The Alpha and the Oracle (The Belesone Pack #1)

Chapter 16

When the training session was over, Milo couldn't help but smile about how happy Katarina was. She had given him a good right hook that would leave a black eye and a kick that had swept even his strong legs out from under him.

He wished he had let Leo stay to see her success. The added benefit, was that by the time they finished training at five o'clock, they had worked up quite an appetite. The diner he had picked out for dinner was just around the corner from school, so they walked it.

"Are you sore?" Katarina asked with a light, guilty giggle.

Milo smiled at her and gripped her hand a little tighter as they walked. "Not sore. Just...stiff." He lied.

His Alpha said he didn't want to admit that a girl had beaten him quite nicely during a training session. At the same time, his Alpha was telling him that he shouldn't have been beaten by the 'weakest' member of the pack.

Then Milo realised that he shouldn't let it get to him. That was the whole point of the exercise. "Okay, a little sore." He admitted it.

That kick to the gut had given him some bruises for sure. But he would wear them with pride and let his stupid Beta know about his injuries.

"Sorry. But you did tell me not to be gentle." Katarina smiled shyly.

And Milo had to admit he had said that. But he also wanted to kiss that adorable look right off her face. He didn't, because they had just reached the café, but he really wanted to.

They walked up to a booth and perused the menu. "I am starving." Milo confessed just as his stomach started grumbling in complaint.

When the waitress came over, they ordered their drinks and dinner, then settled down to wait on it being served.

"I had planned on getting some variation into our dates this week, but considering how you kicked my ass and worked me up an appetite, I'm thinking I'm going to commandeer you for dinner every night." He decided, smiling as he watched her across the table.

Katarina just smiled back, resting her head on her hand, her elbow on the table.

"And I think my father might have something to say about that." She warned him with a single arched eyebrow. She looked like she was planning something and he might just like it.

"He might. Unless we have dinner at your house tomorrow?"

Milo countered her argument with the knowledge that her father would want to see them interacting together at least once, before their union. He needed that reassurance that Katarina was happy and considering she was, he didn't see why they shouldn't come to a compromise. They would get dinner and Grene would get to see them happy together.

Katarina made a soft humming noise in agreement.

He reached across and took her free hand, that was playing with her cutlery, into his own. "I have you until eight tonight, so what are we doing after dinner?" Milo wondered, brushing his fingertips against the palm of her hand. He felt strangely close to her considering that, until that morning, he had pretty much ignored her. Something happened when he was with her and it just seemed like he couldn't do anything but like her.

"Don't you have Alpha things to do?" Katarina asked curiously.

If he wasn't mistaken, she sounded hopeful because she thought he had planned on abandoning her after dinner. But he didn't intend to do that, now or any other night.

"Not tonight. I will tomorrow though." He gave her fair warning that tomorrow night he would have to leave her after dinner to take care of pack business. But until then, he was hers. "So what do you fancy? We could hang out at my house, go to a movie or head to that little club in town?" He gave the choice over to Katarina, since he didn't really care. He just enjoyed getting to spend time with her. That was all he cared about right at the moment.