AN- I own nothing and some dialogue from the show.

oOo
The drive to Wolf Trap seemed to take forever, Will feeling nervous about seeing his own house for some reason, even though it had been less than a week since he was last there. To him, it almost felt more like a lifetime ago, like he was returning to a past era that belonged to someone else.

Technically it wasn't his house anymore, but after seeing Hannibal's own and picking up some of his behavior, Will let himself get comfortable with the thought that the Alpha would keep his word and allow him to retain ownership over his own residence. Hannibal was wealthy enough in his own right to have no monetary need for it and his own personal tastes of décor versus Will's own ran in completely opposite directions. Will really couldn't see Hannibal wanting to keep his fishing poles or half repaired boat motors for himself.

As for the true source of his discomfort, Will reasoned out perhaps it was because Alana would be there, or that he might smell differently to his dogs now that he was off the heat suppressants. He would smell more like a damn Omega instead of the Beta he spent his life striving for. He wasn't sure how either were going to react to him now, or which rejection would hurt more.

At one point, there had been something there between him and Alana, something more than just friendship. A tentative closeness that could have developed if Will were other people. They had kissed once. It had been sweet and soft and nice and everything that Will wasn't so it had felt wrong in the end, leaving the flavor of guilty in his mouth.

It had been a terrible disappointment to both upon discovering that they hadn't tasted right to one other on a chemical level either, though such things could be worked around or ignored. If they had given it a shot, Will liked to believe that Alana would have kept his secret, but at the time, Will believed he couldn't risk exposing himself, his hidden gender to the lovely Beta who claimed she thought too much.

In a way, it was a relief that it was his own body that had betrayed him in the end instead of someone he let himself trust and respect. He could deal with that sort of hurt, was used to his body letting him down. Will allowed himself very few acquaintances. Friends were even rarer, his pack of dogs outnumbering the humans who fit that title.

Pressing his forehead against the glass to feel the cold of it seeping into his hot forehead, Will focused on those contrasting sensations to distract himself from his thoughts. His scent would give him away if he didn't place safeguards in his thinking. Hannibal would know when he was upset or stressed out, though he wouldn't be privy to the why behind it(or at least he wouldn't if he weren't a damn psychiatrist). The advantageous biology of Alpha gave them better senses over the other genders. They were built to hunt and fight while Omegas were expected to run and hide themselves away.

In the old days, there had been the Chase. When an Omega went into their first Heat, they would take to the field or forest or beach, an open invitation being carried on the wind to an Alpha who could scent their swollen sex. The Chase would begin then in haste, an interested Alpha or Alphas sent straight into Rut by the pheromone trail. The Alpha(s) would then track down the Omega in heat who was actively looking for a suitable place of privacy to breed while keeping an eye out for a perspective mate. The harsh rules of the Chase were simple. Find the Omega before he or she went into hiding to ride out their Heat, catch said Omega and mount them, and fight, maim, or kill any other Alpha who got in the way.

Civilization had brought about the idea that the Chase was too brutal, too cruel to continue tradition and thus the Auction had been created. Will thought he would have preferred the Chase with its slim chance of escape over the fresh hell that had been his week, confined to a small windowless room to be chained to a wall listening his neighbors create their brave new faces for the future mates who could afford them.

At least he would have clothing that would fit him, Will could reclaim that much from his house even he weren't allowed to live there. Will tended to layer his body in flannel, tweed, jeans, and sweaters like they were armor. It was one of the few Omega tendencies he allowed himself. All Omegas loved to wear soft clothing, were drawn to supply downy textures, the more plush the better. It was a nesting tendency, keeping one's self warm and safe before, during, and after the birthing process. As much as he would like to, Will couldn't wander around in a robe and slippers wearing a down comforter as a cloak without someone calling him out on it, so layers upon layers it was. It had also served a dual purpose by keeping his scent profile in closer to his body.

Will was currently wearing a dark blue suit of Hannibal's with a white Oxford dress shirt san the tie but with the top few buttons left open to better show off his new collar, the one he kept reaching up to touch despite himself. The leather felt almost disturbingly warm, like it was becoming part of him, his missing piece. The Alpha's scent was all over his now as well, Will knowing that Hannibal would be pleased about that. Scent marking was a definitive trait of Alphas, another way of claiming their mate but far more subtle.

As nice as the suit was, even fitting better than most of his other clothing, Will found he didn't care for it, much preferring his more flexible choices of worn, warm material. The suit echoed its owner a bit too well, too much starched construction and controlled presentation, Hannibal's clothing a façade as much as Will's own poor choice of disguise. The Alpha was hiding something from the world in plain sight under a polished veneer of sophistication and style. Will wondered what lay beneath all those barriers of knotted silk, pressed cotton, and patterned wool, if Hannibal was trying to keep himself safe or trying to keep others safe from him.

They hadn't said much of anything to each other after leaving the house, the car's silence more filled with classical music than conversation. Will found it wasn't the bad sort of quiet though, the kind with floating razor bits of tension ready to set off the landmine tempers that seemed to follow him everywhere he went. The silence of Hannibal held an almost superb serenity to it, though more secular in nature than pious. It did not hold to what was found among the praying devout in churches or temples. It was more akin to the inattention of slumbering lions, tawny eyes half lidded but still ever on the hunt for slow moving prey. Will thought it shouldn't have felt as comfortable as it did to him.

Still a while out from their destination, Will made an effort to keep himself still as to not appear more neurotic than he was actually was sitting in a small enclosed space. Will was a fidgeter, knew he was one, was consciously trying to keep his legs from jittering and keep his fingers from tapping out a nervous Morse code of stress. To save himself some embarrassment, Will made himself fall asleep in self defense, his body listening to him for once. He found his napping was aided by Handel's slower pieces and the dull monotony of Bach. That and his earlier orgasm, the one that Will was trying very hard not to think about as he slipped into a doze. That was yet another thing he didn't want to dwell on. The feel of Hannibal upon and all around him, the ease with which the Alpha had lifted him up, or the spicy scent of his musk that still clung to Will's skin despite his best efforts of washing it off. Lulled in by the unfamiliar sensations of comfort and safety, Will slipped completely under into a deep sleep with less struggle than he thought possible.

Glancing over to his right from time to time, Hannibal liked that Will could fall asleep so close to him, the Omega curling up in his sleep. The level of trust it signified meant a lot to Hannibal, another tool for advantageous leverage in his arsenal. The sense of pride that came with this was surprising though. It was a feeling Hannibal had not been expected and the Alpha was not one for surprises. Luckily, the slumbering Omega gave Hannibal time to think on this and so much more. He had a lot of food for thought and new information to sort through, consider, and digest.

Within under 24 hours, Hannibal's life had considerably changed. For someone who planned out just about every detail of his life on a Machiavellian level, this was an unprecedented turn of events. There were certain aspects of his self that were not conducive to establishing or even maintaining a healthy, lasting relationship with another person, at least while they were still breathing. The minor issues of him being the Chesapeake Ripper or Will being a teacher and a profiler for the FBI might prove too difficult to overcome. It could end badly for the Omega if he were to find out his true self.

The thought of killing Will was becoming more and more difficult for Hannibal to envision though. With the taste of his skin, slick, and spend still lingering in his mouth and the smell of Omega in his clothes, Hannibal found with some surprise that he was reluctant to even consider what should be the most obvious option available to him. Hannibal knew it would be prudent for him to end this now while they were still unmated. If he extinguished the bond before it had time to properly develop, the damage to his psyche would be far more manageable and less damaging.

Killing Will would be such a simple thing, should come as easily as breathing to him. Hannibal could do it right now actually, this being an opportune moment for it with Will curled up asleep beside him as they drove deeper into the woods along lonely roads towards the more remote parts of Virginia. With Will's widely known unbalanced mental state, no one would be surprised if Hannibal reported him missing. Will's sudden disappearance would be treated as a runaway Omega, and the Auction would even corroborate his story, confirming to any official that bothered to check that Will had been sold to Hannibal masked and bound because of his previous escape attempts.

If he felt inclined to do so, Hannibal could even stage Will's death. Male Omegas had a high suicide rate, their gender made even rarer due to the fact most of them didn't last long after their first Heat. An male Omega ousted this late in his life would be a prime candidate for self harm. Given his vast array of options, Hannibal thought that Will was more the type to swallow a bullet than accept a razor's kiss to his wrist or the short burning ride of a rope around his neck.

With his unique skill sets, Hannibal could make Will's death seem like the most natural thing in the world and it would be accepted as truth with no danger at all to Hannibal. He could extinguish this little flame of life and none would be the wiser or even really notice. It would be just another dead male Omega, the used condom of all the genders.

His own thoughts soured Hannibal's mouth, the Alpha swallowing more out of distaste than necessity. He was so rarely displeased with himself and his inner workings. It came as sort of a shock but not a surprise to find that his plans for Will's demise were being discarded in the wake of his discomfiture. Killing Will was not becoming as option anymore, Hannibal moistening his lips to still taste the sweetness of Omega's slick upon them, refreshing the Alpha's mouth and making it water.

No, Will was his mate and Hannibal needed to explore what that meant to him, found that he wanted to. He needed to see how deep this bond went between them and if soul bonds had the merit they were famed for, the uncharted but much sought after levels of understanding that were supposed to come with it. Understanding at that level came with full disclosure though, and Hannibal's secrets were a heavy burden to bear. Will was liable to break under them and then Hannibal would be left with no choice. The one that shouldn't be bothering him at all, but was like painting crude graphiti on the walls of his mind palace even considering it again.

Reaching over, Hannibal let his fingers skim over Will's body, too light for the Omega to notice or even wake him but enough so that Hannibal could at least feel the heat coming off of him. Even in slumber, Will reacted to him, the Omega sensing the hovering touch and shifting his body closer toward it, trying to meet the fanned fingers that brushed the air over him.

Ordering himself to stop, Hannibal withdrew his hand before either could touch, resolutely gripping the wheel with white knuckles. He felt somewhat betrayed by his body. Hannibal had spent a lifetime honing it to be the perfect weapon, the absolute predator, and yet all his controlled efforts were being undone by an almost complete stranger, someone Hannibal would never consider to be mating material. Antisocial, made discourteous from his own fear and self loathing, and lacking tact, Will hardly fit any criteria for dating, much less Hannibal's elevated own. Previously accepted standards were falling away like leaves off a tree in the coming presence of winter, the sensation of it was making Hannibal feel a bit bare.

If it were just a matter of flesh, Hannibal reasoned that he could resist temptation, but it went far beyond that. His control was a finely made thing, shaped from a lifetime of experience. It was frustrating to find it unraveling at the edges, all that crafting laid to waste from the undefined force that was Will. The power Will had shown in the kitchen last night, his power as a pure Omega, was awing. Hannibal couldn't conceive what would happen when(not 'if', Hannibal would make sure of that) they went head to head, Heat to Rut, want and need fighting for dominance.

Except in the dark spaces between when he took a life or partook a particularly excellent vintage of wine, Hannibal did not lose himself, his sense of self, his awareness to physical sensations. He had had affairs in the past, some even intimate, but nothing that had held his attention for long. Certainly none that had caught him so unaware, or held him in a daze. Will managed to do this without even really trying. It was almost insulting that Will had no idea what a feat that was, but Hannibal doubted that he would care either.

Oddly enough, that didn't bother him, even excited Hannibal a little bit. He was used to people regarding him with admiration and astonishment, strove to inspire such feelings in others. To gain either from Will would be a welcomed challenge, one that he hadn't experienced in a long while. Compliments from the Omega would have merit and carry considerably weight because they would be so hard won. Hannibal could practically taste Will's reluctance to regard him in any positive light, already cast as the villain in Will's mind.

Trust was difficult for him, but Hannibal believed it was even more so for Will. He believed Will had the true potential to understand him but wondered if the Omega was clever enough to scale his walls. Given his stubbornness and boorish nature, odds were that Will would just try to barrel though them instead. Hannibal found he was indecisive of which method he preferred. Either meant Will's attention and that was what Hannibal was greedy for, though he was loathe to admit it. Greed was a vice and made one careless. Mistakes could not be afforded at this point in the game.

Despite Will's shortcomings and lack of social graces, there was a keen intelligence and a biting wit that was intriguing to Hannibal. Will had a cleverness about him that Hannibal wanted to see more of. Though many tried, very few could engage Hannibal in verbal sparring. Words to him were living things. They had personality, point of view, agenda. Hannibal had a feeling Will could turn them into pack hunters.

Will was still deep in sleep when Hannibal pulled up to the Omega's little house out in the middle of Virginia's nowhere, the two story home like a lonely boat on a sea of fields and forests. Shutting off the engine and exiting the vehicle as quietly as he could as to not disturb Will, Hannibal slipped out of the car and up the rocky uneven driveway. He couldn't have planned it better if he tried, Hannibal wanting to look at and explore the contents of Will's house without the Omega's interference. Trepidation would make Will hostel and defensive, though Hannibal had already made it clear he had no designs on claiming Will's property for himself.

The keys to both Will's house and car had come with his papers upon payment of purchase though Hannibal didn't spare much more than a glance at the paint faded station wagon. He made a mental note to buy Will something spacious that was far less offensive to the eye and less likely to break down on the side of the road.

The keys proved to be unnecessary though, Will's front door open and the lock obviously picked, scratch marks edged into the metal's patina. Looking in through the windows revealed no one standing inside, Hannibal peeking in while keeping to shadows as he palmed the scalpel he always carried with him. Swinging the door open just far enough so that he could slip in unheard, Hannibal found himself in a large room which would have been a living room to anyone else. It was made special though because it was obviously the space Will lived in the most, a fact one could tell just by entering through the front door.

A poorly made bed stood off in the corner where a couch should have been, the Omega's bed from the smell of it. Hannibal could already scent fear and sweat soaked into the scattered about sheets there, the smell of it sweetly sour like spoiled peaches with split fuzzy skins left out too long in the sun. Hannibal found that he still wanted to rub his face in it, roll in that scent like a feline strung out on catnip. Perhaps when the intruder was dealt with and Will was still asleep, he would consider it. It would really depend on how much clean up was involved. Some people just died messy and Hannibal was meticulous about tying up such loose ends.

The tantalizing scent of overly ripe fruit, bourbon, and night terror was tainted by something bitter like Turkish coffee or unsweetened dark chocolate, the unknown Beta here intruding on something more than just property. Hannibal was not amused. This should have been a private intimacy for him, a moment of undisturbed exploration solely meant for him.

Flaring his nostrils to pinpoint the directionality of its source, Hannibal deduced that the Beta must be on the second level, his hearing keen and his olfactory sense even better. Alphas tended to smell like mixtures out of a spice rack ranging from baking to savory and musk. Omegas ran more sweet, carrying scents of flowers and fruit upon their persons, their pheromones meant to be sought out and enjoyed. Betas were the balance between the two, having very little tells in the way of odor, neutral to the two other genders even in scent which usually ran pleasantly bitter or a touch earthen.

Listening for the whereabouts of the trespasser overhead, Hannibal looked around the room with interest. Despite having his household crammed all into one room, Will kept the space in relatively neat order, open, and not the state of complete disarray Hannibal had been expecting. Omegas had the habit of nesting, a sort of controlled chaos of their own making that marked their habitats. It was a gender characteristic, especially with Omegas unmated and left too long on their own. They tended to develop an inclination to hoarding, compensating their feelings of loneliness and abandonment with an excess of material items. From the looks of it, Will had overcome this tendency by cleverly keeping his intimate living space as small as possible and collecting dogs instead of inanimate objects. It wouldn't surprise Hannibal if the rest of the house was for the pack's use and not Will's own.

By living downstairs instead of on the second level like most would, the centralized location also served a dual purpose. Will would be aware of anyone showing up at his house unannounced, the room reminiscent of a fish tank with all its open large windows and dull walls of faded blue paint. All the furniture was mismatched, from the looks of it picked more for comfort than visually pleasing compatibility. The few decorations and pieces of art in the room were the type that came from living a life rather than any real intention in regard toward interior design. Books were neatly grouped but not in any particular order, though Hannibal appreciated the amount in the room. It was nowhere the size of his own libraries but it was obvious that Will liked to read. The care of his books told Hannibal that they were appreciated and respected as well, lacking any dust or gnaw marks from canines along their spines. The stone fireplace portrayed the majority of the artwork in the room, a couple of painting, both landscapes which came as no surprise to Hannibal considering there were no photographs gracing any surface space or wall. The rest of the mixed media in the room depicted canines in some form or another.

Mixed in among the furniture was pieces of machinery and what looked to be a broken boat motor, an open tool box beside the on-going project. Nearby on a small table, a rotary phone was flanked by conch shells and an ugly squatty lamp, a little toy dog and red flask on a nearby windowsill. It made Hannibal wonder what kind of sentimental value all those mixed items held to the Omega. A sole out-of-place dresser off to the side contained mostly white t-shirts, pairs of socks, and grey boxer briefs, all neatly arranged and organized, just like everything else in the house. What should have been a coat closet probably served as Will's primary place for clothing, an assortment of coats and what looked like thigh high waders hanging from hooks on the wall..

A peek into the connecting kitchen confirmed that it looked mostly unused but tidily arranged like the rest of the house, containing the bare necessities in the form of a coffee maker and a landline phone, everything else put carefully away to use almost never. The wallpaper had obviously come with the place, probably picked out by the farmhouse's former occupants. The little blue flower pattern was far too pretty and floral for someone trying to avoid being perceived as an Omega, a predominately feminine heavy gender. It wouldn't surprise Hannibal to find out that some of the décor pieces in the living room had been the former owners as well. Will's sense of self was so well contained he didn't feel a need to paint his surroundings with his own identity, most of everything in his house functional or serving a purpose.

The one workstation was placed under a window for its natural light. It was surrounded by an array of fishing poles, the desk's surface covered with tools and scraps of material. From the looks of it, Will made his own fly fishing lures, the finished efforts of his hobby on display, brilliant color and soft feathers disguising the killing sharpness that curved in on itself. Will obviously spent a lot of time here as well, bottles of liquor and paint mixed in among books, spools of wire and line, bouquets of feathers in mason jars, scattered tools, and little vials of glue. Will drank cheap whiskey, Hannibal noted, his lip curling slightly at the white label of the large 'I'm not fucking around tonight and this is cheaper than therapy' sized bottle.

The majority of the floor space was taken up by cozy looking dog beds that looked more expensive than the furniture, the faded Persian style rug underneath put down more for canine comfort than for décor with even a space heater provided to ensure it. Hannibal noted its position in the room, nearer to the dogs than their owner. The house was old and Hannibal knew from looking at it that it did not have central heating. The question here was whether Will valued his dogs more than himself or if the Omega was punishing himself needlessly by depriving himself of basic human comforts.

The real surprise came from the upright piano found in the corner of the room by the fireplace and opposite the bed, Hannibal drawn to it. Open sheet music told Hannibal that the instrument was used, the lack of dust on the keys and bench suggested that it was practiced often. The complicated notes he read upon the sheet paper hinted at that it could be played well. Hannibal placed his fingers to the keys to tap out a few notes, checking to see if the instrument was in tune and to flush out whoever else was here. He was growing bored with waiting for the intrusive Beta to show themselves.

Upon hearing the piano, a practiced killer would hide deeper within the house and wait for an opportunity, the unique silence that came with it giving them away to any person who knew what to listen for. A novice would rush him, panic of being caught making them reckless. A thief, though Hannibal truly doubted it unless there was sudden market for well used fishing gear and motor parts, would try to escape unnoticed out the back. Anyone else would make their presence know and try to ascertain Hannibal's own purpose for being here as well.

Unsurprised to hear both that the piano was out of tune(music was a pleasure and Will seemed to be in the habit of denying himself such things) and the scurrying of a bothered stranger, Hannibal waited patiently for the Beta to reveal themselves. When they were done here, he would have to contact someone about continual maintenance for the instrument. He favored grand pianos to vertical, the upright version of the instrument more susceptible to string degradation. Hannibal doubted that Will would appreciate the gift of a proper piano or the rearrangement of his house to provide room for one. He would have to make it a point to make Will aware of the baby grand Bosendorfer he had in the sunroom. Hannibal doubted Will would be willing to play for him or even want an audience, but he could easily stay out of sight and out of mind in an adjacent sitting room, and still hear everything just fine.

Hannibal didn't have to wait long, a young woman revealing herself soon enough from the upstairs. She was strikingly thin and dressed to accentuate this, giving Hannibal the impression of a razor sharp rapier sheathed in tacky animal print. Long curly red hair, defined doll like facial features, and large blue eyes, the kind of which that noticed too many details for other people's comfort, regarded Hannibal curiously. He was being quickly evaluated and his presence here determined if it were a threat to her agenda or self.

"Oh my God, you gave me such a fright." the woman said, faking a nervous smile and theatrically placing a hand over her heart.

"Could you please tell what you are doing here?" Hannibal inquired politely as he hid away the scalpel, its uses unnessecary. He already knew who she was but he was curious to hear what she was planning to tell him, curious to hear what lies she would spin to explain away her intrusion.

"Well hopefully we are both here in the right place for the same reason." the woman smiled, joking while masterfully still managing to look flustered and embarrassed. "I'm supposed to meeting a realtor at this address. I don't suppose you want to sell me this house."

"I sincerely doubt that seeing that this property is not for sale." Hannibal pointed out, amused at her performance. If he had been anyone else, it might have sounded plausible. Hannibal already knew what she was planning on saying next, that she had found the door unlocked and if it were the wrong house, assumed she would just have to apologize for the inconvenience. She would probably even put on a dog and pony show of 'little lost girl', asking for other addresses or if he knew about any other houses in the area up for sale.

"My mistake, Mr…..?" the woman fished for some leverage. "I didn't catch your name or your reason for being here."

"I gave neither, but as it so happens I am the new owner of this property and have every right to be here, much unlike yourself." Hannibal said smoothly, turning himself to the side to give her a false out. If she bolted, he could easily stop her. The woman noted all this as well though, recognized the trick for what it was, her eyes narrowing. "Though I am curious to why you would assume this property was up for sale."

"A male Omega caught so late in life, one who used to work for the FBI as a teacher and profiler is big news. It's common knowledge that Omegas can't own property so why wouldn't it be up for sale? I have an interest in the land, not the house, and wanted to get ahead of the bidding." The woman lied. She lied well, which was unsurprising considering her profession, but Hannibal was growing bored of the game.

"Are you Freddie Lounds?" Hannibal moved right to checkmate, watching the reporter for gave up the ghost of her deceit.

Faked innocence got stuffed back into its box as Ms. Lounds presented herself as the sort of predator she, a scavenger. An entirely different sort from the one Hannibal was but one well in her right. "It's a pleasure to meet you in person, Doctor Lecter." she said smoothly with a tight smile as she straightened her spine and her voice lost its softer qualities. "Your reputation proceeds you of course."

"This is unethical, even for a tabloid journalist." Hannibal pointed out.

"I'm…I am so embarrassed." Freddie lied, faking sincerity in all the right place. It might of fooled anyone else.

"You still have not answered my question, Ms. Lounds. What are you doing here?" Hannibal asked though he was well aware of the answer.

"A lot of talk about your man, Will Graham. About the way he thinks, the way he becomes other killers." Freddie avoided answering as she wandered, keeping a respectable distance from Hannibal but still able to study the profiler's habitat. "It's an interesting ability. You can't really blame me for wanting to find out more about him."

"And what have you found out?" Hannibal asked, moving to stand beside Will's desk to look at its vast array of contents. It positioned him in front of the door while doing so, a fact he was sure that was not lost on the Beta.

"Enough." Freddie smiled sly and wicked, her large blue eyes flickering toward the kitchen and the back door there. She was probably debating with herself if it was worth the effort or if she should try and talk her way of this.

"I'm afraid I must ask for your bag." Hannibal stated calmly to watch micro expressions of panic fan out across the journalist's face even as she fought to keep her brittle smile in place.

"What?" Freddie decided to try her hand at confused innocence.

"Your bag. Please hand it over." Hannibal left no room for further argument in his composed yet firm manner. He knew she would be intelligent enough to realize who was the better and bigger predator in the room, his lion to her jackal. "I'd rather not take it from you."

The journalist handed over her purse, careful to keep it at arm's length and on finger's edge. Hannibal appreciated her caution as he opened it to find what he was looking for, what he knew would be there. "That's personal." Freddie tried to explain away under false pretenses the camera Hannibal fished out from the bag's depth. "Avid bird watcher."

"I'm sure." Hannibal gave her a look in return. "Though I am very interested to know how you found Will's address. He has worked on some high profile cases. I truly doubt the FBI would just leave it lying around for anyone to find. How did you know?"

"I may have taken a few pictures of the house." Freddie admitted quickly, too quickly. It was a poor diversion by admitting something of interest to keep from giving up better information.

"You didn't answer the question. How did you know?" Hannibal pressed, indifferent to the tactic.

"I can't answer that question." and from the look of it, the set of her sharp jaw and grim determination in her eyes, she wouldn't either. A good journalist never gave up their sources and Freddie Lounds, lack of moral compass aside, was one of the best in her field. Hannibal was willing to bet it would be quite an undertaking in patience and certain abilities that were not socially acceptable to make her talk. He had neither the time or the energy to do so.

"Delete all the pictures of Will Graham's house." Hannibal told the Beta instead, handing the camera back to her while making a subtle show of keeping her purse well out of reach. "Delete them please."

Freddie Lounds looked resentful about it, but she had excellent survival instincts Hannibal was pleased to note. It would have been unfortunate to dispatch his favorite reporter. In his opinion, Freddie Lounds wrote some of the best articles about the Chesapeake Ripper. She handed back the camera when she was done, Hannibal checking its data before returning it and the purse back to the Beta.

"You have been terribly rude Ms. Lounds. What is to be done about that?" Hannibal mused. As much as he was a fan of her work, the journalist had to be taught a lesson of some sort. She had intruded upon something precious to him, and ruined a moment that should have been experienced in private and savored. Freddie watched him, her stance wire taunt and her scent nervously sour. "What is your interest in Will Graham?"

Freddie Lounds gave him a reproachful look in return, like he was the one wasting her time. "The man works for the FBI but isn't FBI. Too unstable to get past the screening process. Such a man who turns out to be an Omega is well worth my attention. Especially when he is catching insane men because he can think like them…because he is insane."

Hannibal never got to make a decision in the matter though. "What are you doing in my house?" was growled out low and rough, both Alpha and Beta turning to find Will standing behind them, the Omega having gone through the back after he awoke to find himself alone in the car. From the notes of loathing and open contempt, Will knew who the Beta was on sight as well.

"Special Agent Graham, I have never formally introduced myself to you. You're a hard man to get a hold of. I'm Freddie Lounds." the journalist painted on a fake smile as she offered the Omega her hand.

"Are you seriously trying to salvage this joke from the mouth of madness?" Will blatantly ignored the social interaction to glower at her.

"You heard us then. Please let me apologize for what I said. It was sloppy and misguided…..and hurtful." Freddie switched out her mask to one that held a pained expression at the mishap. Hannibal watched the Beta, fascinated to see what else she could do on cue. It would have been applaudable if it weren't so faked.

"Ms. Lounds. Now is not the time." Hannibal interrupted, moving away from the door to stand beside Will. It would allow the Beta to leave and he could keep Will from doing something unfortunate to the journalist. The Omega currently had the look of a man who was ready to brutally kill something or someone, tension coming off his skin in near visible waves.

Freddie openly evaluated Hannibal, before determining that hounding Will would be a preferably course of action, the reporter more eager for a story than escape at the moment. "Look, you and I have our own reasons for being here…." She started to say.

"My reason being that this is my house!" Will snapped, his voice raising sharply enough in volume to make it bounce off of dull blue walls.

"Not anymore." Freddie smiled sweetly as poisoned honey at Will. The Omega paled, a toxic mixture of emotions washing over him suddenly enough to choke out his next words. Will knew she was right, even if he kept having to remind himself of the fact. Promises on Hannibal's part aside, the truth of the matter was that everything that he was belonged to the Alpha now in the eyes of the law and society. It was a low blow and one hard enough to make Will feel physically ill with grief and the unfairness of it all.

"You assume too much, Ms. Lounds." Will heard Hannibal say, the Alpha's voice sounding distant to him for some reason. Ignoring the ringing in his ears and the slight tightness in his chest, Will prayed to whoever was listening that he didn't pass out in front of the damn reporter as he made himself take in air and swallowed down bile, listening to the Alpha's voice like it were a lifeline. "Will's house is still his own, as is everything else he had in his possession before he was discovered. If he doesn't want you to be here or even wishes to call the authorities, he is well within his right to do so."

"Interesting." Freddie said, her head tilting to the side like a bird. More like a crow ready to pluck out an eyeball, Will thought uncharitably. "Do you think that is wise with the current social perception of Omegas?"

"Because it is a challenge to the norm or because you said I was insane?" Will spat out, finding his mentally footing again now that he had some support, even if it was from Hannibal.

"I can undo that. Perception is important especially when everyone is already looking at you. I can be very helpful in that regard." Freddie said slowly, trying to sound magnanimous in her offer but failing due to the notes of smug pride in her voice.

"You help me seem more normal while exploiting my situation and I help you with what. Online ad sales?" Will sneered openly in contempt back at her.

"I can undo what I said. I can also make it a lot worse." Freddie's face hardening, all softness falling away as silk became steel.

Will returned the sentiment, his stance widening to a more menacing pose as he stared down the journalist, his stormy eyes looking through her. "Ms. Lounds, it's not very smart to piss off a guy who thinks about killing people for a living."

It was enough to make Freddie back away, caught off guard upon discovering that there was another predator in the room, one that was well hidden. "Are you going to let him speak to me that way?" She grasped for straws like one drowning, turning to Hannibal for some sort of protection.

"I trust Will to speak for himself." Hannibal bit back a smile, pleased with this new development. Will was turning out to be far more interesting than anything Hannibal could have hoped for. Will seemed to take his words as permission to keep going, the Omega stalking forward as the Beta fell back, her jackal turning tail to something undefined with bigger and better teeth.

"Please leave, Ms. Lounds, before I am tempted to invite you to stay…." Will murmured, low and soothing like someone trying to calm a wounded animal or trick it into coming closer. Not all hands held out offered comfort. "…at my little house in the middle of nowhere with all the numerous acres of woods between us the closet neighbor or any sort of civilization really. I don't get good reception all the way out here, hence the landlines so you would find it difficult to let anyone know that you decided to visit here and stay….if you told anyone at all."

The implications were not lost on the journalist, her face blanching and her scent turning sour with fear, like ruined salted earth. To her credit, Ms. Lounds turned on her heel and made herself walk out the door, confirming Hannibal's earlier assessment of her good survival instincts. One should never run from a predator. It marks you as prey.

Both men watched Ms. Lounds leave by the front door to circle around back to where she was parked. Will regretted not keying her car while he had the chance to. The sound of her retreat disrupted the silence momentarily before it all back fell into place, reminding Will that he was alone in his house with the Alpha.

Will backed away from Hannibal awkwardly, unsure of how to act around the Alpha here in his own house. This was once been a place under his control, a domain of peace and reprieve against a world that would condemn him and constantly overwhelm his senses. He had never had guests over either so he wasn't sure about the etiquette involved, vaguely wondering if he should offer Hannibal something to drink. Alana hardly counted, the Beta often letting herself into the house easily enough since Will never bothered with locking the doors when he was home and making her own coffee. His nearest neighbor lived miles away, his home was too far out in the middle of nowhere for a drifter to stubble upon, the road to his house and driveway were practically hidden and near impossible to find without directions, and wildlife lacked opposable thumbs so Will never saw a need to really.

It didn't help that Hannibal just seemed to be watching him, head titled slightly to the side in contemplation like he observing something fascinating. "Please stop that." Will snapped.

"Stop what?" Hannibal's confusion a construction. A mask, Will realized as his blue eyes darted and danced across the Alpha's facial features, picking out little tells here, there, and everywhere. If Will was asked to guess, he would have to say that the Alpha was curious about their surroundings and Will's reaction to him while in them, nothing more. This was a test. No, Will corrected himself, a game of sorts.

"You know what." Will stated simply, because it was true. "Why didn't you wake me up?" He knew why, but wondered what excuse Hannibal would offer him. The Alpha had no interesting in anything he owned. Will was sure of that. He was willing to bet that Hannibal was more interesting in finding out what Will's things meant to him. Will supposed that was what Freddie Lounds was doing as well, but where it felt like a violation with her, Hannibal's curiosity felt more like an exploration. He was a man looking for the keys to a kingdom with no doors. Will debated with himself whether or not he should tell Hannibal how futile that was.

Any attempts of misdirection on Hannibal's part were ended abruptly by the baying of many excited canines as the front door burst open under the force of a pack. Their leashes were barely being held together by Alana, who looked winded as she dropped the ends so that the dogs could swarm Will.

Hannibal was led to total distraction as he watched the Omega light up from within and come to life, smiling down at his dogs with real affection and love. It was stunningly beautiful to behold, Hannibal putting it on par with the vast loveliness of the Sistine Chapel as he memorized every detail of the soft expressions the Omega was emoting. Odds were it would be a long while before such feelings were directed toward him, if ever. Hannibal found himself wanting to see them again and soon.

"I didn't hear you pull up." Will said to Alana in-between sweet nothings and shameless baby talk to his dogs.

"Hybrid. Great car for stalking." Alana told him, keeping her voice neutrally soft though her eyes were hard as she stared down Hannibal. "I haven't had a chance to run them today." she suggested, nodding her head toward the dogs and then the door as Will took off their leashes. Clicking his tongue to settle the dogs down instantly to manageable levels, Will gathered his pack around him, leading the dogs outside in a controlled chaos of noise and wagging tails. Alana and Hannibal were left alone in their wake, the silence between them steely and taunt.

"As someone who makes such a big deal about common courtesy, I am a little taken aback slash a lot taken aback that you would buy my friend, the friend I trusted you enough to talk about! The friend I went to save at the Auction! The friend who was counting on me, the one I failed to save because of you! How dare you put me in this position!" Alana lashed out first, her anger making her beautiful with flashing eyes and her movements giving wind to her dark hair as she strode forward to confront Hannibal. Rage made people ugly and very few wore anger well but Alana managed it with unusual grace. Admiring her behind the safety of his mask, Hannibal appreciated beauty in all its many forms.

"I'm sorry." Hannibal said and even meant it in some regard. He liked Alana and thought the world was a more interesting place with her in it.

"Rude. Hannibal, shockingly rude!" Alana went for the jugular, making Hannibal internally wince. He had been that and he was not one to hide from truth. He just tended to obscure or twist such malleable notions to his advantage.

"You have every right to be angry with me. I overstepped my bounds but it was not without good reason." Hannibal sighed, raising his hands in mock defense and plea of civility.

"And what good reason could that be?" Alana all but growled out at him, but accepted his white flag for now.

"Not only is he my mate, I believe Will to be my soul mate." Hannibal explained to watch the anger visibly leave Alana as she reassessed the situation. Hannibal loved that about her, that she could be reasoned with.

"Have you…..?" Alana left the delicate question open ended. It bordered on being a rude personal question, but one well within reason. Most Alpha claimed their Omegas immediately after purchase to commence and solidify a bond between them, even it was forced. It kept others away from the Alpha's perceived property. Alana left her question unresolved because she knew Hannibal well enough to know that he was not like other Alphas.

"No. I would not force something like this. It is meant to grow naturally." Hannibal answered as honestly as he could. Force was a crass method to achieving any goal. Manipulation, like mental scarring, lasted longer and was far more preferable in his opinion in entertainment value alone.

"It might take a while. Will doesn't trust easily." Alana warned, still having some misgivings but seemed to be warming up to the idea of Will belonging to him.

"He trusts you." Hannibal said, trying not to feel the little stings of jealousy that were trying to work their way under his skin. "Will speaks fondly of you, likes you because he thinks you don't play mind games on him."

"That's because I don't. I have always been honest with him, as honest as I would be with a patient." Alana smiled softly, the edges of the expression sad.

"You've been observing him though. I know you well enough, how your mind works. You can't not resist all temptation. Tell me what you have seen." Hannibal was eager to hear what she would have to say, Alana a fount of information about the Omega. She could end up being his greatest ally or enemy based on her intentions and feeling toward Will. Hannibal was willing to allow their friendship to continue but only if it were not a threat to the one he was trying to establish with Will. If Alana's death proved more useful in that regard, Hannibal would endeavor to use her demise to the best of his advantage.

"Normally I wouldn't even broach this, but what do you think one of Will's strongest drives is?" Alana asked, looking thoughtful as she turned to look out the window at Will. The Omega was playing with his dogs, looking happy and relaxed for the first time since Hannibal had met him. Will left unguarded was a wild beauty with flushed cheeks, wind swept hair, and bright eyes. Hannibal wanted it all for himself.

"Obviously fear. It is sourced from his imagination, the way he sees the world as a stage and the actors within playing out their parts upon it." Hannibal said quietly, his sanguine eyes tracking his mate's movements, loping as he chased after canines but still graceful.

"It's the price for his gift, his imagination, being able to see into people and read their heart's true design. It gives him ample reasons not to trust anyone." Alana told him, confirming what Hannibal had already suspected.

"He trusts you." He pointed out, turning to regard Alana again.

"I'm his friend and that's all I ever try to be." Alana said, her tone a touch stiff with what sounded like disappointment and regret perhaps. "It wasn't easy or happen overnight though. You'll have to work for it. Do you have that sort of patience?"

"In abundance." Hannibal said with confidence. He excelled at waiting for the right moment. "Will can take however long he needs with me. I am not his adversary. He will come to realize that I am not only his friend, but his mate. I have no intention of keeping him a prisoner chained to my bed. This house will remain in his possession and he will be free to return to work as soon as I contact the FBI."

Alana winced, catching Hannibal's attention. "Something about that displeases you." Hannibal wondered what her opposition might be. He was allowing Will to reclaim his former life. It was lot more than what other Alphas would have done in his position.

"Will needs the comfort of his own space and the social interaction of teaching even if he only keeps it one sided." Alana sighed, not elaborating.

"I am curious about something. You have never spoken of Will Graham before on a professional or personal level. Have you purposely avoided the subject of Will Graham with me and others?" Hannibal asked. He wondered about all the possibilities if he could have met Will before all this. There were no doubts in his mind that he would not have noticed Will's scent.

"Absolutely." Alana answered vaguely. Hannibal wished she would stop being difficult.

"Not on my account of being an Alpha I hope, or were you in on his secret?" Hannibal hazarded a guess. It was entirely possible given how protective Alana was of Will, though it might have been entirely subconscious.

"I had my suspicions, but no, it was on the account of the others, such as Jack Crawford. I understand now Will couldn't afford him getting wind to any suspicion about his gender. I didn't want any information about Will that I shouldn't have as your friend. I still don't." Alana said, looking pointedly at Hannibal.

"I would be happy to get your perspective now. You never spoke about him. I would have remembered someone so interesting mentioned, even in passing." Hannibal said.

"Probably because I just wanted everyone to leave him alone. It's not even about Will…Promise me something?" Alana asked almost wistfully, giving Hannibal an appraising look.

"If it is within my power to do so." which was Hannibal's fancy way of saying 'maybe'. Only fools and soldiers volunteered themselves willingly.

"Promise me that you'll protect Will. Promise me that you'll keep him away from Jack when he goes back to work. Jack is obsessed with the Chesapeake Ripper. He was grooming Will to catch him. It's why he wanted to buy him at the Auction." Alana said, her eyes soft and sad as she watched Will run after his dogs.

"I can imagine that Jack must be very frustrated at the moment then." Hannibal fished, seeing what kind of reaction he would get. Alana obviously didn't care for Jack Crawford or his methods.

"More like livid. I've never seen him so angry. He wants nothing more than to find the Chesapeake Ripper." Alana told him, making Hannibal grin inwardly at that tidbit of information. It was going to be easy to manipulate the man where and when he wanted him.

"Then I sincerely hope he does." Hannibal said with an absolute genuineness.

"I want him to do it without using Will like he was some magic 8-ball of murder, shaking him up until he shatters." Alana muttered angrily as she crossed her arms over her chest, like she was hugging the empath currently outside close to protect him.

"I have no intention of letting that happen. If Will chooses to return to the field, I will be there with him." Hannibal poked to see what recoiled or prodded back.

"I wouldn't put him out that." Alana's tone turning stern.

"That is Will's decision, not mine or ours. I will support whatever he wishes to do." Hannibal said with some delight. Alana's opposition to the empath's work would hinder her friendship with Will in some regards while giving Hannibal an advantage.

"I hate to say this but this might have been the best outcome for Will. He's been missing support in his life, someone to guard him and have his back." Alana sighed, offering up a smile of forgiveness to him. "You're a good person, Hannibal. Will might actually end up being happy for once in his life. Both of you might."

Hannibal returned the look, the bridges between them mended for now. As long as Alana didn't make herself a hindrance or obstruction in his plans for Will, they would remain so. "I can promise you that I will do my very best for our dear Will. You have my word on that. And Alana….you were right."

"Often am. Have to be more specific." Alana gave him a crooked smile, her eyes sparkling with amusement and Hannibal savored his victory. Alana was won over, trusting him again. Her ties to both of them were new leverage that he could use to his advantage later on with Will. Her connections to Jack and her insights on the man could also prove to be valuable.

Hannibal allowed himself to smile back, mimicking something soft in his expression to not give himself away. "Will is very special. I promise that he will be very well cared for."

oOo
TBC