Alpha Leo and the Heart of Fire novel Chapter 107

106. Darkness

AZURA.

My eyes snap open and I feel nauseous. Damn… Something isn’t right… I didn’t even eat anything weird. I frown as I sit up. My heart is thumping as I look around the dark

room.

What woke me up?

Why is it so dark?

It isn’t just dark, it’s really really dark.

Sure, I can see perfectly but there are no lights on outside. Strange. I kick the blanket off, wondering once more what had awoken

I glance at the clock. It’s late…

Did Leo get back?

‘Baby?’ I call, glancing at the bathroom –

but it’s dark.

I guess he won’t be back so soon. I hope

everything is going according to plan for

them.

Running my fingers through my hair, I

reach for the lamp and tap it. I frown as it

doesn’t turn on…

“What is going on?” I murmur, trying to shake away the unease I’m feeling. It must be a power outage. Just a power outage

Azura.

Damn, what if Corrado wakes up?

I get out of bed, walking toward the bedroom door. Suddenly I get the strange feeling that I’m being watched and I turn sharply, scanning the dark room.

Goddess, Azura, get it together.

I leave my room to check up on Corrado,

mind linking Marcel.

‘Marcel?’

No response.

Hmm… He’s probably gone to sleep and kept

his walls up.

‘Winona?’

Nothing again.

I sigh, walking down the hall.

‘Marcel?’ Weird, usually you can push through a person’s barriers when they’re asleep… I knew that because since I got my wolf, Liam was always the biggest receiver of that from me.

Disturbing him for a late-night hot drink or freshly baked cupcakes was always tempting.

Who should I contact about the outage? Someone must be around. Should I go out and ask one of the guards? They are probably already working on it.

I pause, feeling that same sense of being watched, when I see Corrado’s bedroom

door is open. I break into a run, fear

enveloping me, and I push open the door only to see Corrado fast asleep in bed. I let out a sigh of relief, thinking I really am being paranoid.

For a moment, I feel lightheaded from the spurt of energy used and feel nauseous once again. I walk slowly to the bed, adjusting the duvet around my little boy. I sit down on the edge, sighing. I don’t know why I’m on edge, but maybe it’s the power outage… I mean, does this mean the pack security system and barriers around the pack are all down?

I stroke Corrado’s brown locks back, bending down to kiss his cheek gently. Turning to the open curtains, I look out into the distance. I can see some lights are on. So it’s just the mansion then. That is a relief at least.

Goddess, now who do I annoy about the power? I honestly didn’t expect Leo’s Pack to have to deal with something like this. Maybe I’ll grab my phone and ask him.

I stand up, and it feels like the floor lurches.

I feel… I place a hand on my stomach, exhausted and sick.

Exhausted like I had no energy… just the way I felt back at the masked ball I attended.

The sudden unease I had felt the moment I woke up returns and I scan the room. My instincts are telling me something isn’t right … Raising my hand, I let my power swirl around my hand. There is something going on here…

‘Marcel! Anyone!’ I slam through the link, but again, I’m just hitting a blank. “Fuck!” I

hiss.

I need to grab my phone. I head to the door when I hear a scream down the hall, my

heart stops in my chest as I recognise that voice.

Winona!

I rush to the door, but I freeze, looking back

at Corrado. I can’t leave him here! If there’s

an attack, what if something happens and I can’t get to him?”

What should I do? What is going on?

I hear sounds downstairs, but they are

partially muffled. But the growl of a wolf and

the bang that follows tells me this is an

attack.

My heart is pounding in between keeping Corrado safe and going to Winona. I hear footsteps coming down the hall and guilt fills me when I slowly shut the door.

I’m sorry Winona… I’m coming… Just give me a little time. I try my power again as I hear the footsteps fade, but I’m unable to summon it. My vision darkens and I stare at the window. Is it just me or did I see

someone out there?

But then I see it again, a shadowy silhouette behind the blinds, and I quickly hurry to the bed and grab Corrado, turning and running

to the door. The only thing in my mind is the instinct to protect him.

I unlock the door just as the window shatters behind us and Corrado wakes with a

whimper of shock.

“Wh-what’s happening Mommy?” He asks as I rush down the hall. I try to summon my power forward only to feel that heavy weight collapse down on me.

Fuck!

“Look, I need you to stay quiet, ok baby?” I whisper to Corrado.

“Why?” He asks, his little heart thumping as I hear the door to his bedroom slam.

“Azura!” Marcel’s strained voice comes.

“Marcel!” I shout, spinning around only to see that the hallway behind me is empty.

I shake my head, not knowing what to say, when I hear Marcel’s menacing growl erupt from downstairs.

What the hell is going on! Although I want to go down to Marcel, something tells me that I need to make sure Corrado is safe first. I can

feel my own strength ebbing away as it is.

Is something in the air?

I run down the hall to the office. There is a

hidden area that-

A huge figure steps into my path and I skid to a stop, almost slamming into the man. My heart thumps violently until I realise it’s Eric. 2

“Eric?”

“Luna.”

“Go help Marcel!”

“He sent me to help you. Come with me.” He says, motioning for me to follow him, but he

seems too calm…

Unease fills me and my gaze dips to his feet…

And I feel as if a bucket of ice-cold water has

been thrown over me.

Those can definitely be size 11… I look up at him, my mind spinning, but my face

remains calm, and I plaster a relieved smile on my face.

“I got alarmed when the electricity went off.” I say, trying to buy myself time to think.

I just hope he’ll buy my bluff; he smiles and nods.

“It did, but we don’t have time to worry about that. Come on, I have orders to keep you all safe.” He shakes his head.

“Oh? What’s going on then?” I ask as he steps forward, reaching for Corrado and I make the mistake of instinctively stepping back.

Shit…

He’s watching me, and his smile fades.

“You can relax Luna, I’m here. I’ll take

Corrado.” It’s more of a threat than an offer.

Corrado looks between us and holds his

arms out to Eric. “Mommy, Daddy was

saying you shouldn’t carry me now. You are going to get tired fast.”

Not now, my cherub… not now.

“You aren’t heavy at all!” I say with a smile,

but Eric doesn’t back down. I hear another

crash from downstairs, and I jump. It

unnerves me, aside from Marcel I can’t hear

the enemy…

“Eric… shouldn’t you go help, Marcel?” I

say, not liking the way he’s now blocking my

path.

He looks at me, as if pondering over what I

said, before he nods slowly.

“Sure.” He says but instead of turning, he steps towards me and I jump back, my eyes blazing and I tug at the core of my power. I feel the pull inside as I send a blast of power at Eric. He ducks at the last moment, his

eyes flashing as he turns on me.

“Mommy!” Corrado exclaims

“Step back!” I say, letting him down and pushing him toward the office door. “You… you were helping Emmet, weren’t you?” I say quietly.

Eric smiles, tilting his head. “Took you long enough to figure it out.”

What do I do? Oh wait, I fucking know. Destroy the bastard.

My eyes blaze and he tenses.

“I’m impressed you can still use your

powers after what we put in your food.” He

smiles.

Now my tiredness makes sense.

“Yeah, well, you’re messing with the fucking Westwood Devil. Nothing will keep me down.” I snarl, raising my hand ready to

blast the fucking dickface to pieces. The office door opens behind me, making my heart pound. He isn’t alone…

“Corrado, come to me!” I command.

“M-mommy…”

I blast Eric back and he grunts, as he is thrown across the hall and I spin around, my heart thumping when I look at the man who

has now stepped out of the office. He’s all in

black, his murky hazel eyes fixed on me. I’ve

come face to face with the one man I never

wanted to ever see again…

“It’s been a while, my little pet. Now… you

will come with me, or I will kill this boy… and we both know I am very capable of it.”

My stomach twists as I realise he has his hand on Corrado’s head, one wrong move

and he could crush his skull.

“Judah…” My voice comes out sounding

shakier than I wanted it to.

‘Marcel!’ I scream fruitlessly through the

link.

Judah smirks as he tilts his head.

“Better… Now if you listen, this one doesn’t need to die like the older man downstairs is about to… I left him in a pretty bad state… For a Rossi, he didn’t disappoint.”

No! There are no sounds from downstairs

anymore!

“What did you do to him?” I ask. I’m seething, but there isn’t only my life

hanging in the balance. I feel my baby kick

and look at Corrado.

“Ok. I’m all yours. Just… don’t do anything to him.” I say, smiling at the terrified child

in his arms.

“Then, hands behind your back and walk.” Judah commands. “Turn.”

I close my eyes for a moment, glancing at Corrado. “Ok, I will, just make sure nothing happens to him, alright?”

He smirks, his grip on Corrado’s neck tightening.

No, you can threaten me, blackmail me… but you do not fucking hurt my babies! 1

“I SAID NOT HIM!” I roar, and my aura flares around me, blasting through the hall. In a flash, I grab Corrado, kicking Judah square in the neck. He’s taken by surprise, and he staggers back. I don’t waste time feeling my body becoming heavier.

“I told you to poison them!” Judah hisses at Eric, who is now up on his feet again.

I run down the stairs, scanning the hall, and rush to the door. I know what I can do with Corrado! I’ll lock him in Leo’s cave! But that thought vanishes from my head when I stare at the front lawn. Men in black have created

a circle around the mansion and, upon

seeing me, they all raise their guns.

A sinister chuckle from behind me makes me

turn.

“See, you just pissed me off…” Judah says, his smile vanishing. “Your so-called man

created those bullets they wield… you know what they do, right?”

My heart is thudding, and I pray somehow

Leo returns soon.

“Mommy…” Corrado whispers and I hug

him tighter. I was surrounded…

“I do,” I say, glaring at Judah. “What do you want with me?”

I needed to stall for time…

I can smell blood and Marcel too… but where

is he?

I dare not take my eyes off the bastard in

front of me.

“Now. Try anything else and I will kill

everyone who is currently simply

unconscious.” Judah hisses, grabbing me by my hair.

Yeah, you probably didn’t kill anyone, so Leo isn’t alerted. I sneer in my head, but I didn’t have an option but to obey. Here I am

with my two children, cornered.

Once again… I am helpless.

Fuck!

“Fine. I’ll come with you.”