Page 52 of Ondine: Vol. 2

He shakes his head slowly and then licks me up my neck and jaw.

He pulls my body close to his, my erection presses into his own, so we can both feel how turned on that news has made us. She’s so perfect.

“No, Sabbies. Not at all. I think she has a thing for bisexual alphas.”

He lets me go and I follow him to his room. By the time we get there, neither of us want to do anything more, since Ondine isn’t here. But I don’t lay on the pull out couch. We lay together in his bed—Killer between us. I wake up a few short hours later and get myself to the helipad.

***

I’m a little excited to meet the beta.

It was a little unconventional that I didn’t meet a member of our pack before he got bit in. But things have been so hectic lately.

I spent the morning putting together Ondine’s nest with Arnold and Shadow. Arnold is different than I thought he’d be. Most betas are much smaller than me. But he’s almost my same height. He looks me in the eye and challenges me. It’s easy to like him.

Emmerson arrives at the house and asks if we need lunch. Arnold is surprised we have a full time cook on staff. Emmerson is surprised we’ve bonded a beta. Shadow rolls his eyes at the whole exchange.

We tell Emmerson we are good on lunch. Or I do, rather. I’ve been craving my chili and it’s a good a day as any. The weather warmed up. Which means it may be a good morning to fish tomorrow. I love when we get to enjoy more outdoor days and evenings.

Arnold and Shadow sit at the countertop while I cook.

I can’t feel Arnold in the bond like I can Jake and Shadow. Like right now I know Jake is sleeping peacefully upstairs. Shadow is doing something on his phone that’s got him hyper focused. But Arnold? I can kind of feel him. But it’s like an assumption rather than a truth. I assume he’s sitting right there, and when I turn around he is. I assume he’s thinking way too hard, and when I look at him, his eyebrows are all scrunched up and he’s not breathing very well.

The chili is done quickly, as I used canned beans and the ground beef just needed to be browned with the chili peppers and onions. I pour three bowls with generous portions then top with cheddar cheese and corn chips. I turn to Shadow.

“Let’s go out to the back lawn and eat by the fire pit. Shadow, I’ll bring your bowl if you get the fire going?”

He looks at me like he didn’t hear a word I just said. I laugh and bump his arm. “What are you so distracted by?”

He tips his phone to me and I see his phone screen. It’s an article titled “Omegas and Nests: they aren’t just for heats.” Huh. He pockets his phone and I hand him both our bowls, and direct him to follow me. Arnold gets his bowl and three spoons, then follows me out. Before I leave the kitchen, I grab three beers.

They want a big fire so I take some time to build it up before taking my seat.

I finally get to eat and goddamn I’m hungry. Arnold opens my beer on the edge of the fire pit and hands it over. I nod at him and he smiles at me.

We sit and enjoy the sound of the river and the trees. The light is waning and things feel ok.

Except now Freddie is far away.

I set my empty bowl down in the grass and take a swig of beer. It’s a light beer, so I wish I brought more out.

A group of kids on bikes come into the yard, dropping them in the grass and calling for me.

“Sabbies! Sabbies, we need you!”

They are the neighborhood kids and they are often coming around asking me to help them. I stand up and meet them halfway so they don’t have to come all the way out to the fire pit.

“Hey-o, what do you all need?”

“My bike locked up!” “My tire is flat but I swear I just pumped it up!” “My handlebars are loose!” “Do you have a bag I can have? I found all these cool rocks but I can’t hold them and ride my bike.”

I laugh at their demands and tell them I’ll get my tools.

Ondine

Jake unravels us from the longest, most needed sleep of my life. His blonde hair is all messy and I can’t help but touch it and smile. I feel happy. I’m hungry. But I didn’t realize how much I needed good night’s sleep tied to Jake.

While he’s putting away the rope I look out the window. There’s a whole children’s biker gang on the lawn with Sebastian. He’s pumping up a tire and then tightening some handlebars. The kids surround him chattering like crazy. I can’thear what they are saying but he’s nodding and laughing at their yapping.