Page 85 of The Beta's Blind Date

Even though I don’t want to. Because I will do anything for her.

It’slate,andthefull moon hangs high in the sky, illuminating the entirety of the grounds as I exit the packhouse, a small container of chocolate chip cookies in my hand. The rehearsal is over, and I’m not sure how much of it I remember beyond where I am supposed to stand during the ceremony and sit during dinner.

The almost endless flow of Taryn’s emotions ebbed at some point while we had dinner with the bridal party and Wes and Haven’s families, but I didn’t taste any of Luna Emily’s famous homemade spaghetti bolognese or take part in much of the small talk or joking. I’m sure the others noticed I wasn’t myself, but I don’t care at this point.

I’m a mess of a male. I always have been, but it’s more clear now that I’ve met her. I lived in a foggy world of gray haze until she came into my life. When I’m with her, the clouds clear and the earth sings. Colors are more vibrant and everything makes sense.

And when she’s gone, that gray haze creeps back in, inch by inch, covering the sun and muting the music and the rainbow of light she brings with her.

It’s sappy and cheesy but it’s the truth.

I head down the front stairs of the packhouse, then turn right, making my way towards the garden. A figure leaps from a tree branch onto the second-floor roof, and I pause, squinting my eyes against the backdrop of the full moon.

“Wes?”

He whips around and looks down at me, a sheepish grin on his face. “Oh. Hey, Reid,” he says, waving before turning to face the house.

“What are you doing?”

“Sneaking into my old room on the third floor. That’s where Haven is sleeping.”

I laugh and shake my head. “You really can’t spend one night without her?”

“Nope.”

He reaches up to the ledge of the window to his old room and pulls himself onto it.

“Why not just go through the house?” I ask.

“Everyone is in the living room. They’ll all see me, and Shirley is insistent that we not see each other before the wedding. She doesn’t care that we’re technically already married in werewolf terms since I marked Haven. She wants Haven to have the fullest experience possible. But I can’t sleep without her, and she can’t sleep without me.”

He raps on the window, and I chuckle again and continue on my way. I can’t make fun of him, because I’m now familiar with the empty, hollow feeling when your mate is absent from your bed. I’ve only spent one night with Taryn in my arms—one blissful night—but every night since, it has been a struggle to fall asleep and stay asleep without her near.

My journey to the garden is once again interrupted as I cross paths with Nolan. He swings his car keys around on his fingers as he walks to the parking lot, nodding at me.

“Where are you going?” I ask.

He glances at me over his shoulder, sticking his hand in his pocket. “I’m picking Rachel up from the airport.”

“Really? Why?”

He shrugs. “Because she asked me to.” I raise my brow at him. “We’re still friends, even though we broke up. We ended things on a pleasant note,” he says, scratching his chin. “It was mutual. She was moving for her job and…” He trails off and shrugs again. “Like I said. It was mutual and amicable.”

“Is she staying with you?”

He scoffs. “No. We both agreed that would just be—” He purses his lips and covers his mouth, clearing his throat. “Anyway, no. She’s staying with her parents.”

“Well, tell her I said hey and that she’s missed around here.”

“Do you want to come with me? Then you can tell her yourself,” he asks, jerking his thumb over his shoulder towards the parking lot.

“No. I think I’m going to go on a late-night run.”

“All right. I’ll see you tomorrow then.”

He waves and walks off. I watch him get in his car and drive away before I walk the last stretch of land to the garden. My thoughts swirl and spiral provoked by my interaction with Nolan. Somehow, the nicest one of the four of us is the one who got rejected without his mate even giving him a chance. If anyone deserved that, it was me. Not Nolan.

But I may join his ranks soon. I’ve fucked things up, down, sideways, diagonally, and inside out. It will be a miracle if Taryn forgives me.

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