Special Agent Jack Crawford was getting frustrated. More than frustrated, he was becoming furious. While he was able prevent the Chesapeake Mafia's heist on the museum, any leads he had gained were destroyed. The hanger that was thought to belong to the leader was empty, not a single piece of evidence left behind. To make it worse, one of his men tried to find the men who were discovered to be working for the mafia, but couldn't find any trace they had ever existed. That is until a couple days ago when their heads were found in the river.
Crawford gritted his teeth. It didn't help that the local police didn't do a damn thing. They practically let the Chesapeake Mafia do whatever they wanted because they kept the other criminals at bay. No one wanted to mess with the Alpha in charge of the mafia. To make it worse, no one has ever seen what the Alpha looked like.
Slamming his fist into his desk, Crawford stormed out of his office and headed out into the city. While the majority of the cops weren't helping him, he was able to scope out a few dirty cops. They were able to tell him where some of the hide outs were located and pick out who might be working for the Chesapeake Mafia. They might have something new.
He went to a club downtown and waited until someone tapped his shoulder four times. Acknowledging the man, they moved to a secluded booth in a corner of the club. Crawford waited until they were both seated to question him.
"Any news, Patterson?" The man, a beta, shrugged before reclining in his seat.
"Nothin' in particular," he began, eyes moving from person to person in the club. "The Mafia probably won't be doing anythin' for awhile. Lie low, you know?"
Jack gritted his teeth and rubbed at his eyes. He didn't have time for this. He needed evidence. He needed an ace to win this game, but so far the Mafia leader was the only one with both of them. Sensing his anger, the man shifted in his seat uncomfortably. The beta made himself slide down in the seat, appearing smaller to try and take the anger away from him.
"Nothing?" Crawford gritted out. "You have nothing?" Patterson stilled as he heard the threat in his voice. Desperate, he held his hands up.
"Wait! I-I think I know who can help," he begged, eyes wide. Crawford sat up straighter.
"Tell me now." The beta swallowed before continuing.
"His name's Will Graham. He use to work as an officer a few years back, but he left when he was injured by some wannabe crime lord. Haven't heard from him in awhile, but I think he's still in town." Patterson spilled, avoiding eye contact. "He's good. He can get into anyone's mind better than a therapist. Good at getting into the criminal mind."
Crawford stood from the table and left without a second glance back. He had an address to look up.
–
"I was thinking Mark would be a good name if it's a boy." Will remarks, spread out on the bed with his hands gently rubbing at his stomach. He was in his second trimester and his stomach was beginning to noticeable no matter how much baggy clothing he wore. His clothing choice was becoming fewer and fewer by the by. Hannibal would not let him wear anything but the best.
Hannibal smiled from where he stood, taking his clothes off and carefully hanging them in the closet. Now that things were taken care of since the failed heist a week ago, Hannibal allowed himself a chance to relax. Since he couldn't do anything until he could throw Jack Crawford off his scent again, he decided to spend the time with his mate as much as possible.
Climbing onto the bed, Hannibal straddled Will's thighs and replaced his hands with his own. Will laughed quietly as Hannibal's fingers trailed along his sides making him squirm in the bed sheets.
"I like Mark," Hannibal replied, smiling as he purposefully tickled Will earning a light slap on his hand. "But what if we do have a girl?"
Will rolled his eyes a laughed again when Hannibal playfully pinched him in retaliation. "I don't know." He said, becoming serious. Hannibal massaged Will's stomach as he waited for the Omega to reply. After a moment, Will suggested: "How about Abby?"
Hannibal paused and thought about it before shaking his head. "No, I don't think so. There are so many girls named Abigail these days."
"And Mark is not an over used name?" Will shot back mischievously. Hannibal laughed.
"Fine, we'll keep it on the table." Will smiled before sitting up to wrap his arms around Hannibal's neck. The Alpha allowed himself to be captured and brought in for a kiss. The kiss stayed chaste and the two were soon under the covers with Will's back to Hannibal's chest. The Alpha's hands were once again holding Will's belly, the grip a touch possessive. Will didn't mind. He placed his hands on top of Hannibal's, softly kneading his knuckles. They were quiet for a while before Will brought one of the hands up to his face and kissed it.
"What do you think?" He whispered. "I haven't heard you come up with any names."
Hannibal was silent, thumb gently tracing Will's lips. "I haven't really thought of names yet." He replied, snuggling closer to the Omega. "I think you should name our child. I'll name the next one."
"The next one?" Will laughed, but his body tensed. "We'll be having more?"
"Of course," Hannibal soothed. "This one is going to need a playmate." Hannibal didn't need to be facing Will to know the other man rolled his eyes. He squeezed Will closer to himself, breathing in the warm scent from his neck. He was rewarded with a soft chuckle.
"We'll have to see," Will mumbled, a yawn breaking through his lips. Hannibal placed a kiss on his neck before burying his face into the junction of his neck and shoulder where his claiming mark was. He was about to nod off when Will whispered: "I think Mischa is a lovely name for a girl."
Hannibal was suddenly not feeling tired anymore.
–
Will tidied up around the house, his hand absently rubbing his belly. He had just eaten a late breakfast about an hour ago and was seriously considering if it was too soon to eat again. He didn't want to eat all of the food in Hannibal's home, but the Alpha seemed to light up when he discovered he had to get more food. It was in his instincts to provide for his Omega, no matter how times have changed. He just wanted to see his mate and their child cared for and content, and Will was very content.
He smiled and rubbed at the bite marks around his neck. He was completely sore, but it was worth it. Will knew Hannibal was under a lot of stress with trying to run his organization and wanted him to relax. The decision to pick Mischa as the potential girl's name was the right choice.
Sighing, Will began to hum as he finished up his chores and decided he was going to have more food. It was past twelve thirty after all, he reasoned. Perfect time to have lunch. He was about to reach the kitchen when his cellphone began to ring. Thinking it was Hannibal, he quickly grabbed it and was about to flip it open when he saw it was an unknown number. There were only so many people in his life that were important enough to be in his contact list. If it as Hannibal he would have used his cellphone. He never uses his office phone, just in case someone traced the call he said.
Will waited until the phone stopped ringing and put it on the counter. If they didn't leave a message, then Will wouldn't worry about it anymore. Probably a telemarketer, or a missed call.
The phone began to ring again, the same unknown number popping up like before. After a moment's consideration, Will answered.
"Hello?"
"Is this Officer Will Graham?" a deep gruff voice asked. Will felt the hairs on his neck begin to stand at the mention of his old title and the hint of authority in the other's voice.
This man was an Alpha.
Swallowing, Will responded. "Yes, this is Will Graham, though I'm no longer a cop."
"Yes, so I've been told," The voice said. "This is Special Agent Jack Crawford of the FBI. I've heard about your specialty in being able to read the criminal mind. Do you perhaps have a moment, Mr. Graham?"
Will froze, his body shaking. This was the man who was trying to capture his mate, the one who would take everything from him if he got the chance. Anxiety flooded his body, his free hand clasping tightly onto the counter, and his old wound from where he was stabbed began to send phantom pains.
"Sir?" Crawford asked, a trickle of concern leaking through the ear piece. Gaining his composure, Will took a breath.
"I'm sorry, Special Agent Crawford, but those days are behind me. I left for a reason. I don't go into minds like that anymore."
"Will." the voice was suddenly cold, frightening. The Omega in him flinched. "I need you to track down a killer for me. The one who runs the Chesapeake Mafia. I know you know about him. He was around when you were on the force."
"I don't do that anymore." Will gritted out, anger over riding the fear. "I was savagely attacked. I got out when I could. Don't ask me to do this. Please don't call me again."
Will snapped his phone shut. His body was shaking violently and he eventually found himself kneeling on the floor. Tears sprang to his eyes and little sobs began to fall out of his mouth. His cellphone begins to ring again, but he ignores it, clutching his head between his hands. He didn't want his life with Hannibal to end. He was finally happy. Finally found somewhere to call home, to be needed and wanted. He didn't want to let it go.
He couldn't stop crying. He was on the brink, he could feel it. It had been so long since he last had an episode. It was sometime after Hannibal asked him to move into his home; to be come his mate. Hannibal kept the hallucinations away; kept the dreams at bay. However, he soon had images flashing in his mind, images of dead men and women split open and everything covered in red. Among the flashes and hallucinations was Hannibal's corpse, mangled and torn with his eyes staring blankly into Will's.
Still clutching his phone, Will didn't even realize he had dialed Hannibal's number until the Alpha picked up.
"Will? What's wrong?"
Hearing his voice, Will broke down in sobs, relief overwhelming him. He wasn't dead. He wasn't gone. He was still here.
Will could barely pick out what Hannibal was saying, most of the words were pacifying and soothing. Once he had calmed down enough, Will was able to form words once more.
"Please," he begged. He never begged, never wanted to succumb to any baser Omega instinct, but at least this would let Hannibal know he was truly at his wits end. "Please, I'm sorry, but please come home. I need you to come home." His voice broke again and he cried, holding the phone tightly to his ear. Hannibal shushed and soothed him, his voice soft and gentle.
"It'll be okay, Will. I'll be home as soon as I can. Can you wait for me just a little bit?"
Will managed out a "yes" before hanging up. He took a couple deep breaths before dragging himself to his feet and stumbling back to his room. Will didn't remember much after he got to his room. One moment he was collapsing onto the bed, the next he was wrapped tightly in Hannibal's arms.
"Shh, shh," Hannibal soothed when Will tried to untangle himself from the Alpha's grip. He calmed down once more, hand clutching tightly to Hannibal's shirt.
"You're not dead." Will whimpered.
"Of course not, Will. What would make you think that?" There was a pause before Hannibal brought a hand to Will's forehead. "Did you have a hallucination?"
Will nodded his head before trying to sit up, but Hannibal wouldn't let him. He brought the man closer to his chest, making Will duck his head into his neck. Will breathed in deeply, the familiar scent of his Alpha calming him down. They stayed like that for who knows how long before Will broke the silence.
"He called me,"
"Who called you?" Hannibal asked, hand carding through Will's curls.
"...Jack Crawford." Hannibal froze. Will continued anyway. "He said that he wanted me to help him catch the leader of the Chesapeake Mafia. Said he knew what I did for a living when I was a cop." Tears began to come back to Will's eyes and he clutched tighter to Hannibal's shirt. "Don't let him catch you. I'll die. We'll die." he whimpered and Hannibal shushed him, resuming his petting.
"He won't catch me," Hannibal reassured. "I'm too good at what I do. Don't worry Will, I'll make sure he never bothers you again."
His voice was absolutely dangerous, but to Will it made him feel protected. Yes, Hannibal wasn't going to go anywhere. He would stay here and they would start a family. Just him, Hannibal, and little Mischa.