Page 39 of The Beta's Heart
“Why can’t she just mate one of her pack members?”
He parked in front of the restaurant and turned off the engine. Facing Kismet, he said, “I have no idea, and I don’t actually care. It’s ridiculous that she thought I’d want to leave Wilde Creek to become alpha, not to mention that the wolves in her new pack are from a shit-town called Dorlan, and Malachi’s mate, Nila, had ties to that pack through her son, Jack. Some pack members kidnapped Jack and tried to force Nila to go back to her ex. Our pack went to battle with them and got Nila and Jack back safely. I was pretty sure we’d never hear from anyone in that town again, but I guess you just never know with people.”
“I’ll be careful,” she said. “If I ever get into a tight spot, I can always just portal somewhere safe, too.”
He nodded. “Good thinking, my smart sweetheart.”
“You forgot how sexy I am.”
He let out a low growl. “Ineverforget that.”
He got out of the truck and opened Kismet’s door. She hooked her arm through his and they walked into the restaurant together. He gave his name to the maître de and they were seated a moment later at an intimate table for two. A candle flickered between them, and the low lighting in the restaurant gave the feeling of intimacy. After they placed their drink orders, they talked about the menu. He chose a porterhouse,hold the side salad, and she picked roast chicken.
He linked their fingers on the table and smiled at her. “How’s it going so far for our first date?”
“Pretty wonderful. Is this normal for wolves?”
“It depends if they’re mates or not. Sometimes, wolves just jump right into a relationship and don’t bother dating, since there’s no need to woo the other person. But, if one of the mates is human, then usually the wolf will stick a little closer to human traditions including dating. I want to cover all the bases with you, so not only are we already mated and you’re wearing my mark and having my baby, but we’re also going to date and get to know each other.”
“That’s really sweet.”
“Do fae have traditions like dating?”
“Kind of. Back in my father’s day, the parents chose the mates for their children, so the couple would date first to get to know each other before the mating so they weren’t strangers in the marriage bed. Now that most fae choose their own mates, they date to figure out if they’re compatible with anyone. It’s a little more difficult because the divisions between the groups cause some people to feel like others are beneath them for mating.”
“Like your friend Key?”
She took a sip of her iced tea and nodded. “Yeah. Her father doesn’t think Jerhal is right for her because his family is in a lower class, but I think it shouldn’t matter because they’re great together.”
“I guess every group has had that issue at one time or another,” he said.
Their food arrived, and his stomach growled.
She leaned over the table and looked at his plate. “That looks amazing.”
“Do you want to share?” he asked.
“I don’t want to take from your plate, I should have ordered the steak myself.”
He grinned. “Our baby making demands already?”
Her brows rose. “Oh, do you think so? Maybe I’ll order red meat from now on.”
He cut his steak in half and put it on her plate. She cut up her chicken and gave him half, and they tucked into their food and enjoyed each other’s company. He could have sat with her for hours and just talked, learning about her childhood and her hopes and dreams. He couldn’t get over how lucky he was to have her in his life.
They walked out of the restaurant after sharing two different desserts, and she shivered in the cool night air. “I should have brought a jacket.”
He put his arm around her. “If I had mine with me, I’d give it to you.”
“Aw, isn’t that adorable?” a feminine voice said loudly in front of them.
Ren snarled as he recognized Stef and Tanner, standing in the parking lot between his truck and the restaurant.
He pushed Kismet behind him and let go of his wolf enough to make his eyes change. “What are you doing here, Stef?”
She looked down at her fingernails for a moment. “Oh, I was just out with my pack and thought I saw you. I wanted to introduce myself to whoever you’re with.”
Ren felt Kismet lean around him, but she remained silent. He wished in that moment that they were linked telepathically so he could explain what was going on. He’d urge her to take flight and get the hell to safety while he put out the trash. There was absolutely no reason why Stef would show up at the restaurant unless she’d been following them, which pissed him the hell off. He hadn’t been aware of anyone on his tail.