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.

a breath

Mama

“Yes Mama, you always go on about her because I look like her, right? Are you

eyes filled with sadness, and she kissed

responded softly, looking at

“Yeah…” Dad agreed.

always got sad when he

although Mama and

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

and Mama having a secret love

deserve to know the truth,

I frowned but nodded.

“When the battle that took Indigo‘s life occurred, she was pregnant,

I frowned.

but what about her baby then, didn‘t she care about

I

her hand a

lot in life, and she 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

do, Grandma Amy, how can I not? You all make sure I remember her

loved her.So then, what happened?”

some magic that we never knew she possessed, and using it she placed the baby that was still fighting for

my brows, staring at Mama‘s

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

Mama‘s tummy…

she now…” I asked, that battle happened

Wait…

Did they mean…

here.” Dad said softly, hugging me

heart thudded loudly in my chest as I realised

Mama Indy‘s

funny, it felt like it

No, I can‘t be…

look like Mama

knew it was

didn‘t care enough about

care

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

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

They said in

are my parents, the ones who took care of me and raised me.I don‘t care if…she was meant to be by Mama, because she didn‘t care if I died

hurt in Mama‘s expression,

love you, but you have the right

(End of flashback)

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 she

I‘m not

more, about her abusive mate who

abusive relationship, but I thought a mother‘s love was greater than anything? She didn‘t care if

Westwood, and I would never be like

is my world now, even if I wanted

had taken classes in every fighting and weapon class

level and learning about poisons

to go onto the battlefield if the need

been a prankster and every teacher‘s worst nightmare, but in the lessons I liked, I did

and I had almost risked its life by thinking Judah wouldn‘t try something

to

been through at the hands