The Story of the Exile (The Belesone Pack #2)

Chapter 6

Milo nodded to the guard outside his house, wearily. He and Leo walked straight over to the study, where the guard had crossed the hallway to open the door for them. They quickly transformed back into their human forms and dressed. Once outside again, Milo headed for the library, while Leo ventured towards the kitchen.

Milo was ravenous and not inclined to sleep. "Katarina!" he called as he searched the library.

Leo came up behind him and looked around. The room was empty. And when he looked at the guard, Callum looked guilty.

"Where is she? I thought I told you to keep her in there?" Milo demanded answers. He had felt her fear all night and when he came home to comfort her, the strangers captured and ready to talk in the morning, he found her missing.

"Your father..." Callum began hesitantly. He shrugged and let it all fall out his mouth. "Alpha, your father tried to transform. He heard the hunt and wanted to join you. We...we tried to calm him down, but," he stalled, nervously biting his lower lip.

It was the wrong thing to do. Milo was almost frantic, thinking of the last time his father had tried to transform into his wolf. He had hurt a guard so severely that he was still scarred. And that had been him getting away lucky. He dreaded to think of what his father could to do delicate little Katarina.

"What happened?" he asked, grabbing Callum by the arms and shaking him.

"The girl," he gasped.

Milo couldn't take any more. He released Callum with a shove and took off, in a run, up the stairs. He threw open his fathers bedroom door, Leo following until they both froze at what they saw.

Katarina was sitting on the bed, beside Oswine, reading aloud from Hamlet; his fathers favourite book. They were both smiling and Oswine had his fingers tangled in Katarina's hair as she lay her head against his shoulder. They both looked so innocent.

Milo couldn't do anything but stare at them, as relief surged through his body. She was okay. She was safe. And his father...looked better than he had in months.

His entrance had been drowned out by another rumble of thunder so that, other than Algar, no one knew he was there.

Katarina stopped reading and sighed, looking sad and lost.

Oswine caught her chin in his hand and made her look at him. "You are still scared," he realised sadly.

Katarina shrugged and lifted her eyes, only to see Milo standing there.

Oswine followed her line of sight and smiled. "Ah, I understand," he nodded to himself and turned to face his son. "Your mate was worried about you, Milo," he explained gently, watching as Milo turned his eyes to Katarina with a faint smile.

"My little wolf was worried?" he asked, surprised.

"Yes, hunting in this storm. She has been able to hide it until now. She is happy to see you home safely," Oswine confessed.

Katarina blushed and looked away, as if ashamed of her fear. But Milo found it sweet and comforting. Especially after the rotten night they'd had. He and Leo were soaked from the rain, as were most of the pack. He figured they wouldn't be requesting a hunt again any time soon.

Milo stepped towards the bed and smiled. He was happy that his father had kept Katarina safe on a night when she was so scared. "I was worried too, father. Callum told me you tried to join us," he explained briefly, trying to make light of it. His father was still a shifter at heart and he would always want to transform. "What happened?" he wondered, as they all ignored Leo, who stood in the doorway, quietly talking to Algar.

"Well, I was trying to get Algar and Callum to let go of me so I could transform, but then this lovely little flower came to me and confessed her fears. She asked me to stay with her and protect her. An Alpha wouldn't be worth much if he didn't," Oswine laughed, winking at Katarina who flushed again and returned the smile.

Milo wondered what had gone on between them. His father looked alive again, truly alive. The last time he had looked that way, he had been sick as a dog and exhausted, in pain and yet smiling like a loon because he had disobeyed doctors orders and transformed.

Milo let them have their little secret. It would do his father good to have a friend who understood his difficulties and restrictions.

He walked over to Katarina's side of the bed and held his hand out to her with a soft smile. "Come on little wolf, I better get you into bed before this storm scares the wits out of you," he suggested lightly, watching the fear fade from her eyes as she met his gaze.

She reached out her hand to take his, only for a rumble of thunder to sound deep and loud outside the window. Katarina rushed out of the bed and into his arms, ducking her head into his chest.

Milo laughed. She was far too adorable for her own good. "It's okay Katie, you'll be with me. I'll keep you safe...tonight and every other night," he promised. "Goodnight father. Rest up, we have a busy week ahead of us," he reminded him, as his birthday and his union to Katarina was fast approaching.

His father nodded and smiled, as he lifted his little mate into his arms. They were both tired after a long day and they needed as much rest as they could get. But with his girl terrified of the thunder, no doubt because of all those visions and awful dreams she'd suffered, he wanted her to know that he was there with her. She had nothing to be afraid of, while he was with her.

Milo carried Katarina all the way to his bed and dropped her into a sitting position. "Get changed for bed, little wolf. I'll be at the door talking to Leo, for just a minute," He let her know where he would be and that he wasn't leaving her, before turning and meeting Leo at the door.

"I spoke with Algar," Leo began, in explanation. He spoke of what Algar had witnessed within his fathers room and reassured him of the safety of his little wolf. "He swears she was never in any danger. It sounds like she was actually the only reason your father never transformed," he said, with an approving smile.

"Thank you, Leo," Milo was grateful for the reassurance and patted his best friend's shoulder. "You should turn in and rest. We've had a hell of a week and it's not set to get any better, just yet," he warned. There was so much to do; the union, controlling his father, this sick child his mother cared for, Constantine's approval, meeting Carlton. And, somewhere in amongst all of his Alpha duties, was the one duty he had as Milo the best friend. The one thing he had to do, to see Leo at peace and with his true mate.

He sent him off to bed with a sigh and returned to his bedroom to find Katarina under the covers, practically shaking. "What am I going to do with you, little wolf? You are so innocent and delicate. Even after today," he joked softly as he reached the bed. He wasn't in the mood for doing things properly. He was exhausted and so was Katarina. She needed him.

He stood at the side of the bed and removed his clothes, throwing them into the corner, where his laundry bin was already overflowing. Then he crawled under the covers and held his mate, as she shook with fear.

He would go on holding her, talking softly and brushing his fingers over her cheek and neck in a feather light caress, until she fell asleep.