Page 171 of The Beta's Blind Date

“Morning,” I reply, stopping in front of the window and looking at Dominic. His eyes are closed and his breathing is deep and even, an IV connected to his arm. “Is everything ready?”

“We’ve fully sedated Dominic. He will remain so the entire time,” Dr. Russo says.

“Are you sure about that?” Reid asks, his arm sliding around my waist and holding me tight.

“We’re sure,” a woman says as she enters the room.

She is beautiful, an older version of Maya with the same long, natural coils and the same smile. Metal bracelets clink on her wrists as she extends her hand to us, her long, flowing purple dress swishing and swirling around her legs.

“This is my mate, Renée Belrose,” Dr. Russo says.

“It’s wonderful to see you again, Reid,” she says, shaking his hand.

“I’d say the same, but I don’t remember you,” he replies with a laugh.

She smiles at him and turns to me. “Taryn,” she says, taking my hand. “It’s an honor to meet you.”

“Likewise,” I reply.

She gives my hand a squeeze, then looks at all of us. “Maya and I placed wards all over the room, and we’ve crafted this amulet for him to wear to keep whoever it is out once we remove them.” She lifts a beautiful black tourmaline crystal hanging from a thick leather cord. “I will send the three of you into the astral plane so you can follow the spell back to the caster. Once you’ve located them, Maya will bring your astral forms back to your bodies.”

“Won’t the witch be able to detect our… astral forms?” Reid asks, his brow furrowing.

“The wards in the room prevent that, and you’ll also have these,”—she holds up three bracelets with amethyst charms attached—“to protect you just in case. Dominic is medically and magically sedated, so there is almost no chance of him waking, but my mate and I will be ready just in case.”

“Sounds like you thought of everything,” I say.

“We did our best,” she says, shrugging. “Are you ready?” she asks, looking at me.

I take a deep breath, then glance at Reid, whose thumb strokes a comforting circle into my hip, a familiar gesture I’ve come to expect from him. He gives me a subtle nod, his eyes filled with love and trust, and I nod too, turning back to Renée. “I’m ready.”

Chapter 59

REID

WesitaroundDominic’sbed, Taryn in my lap on one side and Maya and her mother on the opposite. King Malachi, Dr. Russo, and Wes stand near the foot 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, frowning. “I don’t understand,” I say. “That will protect him from whoever it is getting their claws into his mind again, yes?”

“Yes,” Renée says.

“So then why doesn’t it just… push whoever it is out of his mind right now?”

“They’re in too deep for that to happen. If they weren’t in so deep, then Taryn would have been able to get rid of them just by healing Dominic.”

“Right,” I say, exhaling.

“Your mate is powerful, but not that powerful,” she says.

“My mate is amazing.”

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