Page 42 of Knot Sharing the Ice

The lump in my throat threatens to choke me.

How can they be so understanding?

So patient?

They're certainly not like other alphas.

"Can I ask you something?" Adder's voice pulls me from my thoughts. I nod, wary. "What happened before? To make you so distrustful of alphas?"

The question hits me like a punch to the gut. Am I that transparent? Have I been wearing my wounds so openly?

I consider deflecting, brushing off the question with a joke or a vague non-answer. But as I look at their faces—open, concerned, genuinely wanting to understand—I realize I owe them this much.

After everything we've shared, I can give them this piece of myself.

And the realization that I feel safe enough to do so?

That's terrifying in its own right.

I take a deep breath, steeling myself. "It's not just one thing," I start, my voice barely above a whisper. "It's... a pattern. My ex, Jake, he was the worst of it. He wanted me to give up skating. Said it wasn't 'appropriate' for his omega to be so focused on a career. That I should be thinking about starting a family instead."

The growls that rumble through the room startle me.

I look up to see fury etched across their faces.

"Hewhat?" Jayce snarls, his usual playful demeanor nowhere to be seen.

I shrug, aiming for nonchalance but probably missing by a mile. "It's not just him. It's been an issue in all my relationships. Alphas who say they support my dreams at first, but then start hinting that maybe I should 'slow down' or 'reconsider my priorities.' It's like they can't handle the idea of an omega with ambitions other than being a mate and mother." I pause. "It's not like I don'twanteither of those things. Just… not at the expense of my other dreams. But every alpha I've dated has made it clear I have to choose."

"That's bullshit," Mason says vehemently. "Your career, your passion—that's part of who you are. Anyone who truly cares for you would support that, not try to change it."

"Exactly," Carter agrees. "Ember, your competitive spirit, your drive… those are some of the things that drew us to you in the first place."

I blink, taken aback by the intensity of their responses. "You... you mean that?"

"That and your ass," Jayce admits with that devilish grin.

I lob an empty water bottle at him, but I know for once he's just trying to lighten the mood, and I'm grateful.

Adder reaches out, his hand hovering near mine, asking permission. I nod, and he takes my hand in his, his touch gentle but firm. "We mean it. If you choose us—and it is your choice,always—we'll never stand in the way of your dreams. We want to support you, to see you succeed."

"You're incredible on the ice," Jayce adds, growing serious. "Why would we ever want to take that away from you?"

I search their faces for any sign of deception, any hint that they're just telling me what I want to hear.

But all I see is sincerity.

And something else.

A fierce protectiveness that makes my heart skip a beat.

"I believe you," I whisper, and I'm surprised to realize it's true. "I don't know why, but I do."

The tension in the room eases slightly, replaced by a cautious optimism. I'm not ready to commit to anything yet, but for the first time in a long time, I feel...

Hopeful.

"So, where do we go from here?" Mason asks, voicing the question we're all apparently thinking.

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