Fake Mate Beta Rises to Alpha Heiress (Natalie and Landon) novel Chapter 345

Chapter 345 Calming Effect

Leonardo’s POV:

“There are a lot of them,” I added, my voice dropping lower, almost speaking just to her. “Like waking up in the middle of the night and seeing her beside me. Or… like right now. Just having her sit with me, even in silence. Knowing she’s within reach, being able to catch her scent, feeling the pull of our bond between us… It grounds me. It quiets the turmoil in my blood, no matter how fierce it gets.”

Natalie shot me a look that clearly said, “I thought we agreed not to talk about me.” But I knew her heart was soft and warm.

Jayden gave a solemn nod. “It seems your mate is a very significant source of stability for you. You’re fortunate. Many werewolves spend their entire lives searching for a mate who can steady their blood and spirit to this degree.”

“I know,” I replied, squeezing Natalie’s hand. It wasn’t just luck. It was the Moon Goddess’ grace, the only light I managed to grasp after long years of darkness and self-exile.

Natalie’s POV:

I knew Leonardo was leaning on me emotionally, but I hadn’t realized just how much my simple presence meant to him.

Then, Jayden pulled a specially designed assessment form from his briefcase. The paper itself seemed infused with calming herbs. He asked me to sit with Leonardo while he filled it out- Leonardo would choose the answers, and I’d mark them for him.

I thought Leonardo might balk at a questionnaire probing such private thoughts. But when I read the questions to him, he was fully focused and serious. It was as if he wanted to hand himself over to me, completely open and honest.

As he picked his answers, I found myself mentally answering the questions, too. I realized… we thought about a lot of things very differently.

Sometimes, when I felt his choice was too extreme or too withdrawn, I couldn’t help but give his arm a little pat.

“Leonardo, you can’t think that way,” I said, pointing to one question. “Keeping things bottled up doesn’t solve anything. It just makes the people who care about you worry more.”

Her words were born of her heartache for me, maybe spoken impulsively in the moment. But their sheer finality, that promise, was like a searing beam of light, piercing through one of the coldest, most desolate parts of my soul. I knew I shouldn’t demand this of her. An Alpha’s instinct was to protect, not to seek boundless dependency. But hearing her say it… I was so overcome. I nearly pulled her in and kissed her right then and there.

I fought down the surge of emotion. An unfamiliar heat prickled behind my own eyes. “Yeah.” That was all I could manage, the syllable rough. I gripped her hand in return, my knuckles turning pale.

Jayden sat across from us, quietly observing our interaction. His posture had grown more relaxed than at the start. He later told me that when he first took Fiona’s case, he’d had reservations. Werewolf trauma was often more complex, tangled deeper with bloodline instincts and pack hierarchy, making it harder to treat.

But seeing the profound, natural connection between Natalie and me-especially the near- miraculous calming effect her presence had on me-he recognized a power stronger than any traditional therapy.

What was meant to be an assessment had turned into a chance for us to connect, Jayden patiently waited for us to finish before finally, and very naturally, steering the conversation to its core. He asked about the first time I’d completely lost control and shown aggression.

Surprisingly, I didn’t feel the expected suffocation or resistance.

It happened at a pack gathering. Miranda had a run-in with some members of the Flemming family. Because she was unable to have children due to past injuries, and had devoted herself to caring for me after marrying my father, she was often targeted by cruel whispers-“just a stepmother,” “can’t continue the elite bloodline.” That time, an elder, throwing his weight around, insulted her with vile language.