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Chapter 50
Last Updated:
2024-10-29 19:42:56
Allie CarstensThis was an emotional one for me to write! Lots of love, Allie
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The Beta's Blind Date Chapter 51
REID POV “Listen, Buddy,” Dad says as he pulls away from me. His nose is tipped with pink, his eyes are puffy, and his cheeks are stained with tears. He sets his hands on my shoulders and takes a deep breath. “You should go. Spend some time with your mate.” His eyes flick to Taryn over my shoulder, and he smiles at her. I shake my head, and Taryn rubs my back. “I don’t want to leave you. You shouldn’t have to go through this alone.” “I’ll be fine,” he says, squeezing my shoulders. “Bonding with your mate is more important than—” Another coughing fit hits him, and he lets go of me, covering his mouth and gripping onto the bedding again, his knuckles turning white. Taryn moves around me and rests her hand on his arm, pulsing more of her golden healing magic into him. “We don’t mind staying,” she says, her voice cracking. “I can help ease some of your pain, at the very least.” My arm wraps around her waist and I slide closer to her, my lips kissing her shoulder. Selfless. Brave. S
The Beta's Blind Date Chapter 52
TARYN POV “Here we are! Home sweet home!” Reid says as he opens the door to Wesley and Haven’s old house. I stand on the wide covered porch of the small sage green, white, and tan bungalow, my eyes taking in the view from the steps and the adorable patio swing at one end of the porch. The house has less of a cabin feel than most of the buildings here at Crescent Lake, but it still gives off the same homey vibes I get from the pack as a whole. I turn and walk to the door, but Reid stops me, blocking my path. “What are you doing?” I ask, leaning away from him and the mischievous glint in his eyes. “I have to carry you over the threshold.” I try to protest, but he lifts me in his arms, cradling me to his chest, and I squeak and cling to his neck, laughter bubbling out of me. My braids swing and the charms clink together as he steps into the house, holding me tight against his body and not letting me go. The entry has a long console table under a mirror, and within it, I catch a gli
The Beta's Blind Date Chapter 53
REID POV Faint light pokes at the edge of my consciousness. A lean but muscular body stretches along the length of mine, smooth skin beneath my hands and held within my arms. The scent of peaches, strawberries, and peonies fills my nostrils and I smile to myself, burying my nose into the base of Taryn’s neck, placing a tiny kiss there that sends a shudder through her still sleeping body. That’s my girl. Even in her sleep, her body responds to my touch. Even in sleep, she reacts to my possessiveness, to my claim on her heart. Our once tenuous bond is stronger than I’d ever thought it would be, ready to weather whatever life throws our way. My hand moves to her stomach, just below her belly button. Her belly is still flat, not yet showing even a hint of a curve, but I know our pup is in there, growing and thriving. A pup. Our pup. My pup. My daughter. If anyone asked me three weeks ago if I thought a pup would be in my future, I’d have laughed in their face. But now, she’s all I can
The Beta's Blind Date Chapter 54
TARYN POV We’re quiet for most of the drive from Crescent Lake to Silver Ridge, my hand in Reid’s as he navigates the roads and switchbacks that bring us higher into the mountains. He squeezes my hand every once in a while, sending comfort and love to me through the bond. We’ve spent the last few days in a bubble, existing in a world filled with only the two of us as we built up our trust in each other and strengthened our bond before ultimately marking each other. The storm may have put a damper on everything else — the rest of the wedding, Haven and Wes’s honeymoon, and getting to the bottom of everything to do with my old pack — but it gave us what we needed. It gave us time. Time to bond and accept each other, to forgive and mark each other. But now it’s time to face the real world. And something in me tells me we’re in for a bumpy ride. Even Blake isn’t her normal chatty self. Instead, she is quiet in the backseat of our SUV, picking up on the solemnity of the situation. “What
The Beta's Blind Date Chapter 55
REID POV I react to Dominic’s presence on instinct, shoving my mate behind me and positioning my body between the threat and her. All around me, the others do the same with their mates, growls and snarls bouncing off the mountainside, claws extending and bodies getting into protective stances. King Malachi joins Wesley in guarding Haven, the only one of us incapable of defending herself, and Aunt Gigi stands with me, guarding Taryn and Sour Patch. But instead of attacking, he falls to his knees, his eyes closing. Blood drips down his arms, stomach, neck, and thighs, falling into the pure snow and marring it with its deep red stain, expanding and growing by the second. His clothing hangs off his body in tatters, soaked through with the blood from his unhealing wounds. “Oh, Goddess, he’s hurt,” Taryn says, pushing me out of the way and running towards him. “Taryn, no!” I take off after her and grab her hand, pulling her against my chest and wrapping my other arm around her to pin her
The Beta's Blind Date Chapter 56
TARYN POV “Hell fucking no,” Reid growls, his grip on me tightening. “She is not speaking to him. You are not speaking to him,” he repeats, his body vibrating from the intensity of his hold on me and the possessiveness radiating from him. Wesley says nothing, but his eyes are on me, a wordless question held within them. Reid’s hold on me is unwavering, his hand moving to cover my stomach, his nose pressing into my shoulder as he tries to calm himself. “Please, Taryn,” he says, almost in a whisper. I shake my head and cover his hand with mine. “I don’t want to talk to him,” I say, looking at Wesley. Reid’s entire body relaxes against mine, a sigh of relief passing through his lips before he kisses my shoulder blade. “But I do want to hear what he has to say when King Malachi questions him. If that’s all right.” “Of course,” Wesley says, standing from his desk chair. “You are the pack’s beta female, and you have every right to be involved in these situations. Not to mention you are
The Beta's Blind Date Chapter 57
REID POV I lower my lips to Taryn’s as my hand slides to the waistband of her leggings, her body quivering in anticipation. But I don’t kiss her. I just hover there, right above her mouth, my breath tickling her lips. Her throat bobs, her pretty neck still stretched and exposed, a feast for my eyes. Her complete submission to me in this moment awakens the primal instinct in me, the one I held back for too long after I met her. It prowls beneath my skin, demanding I claim her again and again, to make up for denying and fighting it. She shrieks as I rip her leggings from her body and toss the ruined garment aside, then reach for her boots to pull them from her feet. My claws slice down the middle of her sweater, and I push the halves aside to reveal her bare breasts, nipples already peaked and pointing straight to the ceiling atop her round tits. “Where’s your bra?” I growl, my eyes darkening. I don’t mind if she wants to free the titties, but the thought of another male seeing her
The Beta's Blind Date Chapter 58
TARYN POV Reid tugs me away from the bed and stands between Dominic and me, taking a protective stance, his claws out and his growl echoing through the hospital cell. “What the hell? I thought you said he would stay unconscious?!” Dr. Russo rushes to the IV stand, checking the drip line and preparing another dose of sedative from the cart nearby, his movements rushed but precise. “I underestimated how much of it would filter from his system as Taryn healed him. I can prepare another dose, but it will take some time and I’ll need to focus.” Dominic’s eyes bore into me, cold and unfeeling, harsher and more distant than I’ve ever seen them. Gone is the male I knew, the male who was a friend before he was ever anything more. The male I thought would still be my friend even after I told him I wouldn’t remain at his beck and call. Maybe he was never that male. Maybe it was all an act. I’d like to believe that’s not the case, but the proof is staring right back at me, his lip curled and h
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The Beta's Blind Date EPILOGUE
REID POV TWO MONTHS LATER — SEPTEMBER 30th Today is a perfect day. The sun is shining, its rays warming the grounds and the lake and the garden. There is a light breeze winding and swirling its way around the forest and through the flora, carrying the scent of pine, water, flowers, and sunshine with it. There isn’t a cloud in the sky, and the air is the perfect temperature — neither too hot nor too cold. I woke up with my girl in my arms, and my other girl singing us the song of her people at the top of her little lungs, letting us know she was ready to start her day. I spent the day carrying Savvy around against my chest in her baby wrap while Taryn rested and had a spa day with Haven, Maya, and Blake. I soaked in all her gummy smiles and little coos and baby noises, only bringing her back to the house when Taryn needed to feed her. There is no broken, emotionally damaged hybrid after my mate and wreaking havoc on our lives — the crones made sure of that. Malachi extended an offe
The Beta's Blind Date Chapter 64
TARYN POV SEVEN MONTHS LATER — JULY 21st After a grueling twenty-one hours of labor, our Sour Patch was born at home at 4:31 am on July 21st. Reid was the perfect partner and father through my entire pregnancy and birth. He brought me breakfast in bed in the mornings when I was too exhausted to get up, and he held my hair back for me on the rare occasion morning sickness hit me. He put together every piece of furniture in the nursery and the cradle that now sits in the sitting area of our room, and he held my hand and coached me through every contraction, rubbing my back and caressing my belly, sending me every ounce of love he has for me as I worked my ass off to deliver our pup. And now, he’s standing in front of the window, framed by the light from the early morning sun. He holds our sleeping daughter in his arms, his face ducked down close to hers as he tells her about Crescent Lake, and about the moon goddess, and about all the things he’s going to teach her as she grows up. I
The Beta's Blind Date Chapter 63
REID POV As soon as we secure Merina to the chair in the cell, I turn around and leave, heading back the way we came in. King Malachi is questioning Merina, getting more details from her about her confession, and even with my distaste for torture, I’d love to watch her squirm, love to watch him get every piece of information out of her by whatever means necessary. She more than deserves it for what she did to my mate. But the ache in my soul pulls me out of the room and back towards the packhouse, back towards my distressed mate. Her pain is mine, growing stronger by the second, clawing up my insides, impossible to ignore. I shove the door to the building open and Taryn flings herself at me, heels in her hand, burying her face in my shoulder as she clings to my neck. Her tears soak my T-shirt, silent sobs wracking her body. My arms wrap around her on instinct and I turn to take her back inside, out of the cold and away from prying eyes. “I’m here,” I say, my lips right against her
The Beta's Blind Date Chapter 62
TARYN POV I stare at myself in the full-length mirror of our walk-in closet, smoothing my hands over the knee length pencil skirt of my off-white outfit. Butterflies swarm in my stomach, fluttering and tickling my insides, and my hands tremble, but I exhale and close my eyes, putting up my mask for the event today. A low whistle sounds from behind me, and I peek out through my lashes to meet Reid’s stare in the mirror, his blue eyes scanning over my dress and lingering on how it hugs the curves of my ass, thighs, and breasts. Heat and longing rise within me, and I turn to face him just as he reaches me. He tugs on the peplum ruffle of my top, pulling me flush against him and lowering his lips to mine for a soft kiss. “You look delectable,” he says. I laugh against his mouth. “Thanks.” “But what if you need to fight?” he asks, his hands skimming my hips and thighs. “This skirt hugs you in all the right places, but there is no way you can move properly should things end in a scuffle
The Beta's Blind Date Chapter 61
REID POV We sit around Dominic’s bed, Taryn in my lap on one side, and Maya and her mother on the opposite. King Malachi, Dr. Russo, and Wes all stand near the end of the bed, on standby, should things get hairy. Tensions are high and heart rates quickened, but none are faster than mine. The only thing keeping my heart from racing out of my chest is my mate in my lap and in my arms. Her calm demeanor in turn calms me, grounds me. For the most part. Neither my wolf nor I are comfortable entering this… astral plane or whatever Renée called it — but I’m more uncomfortable with my mate going in there without me, so I’ll do what I have to if it means I know she’s safe. I squeeze her and she rubs my forearms, her hands warm and soft against my skin. The protective bracelet on her wrist jingles and clinks against mine, and she looks over her shoulder at me, a soft smile gracing her beautiful face. Renée places the black tourmaline charm necklace around Dominic’s neck, and I stare at it,
The Beta's Blind Date Chapter 60
TARYN POV Large hands roam my body, one skating over my ribs and up to my chest and the other traveling down, caressing the tops of my thighs. Warmth spreads through me from where Reid’s hands touch, snaking through my veins like tendrils of smoky incense, sensual and soothing, and just as intoxicating. His hand comes back to my hip, and he presses a little kiss to my mark, his thumb stroking in circles on my abdomen. I whimper and sigh and push back against him, closing the already nonexistent distance between our two bodies. My ass rubs against his groin, and his hard as a rock dick twitches, a groan falling from his lips as he pinches my nipple and slides his hand down between my legs. “Maya said we needed to sleep,” I say, even as I tilt my hips up, seeking his expert touch. “Maya isn’t part of our mate bond,” Reid says, brushing his fingers over my entrance. “And we did sleep. All night. And now I want to have my way with you.” His digit slips between my lower lips, not enter
The Beta's Blind Date Chapter 59
REID POV “What the fuck just happened?” I ask, holding Taryn against my body. She trembles and her skin is colder than ice, her teeth chattering and her eyes squeezed shut. She presses herself closer to me, her hands gripping my sweatshirt, her face burying into the fabric as she takes in deep breaths. I keep one arm around her waist and cup her cheek with the other, my eyes scanning her face, my heart pounding like a drum in my chest, worry and fear rushing through me like a jolt of lightning in my veins. Her beautiful skin has a gray tinge to it, and her eyelids flutter in time with her shivering body. Her heart beats even faster than mine, and rapid breaths force her chest and shoulders up and down at an unnatural pace. I clutch the back of her head and hug her to my chest again, swaying side to side, hoping the calming movement will help settle her nerves. “I was hoping Taryn could tell us,” King Malachi says, letting go of Dominic and stepping away from the bed. “Not here, tho
The Beta's Blind Date Chapter 58
TARYN POV Reid tugs me away from the bed and stands between Dominic and me, taking a protective stance, his claws out and his growl echoing through the hospital cell. “What the hell? I thought you said he would stay unconscious?!” Dr. Russo rushes to the IV stand, checking the drip line and preparing another dose of sedative from the cart nearby, his movements rushed but precise. “I underestimated how much of it would filter from his system as Taryn healed him. I can prepare another dose, but it will take some time and I’ll need to focus.” Dominic’s eyes bore into me, cold and unfeeling, harsher and more distant than I’ve ever seen them. Gone is the male I knew, the male who was a friend before he was ever anything more. The male I thought would still be my friend even after I told him I wouldn’t remain at his beck and call. Maybe he was never that male. Maybe it was all an act. I’d like to believe that’s not the case, but the proof is staring right back at me, his lip curled and h
The Beta's Blind Date Chapter 57
REID POV I lower my lips to Taryn’s as my hand slides to the waistband of her leggings, her body quivering in anticipation. But I don’t kiss her. I just hover there, right above her mouth, my breath tickling her lips. Her throat bobs, her pretty neck still stretched and exposed, a feast for my eyes. Her complete submission to me in this moment awakens the primal instinct in me, the one I held back for too long after I met her. It prowls beneath my skin, demanding I claim her again and again, to make up for denying and fighting it. She shrieks as I rip her leggings from her body and toss the ruined garment aside, then reach for her boots to pull them from her feet. My claws slice down the middle of her sweater, and I push the halves aside to reveal her bare breasts, nipples already peaked and pointing straight to the ceiling atop her round tits. “Where’s your bra?” I growl, my eyes darkening. I don’t mind if she wants to free the titties, but the thought of another male seeing her
