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

Chapter 7

Milo blinked as he opened his eyes to darkness. Some strange feeling had woken him and he couldn't place it. He was also facing the wrong way.

He had been curled up with Katarina, in the middle of the bed, last he remembered. Now he was lying on the edge of his side of the bed, facing the bathroom door. He frowned and turned over, figuring that the wrong feeling had been letting go of his mate while he slept. But when he turned over, he found himself alone in the bed.

"Katie," he sighed, as he sat up and glanced at the clock. The luminous hands said three o'clock and he groaned in complaint, running his hand over his eyes.

He sat there for a moment, focusing on his sense of her, to see if he could tell where she was. He was disappointed to find that the answer was simple. She was still in the room and there was whimpering coming from his closet at the other side of the bedroom.

With a yawn, Milo slipped out of bed and padded across to the closet, opening the door with a raised eyebrow.

There was the little silver wolf, shivering in the corner, crying in fear.

"Come little wolf, back to bed," he urged, in a soft voice.

The storm had eased off and it was just high winds that continued to torment the outside air now.

Milo could only guess that her current fear had nothing to do with the wind or the storm. She hadn't turned into her wolf when he was on his hunt; she had gone seeking reassurance. He figured that if it had been the weather tormenting her, she would have woken him and asked him to hold her again. This was so much worse.

He crouched down just outside the closet and reached his hand inside. The little wolf rubbed her nose against his hand and he smiled at the trust she gave him, even when terrified.

"I promise, I won't let go this time," he vowed, watching as the little wolf took a tentative step forward.

The tiny paw trembled and gave way, until the wolf backed into the corner again.

Milo frowned as he reached forward and lifted her into his arms, holding her close. What's wrong, little wolf? Talk to me, he asked, holding the delicate little thing in his arms as he carried her back to bed. He lay her down on her pillow and watched as she cuddled into the soft fabric.

Pain. So much pain, she gasped.

Milo was confused. He perched on the bed and stroked his hand over her fur. Share it with me, my love. Show me what you see, he asked, not sure if she would.

Suddenly, he saw an image of Leo standing on a cliff top, looking down at the raging sea below. He was tottering on the edge, crying.

Milo watched his friend turn and look over his shoulder. A girl just a few inches shorter than Katarina, with her same dark features but a coldness surrounding her, stood just a few feet away. She was flirting with a tall, well muscled man and he could feel Leo's pain.

Don't let him fall,

A tear fell from Katarina's wolf eye with the words.

Milo took a deep breath and ran his hand over her muzzle. Sleep, little wolf. I will take care of Leo, he soothed, getting up and pulling on a pair of joggers. He left the room and headed into the next door suite, where Leo slept. He could hear his little wolf whimpering still and couldn't blame her. Something was very, very wrong.

To make it worse, he knew that Katarina was locked into that vision and she refused to let herself leave it. She refused to leave Leo, in case something terrible happened. It worried him.