Page 104 of Ondine: Vol. 2
“Well, speak up Ondine. I can’t hear your question if you don’t ask,” Cornell says with a deep chuckle.
Neither of them seem interested at all in Freddie, Arnie, or any of my other alphas. I’m suddenly 11 years old bouncing up and down hoping it’ll catch their eyes.
“I’d like to have it.” My voice comes out strained and too breathy. I clear my throat and try again. “I know it’s part of my inheritance already, but I’d like to have it now.”
This gets their attention.
“Now? As in take over the maintenance and taxes?” Bianca asks with joy. I was hoping the house was also a burden to them. So why does it feel like their feelings on the house might be the same as their feelings towards me? Maybe that’s why they left me in it all that time ago.
Freddie feels the blanket of sadness and self pity that floats over me. He pushes his chair out and comes over to me, since I’m between Arnie and Jake. He takes me from my seat and pulls me into a hug. He doesn’t care that it’s kind of a spectacle.
Jake takes over the conversation, thank god. “Alpha Whitehorse,” he addresses my mother, “We are prepared to take over any maintenance or taxes on the property, yes.”
“There’s a lien and debts on the estate. You’d be better selling it and walking away with about half of what it’s worth. It’s always been a tremendous headache.”
She doesn’t acknowledge I’m upset at all.
“We can take care of it all. Can you have it transferred to Ondine now? Free and clear?”
Cornell chuckles to himself. “I guess that’s why you turned into such an emotional little thing, isn’t it, buttercup? You were going through puberty as an omega. Look at you, still so sensitive.”
I don’t think I can do this anymore.
Sebastian cuts in to say. “With all due respect, Alpha Whitehorse, I’ve never seen Ondine act emotional or sensitiveenough. She’s a very rational person. She’s doing her best right now being ignored and otherwise insulted by her parents she hasn’t seen for years. Neither of you had the decency of even attending her graduation last year…”
Like my parents stopped listening to him a while ago, they pop up and greet some newcomer to the table as though they weren’t currently being berated by Sebastian.
I turn out of Freddie’s arms to see a woman my age with pale skin and black hair. She greets my parents, then kisses them on their cheeks, and my father pulls a chair over.
“Ondine, come sit back down and meet Acadia. She’s our omega.”
Jake’s hand reaches for mine, grasping my finger.
I’m so confused. My parents have an omega. And she’s my age.
What the ever living fuck is happening?
Suddenly any expectation I’ve had for this reunion is gone. These aren’t my parents. They are weird old people courting a 20-something omega. Who looks like me in different coloring.
“Mother, the estate?” I remind her, ignoring the omega. “Can we send your lawyer the paperwork and get it taken care of?”
She looks upset, but she says, “Yes. God, you are so impatient. My attorney has the deed and can do all that. I’m glad to be rid of it. We are planning to buy Acadia a big house with a beautiful new nest, so it will clean up our finances.”
She slides her lawyer’s card to Jake.
I signal to my pack and they all stand. Alarming my parents and the omega.
“Great, I would say it was nice meeting you, but this was really unnerving and unpleasant. Let’s never do it again,” Jake says with a clear voice. The omega’s eyes are the size of moons.
Freddie tucks me under his arm, and we head out.
But I stop him. This is going to be the last time I see these people. I need to say something.
I turn back and walk up to the table.
“You know,” I start, and hold back my tears, Cornell actually looks at me along with Acadia, “after you didn’t show up to my graduation, I started to suspect that you never really cared about me. I always thought if I was just less of a burden to you, you’d find room for me in your life. I’m sorry I was a beta, beta presenting. Maybe if I was an alpha like you I’d be worthy of your attention. So, I thought for sure you both would come back to me and tell me how sorry you were for leaving me, once you found out I was actually an omega. But you did the Whitehorse thing and cared even less for me. I didn’t deserve that. It wasn’t my fault I was a beta who acted needy, like an omega. I truly don’t know what you wanted in me. I tried to change for you, and it was like my very existence was a mistake. I hope you are capable of caring for Acadia, since I would never wish my experience with you two on my worst enemy.”
I want to say so much more, but I’m having trouble breathing. So I turn and leave. Freddie pulls me out onto the street and to a private spot near a tree. I bury my face in his shirt.