Alpha Leo and the Heart of Fire

18. A Memory

LEO.

I looked at my phone. The message was crystal clear, but even then, I had to fucking read it a few times.

‘I‘m going to be leaving. With Marcel here, I don‘t think it‘s smart for me to linger. Arrange me a car, or at least let your security know to let me out.‘ She was leaving Just how I fucking wanted... There was no relief, nor fucking excitement at the fact that she was.

Yeah, because once she‘s gone, Marcel will have a shit–ton of questions for me to answer. Why didn‘t I fix stuff with her ‘mate‘, and then Corrado would do my fucking head in about why I let her go.

Stop fucking with yourself Leo, you know that isn‘t the reason. 2 I lit a cigarette, taking a drag on it as I stared at the phone, letting out a string of smoke slowly. But it was for the better that she left. Her being here was fucking with me. I texted her back that I‘d come to get her, but she asked for an hour in return.

Fine. I tossed the phone onto the desk and placed my feet on it, resting back in my chair. Was it really Marcel that was pushing her to leave, or was it because of the kiss between Nikki and me? She hadn‘t reacted. Did I want a reaction? Yeah I fucking did, and she didn‘t seem to care, or so I fucking thought until she fucking stabbed me.

She had gotten pissed, and I was sure the kiss had been the fucking trigger. 3

Azura Rayne Westwood... (Flashback – Just Over a Decade Ago)

I walked into the garden of Alejandro Rossi‘s mansion, not wanting to see Rayhan the bastard again. I was damn bored, I wanted to get to the battle, see exactly how strong I was. A chance to unleash it all and not have to fucking hold

back.

These lot took so fucking long to say goodbye.

Alejandro‘s twins were out here playing with the Westwood pup.

“I got the ball, Sky! You are slow!” She teased, sticking her tongue out. Skyla frowned as she ran over, knocking the ball from her hand.

“Not that slow.”

Crazy kids. I glanced over at Kataleya, who was standing there lost in thought. I knew what she had been through, I fucking hated it when people did shit like that to kids. I scanned the area, making sure we were alone, before I walked over and crouched down by her side.

“You know, if you keep on making that face, your lips are going to forever stay fucking down. You might end up looking like your dad, and that‘s not a pretty look.” I teased, lightly prodding the corner of her lips. 4

She blinked, coming out of her reverie, and forced a smile as she nodded. “I‘m ok.” She said quickly, almost as if it was a automatic mechanism.

I‘m ok. Something I always said to Dad when I was child... The times when he was himself and he worried...

I‘m fine, I‘m ok, I‘m great... Lies to keep him from feeling burdened. “It‘s alright not to be ok all the fucking time, you know?” I said quietly, like the fucking hypocrite I was. ! I never took my own fucking advice, always acting like fuck all bothered me. “Oi, boy!”

I turned to see the Westwood pup standing behind me with her hands on her hips. She was a cute kid with big blue eyes, but I swear she gave me a vibe that told me she was not to be trusted.

“What?”

She leaned closer and shielded her mouth with her hand, as if not wanting anyone to hear.

“I can see your smelly knickers.” She whispered loudly, making Skyla laugh

manically. I raised an eyebrow. What the fuck were these kids fucking bred on? “First of all, they ain‘t knickers. Second, what the actual fuck?” I said, standing up and glaring at the pup. She simply shrugged.

to pick up the ball when I grabbed it and walked over to

back.”

“Ask nicely.”

it back, knicker boy!”

fucking giving it back now.” I growled, tossing the ball lightly

garden, ready to intervene

She challenged, catching the ball and tossing it

mean it, or was it

ball off her forehead again as lightly as I could. Liam stopped a few feet away, clearly fucking worried for his sister, but to my surprise, he

“Zuz.”

“I. Said. Again.” She challenged, her chest heaving as she threw the ball

I kept bouncing the ball lightly off her head, but it was beginning to look a little red. Was no one going

go inside.” Liam tried again. Why the fuck was

said again.” She said firmly, her large

of my eyes, as I raised my eyebrow at

“You‘re fucking weird.” I stated coldly, tossing the ball at her

again.

and this time I realised she wasn‘t even blinking. The first sign

kid‘s fucking psychotic.” I

head was red, it was going to bruise if I carried on. “Nah, I‘m bored.” I said carelessly, tossing the ball to the ground and letting it roll

shit

a moment, and for a split second I felt fucking bad, she was going to cry. I hate making kids cry.

Maybe not.

Skyla chimed

“A weirdo.” I finished helpfully, pulling out a cigarette. “I thought

bored as fuck waiting around.” I replied, placing the cigarette between my lips. I was about to light it, when something hit

turning in a flash. Kataleya gasped, and

the little psycho, she simply stared at me, anger now clear in her eyes. “What the fuck

fact Alejandro had jumped to my fucking side. Yeah, he‘d never trust me, no matter how much he fucking pretended to care, but it

Azura first, Daddy!” Skyla added defensively. Liam picked the deranged pup up protectively, as if

me down!”

See?

down.” Liam tried to soothe

first!” “But weren‘t you saying again, again‘?” Liam asked gently, trying to calm his sister, who was struggling to get free. “I don‘t care! Give me

done. Alejandro placed a hand on my shoulder as if he thought I was going to attack her or

here. My eyes blazed a steely blue as I shrugged him off. “She‘s

mind picking on you a little longer, but I think I‘ve fucking overstayed my welcome. “Azura!”

“Yeah!”

Flashback) One thing I learned from back then, and what happened over lunch, was not to trust that fucking calmness of hers. The calmer she appeared to be, the higher the chance that she wasn‘t

mind, did Nikki really bother her to that extent?

and I was going to show her out. I could have had Eric or Emmet

rejection yet, the pull of the mate bond was so powerful and I needed it fucking gone. I‘ll tell her to

thing

unnerved me, for some fucking reason. I ran my hand through