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FINN

The next day, I woke up and immediately knew that Liam's heat was over. He was lying on his side, curled up, and looked exhausted. I sensed a shift in his mood right away—something typical of the heat recovery phase. Omegas always felt this way afterward: down, drained, and almost depressed.

In his eyes, I saw all the signs of a hard hormonal crash—going from a high of endorphins and pleasure to a sudden, deep low. His gaze was glassy and almost empty, and he looked completely wiped out, like he had no energy left.

Honestly, it wasn't surprising. His body had gone through changes so fast that it had to affect his mental state, too. Unlike omegas, who grow up aware of what's ahead and slowly adjust to these feelings over years, he was a beta before; nothing had prepared him for this.

I carefully moved closer and reached for his hand, but he quickly pulled it away.

"No, don't touch me. Everything itches," he blurted out.

"That's a normal recovery symptom, Liam. We expected this," I said gently.

Liam pouted a little. "Soren didn't go through a recovery phase after his mini-heats."

"Those were mini-heats, not the real thing like what you just went through. You can't compare. You had way more hormones flooding your system than Soren did—much longer and much harder on your body."

"But True Mates are supposed to have a milder version of it, or even none."

"But your changes happened all at once, and your body was affected much more than an omega's—a significant transition that can take a toll physically and mentally," I explained, trying to sound almost like a doctor, just to reassure him.

He squeezed his eyes shut, and I could tell he was on the verge of tears.

"I feel weird… Everything seems so heavy, like my limbs are made of lead. And I'm just so sad. I feel… awful."

I looked at him for a moment. "Liam, there's no need to be sad. Please don't forget that we're in this together. We're TMs. Everything's going to be okay." I moved closer and softly kissed the top of his clenched fist.

After a moment's hesitation, I muttered, "There's something I need to tell you. I have to go to campus for a bit—I've got a faculty meeting I can't miss. But I promise I'll be back right away and bring you something delicious to eat, okay?"

I saw a flicker of fear in his eyes. "You're not going to be gone long, right?"

"Three hours max. I'll rush back as soon as I can," I reassured him.

It didn't help much. I could see how upset he was that I had to leave. He pressed his lips together, and his eyes got watery. "I don't want you to go. Please, don't go…" he choked out, looking at me with pleading eyes.

I took a deep breath, unsure how to navigate this delicate situation. On one hand, I was incredibly happy he wanted me around so much, but on the other, I had promises and commitments to keep.

"The thing is, during this meeting, they're discussing a big research grant for me. If I don't go, I'll lose my chance at it. It's a lot of money, and the university wants to collaborate closely with Malden Pharmaceuticals. I've been working hard to be part of this genetic code research project, Liam. I can't miss it, but I'll be as quick as possible, I promise."

Liam swallowed hard. His expression said it all—he wasn't thrilled that I had to leave, but there was nothing I could do. This was too important.

"I'm going to get dressed, but I'll come back to see you before I go," I whispered.

Half an hour later, as I was getting ready to leave the house, I went back to the bedroom for a moment. Liam was curled up in a ball.

I was a bit surprised to notice that he had gathered a suspiciously large number of pillows around himself, along with two extra blankets from the storage under my bed. They were arranged into something like… a nest? I hesitated for a moment, wondering if I should say something, but this probably wasn't the best time. If Liam's omega instincts were kicking in, nesting was a logical outcome, but now really wasn't the moment to discuss it.

I leaned down and kissed his forehead, but he didn't react, just squeezed his eyes shut even tighter. He looked so tense and stressed.

"You won't even notice I'm gone, and then it'll be the weekend, and we'll be together again, just us, okay?"

Silence was his only response.

I didn't feel good about leaving him like this, but I had no choice. This grant was something I'd fought hard for, and not showing up would mean losing my chance at it completely.

***

The faculty meeting dragged on way longer than I'd expected. Besides my grant, they were discussing two others as well. I was tapping my foot nervously, but there was nothing I could do. The dean was going on and on, adding unnecessary anecdotes that didn't really mean anything. But what I did notice were the strange looks my colleagues gave me, as if they saw something unusual in me.

Was I hearing their heartbeats, too? There was a distinct hum in the background. Everything was sharper, the colors more vivid, the smells so much stronger… With all these stimuli, how could anyone really focus on anything? And why was I so annoyed? I was almost never annoyed, not much bothered me, but now my nervous system seemed strangely irritated.

Finally, after about four and a half hours, the meeting wrapped up.

I practically sprinted out of the building, knowing I still had to stop by the café to grab a well-deserved dessert for Liam. Naturally, there was a line, which only irritated me more, and the smells—people were just reeking! How could alphas and omegas handle this constant assault on their senses? Eventually, I picked up a pavlova for Liam and rushed to my car to get home.

As soon as I pulled into the driveway, I felt uneasy. The house was locked and quiet. I punched in the code and went inside. The first thing I did was rush to the bedroom, but I already knew… I could sense it.

Liam wasn't home.

It felt like a sudden kick to the gut. I doubled over, leaning against the wall, staring at the empty bed.

The pillows Liam had gathered around himself earlier were still in the same spot, arranged in a circular shape. I stared at them blankly for a moment. Was this truly his first, tentative attempt at nesting? I took a deep breath, but what mattered now was the fact that Liam wasn't inside that nest—nothing else mattered.

Slowly, I walked over and sat on the edge, putting my hand where he had been lying. The sheets were cold, and a chill ran through me.

"Liam, where are you?" I whispered.

It truly felt like the ground had been pulled out from under me. I took out my phone, but there were no messages. I ran to the kitchen, hoping he might have left a note on the fridge, but there was nothing. Why did he leave without saying anything? I went through the house twice, checking every room, but it was as if Liam had vanished.

Eventually, I stopped. I realized I was breathing harder and harder. At one point, I leaned against the wall, rubbing my forehead and panting. I used to have asthma as a kid and still had an old inhaler somewhere. I grabbed it from the cabinet, even though I knew this wasn't real asthma but a panic attack. So… uncharacteristic of me!

I took a puff from the inhaler, ignoring the expiration date. My heart was racing so fast it felt like it couldn't keep up with the blood pumping through it. Part of me knew I was overreacting. Logically, in my beta mindset, I knew there had to be a reasonable explanation, but my nervous system, already so tightly connected to Liam, was in shock.

"Liam… where are you, baby, where are you?" I muttered, trying to think of what I could do. I suddenly realized I didn't have his phone number. With shaky hands, I dialed Winter's number.

"Yeah?" I heard the familiar voice of my ex.

"Hey… can you send me Liam's number? I just realized I don't have it. I never needed it before because we were always together, but he's gone, and I—" I stopped, unsure if I should go on.

There was a pause.

"Are you okay, Finn? You sound out of breath."

I inhaled deeply, trying—and failing—to calm down.

"It's nothing, I just… I came home, and Liam's not here. I don't know, maybe he went shopping or something, but I'd feel better if I could check, and I don't have his number," I forced my voice to sound somewhat normal.

Winter was quiet for a moment before asking,

"You're really into him, huh? He means a lot to you?"

"Yeah…" For some reason, I couldn't bring myself to say more. The fact that we were True Mates was too big of a deal to discuss over the phone.

Winter was silent for a while, as if thinking, but finally muttered,

"Hold on. I'll text you his number. But seriously, is everything okay? I know you well enough to recognize this isn't your usual voice. Are you panicking? You're usually the calm one."

I huffed in frustration. "Well, you never disappeared without a word when we were together," I replied, my tone a bit snarky. Winter had never been the type to vanish without telling me, so he probably wouldn't get it anyway.

"Alright, Finn. But this is just so… not like ‘the chilled out' you. Just don't do anything rash. He's probably going to show up any minute now. Went for a walk or something."

"Yeah, yeah, just send me the number."

I hung up and waited for the text, feeling a bit more embarrassed with each passing second. Winter was right. This wasn't me. I was always the cool one. And now? Was the whole True Mates thing really that powerful? Could it actually change a person's character? Or was it something else?

As soon as I got the text, I called Liam, but I already knew he wouldn't answer. Somehow, I just felt it.

After ten calls, I took another puff from the inhaler to calm myself enough to think clearly, but my body wasn't following my mind quickly enough.

Crazy, unnecessary crazy. I had never felt fear like this before, but then again, I'd never met my True Mate. Maybe the usual relaxed rules I'd stuck to before didn't apply in a relationship like this. Maybe I'd have to relearn how to handle everything.

I realized something else, too. Winter and I had talked a lot about how we'd never been in love before—what it might feel like, whether it really took your breath away when you thought about that special someone. Neither of us had experienced it. Our lives had always been very… beta. Stable and neutral.

Could there be a whole new way of feeling waiting for me, rewiring my brain? Like teaching an old dog new tricks. I ran my hand over my neck and felt the glands beneath my skin. They were swollen. I quickly rushed to the bathroom to look in the mirror, and… Liam wasn't the only one who had changed. Of course, I noticed that my glands had changed during these three days, but now they were seriously bulging!

As Liam, I was transitioning too—I was becoming a full-blown alpha. Oh, my…!

Staring at my face, familiar until now, felt strange. Because there was a new person behind it, coming to the surface. And really fast, too! Alphas spent their whole lives learning to manage their strong, volatile emotions. I'd always been free of that, comfortable in my lukewarm existence. Was this what it truly felt like to be an alpha? Overreacting, being intense, quick to jump to conclusions? Hot-headed, even? I was about to experience it, I guess.

But since I still had the pragmatic mindset of a beta, I decided to take practical action. So I opened the internet and typed into ChatGPT: "What to do when your True Mate is missing?"

ChatGPT immediately gave me a long list of suggestions, like calling friends and family, reporting it to the police, or going over their usual routine. But one suggestion caught my eye:

"There is some scientific evidence that True Mates can sense each other, even over long distances. If you follow this instinct, you may be able to find them, almost like following a thread. But it requires a bit of focus and letting go of doubts that block intuition."

This resonated with me. It could work… I already knew I had a strong sense of where Liam was when we were in the house, but maybe I could take it to another level? I took a deep breath, stepped outside, and walked straight to my car, determined to put it to the test. I had to find Liam, no matter what.

With a furrowed brow, I got behind the wheel, started the engine, and drove off.

I made an almost impossible effort to stop overthinking. I decided to just drive wherever I felt pulled, and it was a strange experience. At first, I was too overwhelmed—my mind was a chaotic mess, buzzing like bees in a hive. But after about ten minutes, things started to calm down. I realized I had certain preferences when it came to which direction to go. I kept turning right. Some roads felt more appealing than others, like I was meant to follow them.

After another fifteen minutes, I was almost perfectly in tune with the feeling. It was as if something was gently but firmly pulling me along, guiding me. Soon I felt certain—I was on the right track. A few more streets, a few more turns, and I pulled up in front of a small building nestled among other commercial spaces.

After scanning the surroundings, I was stupefied when I saw the sign above one of the doors.

A tattoo parlor? Could this really be it?

The neon sign read "Timeless Tattoo Art Studio." I stared at it in disbelief for a moment.

Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath, then got out of the car. And just like that, I knew I was in the right place. I could sense Liam's energy nearby—he was definitely here, no doubt about it. I was probably within a hundred feet of him.

The True Mate bond was real; I could testify to that now. No matter how much my scientific mind wanted to dismiss it, I couldn't deny that it worked.

Walking closer, I scanned the area around me—a bit unusual for me, almost animal-like, being so alert, as if searching for other predators.

Wait, now that was strange. Winter always laughed at alphas, calling them mindless beasts. Was there something to it, that "beast" aspect, if nothing else? Feeling jittery, I walked into the parlor. The receptionist was a young, tattooed omega. And he smelled—a slightly sour odor. Was this how incompatibles reeked to alphas and omegas?

He looked at me with a strange kind of confusion, and I couldn't quite figure out why. Or maybe I could? I still looked like a beta, but most likely, I smelled like an alpha to him—or worse, like one of those beta alpha-wannabes who douse themselves in alpha pheromone spray.

Trying to put on a friendly face, I walked up to him and asked, "Is there a young beta here—" I cut myself off, suddenly realizing something.

How would the outside world see Liam now if I was perceived as an alpha? His glands had activated, and he wasn't on suppressants, so omegas and alphas would likely see him as… well, as an omega! And he was actually small enough to match an omega's typical height.

As I struggled to put it into words, the omega furrowed his brow.

"There are no betas here," he said, tilting his head slightly, still with that confused look.

"Sorry, I misspoke. Is there a young omega with strawberry-blond hair here?"

He pursed his lips. "I'm not allowed to give out that kind of information."

I gritted my teeth, and a sound escaped me—a low, vibrating one.

The omega looked even more shocked. An alpha wannabe that could make AO sounds? That was new to him, clearly!

Ignoring his puzzled expression, I looked around. There was a long row of doors along the wall, each leading to separate rooms where artists were probably working with clients. I had always pictured tattoo parlors as open spaces, with several artists working on clients in shared areas. Apparently, I was wrong—this place looked more clinical, like a row of doctor's offices.

"Well, then I'll just wait here for him…" I grinned, maybe a bit too widely.

"Sir, if you're not a client, you can't wait here in the lobby." The omega was starting to look uneasy.

Suppressing another low sound that threatened to escape my throat, I quickly reassured him, "That young omega is my True Mate. I came here because I was worried about him—"

But I knew immediately that my words wouldn't help. In his eyes, I probably looked like a frantic beta, odorized with alpha pheromones, with a device faking AO sounds, nervously searching for an omega for… whatever weird purpose. Weirdo alert!

The receptionist shrugged and said tensely, "You still can't wait in the studio. Please leave!" His anxious tone made it clear that if I didn't listen, he might call security or the police.

My restless energy probably didn't help matters; negotiating wasn't an option, so I stepped outside and returned to my car. I had to readjust my expectations a bit—if I were still a beta, I'd probably have been allowed to stay inside, but as an unstable, agitated alpha, I was now persona non grata. Was that the daily reality for alphas? To be distrusted and asked to leave whenever emotions surfaced? Was it a precaution or just prejudice?

After some thought, I changed parking spots to be as close to the door as possible. But then, the omega came out of the shop with a sour look on his face and said, "You can't park here. These spots are for studio clients only!"

"Fucker," I muttered under my breath, moving my car across the street.

Fucker? Why did I even call him that? He was only doing his job. And I rarely cursed at all! Being so on edge, with my emotions in overdrive, was exhausting. What a life I'd wished for myself all these years, never knowing that being one of them didn't mean everything would be wonderful. Alphas definitely had their own challenges, very different from betas.

This time, I got out of the car and stood near the entrance, making sure the omega couldn't see me through the glass doors. I waited there for about 30 minutes, breathing deeply, desperate to calm down and get back to my usual state of mind.

Gradually, I started to feel more relaxed. Staring up at the blue sky and taking slow breaths helped clear my head. The beta in me knew Liam didn't want to leave me; True Mates simply couldn't do that. He came here for a reason—maybe to get a new tattoo or to remove the old one? There was no need to go overboard. That realization was so trivial but… so reassuring.

Looking back, all my earlier nerves felt ridiculous, but at the same time—it was my new reality: once a calm, neutral beta who was hardly fazed by anything, and now? My hormones had launched me into the alpha spectrum way too fast to adjust smoothly. In all likelihood, I'd be reacting more intensely from now on—that was my new way of going. Alphas… with their growling, sniffing, fighting, and overreactions… I used to watch from the sidelines, amused, thinking, "What's your problem, fire-eaters?" The fact that I used to envy them so much now seemed absurd, even childish. Well, it was too late; my wish had come true, and I'd have to face these new emotions head-on.

Suddenly, the door to the parlor creaked open, and… Liam walked out, with the omega receptionist beside him, looking around nervously.

Honestly, I couldn't blame the guy. What if I had been some creepy stalker? His cautious behavior was warranted.

Liam turned toward me, his eyes widening as his face lit up. We stood there, about 30 feet apart, just staring at each other. I saw tears well up in his eyes before he broke into a run, and we fell into each other's arms.

"You found me! I felt you coming closer, I knew you were worried. I'm sorry, and… thank you."

I hugged him even tighter, feeling almost like his presence was completing me, his closeness… it now meant everything. Alpha and omega, the beginning and the end, the full circle, the full moon. We were ONE.

"It's okay, Liam," I whispered into his neck. "I just need to know if everything's alright." Then I tilted my head to look into his eyes. "Why did you come here, baby?"

Liam gasped, a bit embarrassed. "I've been thinking about it since the day you first saw my tattoo. I noticed your reaction, and I just couldn't stand it anymore, the fact that the tattoo… wasn't mine. It didn't belong on me anymore. The past has been replaced by something way more powerful."

I wasn't quite sure how to respond, so I just stared at him. Meanwhile, the omega who'd come out with him seemed more relaxed and went back into the shop, smirking.

"Liam… so what exactly did you do with the tattoo?"

"I had it covered up and changed."

I was silent for a moment, still processing. "Will you show me?"

He smiled slowly. "Of course, but we'll have to wait until we get home. The tattoo artist put cream on it and covered it with a protective wrap."

"Right, sorry, I'm not too savvy with tattoos…"

"When we get home, I'll have to clean it and reapply the cream, and then you can see it."

I gently brushed my fingers across his face. "Alright, baby…" I knew we should head back to the car, but I held onto him a little longer. Keeping Liam in my arms felt like the best thing in the world, and I didn't want to let go just yet.

"I'm just glad to have you back, Liam," I whispered, skimming my fingers over his temple. "It may sound silly, but I was so worried when you disappeared. My mind went crazy when I got back and didn't find you there. I saw how upset you were when we woke up, and—"

Liam closed his eyes slightly. "But that's one of the reasons I felt so bad this morning. It was the thought of you constantly having to look at it, that tattoo—"

I shook my head. "That's not how it was during your heat. I was looking at you, not the tattoo."

"Finn, it was a reminder of my feelings for someone else. And that's no longer the case."

We shared a long, warm smile.

"It may seem quick, but I was so tired of loving him without reciprocation for years that it just finally burned out in me, leaving only ashes. It just… turned to dust, freeing me of him. I think that part of me died on that cliff, Finn."

Not knowing what to say, I gazed into his cappuccino eyes, gently stroking his cheek.

Then Liam lowered his head and whispered, "But the fucking tattoo was still there, tormenting me. Today, as soon as you left, I called the shop, and they had an opening right away, in fifteen minutes. So, I dropped everything and rushed over, hoping I'd be back before you even noticed. But it was a different artist this time, and he worked slower. The only problem was: I didn't have my phone with me while I was on the table. I knew you'd be worried—I could feel it, your stress, my whole system was buzzing." He lifted his arms and placed his hands on both sides of my neck. "But I couldn't ask him to stop, it had to be done. I could also sense you getting closer, I knew you'd find me…" His voice trembled as his arms tightened around my neck. "And you know—that's what made me truly believe in us, in the True Mates' magic. And suddenly, I wasn't anxious anymore. This wonderful calm washed over me, this… serenity."

Snorting, I admitted, "I wish I could say I felt that calm when I was driving here. Honestly, I was freaking out and just needed to find you. It felt so… intense, like I had to find you. I guess I'm starting to think like an alpha, all territorial and possessive! But now? Holding you like this… that's when everything feels right. That's when I can finally feel my own serenity."

Liam's face lit up, and he pulled me into a soft, tender kiss.

"What you're saying… it makes me so happy! It just confirms everything I was feeling. Let's go home, okay?"

"Yeah, let's go home…"

An hour later, we were back at the house, and all the stress and tension had completely melted away. We held hands the entire drive, stealing glances at each other. At one point, Liam said, "You know, I think this True Mate thing really is working. Have you looked at yourself lately? You look younger!"

I glanced in the car mirror. He was right—my skin looked a bit softer, like I was twenty-seven again, not thirty-four. "Do you think it's that famous rejuvenation? Is it happening that fast?"

"It's probably just the start, but yeah, I think it is," he said with a smile.

Once we got home, Liam headed to the bathroom to rinse off the new tattoo and wash away the last traces of blood and ink.

He came out of the bathroom with a look that said, It's time.

"Ready for the big reveal?"

Spread out on my couch, I peered up at him and smiled. "Yeah, hit me with it."

Liam slowly turned around, and there on his back was a new word—one I recognized well.

‘S o r e n' had been transformed into… ‘S e r e n i t y'.

"Se…renity?" I stammered, dumbfounded.

He turned back to me, clearly wanting to gauge my reaction.

"Don't you like it? It's what you gave me, Finn. Your gift to me. Since I moved here, you brought me out of all the chaos and hopelessness onto your tiny, quiet island." He gestured around us. "For the first time in years, I feel at peace—that's your present to me. I want to remember this change forever, moving from the dark, turbulent era of my life to this new chapter filled with light and peace, filled with…you."

My eyes teared up, but I also couldn't help but laugh.

"Honestly, if you'd seen me an hour and a half ago, there was nothing ‘serene' about me. Just pure panic that I'd lost you, that you were gone, that my whole world had disappeared, Liam."

He smiled, though there was a hint of sadness in it.

"You don't get it, do you? That's exactly what I mean. The lack of certainty, the stress about tomorrow, the fear that no one would care if I disappeared… it's gone. I can finally rest knowing this. That's what gives me serenity. It's a privilege I've never had before."

"To be obsessed over?" I smirked.

Liam sported a smile. "Exactly that!"

I didn't respond with words, just pulled him closer.

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