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."
