Page 29 of Ondine: Vol. 2

“That was pathetic.”

He grabs me by the back of my neck and pulls me into him. Killer meows and hops off of him onto the floor. He has the end of the leash in his hand.

Freddie kisses me like he loves me. I moan into his mouth.

“Will you go to the peninsula with the Meier Protection guys? I’ll meet you there when I’m done?”

I nod.

“Don’t worry about me. You let those fuckers crawl on their knees for you.”

He pulls me off of the barstool and hugs me tight. His tongue finds our bond mark and he licks it gently. A current of tingles erupts in me.

Shadow

The beta is still bullying me. And we’ve been in the nest store for hours. What more do we need to do? He wants to see the light bulbs again. He says they aren’t the right luminosity. I roll my eyes and make sure he sees.

“Ondine traded hers out five times before we found the right one. I’m not going to get it wrong. She’ll know I wasn’t paying attention…” he says that last line quietly. This guy is down bad.

It’s the only thing keeping my mouth shut. This idea that he’s right. This is how you treat an omega you are absolutely insane over.

The nest store is in the little town center near the house. It’s small so I didn’t realize all they do, but it’s full service.

I lay on one of the nest displays and read through Jake’s texts he sent Sabbies and I. Boone asked to be pack. Jake asked if we oppose him rejecting Boone. He’s got this level of passivity to the texts I’m assuming is for Sebastian’s benefit.

We both agree—no Boone.

Sebastian and him have been friends for a while now. They fish and go shooting. They go see the latest action movies together. I wonder how he really feels about it. He was prettyupset this morning when he came to Sky Nest, but that’s all I know.

We are CCd on the email to Ondine asking to court her. Jake said we can reply with our own, so I’ve been drafting some things. Nothing is good enough yet.

Jake calls me and I sit up, pulling a silk pillow into my lap.

“She’s coming,” he says before I can say hello.

“Is that a euphemism?”

“Shut the fuck up. Freddie is about to send her in a car with three of our agents. She’s coming to the house. I think she liked my email.”

“That’s good. Why isn’t Freddie coming with her?”

“I don’t know. I have half a mind to send Sebastian with him. I’m worried he’s going after Man-ho.”

“Then send me.”

“Sebastian is in the city. You’re with the beta on the peninsula. I understand that for a man with your skills designing a room seems beneath you, but this is also important for Ondine.”

His words weren’t said to hurt, but they kind of do.

“I know it’s important for Ondine…Jake, I’m not completely useless when it comes to her.”

But Arnold seems to think I am. I look over at a rack of pamphlets. I scan the titles: The Alpha’s Guide to Understanding Your Omega’s Heats, So It’s Your First Heat…Now What?, and The Vital Role of a Beta During an Omega’s Heat.

I take one of each, and move to a nearby chair.

“Send Sebastian. I’ll work with the beta here. By the way, the bill is going to be at least $15k. And that’s just this shopping trip.”

“Good. I’ll gladly pay.”