Alpha Leo and the Heart of Fire

91. A Close Call

AZURA.

We simply walked around the pack for a bit. Leo looked super pissed, and I knew he’d tell me what was on his mind when he was ready.

But the minutes were passing, and I could feel his irritation rising. Even with his impeccable skills at keeping the block up, he was still letting snippets seep through the cracks. He was on his fourth cigarette already, and I had had enough. I need him to talk.

“Ok. What’s wrong?” I asked, coming to a stop, and gripping his upper arm. A soft wind blew through my hair as I forced him to turn to face me.

He had his jaw clenched; those plump lips set in that pissed-off pout of his.

Oh, Goddess, this man was so fuckably perfect. Was that a word? It was in my books. But right now, I was more concerned about his emotions, he was still struggling to control them. What exactly had happened?

I tilted my head, waiting for him to speak as I stepped closer, cupping his face.” Tell me, what’s wrong?” I whispered.

He exhaled, his arms locking around my waist, and gave a half smile. “This pup’s getting in between us now.” He murmured, looking down at my stomach, and I nodded.

“Yeah… it’s growing faster now.” I whispered, leaning up I kissed his jaw, waiting. “Now talk to me, Blue Eyes. Don’t change the subject.”

He sighed, frustrated, clearly knowing he couldn’t delay from telling me any longer.

“Well… I fucked up. I didn’t ask Emmet if anyone in this pack was helping him. I should have asked for names… I mean, I could have the entire pack put under alpha command and ask them, but that will cause way more fucking damage to a Pack that is already crippled. Their trust isn’t the same… not after everything we’ve been through. It will fuck em up.”

Fuck. He forgot to ask Emmet that one vital question… Even I didn’t think of that, and neither did the five… we were all so in the moment! But I understood what he meant about the pack… “Babe, you can’t beat yourself up over that! I get that it sets us back a little, but none of us thought of that. So please, it’s ok, we got this.” I caressed his jaw with my thumbs, it was obvious that my words didn’t ease his irritation.

He exhaled, looked away, and passed me. “I shouldn’t have fucked up. I made…. Fuck.”

He was blaming himself unfairly. I pulled his head down, cupping the sides o f his jaw, my finger brushing his ears and kissed him deeply.

‘No. You didn’t. It’s ok, we will figure it out. Together.’ I whispered through the link, letting my emotions flow through to him.

He relaxed a little, yanking me closer, as he leaned down over me, kissing me harder.

Mine…

We broke apart after a few moments and he was slightly calmer. “We’re going to get the answers.” I said. It hasn’t been that long since we have been together… but it felt like ages…

“Yeah… we will. It was just a lead fucking wasted.” He said quietly, his head tilted a s he looked me over slowly. “How did I get you?”

I smirked, my stomach fluttering. “Mm, well… I’m a Westwood woman. We all know that the Rossis love us. Especially the broken, damaged ones just need us.”

“Oh yeah? Cocky much?”

“What can I say? You’re rubbing off on me…” I said, satisfied to see that sexy smile back on his face.

Oh fuck, I was in love and I had it so bad.

Everything he did made me giddy. It was a feeling I hadn’t experienced before him

“Yeah?” He asked softly, that gorgeous smile still on his face. I rolled my eyes and pushed him away. Don’t say anything!” I warned, thinking these walls were so damn hard to focus o

“Come on, let’s go see Kareena.”

He nodded, his smile faded before I ran off. He caught up with ease, wrapping his arms around my waist and burying his face in my neck as he tickled me.

“You ain’t so fucking fast.”

“Leo!” I laughed, unable to stop as I writhed in his arms, gasping when his fingers caressed my waist teasingly.

“Fuck, you smell good.” He groaned into my neck as we headed to Kareena and

Shane’s house.

took us another ten minutes to get there. The Sangue pack was large, and with its layout, it was more of a city than any other pack I have seen. Shane and Kareena’s house was in the

sure if other packs actually saw this place…

reached the double-story house. We walked through the gates and Leo rang

she’s gone

left since

of the time… the guards were supposed to be here… and someone

and rang the bell. I felt him lowering his walls so I could enter his mind. ‘Kareena?’ He called her through the link.

Nothing.

Kareena?’ He

going to head there after the hearing, an

ok?’ Jax’s

at the powerful impact, but it was made to withstand a werewolf’s strength. He stepped back and this time he kicked it. It splintered as it went flying, creating

down here.” I nodded as he ran through t o the lounge whilst I ran to the stairs,

open the door, I saw that

stepping into the room, when my gaze fell on the

when I heard the tap running and I felt relieved. Thank the

the door. Nothing. I knocked again

the handle of the door,

Fuck!

here!’ I called through

blazed around me, wrapping around my hand and frying the entire lock and

the sight before me making my

out of the bath. The coppery smell of blood hit

at the bath and stared down into

shouted, panic making my voice shake as I plunged my arms into the bloody water, lifting the body from

just as I placed her on

bleeding, which meant she probably used a poisonous

knees beside her body. I needed to perform CPR right now!

for a moment, his heart thundering. “Leo, we need help! Now!” He blinked, snapping out of

quickly opening the airway. I pinched her nostrils. shut, and gave her mouth-to-mouth, feeling her heart beat

breathing!” I shouted in

nodded, and I knew he was mind- linking as I switched to chest

Leo right now, but the fleeting glimpses of his thoughts told me I needed to save her at all costs. All he could think about was that he had

No Leo. You’re wrong.

be fine.” I said to Leo, we were all seated in the hospital.

used a lethal poison to create those incisions, and she had also taken a high dose of wolfsbane orally. It had been a well-thought-out plan.

especially when I always thought magic could fix everything. Sometimes even something like CPR with no magic.

and the medical side that she pushed on us. I mean, apart from Kat, me and Sky did it for the sake of it…

unconscious in the hospital room with a doctor and nurse tending to her. Leo’s injection had helped heal her faster, and

Leo, and I were sitting in the

almost lost her…” Leo

quiet since everything

had happened to her, but he would have blamed himself for not going to visit her

that matters…” He stood up, stretching before giving us a small smile. “Look, I’m going to go check up on Eric. He’s been really down. I

making a mental note to

for one another, even if one of us is gone. We will take care of one another,” Dan said, giving me

six of you…” It hurt saying the five,

said, pointing to

wink, before turning and walking away, leaving me

The six of us…

you fill that gap…” Jax said quietly. “And as a team… I think we need to decide what to do with

what? What can we do to help her?” Leo

was a goddamn protector. He always went to protect everyone… remember the time he