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EPILOGUE
Last Updated:
2024-10-29 19:42:56
Allie CarstensAnd we have reached the end! Thank you again for all following along with Reid and Taryn's story as I wrote it, even when things seemed rocky and looked bleak for our two main characters. As I mentioned, I will not be posting books as I write them here on GN anymore, however, I may still post them once they are completed and upload them all in one go. Please don't forget to leave a review for Reid and Taryn's book if you enjoyed it! Lots of love, Allie
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The Beta's Blind Date Chapter 1
REID POVI have three rules for dealing with females:1. No kissing2. No pack members3. No sleepovers4. No fated mate.Shit, that’s four rules. Okay, rewind. Starting over.I have four rules for dealing with females.Now, I know what you’re thinking — no kissing? How can you be intimate with a female if you don’t kiss them?Well, when I say no kissing, I don’t mean no kissing at all. I just mean no romantic kissing. No long make outs, no sensual lingering kisses. No goodbye smooches or hello smooches or “oh, baby, I missed you so much!” kisses. I kiss as needed, as the sexual situation calls for it, and that’s all. Nothing more.And there have been no complaints yet.Although, I’ll admit, that could have something to do with rule number two — no pack members.I didn’t have this rule before. Before, when I was younger and more naïve, I would totally sleep with a pack female without a second thought. But as I got older, I realized this could cause potential issues in the long run. The
The Beta's Blind Date Chapter 2
REID POV“Good morning, Imogen,” Sebastian says, but his gray eyes are looking at me.And he definitely emphasized the word “morning.”“Morning!” Imogen chirps, chipper as fuck.“Did you sleep well?” he asks, this time emphasizing the word “sleep.”I glare at him, my jaw set. This mother fucker. Goading me. Poking at me. Gloating.“Fantastic, actually,” Imogen tells him, oblivious to the stare down happening between Seb and me. “Oh! Do you know what brand of mattress you use?” She jerks her thumb over her shoulder at the bed. “I asked Reid, but he’s clueless.”“I do not know,” Sebastian says, sipping his coffee.“Oh, that’s fine,” she says, waving him off and slinging her bag over her shoulder. “I’ll just ask Haven. See you later!”With that, she prances away, leaving me to face my worst nightmare by myself.“Sleepover, huh?” Sebastian says, taking another sip of his coffee.My fists clench to stop myself from smacking that steaming hot mug of coffee into his stupid, smug face. He jus
The Beta's Blind Date Chapter 3
TARYN POV Evergreen trees sprinkled with snow rush by me as my feet carry me through their midst. The sharp, cold air stings my face. The scent of pine and snow and early morning sun is refreshing and invigorating, encouraging me to keep my pace as I finish this leg of my morning run. My thighs burn, but it is a good burn, a burn you only get from a solid workout, from an energizing run. I have started my day this way for years now — since the day of my first shift — and on the days I skip it, I can tell a difference in not just my physical energy, but my mental energy too. I crest over the final hill and the large, luxurious craftsman style packhouse comes into view, the sprawling lawn holding a fresh dusting of snow. I pick up my pace, the finish line of my personal race in sight, and let out a tiny “whoop!” as I reach the steps in front of the house. My steps slow, and the image fades, the virtual reality headset signaling the treadmill that the preset workout is complete. I rea
The Beta's Blind Date Chapter 4
REID POV My knee bounces as I sit in Wesley’s truck parked outside of Rendezvous. It is one minute until six pm, and I should be inside already, but I am not. I grip the steering wheel, then grab my phone and send off a message to TearinItUp. Me: Running late because of the snow. Reservation is under the name Stephen. I toss the phone on the passenger seat and press my forehead into the wheel, groaning. I used my middle name for the reservation, since the entire premise of Date-to-Mate is to remain anonymous until you meet face-to-face. And because my original plan was to drive down here, sit around for a few hours, and then drive back home, so Sebastian will at least think I’ve fulfilled my end of the bet. But now that I am here, I am waffling on my plan. I can’t just stand someone up, even if it’s someone I’ve never met. I am many things — a player included — but a man who breaks his word and his promises is not one of them. And with my luck, that plan wouldn’t fool Seb, anyway.
The Beta's Blind Date Chapter 5
TARYN POV Reid stares at me from his side of the table, those baby blue eyes wide and unblinking. He folds his hands on the top of the table, looks down at them and then back up at me. “I’m sorry, I — what?” he asks. I huff out a dry laugh and sigh. I still can’t believe my luck, that the best match the app could make for me was with a male who doesn’t actually want a mate. A male who doesn’t even date. How or why he’s even on the app is beyond me. “I said, since we’re not mates, there is no reason for me to try to wrangle you into another date.” He shakes his head, clearing whatever thoughts he has there. “Right,” he says, rubbing his short beard. “Right. That would — that would be silly. A waste of your time.” “We can even just call it a night now, if you want,” I tell him, though in my head I’m crossing my fingers that he says no. “No, no,” he says, lifting his hands, the veins in his exposed forearms bulging. “Like I said, I made a promise, and I’m going to see this through.
The Beta's Blind Date Chapter 6
REID POV Once our date is over and I am back in the truck, I lean against the driver’s seat, my head tilted up to look at the ceiling. “What the fuck do I do now?” I ask the air. I had hidden my confusion, wrangled control of my wolf, and pushed both to the back of my mind for the remainder of the date, so I didn’t look like a complete fool. I’d put on a mask of confidence and acted like my normal charming and flirty self, so she wouldn’t grow suspicious. But now that it was done — now that I had paid the bill, and we’d said our goodbyes and parted ways — now I had to face the truth. She didn’t feel it. She didn’t feel the bond or scent me as her mate. I’m not sure why. I know she’s old enough — her profile had said she was 22 and no one can feel the mate bond until both mates are 21 or older. But the fact is, she didn’t feel it. I’m not sure how this happened, not sure what I did to deserve this, but it is obvious I am being punished. Maybe it’s because I mocked the mate bond for
The Beta's Blind Date Chapter 7
TARYN POV “You’re home early.” I roll my eyes as I enter my apartment in the packhouse, unsurprised to find Blake parked on my pink velvet couch with the tv on, a ginger beer in one hand and a piece of pizza in the other. “Was it a bust?” she calls after me as I walk down the hall to the single bedroom. I just ignore her and start pulling out clothes to change into — plaid flannel pajama pants, fuzzy green socks, and an ivory waffle henley top, to be more specific — and take them with me into the bathroom. I peel off my turtleneck, skirt, black tights, and black ankle boots, toss the clothes into my hamper and the shoes into my closet, then throw on my pajamas and put my curls up in a high puff on the top of my head with a dark pink satin scrunchie, leaving a few loose pieces framing my face. “It was a bust, wasn’t it?” Blake repeats as I walk back into the living room and plop down on the other end of the couch. I pull a turquoise throw pillow into my lap and fluff it a few time
The Beta's Blind Date Chapter 8
REID POVI amble across the packhouse grounds in the early hours of the morning, another light dusting of snow falling around me and sprinkling the grass like powdered sugar on a pancake. Without my permission, my eyes lift to the mountains in the east, where the snow clings a little stronger to the ground and the pine needles, up towards where I know Silver Ridge’s borders are.I can’t see the pack from here, but I know the exact spot on those hills where their lands begin. It’s my job to know.That’s the only reason I’m looking. To make sure no one is wandering too close to that line where our border ends and theirs begins. Not because of a certain exquisite mahogany-skinned she-wolf who lives there. Definitely not because of that.I wonder what she’s doing.“Goddess, damn it,” I mutter, tearing my eyes away and gluing them to the path in front of me.My wolf whimpers in my mind, tugging against my control to get me to look over there again.“Not going to happen, mangy mutt!” I say u
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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
