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

The Past

Ondine

I wasn’t even sure I wasn’t still dreaming.

I woke up to an empty house. It was dark outside, but all the blinds and curtains were wide open.

I walked around the large house calling out to my parents, but there was no sign of them anywhere.

Their bed was still made. There wasn’t any new trash in the can.

I didn’t see a car outside in the driveway.

Since I was so young, I started to feel afraid.

Every empty room or dark corner around me was now a place where something unknown and scary could happen. Was I really alone? Were my parents ok?

While we had a townhouse in Cash City, I was in the country-home out in the Far West. I barely even remember arriving there.

I curled up behind the couch up against the wall and cried. It took a long time for me to relax enough to think clearly. During that time, I imagined my parents having been kidnapped and murdered, and the bad guy was coming back for me. But eventually, I got the courage to call them.

It took even longer to get a hold of them.

“Ondine, if you call my phone this much, I will block you,” my mother said jokingly when she eventually answered.

After sobbing to her that I was all alone in the house, she said, “I gave you a little something last night to help you sleep. Remember your father and I were leaving for Nepal this week? Our plane leaves in the morning, so we are already in the city. There’s money on the counter.

Cary, Janine, and Robin will be by this weekend.

I have it all there for you. We will call you in a few days! ”

It sounded so logical at the time. I wiped my silly tears away. I found the money. I closed all the blinds and curtains. Of course, they’d already left. I can’t believe I lost it like that. My mom often gave me a sleeping aid, and it must have just been so strong I slept nearly 24 hours.

Resolved to stop being such a crybaby, I ordered a pizza and made myself at home in the den with the tv.

The pizza delivery boy and I became fast friends that summer.

The staff, Cary, Janine, and Robin, stuck close to the house and made sure I had what I needed.

But I didn’t need them. I was fine. Everything was fine.

I didn’t need anyone to see me. My parents appreciated me for being so capable and independent.

The less I called them, the happier they were to talk to me when they did call in.

I turned 12 all on my own, and then started middle school, too.

I was really good at forging my dad’s signature.

I felt lonely a lot, but I’ve learned to wear it like a second skin. When my chest would get too cold. I’d take a hot bath. If the house was too dark and spooky, I’d find the moon.

I smile at the memories as Freddie sleeps soundly, wrapped around me. His face is buried in my ribs. His wide-set eyes and broad mouth are so soft and innocent looking while he sleeps. I can’t lose him. That’s all I keep thinking. I can’t lose him now that I have him.

What must he think of me? The scent match he didn’t want. The bonded mate he was only trying to help.

I don’t want him to feel trapped by me now that we are bonded. It all happened so fast and there’s no way for me to know if he regrets biting me. Bonding me.

I have to be invisible. Agreeable. And most of all—I don’t want to be too needy.

He means too much to me to lose him because I need him to be with me all the time. When he awakes, he’ll see how easy this will be for him. I’ll take care of myself. He won’t have to do a thing.