Page 79 of Ondine: Vol. 2

What was it that omega told me in the locker room at Sky Nest? Have you ever met two alphas you could rub together who were mentally stable?

No, can’t say that I have.

“Jake,” I say and he dips his head at me in reverence. “You need to stop. I can tell you are afraid. But I’m here. We are all here. Look around, Alpha Meier. This is the big pack you wanted. We are all in your house. With you. No one here is against you.”

His head dips even lower.

“Be happy. You have what you want.” I step closer to him and he bows even deeper. “I know you are used to fighting for everything you have. But you don’t need to fight any more.”

I pull down on his arms directing him to kneel down in front of me. I rest my hands on his shoulders. My nest in one hand.

“When you brought me here, you said it was for Shadow. But can you be honest with yourself? It was for you, wasn’t it? I was always here for you.”

His hands cover his face.

“I’m sorry,” he says and then drops his hands to the floor. His body bowed towards me.

“You had Sabbies do that to my apartment to keep me with you. You bonded the man I love. What else have you done?”

“A lot.”

I look around the room. Sebastian is behind Jake. Shadow is hovering on the other side of the kitchen. Arnie is behind me. Freddie to the side.

“I wanted to make it an easy decision for you.”

“Ever since the gallery at whiskey night, I’ve been falling for you. And you didn’t win me over by capturing Arnie. Or taking away my home. You helped me when I told you how I was feeling about myself. You convinced me you’d be a good alpha that day.”

He stays there prostrate on the floor.

“Jake, I’ve struggled to accept myself for who I am. All the parts of me. And that night—you made me feel hope. That I won’t always be fighting with myself.”

Without him I don’t know how much I would have fought for myself.

“What do you need?”

He sits back on his heels and looks up at me. His eyes are red. His face is crumpled up.

“It feels like I have no control of the situation.”

“You don’t,” I quickly say. His lips part. “I’m in control.”

I look over at Freddie and hand him my nest. He sets it in his lap. With my hands free I hold Jake’s face and pull us close, then rest our foreheads together.

“I’m in control,” I repeat. “Ok?”

His shoulders sag and he takes a deep breath. I can see the weight lift off of him. He nods, accepting it.

“I am here for you, just to let you know. I’ll gladly be here for you. I love this pack you have. This house you’ve made into a home. Your business that you’ve built for your family. You are a good alpha. I would be honored to stay with you. Forever.”

Before he breaks apart in my hands, I kiss him. He pulls me down into his lap and kisses me back.

Then he just tucks me into him, resting his chin on the top of my head. He sighs deeply and holds me tight.

“You’re in control, my dear,” he whispers, acknowledging the truth between us. “Tread softly, Ondine. Because you tread on my dreams.”

23

Brief