The Beta and His Angel (The Belesone Pack #3)

Chapter 15

Milo only reluctantly called Algar and Josanna back into the living room. He'd had the rare moment of peace to kiss Katarina so thoroughly that she couldn't stop smiling at him.

By the time Algar took his seat and Josanna perched at the far opposite end of the sofa from her mate, even the seriousness of the conversation couldn't wipe away her smile. So Milo took the lead.

"Very well. We will grant your request Algar," Milo began, with the most important information. "Josanna will see through her punishment as it currently stands. At the age of twenty-one, we shall have this meeting again and see where we stand," he granted Algar his permission to refuse his mate until her twenty-first birthday. At which time they would have to meet and discuss whether or not a true mate bond had formed between them.

"And you will allow me to refuse my mate, if that is my decision?" Algar asked, checking to make sure that he had full autonomy in his future relationships.

The Alpha could demand or order anything of any member of his pack, even if he insisted they never dated or took their mate. They would have to comply or go rogue. But Milo would never deny him happiness.

"Yes. That is your right," Milo gave him that option.

Instantly, Algar got to his feet and bowed his head to Milo in respect. He crossed and kissed Katarina's forehead gently before offering her a thankful smile. "Then I should return to my duties, Alpha," he explained, before leaving the room.

Katarina was so stunned that she just turned and blinked at her mate, confused.

I think that was his way of pledging his life to you and our son in gratitude. Milo mentioned with an approving smile. Soldiers can choose whether to grant the Alpha's mate equal status. It's not common practice anymore, since it's naturally assumed that a woman is equal to a man. But Algar was giving you the reassurance in the old ways. He explained, as he lay a hand over her still flat stomach. I think it's rather nice. He knows how close you are to Josanna and that I would never cross you. It was his way of thanking you for allowing him peace of mind over the happiness of your sister.

He watched as his little wolf fought back tears. She had never been accepted in the pack, even as his mate, except by very few members who knew not to cross him. Having Algar's promise of affection and gratitude, having him elevate her to Alpha status in his mind, was something she had never dreamed of happening to her. Milo smiled and caught her hand in his, giving her a reassuring squeeze.

He knows how important you are to me. He would always have protected you with his life. Now he does so, not out of duty to me, but love for you. Milo let her know that not everyone held onto the old grudges, thinking her weak and unworthy. In Algar, she had probably just gained the loyalty of the remaining half of the pack that held doubts. He would have taken care of it himself, in time, but he found that with the baby on the way and her visions still affecting her, he didn't want to cause any unnecessary stress for her.

I love you so much. She whispered in his mind, her voice full of tears as she turned her attention to Josanna to distract herself.

"You do realize what you've done now, don't you Josanna? You're delayed your own happiness and your own union by being foolish," Katarina scolded her sister gently.

"I know," Josanna apologized. But neither Katarina nor Milo were entirely sure they believed her. There were no tears, no sign of affection whatsoever for Algar. It was worrying.

"Don't you feel your mate at all?" she wondered, hoping that there was some sense of a bond in Josanna, even if it was faint or she doubted it.

"No,"

"You can leave now Josanna. Get back to your duties," Milo sighed, excusing her. He didn't want to hear her whining or let her upset Katarina any more than she already was. She didn't want to see anyone rejecting Algar or being so ignorant of a true mate bond that he was so aware of. But it was worse that the one rejecting him was her own sister.

"This is going to drag on forever. I'm not sure Algar will ever accept her," Milo complained about the inevitability that the whole situation wasn't going to end well. Either Josanna was going to cause trouble or Algar was going to end up miserable. "Either that or they'll be united by the end of the year,"

"He just said no. Are you going to go all Alpha on him?" Katarina giggled, laying her head on his shoulder and tucking her feet up behind her on the sofa.

"No. I just know how it feels to see you cry. He'll either distance himself so he doesn't see it or he won't be able to stand it and he'll give in," Milo had no trouble admitting to how much he hated seeing her cry, as he weaved his fingers through her hair. He was perfectly willing to let her fall asleep again, if that was what she needed, but he also knew they had a fair bit to talk about.

"You think he'll fold and court her anyway?"

"No. I'm hoping he'll come back in a few weeks or months and ask for their union," Milo wanted Algar to come back and request their union, because it was the only way he saw them getting over their differences without getting hurt in the process. "I had a whole week to court you before we were to be united and look what happened. One moment of seeing you terrified and I went weak at the knees. We were united and mated long before we had to be," he reminded her needlessly. She sighed a content, happy sigh and lay her hand over their son, making him smile. He placed his hand over hers and she looked up at him with a soft, yearning look in her eyes.

Milo kissed her because he could and he wanted to.

"It kind of makes sense now though, doesn't it? The way he reacted when she came to the house and claimed she was Leo's mate. He was already angry with her for disrespecting you, someone he respects and admires. But to claim she was someone else's mate right in front of him must have caused him a lot of pain," Katarina mused aloud, now realizing that Algar had already reached breaking point a long time ago and he was barely holding onto his control. His grief and the betrayal of his mate was the only thing that had made him even consider striking her, when he knew that it was something Milo would never allow.

"Yeah. I had wondered about that. He really overreacted, but you're right, it does make sense now. He's her true mate and he was in pain. I guess he had a right to overreact," he agreed with his little wolf easily. But he knew that she was tired and as much as they could talk about Algar and Josanna until the cows came home, it wouldn't resolve anything. Algar had to take care of his mate from now on and they had to back off. "I guess we need to have a chat now, don't we? About Angelus," he suggested,

"Yes. And about this overprotective vibe you've got going," she teased with another light kiss.

Milo settled down and told her everything about his dream walk with their son. He wanted her to know the happiness they could give him, the heartache he had already lived. They could, if they were careful and sensible, raise him to never have to live those sad alternate lives. His gift would make it so that he remembered each one. But they could talk to Carlton about erasing those past life memories once they could be sure he had a happy, healthy future ahead of him.