Alpha Leo and the Heart of Fire

Chapter 16

16. An Outsider AZURA. And with those words, I walked over to him confidently and gave him a big bear hug, praying that thisworked.

I felt Leo's aura rolling off him in waves, but just when I thought he wasgoing to slit my throat in anger, Marcel let out a hearty laugh.

"It's a true honour! I need to hear what is going on, but how about Ilet you finish getting dressed..." He trailed off as his eyes fell on my mark, frowning deeply.

“I never knew you were mated?”

“Oh I am.

Kinda.” I winked.

"Azura is really cool, but she can't cook." Corrado added helpfully.

2 I pouted as I looked at mini Leo, did he really need to add that part? Marcel chuckled, “Wellwe won't need Azura to cook, we have plenty of people who can cook! But I'm happy to see you here.

Surprised, but happy." He placed his hand on my head and I could see the happiness inhis eyes.

I smiled back, seeing Nikki turn and walk off.

Leo glanced at me but didn't say anything, and I had a feeling he knew I wouldn’t say anything, before he followed her, and I heard theirfootstep receding.

I hated how that hurt.

"Well, I will let you get dressed, come down to mine when you are ready! Come Corrado, I have brought you some gifts.” He picked up his grandson, andthe moment I shut the door after them, I let out a breath of relief and ran a hand through my hair.

Oh for fucks sake, I am so screwed.

My heart thudded when a sudden thought came to me, what if Marcel mentioned to someone thatI was here? Goddess, help me.

I needed some air, entering my bedroom I pushed open one of the windows, taking a few deep breaths to calm myself, not to mention the nausea that was gettingto me.

After a few minutes, I began looking through my things for something decent to wear.

"For fucks sake Nikki, stop it!" I froze when I heard Leo’s voice through the window, my heart thundering.

"'Why were you in her room?! Why is she here?! Something isn’t right and you’re hiding it from me! Who the fuck is she?” “I’m not fuckingdoing this with you! She's no-one." Thanks, dick-face.

But what did I expect? Him to tell her I'm his mate? “Is she? Then why were youin her room?! She was in her bra!" "Oh for real, Nikki? We're fucking werewolves, I've seen hundreds of she-wolves in their bras, or without." Wow, that's one way for you to make a point Leo, fucking perv.

2 “In her room Leo.

With the door shut.

I'm not fucking stupid! I want to know who she is.” “You heard her, she’s a fucking Westwood, happy?” “Exactly! Why would youallow someone from a family you dislike here?! There's something going on!" She shouted.

I felt a wave of guilt wash over me, I was becoming the cause of problems intheir relationship...

I will go to this lunch and then I'll figure something out.

Maybe I needed to go to Alejandro and Kiara.

Plan or not, I had to go.

5 "Leo!" "I'm not having this fucking conversation with you." His voice was fainter, and I heard the distant sound of a door shutting.

I looked at the beige top in my hand, feeling disappointed in myself.

I had wasted enough time mulling over things and coming up with zero solutions.

I walked over to the bed and sat down, taking a moment to collect my thoughts.

Going to Alejandro would fuck up a lot…

Dante would have been my next option, but he wasn't here…

What do I even tell Alejandro and Kiara? 'Hey, so I’ve got some pretty wild sex tapes that my ex secretly made last year that he is threatening torelease on the net.

Oh, and the same fucker has something on my girls, two of whom are your underage daughters? Oh, and Iaccidentally killed someone and then I was forced to help get rid of the evidence?' Yeah, shit was going to go down...

This could get Dad pushed off the council too…

O I ran my hand through my hair before I stood up and began gathering my things.

The sooner I was out of here, the better.

I shoved all my things into my bag, gathering my phone and stuff then putting it into my shoulder bag.

I'll ask Leo to let Eric get me out of here.

I was causing problems, not only for Leo by being here, but for everyone.

I placed my hand on my stomach, feeling the crushing pain in my chest once more.

I needed to reject him before I left.

2 Face to face if I could, because I wanted to see the pain in his eyes when I destroyed the bond completely.

2 Anger rushed through me, and for a second I wanted to unleash hell, but I simply took a deep breath My phone beeped and I picked it up, mystomach lurching at the unknown number, my heart thundering as I unlocked the device.

Was it Judah? But after looking at the text, I closed my eyes in relief.

'Make sure you do not tell Marcel anything, I will handle it.’ Leo.

It was Leo.

Thank the goddess.

The phone beeped again with a second message, with the story I was to tell Marcel An hour later I was at Marcel’s mansion, after pulling on a baggy pairof jeans that I held up with a belt, a cropped beige long-sleeved top and twisted my hair into a messy knot on top of my head.

I knew it looked silly, my hair was very silky and straight, making strands of hair stick up in all directions refusing to bend, but hey, Iwasn't trying to please anyone.

Leo and Nikki were here, and if they had argued before there was no sign of it now.

He looked effortlessly handsome as ever, in black jeans and a dark grey short-sleeved shirt, leavinghis muscular tattooed arms on display.

He was wearing shades and he had a cigarette between those lips of his.

He leaned against the wall of the mansion as Marcel put slices of meat on the barbeque.

"Azura, look what Grandad made!" Corrado called, hurrying over to me the moment I stepped into the garden.

I know Leo told me to stay away from him, but the boy approached me, and I didn’t plan to ignore him…

“What has he made?” I asked.

"Milkshakes with fresh strawberries and bananas." "Oh damn really? I love anything with milk!” 1 “Me too!” Corrado said, grabbing my hand and tugging me towards Marcel.

1 "Ah Azura, come, I wasn't sure what you would like, so I have made a variety.” Marcel said with a grin.

He may have been sixty, but he looked much younger, his long brown hair pulled intoa messy bun.

His skin was tanned, and he had a very rugged look about him.

Typical Rossi genes.

"Thanks, it all looks really yummy, but aren't you tired after your journey? You really didn’t need to do this.” “Azura doesn’t know howto cook this." I looked at Corrado.

Did this kid really find it so weird that I couldn’t cook? It seemed he would keep on mentioning it until all of England knewI couldn't cook.

: "Tell me Kiddo, does everyone you know, know how to cook?” He looked over at Leo and Nikki, Nikki was at the table texting away on her phone.

“Yes.

Daddy can cook the best, and Nikki makes healthy food, it doesn’t taste that good because it ishealthy food, but it looks really good." He whispered loudly, I wasn't sure he knew werewolf hearing was a thing.

I smiled, tugging his chubby cheek.

"And then there's your Grandad, who seems to be a pro.” I added, and he nodded.

"Yes." "Here, have some milkshake." Marcel passed us both a glass.

"Leo, Nikki?" "No thanks." Nikki said with a small smile that looked a bit forced, with Leo simply ignoring him.

How rude.

2 I looked between the father and son, from what I remembered, Leo wasn’t like this towards his Dad…

I mean, it was just the rest of the Rossi's he had a problem with, right? “Thank you, it’s yum.” I complimented, taking a big gulp.

"You have a moustache, Azura!" "I rock the look, right?" He laughed, and I could feel Leo’s glare burning into myback.

"So tell me Azura, what brings you here?" Marcel asked, flipping the lamb chops over.

1 I saw Nikki raise her head slightly, paying attention.

I remembered the message Leo had sent earlier, and although he had decided the story, I didn’t like it.

If I really wanted to mess this up, I knew I could and there was fuck all he could do about it.

But I needed him to not lose his shit, and so, I sighed heavily, clutching my glass with both hands as I licked my lips.

Ok girl, work those eyes.

I blinked slowly, looking down at the milkshake before I looked at Marcel.

"My mate." I said sadly, making the corners of my lips dip downwards.

Only one person was immune to this façade of mine, and that was Mama…

4 “Your mate?” Marcel asked sharply.

I nodded, taking a small sip of my milkshake.

Damn this was so yummy, if Nikki didn't want any, perfect, more for me! “Yes, he marked me and then he left me, and sincehe's from this pack, Leo is trying to make him come around and accept me." I said quietly.

The lie left a bitter taste in my mouth, I don’t know if Leo was trying to earnbrownie points in his Dad's book, but I hated it.

Not to mention that it hurt.

For a moment, I let my real emotions show on my face as I looked up at Marcel.

“Please don’t tell anyone I’m here.

My parents think I've gone to Sweden, and I don't want trouble.” 2 Marcel was frowning, his chest heaving as he turned to Leo.

“Who is it?” He asked dangerously.

Leo raised an eyebrow, but it was the words he spoke that cut like a knife.

"I'm handling it, we can't force anyone to do anything.

Remember, Marcel? Or is the daughter of an Elite so precious that she just can’t be rejected?” His icy replycame.

2

“Leo.” Marcel warned.

"I'm handling it, I'm trying, despite that little fact." Leo replied coldly.

Like hell you were fucking handling it.

"You better handle it, and swiftly." "Excuse me." I smiled, placing my glass down and wiping my mouth on a tissue as I walkedtowards the mansion.

I needed a minute.

Entering the mansion, I opened a few doors before I found the bathroom, and stepping inside, I shutthe door behind me, closing my eyes as I leaned against it.

The daughter of an Elite.

It was funny how differently he thought of me, if only he knew who I really was.

The daughter of an Elite? No.

I was just a freak who should have died.

s But either way, it was the same thing, right? Some disliked me for my birth,others disliked me because of my personality; and then there was Leo, who hated me for being the daughter of two amazing people.

My parents have done nothing to him, they didn't deserve his hatred.

And if they were the reason he didn't want me, then his loss, because they are fucking amazing.

2 I looked into the mirror, trying to calm the storm within me.

I knew Marcel wouldn't tell anyone, but I really needed to get out of here.

I left the bathroom after splashing my face and headed back to the garden.

"I look so cool." I stopped in my tracks, spotting Leo crouching down by Corrado as he slipped his sunglasses onto his face.

A small proud grin crossed Corrado's cute little face as he turned to Nikki.

"Nikki, do I look cool?" "Awe baby, you do! Super cute!” She smiled at him andI simply stood there feeling so out of place..

You’re leaving tonight, Azura.

End of story.

Placing a blank expression on my face, I sauntered into the garden just as Nikki walkedover to Leo, locking her arms around his neck.

I don't know why it stung when he grabbed hold of her hips.

"I'm sorry babe." She whispered, and if I thought the day just couldn’t get any worse, she kissed him, straight on thoseplump lips of his.

8 I turned away, doing my best to control the pain in my chest, my eyes stinging as I took steadying silent breaths.

1

Shit, it hurt.

1 Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

A whole fucking lot.