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.

snuggled into her, letting out a breath

Mama

always go on about her because I look like her, right? Are you missing her tonight?” I

sadness, and she kissed my

She responded softly, looking at Dad, who put

“Yeah…” Dad agreed.

sad when he looked at her

and Dad have never really mentioned

their love was meant to be, even if it‘s

and Mama having a secret

deserve to know the truth, it doesn‘t change anything.”

I frowned but nodded.

was weird… “When the battle that took Indigo‘s life occurred, she was pregnant, but she wanted to help us

I frowned.

about her baby then, didn‘t she care about it?”

tensed, then I saw

her

wanted to do something to protect everyone because without us winning, things would have been terrible for us.When she was killed…Marcel and your mother took her to Grandma Amelia.You know her, right?”

Grandma Amy, how can I not? You all make sure I remember her all the time.“I said with a roll of my

loved her.So then,

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

my brows, staring at

did, and she became a beautiful little

Mama‘s tummy…

I asked, that battle happened before

Wait…

Did they mean…

said softly, hugging

in my chest as

was Mama

mind felt funny, it felt like

No, I can‘t be…

didn‘t look like Mama and

knew it was the

didn‘t care enough

didn‘t care if she

I died? I don‘t care if she‘s my mama! I don‘t want her

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

said in

took care of me and raised me.I don‘t care if…she

want to know anymore.I saw the flicker of hurt in Mama‘s expression, but I don‘t care…I

you, but you have the

(End of flashback)

night they had slept by my side…although I know they

feel that same way.I was horrible, maybe…I didn‘t dare tell Mama or Dad how I felt, but

not

up, I learned more, about

relationship, but I thought a mother‘s love was greater than anything? She

parents were Elijah and Scarlett Westwood, and

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

had taken classes in every fighting and weapon class the academy

with Herbology, doing the higher level and learning about poisons and

onto the battlefield if the

have messed up, been a prankster and every teacher‘s worst nightmare, but

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

to be

been through at the hands