Page 71 of Puck & Her Blades

I cross my arms. “Is Jackson your Guardian?”

Asher smiles. “Yep, and he’s awesome.”

“Really? Can anyone be awesome who’s become a Guardian?”

For the first time, anger flashes in Asher’s eyes, and he takes an impulsive step forward.

Cygnus stumbles back.

“Don’t talk about Jackson like that,” Asher growls. “I fucking worship my Ice King and his prince. Once you get to know them properly, then you will as well. You don’t know everything that’s going on, or how hard they’re trying for all of us. They do everything to hold this pack together. They sacrifice for it. Jackson saved me. He’s nothing like any Guardian that I’ve had before or known. He pretends that he needs me to clean his room on pizza and movie nights, so that I can be a part of them. He has me spot for him, during gym sessions, so that I’m not excluded. If you knew what it’d been like for me in every other pack, then you wouldn’t...”

I slowly move toward Asher, resting a hand on his tense arm. “Then tell me.”

His anguished gaze meets mine, before he slowly sits down on the bench.

Then he holds his arms out to me, inviting me to sit on his lap.

I bite my lip, as I settle on his strong legs, resting my head on his chest. He plays with my hair, but I think that he’s soothing himself as much as me.

Cygnus leans against the wall.

Asher slips the puck out of his pocket and fidgets with it, before holding it up to show me.

This close, I notice the signatures scrawled across it in silver pen.

“Jackson gave me this after my first team game with the Blades.” Asher tosses me the puck, and I catch it. I smooth my thumb over Jackson’s elegant signature, which is scrawled on the top of the puck. “He had all of the team sign it, including Cygnus. It’s my lucky charm. It was the first gift that I’d been given in a decade because Companions aren’t allowed presents. They don’t get to own property because they are the property. But Jackson doesn’t give a shit about rules like that. At least, when he can get away with hiding it like having this classified as hockey equipment. It meant the fucking world to me. I always carry it around to remind me that from that very first day, he saw me as no different to the rest of the team. It didn’t matter that I was a Beta or a Companion. We’re all his bros to him.”

My chest is tight.

I risk my life fighting for equality within the sporting world.

My blog is dangerous.

Is Jackson the same? Does he take the same risks?

Yet he hides his good deeds behind his cold exterior and hermit like behavior.

I tighten my hand around the puck, feeling more closely connected to both Asher and Jackson than I ever have. “He sounds like a good Alpha.”

Asher’s expression becomes dreamy for a moment, before a melancholy steals into it that breaks my heart. “My Alpha dad was charged with neglect. It’s why my twin and younger sister ended up in the system. The assholes separated us, however, and it fucking killed me. I ran away from every other placement that they put me in, trying to get back to them. Of course, because of this…” He touches the choker at his throat, and I wince. “They caught me. Then they taught me just what happens to bad Companions who run. It didn’t matter how hard they beat me though, I still ran, at least, until I was placed here with the Blades.”

I hug Asher, hating that he’s suffered through that. “Why don’t you run now?”

“Because Jackson gave my twin back to me.” Asher looks up at Cygnus, who’s become stiff like he’s nervous. “And because I fell in love.”

Cygnus relaxes. “You’re not allowed to run.”

Asher gives an easy smile. “Don’t worry, I won’t. But it’d be worth it to try and see you chase me, babe. It may be the only way that I get your cute ass to do any exercise.”

I chuckle but then, I study Asher with a concerned gaze. “How did Jackson give you back your twin?”

“He makes up excuses that I need extra practice, then I get to see Matt on the ice. My bro can’t really play,” Asher’s laugh is bright, and I can tell that he’s imagining playing hockey with his twin. He’s glowing with joy. It’s wrong that he’s been separated from his family because his dad neglected them as kids. “But I let him think that he can because hey, what are brothers for?”

“Jerk,” Cygnus says, fondly.

“Is Matt safe?” I ask.

“Matt’s with an awesome pack, the Kings. I spent my life terrified that he wasn’t safe. I had nightmares that he was being hurt. When you have a twin, it’s like they’re the other half of your Soul. But these Kings saved him like Jackson saved me.”

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