Chapter 18
18. A Memory
LEO.
I looked at my phone. The message was crystal clear, but even then, I had to fucking read it a few
times.
‘I‘m going to be leaving. With Marcel here, I don‘t think it‘s smart for me to linger. Arrange me a car, or
at least let your security know to let me out.‘ She was leaving Just how I fucking wanted... There was
no relief, nor fucking excitement at the fact that she was.
Yeah, because once she‘s gone, Marcel will have a shit–ton of questions for me to answer. Why didn‘t I
fix stuff with her ‘mate‘, and then Corrado would do my fucking head in about why I let her go.
Stop fucking with yourself Leo, you know that isn‘t the reason. 2 I lit a cigarette, taking a drag on it as I
stared at the phone, letting out a string of smoke slowly. But it was for the better that she left. Her being
here was fucking with me. I texted her back that I‘de to get her, but she asked for an hour in
return.
Fine. I tossed the phone onto the desk and ced my feet on it, resting back in my chair. Was it really
Marcel that was pushing her to leave, or was it because of the kiss between Nikki and me? She hadn‘t
reacted. Did I want a reaction? Yeah I fucking did, and she didn‘t seem to care, or so I fucking thought
until she fucking stabbed me.
She had gotten pissed, and I was sure the kiss had been the fucking trigger. 3
Azura Rayne Westwood... (shback – Just Over a Decade Ago)
I walked into the garden of Alejandro Rossi‘s mansion, not wanting to see Rayhan the bastard again. I
was damn bored, I wanted to get to the battle, see exactly how strong I was. A chance to unleash it all
and not have to fucking hold
back.
These lot took so fucking long to say goodbye.
Alejandro‘s twins were out here ying with the Westwood pup.
“I got the ball, Sky! You are slow!” She teased, sticking her tongue out. Sk frowned as she ran over,
knocking the ball from her hand.
“Not that slow.”
Crazy kids. I nced over at Kataleya, who was standing there lost in thought. I knew what she had
been through, I fucking hated it when people did shit like that to kids. I scanned the area, making sure
we were alone, before I walked over and crouched down by her side.
“You know, if you keep on making that face, your lips are going to forever stay fucking down. You might
end up looking like your dad, and that‘s not a pretty look.” I teased, lightly prodding the corner of her
lips. 4
She blinked,ing out of her reverie, and forced a smile as she nodded. “I‘m ok.” She said quickly,
almost as if it was a automatic mechanism.
I‘m ok. Something I always said to Dad when I was child... The times when he was himself and he
worried...
I‘m fine, I‘m ok, I‘m great... Lies to keep him from feeling burdened. “It‘s alright not to be ok all the
fucking time, you know?” I said quietly, like the fucking hypocrite I was. ! I never took my own fucking
advice, always acting like fuck all bothered me. “Oi, boy!”
I turned to see the Westwood pup standing behind me with her hands on her hips. She was a cute kid
with big blue eyes, but I swear she gave me a vibe that told me she was not to be trusted.
“What?”
She leaned closer and shielded her mouth with her hand, as if not wanting anyone to hear.
“I can see your smelly knickers.” She whispered loudly, making Skugh
manically. I raised an eyebrow. What the fuck were these kids fucking bred on? “First of all, they ain‘t
knickers. Second, what the actual fuck?” I said, standing up and ring at the pup. She simply
shrugged.
“Well I was only trying to help you.” She retorted, about to pick up the ball when I grabbed it and walked
over to the steps, spinning it on a finger. “Give our ball
back.”
“Ask nicely.”
“Give it back, knicker boy!” 1
“I ain‘t fucking giving it back now.” I growled, tossing the ball lightly against her forehead. 1
I saw Liam step out into the garden, ready to intervene as I caught the ball with ease.
“That didn‘t hurt, try again.” She challenged, catching the ball and tossing it back at me.
Did she mean it, or was it a threat? 2
I resisted a smirk, bouncing the ball off her forehead again as lightly as I could. Liam stopped a few feet
away, clearly fucking worried for his sister, but to my surprise, he didn‘t intervene.
“Zuz.”
“Not now, Liam. I said – again.” “You sure pup?” “I. Said. Again.” She challenged, her chest heaving as
she threw the ball back at me.
Yup, she was fucking pissed. I wonder what‘s happen if I carried on. Would she end up crying? I kept
bouncing the ball lightly off her head, but it was beginning to look a little red. Was no one going to stop
me? I didn‘t want to stop by myself, that would make me look like a fucking wuss.
“Azura, enough,e on, let‘s go inside.” Liam tried again. Why the fuck was he listening to a kid?
“No, I said again.” She said firmly, herrge eyes ring at me.
The little psycho. I saw Alejandro step out from inside from the corner of my eyes, as I raised my
eyebrow at the determined kid in front of me. “Again.”
I frowned. “You‘re fucking weird.” I stated coldly, tossing the ball at her head
again.
“Again.” Shemanded, and this time I realised she wasn‘t even blinking. The first sign of a serial
killer. 7
“This kid‘s fucking psychotic.” I remarked.
“Again.” She repeated, making me frown. Ok no, her fucking head was red, it was going to bruise if I
carried on. “Nah, I‘m bored.” I said carelessly, tossing the ball to the ground and letting it roll away..
“Cut this shit out.” Alejandro growled.
She stared at me for a moment, and for a split second I felt fucking bad, she was going to cry. I hate
making kids cry. We stared at one another before she quickly ran after the rolling ball.
Maybe not.
“Leo started it.” Sk chimed in, frowning at me.
That little shit. “Yeah once, she‘s the one who told me to hit her again.” I shot back, taking my lighter
from my pocket. Liam sighed. “Azura is just...” “A weirdo.” I finished helpfully, pulling out a cigarette. “I
thought you weren‘t going toe here?” Alejandro asked me, crossing his arms as Azura returned
with the ball. Damn she was totally ok, maybe I didn‘t need to worry. She walked off, and I shrugged as
I looked at Alejandro.
“I changed my mind; I was bored as fuck waiting around.” I replied, cing the cigarette between my
lips. I was about to light it, when something hit the back of my head hard, knocking the cigarette from
my lips.
I growled menacingly, turning in a sh. Kataleya gasped, and it was the only thing that held me
fucking back.
As for the little psycho, she simply stared at me, anger now clear in her eyes. “What the fuck was that?”
I hissed.
Alejandro was next to me in fucking seconds. He didn‘t trust me. “What the – was what?” The psycho
pup shot back, stopping herself from swearing. My eyes shed and I felt angry, but more so because
of the fact Alejandro had jumped to my fucking side. Yeah, he‘d never trust me, no matter how much he
fucking pretended to care, but it was half my fault I guess; I did make Rayhan the bastard‘s pup cry not
that long ago, although he was the one I was trying to scare. I turned my attention to the pup, ring at
her. “The actual fuck? You psychotic–” “Stupid person!”
“Leo did that to Azura first, Daddy!” Sk added defensively. Liam picked the deranged pup up
protectively, as if she was not a fucking psycho but a precious little shit. 1
“Put me down!” She screamed.
See?
“Come on Zuzu, calm down.” Liam tried to soothe her.
“No! He hit me first!” “But weren‘t you saying again, again‘?” Liam asked gently, trying to calm his sister,
who was struggling to get free. “I don‘t care! Give me the ball!” She shouted.
I stood up, ready to get the fuck out of here. I was done. Alejandro ced a hand on my shoulder as if
he thought I was going to attack her or some shit. “She‘s a kid. Are you seriously going to start a
fucking fight? Why the fuck were
you using her as a target?” He asked, frowning. Once again, he had me fucking wrong. Nothing new
here. My eyes zed a steely blue as I shrugged him off. “She‘s a fucking maniac.” I growled. “You‘re
the maniac!” Azura shouted, ring at him murderously. “Get out of my sight, or I will poke your eyes
out and cook them!”
Haha kid, I wouldn‘t mind picking on you a little longer, but I think I‘ve fucking overstayed my wee.
“Azura!” Her brother tried to calm her, unsessfully. “Oh yeah?” I growled.
“Yeah!”
(End of shback) One thing I learned from back then, and what happened over lunch, was not to trust
that fucking calmness of hers. The calmer she appeared to be, the higher the chance that she wasn‘t
ok.
I wish I had the power to read her mind, did Nikki really bother her to that extent? Or was she just
fucking pissed at me for some other shit? 2
Either way, she wanted to get out of here, and I was going to show her out. I could have had Eric or
Emmet show her out, but I just needed to see her onest fucking time...
This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.
She hadn‘t epted my rejection yet, the pull of the mate bond was so powerful and I needed it
fucking gone. I‘ll tell her to reject me.
I‘ll make sure this thing between us is destroyed.
Just the thought of it unnerved me, for some fucking reason. I ran my hand through my spiky hair,
trying not to let my thoughts divert elsewhere.
Azura and I were never going to work. An hour passed faster than I anticipated, even though I had
done nothing but sit here.
I had to go get her.
I stood up, feeling the weight of reality sitting on my shoulders.
My phone beeped, and I looked at the reminder that crossed the screen. 1 Fuck, had a month passed
already? Slipping my phone into my pocket, I left my office, only for Nikki to jump up from the sofa. She
never disturbed me when I was in my office. My rules that she obeyed, but sometimes it just let the
dark thoughts consume me freely without a distraction. If it was Azura in her ce, she would fucking
throw out all the rules I had in ce.
It would make for one crazy life. How the fuck did the Goddess pair us? “Leo, are you going out
already? You changed?” She looked me over, and I frowned.
Obviously, I fucking changed. The psycho fucking stabbed me and I had blood everywhere
“Azura is leaving.” Azura… I rolled her name on my tongue. I liked how it sounded, even if she was a
fucking maniac.
“She‘s leaving?” Nikki looked surprised, and maybe a tad fucking happy.
“Yeah, things didn‘t work between her and her mate. So I’ll be showing her out.”
“Thank goddess.” She crossed her arms, and I raised an eyebrow. 1
“Did you have an issue with her?” I asked, taking a drag on my cigarette.
“Not really, she‘s a little weird.”
Her words irritated me, and I raised an eyebrow. “Not following the fucking stereotype doesn‘t make a
person weird.” Fuck Leo, keep your mouth shut. Nikki looked surprised at myment as she walked
over to me.
“So, are you saying you don‘t find her weird?”
“I don‘t really have an opinion about her.” I shrugged coldly.
She nodded slowly. 2 “Ok whatever, I‘lle with you to bid her farewell.”
I needed to talk to Azura alone, I‘ll send Nikki off once she has said her goodbye. We had just left the
apartment when Corrado and Winona appeared at the top of the stairs.
Corrado was near tears, as Winona struggled to calm him. “What‘s going on?” I asked sharply. “I want
to go to Azura‘s!” Corrado frowned. I guess me telling him he couldn‘t see her went out the fucking
window. They had yed together at Marcel‘s and i knew he fucking liked her. “Azura is leaving today,
want to go say goodbye?” Nikki asked him.
“I don‘t want her to go.” He whispered, stilling suddenly. Something stirred inside of me as I stared at
my son. He had never taken to anyone as he had her... Why did she have to be one of them? 3 “Leo,
youing?” Nikki‘s voice brought me out of my reverie.
“Yeah.”
“Alpha.”
I turned to look at Winona.
“What is it?” I asked. “Can I bid her farewell too?” “Sure, I don‘t get why an entire fucking entourage is
needed to get rid of one woman, but fine.” 4
A smile crossed her face as she thanked me, waiting for me to go down the stairs first.
I reached the bottom only to see Corrado with his arms around Azura‘s neck, as she crouched on the
floor in front of him, hugging him tightly. “Please don‘t leave, Azura.”
“I’m sorry kiddo, I got to go.” She replied. Her ck hair, which had been put up into a sexy bun, was
half out, and my fingers itched to brush it back. “Please.”
As if sensing me watching her, herrge blue eyes snapped up to meet mine, eyes that were filled with
so much fucking emotion that if Corrado‘s voice wasn‘t enough, the pain and sadness in her eyes were
enough to tug at something deep inside of me.
I forced myself to look away and turned, smoking my cigarette.
“If you‘ve packed, let‘s fucking leave.” ~