Page 7 of Ondine: Vol. 2

“Then why didn’t you go after her?”

“I did. You don’t think I did? They don’t give us any fucking information about our clients! I didn’t have a last name! An address! Nothing! I searched for her everywhere!”

“And you got fired?”

“How is any of this your business?! I didn’t get fired, I quit! I hated what they did to her! You know they charged her like three grand in order to fuck with her hormones and treat her like shit? The alphas can be cold. It’s a job at the end of the day.”

Jake stands in the doorway to the left, listening in. He just got here, but he heard what Arnold had just said. He’s wearing some runners pants and an athletic shirt. His arms are crossed.

“And it wasn’t a job for you?”

Arnold twists his head, finally aware of the other alpha in the room.

“Oh, fuck, it’s you. Where is Ondine?”

“I’m Jake Meier. Ondine is with her mate right now. She’s safe. Our other pack member is with her, making sure they are safe.”

Arnold’s eyes flick back and forth between us.

“Why wouldn’t she be safe with her mate?”

“He’s feral. And she’s recovering from bond sickness. But last I heard.” Jake checks his phone. “She’s doing good. He is too. No sign of him misbehaving. They just bonded last night.”

Why is Jake telling him our business?

“Last night? But she’s been gone for…three weeks.”

Jake makes a little hum sound and takes slow steps towards me. I straighten up as he looks me up and down.

“Bond sickness? Oh, my god.”

“Yeah.”

“But she’s ok,” he whispers.

“Yeah.”

Jake finally turns back to Arnold.

“So do you want to tell Shadow here what parts of your sob story you lied about, or am I going to have to beat the shit out of you first?”

My eyes go wide. Lying? Jake thinks Arnold is lying?

Arnold’s countenance shifts. It goes from angry lover boy to dark, flat man. I take a step back.

What the fuck.

Jake

Shadow looks flabbergasted. I want to pat his cheek, it’s so cute. I can’t believe he sat here and listened to that whole story and found nothing wrong with it. I need to work on Shadow’s bullshit meter. Perhaps he was off his game because we lost Ondine last night. Temporarily.

I give Arnold my attention. I haven’t had a chance to give him a good assessment. He’s not your average beta. He’s fit and strong. He doesn’t cower even with me standing so near.

“Are you the one that started the fire at Ondine’s apartment?”

Well, he’s not stupid either. That’s good to know.

“Yes. Well, it was Sebastian, but I told him to do it.”