Page 184 of Toxic

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 rockclimbers 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.

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