Page 14

Leo

I switch the coffee machine on, smoking a cigarette as I lean against the worktop, looking down at my arm. The wound is long gone, but the memory remains. She is a fucking psycho. Who the fuck goes around stabbing people with whatever shit they have at hand?

I overreacted. I know I fucking did, but the moment Corrado started to show off his doll…

I want her out of my life. I need her gone, but I also know she has reasons that are forcing her to stay, none that involve me. There is something that she is running from, and I am certain it is linked to whatever the fuck happened that night. If I am able to find out, I can have it dealt with and then tell her she is safe to leave early.

Her phone. I need to get to work on that shit.

“Good morning, Daddy,” Corrado says as he comes out of his bedroom with Winona.

“Good morning. You sleep okay?” I ask, crouching down and ruffling his hair. He smiles at me and nods, giving me a hug.

“I slept the best, and Simon the robber slept with me! I want to go to Azura’s again today, okay? She said I can!” I resist frowning, hiding my irritation as I ruffle his hair.

“Don’t you want to hang with Jackie or Nikki instead? Or Winona? I’m sure she takes good care of you?”

“But Azura is so fun.”

Yeah, she is fun, and a complete psycho! You never know what shit she’s going to pull next.

“She even made a doll that looks like you, Daddy!” I raise an eyebrow.

“Did she now?”

“Yeah, she said it’s not you, but it does look like you.” He grins as Winona begins taking things out for breakfast. I stand up, lifting Corrado onto the worktop.

“I’ll make breakfast for us today,” I tell her. She has already dressed him. I have a bit of time before Emmet shows up anyway, and I need to explain to this kid that he is not to see her again.

“Are you sure, Alpha?” I nod, and just as she is about to leave, I speak to her through the mind link.

He is not to meet Azura. She is a guest here, nothing more. I don’t trust her entirely. Be more careful next time, Winona. Not everyone who appears to be good is good.

Sorry, Alpha, I will keep that in mind.

It’s fine.

Thank you. I’ll be back at noon.

Perfect.

She lowers her head to me before closing the door behind her.

“So, what do you want to eat, kid?”

“Pancakes,” he replies without even thinking.

“Pancakes it is. Nutella?”

“Yes, and fruit!”

Flipping the kettle switch on, I take the readymade mix out, adding water before getting the pan. He watches me, smiling happily, and I ruffle his hair before I begin on the pancakes.

“Thank you for spending time with me, Daddy.” This kid can induce so many fucking emotions in me, I don’t even know how. I give him a one-armed hug, squeezing him.

“You don’t need to thank me for anything. I told you that,” I remind him, pouring some boiling water into a large bowl.

“Yes, but I want to.” He smiles as I flip the pancakes, adding some Nutella to a small bowl and placing it in the boiling water to soften. He sighs heavily, and I glance at him as I take the three pancakes out and add some more.

“What’s up?” I ask him, waiting for the second batch to be done.

“You know Azura? She can’t cook. She said making sandwiches is cooking.”

My heart fucking does some weird shit. I hate when I learn new shit about her because I hate how it fucking catches my attention. She is a Westwood, remember that, Leo.

“Yeah?”

“Yes.”

I drizzle the Nutella on top before slicing some strawberries and raspberries, scattering them over the pancakes. I grab a knife and fork and then pick up the plate.

“You should teach her,” he adds as I lift him down from the worktop and carry his breakfast to the table.

“She’s only visiting, Corrado. She isn’t a friend, so you need to stay away from her,” I remind him quietly as he happily climbs into his chair. Stubbing my cigarette out, I walk to the fridge and take out a bottle of milk. I pour him a glass before picking up my coffee, and I carry both to the table and sit down.

“But I really get bored. I don’t have anyone to play with.”

“Corrado, we have an entire pack here. What about Amanda and Jake?” He scrunches his face at the mention of his friends at school. He has just started, but he is already a grade ahead of the rest of his age group. I made sure he focused on learning the moment he showed signs of being ready.

“I don’t like Jake anymore, and Amanda cries all the time.”

Corrado is a mature kid in many ways, he doesn’t really get on with the other kids his age, and those a little older don’t really mix with him due to the age gap. He also isn’t interested in playing ball as much as he likes watching it, preferring to colour and paint in his free time.

“What about the other one, what’s her name… Anita? Didn’t you say you are going to marry her?” He puts down his fork and rolls his eyes as if I have just asked a dumb question.

“Daddy? Did you marry the first girl you liked?” I raise an eyebrow. The kid has a point.

The first girl I liked… I don’t remember her name… but I remember she was killed back in the caverns because her father refused to obey Endora. I remember those days still… seeing the blank look in Dad’s eyes as he obeyed her blindly… the scary reminder that I was on my own… even though he doesn’t remember half of what he was forced to do, I do. I remember it all. The horrors of life without even an ounce of daylight. Every night I fell asleep, not knowing who would be dead the following morning.

“Daddy!” I glance at him, picking up my coffee as he pulls me from my thoughts.

“Yeah?”

“Will you marry Nikki?” He whispers, glancing towards my bedroom door.

She is probably still asleep. I know I have been avoiding her because I just can’t get intimate with her lately. Seeing Azura here has made it fucking weird. Sure, I ended it with her, but… try fucking someone when the woman you’re fucking distracted by is in the same building.

“Probably not, kid. I’m not considering marrying her. Now, drink up.”

I run my fingers through my hair, thinking back to that night. I was ready to come home and tell Nikki I had found my mate and it was over. I never wanted a mate, nor did I ever try to look for her, but when I ended up marking her, I knew I needed her. I craved her, and so did my wolf. I didn’t even know her name, but I was ready to make this shit work, but then I learned her identity… I couldn’t accept her. Fuck, how do you accept someone who would never share the same views as you? I know she isn’t biologically a Westwood by blood, but she is by birth and upbringing…

“Nikki said you will.” Corrado’s words make me look at him sharply.

“What do you mean?”

“She was on the phone to the birds, and they were saying that because you made a mistake, she should ask you,” he continues, eating his food contently, chocolate covering his lips. Birds. He means her screechy nasal-voiced friends who I can’t fucking stand.

Marriage… why can’t anyone just take life a day at a fucking time?

“Hmm,” I reply, grabbing a tissue and wiping his face. He gives me a grin as he eats a strawberry.

“These are the best pancakes. Ever.”

“I’m glad, kid.”

Leo, I’m outside.

Come on in, I reply, unlocking the door via my smartwatch.

“Good morning, champ! Damn, pancakes without me?”

“Sorry, Daddy made them, and you know Daddy only cooks for me,” Corrado replies, making me smirk slightly. This kid knows the fact that he is my number one perfectly well.

“Damn, Leo. I’m sure a few more won’t make a difference?” Emmet says, dropping into the chair opposite me.

Is the shipment here yet? I question through the link.

No, tomorrow night. It’s a big one, Leo. Risky as fuck, and I don’t even want to think about the consequences if we’re caught.

No one will get caught. I’ve rewired security long enough for our shipment to get past the radar. This shipment alone will give us the money to set us ahead. Every child here will have funding in their bank to fall back on.

I love you, Leo, and I love how much you care for our pack… but risking it all just to make sure every child is financially set? This one was fucking risky. Come on, man, people can fend for themselves. You ain’t their fucking godfather to have to deal with everyone.

I know what I’m doing.

I look at Corrado, who is scrutinising us sharply.

“I’ll go play in my room, Daddy,” he suggests, knowing we are talking business through the link. Smart pup.

“Sure.” I ruffle his hair as he gulps his milk down.

I stand up, turning the TV in his room on from my watch, and head to my study with Emmet behind me.

“Leo, your father, the Alpha, is coming back. Where are you going to keep such a big amount of drugs?”

“Right here. Like I said, Emmet, I know what I’m doing. I already have buyers from the entire continent ready to get their hands on some. When I’m done, I will become one of the wealthiest men in the world,” I say coldly, sitting down in my chair.

“At a very dangerous risk… I heard Web is not going to sit back, Leo…”

“Let him come. The next time he crosses my path, I will kill him,” I say carelessly. He sighs and sits down opposite my desk.

“I’m the Delta, Leo, if your dad so much as questions me -”

“I put you in that position, Emmet, we both know the truth. You work for me, not Marcel,” I warn icily, lighting another cigarette. He sighs but nods.

“I know, man, but the Alpha said if you settle down and shit, he’ll pass the title to you. Are you going to mark Nikki soon? Do it. She’s hot, and I’m sure she’s good for you. You haven’t been in any relationship longer than a year before her.”

“Yeah, but I have a plan.”

“Marcel will be back soon, right? What is your plan?” Marcel… yeah, he will be.

“I’m sure he’ll visit his precious brother before returning home,” I reply, ignoring his comment about Nikki. “My plan is of no concern to you. I’ve got a shitload to do.” He understands the dismissal and stands up.

“Well, I hope he doesn’t come back here and act like you owe those Elite anything. All they fucking did was ruin our lives,” Emmet says coldly, his eyes filled with hatred. I nod.

“Yeah. He can try. Nothing can change me.”

“Good man. You know they’re all manipulative and fake. Oh, yeah, all okay with you and the visitor? I heard shouting last night…”

“Did you? Then why are you asking me?” He simply shrugs and nods.

“Well, I don’t know what the deal is between you two, but if you need someone to talk to, that’s what friends are for, right, mate?”

“Right,” I say, standing up, thinking, She hasn’t left her apartment today…

Emmet leaves, and I lock the door after him with the touch of a button before I walk over to the wall behind me. Placing my hand on the small square panel on the wall, it instantly lights up, and my hand is scanned by a blue light. A keypad shows up, and I thumb in the twelve-digit code before the wall opens, and I step into a lift. Closing it after me, I key in a third code before it zooms downwards towards one of my favourite places. One final code and a handprint opens the metal door that covers the entrance to my cave.

The room is dark. Only the lights from the screens and the blue led lights fill the dark room. My main desk is a curved one, which contains three screens hooked up to the main monitor. A touch screen with maps is on the far wall whilst the wall opposite has twenty screens, each displaying different things, connected to a tower computer block. I have a few tables covered with things I am working on, including one of the latest weapon designs. In the wrong hands, these would be dangerous, but they are made only for the Sangue Pack. A screen near the lift looks into my office up in my apartment, so I know if anyone knocks. Two doors lead off from here, one to the underground car park, my secret passage away from the pack, and the second is a bedroom.

I walk over to the far table where I have been working on the psycho’s phone, picking up the decoder just as my watch beeps. Will you look at that…

I press a button, making one of the screens flicker on, and I turn to see none other than Azura sitting on the bed. She leans down as she keys something into the laptop I had left in her room. Her breasts catch my attention in just her blue sports bra. She is fucking fine, I can’t deny that.

So, she has finally decided to use the laptop I have given her. Who is she about to contact?

I walk over to my desk and sit down, turning the volume up and splitting the screen, bringing up the screen that Azura is looking at. She is video-calling two people. It takes me less than ten seconds to check the IP addresses. One is from down towards London, and the other is from Midnight Academy.

She sighs, and I look into her blue eyes as she waits for her call to be answered. I can tell from her eyes that she hasn’t slept well, and she almost looks upset. She tilts her head, and my attention falls to her neck. My mark is fucking beautiful… and it sits perfectly on her smooth skin…

She looks into the webcam, and for a moment, she seems to be staring right at me. She doesn’t look away until I hear a sound as her call is answered.

“Hey, hey, Zu!”

The green-eyed girl on the screen is none other than Alejandro’s daughter, Skyla. Next to her is her twin, Kataleya. The two are opposites, with Skyla having black hair and several piercings, while Kataleya has sandy blonde hair and is by far the gentler one. She waves at Azura as a fourth girl joins their conversation. She has short, dyed hair. I know her, too, from when I did a background check on Azura. Song Daquin. She is Azura’s age and one of her friends from the academy, a witch.

Feeling like a creepy online stalker, I mute the images from the screen so the only one I can see is Azura’s, and sit back, still able to hear them perfectly. I know even watching her is fucking wrong, but I need to see her facial expressions. See what exactly she is planning to tell them. I light a cigarette as I wait for them to finish their mundane conversation. I want to see if I learn anything interesting from this conversation…

“Where are you, Azura?” Kataleya asks softly, obviously concerned for Azura.

“Yeah, we all know that you are not in Sweden,” Skyla adds.

“I’m… at his pack,” Azura replies quietly. I raise an eyebrow, my gaze flicking back to her gorgeous face.

“Shut the fucking front door!” Skyla snaps, and I hear a thud.

“But he… rejected you, right?” Song asks quietly.

“He did… but I don’t have a choice…”

“What do you mean?” Skyla asks sharply. Azura frowns and stares at her nails. I had never seen her so serious.

“He contacted -”

My phone beeps, and I take it out. It is from Emmet, a fucking image that makes my heart thud. An image of none other than Marcel below my apartment block.

The Alpha’s back. His voice fills my head.

Oh, shit, no, he isn’t meant to be back for a few fucking weeks. I need to get Azura out of here ASAP. I hit close on the window and head back up. I have to get her out before Marcel sees her.