Alpha Leo and the Heart of Fire

Chapter 1

1. My Nightmares

AZURA.

A toxic relationship is harmful for anyone, but it’s far worse when it’s a young girl who never even realised she had fallen into one.

I wish I could tell you how I bravely faced my dark past, how I was able to pull away from this nightmare of a relationship and move on, but I wasn’t able to. Instead, all the memories wrapped around me like a spider’s web.

I was never the child who couldn’t sleep at night because of her worries. I was always carefree, unbothered and wild. I loved to have fun, crush on the sexiest boys in my class or whatever hot Alpha crossed my path. I was the mischievous devil at home. My parents treated me like I was the most precious thing in the world, even though I was a child born in a way that was not normal.

They used to be the Alpha and Luna of the pack, now my older brother was the Alpha, but even they weren’t able to make everyone in the pack accept the birth of someone who was born in a way against the very laws of nature.

I should be dead, but I’m not.

I remembered when I was a child, I didn’t understand why I was disliked. Occasionally there were kids in the Pack whispering behind my back, but they didn’t dare to do anything to me because I was the daughter of their Alpha. Plus I was not someone to mess with, I always made anyone who tried to hurt me or those I loved, suffer.

However, there was one name that never left me. A name I first heard from a boy who was crying and running away: The Freak.

Freak? I wondered. It’s not true, I’m Azura Rayne Westwood, the youngest daughter of Alpha Elijah and Luna Scarlett. Their favourite.

But he said that’s what all his family called me, the Devil of the Westwoods, the freak that shouldn’t have been born.

I remember freezing, wondering why any adult would call me that? At seven years old, I couldn’t understand why I was so hated. Does everyone around me think of me the same way? Think I’m a freak that shouldn’t have been born?

I remember telling my parents about it, but the way they got angry confused me, what was it that they didn’t want me to know? I tried not to show how it affected me, sticking with a no-care attitude, but the word freak always stuck by me. I hated it.

Whether I like it or not, the childhood memories slowly faded away, the good and bad becoming a blur of mostly pleasant memories filled with my loved ones. But who doesn’t crave affection from others? I made that mistake when I fell in love with someone for the first time, someone I thought had demons similar to my own. Someone who would understand me.

But I was wrong, because this time, it won’t easily fade away. He has become a nightmare that I resent with every inch of my very being.

—-

The laughter rang in my ears but there was nothing merry about it, filled with malice and jeers.

“Go on!”

“Awe, what’s wrong, too much of a wimp?”

“You’re the boss’ woman, can’t do it? Too weak?”

I froze, standing between my boyfriend and his men. They were torturing someone who I didn’t even recognise in his wolf form, but what else was new, this was the usual for them. I tried to ignore his ways and his business. I tried to focus on the good in him instead. But today, they want me to have a try.

I didn’t want to do this, staring at the bloody mass on the ground. This was not what was meant to happen

“Just pull the trigger.” His voice was devoid of emotions, his cold green eyes met mine as he held the gun out to me.

“I… I’m not so sure about this, this wasn’t what you told me.” I replied calmly, despite the way my stomach was twisting with nerves.

“Not even for me, my little Pet?” He tilted his head, looking at me whilst the rest of his friends spurred me on.

“Please, come on, let’s forget this.” I tried to shrug it off, wrapping my arms around his neck and hoping he listened.

His scent filled my nose, mixed with the smell of cigarettes and drugs. His hands stroked my waist and I tried to remember the man I had fallen in love with.

Where was he gone?

“Forget what? Ahh, forget what he called you? Let me rephrase that, Baby Girl, you don’t want to be an outcast, do you? The outsider… The odd one out… The freak?”

I looked at the bloody wolf on the ground.

His words triggered me, making me yank away from his hold, my heart thumping as I snatched the weapon from his hand.

Freak.

He knew I hated that term, but it was my fault, I was the one stupid enough to tell him my darkest secrets.

“Fine.” I growled as I turned, pretending to do his bidding and raising the gun, I cocked it.

What do I do?

“Shoot him, Baby Girl.” His quiet voice, laced with a deadly warning, came from right behind me.

My hand shook as I stared at the whimpering wolf on the floor.

He was almost dead…

What should I do?

I am not going to do this, I am not a killer, but the urge to turn around and shoot my so-called boyfriend instead tempted me. I began to lower my weapon, the laughter fading as a tense silence fell.

“I’m not going-”

I gasped when something knocked into me and I accidentally pulled the trigger, the body on the ground jerked before it became still.

“No!” I dropped the gun, my heart thumping as I ran to the wolf’s side.

No, no, no!

Laughter followed me as I looked at the wolf before me, he was dead, but he didn’t shift. Whatever those bullets contained was deadly, killing him before he could even return to human form.

“What the fuck, Judah!” I screamed.

Silence fell as I glared at the man who stood there, his cold eyes on me. Although he said nothing, the anger in his eyes made my blood run cold.

“You do not talk to me like that.” He whispered menacingly as he strode over to me. Grabbing a fistful of the wolf’s bloody fur, he lifted his body from the ground. “You did this.”

With those words, he threw the heavy body of the dead wolf on top of me, the weight crushing my legs.

“Feel sorry for him? Here, take care of him.” He snickered as I glared at him, my heart pounding. My anger began racing as I tried to push the body of the wolf off me. “Who said you can get up, my Pet?”

“This is not a joke, I’m done with you and your sick ways.” I spat.

His eyes darkened before he grabbed a fistful of my hair.

“Oh, we aren’t done until I say we are.” He growled menacingly.

“You don’t own me and I am not your fucking pet!” I spat back, glaring at him with defiance.

He simply laughed loudly, like my childish words amused him, but I knew better. He was beyond angry, I had just disrespected him in front of his friends.

“Yeah, I will. I’m done with you.” I hissed, my heart pounding with rage.

He tugged my head back violently, and using the hand that he had grabbed the wolf with, he rubbed the blood over my face roughly, before shoving me onto the ground.

“I think it’s time I show you exactly who you belong to.” He spat as he hit me across the face, making my vision darken…

–

I lurched upright in bed, my entire body soaked with sweat as the memories of that night filled my mind once more. My heart was thumping violently and my chest heaved rapidly. I looked around, and it took me a few moments to realise I was in my bedroom.

I got out of bed and walked to the adjoining bathroom, splashing my face with water.

It had been a year since I walked away from my toxic ex, one year since I thought I was done with him for good.

Until I receive a video of that night along with the message.

‘I know what you did last summer.’

My stomach knotted, feeling sick as the words rang in my head.

I turned the tap off, taking a deep breath and returned to my bedroom. I was safe here… right?

Looking back, I was never able to pinpoint exactly when my life became so messed up, or when I fell into that shit that I never should have gotten involved with.

The worst part is that if my parents knew, they would be more than disappointed in me, and the one thing I hated was letting them down. They have protected me enough, I need to take care of myself.

Even though my parents were no longer the Alphas, they were still highly respected, their reputation was known across the country and Dad was on the Alpha King’s Council. He was also one of the Elite Eleven, a title that had been unofficially given to the most powerful Alphas of our time. And here I was making things worse for them.

I wish I never met him, and I wish I could turn back time.

I looked at the clock, it was five in the morning. I should try to get some rest. I turned the lamp off, just as my phone beeped.

I tensed, frowning as I stared at the sleek device. Taking a deep breath I unlocked it and read the message.

‘Can’t sleep? Well, I’ll give you something more to think about. Come back to me Baby Girl, or I think your entire family would love to watch all those videos. Do you want them to see exactly how FREAKY their little girl can get?’

I covered my mouth unconsciously. My chest heaved as I turned and looked towards my window.

He is watching me.

I walked over to the window and peered out. My heart thumped sickeningly as I scanned the darkness outside.

Nothing. I couldn’t see anything out of the ordinary… Was he just messing with me?

My phone beeped again and I looked down at the new message that popped up on the screen, a message that made my blood run cold.

‘I see you still sleep in your underwear.’