Page 114 of Puck & Her Blades

It’s a heartbeat with a number above it: 8:23.

Is it a time?

Asher traces over the heartbeat tattoo, reverentially. “I’ve lost one family already. Actually, before I was taken into the Blade pack as a ward, I was rejected and passed between three different families. I’ve been through a hell of a lot. After I was sent to the Institute, I was never able to find my sister again but I was reunited with my brother. He’s the only family outside this one that I have.”

Asher is like this bouncing ball of sunshine usually but then, he has these moments of intense anger and melancholy.

It’s like storm clouds on a bright day.

“The tattoo’s beautiful,” I say, unsure.

“My twin, Matt, and I both got these in secret, when we turned eighteen. We wanted something to connect us, even though we’d been separated. This tattoo represents our love but also our endurance. No matter how shit our lives become, we’ll never stop our heartbeats. And fuck it, your heartbeat isn’t going to stop either. I won’t let it.”

Asher’s gaze sharply scans across Cygnus and me. We freeze under the weight of his words.

He’s talking to both of us.

I understand what he means now.

My determination steels.

I’m going to get through tonight. Then I’m going to help Cygnus every day that he needs me.

Asher brushes the sweaty hair from my forehead. “This — with you — is the first time that I’ve felt that I’m fully part of a pack again.”

“You’re my Beta,” I say, fiercely. “You’re going to be part of my heat and life, as much as any of the others. Fuck, I want to bond to you.”

Asher’s lips pinch. “I can’t.”

“But if you could…?”

“In a heartbeat.”

I tilt my head. “Then we will become bonded, I promise. For now, I’m going to treat you as an equal to Jackson, Zev, or Cygnus.”

Cygnus is beaming. “I knew that you were perfect for us.”

Asher looks dazed. “Fuck, babe, you’re incredible.”

“But what about Roarke?” I demand. “Isn’t he the problem? How can I even have a heat, when my Alphas aren’t here?”

Is Roarke destroying them, as he swore that he would, because of me?

I want to ask. I’m desperate to.

Yet I’m too afraid of the answer, and my nerves are already close to snapping.

To my surprise, Asher gives a wicked grin. “Luckily, our Alphas are badass. Jackson and Zev have lived their lives in the spotlight as stars. Jackson knows how to make the machine work for him, and Zev has had so many disasters that he’s worked out how to spin them into triumphs.”

“How can they spin crashing out of such an important game because I went into heat?”

“By making it the most romantic moment of the century.” Asher waggles his eyebrows. “Did you think that these spontaneous love affairs between stars and athletes were real? They have whole PR teams behind them. We have our Alphas.”

I love how he glows with pride, whenever he talks about his teammates.

I hope that they appreciate his respect.

It truly makes me admire Asher that instead of being jealous of pack members who have higher status than him, he looks up to and supports them, instead.

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