Page 45

When I got home, the decision was already settled as firmly in my heart as if it had lived there comfortably for days.

This time, I showered off the masking deodorant, shaved, and planned how I would go to him, to his home. Unfortunately, he lived with Jacob, which meant I’d have to endure a follow-up to our conversation.

As I glanced at my phone, I was surprised to see a missed call.

From… Jacob.

What the hell did he want from me? Had he read the interview? Whatever was in it, did it make him reconsider, or did it enrage him even more?

I didn’t care. I had already made up my mind.

Truth. I was going to tell Sariel the truth. I was going to tell him that, for fuck’s sake, I couldn’t live without him.

Me, a proud beta who had never lowered himself to ask anyone for anything, I was going to ask him to give me a chance.

Ask him to be with me.

For the first time since Logan rejected me, I had the strength and courage to take the first step.

Even if Sariel didn’t want me, even if we were just a short-term thing, I wasn’t going to back out, but I would take whatever he gave me. I was finally going to live fully, thaw out, and free myself. Nothing to lose, except… everything . Fuck that.

I grabbed my car keys, threw on my jacket, and headed for the door.

I yanked it open—

And froze.

Someone was standing on the other side.

My whole body jolted.

It was Sariel.

I can’t even describe my reaction. It was somewhere between pure shock and an electric current surging through every cell of my body, filling me with this incredible, buzzing energy, pink and mint, tingling through my veins. My throat tightened. My heart pounded. I couldn’t believe it.

He was right there, within arm’s reach.

And his face… dusted with mint freckles, his mint-colored bangs falling over one eye.

"Hey, Winter," he said, his voice quiet.

I saw the slight flare of his nostrils as he took a deep breath. A flicker of something crossed his face—surprise, maybe?

But then he added, "I hope I’m not disturbing you, but I came to tell you something important."

There was tension in his tone. Something off. And it made me hesitate, made me stop the instinctive urge to reach for him, to pull him into my arms. I waited for him to speak.

"You probably don’t want anything to do with me anymore," he said. "Our… adventure on the island is over for you. But I came here to tell you something important, something you should know."

The shock of his words hit me so hard I couldn’t stand it. I had to prove him wrong.

Not with words, but with actions.

I lunged for him, wrapped my arms around his waist, and pulled him inside.

He seemed surprised, but didn’t resist. I pressed him against the wall and didn’t wait, my mouth found his, and my dear Fate…

What a kiss. I had never kissed anyone like this before. Never, until now, with Sariel.

It was wet, filthy, desperate—our mouths devouring each other, sucking, pulling, drinking each other in.

But I wanted more. So much more. I tightened my arms around him and, without breaking the kiss, started steering him toward the bedroom.

We moved together, lips locked, hands clutching, lungs breathless.

We reached the bed, and I pushed Sariel down onto the sheets, climbing on top of him.

The pause in our kisses lasted maybe two seconds, then I was kissing him again, my hands already yanking at his clothes.

He was wearing a T-shirt with the words ‘Forever Yours’ printed across the front. Above the text? A stylized drawing of me, looking like an elven prince. Of course.

But I didn’t have time to admire his artwork, I wanted to admire something else.

I shoved his shirt up, exposing his smooth, warm skin, dusted with those mint-colored freckles. My lips trailed across his chest, my tongue circling his slightly swollen nipples. My fingers worked quickly, stripping his pants down past his thighs.

All my movements were urgent, impatient, and eager, and with no small amount of satisfaction, I discovered that after pulling down his boxers, a very hard cock awaited me.

My mouth immediately wrapped around it, taking him deep into my throat. Sariel let out a deep gasp, murmuring something like, "Oh my gosh, Winter…" but I couldn’t be sure, because my blood was pounding in my ears.

"I need to be inside you," I panted, as I rose and pulled his pants off his long legs.

"Definitely," Sariel said.

His face was flushed, his lips parted, red as poppies and slightly swollen from my intense kisses. His eyes had that characteristic haze of arousal, of sinking into pleasure… of anticipating ecstasy.

I grabbed his knees and pulled him toward me in one firm motion. He let out a soft moan as I lifted his thighs over mine. I slid my hand toward his hole and felt it, puffy and so wet.

Wow. Sariel got turned on really fast. Maybe our chemistry hadn’t cooled down over these few days, if anything, it had intensified.

My fingers circled his entrance a few times before slipping inside. Our eyes never broke contact. When I found his prostate, surprisingly large and swollen, I gently massaged it, whispering, "I need to be connected to you, Sariel."

Then I leaned over him, grabbing his slender hips. The tip of my cock found his hole; one strong thrust, and a wave of bliss rushed over me as his tightness swallowed my shaft. My head spun with incredible pleasure.

When I opened my eyes, I had the strange feeling that I saw the air around us sparkle for a moment, but the pleasure was too strong for me to focus on anything else. My body was rocked by pulses of orgasm so intense I wasn’t sure if I was leaving it…

I felt wetness on my stomach, but even without that, I knew Sariel had climaxed too. The whole experience had just been too overwhelming.

It became almost a pattern; so many times when Sariel and I made love, I came the very moment I entered him, or the other way around, when he thrust inside me. It was unreal. And so very telling… telling of the one thing I kept pretending wasn’t real.

I wanted to keep going, to stretch out those moments of pleasure, to stay in them a little longer, but I also knew we needed to talk. I could feel it in Sariel, that quiet urgency to speak. So that brief satisfaction had to be enough for now. I let myself collapse on top of him, resting my forehead against his chest.

I could hear his heartbeat so clearly…

"We need to talk," Sariel said aloud, words I already knew had been waiting in his mind for just the right moment to come out. "What happened between us on that island, Winter… it had consequences."

I lifted my head and looked him in the eyes. Again, I already knew what he was about to say, even before the words came out.

"I’m pregnant. And I’m keeping the baby."

Boom.

Hearing him say it out loud… was intense.

Surreal.

So I blinked twice to make sure reality was still there.

"Who’s the father?" I asked silly, barely breathing.

His eyelids fluttered shut. I knew that question hurt him.

"I only slept with you, Winter."

Stupefied, I stared at him. "Only with me?"

Realizing what that meant was like being caught in a tornado, my helpless body tossed in every direction. Every nerve in me felt raw, torn, flapping in the wind.

That would mean… that my shy, hopeful suspicions were true.

And then slowly, I found my voice, weighing each word:

"All these days, all I wanted was to see you, Sariel. I was just convinced that you didn’t want anything to do with me anymore, after our last interaction, or, so to say, the lack thereof. I kept telling myself that, for you, it ended back on that island. That you’d moved on."

Now my voice didn’t shake. I picked up the car keys lying beside us on the bed and showed them to him.

"You caught me right as I was heading out. With every day that passed, I realized I couldn’t leave it like this, even if you told me to go to hell. I had to try. I was literally walking out the door to go to your place and ask if you’d agree to be with me… and now you show up and tell me I don’t want to know you…"

I let out a bitter, frustrated laugh.

"This past week without you was even worse than starving, because this time, the hunger was in my heart."

Sariel’s expression shifted, his eyelids blinking rapidly.

But I didn’t let him answer. I kissed him again, hard, pulling him close with everything I had.

I murmured into his mouth, "How could you think it was over for me? Don’t you feel my heart, don’t you know what it wants?" I whispered, barely recognizing my own voice.

I was a new Winter, it was official.

Sariel’s arms wrapped around me, holding me tighter.

Then I heard it, a soft sob slipping from his throat.

"My gosh, Winter, that’s the best thing I’ve ever heard in my life!"

I just wanted to mention that my dick was still inside Sariel, fully hard, throughout the entire conversation.

Then I had the idea to do something about it. I made a tentative sway with my hips and Sariel let out a small breath. Still a bit hesitant, I repeated the move and knew immediately that it was well received. Sariel's fingers ran up my back, pulling me closer. Without saying anything, just feeling his encouragement, I began to rock between his thighs, his hard cock rubbing against my stomach as I thrust into him, making grunts and raspy noises.

Of course, it didn't take long… not with our strange magic. In a serenade of pants and gasps, we both climaxed again—a divine feeling flooding us, making us tremble.

God, I needed this. So fucking much.

Afterward, we lay there tangled in each other, soaking in the closeness, the overwhelming relief. Minutes passed like that, silent, but thick with emotion.

When I finally lifted my head and looked at his face, I saw his cheeks were wet.

"Why didn’t you text me, Winter?" he whispered. "I missed you so much, I stared at the phone for hours…"

"I’m sorry. I was pulling myself together, pushing past my issues. But I did the next best thing, Sariel. I quit my job for you."

He blinked, startled. "What?"

"Yes, you heard me right. An hour ago. It was you or the job. The choice was simple."

"Oh my God, but why? You could’ve just come to me—"

"All those obstacles we talked about before, and everything the shrink said on the plane… it got in my head. It grew into something paralyzing. I was afraid that now, with the whole world at your feet… I’d be a poor choice. The second choice."

Sariel closed his eyes. "Oh, Winter. Why do you always see yourself as second best? For me, it’s the opposite! You’re the best choice I could’ve ever made. And I choose you, Winter."

He propped himself up on his elbows, eyes locked on mine. His voice was firm.

"I chose you even before the island. Don’t you remember? I already asked you if you’d be with me back then. The island didn’t change that, it just proved I was right. There, I saw your true character, your bravery, your selflessness… My God, you nearly gave your life for me. How could I ever find anyone better than that? I want you to be mine. Only mine. Forever!"

A dazzling wave of emotion crashed into me, turbulent, wild.

"And I am, Sariel! But are you mine too?"

He grinned. "Abso-fucking-lutely!"

Sariel’s hand found mine, and I squeezed it hard.

Staring into his eyes, I had to ask:

"Now tell me one thing, how the hell are you pregnant? I’m not fertile. I’ve been tested…"

Sariel let out a soft, rueful sigh. "Apparently there was… an extra factor involved. One we both kind of ignored. Continuously. Stubbornly."

"What are you talking about?" I asked, even though I already knew, I just needed him to say it.

"We’ll get there soon. But the only thing that matters now is that you’re the only person I’ve ever slept with, so I’m completely sure. You’re the father."

My mouth opened, then closed again. Finally, I asked, "Does your father know?"

"Not yet. I’ve been using strong scent-masking deodorant around him."

"His reaction… might not be great. Not after what I heard today."

Sariel shrugged slightly.

"Whatever he says doesn’t matter. But Blue thinks he might surprise us. That once he knows the truth, he’ll come around."

Then he leaned in closer and very deliberately breathed in my scent.

I felt embarrassment brewing in me, and sat up quickly, finally pulling myself out of his body.

"But what about you, Winter?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Do you have something to tell me? Your scent has changed too. It’s very… distinct."

Frowning, I swallowed. "I don’t know what you’re talking about."

"You smell like you’re pregnant too," he said softly, sitting up beside me.

I let out a short, nervous laugh. "I’m a beta."

Sariel pulled his T-shirt over his head and crossed his arms. He said nothing.

Eyeing him, I rubbed my chin. "What?"

"Because betas never get pregnant? Hm? There’s actually one at the company, carrying your own nephew inside his belly: Soren."

I stiffened. "But he’s a beta with omega characteristics! I’m just a beta."

Sariel tilted his head slightly, lips pressed together.

"I have an excellent sense of smell, Winter. Really excellent. And I know what I’m picking up."

I stared at him, trying to reach into my own body for answers, but all I found was confusion. Finn had said the same thing… I brushed him off. My dad—he’d sniffed the air more than once, but never pushed.

And me? I just kept denying it.

"How could I be pregnant? I’m really just a beta, Sariel…"

"You keep saying that, over and over. And yet, on the island… what you had, that was heat, Winter."

A flush rose to my cheeks, and I quickly looked away. But Sariel didn’t let me. He leaned in, tilted his head, and caught my gaze.

With a low, sensual tone, he said, "And I loved it so much. I hope you’ll have many more heats, it was pure heaven! But… we’re missing the point here."

"Even if that’s true. First heats are never fertile…"

"Well, but there’s a certain special category of heats that don’t follow those rules. Heats triggered by a certain… factor."

I kept staring at him. My face probably looked clueless, but my mind wasn’t. Maybe the real question was: why didn’t I have the courage to believe it? To believe in miracles. Was it the beta mindset, never feeling deserving of the good things others had?

"Winter, I know you’ve been careful, maybe even scared, to hope. I’ve tried not to dwell on it, too. But maybe… maybe it’s time we faced the facts."

Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small vial.

"This is my blood, Winter."

I froze. The tube was narrow, filled with dark red liquid.

"For God’s sake! Why are you carrying a vial of your own blood around? That’s kind of creepy."

"There’s a reason. I know you’re the type who won’t believe anything without hard evidence. I drew this about half an hour ago. Well, technically, Blue helped. He’s got medical training. I wouldn’t have dared to do it alone." He gave a sheepish chuckle.

"What are you getting at?"

"You know how to test if we’re True Mates, right?"

That question sent a chill down my spine.

So those words had been said. Finally.

I lowered my head, pulled on my pants, and stood up.

Only then did I answer, voice carefully neutral, "Measuring the level of veradiol hormone in the bloodstream… during separation."

"Exactly. During separation. That’s why I had my blood drawn before coming here. Now… after sex, the drop in levels should be noticeable. I’ll head to the lab, get another sample taken, and compare the results."

It was slowly sinking in. My eyes stayed locked on his face while my mind was racing. Racing like crazy.

"You really think it’ll show something?" My voice was quiet, but even I heard the hopeful tone in it.

"Yes, Winter. It will."

Wow, he was so sure. There was a strange tension in the air, not a bad one, though. More like anticipation.

"So, are we going?"

I blinked. "Now? Right this second?"

Oh, I was so ready to put this never-ending torture of doubt to rest.

"Yes. I see you’re already dressed. Let’s get it over with. The nearest lab is literally one building over."

He stood up too, and now we were just looking at each other across the bed.

"Okay," I exhaled. "I’ll be honest. I really want to see proof of this. I was so close to believing it on the island… but the doubts kept creeping back."

"Then we end them now."

My body was tense, stirred, excited. Was this the moment I was about to learn something that would change my entire life?

"I should just take a pregnancy test on the fly," I muttered, feeling weird. The fact that those words even came out of my mouth seemed absurd.

Had something truly impossible happened? Were we both pregnant at the same time? And were we both… the parents of each other’s children?

C-R-A-Z-Y. Officially crazy.

I turned the thought over in my head, dazed.

How the hell would we even explain this to anyone?

"This is kind of bizarre, Sariel. If we’re both pregnant," I murmured, "it’s almost like… twins or something. It’s surreal. And I think your parents are going to have a hard time with it."

Sariel rolled his eyes slightly. "Winter, I’m an adult. I don’t have to care what my father thinks. I know everyone still treats me like a kid, a student, but they shouldn’t. I want to face the world knowing I’m not just an alpha. I’ve had plenty of time to think it over, and I’m not afraid anymore. If people think I’m a freak, so what? This is who I am, and I’m done hiding it. Same goes for us. I want to tell the whole world about our relationship. And I’ve got the strength to do it."

I walked past the bed and stepped up to him, raised my hands and placed them on his shoulders.

"Move in with me," I said, my voice a little formal. "I know you’re still living with your parents, but… I want you here."

Sariel flashed a grin and leaned in to kiss my cheek. "You wouldn’t believe it, but I’ve already got a few suitcases in my car. I was really hoping you’d say that."

"Seriously? I’m starting to believe we really are True Mates. We’re on the same wavelength."

"Ready to go? Let’s find out the truth once and for all."

I nodded and pulled him toward the door. We walked out hand in hand, and wow, it felt amazing. We left my apartment and rode the elevator down, still holding hands.

We exchanged a glance, both of us grinning like idiots. We walked two blocks to the lab Sariel knew. I noticed a few curious stares from people passing by. Beta-plus-alpha relationships weren’t exactly common.

We reached the lab, one of the high-end places in the city center, where prices were ridiculous. We walked in, and luckily, there was no line. Not that the prices encouraged drop-ins, but I didn’t care. I had to know.

Behind the sleek blue-glass counter sat two attendants. Sariel stepped up to the first receptionist and explained he had a vial of blood taken about thirty minutes ago and wanted to submit it along with a current sample to check for veradiol levels and pregnancy hormones.

The nurse gave him a strange look and asked if he had a referral. Sariel pulled out his credit card and said it was a private request. The receptionist took it and nodded. The nurse beside him stood up with a polite, anticipatory smile and led us to the back. He invited us to sit, sanitized Sariel’s arm, and skillfully drew the blood.

Then I cleared my throat and asked if I could have my blood drawn to check for pregnancy hormone levels as well.

I caught a flicker of surprise on the nurse’s face. He looked me over, probably wondering if I was a beta with omega characteristics. But he didn’t ask. Everything went smoothly and fast. A moment later, he left the room with the vials and promised the results would be ready in a few minutes.

We waited, just looking at each other. My heart was racing. I realized that beneath my usual heartbeat, I could hear something else, a very faint thumping at the edge of my awareness. Something I’d never heard before.

"Am I hearing your heartbeat?" I asked.

Sariel raised an eyebrow. "I don’t know. Only you can tell. For me, hearing heartbeats is like breathing. It didn’t used to be, but once I matured, it became second nature," he explained. "I’ve learned to ignore it, though. Good manners," he added with a wink.

"I’m definitely hearing something, and I’ve never had this before… Do you think this is part of the transition?"

"I bet on that," he said.

"The real question is, what exactly am I transitioning into? In cases of True Mates who were both betas, one turns into a beta with alpha traits, the other into a beta with omega traits. But you’re neither, so… what am I supposed to become?"

"Maybe you won’t be either," he said. "Maybe you’ll just sync to me. That’s what True Mate magic does."

I couldn’t help but laugh. "That would be perfect! And honestly, I’m starting to believe it more and more, because I could never decide if it’s better to be an omega or an alpha. Finn always dreamed of being an alpha, but I never felt one hundred percent drawn to either role. It’s like the magic of True Mates knew that, and gave me someone who lets me stay… somewhere in between."

Sariel grinned even wider, and our hands met instinctively.

Just then, the nurse came back in, his face lit up with a wide smile.

"We’ve analyzed the results. I’ve got great news. The comparison between the two blood samples shows a significant difference in veradiol levels."

He lifted a tablet with the results and turned it toward us.

"Take a look here. The spike in veradiol is clear in the first sample. The level was extremely high, enough to cause fainting, full-body pain, all the classic signs of True Mate separation syndrome. In the second sample, the levels have already dropped. It’s now just a slight bump, which shows things are stabilizing."

We looked at each other. Seeing the proof felt like breaking through the surface and taking a breath of clean air. It was liberating. Euphoric.

My whole life, I’d been terrified of uncertainty and change, carefully planning and setting up my path. But now Fate had handed me security, a future I could pour my heart into, knowing we were meant to be. No force could pull us apart. For someone like me—naturally cautious and distrustful, that meant everything.

"There’s one more thing," the nurse added. "Both blood samples show a spike in pregnancy hormones."

I swallowed hard. The news shocked me, but also… didn't shock me at all. It was a logical conclusion, after all. If I was adapting to Sariel, then of course my hormones and reproductive system would have to change too.

The nurse printed the results and left, giving us space to take it in. I stared down at the paper.

"Wow, we’re both pregnant," I whispered, touching the paper.

Saying the word ‘pregnant’ out loud felt like something out of a fantasy I had buried long ago… And yet, it was real now, I was going to have two kids at once!

Something inside me surged, almost too big to contain. My throat tightened with joy, with overwhelming happiness.

My first thought was to call my dad. To tell him that his beta kid, who was never supposed to have children, was soon going to give him not one, but two grandkids. I could already imagine him cheering with joy.

But it wasn’t just about him.

It was about me, too. About something I had to say goodbye to the day I found out I was a beta. I learned to live with it.

But still on some level, I was bitter, angry that I hadn’t been dealt the same card as all my other brothers. It felt just simply unfair. Why them? Why not me? So randomly, senselessly unfair.

Now I could choose whether or not to have children, and somehow that choice felt monumental. Life-changing.

Sariel stood up, and I followed. He pulled me into a tight embrace.

"All this is incredible news," he said softly. Then, after a pause: "You know, my life used to feel… aimless. Like it didn’t matter. I was just someone else's son who served a purpose. This career focus was forced on me. When I mentioned to my parents I wanted children, it was often met with raised eyebrows. But I won’t be explaining myself anymore or feel ashamed for wanting it. I will shape my own path. With you."

"Sounds perfect," I murmured into his shoulder.

"Well," he said with a grin, "this is definitely going to blow some minds. So… who do we tell first?"