Alpha Leo and the Heart of Fire

114. A Name

LEO.

I watch Judah calmly, despite the hatred and rage within me, because he fucking got rid of the last of my doubts. My aura exudes from

me in waves, and I can feel it swirling around the room, filling every corner and repelling the darkness that tries to cling to

our skin.

I see Azura glance back at Corrado from the

corner of my eyes, and know it’s time to wrap this up, once and for all.

“I don’t know what you mean. You know nothing!” Judah hisses, but it’s a little too late for him to try to deny anything.

“It’s a tad too fucking late to play dumb, but if you don’t fucking know then cool. Let’s do this shit. I’ll take your name and try to kill you with a weapon coated with Nightshade, Ephedra and Harpagophytum for the sake of

It won’t work, but at least it’ll entertain me.” I say knocking his weapon from his hand. It rolls to the far side, and he growls.

I hate that weapon… every time I fucking see it… For me, it would always be associated with those who tried to hurt my family.

“Nothing can kill me!” He hisses, lunging at me, the smoke around him grows, it’s a mix of shadows and smoke, and it pushes against my aura and Azura’s moon fire.

Two against one… he’s losing and the injury I had caused him before, is still bleeding. I have a few wounds and only more are added

to it as we rip into one another, but I make

sure Azura isn’t harmed. He roars in rage as

he jumps to his feet once more, but instead

of attacking; he turns in a flash and runs to

the table.

“Not so fast!” Azura growls, blasting him

back as she walks to the table.

Judah is on his feet, and I know she is his

target. He moves with incredible speed and for a second, my stomach twists as I run as

fast as I can. I block his back, throwing one

of my daggers up and grab his neck, throwing him across the room. My throw is accompanied by a blast of Azura’s power that only makes the impact greater.

“You’re right where I want you to be.” Judah spits despite the blood that he coughs up. He

staggers to his feet and dives past me in a blur, before he pushes Azura. She stumbles, and I see the black smoke rising off the

stone plaque that sits on the table. I catch her, and push her behind me.

“Don’t let the smoke touch you,” I warn. Something about that stone is not right. Azura nods, backing away from it.

“So, I need to get rid of you first, then.” He spits as the entire room shakes violently and pieces of stone fall.

He’s good, but I’m better. Each punch I throw aims to break him, and every

satisfying crunch makes me savour his pain.

“Daddy… Mommy…” Corrado whimpers.

I glance back at him, and my eyes blaze when I realise he’s injured too.

“You touched a child!” I snarl as Azura’s

power wraps around Judah, forcing him to the ground. He fights it and she steps forward, punching him square through the nose. Blood squirts everywhere, as she punches him again.

“Your time has come to its end, Judah… finally I can step away from you and the nightmare that you created in my life.” She says, as he tries to grab her, only for me to kick him back, pressing my foot into his

chest.

His claws are out, and he tries to dig it into me, but I spin around and slam my dagger into his wrist, and into the ground. He roars as he struggles.

“No, I need her! I must have her.” He hisses,

“I need this!”

Ignoring him, I draw the sword and look at

Azura.

‘Do you want to do the honours, my sexy little psycho queen? One strike, and he’s

gone.’ I ask her through the link with a

smirk. 1

Her face becomes solemn, and I think she realises what this means.

‘Is this really it? Just one stab and he’s gone? ‘She asks as she grabs my other dagger, which fell during the fight, and she slams it into his other wrist.

the neck and take his real name. Dimitri Ivanov.’ I

her eyes become cold.

hurt.” She says,

to

is thundering as

tightens on

ever understood you, even your own family

mine, she’s always been mine.

get me. My family loves me, and you manipulated that, you encouraged the seed of doubt that was inside of me. I’m not the Azura you fucking knew. And you

but he’s far too injured to get up, even though he’s healing

enough.

the sword through his neck. A vicious wind erupts around her and instinctively I place my hand over hers on the hilt, keeping the sword there. His scream

cave, before his body dissolves into smoke that escapes his clothing

quiet, our racing hearts

go of the blade that is now charred, letting it clang to the floor,

that remain.

gone.” She says

eyes.

tightly. Sparks rush through us and I tighten

neck.

of us speak. She moves back and my lips crash against hers in a quick passionate kiss, and despite not wanting to

the shield vanishes, revealing our son sitting there with his chubby hands covering his

least he obeyed

say, and his eyes fly open, eyes that are full of tears as he launches

I bend down, hugging him

came!” He

I say, my arm tight around him as I reach up

before I take her

her down beside me and

tightly as I

onto my lap, I kiss Corrado’s head gently, examining his injury. It’s

turn, kissing

inhaling her scent deeply.

is

Thank fuck.

arm around my

top of my head and we simply sit there; I don’t know for how long we remain like this, but I

now

you figure it all

curiously.

the cavern wall.’ Well, it started off with your

word shadows. From there

came to my head,

I began explaining

in on everything…

(FLASHBACK EARLIER THIS EVENING)

“Call Janaina.”

long to dial the elder woman’s

filling my cave and it is

immediately.

“Hello?” Janaina’s voice comes.

couple of questions, and I’m hoping you might have some answers. Have you ever heard of Shadow Wraiths?” I

waste.

a thing of lore… but… do you think this being is

really that out

kill it. The only

tell me any way that I could find out a Wraith’s real name, is there any way to force him to speak

I think I have the answer to your question. To take a name, you must give

says.

I raise an eyebrow.

name? Meaning an exchange?” Delsanra says at the same time that the very same thought came

he has to

and that would be …”

grave.” Delsanra

who to ask

Thanks.”

“Anytime Alpha Leo.”

appreciate it.” I say before

Gallahans

pack.”

a number?” Delsanra

my files and finding Kenneth Arden’s number. Time

out where that

a few times before it’s answered by a

him over the conference

Alpha Kenneth Arden’s

husky, deep

Alpha Leo Rossi from the Sangue pack. I have an urgent

is not in. I’m Royce Arden,

help?” He replies. 5

he supposed to be in America? “I

members are,

Your father