Page 156 of Puck & Her Blades

Roarke stalks to the door, resting his hand on the handle. “I’ll get a rough draft of that contract drawn up, while you’re getting ready for the game. Then before it starts, we’ll sign. But there has to be stakes. Now, that’s inspirational, or should I say, motivational?”

“Stakes?” I whisper, as my pulse skyrockets.

Cygnus whimpers.

He knows his dad better than anyone.

We’re screwed.

I know it.

“If you win, you get to bond your Beta and retire with your pack. It’ll be the fairy tale story for both this team and you. At least, that’s how we’ll spin it. But if you lose…” Roarke gives a nasty smile, as he wrenches open the door. My stomach twists in knots. “…then you don’t get to retire and none of you are leaving either the team or Blade House. Don’t even think that I’ll be letting you bond with a Companion either. And your two rebellious Omegas…? I’m going to send them to the Institute to teach them how to respect their Head Alpha. My son appears to have forgotten, since you bonded with Puck.”

Terrified, I shudder.

Cygnus gazes sadly at Roarke. “I thought that you wanted to make things right, Dad.”

“I do.” Roarke no longer sounds warm toward Cygnus. He’s icier than Jackson. “I could have you marked as a Reject on two counts and sold. Luckily for you, I’m not. Instead, I’m honoring the vow that I made to your mom. Those are the stakes. So, you’d better hope that your Alphas are motivated now to fucking win.”

CHAPTER 21

Blade Arena, Washington

“Come on, Ash, score,” Cygnus mutters.

He stands hunched next to me as my mascot handler, watching the rink so intensely that he doesn’t blink.

His arms are wrapped around himself. He looks like he’s pulled so taut that he could snap.

I can feel his desperate fear through the bond.

Our Beta bodyguards are stationed around us in a tight circle. This is such a high profile game that they’re on high alert, scanning the roaring crowds.

The vast arena is packed for the final of the Alpha Cup. Most people are cradling foam or furry puck merchandise like lucky charms.

The Blades could make history tonight by becoming the first ever team to win with a Beta on their team.

That would be revolutionary.

It’d sweep away every argument that said Betas weren’t good enough to compete alongside Alphas.

This game is so much bigger than winning or losing our own freedom.

It’s about winning the freedom of equality for all dynamics.

Out of the tunnel vision of my mascot outfit, I glance up at the huge screen that hangs above the arena and flashes the score:

2 — 2

The only thing that Roarke has been right about is that the Florida Alphas are tough opponents.

I’ve never seen such a close game.

I’ve also never seen Jackson, Zev, and Asher play with such intensity and focus.

They’re on fucking fire.

If I’m an ice Omega, then they’re ice gods right now.

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