Page 78 of The Beta's Blind Date

I’m so ready for her to know—to feel it. And ready for the teasing I’m bound to get from my friends—Seb, especially. I’m ready for the tongue-lashing she’ll give me, and I already have ideas for how I’m going to make it up to her. I’m ready for it all because the end result will be worth it.

The footsteps fade, but Taryn doesn’t move from her spot snug against me, and I don’t mind one bit. This is where she belongs, anyway.

“Are you nervous about tomorrow?” I say into her ear.

She shakes her head. “Not really.”

My hands move to her shoulders, and I stroke down her sides, feeling every curve of her body. “Good. You shouldn’t be. You’re going to do great,” I reassure her.

“Thanks,” she whispers.

I reach her hips and stop my movements just as another ice-cold breeze blows through the forest, pushing a whiff of her arousal towards me. And holy fucking Goddess, it’s even sweeter than that day in the weight room. Her leggings must have prevented me from smelling the full intensity of the fragrance that day. My mouth waters and my dick hardens as it fills my nostrils.

My fingers dig into her hips and I clench my jaw, squeezing my eyes shut. Baby steps, I remind myself. Stripping her down and eating her out are not baby steps. And while both of us would enjoy it, it will one hundred percent bite me in the ass later when she learns I’ve known she was my mate since the moment I met her.

It’s time to initiate phase three.

I clear my throat and nudge her with my chin until she pulls her head back to look at me. “I’m sorry.”

Her brow furrows. “Why?”

“I lied to you about something.”

Confusion fills her and her body tenses. “What?”

“Sebastian’s not it. I am.”

She blinks at me, then her eyes widen and her jaw drops open. “Reid!” she shrieks, pushing herself off me and leaping over the fallen tree.

“You better run, Cadet!”

I hop up after her, pausing to give her a head start. She sprints away, darting around trees, her squeals and laughter bouncing off the trunks and into the sky.

I hurdle over the tree and take off after her. She glances over her shoulder at me and winks as she grabs the hem of my shirt in her hands and pulls it over her head. I catch the briefest glimpse of her naked body right before she shifts into her adorable wolf.

And, Goddess, what a body. Even that glimpse of it has my dick twitching and aching to sink into her. I’m so tempted to pull a Haven and Wes and drag her into the depths of the forest, toss her onto the ground, and take her from behind, so I can grab handfuls of that sexy, tight ass of hers. I already know what it feels like when she’s clothed, and I can imagine how much better she’ll feel when she’s laid bare beneath me, taking everything I have and begging me for more.

I grit my teeth and shake my head as her wolf disappears off the path, my T-shirt held in her jaws. “Baby steps,” I remind myself once more, closing my eyes and taking deep breaths.

And then I’m right behind her, shifting into my wolf too, letting him chase after our prey.

Our mate.

Chapter 27

TARYN

It’shere.

Challenge day.

I stand at the edge of the training field at Silver Ridge with Dawson, waiting, heart racing and palms sweating. I’ve been up since dawn, unable to sleep, instead finding peace in Reid’s voice as we talked on the phone until an hour ago, when I left the packhouse to stretch and warm up.

His deep voice soothed and calmed me, settling the bubbling anxiety in the pit of my stomach. As we talked, I imagined he was with me, laying beside me in my bed, his muscular body and arms pressed against me and holding me, his powerful hands caressing and massaging my body, aiding in washing away my worries.

I may have told him I wasn’t nervous, but how could I not be? My future here in Silver Ridge is riding on this challenge.

He can’t be here today. It’s against Silver Ridge’s rules for an outsider to witness a pack challenge or ceremony. He understood since Crescent Lake has the same rules regarding pack traditions. But I could tell how much he wished he could come. To be here to support me and cheer me on.

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