Page 142 of Puck & Her Blades

Cygnus lets out a sob, launching himself off the couch and throwing his arms around Jackson. He nuzzles at his neck in desperate comfort.

Jackson gently clasps his arm around Cygnus, pressing a kiss to the top of his head. “I’m fine. I’m here, in one piece now.”

“It’s not fine,” I snarl. “You don’t need to pretend to be strong all the time. Did Roarke really save any of us?”

Asher is studying Jackson with compassion. “Huh, I always wondered why you seemed to understand me so well. You’ve been like a fucking light in the night to me. You got how tough things were. You’re my hero. I’m with Puck. I don’t care, if coach makes me crawl. But I’m fed up of this bullshit. I can’t stand that he’s always making you crawl as well.”

I poke Asher, and he blinks at me. “I care that he makes you crawl.”

“So do I.” Jackson arches his brow. “I’m forcing myself to take this deeply uncomfortable trip down memory lane for a reason. You needed to know why I made the choices that I have. I didn’t want to keep the secret anymore. All of us are taking risks to try and protect the others because we love them. But it’s time that we stand together as a team.”

Zev grins. “Come on, if we can make it to the finals, then together we can…”

“Take down the entire sporting world as we know it,” Jackson says, dryly.

Zev smirks. “Yeah, that.”

I gape at him. My mind blanks.

My breathing is ragged.

He can’t mean that he’s been working against Roarke and not only to plot to escape and gain our freedom, right?

“What?” I gasp.

Cygnus pulls back to stare at Jackson. “Wait, what do you mean?”

“Zev and I are undercover agents, of sorts,” Jackson says. “We’ve been playing our roles of the loyal Captain and the playboy star. Our aim has been to gather information on the elite packs and the Alpha NHL’s bad practices and funnel them to interested parties, who can help. If we can change views on the dynamics at the same time, along the way, then at least I will feel that I may be leashed but I can still bite. Of course, now we’ve reached the finals, we’ll have access to the millions who’ll be watching across the globe. We can do something spectacular.”

I’m shaking.

I thought that this was my secret alone.

But they’re resistance as well.

Plus, they trust me enough to tell me the truth. I can’t hold back my own secret for a moment longer.

Except, Cygnus beats me to it.

His eyes gleam with excitement.

He twists in Jackson’s arms. “I’ve been brave too. Are you proud of me? I stole all this information and—”

“You did what?” Jackson says, looking horrified.

“Don’t be a hypocrite, love,” Zev says. “After all, we’ve taken enough risks. We’re members of the Omega resistance.”

At the same time, I blurt, “I’m a resistance member.”

Asher glances between us, before he starts to laugh and then doesn’t appear to be able to stop.

He splutters, “So, you’re saying that while you were worrying about me, you were all working secretly for a criminal organization that meant you could have been arrested?”

Shit, put like that…

“Ehm, yeah…?” Zev runs his hand through his hair, attempting to smile winningly.

Asher stops laughing. “The people who I love really are fucking heroes. Plus, I’ve sort of joined this rebellion too, remember?”

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