Page 47 of The Beta's Blind Date

“Are you okay?” she asks.

Her hand rubs my shoulder, and I curse the sleeve of my T-shirt, curse the fabric between her skin and mine. I want her touch. I want the fireworks.

“How’d it go?” I ask, turning towards hers as she drops her hand. “What did he say? What did he do?”

“Well, he wasn’t happy about it. But my trial is scheduled for two weeks. Or, a week and a half, now, I guess.”

“That’s great news!” I say, lifting my hand to give her a high five.

She returns the gesture, but the smile she gives me doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “He banned me from the warrior training sessions, though.”

I growl, and my lip curls, my hand squeezing hers before she can pull away. “He did what?!”

“Usually, the trainees in the top class are allowed at up to two elite warrior practices a week, but Dominic alpha commanded me away from them. And he ordered everyone in the pack against helping me get ready for the challenge.”

I growl again, the blood in my veins turning to fire, my wolf stalking back and forth in my mind, the fur at his neck standing on end. “That bastard.” I turn on my heel and storm away towards the garage of the packhouse. “I’m going to drive up there and give him a piece of my mind. He can’t keep my girl from training with a group she has every right to be a part of.”

Her hand tugs on mine, though, stopping me in my tracks, forcing me to turn and face her again. “Reid.” She sighs. “It’s not worth it. And it’s only for two weeks. Then I’ll get to be there all the time.”

“You’re right.” I nod, blowing out a breath and ignoring the sparks and tingles left behind from her thumb rubbing my hand. “I don’t need to start a pack war over this. We need to do everything by the book, so he has no choice but to grant you your warrior status.”

She squeezes my hand and drops it, smiling at me, her eyes sparkling. “My girl?”

My hands rest on my hips, and I freeze, but I force my face to remain neutral. Those words weren’t supposed to slip out of my mouth. But it was so natural to say. So easy to claim her, even in that casual way.

My girl. My mate. Mine.

“Yeah.” I draw out the word, rubbing my chin. How can I cover my slip-up? “I’m training you. I’m invested in your success. So… you’re mine. My girl.”

“What happened to ‘Cadet’?” Her eyes glitter as she walks closer, stopping when she’s two steps away.

My heart skips a beat in my chest. So close. She’s so close to me. Her scent floats in the air, light and sweet and oh so intoxicating, and all it would take for that pesky, minuscule distance to close is for me to grab her and pull her against me.

But I don’t. I lick my lips and cross my arms to prevent myself from acting on those instincts. “That’s for active training. For when you’re complaining or being naughty.”

She cocks her head to the side and does what I want her to do—closes the gap between our bodies until we’re almost touching. Her hand comes up to my chest, and her lip pushes out in a faux pout, those long dark lashes batting as she stares at me through them. “I’m notthatnaughty.”

Oh, Goddess, fuck me. My dick twitches in my sweats and I’m about to say damn it all, throw caution to the wind, grab her sassy little ass and kiss that smart mouth until she forgets how to speak, when she laughs, her eyes squeezing shut and her head tilting up to the sky. My eyes lock onto the long, smooth column of her neck, onto the spot where my mark will be when I claim her.

If I claim her.

Should I claim her?

I shake my head and turn away. “Come on,” I say, gesturing to her to follow me as I walk towards a sparring ring. “Are you warmed up?”

She jogs a little to catch up to me. “I had a run and a workout with the level five class earlier this morning.”

“Good.” I nod, grabbing the focus mitts and putting them on. She stands in front of me, waiting. “You’re left-handed, aren’t you?”

“What gave it away? Dinner last week when I used my left hand to eat? Or lunch at Brewed Awakenings when I had a salad?” she asks, her lip twitching.

“Haha,” I reply, rolling my eyes. “Your hits with your right hand are sluggish compared to your left. Which means you need to build up strength and speed with your right. Which means you use your left more often.”

“So how do I fix that?”

“We need to work your right arm more. Build up its strength so you can deliver strong, sharp, and quick jabs and hits with it. Strap one of those weights around your wrist,” I nod my chin at the table on the side of the ring, “and get to hitting Cadet.”

“Sir, yes, sir!” She gives me a mock salute, then walks to the table, where she straps one weight onto her right wrist, rolling up the sleeves of her yellow zip-neck top to her elbows.

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