"I knew you'd cave. You never could resist me Graham." Miriam smirked in triumph. Will glowered, staring dejectedly at his glass of cheap whiskey while Miriam pranced around their small dorm. Grinning from ear to fucking ear. Will just wanted to curl into his bed and die, if he was being truthfully honest.

"Oh, c'mon stop pouting. You said you would help me!" Miriam plopped onto the bed Will was sitting on, rather dramatically. Will glared at her as he struggled not to spill his whiskey at her sudden movements.

"Yes, but you see, dear Lass. I had been expecting for you to secretly show me pictures and throw your ideas off of me. Not to get involved involved." He snapped, he was very irritated and it was her fault so he was allowed to take it out on her. And she just rolled her eyes not even giving a damn about his pity party. Sitting up she turned so Will was sat between her legs. She wrapped her arms over his chest and nuzzled into his neck, trying to comfort him with her Omegan pheromones, and he was angry that it was working. Damn her, he thought bitterly.

"Will, we will be fine. I promise. Were the best of the best. I bet you we'll find out who the Ripper is before Jack's best man even comes close." She promised, Will sighed and placed his cup on their conjoined dresser. They only have room for one so it acts like their nightstand.

He leaned back into her arms and stared at a poster of some punk band she favored. Too many thoughts racing in his head for him to comprehend.

"What if we do? What will we do then? Tell Jack? What if he doesn't believe us. Then we have a target on our backs, Mir." Miriam moved them so they were cuddling on his bed, it was common for Omegas to do this. When an Omega was stressed their pack took care of them and it usually meant lots of attention.

"Trust me, I'll find the evidence. You just work on telling me who they are. I'll always believe you, and I'll always stick up for your beliefs. Got it?" Will shakily nodded, curling into her closer which she allowed, "Good, now sleep you dufus. We have a meeting with the new team at seven." Will groaned, his earliest class didn't start till noon, and now he had to wake up at seven.

Great.

Reaching over he took one final swig and downed the rest of his whiskey before finally going to sleep.

.

.


.

Will wanted the world to swallow him up where he stood. He was in some room with a huge round table seating dozens of different people. People who kept asking him questions on a case, he really hasn't looked into. He's heard a few words and seen a few pictures from TattleCrime, but that had been before he became invested so really. He knew nothing. Miriam was brushing through this with ease, she was in the zone. She knew how to talk to people, and most importantly she knew the case. She told him he'd have time to be briefed here, but so far nothing has happened.

He felt like he was being watched, dread filled the bottom of his stomach and he chose to ignore the person and to continue to nurse his cup of coffee. A few minutes passed by and he trailed Miriam like a lost dog. It was pathetic honestly, but it was better then being forced into a conversation. Then, finally, finally, Jack Crawford asked them to take their seats.

Will gratefully sat down between Miriam and a female Alpha. The woman eyed him for a moment before turning her gaze back to the front where Jack had set up a projector. Oh great, powerpoints, he thought dejectedly. Powerpoints were good for many things, however he believed a case like this would be better with hands on experience. Then again, who was he to judge?

Jack began his little introduction on the case, starting with the first strings of murders. Will had to set his coffee down after the third victim, his whole stomach was ripped out and it made him lose his appetite. The pictures also triggered something else in Will's fucked up mind, he realized why the Ripper considers this art. He could see the similarities between the grotesque mutilation and some actual pieces of art from the renaissance era. He knew he was going to go to hell for these thoughts.

After, Jack explained all the killings, he went on to describe the profile and Will unconsciously began to shake his head no. That profile was idiotic and he could tell some precious social just warrior had a hand in it. Or someone who wanted to have an input who seriously did not deserve it.

"You disagree?" Will was startled out of his little rant by the Alphan woman next to him. She was beautiful in every sense of the word he realized, kind blue eyes staring into his soul. Her face just calmed him instantly. Will began to nod, also unconsciously because she had that effect on him. "Why, might I ask?"

Here he goes.

"The Ripper is an Alphan Male. They got it right that he was, at one point a surgeon, but it is no doubt an Alpha. Even with how progressive we are today, Alphas are common in the surgical field. And I know it's a male based on the power that is exerted with each kill. Yes, it is possible a female Alpha could do it, but a male is a better choice from the two. And I believe that each of his victims have in some way wronged him, but it isn't that deep. He doesn't know them, they're practically strangers."

By the time he was done ranting to the random Alpha, he had the whole table attention. People were even taking notes, he looked over to see a satisfied smirk from Jack and a comforting smile from Miriam. However, that stare was back. He finally forced him self to find it and found a bearded man staring at him with interest. And not the good kind. He looked as if he wanted to dissect Will's brain. Will did not like it.

"Good work, Graham. Now does anyone else have anything to add?" Jack was only met with silence, "Very well. You're all excused." Will was shocked. This was not how he thought a meeting like this to go. He expected more people to talk, more arguments but no. Everyone looked drain, the Ripper was stealing all their energy.

Miriam stood up and Will quickly followed her lead, she headed for jacket and he was going to follow when a hand grabbed his arm. He quickly turned around, nearly giving himself whiplash in the process to stare at the female Alpha. She gave him a reassuring smile and he felt humiliated by how he panicked.

"Sorry. My name is Alana Bloom, I'm one of the psychiatrist here to profile the Ripper. And let me say, you must have been following this case for a while to make such accusations. The victims being strangers at least. It is a very popular argument between all of us on exactly who they were to him. I'm inclined to believe you as well." Will was very distracted by her kind voice, he's never met an Alpha like her. She seems so kind, but one close look he can tell as much as she tries to be nice it's all an act. She's just as aggressive if not more so then Jack Crawford and his legendary temper.

"No, to be honest this the first time I'm ever really looking into this case. And, I can't prove it but I think the motive is just, they were rude. It sounds stupid, but I have a feeling that the Alpha has a bad childhood and grew up being treated horribly. And now, after being a surgeon he has money, but he still sometimes meet someone who treats people how he was once treated. And that angers him." Damn, he would confess anything to this woman. His mouth became so loose around her, and they just met.

"Well, Mr. Graham if you wish to talk more, here's my card." She gave him a smile and handed him her buisness card and Will just nodded sheepishly.

Once she was gone he turned around to go find Miriam.

.

.


.

"Were doing what?" Will stared at her aghast. He was in her car, expecting to go find something to eat for lunch when she began typing in directions to her GPS. His suspicions grew when the machine said it was a forty-five minute drive. And when he had asked where they were going, she nonchalantly said, "To question the people who knew the victims." As if this happened regularly. Which it did not.

"C'mon Will. We need to ask about the victims, maybe then we can see why the ripper wanted them dead." Will shook his head vigorously, clearly showing his disapproval.

"We are not going to ask some grieving parents, 'Hey! Was your kid an asshole?'" Will hissed, Miriam rolled her eyes.

"Will, I would never go and ask someone's family that. Besides a mother would never admit their kid is an asshole. Were going to ask their friends." She replied, and Will wanted to rip out his hair. This was such a bad idea, he felt he didn't even need to explain why it was bad. Who the hell asks someone in grief if their recently deceased love one was an asshole? Assholes, that's who. Miriam could sense Will's anger, and sighed.

"Listen, we were assigned a job. Find out as much as we can on the Ripper. Thanks to you were in Jack's good graces, lets try to keep it that way." Miriam chanced a glance at Will, who was still moping and looking out the window.

"This feels wrong, Mir."

"I know. But if we find out some useful information it may save someone's life. He has one more kill before he goes back into his little hibernation." Will hummed when a thought crossed his mind.

"Do you think he ever kills in between the breaks, but he just does it differently?" He could see Miriam's whole body tense.

"I don't doubt it."

.

.


.

They arrived in a small town somewhere at the edge of Marryland. Will honestly didn't know what this place was nor did he care. It looked like a prim and proper town, you marry your high school sweetheart and take over the family business. Will wouldn't last in this town. He'd be itching to leave, itching for something different to happen.

Will stayed quiet as they pulled over infront of an apartment complex. It did not look like maintenance had ever done any work on these buildings, except for the few patches of grass he could see. His stomach began to coil as they got closer to their destination. He wanted to back out, he may not like people, but once he stared at those grieving people. Their pain becomes his.

They stood in front of the door, and he watched blankly as Miriam knocked heavily on the door. A couple minutes go by before they finally hear the rustling of an opening door.

A young Betan woman opens the door, she has long brown hair that was pulled in a loose ponytail, a last ditch effort to look presentable. He clothes were baggy and long, and she looked very pale. She probably stays inside all day, he thought.

"Can I help you?" Her toned showed she did not want visitors, and Will, for some reason he still does not understand, met her eyes and froze. Her eyes were blank, there was no grief, no annoyance, nothing. She was too tired to feel things, she lost her long time love interest. Crap.

It took him a moment to realize Miriam had already introduced them and was asking to be let in. The woman looked reluctant, but finally let them inside.

Will looked around and quickly took notice how all the pictures were missing. There were shapes on the walls of discoloration from where they had been, he could guess it was pictures with the victim in it or pictures of her. She couldn't handle look at her old self anymore, that happiness felt like it was taunting her.

She lead them to a couch, and they gratefully sat down. Then, Miriam began to talk, "Were here to ask you about about one of the victims in the Baltimore murders. Jim Andersen, a twenty four year old Beta."

The woman closed her eyes for a moment, trying to compose herself for the emotional torture she was going to put herself through. Will glanced warily at his friend, but her eyes was only on the woman. Jasmine Charles. That's her name.

"What would you like to know?" Miriam finally spared him a glance, doubt finally coming in.

"How would you describe his character?"

"He... he was a very closed off man. Even as a child. He-he... he was a crass man. Didn't like strangers much." Jasmine stuttered, taking a few deep breaths.

"So, he could be considered rude to strangers?" Will could tell immediately that that was the wrong thing to say. He regretted it as soon as he saw her offended look.

"Excuse me? Yes, he may have rubbed people the wrong way sometimes, but he was a good person! He was kind! And he was so smart! He had his whole life a head of him!" She sobbed, Will and Miriam shared a look. Both stood up and excused themselves, giving their condolences as the woman only sat there crying her eyes out.

Once they stepped out side Miriam smacked the back of Will's head.

"Good job, bone head." She snapped as they walked to the car. Will glared at the back of her head as he slipped into the passenger seat.

"I told you I did not want to do this. I'm not good with people." He argued.

"I would think it's common sense not to say that! You even told me not to say that!" Miriam practically growled as she began to type in new directions.

"You, essentially, asked the same thing!" He hissed, crossing his arms defiantly.

"Yes, but I worded it differently! You have to be careful with this sort of thing Will!" They both sat in tense silence, Miriam sighed and turned to Will in her seat.

"I'm sorry for snapping. It was very hypocritical of me, and you're right. Technically we asked they same things and she reacted poorly to you asking. We should probably work on the whole questioning thing." Miriam chuckled, he hummed in agreement and finally looked at her.

"Fine, but were having pizza for dinner tonight." Miriam laughed and nodded in agreement, and just like that the tension was gone.

"Ok, but a few more interviews!" And with that they were off to question more people in Baltimore.

Six people later, they had been thrown out of three apartments, and was cussed off by four people. However, they got the desired information, all of these victims were dicks. It was seven forty-three when they had finally finished and Will was hungry. With only a single cup of coffee to sustain him all day, he was famished.

"Well, that was a fun day." She joked, Will just rolled his eyes and went on his phone.

"Call Little Caesar's, I want to have pizza!" Miriam cheered, Will snorted and went through the Little Ceasar's locations.

"We'll spend the night in Baltimore, so do Baltimore. We'll be there in fifteen minutes. Then we can look for a place to stay." Will hummed in agreement and then called the pizza place. Ordering a pepperoni pizza.

.

.


.

Will huffed as he watched Miriam struggle with the keys to their room. It was. Currently nine sixteen pm, and Will just wanted to eat this pizza and sleep. Miriam, thankfully, opened the door and let Will through. Will sprinted past her and plopped down on the single bed. Purring he curled into the pillows of the rather shitty motel room while Mriram laughed at him.

"You suck Graham." She chuckled, locking their room before joining him on the bed. "Now let's eat!" Miriam opened the pizza box and quick dove in, Will not far behind her. They happily ate in silence, before Miriam spoke up.

"So, we know his motive. People who are rude to him." Miriam said around a mouthful of pizza.

"That backs up my theory, kinda. I think something happened to him as a kid. He probably grew up poor, or had great lose and because of that he was treated like shit. Now, he's like some hotshot and he expects to be treated like a God, and when you don't it make him mad. Then you're dead." Will said between bites of his pizza. Miriam hummed, typing notes on her phone.

"Now, can we stop with this work and eat pizza? Get greasy and sleep the day away tomorrow." Will whined, she rolled her eyes but complied. They finished the pizza and turned off the lights to finally settle down.

At night Will was plagued with dreams of a man. Waiting in the shadows, he couldn't see the man's face but he could feel the darkness around him.