Chapter 72

**Kataleya’s POV**

He walked away from me. There was nothing that I could do besides watch him leave the room, shutting the door behind him.

Elijah was sitting next to me and after Justin shut the door behind me, he placed his hand on my knee, “He will come around. You just need to give him time. He just does not want to see you placed in danger for no reason.”

I sighed and nodded my head, looking back at the king.

“ Is everyone in agreement about this?” King Lucas asked. Everyone voiced their agreement. “Meeting dismissed then. I will contact Alpha Stav.” As everyone got up to leave, the king spoke up again. “Kataleya, can you hang back for a moment. I just want to talk to you for a minute.”

I nodded my head and waited for the last person to leave the room and shut the door behind them.

King Lucas and I stared at each other before he finally spoke, “Kataleya, I am asking you to easy on Justin. This cannot be easy on him. He loves you and we are asking him to allow you to walk into danger.”

I sighed. I figured this is what he wanted to talk to me about. “I know, but I think his reaction was too dramatic. I am fine with him being upset. I can handle that. King Lucas, he overreacted. He acts as if I cannot take care of myself. Before I had agreed to become Alpha, I was one of the best warriors in the pack and quickly rose through our rankings.”

“You do not need to address me as king in public. Lucas is fine. I understand his anger. His anger is not directed towards you for not being able to take care of yourself. His anger stemmed from his fear. I recognized that look in his eyes. He is scared of something happening to you. As you know, usually, it is hard for mates to survive when the other passes and if they do, they become a shell of their former selves. They have nothing to live for once their person is taken from them. That is how Justin feels. He fears the unknown. He is fearing something happening out of our control and losing you. You have not completed your bond yet.” He cut me off before I could protest what he was saying. “I can tell the bond has not been completed. A completed bond requires you to be fully mated, including having sex and marking during sex. I know from your past and history that it is hard for you to move past that and take that next step with him. Kataleya, he is hurting. I can honestly tell you that I would have fought tooth and nail if it was Everleigh trying to do this without me…Our mates are like our lifeline and he feels as if his is slipping out of his grasps. He loves you, Kataleya. Never take that for granted. He is possessive, as many males are, but the possessiveness is ten-fold when the bond is not completed. We are talking about sending you back into the hands of someone that has harmed you in the past and now we are sending you back to them like cattle sent for slaughter. Also, Kataleya, once you are fully mated, he will be able to feel and sense if you are in danger. He will feel your pain. While that is not something that is always ideal, it may be something that will help him in the long run and allow you to do this.” He held up his hand, telling me to wait for him to finish. “I am not saying that he has to give you permission, but it would a lot easier on you if your mate is not trying to fight you on what you have to do.”

I thought about what Lucas said. He is right. I can see how this would make Justin feel, but how do I let him know that I will be okay? How do I make him see that I can protect myself?

“Oh, and Kataleya, Justin never said that you could not protect yourself. Goddess forbid anyone ever to say that about you, Kat. We know what you are like in battle or pissed off. He wants you safe. Happy. You cannot fault him for caring and loving you. I am going to leave you to think about this and find your mate, while I go and find my mate.”

‘Kataleya, you were harsh on our mate. He did not do anything to deserve you thinking like that about him. He just wants to protect us, even if that means sheltering us from danger. I think we should apologize to him. Justin and Ares love us and want what is best for us.’ Skye chimed in after Lucas finished talking.

After he left the room, I sat there and thought about what I would say to Justin and what ways to make it up to him. I guess his reaction was kind of valid…

*************************************

Several hours later, I made my way to our room. I had decided to go shopping earlier and grabbed a few things that I was hoping Justin would like. I guess we will see.

Once I walked into the room, I laid my bags down on the chair in the corner. I looked around the room. I thought Justin would be there, but he wasn’t. I have not seen him since he left the conference room this morning.

I walked to the bed and noticed a note lying in the center.

Kataleya, my love,

I am sorry for the way that I reacted earlier. I cannot handle the thought of losing you and having to live without you. I needed to take out some of my frustrations. I love you.

Forever yours, Justin

Of course. I should have known he was going to go to training. Maybe he went and took his frustrations out on the rogue that we still have. Beta Damien did tell me that my dad was waiting for me to make the final decision regarding what happens to him.

I opened up the link, feeling for Justin’s tether, ‘Is everything alright?’ he linked me.

‘Yeah…I have been worried about you. I just saw your note about taking out your frustrations. Are you on the training ground?’

‘Yeah. I decided to make the warriors do an impromptu training session. They are all pretty pissed about it, especially since I was mad enough to want blood. Most of them have gotten their asses handed to them by me and they aren’t too happy.’

I chuckled before deciding to go see him at the training grounds.

I started walking to the training grounds when Oliver and Elijah caught up to me. “It cannot be anything good if both are you are coming up to me.”

“We just wanted to see how you were doing after what happened during that meeting,” Elijah stated.

“I am fine. I was a little upset afterwards because I had felt that Justin had overreacted, but after talking with Skye and King Lucas, I realized that his anger and fear was not too far out of the ballpark…I am not used to having someone care for me that deeply. I am not used to someone loving me and wanting to keep me out of harm’s way.”

Elijah and Oliver scoffed, placing a hand over both of their hearts. “You wound us,” they both said simultaneously. “We care for you too, Kataleya, but we know that you are going to make your own decisions, regardless of what all of us think. Justin, on the other hand, is not going to sit back and let you put yourself in harm’s way without stating his opinion and thoughts. It is kind of cruel if you do not even consider his feelings about you throwing yourself head first into danger.” Oliver finished.

Ugh, here we go again. Some more people lecture me. The icing on the cake is if my father decides that he wants to lecture me about how I reacted to Justin’s reaction.

“I know, Oliver. I know I overreacted. I was going to apologize to him before you two walked up. He is on the training grounds. He pissed off the warriors by calling an impromptu training session for them. He has taken down half the warriors and none of them are too happy that Justin is taking them down like it is nothing. I can’t expect anything less from my mate,” I laughed.

It was only fitting that I would be paired with someone that is a formidable warrior with a strong head on him. The Moon Goddess could not have me taking advantage of my mate, can she? He has to be able to take me in a fight, which he most certainly can.

“We will leave you to it. Go find your mate!” Elijah and Oliver stated before they walked away.

I continued my trek to the training grounds. Once the training ground came into view, I stopped and watched the men train for a moment, taking a second to admire my mate.

Justin was currently shirtless. Sweat glistened down his abs. He was currently sparring with Garrison, and poor Garrison was not standing a chance. I watched as Justin delivered a strong uppercut, kicking Garrison in the face, blood spurting onto Justin’s torso.

What would I do to just run my hands along his muscles? I can only imagine what it would be like to have Justin shirtless, hovering over me, his hands roaming over my body. I stopped myself…what was I thinking?

I have never had any thoughts that were sexual in nature about anyone before. Is this how mates are supposed to feel about each other, I asked myself.

‘Of course, it is,’ Skye chimed in. ‘It is only a natural feeling to want your mate and for your mate to want us. Justin has been holding back with you for fear that he will scare you and you will run from him, but he very much wants to complete the bond with you and make you fully his.’

I looked at Justin again and I could tell that I wanted him. I could tell the direction that my thoughts were taking. I wanted him.

At that moment, if there was one thing that I was certain of, it was that I wanted Justin. I wanted him to be mine too.