Page 110 of The Beta's Blind Date

Almost.

“Did you have any questions?”

“What activities am I cleared to do?” I ask.

“No restrictions right now,” she says. “Just listen to your body. You may find you get fatigued more easily in this early stage, but you know yourself best.”

“So physical activity is fine?”

Her lips twitch, and she glances at my unmarked neck. “Yes, mating and marking are fine while pregnant.”

I sigh and pinch my lips together, my eyes closing for a moment. “I meant working out. I mean”—I press my palm to my forehead—“I mean, I have been training to be a warrior, and I have been working out almost every day for the last four years to get there. Weight lifting, running—that sort of thing.”

“There are certain exercises you should avoid while pregnant—like specific yoga poses or weight lifting exercises—but Beta Reid will know more about which of those are best avoided.”

I clench my jaw and nod, biting back my remark. I haven’t decided how I’m going to tell Reid. Or when I’m going to tell him. I know I will have to, but the uncertainty of his reaction sets both my wolf and me on edge. We want our mate, but we also have a pup to think of, to protect.

I blow out a breath through my teeth. “And how long before other wolves will scent the pup or hear its heartbeat?”

“Not until around your second trimester—twelve or thirteen weeks. Your mate may sense it sooner, though.”

“But none of this information will be told to him, correct? Doctor-patient confidentiality and all that?”

She nods. “Of course. He’ll only know when you tell him.”

My shoulders sag in relief. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

“I don’t have any other questions right now,” I say. “I’ll look over the pamphlets and let you or Dr. Russo know if any come up after I read them.”

“Yes. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you need anything. We’re here to help you in whatever way we can.”

“Thank you,” I repeat.

She hands me the clipboard and I sign the paperwork where she indicates. Then I’m walking out of the room and across the frozen, snowy grounds to the packhouse, where Luna Haven waits for me.

“Hey,” she says as I approach the front door. Her arms wrap around me, and I return the embrace with one arm. “How are you?” she asks as she pulls back.

“Tired,” I tell her.

“Me too,” she admits, leading me inside. “Wesley and I got a few hours of rest just after sunrise, but with this storm about to break, we needed to be up and at it again as soon as possible.”

“Hopefully it’s not a long one.”

“The outlook isn’t good,” she says, shaking her head. “But you don’t need to worry about that. We’re taking care of it. Here”—she reaches for my bag—“let me show you to the suite you’ll be staying in.”

“Actually,” I say, clutching the bag to my chest. “I was hoping to speak with Alpha Wesley? I have a question for him. If that’s all right. If he’s not too busy.”

She blinks at me and then nods, changing direction. “Of course. He’s just double-checking the list of names Beta Dawson gave him against the list of verified Silver Ridge pack members in the registry. I’m sure he’ll be fine with a brief interruption.”

She raps on a door, and we wait for a second before it’s flung open, and Alpha Wesley stands there, staring at Haven, exhaustion lining his face.

“Oh, Sugar Plum, why didn’t you just—” He glances at me and presses his lips together, then starts over. “What can I do for you, Taryn?”

“I want to become a Crescent Lake pack member.”

His eyes widen and he steps back from the doorway to let me enter. I walk in, Haven follows, and he closes the door behind us as I sit in a chair across from his desk. I catch the lingering scent of snickerdoodles and Christmas trees, and I close my eyes and breathe it in deeper, letting it soothe my nerves.

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