Alpha Leo and the Heart of Fire

5. Devastation

AZURA.

Four weeks had passed since his rejection. That night had shaken me far more than anything Judah

had ever done to me. I still remember grabbing my clothes before I stumbled out of the penthouse. I

had nothing, not my phone, not my bike. I had managed to beg someone for a phone, and I had rang

Liam as the rain began falling, washing away the scent of my so-called mate. But it couldn’t wash away

what he did to me. My mark burned with agony, the healing slowing due to the rejection.

When Liam had shown up, I had been silent. When he saw the state I was in, the anger in his eyes had

made me succumb to tears. I had never seen him so enraged, and if I didn’t grab onto him and beg him

that it was consensual, he was ready to kill. I had managed to tell him that my mate had marked and

rejected me. If it was anyone else but Leo, I wouldn’t have cared, but I couldn’t tell anyone because it

would ruin things. Alejandro would lose it and Marcel, Leo’s dad, would feel guilty over it. This involved

my entire family, not just me. I just couldn’t.

I now clutched at my neck, where his mark stained it. It had taken a full week for it to heal.

Frustration and anger filled me as I stared at the message on my phone.

Judah.

He was a problem that still didn’t go away and he, like the rest of my pack, had found out I had been

marked and rejected. His anger had been clear in his messages and he had begun to ring me too.

Calls I refused to answer, which only made his threats worsen.

The Blood Moon and its sister pack, the Blue Moon, combined were over four thousand members. We

literally shared the same territory, although the residency homes were separate. Years ago, we were

like this pack of people living in the woods, weird right? Yeah, tell me about it, but now, we had a mini

town here; shops, a restaurant, cafés, even a school, and of course a huge hospital. Somehow word of

me being marked had still travelled like wildfire, even though I had tried to keep it a secret.

My mark… a crescent, shimmering, midnight blue moon, with stars and a lotus, set against a

background of blue flames. A beautiful mark with an equally ugly story too. A reminder of the painful

memories I wanted to remove.

I still remember the look on Dad’s face when Liam had brought me home, the way he had hugged me,

the way his heart was thumping… Mama’s pain, the worry and anger in her blazing eyes. I had to stay

quiet for everyone’s benefit, but they only got angry at me for refusing to share his name. I still hadn’t

said the words to accept his rejection… I knew I didn’t need to be face to face to do so, but still, it was

daunting.

Everything had made me sick; I had lost my appetite and I was unable to focus on anything. I needed a

break from it all, I wanted to run away… and although Liam told me it wasn’t the answer, I still wanted

to.

A light knock on my bedroom door made my head jerk up.

“Hey Zu,” Liam’s voice came, concern clear in his magnetic blue eyes.

“Hey.” I replied, picking up my jacket and slipping it on.

“Were you going out?” He asked.

I nodded as he stepped into the room, wrapping his arms around me tightly. I closed my eyes, hugging

him back, his familiar scent reminding me of home. I wanted to cry and throw a tantrum for him to fix.

But I wasn’t a child anymore, and this wasn’t his problem to deal with. He had enough to handle with

six kids and a pack to take care of.

“Talk to me Zu.” He whispered, kissing the top of my head.

I didn’t reply, simply hugging him tighter.

“Am I your favourite sister, Liam?” I asked, looking up at him, using my best doe eyes on him and trying

to sound cute.

He smirked, amused, and cupped my face, kissing my forehead.

“Without a doubt.” He gave me a wink and I smiled.

“You’re my favourite too.” I said quietly, taking a deep breath as I stepped back. “Do you know where

my old collection of voodoo dolls are that I didn’t want to throw away?”

He looked at me worriedly. “Umm, are you really going down that path?”

“I am tempted to learn some dark magic… I think I wouldn’t mind causing a few people some pain.” I’m

sure I had a Leo Voodoo doll somewhere.

Leo Rossi.

A man who was known to be ruthless, cutthroat, and dangerous.

A man whose heart was frozen in ice.

A man who cared for no one…

I had heard the stories, but what he did just made them all seem very real…

“I’m going to head out for a bit.” I told Liam, before I grabbed my bike keys and left the house.

I rode through the streets of our small town. Maybe some pastries from Granny June’s might cheer me

up. Luckily for me, today was her day off. She hated me, and I disliked going there if she was around. I

parked my bike, ignoring the looks that a group of girls who were sitting at the outside table gave me,

and entered the bakery.

All five of those barbie dolls had gone to school with me, and well I can’t deny that I did prank them

once, ok maybe twice? Let’s just say we no longer got on…

It was a harmless prank, I swear.

“We’re closed.” A grumpy voice came.

Just my luck.

Granny June was here.

I looked around the bakery, it was definitely not closed. Three of the old crones who hated me were

here too.

Perfect. I wish I had checked with Justin before coming here.

“Leave, you’re dirtying my floors.” She growled.

“Aw, come on Granny June, my shoes are clean. I’m only here for a few pecan pies then I’m out.”

“Leave.”

“You know… the faster you give me those pastries, the faster I’m out of here?” I slipped my hand into

my jacket pocket and pulled out my wallet.

“No, I’ve ran out. I don’t serve fr…” She pursed her lips, looking me over with barely disguised

contempt, knowing if she said those words, it would be direct disobedience to her Alpha.

Freaks of nature.

That was what she always liked to mumble. We may be in a time where we lived in peace amongst

witches, although most of the pack were absolutely fine with witches and the way I was born there was

still the handful who didn’t change and didn’t approve of how I was born. Usually where I would snap

back at them with everything I had lately I had just had enough.

“Well then, I will wait here until someone shows up to serve me.” I crossed my arms.

The smell of the various baked goods suddenly made me sick.

Maybe I should just leave.

She tensed and I saw her eyes dart to the window, as if checking if anyone who may support me was

around.

“I have nothing to give you.” She said suddenly, picking up the tray of freshly baked croissants she had

brought out and walking into the back kitchen, slamming the door behind her.

“I don’t understand why we have to tolerate her.” One of the hags muttered from behind me.

I didn’t bother to look in their direction. I sighed, my smile fading before I turned away, pushing open

the bakery door. The urge to find some bugs to infest the bakery tempted me, but I didn’t have the time

nor the will to do so.