Page 62 of Bliss & Her Idols (Pack Bonds Omegaverse #10)

Behind the scenes, the music industry is already in a frenzy.

Cricket fiddles with the controls, and the lights dim, leaving the singers alone lit by spotlights.

The background glitters brighter in the dark, as if the singers are trapped in chains.

This is it.

My mouth is dry. I struggle to swallow.

In the silence, I can only hear the thud of my heart.

Any minute…

The ranks of young Idols hold their positions like they are statues.

A door in the back of the auditorium bangs open.

I startle, jumping to stand up. I take up a protective stance over Cricket, shielding him from view.

He doesn’t even look up from the screens.

“What the hell is all this?” Zoe rushes up the aisle.

No one replies

The silence echoes somehow as much as her shrill yelling does.

Zoe looks harried. But then, Cricket has sent her on as many fake crises as possible all day.

I thought that the report of squirrels destroying the loft and gnawing through wires in the manor was inspired. It probably also explains why her bun is covered in cobwebs and her plain white t-shirt is smeared in dust.

I hope that she spent a lot of frustrating hours crawling around in the dark.

“I said,” Zoe repeats, placing her hands on her hips, “what the fucking hell is this? No practice is scheduled in here. I don’t know what type of craziness is going on today…maybe it’s a full moon or something tonight…but this stops now.”

Jin shakes his head. “I have a song to perform. Why don’t you leave, yeah? I don’t need you. In fact, I never have.”

Zoe’s mean mouth twists in shock. “Who taught you to be so willful? You entitled brat.”

My eyes narrow.

Zoe clambers onto the stage, storming toward Jin.

Torin and Immortal instantly move closer to Jin, protectively. The Idols behind him surge forward, blocking Zoe’s path.

Happiness rises through me that the Idols are standing together to protect one of their own.

They’re not going to allow anyone to bully them again.

It’s inspiring to see the generations united.

Zoe gapes at them. “What do you think you’re doing? I’ll tell the twins.”

“You won’t.” Jin’s voice is harder than I’ve heard it before.

He gently pats the head of a young girl in thanks, before shrugging his way through the kids’ ranks to stand shoulder by shoulder with them.

“I’m sorry that you didn’t make it as a singer, Zoe.

The system sucks. But you shouldn’t take it out on the Idols who are under your supervision. I didn’t decide—”

“That just because I’m not as pretty as you, I don’t deserve to become the star?” Zoe’s eyes fill with tears. “Look at you, adored even by these little dumbasses. You’re not the best; you just look the best in a beautiful costume.”

Jin runs his hand through his hair. “I’m not dressed up tonight.”

“And I’m still a better singer than you,” Zoe screeches.

She’s breathing too fast.

When she lunges toward Jin, I’ve had enough.

It’s true that it’s not fair that she didn’t get a chance at becoming a singer. But she saw had badly the Idols were treated. She should have known that Jin’s life wasn’t glamorous.

Jealousy poisoned her. By making failed Idols into supervisors, Philomena ensured it.

I dive across the stage, grabbing Zoe by the arm before she can attack Jin.

I shove her.

Caught off guard, she stumbles into the Idols. Emboldened by my example, they push her away.

Zoe howls as she falls off the edge of the stage onto her ass.

The Idols are frozen, shocked at their own daring.

Have they ever stood up to a supervisor before?

“Well done,” Jin praises, strolling through the ranks of stunned Idols, although he’s paled. “That was awesome.” Then he meets my gaze with an adoration that floors me. “And that’s why you’re my Queen.”

I bounce up and down, as adrenaline spikes through me.

That felt fucking amazing.

“You’re all dead.” Zoe stumbles to her feet in a daze.

“Actually,” Torin arches his brow with an impressed nod at me. “You’re fired.”

“What?” Zoe twists to him, furiously.

“In fact, all the supervisors are. Don’t believe me? Take a seat, you look like you just fell off a stage or something. Give it a couple of hours and you’ll see that you’re going to be kicked out of this estate with a sore ass. Aren’t I clever and psychic?”

“You’re mad.” Zoe collapses in a seat in the front row, however, groaning and clutching her bruised ass.

I stroll back to Cricket.

He stares up at me with wide eyes. “Was that your wolf side? I like it. It’s hot.”

“Nobody touches my men.” I cross my arms. “Wolves protect their pack.”

“See,” Cricket’s lips quirk, “hot.”

Immortal urges everyone back into their places on the stage. He nudges his shoulder against Jin’s to check that Jin is all right.

Jin nods.

Silence.

I take a deep breath.

Then I hear footfalls.

Cricket presses a button on the laptop and points at me.

The streaming has started. All around the world, millions are now watching.

Torin’s family won’t know that their secret world behind the walls of the estate is finally going to be laid bare.

They can’t hide anymore.

They like to earn their billions, a life of luxury and holidays, from the Betas being forced to act as the entertainment.

Finally, it’s their turn.

“What is going on?” Philomena demands, marching through the auditorium.

“Electricity and phone lines, along with the internet are down in the main hall and camp but somehow it’s on in here.

” Cricket’s work. It’s important that they don’t discover the article yet.

That’s a lovely surprise for them later.

“Why are you all in here? Who gave you permission?”

Luckily, the performance hall is fitted with scent ventilators like arenas are, or the stench of furious Alpha pheromones would make me fall to my knees.

“I didn’t,” Devin snarls.

“Nor me,” Aran adds.

The twins are prowling at Philomena’s shoulder.

Una walks calmly behind them. She looks serene, but I should have been able to see through that to the calculating way that she’s allowing her more ferocious sister to speak, while she’s assessing everything.

She also has her hand on Rory’s arm. He’s not shrugging it off, but it’s obvious that she’s steering him unwillingly into the hall.

She’s controlling him like she’s always controlled him.

Except, the joke is on her because Rory is our undercover mole. And right now, he’s controlling all the siblings who think that he’s their beaten dog.

I can’t fucking wait for the moment that they work out if you beat a dog, then it will turn around and fucking bite you.

The Alphas’ designer business suits are in stark contrast to the plain black worn by everyone on the stage.

My skin prickles, when I notice the Head of Security, Stapleton, stalking behind Una.

He’s taller than all the Alphas.

Desperately, I peer through the dim lighting, trying to read his expression.

He was the one variable that we couldn’t be certain about.

Everything rests on the next couple of minutes.

All our lives.

The lives of hundreds of Idols.

Thousands of singers in America.

The millions who are watching at home who will be impacted by what they see happen next.

This has to work.

My pulse is roaring in my ears. My chest is rising and falling.

“I did.” Torin steps forward.

His voice is cool and steady.

Devin laughs. “You don’t have that authority. I’m in charge of what these little shits do. You’ve just got them put on punishment schedule for the next month.”

Aran’s eyes narrow. “If they don’t get their sweet asses back to camp right now, then I’ll add diet restrictions as well.”

“Or do they want bedtime spankings too?” Devin looks gleeful at the thought.

The Idols stiffen but don’t break from their positions.

Philomena’s expression is dark with fury. “ Now .”

Even with the ventilators, the strength of her dominance is choking.

Still no one moves.

“Why don’t you sit your sweet arses down?” Immortal’s eyes flash. “The concert is about to begin.”

Devin appears about to have a heart attack in his fury.

He lunges forward, but Philomena catches him by the waist.

“Don’t be a little bitch.” Philomena shoves Devin backward, and he stumbles into his twin with a pained cry. “He’s trying to provoke you. I wonder why…?”

Una smiles her dreamy smile, but I can see how fake it is now. “Perhaps, they’re putting on something special for us? Is that what’s happening, brother?”

Suddenly, I realize that she’s smart enough to think that this is somehow part of Torin’s plan to make her Head Alpha.

She’s going to be fucking disappointed.

“Playing guitar?” Philomena glares contemptuously at Torin.

“How many instruments must I have Rory smash, before you learn that Alphas don’t waste their time in this pack being musicians?

You’re an embarrassment. You’ve always shamed me with your daydreaming, songwriting, and running away to spend time with Betas.

When will you start to act like an Alpha? ”

“He is an Alpha.” Jin raises his head. His eyes are blazing, as he faces down his Head Alpha.

“A true one who cares and supports every member of his pack, including the Betas. We all love him so fucking much. Look at this stage, truly look at it. We fear you. We don’t respect you, yeah?

But we don’t only respect the man that you’re trying to shame. We love him.”

“Now that’s funny .” Devin breaks into laughter. “Have you ever heard a better joke in your life?”

He nudges his twin, expecting him to join in his laughter.

Except, Aran has become ashen, glancing between us.

Has he caught onto what is happening here faster than his twin has?

“Do you always suck his dick like that? I mean, it’s obvious that he only wanted to bond with you because you literally have done that too. Is that why Tortor also broke you out of solitary?” Devin points at Immortal. “Are you such a slut that you couldn’t wait…?”

He catches himself, remembering what he’s not meant to admit.

Torin growls at the same time that I do.