Page 110 of Puck & Her Blades

McKay calls over his shoulder in a pompous voice, “I don’t normally make house calls this late. You’re remarkably lucky that I came out and even more lucky, since it’s for a Reject.”

I stiffen, and Cygnus moves, as if he’s about to leap off the bed in my defense.

I catch him by the hand, however, and pull him down closer to me again.

I shake my head, and Cygnus subsides, choosing to rub his cheek against my neck, instead.

It soothes me, as much as it’s clearly soothing him.

“And it had nothing to do with the obscene sum that was transferred into your bank account, huh?” Asher swaggers into the room behind McKay.

He’s dressed in black joggers and a plain black t-shirt.

The violet Companion choker stands out in stark contrast at his throat.

It’s impossible to miss.

Yet somehow, Asher wears it with dignity like it doesn’t define him.

Asher catches my eye, and a grin spreads across his face. “You look gorgeous in Jackson’s jersey, babe.”

“You could have won.” I don’t mean to say it, but the words burst from me.

They hang between us, swollen with meaning.

The grin dies on Asher’s face, and his honey colored eyes become deadly earnest, as he meets my gaze. “I did.”

Then before I can even begin to think about that, he pushes past the doctor and rushes to my side, dropping to his knees next to me and reaching to hold my hand.

He assesses me. “It’s normally Cygnus giving us a scare. This caring for Omegas is harder than it looks. It’s harder than caring for Zev’s hamster. Although, despite his escape attempts, he’s easy enough to keep happy, as long as I feed and play with him.”

“Hey,” I say but I’m smiling now, and the waves of heat have become a pleasant warmth, as if his influence has calmed them down. Is this one of the roles of a Beta, during the heat and rut? “Zev has a hamster…?”

Asher strokes the back of my hand. “Nope, because wouldn’t that just wreck his punk image? Of course, he does have a small, furry creature that looks like a hamster. It may be one of my chores to feed it. And he may have named her Stick.”

I laugh. “He really does love his stick.”

Suddenly, I feel lighter and safer. Asher has that affect.

Asher’s twinkling eyes meet mine.

I could fall forever into the depths of those eyes.

I’m falling for him.

I draw in a sharp breath.

Asher tilts his head, and his golden hair tumbles into his eyes. “Are you okay for the doctor to examine you now?”

“Stop coddling her,” McKay snaps. “You don’t ask permission from an Omega Reject. Good lord, you’re going to have problems, if this is how you start off with her. Tell her what you expect and not the other way around.”

He marches to me and snatches my hand from Asher, pressing his cold fingers to my wrist, checking my pulse. He peers down at me through metal glasses like I’m nothing but an interesting specimen in an experiment.

I whimper. My skin crawls.

His touch feels wrong, violating.

“Beta,” I whisper, desperately.

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