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

Chapter 32

Leo returned to the house hours later, deflated and confused. He had gone to see Janet at school, explaining that the Alpha had taken the day off to take care of his sick mate. But it hadn't gone as well as he hoped.

He had spent an hour with her, trying to get to know her and see if he felt anything that might signify if she was his mate. It hadn't worked. He was just as confused as ever.

He walked into the kitchen, to console himself with an indulgent chocolate muffin, only to stop as he walked into the room. Milo was sitting at the counter, shirtless and in a pair of jogging bottoms, eating from a bowl of cereal.

"Hey...where have you been?" Milo asked teasingly.

Leo shrugged and walked over to join him at the counter.

"What happened?" He wondered, with a seriousness that made Leo glad to have him as his friend.

Somehow they were always there for each other, even when Milo was busy with Alpha duties, his Beta was a priority. At least until Katarina came along and he realised his feelings for her. But losing his best friend to his true mate was something he could live with. Especially since it made them so happy.

"I had a fight with Josanna." He grumbled as he pulled the box of cereal towards him and emptied just a few sprinkles onto his hand. He wasn't hungry, but he needed something to do other than wallow in self-pity.

"A real fight?" Milo frowned and wondered if Leo was talking about a wolf on wolf fight, or a human fight.

Leo laughed and realised that he should have been clearer. "A shouting match. Where's Katarina?" He wondered, trying to change the subject.

"Calling her grandfather." Milo grinned again and tucked back into his cereal.

Leo knew there was something more to that confession, but he wasn't sure what. So he kept his eyes on the Alpha until he blurted out the truth.

Milo chuckled and shrugged as he said the words. "She's giving him some news that's better coming from her."

"That you're going to be united? That's what he wanted all along. I hardly think he'd be mad." Leo was confused. There was no reason the news of their union would be better coming from Katarina.

When Milo swallowed and turned his head to look at him appraisingly, he realised something else was wrong. "Boy, you really are upset, aren't you?" He reached out and pressed his hand to his Beta's forehead. "Leo...Katie and I are mated now." He explained gently.

That kind of thing was usually very obvious to a shifter. It was how single shifters recognized mated pairs. By their scent.

"Like...mated?" Leo frowned, surprised to hear the news. Now he could understand why Milo was worried about Constantine's reaction.

Milo smiled when he realised that Leo wasn't unhappy or angry about their mating any more, he was just a little stunned. "Well, we're going for a run later so not totally mated. But once our wolves have got to know each other a little more intimately, then yeah, we will be." He admitted to their plans for the day.

It was only a little after noon already and his wolf had always preferred twilight.

"The council are going to go nuts." Leo warned him to be careful, in amusement, as he popped another cereal cornel into his mouth.

"Hence why my Katarina's breaking the news."

Leo raised an eyebrow at that and watched his friend carefully as he moved his empty bowl into the sink and rinsed it.

"Oh, you're calling her by her name now, are you?" He wondered about that, pretty sure Milo wouldn't give him an answer. He got a shrug and an enigmatic smile in reply as his Alpha took his seat again. "I'm glad you're happy Milo. As my friend and as my Alpha. I was wrong to judge her." He confessed suddenly. He felt rotten knowing the things that he had once said to Katarina and how none of it was her fault.