Page 202 of The Heart of Winter

My heightened senses, so used to nature, were freaking out. That was a good enough explanation, right?

Even though asking, "Why do you smell so weird?" felt totally awkward, I couldn’t help it. The curiosity was killing me.

"What happened to your glands?" I mumbled, trying to make it sound a little less blunt.

Finn burst out laughing. "Wow, only you could survive a plane crash, come back from the dead, and have your first question be about my glands!"

I grimaced. "Well, I already know everything about the crash. But I don’t know anything about your glands," I muttered sarcastically, breaking away from his hug and dropping onto the couch.

He wasn’t the one I wanted holding me.

"Isn’t it obvious, Winter? I met my True Mate."

I flinched, turning my face away toward the patio. It felt like he’d smacked me over the head, or splashed me with icy water, and I needed a second to collect myself.

"Liam?"

"Yes."

What was I supposed to say, except to force out:

"Oh. Wow. Well… congratulations. That’s pretty rare for betas, isn’t it?"

My words sounded so vague. So neutral. So… safe. I was clearly putting a wall up between his situation and mine. Potentially similar… but still, it was all I could manage.

Finn studied me, eyes narrowed. He’d always been a good psychologist, too good, really. He saw more than I ever wanted him to.

"Yeah… a miracle. He turned out to be my fated. I’m undergoing a hormonal transformation into an alpha. Or to be precise, a beta presenting as an alpha, with full alpha traits."

That was… surreal, so I cleared my throat, trying to buy myself a moment.

"So that means… Liam’s becoming an omega?"

"Yeah. That’s how it works."

That almost begged the question—was it just Liam, or was someone else turning into an omega too… or maybe into some other kind of hybrid altogether?

Finn’s nostrils twitched again, taking in my scent. That’s when I realized, I’d forgotten to spray myself with my scent-masking deodorant.

Fuck.

"And you?" he asked tentatively. "What’s going on with you?"

"What do you mean by that?" I mumbled, defensively.

"First, before we get into that, I just want to say, I’m really glad you’re alive." He’d gone formal now. "What you went through was horrific. I know your family suffered. And I know now, you suffered too."

"Thanks," I whispered, feeling awkward, desperate to end that topic right there.

"But beyond that… Winter, are you pregnant?"

It didn’t register at first.

Then my eyes bulged. What, what, what?

"What the fuck are you talking about?" I practically yelled.

"You smell like you’re pregnant. I know that scent. Liam’s… expecting too."

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