Page 18 of Ondine, Vol. 2 (Cash City Omegaverse)

Simon

Freddie

I ’m grateful Sebastian is here with me. I was going to do this on my own, but this is better. He doesn’t ask too many questions. He takes me to the Meier Protections studio to retrieve a van. Killer sits on my lap as I drive us to Man-ho School of Adolescent Alpha Boys.

I found my bonded mate. I should be the most powerful man in any room I’m in.

My scent match wanted me . She is safe with me .

The gate is open to the school. I drive all the way up to the school and park in front.

I take a few deep breaths.

I can do this. I’m Freddie fucking Wong.

“Want me to come in?” Sebastian asks.

I shake my head. “Stay here for now. Watch the cat?”

“Of course.”

He takes her from me and I hop out, shut the door, and stride up to the entrance.

There’s a reception area, but it’s empty.

I walk around to the entrance and am greeted by a great hall.

There’s a sunken area in the middle, and a second-floor balcony that winds around overlooking the sunken floor.

Students sit on the steps and all around.

The ceiling is glass, so the place is brightly lit.

There are no adults.

There’s about fifty alpha boys ranging in age from 12 to 18. They look so young. They all wear the uniform. Red ties, white button up shirts with dark slacks.

It’s late in the day. After dinner. I walk down into the center of the hall. More boys shuffle into the room. They exit what looks to be a cafeteria.

All of them watch me with keen interest. They know I shouldn’t be here.

Some of the older boys stand and walk towards me, in a protective stance in front of the younger boys.

“Where is Man-ho?” I call out. My voice carries through the space. I decide I don’t need to be so loud with the next thing I say.

A tall alpha boy with three other alphas flanking him walks up to me. He’s confident. He’s clearly going to be the spokesman.

“What do you want here, Alpha?” He asks with a threatening tone.

“My name is Freddie Wong. I’m here to talk about something important.”

“To us,” the boy asks, “Or to the master?”

The word ‘master’ makes me shiver.

“Where is he?” I ask again, my tone softer. They still have their baby fat on their cheeks, and despite their clenched fists, they are children.

“It’s only us. And you should leave before we demonstrate what Master Man-ho teaches us here at this school.”

A great sadness comes over me at this baby-alpha’s threat.

I adjust my stance, to be less aggressive. Man-ho has done such a good job he leaves them here all on their own.

“Can I tell you something?” I say to him, but loud enough for the whole room. I leave the tail end of my question open for him to offer me his name. Which he does.

“Simon.”

“Nice to meet you, Simon. I’ve discovered that the Alpha-Omega Placement Institute is barring any former student of this school from ever being accepted for omega consideration.”

These boys may not care yet for omegas, but they still understand what that means. They will never have the same opportunities as other alphas.

“So, what? The master will find us scent matches.”

I nod my head, showing him I’m listening.

“Scent matches are rare, little alpha. And fickle.”

He knows this. So he is silent.

Suddenly, Killer comes barreling in to the room. Fucking Sebastian. How did the little menace get out? One of the kids manages to grab her, and when he pulls her into his arms, there are only smiles from the alpha’s faces.

“There seems to be an awful lot of arm slings. And bandages on you boys.”

Quickly, Simon tells me, “We train. And things can get rough. But we are strong and heal fast.”

“Yes, you are strong.”

I’m not sure if they are ready for this, but I go for it anyway, because it’s why I’m here.

“I have a van out front. It can fit fifteen, maybe more. I’m on my way to the monastery up the canyon. It’s where I chose to go instead of this school when I was your age. They help alphas. Even feral ones. They offer room and board for anyone who wants to come.”

Simon looks angry. Like I’m insulting his family.

“Are you trying to recruit us?”

“I’m offering you a choice. Something you may not have.

They don’t hit you, at the monastery. They don’t starve you.

They don’t fill your head with nonsense day and night until you can’t hear your own thoughts over the sound of Man-ho’s words.

They can protect you. And they’ll prepare you for life as an adult.

So, yes, I’m here to offer you a choice. ”

Everyone is silent.

“It sounds like paradise,” Simon says sarcastically.

I laugh. I remember why I didn’t stay at this school all those years ago—it sounded too good to be true.

“There’s a lot of meditating. And hiking. And reading. And you have to do all your own cleaning. And volunteering in the lavender fields. You have to care for the old guys, who can’t take care of themselves anymore. There’s no cell service.”

I can’t think of anything else that’s terrible to show them I’m not hiding anything.

“Listen, I’ll leave my contact information. If you ever want something different. Call me. You can come to the monastery now, but just know that I am here to help. And you know what you need more than I do.”

I look as many boys in the eye as I can.

To show them I can help. No one moves. I walk up to the boy holding Killer, and he hands her off.

I leave the room and find a paper on the front desk and scribble my name and number on it.

Simon is nearby, as he follows me out of the hall. I hand him the paper.

“It was nice to meet you, Simon.”

He looks a bit bewildered.

I tip my chin and leave.

Sebastian stays silent as we sit in the van for thirty minutes, just waiting. It’s dark now, and the drive is going to be long.

Simon comes walking out of the school and up to my window. I roll it down.

“There’s some kids who are singled out here. By Man-ho. We can’t protect them anymore and their injuries are getting worse.” I notice some kids filing out of the school.

“If I send them with you, will they be safe?”

I let my alpha influence grow outwards until he feels it. “They will be safe,” I promise and it rings like an oath.

He’s never felt anything like that before, I can tell, because of how startled it makes him.

“We also need some things. Things that aren’t allowed here. Headphones. Candy.” He pauses, then adds. “Hormones.”

He’s still a kid, so headphones and candy are important. The hormones are probably for the feral kids. Man-ho is probably trying to beat them into submission rather than using drug therapy.

“Send me a list,” I tell him.

We stare at each for a beat. He’s hoping I can be trusted.

He takes a drop breath and turns to the boys gathering behind him. Five of them. He tells them things. Private things. He presses his forehead to each of them, and then tells them to get into the van.

Five. Five out of fifty.

I’ll save them all, I decide.

I’ll save them all. Eventually.