Page 37 of Bliss & Her Idols

Piper offered a set of his own pajamas to Cricket, which would have been too large for him, but at least wouldn’t have been pink with sparkling horns.

I never thought that I’d meet a male Omega who is even smaller than my brother.

Cricket blushed, still too shy to speak to Piper, before pointing to my onesie.

I was simply pleased that he had enough confidence in our pack to make a choice.

And trust that he was safe to.

Cricket had only just emerged from the hot bath that I’d drawn for him to warm him up and reduce his shivering. His body was a disturbing map of faded bruises in green, yellows, and browns, along with darker bands of black around his ribs.

He didn’t complain.

I have a feeling that he never does.

I gritted my teeth.

Cricket is my best friend. I spoke to him every night about Piper’s development of new coffees, my favorite rock songs, and the Idols case.

When did he talk about himself?

He rarely let anything slip, apart from small details in passing about his day, like his happiness when it was sunny or the squirrel family that he fed between his chores.

Yet I had a gut feeling that something was wrong.

Should I have pressed harder?

Did I have that right?

I let him have his privacy. Was I wrong to have?

My guts churn.

This feels like a second chance. I won’t waste it.

Cricket smiles up at me. He’s alternating stroking the fluffy material of his onesie and the cushion.

My lips tighten.

Has he ever worn anything that soft before?

For an Omega, it’s torture to be denied sensory sensation.

Still, I can’t help adoring seeing Cricket wearing my clothes.

I admit it. He brings out my possessive side.

I reach for the edge of the blanket and tuck it around Cricket.

“Thanks, Bee.” He wraps his arm around my waist.

The weight startles me.

I swallow.

I’ve never allowed anyone to sleep the night in my bed before.

My brothers have cuddled in my nest, sometimes when one of us had nightmares.

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