Alpha Leo and the Heart of Fire

Chapter 28

Will You Believe Me

LEO.

Schurke Wolf.

My alias, the name the cartel world knew me by.

I ruled the United Kingdom from the underground, with ties and allies in Italy, Germany, and most European countries.

Power and money, I had it all. The humans looked to their king and prime minister, and the supernatural species looked to Alejandro, but from the shadows, England was mine.

Humans worked for me, and although they didn’t know who I was exactly, they sensed the power that I held. They could feel it when in my presence and knew I was not to be trifled with. I was feared by all, and there were not many who could look me in the eye. 5

My most trusted men from my pack were also part of my cartel, but I always made it clear, if they wanted to step back from the front lines, they were welcome too, because, in this world, death is always lingering above you. Luckily, being a werewolf made us pretty much invincible when it came to dealing with humans. But even then, the risk of the unknown was always there, and I did not want my people to be left without their mates because of my own ambitions.

Nothing happened without my knowledge, and if someone ever tried to double cross me, then I fucking take care of them. 2.

I now wore a dark grey suit, a black shirt and smart boots as I headed to one of my underground warehouses. The drugs had finally arrived, and I was here to take a look at them myself.

I was flanked by my most trusted; the Six as they were referred to. Ace, Shane, Dan, Jin, Li and Jax. I didn’t trust easily but these six, I grew up with them, and I knew they were ideal for this job. They went by aliases here, just like most of us. Within the pack, we didn’t really show that we talked much, I preferred not to mix the two identities. Only Ace and Jax lived at the pack, whilst the other four lived in the city. 2

I slowed down as I looked at the crates in front of me. The LSD had been separated from the fruit they had been compiled with, and I looked at the endless packets in the assorted crates, letting out a low whistle. We did it, one huge, risky, shipment but with the correct planned journey that I had mapped, they got into the UK without being discovered by border control. I crouched down by one of the crates, opening one of the clear packs and took a pinch in my fingers. I sniffed it, it was clean. The very best that money could buy. “Check every individual packet, and get it to Seven X. Open the market for our buyers a week from now.” I commanded, turning around. 3

Those who that was directed at knew the location of that site. The less who knew where I was keeping it, the better.

“Understood, we’ve already begun getting everything in place.” Snider, one of my human Lieutenants spoke. “Perfect.” I replied, about to say something else when I suddenly felt a wave of unease wash through me.

Something was wrong. I looked up sharply scanning the place, but it was completely secure; only a few I trusted were in here and it was heavy with security.

‘Check if this place is secure.’ I commanded through the link.

A few minutes later they told me all was fine.

What was this feeling? 6

“Everything ok Boss?” Snider asked.

“Get them to Seven X now, via separate routes as planned.” I said, pocketing the packet I had opened.

“Understood!” He moved away and I took my phone out. No phones worked in here and I wasn’t about to lower my defences. Was something wrong at home?

Azura came to my mind and that unease grew.

‘Noir, call Emmet.’ I commanded one of the men who was standing guard outside. ‘Yes, boss.’

‘He isn’t answering Alpha.’ He said after a moment. Fine.’ I frowned. That feeling wasn’t going away, and I wondered if something had happened to her.

Had that bastard found a way into the pack?

“I’m leaving, take care of the rest.” I told the Six before I walked past them.

As much as I wanted to oversee this myself, I had to go back. I needed to make sure she was fucking ok. Stepping out into the underground carpark, I got into my car, commanding my driver to get moving and closing the screen between us so he couldn’t overhear, before ringing Eric. “Hey Alpha.” “Where are you?” I asked coldly. “I uh, was just at Emmet’s floor and was heading down now. everything ok?” He sounded tense. “How about you answer that?” He sighed. “Emmet told you?” “Emmet didn’t even answer my call. What the fuck is going on?” “He and Azura, the visitor, got into a physical fight.” Fight.

A flash of anger rippled through me and my eyes blaze steel blue.

‘Drive faster.’ I growled to the driver through the link

“Details.” My voice was calm, but anger was pulsating through me.

“I don’t know the details, but Emmet said she insulted you and this pack. It got physical and she did a number on his face whilst he also landed a few on her. They were both pretty bruised up… But he shouldn’t have hit her.” His voice was quiet in that last sentence.

No he fucking shouldn’t have. 5

My eyes blazed, my heart was thundering, and the anger that was raging through me was

blinding

Bruised up

“Alpha?”

I swallowed hard, ending the call. “Stop the car.”

He instantly braked, and I got out just as he opened his door quickly. “Boss, is everything ok?” I didn’t reply, getting into the driver’s seat and slamming the door shut behind me. I started the car, hitting the gas as I picked up speed. 3

He shouldn’t have touched her. 4

I don’t give a fuck what she said, she was there under my fucking protection. 1 My head was fucking pounding with uncontrollable rage that I was trying to control, so I didn’t end up fucking ripping the steering wheel right off.

Trying to comprehend what Eric had said.

Azura wasn’t the type to insult our pack, she’s never looked down on us or me for that matter. Sure, she lost her temper, but that was if she was triggered, which meant Emmet must have said something. His hatred for the elite was not something I was fucking blind to. He was one of the few who

understood my hatred… but if that was the case, it meant he must have found out exactly who Azura was. 3

I was driving this thing as fast as it would fucking go, a blur in comparison to everything around me.

Tell me exactly what happened.’ I commanded Eric the moment I was in range.

‘Sure, I found them around the side of the apartment block when Azura was on top of him ready to punch him and I broke them apart…’ He began to explain.

It took me less than half an hour to get back, half the time it should have fucking taken. Getting out, I headed upstairs and into my office, pulling my jacket off.

She…!

‘She what?’ I asked coldly.

‘She then said he hurt Jackie and for her to tell me the truth.’ He sounded tense and his words surprised me too.

Emmet hurting Jackie? Sure, he had a temper but he wouldn’t hurt her…

Continue.

I know he didn’t want to speak up as he and Emmet had enough issues between them, never seeing eye to eye. Although both had tried for the Delta position, I gave it to Emmet… but even then I found myself asking Eric to deal with a lot more. It should have been Eric. He had been more Delta material, but it was Emmet I ultimately wanted closer to Marcel, and when he had needed a new Delta when his last one retired, I suggested Emmet. 2

‘Well, Jackie denied it, and when I was leaving, I just saw Jackie take Emmet inside and say goodbye to Azura before shutting the door.’ He briefed me as I headed out of the office, tossing my jacket onto the sofa.

I paused, furrowing my brows. ‘She just took Emmet inside?’

‘Yeah.’

‘Yet Azura had bruises and grazes?’ ‘Yes.

But Jackie as a doctor didn’t check her… even if someone went against her Alpha or Mate, Jackie was the type of person who would still tend to the sick or injured, no matter who they were… 1

‘Get me the CCTV footage sent to me from the fight.’ I said before ending the link. I stopped for a second outside Corrado’s bedroom, opening the door slightly to see he was fast asleep with Winona sitting on the bed, leaning against the headboard asleep too.

He was safe.

I closed the door silently and left the apartment, heading straight for Azura’s as I undid my shirt cuffs, rolling the sleeves of my black shirt up. 2

I raised my hand and knocked hard.

Nothing I knocked again, nothing.

Fuck I didn’t care, I’m going in.

I entered a code on my smart watch before I held it against the scanner and heard the lock click open. I stepped into the apartment, shutting the door behind me.

Her scent filled my senses and I headed to her bedroom.

Why didn’t she fucking answer?

I knocked on the door trying to control the anger and restlessness that was now not only mine

I felt him prowling in my mind, his urgency and concern for the mate that I deprived the both of us of. 2

I knocked again, frowning.

“Azura. Fuck, open the door.”

She was here, I could fucking smell her. Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

Was she in the bathroom?

I pushed the door open, just as the bathroom door opened, and I came face to face with none other than the she-devil herself. Oh, and right now… she was the image of pure sin in nothing but a black lace bra and a tiny pair of underwear.

She froze in surprise, staring at me for a moment, her heart thundering.

Pleasure fucking rushed south, and I felt myself harden as my eyes raked over her. At least she was fucking here…

I let my gaze trail over her once again but this time I saw past those gorgeous curves of hers… taking in the bruises on her legs, arm, shoulder and even her cheek.

My eyes flashed with anger at the same time reality seemed to hit her. She quickly grabbed a discarded towel and wrapped it clumsily around her shoulders, although it barely covered her panties. She then gave me a scathing glare. 2 “Have you ever heard of knocking?” She growled. She sure didn’t lose her spark.

“I did, several fucking times, you didn’t answer.” I replied arrogantly.

“For a reason.” She retorted as she slowly eased the towel off her shoulders and freed her arms. Wrapping it around her chest she walked over to my wardrobe grabbing an oversized shirt.

My eyes were on her back, I could see the curve of her ass from under the towel and the painful scrape that was slightly bloody on her left cheek. It only made my anger grow; this hadn’t been a small fucking scuffle, Emmet had aimed to hurt her. 1

She pulled the grey t-shirt over her head, and let the towel fall as she turned back to me.

“Why are you here?” She asked, sounding almost accusing.

“You know why.” I replied coldly, walking over to her.

Her eyes flashed defensively as I approached. The urge to fuck her was intense, but instead, I caged her between my arms, her back pressed against the wardrobe behind her.

My eyes scanned her face, she had another bruise under her jaw and on her neck…

I clenched my teeth, masking my emotions.

Raising my hand, I ran my fingers down her cheek, making her tense. Those tingles rushing through us both… I had weakened them but they were still here…

Her heart was racing as I continued to run my hand down her neck I was beyond fuming and what fucking got to me the most was, she was supposed to be here with me, safe.

“Want to share what exactly happened, Little She-Wolf?” I asked, dangerously quiet. I looked into those fucking beautiful eyes of hers and saw she was hesitating, as if she didn’t

think she should tell me…

There was no anger in them, so despite the fight, she was calm. Then again she might just be hiding her emotions…

But it was her words that fucking surprised me. “Will you believe me?” 1

I frowned.

What did she even mean by that?

She was serious, gone was the woman who was not afraid to unleash hell. Whatever had happened had shaken her. There was a vulnerability in her eyes that was throwing me off, reminding me of that night that I rejected her and forced myself to fucking turn away from her. 3

“Try me.”

A/N: Hello! I know everyone wants double updates, but I have a lot going on in my personal life, things I had pushed back in September so I could work extra. I don’t really take big breaks so for me writing 1 chapter a day as I get everything I need doing is all I can currently manage. I don’t really share much about my personal life, but I have a few medical appointments this month. Aside from that, I’m also hoping to catch up on the Rings of Power, which is the only TV show I’m watching. (I’m three episodes behind because I was writing 12 hours a day and had no free time) I also want to find time to at least read two or three books before I’m swamped with writing 2 books again. I haven’t read a single book since April, and I do love reading I’m also working on launching my merch store for Etsy (been working on this since Feb) as well as trying to get a few books edited for print. Also please remember I am a wife and a mother to three, who also need their mama’s attention at times, especially after not really giving them much for the last two weeks. I know many people have messaged me saying I should just focus on the one book at a time, but I find it mentally draining.

Thank you for understanding. 16