Page 13 of Bliss & Her Idols (Pack Bonds Omegaverse #10)

CHAPTER SIX

Knight Amphitheater, Haven

I rock on my heels in excitement. I’m biting my lips with nerves and anticipation.

I’m here because of a rock star’s desperate cry for help.

At the same time, I can’t believe that I’m truly in the grand Knight Amphitheater. It was built with the money from the wealthy and influential Knight pack, and as a teenager, I dreamed about attending concerts here.

Including ones by Idols.

When I could have afforded to treat myself, I found myself so wedded to my mission with the BPU that I felt too guilty to take a night off to spend money on myself.

Piper is the same.

Perhaps, my brother and I have both sacrificed our personal and romantic lives because of our pasts.

It’s time that we find some happiness for ourselves.

I glance down at the handsome Omega by my side who is staring around the room, which has been set up for the V.I.P journalists’ meet and greet. The event is being held before the concert.

Cricket is wearing the same expression of awe that I’m feeling.

He’s shaking with nerves. This is overwhelming for him.

I smile, slipping my arm around his waist.

Maybe I have already found a tiny slice of amber eyed happiness.

“It’s beautiful,” Cricket breathes.

“Like you.” I glance around the low ceilinged room. It’s a glamorous meeting room with velvet seats on one side and a long table with only a single seat on the other. “At least his staff know how to brand Jin well.”

The floors are the same swirling blue as Jin’s merchandise. The lights in the ceiling twinkle like the stars on Immortal’s signature outfits. Banners hang over and behind the table with photos of the album cover.

Cricket looks like he’s trying to start a sentence several times but can’t quite get the words out of his throat.

I’ve noticed that Cricket is struggling to talk now that we’re around other people.

A gang of Beta journalists and reporters are gathered in conspiratorial groups around the seats.

I catch sight of a pink-haired woman with glasses, who is lurking with a cameraman at her shoulder. She clutches a recording device in her long nailed hand.

I bare my teeth.

April Lavere.

April is a Traditional journalist who writes for the most popular magazines.

She’s also my nemesis.

April has received every assignment, from which I’ve been rejected.

She’s a Beta , I’ll simply be dismissively told. You’re an Omega.

What can I say to that?

She’s also a hack? Lazy? A bad writer?

An asshole?

“Disgraceful,” April mutters, casting me another disparaging look. “What type of Alpha allows their unbonded Omegas out alone and looking like that ? Sometimes I wonder why people are surprised when their Omegas are kidnapped or worse.”

I grit my teeth.

Is this the type of person we should be content is writing for our media? Who is setting the narrative?

I want to show the world that an Omega can be anything that they dream.

Go anywhere alone and be safe, and if they’re not, then it isn’t the victim’s fault.

It’s the fucking Alpha’s.

I will prove that I can be as good a journalist as any of the cynical, bored looking assholes, who are swimming through this room like sharks hoping to scent blood.

Since some of them have also been shooting Cricket and me contemptuous or suspicious glances as not simply the only Omegas but also the only Rejects, I’ve been hanging around at the back of the room.

At least that also gives Cricket more breathing space.

Thank fuck for the invention of ventilators that suck scents out of some public places like this amphitheater.

I drag the long sleeve of my blue Dragon band top firmly over my Rej bracelet.

I’m pretty unmissable with my ruffled leather skirt, which is another of Piper’s punky designs.

I’m also a thirty year old unbonded Omega, which is a rare sight.

Plus, I have a gorgeous younger Omega at my side.

Cricket has no idea how gorgeous he is.

I have a sense that he’s barely looked in a mirror throughout his life.

Has anyone told Cricket that he’s good-looking before?

I’ll have to tell him more, even if it’s to see the blush spread across his soft cheeks that I’m coming to love.

Piper worked all day sewing and turning up a pair of his torn leather pants to fit Cricket. He also ferreted out a pair of his battered black boots that he’d worn when he was in high school.

Piper’s silver t-shirt is still too large for Cricket. It slides tantalizingly off Cricket’s shoulder every time that he moves.

Cricket looks like an accidental punk.

Somehow, these clothes make him appear even cuter, and I didn’t know that was possible.

My eyes narrow, when I notice how many of the Betas are eying him hungrily.

Luckily, Cricket hasn’t noticed the Betas’ predatory looks.

He’s been too lost in his own world, or possibly, drunk on discovering the real world for the first time in his life.

He gives off prey vibes. I hate how many Alphas would hunt him.

Too late. I’ve already hunted this male Omega. He’s mine.

When I snarl possessively at the Beta journalists, they startle.

April drops her recording device in shock, and I grin, when it cracks loudly on the floor.

It’s petty.

But petty for the win.

“Your brother’s kind to give me his concert ticket.” Cricket nuzzles against my neck. “I couldn’t believe it. Why would he do that?”

“Because Pip is awesome. Oh, you really mean that?” I furrow my brow.

How to explain how family works…sacrifice and love…

to someone who hasn’t experienced it? I hope that Cricket slowly learns what it feels like to live in a good family, and never experiences anything else again.

“He knew that it would mean a lot to you to come to this concert.”

In the end, I hadn’t needed to have a conversation with Piper about the second ticket.

I woke up this morning to find that Piper, who always wakes up before dawn to get everything ready in the coffee shop on time, had pushed it underneath the door with a note.

For your Bug.

Film Immortal for me, okay? He’s my future Beta x

Then Piper had drawn a winking face.

“So,” Cricket says like he’s thinking hard, “your brother knew that I was central to this mission.”

I sigh. “Something like that.”

“Then I’d better give you my analysis. I can be pretty sure from watching online meet and greets like this that Jin will be flanked by at least two security team bodyguards and his Head of Security, Mr. Stapleton.

Stapleton is a tall man in his late thirties with blond hair.

Stern faced. I have also never seen my Dragon without one staff member, Zoe.

She’s his supervisor. She’s in her late twenties, a couple of years older than Jin, with mousy hair in a bun and a mean mouth.

She’s meant to be his employee. Her role is to cater to his needs, but she gives off the vibe that she’s, I don’t know, controlling him. ”

“I get the same vibe.”

It’s too soon for Cricket to understand that family can do things simply out of kindness and the wish to support each other. He sees our help for Jin in terms of case or mission .

He doesn’t appear ready to admit it to himself but he risked a lot to send the letters through his youngest brother back and forth to Jin.

Even if his Burrow pack don’t understand what love is, in his own way, Cricket does. It’s shown in how he raised his brothers.

Cricket has a huge heart. I hope he realizes it soon.

Now, Cricket is trembling and trying to hide it.

His cheeks are red. His gaze is darting fast around the room but never resting above the Betas’ jawlines.

He appears terrified to make eye contact with the Betas, as if that may make one of them come over and start talking to him.

“I’ve dreamed about watching live music,” Cricket whispers.

“Being around this many people — strangers who are all chatting like they already know each other — is hard. Does everyone do this type of thing? How are you so calm, Bee? But I’m making myself face this ordeal because I don’t want to be hidden away anymore. ”

He edges as close to me as he can.

I glance around, before leading Cricket to an even quieter alcove, which is closer to the front but further from the chairs. “Is this better?”

Cricket chirps his thanks.

“Nobody but you would care that I was struggling around so many Betas.” He peers up at me through his thick eyelashes. “Nobody but you knows me well enough.”

I laugh. “It doesn’t feel like we’ve only just met, huh?”

“We haven’t. And this…” Cricket gets out the rest of the next line so fast like he’s embarrassed. I can’t make it out. “…Hasbeenthebestdayofmylife.”

“Sorry, what?”

Cricket takes a deep breath and tries again. “This has been the best day of my life.”

“But we only ate our weight in donuts in bed, drank way too much coffee, and planned how we were going to pull off tonight.”

“Exactly.” He smiles, softly. “We were together.”

Warmth fills me. “Well, just wait until we spend one of my legendary chocolate fudge ice cream movie nights with my brothers and Lion. Your mind will be blown.”

“It’s a date.”

We both freeze.

My cheeks flush.

“It’s a date,” I repeat.

Then we stare at each other.

My gaze drops to Cricket’s kissable lips, at the same time that he reaches to hold my hand.

“Crick,” I murmur.

Suddenly, I’m startled by the sound of footsteps coming from behind the small door just in front of the alcove.

There’s no time for Cricket and me to move.

My heart speeds up.

Jin is here .

A soft voice all caramel and smoke melts through the door.

“My Dragon.” Cricket’s eyes are bright.

He clutches onto me tighter.

Instantly, the door is thrown open, and Jin sweeps through, coming face to face with me.

He’s so close that our bodies are almost touching.

We both draw in shocked breaths. Then Jin’s gaze flies to mine.

I forget how to breathe.

Jin is more beautiful in real life than on the screen.

How is that possible?