Page 55 of Bliss & Her Idols

Jin wraps his arms around Cricket, holding him now between my embrace and his.

Cricket fits perfectly between both of us.

I’m possessive but I don’t feel jealous that my tiny Omega is resting his head on another man’s chest.

Instead, it feels right, as if he’s caught exactly where he should be.

My gaze meets Jin’s. His pretty lips quirk, as if he’s thinking exactly the same thing as I am.

“And who are we?” I demand. “The two Omegas who you’ve decided to pull into a closet? Normally, that’s the opening line in a court case.”

“You’re my best friend, my little Chirp, and his Omega.” Jin looks down at Cricket with a deep tenderness. It shocks me.He’s fallen hard.How many years has he been secretly in love with Cricket? “I knew that you’d break the code. I trusted you. You’reso fucking smart. But I didn’t know that you’d also be so fucking cute.”

Cricket’s eyes widen. He lets out an involuntary chirp.

I try not to laugh.

Jin traces a finger down Cricket’s face, as if he can’t believe that Cricket is real. It should be the other way around, after Cricket and I have painted Jin and dreamed of him in our own way for years.

“I knew that it was you, Cricket,” Jin murmurs. “The moment that I saw you, I felt it in my soul like lightning. I’m sorry that I had to ask for your help, yeah? I never expected that from you. I wrote back to you because you appeared to actually care about me. I needed to hear about the world outside the Idol Estate. I wanted to tell you about my real life but I couldn’t because of the fucking Idol rules. Plus, Zoe reads anything that I send out to fans. I’m not allowed to write to anyone who isn’t a fan. Idols aren’t allowed access to any electronic device. I don’t even have a phone. I told you everything that I could. But really, I wanted to hear about your life. Hey, look…”

He jostles us to reach into his coat pocket and pull out a worn, golden knitted cricket.

Cricket’s face lights up. “You kept it!”

Jin looks offended. “You made it for me, Chirp. Not only did I keep it, I sneak it into my pocket as my good luck charm whenever I can. I’m kind of superstitious like that. Do you still have my dragon? I know that it’s shit compared to yours. Knitting isn’t a top skill for Idols.” When Cricket’s face falls, Jin’s shutters. “It wasn’t perfect. It belonged in the trash.”

“Wait,” Cricket breathlessly gasps, nuzzling Jin. “I loved your dragon with the wonky tail. I slept with it every night. It was the only soft thing that I had in my nest. But…”

He trails off and glances at me, as if unsure how much he’s allowed to say.

I help him out. “Crick had to leave his family in a hurry. I helped to rescue him from a bad situation, but it meant leaving everything that he owned behind, including your dragon. He didn’t want to. He’s part of my Wolf pack now.”

Jin’s expression darkens.

“I’m sorry. Is that why your face is bruised? I’ll make you a new dragon.” He reaches up to cradle the back of Cricket’s head, holding him harder against his chest. “This time with wonky wings.”

I’m relieved to see that this makes Cricket relax and chuckle.

Jin cocks his head, studying me. “Thanks forhelpinghim. You seem to do that a lot.”

“It’s a bad habit.”

Jin’s eyes become half hooded, before he murmurs to Cricket without breaking eye contact with me, “Good job on getting yourself a real woman. I should have known my friend would be a legend like that. Bliss is one of the best journalists I’ve read. But who is she to you, Chirp?”

“The Queen Bee.” Cricket looks up at his friend with laughing eyes.

I love seeing Cricket like this.

I didn’t doubt that these two had known each other for years through their letters. But seeing them together confirms it.

Cricket is more relaxed and confident to joke around than he is with anyone but me.

“I love a woman who can take charge.” Jin cocks his head. “Not that I’ve been with a woman before…or with an Omega…but a man can jerk off to fantasies. Right,my Queen?”

“Your Queen?” I flush, pressing my legs together.

Jin nudges my foot with his. “We’re pack. So, Chirp and I are both your wolf pups, huh?”

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