Page 21 of Knot Sharing the Ice

I never imagined we'd find an omega who matches our drive and intensity on or off the ice, but little miss cotton candy is full of surprises.

"Hey, that was a good first try," I reassure her. "Most people can barely hit the puck at all on their first shot."

She turns to look at me, a determined glint in her eye. "Show me again?"

I swallow hard, nodding. "Sure. Um, do you want me to...?" I gesture vaguely, asking permission to get close again.

To my surprise, she nods. "Yeah, that helps."

This time, when I step behind her, she leans back slightly, her body just barely brushing against mine. The contact of her round ass bumping up against my crotch, even if there's a bunch of gear between us, sends electricity shooting through my veins, and I have to take a deep breath to steady myself.

"Okay," I say, my voice embarrassingly husky. "Let's try this again."

I guide her through the motion once more, hyperaware of every point of contact between us. Her scent envelops me, clouding my thoughts, making it hard to focus on anything but the feel of her in my arms.

"Like this?" she asks, and the breathy quality of her voice does nothing to help my concentration.

"Yeah," I manage. "Just like that. Now, give it a shot."

She takes aim, winds up, and lets the puck fly. This time, it sails cleanly into the net.

"Yes!" Ember exclaims, whirling around to face me with a brilliant smile. For a moment, I forget how to breathe.

"Nice shot," I say, grinning back at her. "You're a natural."

"Yeah, you are," Adder agrees, gliding over to high five her. The force of it spins her around a little, but she holds steady with perfect balance and laughs, her hand still wrapped in his big glove.

Her laugh makes my heart skip a beat. I've never seen her like this. None of us have, and even without glancing at the rest of my pack, I know it's affecting them the same way, seeing this more lighthearted side of the fiercely competitive omega.

Ourfiercely competitive omega.

I feel a stab of guilt for thinking that way, but I can't help it.

"I don't know about that, but it was fun," she says.

"See? Told you," I tease.

She rolls her eyes, but there's no real annoyance behind it. "Yeah, yeah. Don't let it go to your head."

I'm about to respond when I notice her shiver slightly. "You cold?" I ask, natural protectiveness creeping into my voice.

She shakes her head. "No, I'm fine. Just... a little warm, actually."

The implications of that statement hit me like a ton of bricks. Her heat is progressing, and fast. I exchange a look with the other guys, seeing my own concern reflected in their eyes.

"Maybe we should head back to the breakroom," Adder suggests gently. "Get you something to drink, cool off a bit. I checked and the showers still have hot water, too."

Ember looks like she wants to argue, but another shiver wracks her body, and she nods reluctantly. "Yeah, okay."

As we make our way off the ice, I can't help but feel a strange mix of emotions. Pride at how quickly Ember picked up the basics of hockey. Worry about her impending heat and how we're going to handle it.

And beneath it all, a simmering desire that threatens to consume me if I let my guard down for even a second.

Mason catches my eye as we reach the boards, giving me a small nod of approval. Maybe he was right. Maybe showing Ember who we really are, beyond the alpha posturing, is the key to winning her over.

But as I watch her walk ahead of us, her movements graceful even in regular shoes, I can't help but wonder if it will be enough.

Ifwe'llbe enough.

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