Chapter 258 Chapter 258

Chapter 258 Chapter 258
Amber

But my family wasn’t the only blessing that had come from the past year.

There were so many other joys to reminisce about.

Like Reed.

Just remembering everything he had gone through made my chest tighten.

Reed had survived the treatment.

Even now, it still felt incredible to say that.

He had endured months of pain, uncertainty, and fear during his cancer treatment, but in the end it had worked. The doctors had confirmed that the cancer was gone.

Completely gone.

While he was recovering, Roger stayed by his side the entire time. He never left. He became Reed’s rock. His support. His safe place.

And somewhere along the way, something beautiful had blossomed between them.

They fell in love.

I honestly couldn’t pinpoint exactly how it happened because no one could ever truly explain love. Sometimes it simply grew quietly in the spaces between conversations, shared struggles, and gentle touches.

But Roger and Reed started dating.

And shortly after that, Reed made a life-changing decision, one that surprised a lot of people.

He expressed his desire to become an Omega.

At the time, an Omega drug therapy had just passed clinical trials and was newly released for people who wanted to change their secondary gender to Omega.

The therapy used a combination of specialized drugs and hormone treatments to gradually alter the body’s biological functions.

Most people thought it was ridiculous.

For hundreds of years, being born anything but an Omega was considered a privilege. Alphas and Betas held more social power, more freedom, and far fewer vulnerabilities.

But despite the criticism, the drug actually became very successful because it turned out there were many people suffering from gender dysphoria.

They couldn’t fit into the gender they presented as. The traits they possessed—or lacked in the case of Betas—made them feel incomplete, disconnected from themselves.

For the longest time, they had simply been forced to pretend in order to conform but the release of this drug allowed them to finally live their truth.

And Reed…

I had always known that some part of him longed to be an Omega even if it sounded crazy.

Being an Omega was hard. Painful. Vulnerable.

For most of my life, I had considered it a curse.

So the idea of someone willingly wanting that existence had once seemed bizarre to me.

But Reed’s jealousy of me back then hadn’t just been about Rayne, it had been deeper than that.

It had been about the beauty he couldn’t touch, the instincts he would never experience, the pheromones he would never smell.

Reed had always dreamed of experiencing the bond between mates. Of feeling that magnetic pull. Of possessing the delicate instincts that defined Omegas. He wanted to be submissive, to be dominated, to be cared for and protected.

He wanted to experience heats. He wanted to be marked. He wanted to become pregnant. To birth a child.

It had been his deepest, darkest desire.

And when he finally confessed all of that to me, I had been surprised but supportive.

Because when I was young and vulnerable, Reed had been there for me.

Back when I lived in the shelter, he had spent so much time there that he practically fit in like one of the girls. He had always been gentle, understanding, and emotionally open in a way that felt very… Omega.

So when he revealed that truth about himself, it didn’t actually seem that far-fetched.

And I understood his longing more than anyone because the bond between mates… It truly was one of the greatest experiences in the world.

So with everyone’s support—including his mother and Percy’s—Reed underwent the therapy.

The process had taken months.

But in the end…

He successfully became an Omega.

And shortly after that, he and Roger got married.

My smile widened as I thought about their small but beautiful ceremony. Reed had looked radiant that day—one of the prettiest brides ever because he was fulfilled.

And now…

He was pregnant with a baby girl.

She was due in a couple of months.

And honestly?

I had never seen Reed so happy in my entire life.

Ever since his pregnancy was confirmed, he had been absolutely glowing.

It was adorable.

Sometimes I had to stop myself from laughing when he excitedly rambled about baby clothes and nursery decorations.

I decided not to ruin his enthusiasm by telling him exactly how horrible labor could be. Some experiences were best discovered firsthand.

He visited often.

Whenever he came over, he would talk endlessly about everything. Furniture for the baby’s room. Wall colors. Baby names. Tiny dresses.

Despite my exhaustion, I loved those conversations. Seeing him so happy filled me with warmth.

It was like the seven years of turmoil between us had never happened.

The old Reed—the lively, bright, compassionate Reed—was back.

And it filled me with so much gratitude that everything had worked out.

Despite everything, we had survived. We could still sit together and laugh.

Percy had finally received a heart transplant last month.

She was currently recovering and living with her mom at Reed and Roger’s home. From what Reed shared, she was getting stronger every day. Their family was slowly healing and finding peace again.

As for Reed’s father…

Oliver Smith had finally gotten what he deserved.

His young supermodel girlfriend had used him, stolen his money, and ran away with her real boyfriend. Apparently, she had drained everything he had before disappearing. Served him right. The bastard even tried begging Mrs. Smith to come back but she refused.

She told him she never wanted to see him again. Good for her.

Of course, Oliver didn’t have the courage to show his face near Reed’s house after everything he had done.

I was honestly glad their family was finally getting the happiness they deserved.

Oh! And how could I forget? I saved the best news for last. The long awaited union of Ian and Hadrian. Preparations for their mating ceremony were already underway and it would be taking place in two months.

Just thinking about it made excitement bubble inside me. I was so happy for them.

Ian would always be a dearest friend to me, and seeing him finally claim his mate felt incredibly special.

And even more shocking… he had asked me to be the maid of honor. Me. I needed to recover soon because I absolutely refused to miss that role.

It was an honor I would never take lightly.

Just as I laid back down, hoping to steal a few minutes of sleep, a sharp, shrill cry suddenly pierced the quiet room.

My eyes flew open instantly.

One of the babies had woken up.

I groaned softly as I pushed myself upright.

Before I could even move, Rayne sprung up from the bed, all traces of tiredness vanishing from his features.

“Don’t worry, Amber. I’ve got it.”

His deep voice was gentle as he walked over to the cradle and picked up Atlas, who was wailing loudly.

Rayne cradled him carefully against his chest, rocking him with surprising tenderness for such a large Alpha.

Atlas sniffled, his tiny fists curling against Rayne’s shirt.

But as if the universe wanted to test my resilience, another cry erupted from the cradle.

Adonis.

The sleepy fog vanished from my brain instantly.

I hurried over and lifted him into my arms before he could wake Asher too.

Adonis squirmed against me, his tiny face scrunched up in protest until he felt my warmth.

Then slowly…

He quieted.

I pressed a gentle kiss to his soft blonde hair.

Exhaustion weighed heavily on my body.

But as I stood there holding my son, listening to Rayne murmuring softly to Atlas nearby…

I realized something.

A mother’s work is never done.

And honestly…

I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.

THE END.