Alpha Leo and the Heart of Fire

10. Struggles

AZURA.

He had a family… I stared at the marble tiles of the shower walls, letting the water pour down my body.

Nikki is his woman, and the boy…

I closed my eyes, resting my forehead against the cool wall.

He had a son…

Why didn‘t I know this? Sure, I never cared about the latest news, but it was never something mentioned.

Sky or Kat would have mentioned it…

But then again, Leo has moved away from his family entirely.

Nikki seemed damn nice, and I had gone and slept with her man.

He was your mate, Azura.

Would he have broken up with her if I wasn‘t a Westwood? I don‘t know…

Why did he mark me then? Does he love her? Probably…

What he felt for me was just because of the bond…

I was the other woman.

My heart squeezed remembering the story of my biological mother.

Her mate cheated on her, in fact, I even had a brother thanks to his infidelity, a brother who has been desperately trying to get to know me, but it‘s been me who just hasn‘t wanted to.

I wasn‘t ready.I felt bitter…he was the reason Indigo ended up giving up the will to live.

I knew the story from Mama and Dad…

From the first time when they told me that I wasn‘t their biological child, like Kia and Liam…

(Flashback – Over nine years ago)

I stared at Mama and Dad, feeling worried.

They were on either side of me in my bed, but they wanted to talk to me about something.

Did they find out I cut the squares in Liam‘s underwear because he refused to allow me to taste whiskey? But…

I made sure I had an alibi…

Hmm, something wasn‘t right.

No wait, oh my god, they must have realised I emptied the pot of worms on that dumb boy’s head! But he was calling me names! No, wait…

What if they realised I‘m the one who made Jayce and Theo flood the bathrooms? Or wait, what if it– ! said, tapping my nose.

“Hey, stop overthinking it, Wildfire.” Dad

“I just want to say, whatever it is, I didn‘t do it.I‘ve done nothing at all.”

“We haven‘t said anything yet.” Mama added, looking amused.

“I know but it might be a trick, so whatever you think I‘ve done, I haven‘t done what you think I’ve done.” “You usually have done what we think you have done, but it‘s nothing of the sort, there‘s something we wanted to tell you.” Mama replied, wrapping her arms around me tightly as she smiled.

letting out a breath of relief, wondering what it

Mama

about her because I look like her, right?

sadness, and

at

“Yeah…” Dad agreed.

he looked at her picture

and Dad

out to be mates too, so everyone had to accept that their love was meant to be, even if it‘s very shocking to

having a secret

going to tell you, Angel, is only because you deserve to know the truth, it doesn‘t change anything.” Dad said,

I frowned but nodded.

she was pregnant, but she wanted to help us against the evil.It cost

I frowned.

then, didn‘t she care about

I saw her and

gave her hand a

without us winning, things would have been terrible for us.When she was killed…Marcel and your

not? You all make sure I remember her all the time.“I said with

think I would have loved

“Well, Grandma Amy had some magic that we never knew she possessed, and using it she placed the

furrowed my brows,

baby lived?” “She did, and she became a beautiful little soul with lots of spark.” Mama added, her

Mama‘s tummy…

she now…” I asked, that

Wait…

Did they mean…

said softly,

thudded loudly in my chest as

was Mama Indy‘s

funny, it felt

No, I can‘t be…

look like

it was

didn‘t care

care if she

I don‘t want her to be! “Baby…” MY Mama called, but I

still your favourite, right?” I asked, looking at

said

to tell me.You two are my parents, the ones who took care of me and raised me.I don‘t care if…she was meant to be

flicker of hurt in Mama‘s expression,

love you, but you have the right to know about Indy too.” “Ok.”

(End of flashback)

had slept by my

didn‘t dare tell Mama or

not a

as I grew up, I learned more, about her abusive mate

mother‘s love was greater than anything? She didn‘t care if I lived or

Westwood, and I would never be like

world now, even if I wanted to go into combat and become

classes in every fighting and weapon class the academy

level and learning about poisons and

was ready to go onto the battlefield

every teacher‘s worst nightmare, but in the lessons I liked, I did

my priority was my pup, and I had almost risked its life by thinking

to be

Mama Indigo has been through