Page 71 of Ondine: Vol. 2

“I’m Yin Wong. I’m sure it’ll be fine if I’m the last one at the Wong Music Hall.”

Her eyes bug out and her fake smile drops.

“Right. Ok. I’ll let some folks know. Take your time.”

I reach my hand into my pocket, but my fucking book isn’t there.

I growl and then go back into the room filled to the brim with vanilla ice cream and birthday cake.

Jake has Ondine up in his arms, a bridal carry, rocking her. It’s actually unbearably sweet. Arnie is watching them intently, but keeping his distance.

Omegas need the cutest things. They need to be held, carried, soothed, massaged, and petted.

And they need their alphas.

I pull out my phone and call the monastery. I ask for my brother. They already know it must be urgent. Why that old fucker isn’t already sitting in the office at the only landline waiting to hear from her I couldn’t tell you.

“Princess?”

“Ewe, no. She’s a little discombobulated. But I think hearing your voice would help. Putting you on speaker—“

“Ondine?” He yells. Thankfully, I have the phone pointed away from me.

“Freddie?” She squeaks.

She pops her head up from Jake’s shoulder. Her eyes are all round and sad as hell.

“How did your audition go, Princess?”

“Fine,” her voice quivers.

“It went very well. Not fine. It was a performance of a lifetime,” Jake corrects.

“It’s not what they were looking for.”

“You didn’t hold back, did you?” He asks.

She hesitates, but then says, “For the first movement. But then I couldn’t.”

“Good. I’m glad they saw you play like you do.”

My arm aches, but I stand here and let them talk. Freddie says he’s waiting for his helicopter to arrive to take him to the peninsula. He tells her to stay with Jake. It’s about this time I see my book still clutched up to her closely.

Why did she take it?

Omega behaviors are not as random as I used to believe. There’s this thing about nesting they do that I just cannot wrap my head around. I was reading about nesting the entire time we were by the fire yesterday. I think Ondine made herself a little portable nest. His tie and my book. I get that part. The nest. She needed it to calm her nerves. But why did she take something of mine? Is it just because I was here, or…no. She wouldn’t have taken something of mine if she didn’t want it.

She likes me.

For some reason, it never occurred to me that she’d like me back.

Freddie and she say their goodbyes and I finally drop my arm and put away my phone.

Jake is purring for the omega.

I go stand by the door again, this time facing it. Sebastian stands next to me. I don’t hear much of anything as I stare into nothing.

There’s a hand on my elbow.