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

Chapter 15

By the time Milo and Katarina made it downstairs again, Leo and Oswine were settled in the living room. They'd had breakfast and were halfway through a film that was on the TV.

Leo glanced at them as they walked into the room and shook his head, before returning his attention to the screen.

I think someone's mad at us, Milo noticed as he led Katarina over to the second sofa in the room.

Leo and Oswine were sitting together, with Oswine's feet up on a foot stool, so they had the entire second sofa to themselves.

"Is something wrong, Leo?" he asked, out loud this time, after noticing the third glare from his Beta in the last five minutes.

Leo sighed and sat back on the sofa, shrugging. "Oswine says you're trying to get her pregnant," he mentioned, not moving his eyes from the TV as he spoke.

Milo turned a curious look onto his father, who smiled innocently and reached his hand into the popcorn bowl distractedly. Is there a way you want me to deal with this, little wolf? he wondered, as he turned his eyes onto Katarina, to notice that she looked shocked. And something he couldn't place.

She met his gaze after hearing his question and shrugged, shaking her head in confusion.

He smiled at that; she was uncomfortable having people knowing how she felt and yet, she had no choice. She was mated to him, for the whole world to know and sense. And whether she liked it or not, she was in heat from the mating and every shifter who came across her at the moment would know it.

"Yes. I am," he confessed, letting the words settle in the air, as he noticed Leo shifting uncomfortably in his seat. He was curious, but not enough to ask why.

Leo had his own thoughts to contend with today and he would just have to wait for a confession or an explosion. Either way the air would be clear soon enough. "I take it the spell went well?" he asked, as if the previous conversation had never happened.

Milo didn't answer for a moment as he tried to think of what emotion was in his Beta's voice that he couldn't place.

Leo turned to look at him and he nodded in reply, still confused. "I miss my mate, alright," he snapped, turning his attention back to the TV.

There was an uncomfortable silence in the wake of his words that no one dared break. It seemed obvious that Leo was at breaking point and was ready to snap at any moment.

Katarina's hand slid over his, as it lay on his knee.

He took it gratefully, as he worried about his Beta. They were both worried, but neither of them were willing to admit that Carlton wanted to bring Bricia with him to visit, in case it didn't happen. The girl had proven to be stubborn already; they really didn't need to hurt Leo any more with her insistence not to accompany her own father.

Don't worry, Leo,

Milo heard Katarina's voice as clearly as Leo did. He turned to look at her, with tears in his eyes and a softer look than the one he had just given his Alpha.

The dream walk wasn't real. You saw what you expected to see...it was your grief taking over. If Bricia had taken another mate, my father would have told me last night, she soothed, keeping her eyes focused on Leo's.

Milo watched for any sign of anger or resentment, but there was nothing. His Beta slowly looked away and nodded as if he understood what she was saying, but it was hard for him to accept.

Acceptance wasn't easy to come by, so he was relieved to have his Beta willing to trust Katarina, for the time being. When Carlton arrived, that wound would open again and he would either have Bricia there to witness his grief or have the final answer as to whether there was any hope of uniting with her.

We hurt him, Milo sent the thought to Katarina, when he realised it.

She looked up, unsure about his words, until he lay his arm around her shoulders and explained.

He's jealous that we're together and so happy. He doesn't want us to get pregnant, because it means there will be another separation removing his friendship with me. He's scared that we're all he's ever going to have, he explained gently, unsurprised to see that it upset her. But he wouldn't lie. She needed to know the truth.

Milo distracted her by handing her a bottle of the strengthening shake from the coffee table as Leo downed a good bit of it, as if it was some sort of tonic.

It can be. For grief, Katarina confirmed his thoughts. It was the grief that made me such a state after visions. That's the real reason I took it. Because it calmed me, She sighed as she took a drink, nudged her head into his shoulder and tried to focus on the TV.

Milo kissed her forehead soothingly and lay his head against hers. It was going to be a long day. His father was revealing their secrets; they were happy and Leo wasn't. Leo was jealous and grieving and they had some crazy shifter out there plotting their insanity. Why couldn't life ever be simple?