Page 39 of Knot Sharing the Ice

We finish washing her in comfortable silence, trading soft touches and gentle kisses. By the time we're done, Ember looks about ready to fall asleep on her feet. Without thinking, I scoop her up into my arms, cradling her against my chest.

"I've got you, Cotton Candy," I say, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Let's get you back to the nest."

She nuzzles into my neck, her breath warm against my skin. "M'kay," she mumbles, already half-asleep.

As we step out of the shower room, I catch Adder and Mason's knowing looks. They don't say anything, but I can see the mix of concern and arousal in their eyes. I give them a small nod, silently communicating that Ember's okay, just exhausted.

And it looks like the seventh—or maybe eighth?—time is the charm, because the scent of her heat is already fading.

Unfortunately for us.

I lay her down gently in the center of the nest, and immediately she curls up, looking small and vulnerable. The urge to protect her, to wrap her up and never let her go, nearly overwhelms me.

I have to remind myself that she's not really ours.

Not yet.

Maybe not ever.

"Ember, sweetheart," Adder says softly, kneeling beside her. "You need to eat something before you sleep. Can you do that for us?"

She makes a soft noise of protest, but slowly uncurls, blinking up at us with bleary eyes.

God, she's adorable like this.

I want to wake up to that sleepy, tousled look every morning for the rest of my life.

Mason appears with a protein bar and a bottle of water. "Here," he says, helping her sit up. "Just a few bites, okay?"

Ember nods, taking small bites of the bar as Mason holds the water bottle for her. I watch, a lump forming in my throat at how naturally they care for her. How easily we've all fallen into these roles, as if we've been doing this for years instead of hours.

As soon as she's finished eating, Ember's eyes start to droop again. Adder and Mason exchange a look before carefully maneuvering her between them. She goes willingly, curling into Adder's chest as Mason spoons up behind her. The sight of her, safe and content between our packmates, fills me with a warmth I can't quite name.

Carter catches my eye, jerking his head toward the other side of the room. I follow him, knowing we need to talk about...

Well, everything.

"The roads should be clear soon," he says quietly, once we're out of earshot. "And the phone lines are back up. Frank called earlier. Said they're expecting to have everything open by tonight."

I nod, a heavy feeling settling in my chest. "So, that's it then? We just... what? Go back to our lives and pretend this never happened?"

Carter sighs, running a hand through his hair. "None of us want that, obviously, but..."

"But it's not up to us," I finish for him. "It's Ember's choice."

He nods, and we both turn to look at her, peacefully sleeping between Adder and Mason. She looks like she belongs there. Like she was always meant to be a part of our pack.

"She's perfect for us," I say softly, voicing the thought that's been running through my mind since the moment we met her. "You see it too, right? The way she challenges us, brings out the best in all of us?"

Carter smiles, a rare, genuine expression that reaches his eyes. "Yeah, I see it. She's... something else."

We fall into silence for a moment, both lost in our own thoughts. Finally, I can't help but voice the fear that's been gnawing at me. "You think she'll feel the same when all this is over? When the heat fades and reality sets in?"

Carter's expression grows serious. "I don't know. She's been hurt before, that much is clear. And we didn't exactly make the best first impression."

I wince, remembering my clumsy attempts at flirting. "Yeah, not our finest moment."

"But," Carter continues, "she's starting to let her guard down. You've seen it too, right? The way she laughs more easily now, how she seeks us out for comfort?"

---