Page 40 of Puck & Her Blades

Cygnus looks down. “Perhaps, the matching won’t even happen. Dad could be inventing it just to inflate ratings. If Jackson doesn’t resist the bond, then I will. I’ve never been with a woman before. I never wanted to be…I’ve only ever had a crush on you. Jackson and Zev both say that I only have to be with someone who I choose, and I choose you, if you want us. I’ll find a way to make Dad let us match with you, I promise.”

He means it.

Fuck, he really means it.

I freeze, staring at him in shock.

My mouth opens and then closes.

Did Cygnus Blade — part of one of the most desirable packs in the sporting world — truly just offer to match with me?

And I do want Cygnus.

He’s already become my friend and he’s the type of Omega who I’ve dreamed about loving and protecting.

I’ve wanted Jackson for years.

Plus, surrounded in Zev’s scent, wearing the jersey that he left so that I could make my first ever nest, I know that it’d be so easy to want him too.

Inside, I’m shaking apart. But I won’t show it.

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep or that will get your cute ass kicked.” I stroke over the back of Cygnus’ hand, willing him to understand. “I want you. I choose you. But if Roarke’s prepared to send Jackson to the Alpha Center, what would he do to you, if you don’t go with the selection that he makes? I won’t be responsible for you being hurt. Plus, your dad made it graphically clear to me that I’m never going to bond to any one in his pack.”

Cygnus gives me a shrewd look. “I’ve had a lot of people tell me that I’m never going to do things. I bet you have too. Did you just believe them?”

My lips curl up. “Never.”

On instinct, I lean forward and drag Cygnus closer, pushing his hair behind his ear.

I can have this, if I’m brave enough to take the risk.

Happily, he nuzzles against my neck for a moment.

I don’t know how I’ll become a bonded member yet but I’m going to fight for the position because these Blades are prepared to fight for me.

Until then, I’m going to protect them like they’re my bonded mates anyway.

Cygnus peeks up at me from underneath his eyelashes, before dropping the book that he’s carrying into my lap. “This is for you.”

An old book?

I don’t want to offend the bookworm who’s contentedly nuzzling me, but if something’s not on a computer screen and less than two hundred words long, I don’t read it.

This looks…a lot longer than that.

I turn the book over in my hands and read out the title, “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.”

Cygnus’ eyes light up. “Mom gave me this, when I was a kid. I’ve reread it hundreds of times. I loved that Alice was an Omega, but she got to have amazing adventures in this new, incredible world. She was brave like you. When I’ve been confined inside such a lot, it became special to me. I wanted you to have it.”

My chest becomes tight.

I take back all my bad thoughts about books.

Apart from those on Fifty Shades of Alpha. I retain the right to my bad thoughts about that book.

This one, however, is special.

I raise the book to my nose. It smells of delicious violet candies.

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