Page 116 of Bliss & Her Idols

He can’t be lying, right?

I’m desperate to trust him. But I’ve seen too many bad pack bonds.

I’m already trusting him with not only my life but Cricket and Jin’s as well.

If I never lower my walls and give Torin a second chance, however, then how can I look atmyselfin the mirror?

I’ve been judged myself too many times not to understand that packs have secrets and that this man is struggling with his troubled past.

Cricket doesn’t have my doubts.

He kisses Torin like he’s been starving for his touch.

Torin slides his hand to the Omega’s hair, drawing him in for a deeper kiss.

“You’re our Alpha,” Cricket murmurs against Torin’s lips. “We’ll save our Dragon together.”

Torin’s cool gaze slides to me, however, like he can’t bear that I’m not kissing him as well.

I give a sharp nod. “If Tor tells us why he didn’t contact us directly. Roses aren’t a well-known code.”

Torin hesitates.

For a moment, I think that he’s not going to be honest. I have a feeling that he’s become too used to hiding the truth.

My shoulders slump with resignation, turning away my head.

This isn’t going to work.

At last, Torin replies, “My Head Alpha ordered me to be grounded to my room for a week without access to electronics because of myloss of Alpha self-controlwith you at the concert. They’re playing it off in the press as my simply being a virile Alpha who was caught up in the moment. It’s actually worked well for my image. My sister has never had so many offers from elite packs wanting to make a match with me. Rory did me a favor by sending the roses to you, as part of the invites. I also convinced him to include me as the secret twist.”

I turn back to study him.

Torin’s expression is exposed and open.

He’s telling the truth.

How oppressive is his Head Alpha?

“Why?” I wrinkle my nose. “Why would Rory do anything to help you, after how heartless you were to him?”

Torin strokes his fingers through Cricket’s hair but more as if to soothe himself. “That’s funny. Let me be clear. When you only have Alpha siblings, status is everything. I’m the youngest, forgotten son. The only one with lower status is Rory.Weaknessis the worst crime in my family, just above love. I’ve had to witness Rory’s mistreatment of Jin and the other Idols and yet be unable to stop it. If I can…fucking finally…do something to stand up against Rory and my other brothers and sisters, then I will. I won’t be invisible anymore.”

Torin is shaking.

I reach out and cup his cheek. “Iseeyou. Obviously, so does Rory if you could persuade him to go against your Head Alpha.”

Torin’s eyes become icy. “Mena will kill both of us, of course, when she finds out. But Rory is a coward. I handwrote a letter detailing every failing and rule that he’s ever broken, including the mess of the concert. Ones that he’s got away with because Ididn’t report him. I threatened to hand it to Mena. His terror of her in that moment was larger than his future fear of her.”

“You blackmailed him,” I say, half in admiration and half in shock.

“Aren’t I romantic?” Torin reaches up, dragging me to lie sprawling next to his side. “See, I never forgot any of you for a moment.”

“Hmm, romantic…”

I have another word for it.

But then, we do fit as a pack: blackmailer, hacker, and criminal resistance member.

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