Page 142 of Alpha Leo and the Heart of Fire
The night hasended in disappointment, and the plan that had sounded great this morning, ended up a total failure. Everyone has slowly retreated, and I don’t miss the sympathy in the eyes of many. After all, Leo had rejected the title outright…
I sigh heavily, running my hand through my hair. I have gone wrong… somewhere. The silence feels loud, just like it always does in this huge house. Even though I know Corrado is nowfast asleep in Leo’s old room upstairs, he had been upset and confused after Leo walked out. Although Azura, Winona, and Song had tried to cheer him up, it is obvious Azura herself isn’t completely here. In the end, Winona had taken him away to turn in for the night. Song and Azura will be staying the night here, too. Neither refused when I suggested the idea. The sound of someone walking in the hallway comes occasionally as the staff are clearing the garden and house up.
I am now in the kitchen, making myself a cup of coffee. I feel far more tired than I should. It feels like I am losing it all.
Hope. I had let myself hope, and even that has been ripped away from me... I truly feel like I have only ever had a few years with Leo. Under Endora’s reign, it was all a blank, and what I remember is a hazy blur. The snippets I remember are tense, and I just remember a child who always held a fire in his eyes. As he got older, from the age of six, he began pulling his weight and acting far older than he was. When I first created this pack, we had become closer… and I hoped he got the childhood he had been deprived of, but that all changed once Rayhan had come here.
Now when I thought I’d get him back… I lost the chance. Even if he said he has forgiven me, I wonder if it is just because he really just doesn’t care anymore. I tried to reach him several times through the link after he left, but he has his block up.
I frown, realising the coffee machine isn’t working. Great. The sound of footsteps and Winona’s light, citrus scent reaches my nose. She always smells refreshing. I don’t turn as she enters; I had asked her to come to see me when she was finished putting Corrado to bed. Azura’s words before she had retreated to bed aren’t forgotten.
“I know it’s not my place, but a member of your pack was disrespecting Winona today. And although I think I broke her damn nose, I don’t think Leo will be holding her accountable forher actions, so I hope you do. Winona’s shoulder has scratches, too…”
I frown as I push the button a few more times. Why isn’t this stupid thing working? I shake it, cursing internally, before a pale, slender arm reaches out and switches the socket on. Right…
“It was switched off, Alpha,” Winona says, smiling politely. “You asked for me?”
I look down at her. She is still in that black dress, and it is easy to forget that she is the same Winona I know. I look away smoothly, watching the coffee machine for a second before turning back to her and nodding. Crossing my arms, I lean against the worktop.
“Yes, I did. Azura mentioned something that happened earlier, regarding someone disrespecting you,” I begin. Instantly, she rubs her arm, looking away for a second.
“It’s sorted, Alpha. Azura defended me, and it really wasn’t much.”
“I will be the judge of that. Tell me exactly what happened,” I command lightly. My gaze falls to her bare shoulder, and, reaching over, I brush her hair back, feeling her tense at my touch. My eyes take in the faint marks of nails left behind. She heals slowly, after all.
Winona is one of Leo’s additions to the pack. He had found her when he was twenty. He had come home, visiting England due to setting up some business or other, and he had found her being bullied at a human orphanage. She had come of age and was being forced to leave, although she had nowhere to go. Along with having nowhere to go, she couldn’t shift. She wasn’t a rogue, but she also had no idea what pack she was from. With nowhere to go and living in fear, Leo had dropped her here with the pack before leaving once again. Although one would think she is an Omega, I’m not so sure. Due to the fact that she can’tshift, I think people simply assume that. Besides that, the rank system is long abolished.
“It was my fault. I asked Nikki why she wore red when I made it clear the Lu- Azura was going to wear red,” she says, tugging on the sleeve of her dress, avoiding looking me square in the eye.
“Nikki.” I frown. I was surprised to see her show up, and it was obvious she had been there to cause problems. I felt disappointed in her.
“Will you explain exactly what happened earlier?” I ask, taking the coffee mug and passing it to her. “Take a seat.”
She looks down at the mug, her eyes full of worry, but when she sees me making myself a second mug, I am sure she understands that I am not going to take no for an answer…
“…and then AlphaLeo told us to clear the area…” she finishes after spending the last fifteen minutes telling me exactly what had happened. I sit back, frowning as I look at her. She looks almost disappointed in herself. I shake my head, exhaling.
“That is… I wasn’t expecting that from Nikki. I will make sure she is confronted about this myself.” She nods and sips her coffee. Watching her, I realise she is forcing herself to drink it.
“You don’t like coffee,” I state. She freezes, looking up at me sharply.
“I, uh…”
“You could have refused, Winona,” I say. Reaching over, I take the cup from her, placing it aside. Her heart is racing.
“I’m sorry, I just, I’m a tea person…” I raise an eyebrow.
“Well, I’ll remember for next time.”
“Next time?” She asks, startled.
I smirk, “Am I that bad company?”
“Not at all, Alpha! I just… I’m sure you have many others youcan have coffee with,” she says quickly.
“Yeah, I guess… but then, not even my son wishes to be around me, it seems,” I say quietly, looking down at my hands. The faint scars that run up my hands and arms catch my attention for a second. They are mere lines now, scars that left no memory… yet the internal scars are the ones that Leo is suffering from.
“I’m sorry, Alpha… I’m sure one day he will come around. Please don’t blame yourself,” she says quietly, giving me a small smile that lights up her pretty face.
