever.

Scraping it all together, I barely hit ten million.

I reached out to Dorian’s business partners, begging them to lend me the rest.

And what happened? They either hung up on me or said, “Sorry, Luna. Can’t help you.”

Like Dorian had already warned them off.

Bang. Bang. Bang.

Pack reporters started pounding on the door like maniacs.

I wiped my tears, found some gauze, and carefully wrapped up Ellis’s tiny finger.

Then I opened the door.

“Please, help me find Ellis’s body.” My voice shook. “Stop reporting on this. I can’t take it anymore. Don’t make me see this!”

I had no proof. None at all.

But I could feel it. The blood bond between a mother and her pup doesn’t just fade away in silence.

My bond with Ellis had gone completely silent.

So I knew.

Then I started slamming my head against the ground, again and again.

Until my forehead split open. Blood ran down my face.

One reporter couldn’t watch anymore and pulled me up.

And then–

Dorian came back.

Selka was hanging off his arm, smiling like poison.

“Well.” He looked at me, eyes cold as ice. “You really committed to this show.”