"I don't believe I have had the delight of an introduction," Harry says, not blinking his midnight eyes.
Ariadne takes ahold of Victor's arm, a frown forming on her face. "I'm Ariadne."
"You're the most beautiful Omega I've ever seen," Harry says, which has the hairs on Victor's forearms raised.
"The outside is a lot prettier than the inside," Ariadne responds after a tense beat.
Victor growls, a territorial snarl that he, himself, is surprised by.
Nathan and Waylon both take a step back defensively. Harry, however, remains as still as stone, his expression nearly blank but with a touch of mischievous delight.
"Forgive me," the man says, "I've clearly overstep
"I'll check on those names, boss. We'll find him." Waylon says before following Nathan outside.That 'him' could have meant a superabundance of things, but judging by the look on the Beta's face, Victor knows he's talking about Calvin.The dynamic duo is not dynamic anymore. Waylon's barely been able to talk since everything went down. But every fallout waiting to happen can keep edging at critical until Calvin's found."Do you want to go back to work?" Victor asks Ariadne once they're alone.Ariadne sighs. "I want to go home. I'm done for today.""I'll drive, Ariadne." that's more than understandable. Victor offers his arm, and Ariadne surprisingly takes it.The Omega nods, seemingly aged five years in that hour, eyes drained of vitality. "Okay."Ariadne curls up in the front passenger's seat, pressing her forehead to the window. She's a tiny, lost thing.Victor sees her fragility, but he also sees the strength, not dismissing
"He's gone rogue." Ariadne slumps over, losing strength in her legs as she slides down the kitchen wall. Her eyes skitter about, unable to focus, pupils so wide that the blue appears black. Victor's there with her, holding her hands tightly, trying to ground the Omega. "Ariadne, talk to me," Victor whispers frantically, trying to connect but not able to reach. "Whatever you need." The Omega's eyes slide shut as she exhales shakily. Every breath seems to dissipate the emotions that storm inside her. "We can't go after Edward, Victor." That wasn't the reply that the Alpha expected. "What are you saying, baby?" Shouldn't they be planning Edward's quick and precise recapture? Ariadne shakes her head, swallowing audibly. "If we split our resources, then it'll slow us down. We might not find either of them." Victor gently starts rubbing Ariadne's shoulders, thumbs pressing into her neck, massaging out the tension.
Nathan sheepishly scratches at the back of his head. "You can if you want, but I-well, Felix gave us an access point, but the whole thing is encrypted now. It's like Arthur knows he's been crossed."Getting their hands on Arthur's files could be a meaningful breakthrough."Let me see," Ariadne says as if possessed. Nathan leads the way to the desk in the corner."I tried last night, but it was impossible, and..." Nathan sighed. "I don't know how much longer we have. Arthur's probably going to move the data if we-""It's okay," Ariadne says, cracking her knuckles. "I'm an expert at bread trails."Harry stares at Victor, a devil's smile on his face. "I feel like this is a good time for us to talk shop, Alpha Victor."Victor would be in a much more entertaining mood if Harry weren't so openly infatuated with Ariadne.It'd been a day.But to be perfectly fair, Ariadne is just that captivating."Business can wait," Victor say
Alpha Victor's gaze lingers on Waylon one moment longer before turning to the doors.Ariadne takes his hand, and the two go back down the staircase, through the tattoo parlor, back to their car. Ariadne's pensively silent."Baby?""You lost everything. It's all my fault. I'm like a tornado, and I uprooted everything. Just kick me to the curb; I wouldn't even blame you.""I can find a new First Beta," Victor says. "I already know who. It's-It's manageable."Ariadne gasps overwhelmed with emotion. She's still driving steadily, but it makes Victor worried."I'm ruining you. I'm destroying you. I don't want to, I just- I'm so sorry, Victor. I can leave if-"Victor chooses his following words carefully. "If you go, I'd die."That's just short of acknowledging Ariadne as his mate. The Omega knows it.Ariadne takes a few steadying breaths. "I'll do what I can to make things right. We'll find them. We'll make Arthur pay."
Victor raises his eyebrow before pulling on a shirt. "Do you want to fill me in there?" "Chester's hiding out in a safe house, swarming with muscle and hired guns," Ariadne says. "Dustin wants to meet up tomorrow to run over schematics." That would be the logical answer, only it's not what the Alpha is looking for. "Not that," Victor elaborates. "I want to know why Chester deserves to be castrated via gunshot wound." A light dims in the Omega's eyes. "I don't want to talk about it," Ariadne says, squirming away, turning over in the bed. Victor reaches forward, hand grazing along the Omega's shoulder. Ariadne immediately shrugs him off and shuffles out from in between the sheets. "I need a shower," she huffs, bathroom door slamming behind her. The water starts running a moment later. Victor pushes back the feeling of how disappointed he is. When Ariadne smells like him, he likes it, but the Omega has other plans.
"I'm leaving," Victor spits before Ariadne catches his sleeve. "Let's at least get the blueprints on the place," the Omega suggests. Victor sighs, knowing that Ariadne's right. "Fine." The Alpha steps through the hall to the faithless knights of the roundtable. Nathan stands, looking whitened from stress. "Victor, you came." "I didn't know you'd be here," Victor hisses. "Otherwise, I wouldn't have come." It becomes evident that Dustin has illustrated an elaborate ruse to get them in the same place. "I-I had to," Alpha Dustin defends himself. "I know what you already think of me. I have nothing left to lose anyway." "Just your life," Victor replies, venom dripping from his tongue. Dustin stands, eyes glowing. "Threaten me if you want; I'm used to it. I'm trying to correct things here. I've been playing it your way, with the trades and honor, but that's f*cking bullshit. I'm branded as a rat from the get-go, so f*ck the O
Alcina steps forward as if possessed. "Did- Did Edward do this?" Edward? Chester lets out a pitiful cry. "He's a demon." "That Omega killed all these people," Waylon gasps with surprise. "He did this to you? You can't be serious." Ariadne crouches down so that she's at eye level with Chester. "Tell me where Arthur and Clavin are." Chester laughs, spitting up blood. "I already told him, that monster. Not that he's getting anywhere near Arthur." Ariadne shrugs. "Then you're dead anyway. Arthur executes talkers, you know that." "Will you let me go after? Untie me if I talk," Chester asks, hopeful. "You're kidding, right," Ariadne frowns. "After what you did to me." Chester whispers darkly. "Putting on a show for your Alpha, Aria? You know you liked it. I've never seen an Omega whine and beg so much." The spot between Victor's eyes starts boiling. He's never wanted to kill someone this badly.
Ariadne blinks the crust from her eyes.Her cheeks feel raw from the salt of her tears. Her mind is hazy, as though she'd been sleeping in a tomb.Victor's red irises glimmer in the darkness, watching over her, a dark god.It's night, crickets chirping, lunar light streaming through a tall, thin window."How long have I been out?" Ariadne whispers, consistently like gravel.Victor's fingertips trail around the strands of her hair gently."A few hours," Victor coos. "You have time. We're not hitting Arthur's hideout until tonight. You don't even have to come if-""I want to," Ariadne says undoubtedly. "I want to be there and watch him die."There's no other way to make sure."Like how you did with Chester," Victor whispers, holding her tighter, which Ariadne finds suffocating.The Omega wriggles out of it, pulling the covers over herself as a barrier to Victor's touch.The Alpha sighs. "It hurt you. Watching
Then the adults are alone, an awkwardness washing over them, carrying with it their history. It goes all quiet, and all that's left is the sound of soldiers marching in the distance, carrying about their morning routines. "I-" Ariadne and Nathan say at the same time before pausing. The Alpha's cheeks go red, and his apple scent spikes high, taking on a sour note. He's nervous, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. “Y-You go ahead, Ariadne.” Ariadne doesn't even know what to say. It's been approximately one eternity since they've seen each other. "Thanks for taking care of- You brought them here, my babies." "Yea, no- it's cool," Nathan manages. "And thanks for- for not dying. I mean, I'm glad you're alive." Anna slaps Nathan on the shoulder. "What he's trying to say is, it's good to see you." Ariadne laughs, and then she cries. Then she launches herself forward and gives the pair a great big hug. She squeezes them tight, one in each arm. "F*ck," Ariadne says. "I thought I'd
“Are we there yet?” Ariadne asks despite herself.She doesn’t even know where they are, which is saying something. They’d promised to put Victor into one of their best hospitals, but there’s nothing that remotely resembles a hospital.There’s no town, barely a road to drive through. It’s miles of trees on both sides and a dirt road that looks like it might give way at any moment.“Fifteen minutes,” the Commissioner answers, hand steady on the wheel. “Take it easy, dear. We’re almost there.”Easy for him to say. Everyone he loves is alive and well. His son is literally getting a medal.Ariadne’s not sure about Victor. The alive part has been confirmed, yes. But, she doesn’t know who she’ll be seeing in a quarter hour’s time.Is it going to be Victor Erickson, father, and husband, or will it be the Black Wolf, Victor regressed to some other bizarre time frame? She has no idea.No. Ariadne takes a deep breath. She’d talked to Victor on the phone for a few minutes before he had to go. He
It's perfect timing. They're at the control panel that opens up to solitary confinement. Gordon's just through there, safe and tucked away.Felix uses his thumbprint to unlock the door. It's a pressure chamber. The thing hisses as the metal lid unseals from the wall.It's all lead up to this. They step inside and-It's empty."Where-"Gordon's not in the cell. Though it does look like he's been there, the space was modified to be more comfortable. Stolen seats from the guards' lounge, a big screen t.v that's leaning haphazardly against the wall, it's nice.But why isn't he here?He's supposed to be here.It's then that the screen turns on, and a very familiar face appears. It's a man wearing milk glass eyes, smiling wide. Ariadne's confusion turns into fury."I knew you would come, Ariadne. You're a mouse caught in a trap," Gordon speaks. "You want to kill me? You can't even find me. And now you never will."Trap? What trap?The metal door starts moving. It's shutting, pushed in by a
Felix is dressed from head to toe in swat gear. His face is blank, an assault rifle shoved under his armpit. He's hunched over in the locker room, eyes wide. He's not doing anything, long since dressed, shoelaces neatly tied. But he doesn't move. He hasn't moved for five minutes."You okay, kid?" Ariadne asks, tightening the velcro on her Kevlar vest, the fabric stiff under her fingers."I don't know," Felix hums, half a ghost. "My whole world has turned upside down in the last twelve hours."Ariadne has half a mind to slap the Alpha in the face. They have a mission, and if Felix dies, the Commissioner isn't going to be pleased.The older takes a seat on the opposite bench, resting her elbows on her knees. The situation is much too urgent for her to play the dad in a feel-good t.v. Show, as hard as she tries to.“How dramatic,” Ariadne hums."Monday morning," Felix says quietly. "I thought I understood everything. There was order, good guys, bad guys, policemen, and criminals. Now eve
Ariadne doesn’t know how long she’s been asleep for, an ache in her ancient bones, shedding tears over a dream she can’t remember. It’s light out, just barely dawn or dusk, Ariadne’s not sure. Blue casts over them, lines on the wall, setting divisions that aren’t truly there. Victor’s asleep, eyelids fluttering, every breath he takes is a strain, followed by a whistle. It hurts Ariadne to her core. He’s not recovering, that time has long since past. He needs medical attention. F*ck the costs. So what if he’s Victor Erickson, legendary mythos surrounding him, a ruthless and terrible criminal. He’s also a father and the love of Ariadne’s life. Doesn’t he deserve to live too? Hasn’t his life been about doing more good than harm? And one thing can be said for sure, when Victor was on the throne, there was order. “A-Ariadne?” A voice cuts into the night. “Baby?” Ariadne replies, cupping Victor’s face. It’s not Victor though, still asleep, eyes closed in eternal slumber. He forgets
Ariadne sees in shades of red, her wolf blood pulsing hot through her veins. It's hard to focus through the screams and the stampede of people trying to get through the two exits.The smell of fear in the air it's intoxicating and inviting. Ariadne wants to bite, sink her teeth into something, tear through it, and drink the red.Her enemy is in front of her, a great dark, eyeless specter. Gordon seems more like a shadow than a wolf, smoke rising off him, still hot from his transformation. His eyelids are sealed shut, and pink scar lines cut into his flesh.He raises his nose and tastes the air. It doesn't matter that he's blind; Ariadne knows. The man can still see them. He knows exactly where they are.Victor growls from the back of his throat, flashing rows of razor-sharp teeth, drool dribbling down his chin. His eyes are like glowing coals. Ariadne's not sure how much of her mate is in there and how much is the terrible beast he keeps prisoner.The three of them are giants. People
Fuck, this guy is really smart. Victor's glad that Felix isn't higher on the food chain. Sh*t could actually get done. "What do you mean?" Victor asks noncommittally. "You said it yourself that he was, just this morning." Felix flushes, rubbing the back of his head. "Ah, no judgment, but... I was only saying that to impress Sansa. I didn't know you guys were dating. We don't get a lot of Omega security officers here. They're usually reserved for Omega prisons." A pang of worry twists in Victor's stomach. He hopes Ariadne is alright. "Oh," Victor replies, "No, it's alright." Felix smiles, patting him on the shoulder. "So, what do you think about my theory?" "Your theory?" Victor repeats. "That's not Victor Erickson," Felix says again. "If I had to guess, that's Victor's First Beta. He's taking the hit for him." Bingo. "Come on," Victor clicks his teeth. "That's crazy." Felix's eyes widen. "I think I'd know if I was looking at the Black Wolf! I told you, I did my whole dissert
Victor watches himself in the mirror, his skin crawling. His appearance it's out of an alternate universe. He's wearing the cop clown suit. It's tight at the neck, and there's barely any room for his—Someone squeezes his ass, causing him to jump. A soft gasp escapes his lips. It's Ariadne, sneaking behind him, a Cheshire grin on her face."Hey there, sexy," the Omega teases. "Are you gonna arrest me?"Victor's heart drums, cheeks turning pink. Ariadne's alarmingly good-looking in her uniform, blond locks, and pale skin contrasting the dark color of the material.The Alpha turns fully around, taking Ariadne's hands, using his fingers as makeshift handcuffs."I don't think this is the time for roleplaying," Victor chides. "But I promise I'll arrest you later, at least three times."Ariadne laughs, something effortless about the way she stands. It's happier than he's seen the Omega in a long time."I look forward to it," Ariadne answers, pulling him along to the living room so they can
They leave the helicopter on the beach, already half-buried by the sea. Ariadne knows they’re not coming back for it. The thing will probably be a home for the crabs before turning into rust and getting swallowed by the sea.Under the cover of night, the five of them set sail for the mainland. Ariadne watches with one eye open as the sea rocks them. All she’s thinking about is not throwing up. It’s not a calm night, storm clouds pouring on them, lightning lighting up the sky.“Are we there yet?”Victor pulls her close, pressing the Omega’s chest to his head. “Almost, baby.”Ariadne takes in deep, calming breaths, Victor’s coffee scent filling her lungs. It helps, allowing the Omega to focus on something else besides the churning of the sea. Edward plops down beside them with a smile.“Why do you look so happy?” Victor asks.The Silver Omega presses a finger to his lips. “Is a secret.”Ariadne sighs, turning ever so slightly so she can have a better view of the other. “How can you smi