Page 28 of Ondine, Vol. 2 (Cash City Omegaverse)
Brief
Freddie
I stand on the lawn of the Meier Pack house, holding Killer in my arms. I have this funny feeling that everything is going to work out. Ondine was exhausted after her long day and went up to her nest. I’ll join her soon.
Alpha Kam-po welcomed the new boys with so much love and joy.
We spent all this time just figuring out who they were and where they came from.
Two of them were sold to Man-ho by their families.
The other three were volunteered (given to the school because of various reasons).
Kam-po believes some of the boys could go home to their families.
Killer jumps out of my hands and takes off to the porch.
Jake comes out to join me. I need a smoke.
A lot happened in a short amount of time.
My brother called me with my crying omega begging me to come back to her.
I got here as quickly as I could, and discovered a happy little omega with her charming ginger boyfriend. A beta.
Who Jake bonded so he could ensure she bonds with them.
Jake comes over and stands beside me.
“I didn’t think we needed to discuss bonding us with your pack, Jake. I thought it was obvious.”
I wasn’t going to make him feel any more tender about the subject, but we have to talk about it.
“It was a plan already in motion. She was making me nervous. We had a contract. But I needed to make sure nothing got in our way. You were the biggest surprise. And while I hoped you’d want us, I knew you’d do whatever she said. And she loves this guy. She loved him before us.”
I take out my cigarette, light it, and take a short drag.
I nod my head.
He adds, “But I see how that didn’t make me feel any better. Ondine was right to call me out.”
“You’ve been needing her to step up and put you in your place. She’s been fighting her nature, and I’m happy you’ve compelled her to step into it. Omegas are in control of the pack. They are the suns upon which we orbit. Ondine needed to take her place. It’ll help balance everyone. Including you”
I then change the subject, “I know that you said you were done with me, after Man-ho took Ondine. But I have an update.”
Jake sobers up.
“My mother used her influence over the senator to make changes at the Institute. Apparently, any former student from the Man-ho school is automatically denied omega placement. Man-ho was understandably upset.”
Jake is blank as he processes this news.
“My pack was denied.”
“Yes, she also made sure of that. I guess she wanted Shadow to come to her if he ever wanted an omega.”
His face morphs into rage.
“Her meddling has caused a lot of problems.”
“Yes. And she doesn’t seem to understand that she put her own mate in harm’s way. She stands by it.”
“I’ll see what we can do.”
“It’s not our problem. I say we let the consequences befall her. My father was there the whole time. He knows what they did. Man-ho is all I find abhorrent and evil in this world, and yet I still think it’s wrong to deny his students a chance at placement.”
“Maybe we will go public with this. Let chaos happen.”
I snuff out my cigarette and then collect the filter for the trash. I need to go back to Ondine.
“Maybe.”
I then tell Jake about the five students I took to the monastery.
That they were well received and already doing much better.
And I tell him about Simon, that he has already texted me about helping them out some more.
He’s given my contact info to some of the families of kids that aren’t there on upstanding terms. They are there as blackmail or paying off a debt.
There’s a lot of people who need someone to help them.
“I’d like to hire Meier Protections to help keep them safe and any other kids I can get out of there. I’ll pay for it obviously.”
Jake looks at me while he thinks. Finally he says, “How about instead I hire you. You can create a special division for this effort. You can manage the whole project. I’ve been looking into more pro bono work.
At first I thought about offering more free protections for omegas, but we’ve been offering the service for years, and I know there’s more we can do. ”
“Fuck, let me think about it.”
But he’s already got me interested.
I tell him I have to see Ondine.
Jake stays outside, and I walk into the house looking for my little omega. Killer passes by me to bullet into the kitchen.
I look toward the stairs. I’ve never actually been in this house before recently. And I’ve never been upstairs.
Shadow is sitting in a dark corner of the piano room, and sees my hesitation. “Her nest is up the second set of stairs towards the back.”
I look into the darkness, knowing he’s there but not being able to see him.
“Thank you.”
“Can I say something?” He asks, so I wait. “We came from a pack where your dad and my dad were not even bonded. I was worried that you’d expect the same from us. Jake told me about you and Sebastian. And no one has said you’re against what was in the declaration to court.”
“Shadow, our family is fucked up. In so many ways. They were never going to be the blueprint for our futures. What did mom want you to be? A surgeon? She wanted me to go into politics. I’m a monk and you’re a security agent. We chose our paths.”
I hear him chuckle.
“Ondine said she’d be happy if you and Jake had a private relationship.”
He sucks in a breath.
“But she has other plans for Sebastian,” I laugh. “She’s very possessive over him. I’ll have to fight for his attention.”
And I’ll be happy to do it, too.
“That’s…wow. Ok.”
“I better get up there.”
“Yeah, go on. It’s nice to know we agree on some things.”
I wave him goodbye and take the stairs two at a time.
The lights are all off in the hall, but there’s a light on in the first room I come across. The beta sits on the bed, head hanging down, his hands on his knees.
I decide now is as good a time as any to meet him, properly.
I lean against the door jam and say, “So you’re in love with my omega?”
I mean it as a joke, but I can tell as soon as he looks at me, guarded and full of masculine energy, it wasn’t taken as a joke.
“I’m Freddie. What’s your name?”
His tongue clicks. “Arnold. Ondine calls me Arnie.”
I wonder if he was worried about meeting me. Maybe he thought I’d retaliate for him being with my omega.
“It’s nice to meet you. How do you know her?”
Arnie gives me a little rundown of their very unconventional relationship. She’d met him days after she’d met me for the first time a year ago. And he’s been the one to care for her while I’d been fooling myself into thinking she was better off.
“You don’t seem to like alphas very much, do you?” I ask.
He looks toward the ceiling like he’s looking for strength. “No. But that’s based on my past experience. My friends and families’ experience. Statistics. Data. History. Popular consensus.”
I laugh, despite it not being a joke. “Nothing but trouble.”
This rewards me with him relaxing just slightly.
He turns his eerie green eyes to me. “She told me about you. She said you were special.”
Special? Pride and joy floods through my veins. Ondine thinks I’m special. She told her little boyfriend I’m special.
I’m looking at this guy and I have not one ounce of jealousy or fear about him. It’s incredible. I’m actually just so happy Ondine found someone.
“Let’s hang out, Arnie. I’ll be up early to meditate and go for a hike if you’re up too. I’ll come grab you.” He looks so confused but intrigued. I study his face to see if I can figure out what his walls are up for. “She picked me. And she picked you. Yeah?”
I wish I had another cigarette but Jake would probably eat one of my eyeballs if I smoked in his house.
“That’s right. I have to go to see my friend and pack my things. Last time I was at my place Jake kicked me in the stomach and cuffed hands behind my back. So I got some things I have to take care of. Will you let Ondine know that I’ll be back?”
I nod.
I turn to leave, but Arnie says, “Freddie.”
“Yeah?”
“Jake’s blackmailing me.”
I snort.
“Sounds like Jake. Listen, Ondine needs me. We’ll talk about it tomorrow. Get you sorted. Ok?”
I leave him much better than when I first arrived. He looks a little less burdened. I think he was worried about the potential of not bonding with Ondine. Do betas care about bonds?