36. Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Six
Theo POV
D akota had gone to walk Vivian back to her room, so the rest of us remained in the kitchen, the warm afterglow of dinner slowly fading into the quiet of the evening. Lucas was still stacking plates, and Gabriel leaned against the counter, arms folded, his gaze fixed on nothing in particular. I sat back in my chair, folding my hands in my lap, letting the silence stretch between us.
"She really opened up tonight," Lucas said eventually, his voice softer than usual. "I didn’t expect her to say yes. Not tonight."
Gabriel nodded once. "Neither did I. But I’m glad she did. She’s... remarkable. Stronger than she knows."
I adjusted my glasses. "And cautious. Which she has every reason to be. We need to remember that."
"We will," Gabriel said. "I meant what I said—this moves at her pace."
Lucas glanced over his shoulder at us. "Still, it’s hard not to hope. Did you see the way she looked at each of us tonight? Like she was letting herself feel something again."
"She is," I agreed. "But she's also terrified. I've analyzed her micro-expressions, pupil dilation, and voice modulation patterns. She's experiencing significant cognitive dissonance—wanting to trust us while her past experiences warn her not to."
Lucas finished loading the dishwasher and turned to face us fully. "You make it sound so clinical, Theo."
"Understanding the psychological components helps us navigate the situation appropriately," I replied, removing my glasses to clean them with the edge of my shirt. "It's not clinical—it's careful."
Gabriel pushed himself away from the counter, his movements measured as always. "Theo's right. We need to be mindful. What happened to her—an Alpha using his voice to control her—that's a violation of trust at the most fundamental level."
"Makes me want to find the bastard," Lucas muttered, his usually playful expression hardening. "Show him what happens when you abuse an Omega."
"Not our focus right now," Gabriel said, his voice carrying that quiet authority that always settled the pack. "What matters is building trust with Vivian, not seeking vengeance for past wrongs."
I replaced my glasses, observing the subtle tension in Gabriel's shoulders. "Your protective instincts are understandable, Lucas. But Gabriel's right—our priority is Vivian's present and future wellbeing, not retribution."
"I know," Lucas sighed, running a hand through his curls. "It's just... when I think about someone using their voice on her like that..."
"We all feel it," Gabriel acknowledged, his expression softening slightly. "But channeling that anger won't help her now."
The kitchen fell silent again as we each processed the evening's revelations. I found myself analyzing not just Vivian's responses but my own as well—the unexpected surge of protectiveness over her was defiantly something new. Before I could let myself analyze them, Dakota walked back into the kitchen. He didn’t speak right away, just walked to the counter and poured himself a glass of water.
"She okay?" Gabriel asked, his eyes following Dakota’s movements with a raised eyebrow.
Dakota nodded, taking a long drink. "She’s good. Tired. Said it helped to talk."
Lucas raised an eyebrow. "You say anything sweet and sappy before you left? Or just stand there and look broody and protective?"
Dakota gave him a flat look, but there was the faintest twitch at the corner of his mouth. "Both."
That got a small laugh out of me. "Effective combination."
Gabriel's expression turned serious as he leaned against the counter. "We need to discuss how we proceed from here. This changes our dynamic."
"Does it?" I asked, analyzing the situation from multiple angles. "Our core function remains protection until the case is resolved. Our personal feelings don't alter that objective."
"They might complicate it," Dakota pointed out, setting his empty glass down. "If our judgment becomes clouded by emotional attachment."
Lucas snorted, crossing his arms. "Our judgment is already 'clouded.' Or did you forget about practically devouring her in the greenhouse today?"
Dakota's shoulders tensed, but Gabriel intervened before things could escalate. "That's enough, Lucas. None of us are immune to what's happening. Which is precisely why we need to establish parameters."
I nodded, appreciating Gabriel's logical approach. "Agreed. We should maintain professional boundaries during active investigation hours. Personal interactions can occur during designated off-duty hours and should progress at Vivian's comfort level."
"That sounds clinical, even for you," Lucas said, leaning against the refrigerator. "We can't just schedule when we feel things."
"No," I conceded, "but we can regulate our behaviors. Emotional discipline is essential in our profession."
Gabriel nodded, his expression thoughtful. "Theo's right about maintaining professional focus. The case remains our priority—not just for Vivian's safety but for the other potential victims out there."
"And what about her business?" Dakota asked, his deep voice cutting through the kitchen. "The flower shop. She's worried about it, though she hasn't said much."
I considered this, calculating variables. "The Sullivan wedding will provide some revenue, but extended closure of her storefront could cause significant financial strain. We should consider solutions. Because I know she will not let us finically support her."
Gabriel gave a low hum in understanding, “Yes. She doesn’t like handouts. For now she can finish the backlog of her orders, then we can revisit where to go after.” His eyes glanced over to me, “Do we have any more updates on the case? The quicker it is solved, the quicker her life goes back to normal and we won’t have to worry about being professional.”
I glanced at my notes, my eidetic memory already cataloging the latest lab results I'd received this afternoon. "The trace evidence from the second victim's clothing yielded a partial DNA profile. It's being run now, but it will take time."
"How much time?" Dakota asked, his tone sharp with impatience.
"Minimum forty-eight hours," I replied, "and that's assuming we get a match in the system. If not, we're looking at other avenues."
Gabriel nodded, processing this information with his usual measured consideration. "What about the chemical residue found on Vivian's apartment door?"
"Industrial-grade cleaner," I said, "commonly used in medical facilities, research labs, and certain manufacturing plants. I've compiled a list of local businesses that purchase it in bulk." I pulled my tablet from my bag and swiped to the relevant document.
"Thirty-seven businesses within a fifty-mile radius," I explained, passing the tablet to Gabriel. "I've categorized them by probability based on proximity to the crime scenes."
Gabriel scrolled through the list, his brow furrowing slightly as he studied the data. "That's still a lot of ground to cover. Any way to narrow it further?"
"I'm cross-referencing employee records with individuals who have histories of violence against Omegas," I said. "Initial results should be available by morning."
“You think one of these could be one of the attackers?” Lucas asked, frown on his face as he tapped his fingers on the table.
“Or hired to do so.” Dakota pipped in, eyes dark with anger, “There are a lot of things in this case, but the pieces aren’t lining up yet. Thompson. Her research. Jensen. Vivian’s flower shop. There has to be a connection somewhere.”
I looked down at the tablet in Gabriel's hands, my mind working through the connections. "We know all the victims so far were Omegas with advanced degrees working in specialized fields.”
"And Vivian," Lucas added, "a successful small business owner in a creative field."
Dakota leaned forward, his expression intense. "What if that's the connection? Omegas excelling in areas traditionally dominated by Alphas or Betas?"
Gabriel's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "Successful Omegas challenging traditional hierarchies..."
"It would explain the targeting," I agreed, already pulling up demographic data on my second tablet. "Let me run an analysis of local Omega professionals who fit similar profiles."
Gabriel nodded, “Lets start there and once the test come back we can compare notes and see if anything connects.”
We all nodded, it was going to be another long night, but today had also been a very good day. I adjusted my glasses once more before diving back into working.
The sooner we find who is behind this, the safer Vivian would be.