Page 63 of Choosing Their Omega

“I love hockey. I do. I don’t want to give it up. I just also… love this.” I shrug and rub the back of my neck, suddenly feeling self-conscious. “I, uh. I always felt a little on the outs with most of the guys, honestly. It wasn’t until I met Cruz, and Lawson and Knox, that I felt like I really belonged with my teammates. Our differences make us stronger. It doesn’t make me feel like I’m on the outside.”

Lily takes my hand and squeezes. “I get it. I really do. I was always a bookworm growing up, I wasn’t great at being popular, or making friends. And then with my grandmother… it just made me feel even more alone, and more on the outside. I do have friends, and I’m lucky to have them, but sometimes I feel like they don’t understand me, and that…”

“Sucks.”

“Yeah.”

“But I always had the stars and the galaxies. They’re always here for me.”

“I’m always here for you too,” Lily promises.

I have to kiss her, for saying something like that. “I know.”

She really is a sweetheart. I tug on a lock of her hair. “We’re not letting you go easily now that we’ve got you, red.”

“Good, because I don’t plan on going anywhere. Do you have any photos? That you saved?”

“I sure do, actually. I try to do traditional photography when I can, even though I also will use my phone or digital cameras, so I have a whole dark room. I like to try a lot of different methods.”

“I’d love to see them.” Lily pauses. I can see her taking a deep breath. “I think that… your fans would love to see them too.”

I stare at her in surprise. I can feel a frown of confusion tugging down the corners of my mouth. “What do you mean?”

“I mean that… I like seeing this other side of you. And I think that other people will like to see it too. There’s more to you than just hockey.” Lily takes my hands. “There’s more to everyone than just one thing. I think that your fans would love to see another side of you.”

“My nerdy side?”

“Yes. You’re not just a… what’s the phrase.” Lily grimaces. “Meathead?”

I snort and wrap my arms around her waist, her hands settling on my chest. “Sure, we’ll go with that.”

“It’s a stereotype,” Lily insists. “And that’s not what any of you are. You deserve to show the world all of you, Miles. I know they’ll love it just like I do.”

I’m not sure what my face is doing, but it must be something spectacular, it must show the way I feel like my heart was just tenderly, gently cracked open and the soft insides are now being held in Lily’s palms, because she gets this soft look on her face and kisses me softly, slowly.

I hold on to her tightly. Part of me never wants to let her go.

When Lily pulls back, I tell her the truth. “I’m not sure if I’m ready for that. But I’ll think about it.”

She nods. “That’s all I ask for.”

Ben’s out like a light. Lily helps me get him down the ladder, where Knox is waiting. He probably wanted to put Ben down and didn’t want to interrupt our moment. I wonder how much he heard. He doesn’t say anything to me, just claps me on the shoulder and squeezes, a soothing, brotherly touch, then takes Ben into his arms.

He and Lily go off to put Ben to bed, and I take myself to bed as well in my own room.

It’s been a long time since I shared that part of myself with someone. My pack mates know about it, of course, but I don’t really talk about it with them. I never want to bore them, chatting about something that doesn’t interest them.

But I remember what Lily said about how she loves every part of me, and I remember the soft, reassuring look Knox gave me as he clapped me on the shoulder, and I wonder if maybe I had it wrong. Maybe my pack mates would be interested, because it’s a part of me, and I was just assuming because of my own insecurities.

If nothing else, Lily enjoys it and supports me. That’s more than enough for me, even if I never share it with the rest of the world. But I’ll consider what she said. For her sake.

A knock at my door interrupts my thoughts, and I grin as I recognize the scent filtering past my door.

Lily.

It’s almost as if I’ve conjured her with my thoughts.

“Come in,” I call softly.

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