"Hannibal! There's an army! They're coming this way!" One of his men, Drott, shouted from up on the look out. His men gripped their axe's tight readying for a new fight, Hannibal shouted back up to Drott.

"How many?"

"A lot!" Hannibal stood for a moment thinking and then looked over to his men. He had lost four of his men in the battle leaving him with eleven, they could not fight an army and he now had Will to take care of.

"We leave, gather what we can carry." Drott jumped down from the look out and slung a bag over his back, Zeller did the same and then followed Hannibal back into the forest. Escaping the influx of Saxon's.

XXXX

They had been travelling for three days and the temperature was dropping. Food was scares and so five of his men had been sent hunting including Drott. Hannibal had settled the boy against a tree but each time he tried to leave Will grabbed hold of his arm and pulled back, Hannibal was a beam of safety to the boy now and so he wrapped Will up in his arms keeping him warm. Trees danced in the cold breeze, cold air burning into their Viking lungs. Hannibal pushed a stand of hair behind Will's ear, he smiled.

"Hannibal, why are we taking him with us? He's a Saxon." Zeller asked passing a skin of water to Price. His real name was Kol but he had a habit of always looking for the items he could get the most for and the nickname had stuck.

"He may be a Saxon but he is also an Omega. We treasure them no matter where they come from." Zeller nodded in agreement, he had his own Omega to cherish; Beverly. Vikings had always been known as violent and savage but when it came to Omega's they where soft and gentle, loving and kind. Alana sat leaning against Price, picking at a loaf of bread and passing it down the line all the way to Ivar. Ivar never spoke, just did as he was told and Hannibal was more than happy to live with that.

Will's eyes became hooded, sleep was calling him. It was just too hard not so sleep while touched up in Hannibal's arms but Zeller helped. He stood from his place by Price and Alana and wandered over to Will, who's eyes flew open. Zeller stretched his hand out offering Will a piece of bread Alana had broken off, the hairs on his arm stood on end in the cold.

"I wanted to say sorry. I must have scared you when I growled, I am sorry. I just wasn't expecting it. I have an Omega back home and am quite ashamed of my actions. Peace offering." Zeller gestured with the bread for Will to take. Will looked up to Hannibal who nodded and then took the bread.

"Its alright." Will whispered pulling a revealed smile from Zeller. He opened his mouth to speak but quickly shut it again when Hannibal looked him in the eye. Sensing his leaders orders Zeller returned to his seat, leaving Hannibal alone with a sleepy Will.

"Go on, eat." He spoke softly as Will turned the bread over in his hand. "You will be warmer." Will nodded and took a bite of the brown ball, it wasn't overly tasteful but it was food and Will had not had any in several days. When Hannibal and his men had invaded people where just about to clean him so as he could be presented and fed...that had obviously not happened. Once his bread was finished Will snuggled into Hannibal's body and as gentle circles where rubbed into his back, he drifted off to sleep.

XXXXDREAMXXXX

Black, all around him as far as the eye could see, black. Will was naked and hung by chained, his feet only just touching the ice-cold floor. A single speck of light hung over him like a small sun looking down on only him. It was cold but his skin felt like it was burning, sizzling in the dark. Will screamed, he could smell his own burning flesh. Yet that was not the thing that scared him, the thing that scared him was whatever was hidden in the dark. He could smell its Alpha sent as it circled him, as if eyeing his prey. Something ran a long fingernail up his back, pulling blood from his skin. He screamed.

"Hannibal!" He prayed for the Viking to save him from his nightmare. A hand snaked around his waist pulling him flush against the creatures back. He had no other word than creature, its hand was black and scaled. Its nails grew to a point and one dripped with blood. The creature dug his talons into Will's stomach, blood pouring down his body. The monster just growled, pleased with its torture. Will's body took over yelling, screaming for help...for Hannibal.

"Will." The voice was quiet and distant. "Will." It wasn't the monster. "Will." It got louder, his body shook from side to side. "Will." His eyes opened.

XXXDREAMXXX

"Will." Hannibal yelled, hauling him from his nightmare and the creature. Will opened his eyes to see Hannibal leaning over him, his face decorated with concern. Zeller stood at his feet with Price and Ivar while Alana knelt by his right side, holding an arm down, he had been thrashing.

"Will, are you alright? What did you see?" Alana released his arm allowing him to sit upright, he leaned into Hannibal's chest seeking comfort. "Go back to sleep." The Viking ordered his men, there was a grumble as they did so. Hannibal turned back to Will. "What did you see?" Will built up his courage and spoke so quietly Hannibal strained to hear.

"I've always seen it. Its dark and I'm chained.." Hannibal hugged Will closer. "...There is...something in the dark and it hurts me, cuts me, burns me...touches me." Will felt the prick of tears in his eyes but they where wiped away by Hannibal as he turned the Omega to face him.

"Will, I promise you that the thing you see in your dreams will never harm you again."

"How will you stop it?"

"Because you will never be alone again." Will smiled and filled his nostrils with the Alpha's sent, calming himself. Even before Will knew he was an Omega he was mistreated, but now, with Hannibal, for the first time he felt truly safe. There was a reason for that...he was safe.