*Flashback Dream*

She sighed as she sat opposite the pompous Alpha before her, listening with feigned interest as he went over the notes of his previous lecture and comparing notes with those that she had compiled during her first few months of work since graduating. There was no fun to be found in a situation such as this, often finding her mind drifting to the previous night's activities, fighting to hide the malicious smile that threatened her lips as Doctor Chilton occasionally turned to make sure she was still paying attention. Apparently, he was lecturing on serial killers this semester, not that she cared much for such things when she knew first-hand how they functioned.

Sera had made remarkable progress in their crusade against the abusive scum. No longer were her methods sloppy and in constant need of assistance, she had become refined and found her own label for revenge. She had taken over covering the evidence, turning it into her own strange art form and game as she goaded and mocked the law that still failed to capture them. She had even come up with her own poem for their work.

"And that is what brings us to the Alabama Arsonists. Still unknown and very much at large, they are beginning to rival even the Chesapeake Ripper in the FBI's most wanted folder"

Her ears pricked up suddenly, her full attention upon the ignoramus in front of her. Had they really become so prolific? She frowned becoming worried by the thought, it meant that they had to be much more vigilant in covering their tracks. They couldn't carry out their work from behind prison bars after all.

"you seem to be interested, miss Shepherd. Is it since these two have been identified as omega?"

In what seemed a split second in his mind, her own had processed his words and realised the implication of them. He genuinely believed that the omega gender couldn't find strength to defend themselves, that they were weak and needed an alpha to decide their actions. How wrong he was. Whilst the perfume she wore gave the portrayal of a rare female alpha, he would never know the horror he sat opposite from. She chose the simply smile before giving her explanation.

"Nothing of the sort. In fact, I believe that omega can be deadly if pushed far enough. I have been following the reports of the Alabama Arsonists since I started studying forensic psychology and I believe that their actions do not stem from a simple malicious intent but rather a desire to protect others from what they have possibly been subjected too. The fact that they are beginning to rival the Chesapeake ripper is a testament to this fact"

Her words were a little too close to the truth than what she would have liked but it was the only possible answer to his question without openly admitting to her crimes. For her fortune, Chilton seemed unable to see the larger picture and simply chose to consider her answer, a look in his eye that showed Felicia just how little this man truly knew.

He could never comprehend or begin to understand the true mission she and Sera were on.

"On a different note, Miss Shepherd, I trust that we shall see yourself and your darling sister at this evenings conference? It would be a fine chance for you to find your Omegan sister an affluent mate after all, as well as a chance to make your own connections"

She simply chose to smile, biting back the poison that coated the words on her tongue at the lecherous smile he gave at the mention of Sera. Of course, she would be at the conference, it was a chance for her to truly enter the professional circle, but that sure as hell didn't mean she'd let any of those pompous fools touch her only family, or herself for that matter.

*That evening*

She swirled the burgundy liquid within her glass, Sera stood close by as the pair felt eyes upon them from different directions. So many curious about the young Alpha female that refused to let any other talk to her beautiful Omegan sister, frustrated by the situation when it was so rare to find such a perfect specimen for mating.

"This is why I hate not wearing the perfume or taking the suppressants. It's like being stuck in a fish tank surrounded by pigs and fools"

"Calm down Sera, we're only staying long enough to seem polite… But now you know why I was in such a foul mood at your last university gathering. Not so fun playing the Omegan sister, is it?"

Felicia's tone was calm and gentle as she continued to survey the gathering of people, a genial smile covering her own annoyance and boredom. No one of interest had caught her eye at this point, it was becoming even more tedious by the minute as she sent an aggressive snarl towards a young Alpha trying to get too close to her sister, Sera chuckling as he ran away like a dog with his tail between his legs.

"Ah, Felicia, so glad to see you could make it, and you were able to bring darling Sera with you, how wonderful"

Felicia was grateful that she had her back to the man as she rolled her eyes at Chilton's drone like voice. Hadn't she suffered this idiot enough today? Sera simply chose to carry on the giggling Omega act, daintily covering her smile with a small hand and turning slightly as Felicia turned to face her colleague and previous mentor, doing her best to cover the slight falter in her breathing as she was met by another Alpha stood with Chilton.

His features were sharp, predatory and his eyes seeming to drink in more information than Either sister would have liked as a genial smile graced his lips and he extended a well-manicured hand.

"A pleasure to meet you miss Shepherd, my name is Dr Hannibal Lecter. Frederick has told me much about you"

Whilst Felicia simply chose to keep her greeting short, shaking the Alphas hand before introducing Sera, Hannibal found himself taking an intake of the woman's scent. It was wrong, ill fitted to her. Too musky for someone so delicate and small looking, seeming to cover something that taunted and goaded him with a scent that he felt familiar as the woman made an excuse for herself and her sister before ushering them both away and out of the building.

Hannibal watched as she left, unable to shake the scent of her as he made a promise to himself. He would uncover her secrets.

*End flashback dream*


The morning seemed different as he held her within his arms, his eyes unable to move away from the sight of the omega sleeping peacefully against his chest for the first time since her coming home. She wasn't thrashing against him to escape old demons or crying out in fear for him to wake her up from another nightmare. Her head lay against his chest, lips slightly pressed against his skin as the ghost of her breath tickled the surface and her hand rested amongst his chest hair.

A rumbled sound of satisfaction echoed around the room as he carded a hand through the soft, though messy, tresses of golden hair, smiling slightly as she stirred and looked up at him with hazy blue eyes.

"Pleasant dream, my love?"

"A memory… I think… but not a bad one"

Quirking an eyebrow, he waited for her to continue. Had they finally escaped the memories of Dunhill? Was she finally beginning to remember happier times?

Felicia remained silent for a moment as she tried to decide how to phrase her words. She and Sera had both agreed not to let either Hannibal or Will know that they had remembered their murderous activities or that they were the real Alabama Arsonists. But surely it couldn't hurt to tell him this memory?

"I dreamt about you, how we first met"

Hannibal couldn't help but to chuckle art that as he pulled the memory from his mind palace, remembering the events that had transpired from that short introduction. He had hunted her, stalked his prey to discover the secret he knew her to be hiding, how surprised he had been when he had learned the extent of her secrets, as well as Sera's.

"I recall it well. You were wearing a dark blue evening gown and had your hair in loose ringlets. It was months before I was finally able to understand you, to break down the wall you had built around yourself and Sera"

"And what did you discover?"

A hand touched her cheek gently, Felicia was unable to stop herself from leaning into the touch as something told her that she was the only one to ever see this side of Hannibal, how loving he could truly be.

"That I could not love another more than I love you"

The blush that lit up Felicia's cheeks was endearing as she found herself unable to give a reply beyond a stuttered 'I love you too'. She had never been very good with expressing positive emotions or understanding them, it was something they had been working on together before she and Sera had gone into the hospital.

Their moment was broken as Hannibal's cell phone began to vibrate, a text message lighting up the screen and drawing both his own and Felicia's attention away from each other and to the script, Hannibal chuckling as Felicia looked mortified.

"I do not need to know that my sister has gone into her bloody heat!"

"I'm sure good Will is just making sure you don't worry about not hearing from either of them for the next week"

Her eye twitched as she glared daggers at the cell phone, willing the device to explode with the sheer force of thought. As kind as the gesture was, knowing she'd appreciate the thoughtfulness eventually, that still didn't mean she wanted to know her sister was about to start a week filled with nothing but sex and the occasional snack break. She groaned, burying her head back into Hannibal's chest as something dawned on her.

"I think she might break Will"

"I think you underestimate Will, my love"