LIAM

I found myself lying on fine, white gravel again, with blades of grass gently brushing my face, like delicate fingers. It was warm and peaceful, with soft clouds floating across the sky. I was so relaxed, so happy, I felt like I could just drift up there, among the clouds.

Finn was at work, and yet, I wasn't anxious, not even for a second. Stress wasn't part of my life anymore. Everything had changed. I belonged to him, and he belonged to me, just the way I'd always wanted—to be so close to someone that nothing could ever come between us.

Only now did I understand why I'd reacted so strongly to Soren's rejection before. Deep down, I'd always been wired for this kind of intense connection, like the one I had with Finn now. So close, so intimate (and he was like that too!). It hurt so much before because everything about me was designed to fit into a bond like this. My whole personality was built for this—to find my True Mate and be part of something so tight-knit.

As I lay there in the grass, I felt something awaken in my body, something I'd been expecting on some level.

Slowly, I got up and went to the bathroom. From a small makeup bag I kept hidden under the sink, I pulled out a tiny box—the ‘earliest pregnancy test on the market,' according to the packaging. I hoped they weren't lying, and that one week would be enough to know.

I did the test, dropping a tiny bit of urine onto the small round window on the plastic strip.

Then I left it on the low shelf under the mirror.

Just then, I heard the crunch of gravel under tires as a car pulled into the driveway.

My heart sped up, as it always did when I knew I'd see Finn soon.

I stepped outside, and there he was, getting out of the car. He looked like my peer now, like a 22-year-old college student, not a professor. His face was fresh, youthful, and… gorgeous. I knew I wasn't in his league looks-wise, but for the first time in my life, I didn't mind; I didn't care. I'd always stressed over the difference between Soren and me, knowing how beautiful he was and how far apart we were. But now, I loved being the cute little mouse by Finn's side, and he adored me as I was, knowing I was only his.

When his eyes met mine, they lit up like a million suns. The way he looked at me—like I was his whole world—made me feel like I could really fly among the puffy clouds above. If there's such a thing as heaven on earth, I was living in it.

I ran up to him and threw myself into his arms. He wrapped me in a tight hug; his scent, his warmth, everything about him was perfect. This past week, his scent had become even stronger. He smelled like a full-blooded alpha. His body had gone through a real awakening, his muscles were bigger, his neck glands more pronounced, and even his hearing had improved. He could make those AO mating sounds alphas make!

And I… could respond!

Yeah. It was the same for me—I had all the traits of an omega now. It was strange to listen to heartbeats, to pick up scents from far away. When we were out in the city, I could hear sounds I'd never heard before, the ones alphas and omegas exchanged. It was like a whole new world—exciting and different. I understood them! Before, they felt like they were from another planet, lost in their instincts. I used to think they were too intense, too animalistic. But now, I saw the beauty in it—the raw, unstoppable force of nature that flowed through our bodies, preparing us to create new life…

Speaking of which…

We walked inside, hand in hand.

"I made dinner," I said with a soft smile, heading to the stove.

"Thank you, baby, I'm starving. Just need to wash my hands."

But before he walked away, he leaned down one more time and planted a big, juicy kiss on my neck gland. I'd noticed he'd grown very fond of that part of me. Then one of his hands slid down my back and gave my now noticeably fuller butt a light squeeze—it had grown plumper over those two weeks, much to Finn's delight. I let out a sensual murmur, but he just straightened up, smiled, and headed toward the bathroom.

And then I remembered what was sitting under the mirror.

There was silence for a few seconds. I waited nervously, biting my lower lip. Finally, Finn came out, holding the plastic test in his hand and looking at me with wide eyes.

"This is a pregnancy test," he said, stunned.

My face had to be flushed pink by now. "Yes, but I haven't checked yet. Did anything show up?" I asked shyly.

Finn's face broke into a huge smile as he held up the test.

A clear blue line ran down the middle.

My face lit up, grinning as I looked back at him. "Life is so good," I whispered, my eyes welling up. "I can barely believe it!"

"Yes, it is," he said, pulling me into a tight hug, while my eyes continued to tear up.

"Just think, I almost gave up on all of this, back on that cliff."

Finn kissed my forehead. "You're here now, with me. You have your well-deserved happy ending."

"There's one last thing I need to do, and I think I'll be ready soon."

"Ready for… what?"

"To forgive him."

He pulled me closer, cupping my face in his hands.

"Yes, you will be ready, and you will be truly free. No more pain, no more scars. And I'll be right by your side when you do it."

We stood there for a long time, tears streaming down my face as he wiped them away, one by one.

He wiped them all.

He changed my world.

My new life was about to begin.

THE END

Thank you for reading Liam and Finn's story!

If you've read ‘Toxic', you might remember the reconciliation scene between Liam and Soren at the end! If you haven't read it yet, I highly recommend it.

If you want to find out if Winter meets his own True Mate, the next book is ‘The Heart of Winter'.

If you encounter any issues with the text, please send me an email at [email protected] , and I will take care of it as soon as possible!