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

Chapter 38

Milo held open Leo's mouth and fed him the shake in small sips that slid down his unresponsive throat. They got a whole bottle into him before Katarina suggested they stop and give his body a chance to absorb it.

The doctor hadn't been much use, claiming that he knew nothing of Constantine's plan or what capsule he might have given Leo.

Milo had sent him away to dither elsewhere.

It was over an hour before Leo's pulse strengthened and another ten minutes before his eyelashes flickered.

Milo moved close to his Beta's side at that moment and watched as Katarina removed the cold cloth from his forehead.

"Leo...talk to me," Milo encouraged him, but there was nothing. The eyelashes fluttered again and Leo frowned as if in pain.

Milo looked to Katarina to see if she suggested more of the strengthening shake, only to notice that she was off in another trance. He was beginning to wonder if the capsule Leo had taken had something to do with her gifts. It might explain the connection between the two that he was noticing.

Katarina's eyes focused long before Leo took in a deep rasping breath.

Milo kept one eye on Leo as he held his shoulders down, stopping him from struggling and the other on Katarina as she took a drink of the second bottle of strengthening shake with a wide, sad look.

"I thought you didn't need that any more?" He asked in a low rasp, while Leo continued to fight his hold as if still in a dream.

"No, but I need a strong drink after seeing that." She confessed. Before she could explain, Leo flopped back down onto the sofa and opened his eyes, as if waking from a regular sleep.

"Milo? Are you guys back already?" He asked, surprised as he sat up on the sofa.

Milo let him, since he seemed to be focused and back to normal. He briefly explained that they had been gone hours and about the letter they had found from Constantine. But there he stopped.

There was a look of realization coming into Leo's eyes as he sat there, suddenly remembering that it wasn't just a dream.

Leo looked at Milo with a shocked, pained expression and turned to Katarina.

Milo was surprised to see that as soon as Leo clamped eyes on her, he started crying. A hand reached out and, by instinct, he swatted it away from Katarina. But she just smiled softly and lifted herself to sit on the sofa. The moment she did, Leo crumbled. Milo had never seen him cry before.

"Oh shit! I thought you Torlov girls had given us enough trouble." He complained, moving back to sit on the now upright coffee table. He wasn't sure what was going on and he wasn't sure he wanted to know either. He hated seeing Leo this way.

"Not a Torlov girl this time, Milo. We're both Kirstom girls." Katarina corrected his assumption.

Milo looked at her closely and shrugged when he realised she was talking about her real father. "Same thing." He grumbled and raked a hand through his hair.

"It's all right, Leo...just let it out." She soothed, running her hand over his hair as he cried into her shoulder. Bricia rejected him. She explained softly, in a safe place where Leo didn't have to hear it again.

Why? He asked, frowning in disapproval of the way that girls kept mixing up his Beta's feelings. I thought you said they were true mates?

Katarina sighed and held onto Leo, gently rocking him as she felt his heart breaking. She opened up that feeling to Milo who frowned and looked away, too close to Leo to let him feel like that. But this time, there was nothing he could do to stop it.

They are. But she thinks she knows me because she has dreams. Not like I do. She uses a local herb to instigate hers, like what was inside the capsule. She admitted, sounding repulsed by the very thought. It broadens her mind while she's on it, like a drug and she's had dreams of me and of her mate, Leo. She explained. Bricia thinks she understands my life and my suffering.

It doesn't make any sense. Milo complained, about ready to tear his hair out. Surely she knew he was different to her? Besides, what does it matter? He asked in exasperation. He was on his feet and pacing now.

She doesn't understand, Milo. She thinks she does, but she doesn't. She thinks that I've suffered this pack my whole life, yearning for home. She complained, shaking her head. She doesn't understand that this is my home. That's why my father left me here. To be happy. To be with you! Katarina got angry as she tried to explain herself.

Milo smiled at her and she weaved her fingers, almost automatically, through Leo's hair. He was inconsolable and she could understand why.

I made the choice not to be with you because of who and what I was. Bricia will never understand that. She insisted, angrily. She thinks I did it because I didn't want to be an outcast to our pack. But that's not how I see myself.

Milo walked up behind the sofa where Katarina was sitting and kissed the back of her head. She was trying to focus on Leo and he appreciated that, but he also wanted to be within touching distance of her right now.

Bricia rejected Leo because she doesn't want to come here and be an outcast like me and she doesn't want to have Leo be in her pack and be the outcast there. She sighed and leaned her head against Leo's while offering Milo her free hand. He took it gladly, giving it a gentle squeeze.

It's your pack too, you know.

The reminder clearly wasn't one that Katarina was comfortable with. She shrugged the shoulder that Leo wasn't leaning on and made her protest as Milo caressed her cheek gently. Not really. I belong here. With you.

Milo smiled at that. It was true, after all. I know that. But you also have a rightful claim to your fathers Alpha position. If you thought Bricia would be an awful ruler, would you take it? He asked, curious to see what she would say.

He knew her heart now; they were mated and nothing was a secret any more. He knew that she would step up and take care of her fathers people if she thought Bricia would lead them to ruin. He loved that about her. But he also wanted to give her the chance to think it over, seriously, before the offer was made to her.

And leave you? She gasped in protest, shaking her head.

Milo fought back a laugh at how adamant she sounded. No. I was thinking more of merging the packs.

Oh. Katarina frowned as she thought that over.

It wasn't impossible. Packs were merged in times of war, when one dominated the other. And if they merged the packs, they would have more mates to choose from and she wouldn't be alone any more. She wouldn't be an anomaly to both packs. There would be more children born between the two packs who would be like her.

Well...I guess that's something I'd have to discuss with my father. She decided.

I thought you might say that. Milo approved, kissing her head one more time before leaning his head against hers.

Whenever Leo was ready, they had to have a serious discussion about this new development. If he was to take Bricia as his mate, he would become Alpha of her pack by rights of their union. If not, they risked having someone else mate with Bricia and take Katarina's rightful place as leader of that pack and possibly mistreat her people.