The Beta's Heart (Wilde Creek Book 8)

by R. E. Butler

“Sweetheart?”

  “I think she should go.”

  His brows rose. “Sure.” To the female, he said, “Thanks anyway, Wendy. And again, I’m sorry.”

  She nodded and hurried from the house, slamming the door behind her. He turned and enveloped Kismet in a hug. His wolf receded once he’d been sure Kismet wasn’t in danger.

  “Why did you want her to leave?”

  She didn’t answer, so he cupped her face and tilted her head until she looked at him. She didn’t look scared or frightened, she looked angry. “What?”

  She pursed her lips and he used his thumb to rub along the seam. She blew out a breath and said, “We’ve only been together for a week. You’ll think it’s silly.”

  “I promise I won’t.”

  “It’s just…I don’t want any single females in this house.”

  He didn’t know what to say to that.

  “Would you want to have single guys hanging around me?” she asked.

  His wolf snarled in his head. The hell that would happen!

  She hummed. “I thought so. But the point is you’re not unmated anymore, you have me. And you said that your house is mine like mine is yours, and I wouldn’t let a single guy come into my house unannounced. She had a key and everything!”

  “It’s not silly to feel possessive of the house. To be honest, I didn’t even think about it. The omegas who clean for the high-ranked males have keys to their houses, it makes it easier for them to come in when no one is home. You’re right, though, I wouldn’t want an unmated male in your house either.” He looked past her to the flowers. “I take it she interrupted something you were planning?”

  “Yeah, damn it. It looked so nice in there.”

  “It looks pretty damn nice right here, too,” he said, lowering his head and kissing her. She melted into him the way he loved the most, as if she couldn’t even stand up straight when they kissed.

  “I…” she murmured against his lips.

  “Want me to ravage you? No problem.”

  She laughed, and he nipped her bottom lip with a smile. Her eyes were bright and glittering with humor. “Yes, but first, I actually think I know why I was feeling so possessive just now. At least I think so.”

  “Oh?”

  She led him into the bedroom and she climbed onto the bed, settling in the center on her knees. The blanket was still wrapped around her, and she fiddled with the edge of the fleece. He joined her, inhaling the sweet scent of the flowers.

  “Did you make these flowers?” he asked.

  “I did. They were in your yard.”

  He arched a brow. “There aren’t flowers in my yard.”

  “There are. They’re buried deep in the ground and I coaxed them out with my power.”

  “Are they still out there?”

  “No, I sent them back underground.”

  He took her hands and kissed the inside of each wrist and then twined their fingers. “Your powers are so amazing.”

  She smiled. “I have some news, but I’m not really sure how to say it so I’m just going to blurt it out, okay?”

  He chuckled. “Sure, sweetheart.”

  “I’m pregnant.”

  * * *

  Kismet stared at Ren, her words hanging in the air between them. She was very sure he hadn’t blinked or even breathed once she’d told him about her pregnancy.

  “Ren? Are you okay?”

  He shook his head and blinked a few times, and then he grinned so broadly his eyes crinkled and a dimple she hadn’t noticed before formed in his cheek. He grabbed her close and said in a low voice, “Sweetheart, are you sure?”

  She rested her hands on his shoulders, feeling the smooth muscles under her touch. “Yes. My mom asked if we used the oil during the mating ceremony, because it apparently encourages pregnancy in female fae. I had no idea, but I guess that’s why my people think the oil is lucky.”

  He put his hand on her abdomen, and she could feel the warmth of his skin through the blanket. “This is the most wonderful thing I’ve ever heard! Are you happy?”

  “Definitely. Are you?”

  He scoffed lightly. “How could I not be? My best girl is carrying our pup.”

  “I don’t think you call baby fae ‘pups.’”

  He wiggled his brows. “We do when they take after their wolf fathers.”

  She leaned in and rested her head on his shoulder. His arms were around her immediately, his wolf humming in his chest like a purr. “I didn’t know about the oil, but I’m not sorry. We made a baby together, I’m so happy I can’t even really put it into words.”

  “I’m the happiest wolf on the planet,” he said, then kissed the top of her head. “I can’t imagine anything better happening.”

  “Really?” she asked, tugging on the blanket to loosen it.

  His eyes changed to the simmering amber of his wolf and the heady scent of his shift, all fall and woods and warmth, filled her. “I’m not just the happiest wolf on the planet, I’m the luckiest.”

  She kissed him, smiling inwardly as he worked her body free of the blanket, a happy growl rumbling in his chest. A week ago, she’d only dreamed of what it might be like to find her truemate, but now she knew.

  Nothing was better than being with him.

  Chapter 11

  Ren straightened his tie and checked his reflection in the mirror over the bathroom counter. In the bedroom, Kismet was getting dressed for their date. It was their first official date, which seemed kind of crazy since he’d already marked and mated her, and she was pregnant with his baby after only a week together. But truematings were like that, swift and hot at the start. Of course, he hoped they’d continue to be hot for many, many years to come. Judging by how sexy his mate was and how addicted his wolf was to her already, he was very sure that would happen.

  Kismet was the most amazing female he’d ever known. Witty, beautiful, feisty…she was everything he’d ever hoped for and a lot more he hadn’t known he needed. It was hard to imagine his life without her in it, and she’d only been part of his world for a week.

  He tugged on his cuffs and, satisfied that he looked good for his mate, headed out of the bathroom.

  He saw her and froze, every thought slipping from his mind except for one: MINE.

  She smiled sweetly at him, smoothing her hands down the short, floral dress that showed off every curve and made his mouth water.

  He joined her and pulled her close with one arm. “You look incredible.”

  She tugged on his tie. “You look great, too.”

  “You’re missing something, though,” he said.

  “I am?” she asked, her head tilting in curiosity.

  He pulled a necklace from his pocket with his free hand and dangled it between them. The gold, braided chain held a specially made charm – a wolf with wings.

  “Oh, my gosh!” She took the necklace from him and looked at it closely. “This is so cool, where did you find it?”

  “I had it made.” He urged her to turn around and then he took the necklace and fastened it around her neck.

  “You did? When?” she turned to face him, rubbing the charm between her finger and thumb.

  He smiled. “Earlier this week. There’s a jewelry store in the area that makes special charms.” He touched the wings on the wolf with his fingertip. “I know you said our kids won’t share both of our features, but I liked the idea of the combination of us on the charm.”

  “It’s perfect,” she said. She rose onto her toes and kissed him, and his wolf was right there in his mind, urging him to take her to bed and never leave.

  “You’re perfect.”

  “Not hardly, but I’m glad you think so.”

  “Are you ready for dinner?”

  “Yes! I’ve never had dinner at a nice restaurant in this realm before. I’m so excited!”

  He was glad he’d chosen to take her somewhere outside of Wilde Creek. Not that there was anything wrong with Luna’s, but it wasn’t exactly a first-date p
lace. As he escorted her from their home, he felt like a fucking king with a beautiful female on his arm. It wasn’t just that she was gorgeous, she was his. He didn’t know what he’d done to deserve her, but he was damn happy she was in his life.

  When they were on the way to the restaurant, she said, “You never said what the issue was with the pack earlier. Unless you’re not allowed to tell me since I’m not a wolf.”

  He took her hand and kissed her knuckles, then rested their joined hands on his thigh. “I guess we got a little distracted earlier.”

  “I guess so,” she said with a laugh.

  “It’s not anything that’s a secret. A former pack female has joined a group of wolves to herself and started a small pack. They took up residence in a POS town about fifteen minutes from here.”

  “What’s a POS town?”

  “Piece of Shit.”

  “Oh!” she said with a snort. “That’s an awful way to categorize a place.”

  “Well, it’s true.”

  “What did she want?”

  “Me, apparently.”

  “Excuse me?”

  He shook his head, still amazed at the female’s incredulity. As if he were just waiting around for someone to come along and make him an alpha male. He could do that on his own if he wanted, thank you very much.

  “Her name is Stef. She left Wilde Creek when we were in high school. She and I used to hook up on the full moon, but it wasn’t anything serious. Wolves don’t date like that, unless the other person is our mate, which she most definitely was not. Anyway, it appears that she’s looking for a mate to help her lead the pack, and for some reason she thought of me.”

  Kismet hummed. “That’s what the meeting was about?”

  “Yep.”

  “She just showed up out of the blue and asked you to be her mate?”

  “Indirectly, but yeah. I told her to…does our baby have ears yet?” he asked suddenly.

  “What?”

  “I’m just asking if I need to start watching my language around our baby. I don’t want his first word to be fuck or shit.”

  Kismet barked out a laugh. “That’s adorable. And no, not yet. I don’t know when babies can hear but I don’t think it’s for a few months at least. Curse away.”

  He made a face. “I probably shouldn’t curse in front of you anyway.”

  “I don’t mind.”

  “Still.”

  “You told her to what?”

  “Fuck off.”

  “Good. Did she listen?”

  “It seems so, but who the hell knows? The pack is going to increase patrols around town, and I don’t want you to feel afraid or anything, but you should definitely be vigilant until we’re sure she doesn’t try anything.”

  “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. “I never forget 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.

  Squaring his shoulders with a warning growl, he said, “Whatever game you’re playing, I’ve made it clear that I’m mated and nothing you have to say is of interest to me. Be on your way, or I’ll move you myself.”

  Suddenly, the two in opposition to him and Kismet weren’t alone. There had been seven with Stef at the meeting, but she had twice that number now. And these new males looked like the sort you’d find at a dangerous shifter bar somewhere in a bad part of town, all menace and muscles.

  She’d been re
cruiting.

  Stef’s mouth quirked up on one side. “Your poor little mate is too scared to say hello? That hardly seems like the right sort of mate for a powerful male such as yourself, Ren. Really, I’m disappointed.”

  Kismet moved to Ren’s side and when she looked at him, her eyes blazed bright green with fury. She slowly turned to look at Stef.

  “Whatever you’ve come for concerning my mate, you’re wasting your time.”

  Ren was proud of Kismet for not appearing to look worried in the slightest. Through their connection as truemates, however, he could feel her worry, and he agreed. There was something decidedly ominous about Stef’s behavior.

  “Aren’t you just too precious?” Stef asked, her voice high pitched and condescending, as if she were talking to a toddler.

  Ren snarled, and squeezed Kismet’s hand. Then he marched forward, keeping her close. She stayed right in step with him until they stopped just feet from Stef and her group. A tense moment passed and then Stef hummed and stepped to the side, and the males followed suit, leaving a cleared space for them to get to Ren’s truck. He didn’t like giving them his back because it went against his natural instincts when it came to enemies, but he didn’t have a choice.

  He unlocked the truck and opened the door for Kismet. Her face was blank, but her eyes were still that shockingly bright green. Before he could shut the door, Stef called out to him.

  “Remember how much fun we had on the full moons, Ren? We’d fuck in the woods, shift and hunt, and then fuck again until dawn. It’s why taking an other as a mate never works. The wolf hates how he has to hold back.”

  His hand cranked down on the door so hard the metal squeaked in protest.

  Kismet’s eyes flashed even brighter and she murmured, “Take me home now.”

  Ren looked over his shoulder. Stef wore a triumphant smile.

  “Whatever you think happened between us as teenagers, my memories are quite different in that I barely recall anything about you. And what the fuck ever anyway, Stef. I’m mated and I’m not going anywhere. I will never be yours, because I was never yours in the first place. Don’t come to me again, or it will be the last thing you do.”