Page 32 of Bliss & Her Idols (Pack Bonds Omegaverse #10)

Jin’s musical laugh is everything after the memory of his final words that have haunted me for the last week.

… I won’t ever forget it…forget you…

Jin is leaning in the doorway with his hands in the pockets of the same silk suit that he’d been wearing on the top of the cliff in the opening ceremony.

His coat spills from his shoulders to the floor.

He looks like sin.

Except, he doesn’t appear untouchable anymore.

He looks like mine.

“Get inside,” Torin hisses. “You’re not meant to be here. Where are your staff? Where’s Zoe?”

“Somewhere else, going fucking crazy, probably.” Jin shrugs, strolling inside and closing the door. “I escaped. I’m good at that, remember? I had to see you.” His grin widens. “It looks like I’m just in time to rescue you from feral Omegas.”

“Hey…” I protest.

Jin may be taking risks that could put us all in danger but he appears to live for the thrill.

But then, don’t I?

Jin glances at the mirror above the bed with a smirk, before throwing himself onto the bed. He kisses Torin, Cricket, and me, as if he can’t make up his mind between us and will never have enough time to kiss us all.

Finally, after he holds my cheeks and kisses across my lips, nose, and cheeks, I laugh, batting him off. “We get that you’re happy to see us, pup.”

Jin settles onto the bed next to Torin.

Cricket crawls to lie on top of Jin, resting his head against his chest and purring. “I can hear your heart. It’s beating fast.”

Jin loops his arm around Cricket. “It’s because I have my little Chirp in my arms. I didn’t think that I’d ever see you again.”

“We promised to save you.” I allow myself to nuzzle against Torin’s neck.

He plays with my hair, and I purr.

“Don’t you remember what I swore to you, when I was sent away?

” Torin’s expression is unexpectedly serious, as his piercing gaze meets Jin’s.

“I told you that when I came back, we’d be together.

This time for good. Nobody would ever be able to take you away from me again.

I’d kill them, before I allowed that to happen.

I may be a possessive Alphahole but I’m not a young Alpha who can be broken and controlled anymore. My family are going to discover that.”

The hairs on the back of my neck rise.

I stop purring, peering up at the sharp look on Torin’s face.

I know that look.

He’s scheming.

Somehow, I’m not worried that I’m snuggling in the arms of such a dangerous Alpha. After all, I was raised by Chase, an unhinged cage fighter.

I know dangerous men and I can feel deep in my bones and blood that this man isn’t dangerous to me or to anyone who he loves.

But if anybody hurts us — has hurt us — then they’d better fucking watch out.

“What happened?” I ask. “Why were you sent to Ireland?”

I can sense a shift in the room.

It’s a terrible tension, a reopening of a wound.

“Can I trust that you’ll never use this against me?” Torin’s hold tightens on my hair. “Don’t you realize that I’ve already shown both you Omegas more than I have anybody outside the Idols? You could destroy me with a single online post. If I share this with you, then…”

Jin reaches out and takes Torin’s hand between his.

He doesn’t say anything.

The gesture feels familiar between them.

Loving.

It gives Torin strength.

Finally, Torin licks his dry lips. “It’s forbidden for Idols to have relationships. But Jin and I fell in love. I was naive. I promised to bond with him, as if I had the power back then to make it happen. I lived like we were in a fairy tale.”

“I’m older than you all,” I reply. “I know that there are no fairy tales.”

“Don’t worry, when I was twenty, that was proved to me.

” Torin’s expression becomes anguished. “Jin would sneak out of the Idol Camp to meet up with me at night. He’s good at escaping, as you’ve seen.

I’d climb out of my window at the mansion.

We had a special secret meeting place in the forest at the back of the estate.

None of my siblings cared or noticed what I did.

I didn’t think that Rory would be worried about me going missing.

But one night, he went searching for me.

He found me in the early hours. He was exhausted and furious. And I was kissing Jin…”

Cricket whines. He can tell where this is going, as much as I wish that I couldn’t.

“What did Rory do?” Cricket whispers.

“I begged and I’d never begged my brother for anything.

” Fury flashes in Torin’s eyes. “Rory, more than any of my siblings, must have known what would happen to me once I’d been caught kissing an Idol.

I’d never joined in the bullying of Rory.

But he still told Mena on me .” His sense of betrayal is a palpable thing shimmering in the air.

I understand more about his rage at Rory now.

I wish that I could kick his ass myself.

“I was thrown out of the pack. I was sent to live with distant cousins back in Ireland. As an outcast . You have no idea what that feels like to an Alpha to be cast out from their pack. The shame. The feeling every day like their soul is being clawed to shreds. The crushing loneliness of being separated from the Beta who I loved.”

I lick down Torin’s throat in comfort.

How can his sister have been that cruel?

“I wrote songs, however,” Torin continues, “brilliant songs that the producers loved so much, even Mena couldn’t reject them. I could speak to Jin through them. I could hear him singing like we were still with each other.”

When Torin turns his face to Jin, as if he’ll die if he doesn’t check that Jin hasn’t been torn away from him again, Jin hurriedly shifts close enough to turn his head and kiss him.

The two men balance an Omega on each of their chests, never letting go, while they kiss like they’re drowning.

When Jin finally draws back, his eyelashes are wet. “And I felt like I was still kissing him, when I sang every word.”

“Nobody is going to stop you kissing each other for real again,” Cricket says, determinedly. “Kissing is incredible. Bee has taught me that.”

“You’re right.” Jin reaches up to suck at my lower lip, seductively enough to make me moan embarrassingly loudly. “Kissing our Queen here… or down there ,” his gaze slides suggestively down my body, “is life changing.”

“Hey, stop stealing my Omega.” Torin curls his arm more possessively around me. “How about you suck your Omega’s cock, while I have fun tasting this one’s pussy?”

I’m about to protest on principle because Torin has that effect on me, but Cricket nods his frantic approval.

Unfortunately, Jin’s expression falls. “Now I feel like I’ve denied everyone a treat. I’m sorry, yeah? But it’s only a temporary escape. I can’t let Mr. Stapleton or Zoe find me here. I just saw you there on the beach and had to talk, hug, and kiss you, you know?”

“It wasn’t planned out…? You amaze me,” Torin drawls.

“That’s because I’m magic.” Jin beams. “How about some mind reading? You’re thinking: How am I lucky enough to have such a hot Beta in my bed? ”

“I’m actually thinking,” I reply, “how can I keep him in my bed?”

“You win me. That’s the other reason I needed to risk coming here. I overheard Serenity talking to the producer about the tasks.”

I sit up, as my heart leaps with excitement.

“Go on.” I urge.

“Cheat,” Torin says with a hint of fondness. Then he adds, “Like she said. Tell us.”

“One will include music,” Jin counts the tasks off on his fingers.

“I can’t play an instrument.” I pale, horrified.

Torin points at the guitars that are leaning against the far wall. “On the other hand, I’m a musician. Easy.”

Somehow, I doubt that it will be. I don’t say anything.

“One of the tasks,” Jin continues, “will include dancing.”

This time, Torin pales as much as me.

“Can you dance?” I ask. “Because I can’t.”

Torin shakes his head. “Forgotten child here. I never received the same ballroom lessons that my older siblings did. The Idols tried to teach me, but in my opinion, they failed.”

Jin shudders. “Didn’t we made a pact never to speak about that?”

Torin narrows his eyes. “We haven’t asked the adorable Omega who looks like he’s hoping that we’ll forget his existence. Mo stoirin, it all rests on you. Can you dance?”

“I don’t know.” Cricket is trembling. “No one has ever danced with me. But I’m terrified of everyone looking at me like that. Will I really have to perform? Are you sure that there isn’t a task like best gamer? Oh, I know! Fastest laundry folder.”

He looks so hopeful like those may really be options.

“We can always hope,” Torin replies, dryly. “What about the final?”

“The assholes are keeping it secret.” Jin’s lips thin.

My heart sinks.

Why did I think that we could win this contest? Two Rejects and an outcast Alpha against eight elites?

“Don’t you get to decide who wins the tasks?” Cricket rests his cheek against Jin’s. “We have one advantage against everyone else. We’re sleeping with the judge.”

Cricket gives a smug smile and heated look.

“Wow, Charming, you’ve already corrupted our adorable innocent.

” But then, Jin’s smile fades. “Unfortunately, that’s only one of the Idols’ many lies.

I’m a fucking puppet. The producers along with Zoe are picking the winners, who gain a special reward.

They will also choose the loser, the pack who performed worst, and they will be sent home. ”

“Sent home…?” Anxiety spikes through me.

Jin’s troubled gaze meets mine. “Ehm, plot twist…? The pack judged to be the worst will be immediately kicked off Pack Bonds Island. Not everyone will even get to the final for the chance to fight for a bonded pack. Tomorrow morning could either be your chance to win a prize or win a one way ticket home.”