SKYE

After a long pause, Winter opened the door, a flicker of reluctance crossing his face—but just for a second—because then he noticed my eyes.

"What's going on?!" He took a step back, his beta instincts kicking in. He couldn't react any other way.

"Not much, just cruising the city in full-on fighting mode, no biggie." I shrugged, wincing bitterly.

"Terrible timing for a visit. I'm heading out in half an hour," he stated, furrowing his brows. "You gonna tell me what's got you riled up?"

"In a minute. Let me catch my breath."

I stepped into his living room. I'd never been to his apartment before, though I'd seen pictures when Winter bought it a few years ago. Our parents had helped him furnish the place, so I got to see a few photos back then.

"Nice place," I muttered gloomily, noticing he had a big balcony that looked like a tiered terrace.

"Now tell me what's going on. You're not usually the type for brotherly visits." Winter crossed his arms over his chest. He was dressed in a black button-down shirt and casual gray chinos.

I looked him over from head to toe. "Have you been working out more lately? You look jacked! Like some Viking."

Winter rolled his eyes. "You come here in fighting mode and wanna talk about my gym routine?"

I couldn't help but chuckle; it must have looked really weird from his perspective. "Yup, well. My brain is boiling up. Before I can answer coherently, I just need a minute to calm down. Can you give me some time?"

Winter eyed me suspiciously, but finally reluctantly nodded.

"Okay. Well. Of course, I've been working out. With my desk job, no exercise means a gut and a hunchback. And I have a thing for having perfect abs."

"Exercising and staying fit is one thing, but it looks like you're aiming for an ‘alpha runt' look."

The term ‘alpha runt' was used a bit mockingly for betas who bulked up to nearly alpha size, in a visual attempt to change their gender. My snarky remark had to irritate him, but Winter held back, ignoring my jab and keeping his usual cold, aloof expression.

"So, where are you heading? A hot date?"

"None of your business, Skye."

I folded my arms and sprawled out on his fancy couch, propping my feet up on the leather armrest.

"Humor me, please, I need to just talk about shit. I've had enough drama for today."

His jaw clenched, and he turned to face the window.

For a moment, the setting sun illuminated his pale face, white eyebrows, and white eyelashes. He and Snow looked so much alike with their fair hair, unlike the rest of our family. Only Sun had light hair, but his was a deep golden color. The rest of us had either red or chestnut hair.

"I'm meeting Finn."

My eyes widened. "Finn Delgado? Wow."

But should I really be surprised? Finn mentioned his ex a bit too often for it to be just a coincidence. "You're still seeing him?"

Winter snorted irritably, and impatiently looked at the clock on the wall.

"May seem like that, though in fact—I'm not."

"What's that supposed to mean? You broke up with him over ten years ago, and then you got all pissed about that thing with Storm. I had no idea you still kept in touch."

Winter sighed deeply and turned back to me, his face still haughty, typical for him.

"Well, I hadn't been in touch with him for years. After what happened with Storm, I was… disgusted. I definitely wasn't in the mood to renew any kind of relationship with him. But about three years ago, we had this recruitment program for the senior year in the computer science department, and I was giving some short talks to the students at the college. That's when we met again. I'd just gone through a breakup, and Finn was in the same boat. We weren't looking for anything serious at the time, so we decided to be friends with benefits."

This was some news. I scratched my chin. "I had no idea. Finn never mentioned it. So, for the last three years, you've been meeting up with him just for casual sex?"

"That's exactly how it was. We were swamped at DevApp, and I didn't have the energy to look for something serious, so that arrangement worked well for me. But… lately, something's changed."

Winter suddenly stopped and turned back to the window, staring out at the city skyline. The view from his apartment was really nice; I had to admit he'd done well for himself. Then again, his salary as a director was probably more than decent—he could afford it.

"What's changed? You've got me curious!"

He just shrugged, his face still somehow the same, impassive.

"It's a weird situation. For some time now, I haven't hooked up with Finn because someone else has caught my attention—against my better judgment."

"So why are you meeting Finn today?"

"For the past two or three months, I've been turning down our hookups with different excuses. I was stringing him along, and it wasn't fair. I wanted to meet him in person, apologize, and tell him that, for now, I need to end our arrangement. I also wanted to tell him about this person who's caught my interest. Finn's always been sharp when it comes to understanding people. He's a clever guy… I was hoping his perspective might clear things up for me. Maybe help me get out of this stalemate."

I blinked, lacing my fingers behind my head and staring up at the ceiling.

"I can't believe it… Seriously, what is it with our family and all these secrets? Bay's been seeing Alex again, and he's hiding it, too. At least, that's what I think."

"I know about that. I gave Alex a ride to therapy once or twice. That's truly a bizarre situation. And as for Finn, he's not the talkative type. He's very discreet—a good friend. Why would he spread that around, especially since we weren't in a relationship, just casual sex? He kept it gentlemanly."

"Well, Finn's classy, that's true. I've been talking to him on social media since I was a teenager. He gave me a lot of advice; he's really a great guy. He recently recommended to me his brother, doctor Jim. I was always bummed that you two broke up, never understood your reasons."

"They were complicated. It's not like I could explain it to you back then. You were still a kid in middle school when we split."

"Maybe you can tell me now? I'm almost five inches taller than you." I grinned.

Winter shrugged dismissively. "No, I don't think it matters anymore. Especially since I'm interested in someone else now, not Finn. A very different type of guy."

I stared at him. His face held its usual fa?ade, but somehow, I still noticed a strange mixture of embarrassment and almost shame in his aura, as if this new possible relationship was something really wild, at least by Winter's standards. He absentmindedly touched a small glass figurine standing on the windowsill.

"He must be something if you're ready to give up this fuck-buddies arrangement. Finn's hot, so the new guy has to be a stunner."

Winter didn't answer but blushed ! Honestly, I don't think I'd ever seen him blush before. His cold demeanor and emotional distance usually protected him from showing any signs of… youthful self-consciousness.

"What? What's going on?"

"I don't want to talk about it. It's like something out of high school—silly infatuation."

With some amazement, I watched him for a moment, seeing how nervously he shifted his feet and picked at his shirt. Winter? The icy, aloof prince? It was clear this secret feeling he had was causing him a lot of uncharacteristic confusion, which only made me more curious.

"He's an alpha, isn't he? That's the problem. You've never dated one before."

Winter stiffened and didn't respond, his hand still resting on the head of a glass figurine. Where had I seen a similar one? A wild thought came to mind.

"Wait… don't tell me it's the kid with minty hair you hated so much?!"

Winter turned to me, his brows furrowing.

"This conversation is over. It's none of your business, and nothing that serious has even happened…"

"He gave you the figurine! I saw him carrying it after the fucking raffle!"

Winter's lips trembled. "It's not what you think! It was an innocent gift, and I won't say anything more—"

"Have you lost your fucking mind, Winter? It's sick, you're his director, and twelve years his senior! It's not like me and Soren, it's so much worse!"

Winter clenched his jaw and headed toward the door.

"Fucking CEO's son!" I almost yelled, but I knew I wouldn't get anything out of him right now.

The moment he put his hand on the handle, I muttered, "Well, I guess I won't keep you then, since you're meeting Finn."

Winter suddenly stopped in his tracks and furrowed his brows. "Hey, wait a second! You're not getting off that easy. I told you where I'm going, now you tell me why you came here."

"I thought you were in a hurry."

"Tell me or get out, don't play that way, Skye. I think I entertained you enough with my life stories and calmed your ‘boiling brain', so spit it out."

Damn it! I was hoping he'd forget about it and let me brood on it alone. A wave of frustration washed over me, and I closed my eyes tightly, pressing my fists against them.

Yes, our conversation had helped me calm down a bit and redirected my attention, but with his question, it reappeared in my mind again, like a thorn piercing through sensitive skin. There was no easy way around it.

So I just threw it out. "I've been living with Soren for some time now. He's pregnant with my child."

That bombshell made Winter's jaw drop. I rarely saw him react at all—his facial muscles must rarely be used, if ever—but now he stared at me like I was an alien.

"You're kidding? What about that Liam guy he was with not too long ago? And why didn't you tell anyone about the baby? That's huge news for our family."

Taking another breath was hard. My heart and lungs felt locked together in an unpleasant spasm. Yeah, I still didn't share the news with our parents, afraid for Soren's pregnancy, not wanting to explain everything if there was another miscarriage. I kept to myself, just waiting for the right time.

"Our relationship was complicated from the start. As for Liam, I thought I had taken Soren away from him, and we were past that, but today I came home and found them together in the bedroom. Liam was naked and covered in hickeys. Soren acted like it was no big deal. I just ran out of there, barely holding myself back from killing Liam right then and there."

Winter slowly walked over and sat down next to me on the couch. His pale gray eyes were widened.

"Wait. What? You caught them both in bed? They were having sex?"

"No! I mean, I didn't actually ‘see' it. Soren came out of the bedroom, acting normal, asked why I was home so early. He was fully dressed. And then, a few seconds later, Liam suddenly walked out of the room, naked. Soren looked at him, kinda shocked, and said, ‘What the hell?' But I couldn't even hear the explanation because that sight… it was just too much. I started going into fighting mode—it could have ended in a bloodbath."

Winter blinked, scratching his chin thoughtfully.

"That's really strange, the way he was acting. Why would he do that to you? Something doesn't add up."

"I thought so too. Especially because our relationship is actually saving his pregnancy, stimulating the hormones sustaining it."

"How is Soren even pregnant? He's a beta."

"He's a beta with omega characteristics. Sometimes, he has these mini-heats, during which he can get pregnant. While we were on that work trip you sent us on, he had one of those heats, and even though he was with Liam, we… well, we fucked. It was a strong heat, short but just as intense as what omegas go through."

Winter looked deep in thought. "How did Liam take it? Soren didn't just cheat on him; he got pregnant by another guy… That's a lot."

"Not well. He was really in love with Soren and waited years for a chance to finally be with him."

"This whole thing seems weird, messed up. But what do I know? My own romantic life isn't exactly perfect," Winter sighed, rubbing his temple lightly.

"Can I crash here for the weekend? I need to calm down. All of this hit me hard, and before I talk to him again, I just want to have a day to breathe."

"Of course, but if he's carrying your child, I don't think you should leave it like this. You two need to talk."

"I'm not leaving it like this. Especially since Dr. Jim said my pheromones prevent miscarriages. Soren's had them before, but our intense…sex is helping his body keep the necessary hormones up. So no, I wouldn't give up on him; that would put my child at risk. But I really need a day or two to get some distance from all this. The situation with Liam is kind of weighing on our relationship. It's kind of dejecting."

"I get it. Tomorrow's Saturday, so take some time to rest. I've got to get ready. I'm meeting Finn at that park for rock climbers by Lake Silven. There are some really scenic cliffs there."

"I know the one. There's a mountain nearby that Soren and I visited once, on our first… well, let's call it a date."

I pulled out my phone to show Winter a picture of Soren and me against the city skyline.

"You look good together," Winter muttered, studying the photo. "Under all these tattoos, he's pretty gorgeous."

Then he stood up, running his fingers through his platinum-white hair.

"Well, I should get going. Finn's probably already waiting—he's never late."

I nodded. "Good luck, and thanks for letting me stay. I hope he takes it well."

"I think he will. But I don't want to keep him hanging for another month. He deserves to find someone new."

Winter headed for the door, and a moment later, I heard it close behind him.

Now, left alone, I knew the next few hours wouldn't be easy. Even though I wasn't sure if what I'd witnessed was really infidelity; the shock on Soren's face when he turned to Liam suggested that whatever had happened might have been some desperate stunt by his ex… I just had this depressing feeling that Liam's pain was casting a dark shadow over my relationship with Soren.

The thought that we'd never be free of him was dreary. The cheating we did felt like a curse on our relationship. I couldn't deny it—Liam had been through a lot. Despite my rage today, I hadn't lost sight of the fact that he was still a person, with emotions, and he had truly suffered. The way his body looked showed me that the last month had been a nightmare for him.

On an impulse, I closed my eyes and whispered, "Dear Fate, please let Liam find his happiness, let life turn around for him… the poor guy, he waited so many years, only to be treated like crap in the end."

No matter how much I loved Soren, I knew what he did to Liam was really shitty, and I, of course, wasn't blameless here.

So, I squeezed my eyes shut, praying with all my might for Fate to change Liam's path and bring someone into his life who would love him.

Eventually, I drifted into a deep sleep without even realizing it.

***

The persistent sound of a ringing phone slowly made its way into my consciousness. It was weird because I had set my phone to block incoming calls for now! Some kind of miracle, or what?

Peep, peep, peep…

One ring, two rings, three—finally, it jolted me out of my nap. I grabbed the phone and pressed the green button to answer.

"What's up?" I grumbled without even checking who was calling.

I was surprised when I recognized Winter's voice.

"Skye, there's a pretty unusual situation here. It'd be good if you could come over. I could call Soren, but I just feel like it'd be better if you get here."

"What are you talking about?" I mumbled, still half-asleep.

"We're in the park, on the hill next to that steep cliff… and Liam is here."

I blinked in disbelief, wondering if I'd misheard.

"Who?"

"Liam. Yeah, that Liam—Soren's ex."

"The hell! What's he doing on that cliff?"

"I think he's planning to jump. That's what it looks like. Honestly, it's a miracle we even spotted him because the top of the cliff is pretty overgrown. Finn noticed him. He'd been staring at that cliff the whole walk, and then he said we had to go up there. I didn't want to because it's a steep climb, but he insisted."

"Damn! Did you call anyone? Like the police or rescue services?"

"No, because Liam shouted at us that if we did, he'd jump right away. Honestly, we're stuck. I don't know what to do. It might be a good idea to bring Soren here, but you said he's pregnant and in a delicate situation, so maybe it's better if you come instead. He had enough emotions for today."

"Me? The fuck! The worst idea ever! I'm the reason he's out there, Winter! I took Soren from him!"

There was a brief silence on the other end. Then Winter said slowly, "I really do think it should be you who comes here. If you're the reason, you can also be the solution."

"You're literally crazy. The most stupid idea—it's like putting salt on an open wound!"

"It may also remove the infection."

"You're out of your mind."

"I want you here."

"No. Sorry. I'm not getting involved. That's too fucked up!"

Winter lowered his voice. "You owe me one, Skye. Remember?"

Wow, did he say that? I couldn't believe what I was hearing. How shitty. Was he going to force me to deal with my boyfriend's suicidal ex? It sounded like a recipe for disaster.

"Are you serious, Winter?"

"I'm dead serious. Get your ass here as quickly as you can. You owe me, now own it."

I cursed under my breath and shot to my feet, still dizzy from sleep.

Horrible decision on Winter's part. I was the worst possible choice for this situation. Liam could get seriously infuriated, but… Winter had a point—it was better than involving Soren. It would be irresponsible to further endanger his pregnancy. I rammed into him mid-air today, for fuck's sake!

Feeling irritated, I practically jumped into my shoes and rushed to the door.

"Alright, fucker. It's on you now. If he jumps, that's on your conscience. I'll be there in a bit. Just tell me which cliff it is. Send me your location, and I'll plug it into Google Maps."

"Sure, sending it now. Hurry, I don't know how long we can keep him here."

I felt like absolute crap. What the fuck just happened?

My prayer had the exact opposite effect! I'd prayed for Liam's happiness, and now he wanted to end his life? What kind of twisted shit was that? And the fact that Winter just happened to find him—it was almost unbelievable.

I hated how cruel Fate seemed to be to Liam.

I dashed down the stairs and jumped into my car, probably breaking every traffic law on my way to the park. It was a miracle I didn't get pulled over. Luckily, the park wasn't far.

Winter had sent me the coordinates, and after inputting them, I sprinted toward the location. The path ended and turned into a trail climbing a small hill, leading to the cliff. From that distance, I couldn't see if anyone was standing at the top, but since no one was at the base, I figured Liam hadn't jumped yet. Relief washed over me.

No matter what he'd done, he didn't deserve to die, shattered on some rocks.

My heart pounded as I climbed the hill, pulling out my phone with trembling hands to call Winter. Sweat poured down my face, blurring my vision. Luckily, Winter picked up on the first ring.

"Glad you're here. It's not looking good—Liam's almost right on the edge of the cliff."

"Where are you guys?"

"By some bushes right before the rocks at the top."

Nervously scanning the area, I finally spotted a patch of thick vegetation. The trail ran right beside it. Pushing through the dense foliage, I reached the hill's peak and saw a few rocks forming the summit. Winter was standing, facing the cliff, and beside him, closer to the edge, was Finn. Then I noticed Liam—thin, hunched, and perched right at the cliff's edge.

I cursed under my breath, feeling absolutely terrible. How did it come to this? I never wanted to hurt another fellow human being like this.

"Winter!" I called out, shoving my phone into my pocket. "I'm here. Damn, this is all so messed up."

Moreover, I realized then that Liam being here meant Soren must have kicked him out, probably saying some unpleasant things to him. My theory that all those hickeys were a desperate stunt by Liam seemed even more likely now.

Liam slowly turned his head, and our eyes met. He was without his glasses and looked much younger than usual.

"What the fuck?" he swore bitterly. "No, no, no, not you! You fucking bastard! Why did you come?! How dare you?!"

"Liam, don't do anything stupid. You're twenty-two, for fuck's sake! You've got your whole life ahead of you. Whatever happens, there's always a chance!" I shouted out some cliché lines I'd heard on a TV show about people dealing with suicidal thoughts.

Liam snorted. "Easy for you to say! You won, fucker! I've loved Soren since I was twelve. Ten years of hope—all for nothing because I find out that you two are True Mates?!"

Winter's eyes locked onto my face. Even Finn turned to look at me, but I was no less shocked than they were. Why would Liam say that?

"Well, that's big news," Finn muttered.

I shot him a confused look. Finn stood the closest to Liam, maybe six feet away. He seemed tense and alert, as if ready to catch him. I hadn't seen Winter's ex since graduation. He looked as elegant as always, dressed in a black button-down shirt and suit pants. He and Winter were of similar height and build—pretty bulky for betas—though Winter had snow-white hair, while Finn's was black, styled into a well-groomed cross between a fading mohawk and a faux-hawk. He was a handsome, fit-looking guy who didn't show his thirty-four years.

As I looked at Finn, I suddenly realized something interesting—he bore a visible resemblance to Soren! The shape of his face, slightly cat-like, and even his eye color, gray like a rainy sky. Fascinating. Maybe that's why I'd always liked him? Perhaps he was… my imprint?

And if so, maybe not just mine?

"So, you two are TMs? You left out that tiny detail," Winter said, glaring at me with some reproach.

"Honestly, I'm surprised that Soren told Liam about it. He's never admitted it out loud to me! I suspected it for a while, but his stubborn denial kept my mouth shut. However, it's nice to know he's finally accepted it," I explained with a touch of bitterness and shrugged.

But that discussion could wait. I turned my attention to Liam, who was trembling slightly and clenching his fists.

"Liam, think about this pragmatically. Soren and I were on a collision course as True Mates. It wasn't like he chose me over you on a whim or because he didn't care about you. He picked me because Fate drew us together. There's no force on this planet—no amount of kindness or affection you could have shown him—that could have outweighed the Pull between True Mates."

Liam's face twisted with bitterness. "Peachy, so I never even stood a chance. Ten years of waiting for something that was always a fucking impossibility. Just wonderful," he said, inching closer to the edge of the cliff.

I cursed under my breath. My speech had clearly backfired. Obviously, I wasn't cut out to talk people down from jumping.

Then, suddenly, Finn stepped forward. "Hey, Liam, did you know that people whose partners found their True Mates are 1600% more likely to find their own True Mate afterward? It's some weird kind of magic. Think about that for a second—who knows? Maybe you'll meet yours in a few years?"

Liam snorted angrily. "Yeah, right! I'm a damn beta! It's a fucking statistical error to find a True Mate for us! Let's face it, there's nothing left for me. No hope. Ten years down the drain, and I'll die a virgin on top of it. It's… over."

He whispered and made a sudden move toward the cliff, but Finn, who was closest, lunged forward even faster, grabbing his arm at the last second as Liam's feet began to slip over the edge.

Finn's pull stopped his fall, and though Liam's body was already tilting dangerously, Finn caught him with his other hand and quickly jerked him back. Then I grabbed Finn by the shirt, yanking him toward me, and we formed a human chain, counterbalancing Liam's weight as he dangled over the edge.

Seeing this, Winter joined us, pulling on me as well, and together we managed to bring Liam back onto solid ground. Finn wrapped his arms around him as Liam wobbled on his feet, shaking uncontrollably.

"Let's get him away from this damn cliff," Winter growled.

Finn easily scooped Liam up and carried him through the brush. Liam didn't resist; it seemed like all his strength had left him. He was limp like a rag doll. His eyes closed, and tears streamed down his pale, gaunt cheeks.

"Why did you stop me? There's nothing left for me. No one loves me, no one cares. I have nothing, don't you get it?" he muttered.

"Someone could love you, Liam," I said, clenching my jaw. "I know from Soren how much you did for him, what a good partner you were, how much you sacrificed, took care of him, cooked, cleaned—practically bent over backward for him. And for God's sake, you saved Soren's life when he attempted suicide. I'll always be grateful to you for that because if it weren't for you, I'd never have met him. I know you're a good person, and I'm really asking you to give yourself another chance. Don't throw it all away."

Liam let out a painful moan and began to sob, burying his face in Finn's chest. We finally reached the edge of the brush, where a small cluster of rocks marked the end of the trail. Finn knelt down but didn't let go of Liam, holding him tightly as the young beta continued to shake.

"Dear God," Finn murmured. "He's all skin and bones. He looks like he hasn't eaten in a month, poor thing."

"Yeah, about a month and a half ago, Soren told him it was over," I muttered, feeling awful.

Finn cradled Liam even tighter, and I got the sense that the embrace was bringing Liam some comfort, some relief. His sobs began to quiet, and he just lay there, his head pressed against Finn's broad chest, while Finn looked down at him with those stormy gray eyes, visibly moved.

Winter and I stood nearby, watching the scene with deep concern. After a moment, Liam lifted his tear-filled eyes and met Finn's gaze. There was a silence between them.

"At least someone handsome saved me. That makes a better memory," Liam mumbled, his face wincing and flushing. I felt a secondhand cringe as Liam bit his lip and sighed softly, embarrassed by his own honesty.

"So awkward," I muttered to Winter.

Winter's face showed a hint of amusement, and we exchanged glances. But maybe I could use what Liam said to help the situation?

"Yeah," I said to Liam, "Finn does look a bit like Soren, don't you think? The eyes, the features, he even has that black, fading mohawk." I tried to smile, hoping to lift his spirits a little.

The intense crying seemed to have drained some of the adrenaline from Liam's system. He was now strangely quiet, still resting against Finn's chest, and Finn didn't seem eager to let go, his hand reassuringly stroking Liam's back.

"I think you should get some professional help," Winter said slowly. "And take some time off work to rest and eat better. You don't look well. I'll arrange two weeks of paid leave for you. Does that sound good?"

Liam made a quiet, pitiful sound that seemed like a feeble attempt at gratitude. Winter spread his arms, looking almost like a strict teacher.

"Suicide is never the solution," he stated, furrowing his brows. "There are so many opportunities in the world, limitless possibilities. Don't take that away from yourself, Liam. I know from your supervisor that you're an excellent worker, very talented. Don't waste that."

Liam remained silent, so I decided to back Winter up.

"Exactly. You shouldn't be alone right now, not at a time like this. Something unwise might cross your mind again. I think we should go to the hospital, some crisis unit—"

"No, I don't want to go to any hospital, no way!" Liam groaned.

Then, unexpectedly, Finn cleared his throat and glanced at both Winter and me.

"Listen, Liam, I live just ten minutes from this park. I have a small house with an extra room. Maybe you'd like to stay with me for a few days, just to rest? I've got a bunch of romantic comedies on my hard drive. I could treat you to some laugh therapy," he offered, looking a bit self-conscious.

Liam blinked. "But we don't even know each other."

Again, I quickly added, "Finn is my brother's ex. I've known him for years—we're good friends. So it's practically like family."

"I think I recognize you from somewhere… perhaps when I visited Soren at his college?" Liam murmured suddenly.

I raised my eyebrows. I knew Liam had visited the college where Soren and I were attending, and he'd even met some of Soren's friends, like Sean. But remembering a random professor's face from the hallway? That seemed a bit strange, if not improbable. Unless… he really was his imprint and left an impression on Liam, even from a distance.

Finn's face lit up. "Yeah, I teach there as a professor. I'm a geneticist by training."

"Finn's whole family is in the medical field. His brother is handling Soren's pregnancy," I pointed out, hoping to make Liam feel even more at ease.

Winter, who had been watching us intently, bit his lip and asked, "So, do you agree to Finn's offer? The fact that you don't know each other well might actually be a good thing—no baggage between you. You can talk freely, and Finn can give you an unbiased perspective. That often helps break those… vicious cycles we get trapped in when we're alone."

Liam blushed and sniffled, seemingly convinced by Winter's reasoning. I had to admit, he presented it quite persuasively.

Finally, Liam carefully freed himself from Finn's embrace, though not without some reluctance. Finn still held one of his hands and looked at him with a warm, encouraging smile.

"Alright, thank you. I admit, I don't want to be alone right now. This day has been such a horror," Liam said, glancing at me. "And… I want to apologize, Skye. I didn't know about Soren's pregnancy situation. I would never have endangered it, never wanted to hurt the baby. I was just so desperate; I didn't know what to do with my emotions. But please know—nothing happened between me and Soren."

"It's okay, all good. Soren and I will work things out. We're True Mates, after all—that helps a lot," I said with a wink. "And I'm sorry for almost killing you; I…uh… couldn't control myself. I love him so much."

Liam nodded slowly. "I understand your reaction. And your love." He smiled ruefully.

We stared at each other for a few seconds as a gentle gust blew his shoulder-length, strawberry-blond strands. And in that moment, I noticed something interesting: Liam had a strange resemblance to Winter! The shape of his eyes, his pale brows and lashes, the seriousness in his energy. I cautiously glanced at Finn, who was also staring at Liam.

We then heard a slight cough.

"Let's get off this damn mountain. Fortunately, the parking lot isn't far," Winter noted.

We started down in silence. I walked alongside Winter while Finn led the way, still holding Liam's hand.

"Skye," Winter said quietly, "can you give me a ride home? I came here by Uber, thinking Finn and I would go for a few drinks afterward."

"Sure, I'll drop you off and then head home. I bet Soren's not in the best mood."

Winter seemed to perk up at the mention of Soren. "I still can't believe it. True Mates? Seriously? First, Rain found his True Mate, then Storm and Nathaniel… and now you? What's going on in our family? It's unbelievable."

"Dad always said that children of True Mates have a much higher chance of finding their own perfect matches. Maybe there's something to that. Or maybe it's something else."

"Like what?"

I hesitated, thinking about something that had been on my mind ever since several of my brothers had found their True Mates. For the first time, I shared this thought with one of them.

"You know, Dad suffered a lot before he met our father. Sometimes I think maybe Fate is trying to make it up to him by giving his children perfect matches. It means so much to him."

Winter looked off to the side, toward the dark edge of the park forest.

"I'd like to believe that's true because, as a beta, I have fewer chances than you guys," he muttered. "And it would help."

After a brief silence, as we both got lost in thought, I decided to steer the conversation back to Winter's secret crush.

"So? Did talking to Finn help? Did he give you any good advice about how to deal with the CEO's son, I mean, your… love interest?" I muttered wryly.

"You could say that," Winter replied. "He said I should give it a shot, no matter how crazy it seems."

"Are you aware that could get you fired?"

Winter smiled subtly, an uncharacteristic expression for him. "We only live once, right?"

***

Once we reached the parking lot, we all said our goodbyes. Finn, still in this strange, protective mode, held Liam's hand as he led him to his car.

As they got in, I murmured to Winter, "Call me silly, but I've got this weird feeling Liam's luck is about to change."

Winter raised an eyebrow. "I have the same feeling. Looking at their interaction, it seems oddly intense, considering they just met. Liam should be in a really bad mental state, yet something clicked between them… I can almost sense a shift in energy."

"Did you notice, just before Liam got in the car, that Finn kinda checked him out?"

"What?" Winter raised his eyebrows, as if he hadn't heard me.

"Liam's got an ass. Despite his emaciated look, it's still pretty… intact. Surprisingly thick."

Winter shot me a scolding look.

"Skye! For God's sake! You were checking him out too? The poor guy almost killed himself! And you call my romantic… dealings sick?"

He looked perturbed by my remark, so I tried to defend myself, "It's not that! A friend from college once said Liam had the best ass he'd ever seen on a beta. I'm just saying, I saw Finn ogling it."

Under Winter's judgmental gaze, I blushed—yes, it was probably an inappropriate observation given the circumstances. Still, it was hard not to notice that Liam's lumbar lordosis kept his butt substantial, even after his weight loss.

"Soren wouldn't appreciate you looking at Liam's ass." Winter huffed with a mix of contempt and amusement. "But… since you mentioned it, Finn's definitely an ‘ass guy'."

"What?"

"He always praises asses first, even before faces. So… maybe it's destiny, after all!" Winter snorted.

"Do you think it could be something more? The way they interacted?"

Winter shrugged lightly. "Who knows? I was never Finn's ideal type. He's always liked small, unassuming guys—nerdy types like Liam. His other exes were kinda similar. And he's always preferred blond hair on his boyfriends!"

Something came to mind. I pulled out my phone and checked the settings. It was still set to block incoming calls!

"Try calling me, will you?"

Winter raised his eyebrows, and I scoffed. "I'll explain, just try to call me, okay?"

With a sigh, he pulled out his phone and made the call. My phone was… silent.

Winter blinked, listening to the message on his end. "It says, ‘This person is currently unavailable. Please try calling later.' Did you block me or something?"

"The thing is, I blocked all incoming calls! I didn't want to speak with Soren after the whole ‘running away in fighting mode' situation. So, I was pretty shocked that you were able to reach me when Liam was on the cliff."

We stared at each other in disbelief. "Are you sure you had the block on?" he asked, his voice a bit tentative.

"I'm sure. It was the first thing I did when I heard Soren calling me. And it's still on, as you can see." I took a deep breath. "Could it be… some kind of miracle? Fate wanted me to be there?"

"But you didn't save Liam—Finn did."

"What if my presence made Liam behave differently? Maybe he would've jumped without warning if it weren't for my stupid, cliché rants."

Winter bit his lower lip and checked my phone's settings one more time. "Well, it's a bit puzzling. Maybe it really is what Fate wanted," he muttered, shrugging. "We'll see, I guess. If Finn and Liam become a thing. Finn's can be a good partner—if you like his type of personality."

I cracked a smile and nodded. It would be something if Liam found someone, too. He deserved it, no doubt.

Then I hesitated, but decided to press further. "So, maybe it's time you finally told me why you and Finn broke up all those years ago? If he's such a great guy!"

Winter sighed as we both got into the car, and I pulled into traffic.

"I don't like talking about this stuff with my brothers, but okay. I'll make an exception. Finn and I always had similar personalities—maybe too similar—and we kind of clashed. We both wanted to build good careers, constantly competing with each other. It became about who was on top in every area." He gave me a knowing look. "I wanted to climb the corporate ladder, and he wanted to make a name for himself in science. That constant tension, comparing ourselves—who was better, who was making faster progress—it got exhausting after a while."

I chuckled slightly, and wiggled my eyebrows. "So why did you even agree to be, what, ‘friends with benefits', if you were both fighting for the… top position?"

Winter sighed impatiently. "You know, over the years, we developed a certain… flexibility, you could say. Agreed on some compromises." He shrugged. "But I still wouldn't want a normal relationship with him. Finn reminds me too much of myself. Even today, he couldn't stop talking about his latest research award. He's proud of it, and I get it, but I think he needs someone who'll look at him like he's the center of the universe, maybe even obsess over him, and I'm not that person. Not that I don't appreciate his talents! But I think he sees other people's achievements as a challenge to his own. He needs a less… equal relationship. Honestly, he should've been born an alpha; he always wants to lead."

"Kind of like yourself," I murmured under my breath. "But what's interesting is that Liam practically idolized Soren, obsessing over him. He might just be the kind of ‘fan' Finn needs. Maybe they'll find some common ground?" I added with a cheeky grin.

About ten minutes later, we reached Winter's place. I suddenly remembered that I'd left my hoodie at his apartment, so I got out of the car and went up with him.

While there, I decided to use the bathroom and take a quick shower, since the hike had left me sweaty. I didn't want to return to Soren like that, especially when I was expecting we might have a heated discussion that could lead to a… heated reconciliation.

Winter offered me some clean clothes, so I locked myself in the bathroom while he went out onto the balcony with a cup of tea.

The warm water helped calm my racing thoughts. So much had happened. My mind had been spinning, but the shower had a way of clearing it all out. Just as I was getting out, I heard the doorbell ring.

I didn't hear Winter answer it—he was probably still on the balcony.

Muttering under my breath, I quickly threw on a T-shirt and boxers, then headed out of the bathroom. Without checking who was there, I opened the door… and froze.

It was Soren.

The sight of him made my heart clench. His eyes were red, his face flushed, and there were tear stains on his cheeks. He was trembling slightly, his hands pressed to his chest in a pleading gesture. A sob escaped from his throat.

"Skye…"

"Baby…"

He practically leapt at me, clinging to me with his whole body, shaking.

"Skye, Skye, Skye!"

"Shhh, baby, don't cry… How the hell did you find me?" I couldn't help but ask—it was strange.

"I know I'm a horrible bastard. I'm scum, I've hurt everyone who ever loved or cared for me—"

"Shhh, baby… Please! I need to tell you—"

But Soren wouldn't stop. He clung to me desperately. "I don't deserve you, but I'm begging you, please forgive me. Forgive me for those months when I pushed you away, when I wouldn't give you a chance. I was a fool, a coward, and because of my actions, everyone suffered. Please, give me one more chance… because, damn it, you're my whole world, Skye!"

He looked up at me with stormy eyes, full of tears—those beautiful eyes that resembled rainy clouds.

"I didn't cheat on you, Skye! I couldn't, I never would—not to you. I love you, and I want to be with you forever. And… I believe we're True Mates. Actually, I know it. That's how I found you here!"

Feeling a warmth bubble forming in my chest, I cupped his face in my hands.

"Baby, I know all that. I talked to Liam."

Soren blinked in shock. "What?"

"I'll explain later, but the important thing is… I know you didn't cheat on me."

Soren's hands gripped my shirt, and I saw the return of the Soren I knew so well. He scrunched his nose and huffed in irritation.

"What? So why did you leave me hanging, you jerk? I was falling apart here, I thought I was going to die. Never leave me, you understand? I forbid it!"

His growl was so cute, a mixture of beta and omega sounds, and I couldn't help but grin at him. He didn't even realize it, but he was making a lot more omega sounds, whereas before he rarely made any AO-like sounds at all, his change was becoming more and more noticeable.

"There you are back, my sweet, sassy Soren. That's what I like to see."

Soren pouted, pretending to be offended. "Why didn't you answer your phone? It was killing me. You know that you're only mine…" He kept nervously tugging at my T-shirt. "You can't just disappear like that and not let me explain, not give me a chance—"

"I had to run. I was entering fighting mode, and it would've ended in tragedy. I had a bit of a crisis, but everything's sorted out now. And the best part is, I have a strange feeling that Liam's situation is about to get a lot better."

"What he did—"

I shook my head.

"It's all okay now. We had a situation, and I'll tell you about it in a minute. But I'm starting to think maybe Fate wanted it this way—to lead everything to this point, so you could reject him, and in his despair, he would cross paths with the one person who's right for him."

Perhaps I was overinterpreting; maybe these conclusions were too quick. But something told me I wasn't wrong.

"I don't know what the hell you're talking about, but if you say Liam's situation improved in a few hours, then I'm overjoyed for him. I want him to find the happiness I have, and… I'm not letting that slip away." He cupped my face, giving it a warning squeeze. "No running away from me, okay? You're mine, and that's final."

"No running away from me too, okay? You're mine, and that's final."

He narrowed his eyes, his dark eyebrows drawing together as he locked his gaze with mine, an intense determination in his voice: "Together. Forever."

"I'm glad you two worked things out!" came my brother's voice from behind us. Winter walked up to us slowly, a discreet smile on his face. "By the way, Soren, welcome to the family."