Chapter 6 Knox
“The psychologist from the Training Center is here,” Officer Yuri's voice crackled over my comms.
Silas heard it too, and we headed for the facility entrance to escort her inside.
“About fucking time,” my brother murmured.
The general had meant what he said when he offered Silas any resource required.
Even a safe house.
We moved Lena to a building deep within Arca's controlled territory. The facility was a small, recently decommissioned training base, utilitarian and stripped down, but structurally sound. It still had a central conference room, several former offices, and a handful of old soldier quarters, which we converted into private bedrooms. Arca had hastily furnished a simple kitchen and adjoining living space, just enough to make the place livable without softening it too much. It wasn’t overly comfortable, but it was secure, predictable, and easy to control.
Exactly what we needed to hide a protection witness.
Especially since we learned through the grapevine, that Marco Bellini had a sizable reward for any information regarding his least favorite escapee.
The general had also assigned five armed security personnel of our choosing to our detail. We selected our most trustworthy AIED officers, Alex Yuri among them, and rotated the officers through shifts to secure the perimeter.
From the outside, it looked like the facility was made operational again. Someone manned the vehicle entry at all times. Guards watched the perimeter and patrolled the grounds. Routine. Expected. The kind of presence no one questioned in Falcon City.
Silas and I stayed on site with the omega.
The general might have approved the safe house and personnel, but he remained skeptical of our revised approach. Silas had assured him that, handled correctly, it would produce results. Not just intel, but a reconditioned omega fit for placement within an Arca military unit.
Even in her current state, Lena still held value. Omegas always did. They were rarely considered expendable.
Command didn’t want to see her wasted in a breeding facility if it could be avoided. But she was too feral to place in a unit as she was. She wouldn’t even let us touch her.
So he also approved sessions with a psychologist from the training center, one who specialized in reconditioning omegas.
Silas had sounded fully confident when he presented the plan to the General. With me, he was far less certain.
Honestly, things had not been going well, and we were in way over our heads.
“Special Officers Knox and Silas Mercer,” the beta woman said as we reached the entry corridor. “Good to meet you. I’m Dr. Bethany Hampton. I’m here to assess the omega in your custody.”
“Well, thank fuck for that,” Silas muttered as he stepped forward to shake her hand. I followed suit.
“I take it things haven’t been going well,” Dr. Hampton said calmly. “I understand the omega has suffered severe trauma. Walk me through your interactions with her, then I’ll observe her for myself and we can discuss our strategy for reconditioning.”
She followed us down the hall to the conference room. We took seats at the table while she pulled Lena's files, a notebook, and a pen from her bag.
“Start with her daily routine here,” she said, already scribbling notes. “I know you only recently moved her to the safe house. Has there been any progress in this setting?”
“No,” my brother said flatly.
The psychologist waited for him to continue. When he didn’t, she turned to me.
I shrugged, doing my best to offer more than Silas had. “She’s defiant. Despite being an omega, she doesn't respond to our alpha barks. The runt doesn’t speak, not even a word. Oh and also, she bites.”
“And her routine?” Dr. Hampton prompted.
“She spends most of her time hiding under the bed,” I continued. “She won’t let us touch her, flinches when we get close, and barely eats. We provide breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but she only consumes the bare minimum needed to keep her body functioning. Oh, I noticed she doesn’t like peas.
"She uses the restroom at designated times, but only bathed once before arrival. We haven’t been able to convince her to shower since," Silas picked up where I left off.
“Why not?” the therapist asked.
Silas answered. “Like my brother said. She bites.”
He rolled up his sleeve, revealing his forearm mottled with small, jagged teeth marks. Evidence of the struggle that occurred every time we tried to pull Lena out from her hiding place.
“I see,” Dr. Hampton said quietly. Her lips pressed into a thin line as she made a note.
“Look, doc,” Silas said, leaning back in his chair. “I don’t know how much Command told you about what my brother and I do for AIED.”
“They were thorough,” she replied without looking up.
“Then you already know this isn’t our skill set,” he said. “We’re interrogators. We don’t babysit omegas.”
Her pen stilled.
“Command indicated you’ve acted in a handler role,” she said, lifting her gaze to his. “Multiple times, for various informants and witnesses. Is that not correct?”
“Yes, it is—”
“Then how is this any different?” she cut in.
Silence stretched for a beat.
“You need intel from her,” Dr. Hampton continued. “That makes her an asset and a valuable witness. Which means you both will act as her handlers.”
She set her pen down, folding her hands neatly on the table.
“Alpha handlers build trust, establish control and regulate her omega responses. Your goal is to keep her stable, cooperative, and willing to give you intel.”
Her expression remained clinically calm.
“It's the same job. Just more hands-on than you may be used to.”
She turned her attention to me.
“Handler Knox, you were right in your notes to suggest a change in tactics,” she said. “Based on her file, this omega will not respond to violence or threats.”
I shot my brother a smug smirk as the doctor's stern gaze flicked back to Silas.
“If you want her to talk, you’ll have to earn it,” she said, pausing briefly to stare my brother down.
“I’d like to see her now.”
Silas groaned. “I’ll get her.”
“I’ve got it,” I said, already moving. His patience was wearing thin, and mine wasn’t far behind.
We all headed for her room. I turned the key and pushed the door open. Silence greeted us as I scanned the nearly empty space, searching for the runt.
Then I caught movement. She dove, scrambling under her bed.
“All you, brother,” Silas said with a smirk.
I crouched beside the bed and spotted her curled beneath it, eyes locked on me, tracking every move.
“Come on, runt,” I said with a sigh. “We’ve been over this. I’m not going to hurt you. There’s someone here to see you.”
Lena didn’t move. Didn’t make a sound. Exactly as expected.
I didn’t bother trying to reason with her anymore.
It was a waste of time. Instead, I reached under the bed, grabbing for her leg.
Her teeth snapped, narrowly missing my hand, but I managed to hook my grip and drag her out in one swift motion.
She fought hard, thrashing and twisting, trying to break free, but I held her tightly so the doctor could see her clearly.
“Let her go,” Dr. Hampton ordered calmly.
I released her immediately.
The omega scrambled across the room, putting as much distance between us as possible, before flattening herself against the far wall. Her eyes darted between me, my brother, and the psychologist.
Dr. Hampton didn’t step toward her. She moved sideways instead, increasing the space between herself and Lena.
“Lena,” she said gently. “My name is Dr. Bethany Hampton. I’m here to assess you.”
Lena said nothing. Her body remained rigid, coiled to bolt.
“I’m going to give you two options,” Dr. Hampton continued. “You’ll choose by using action, not words. Are you ready for me to explain them?”
No response. Just wary eyes fixed on her.
“That’s fine,” the doctor said. “I’ll begin.”
She spoke slowly and clearly.
“Option one: you walk with me to the conference room down the hall. We’ll sit and meet there. If you choose this option, you can begin walking with me when I finish presenting the choices.”
Dr. Hampton paused, watching Lena closely.
“Option two: we stay here and meet in this room. Your handlers and I won't permit you to go under the bed again, but you may sit on top of it or on the floor. If you choose this option, move into position now.”
She fell silent, waiting for the omega to decide.
Dr. Hampton didn’t rush her. She simply observed, occasionally jotting notes into her notebook.
Then the runt did something unexpected. She took a step toward the door. One wary step, then another.
“Thank you for making that decision, Lena,” Dr. Hampton said. “Follow me. Gentlemen, please give her a wide berth.”
She turned and headed down the hall toward the conference room. Lena trailed behind her, eyes wide, head on a swivel, cataloging every detail as we walked.
When we reached the conference room, the doctor pulled out a chair and gestured to it. “Lena, please sit.”
Lena didn’t move until Dr. Hampton took a few steps back. Then, hesitantly, she did as the doctor asked.
“Well, shit, doc,” Silas said, dropping into the chair across from her. “I’ll be damned.”
I took a seat beside the doctor, positioning myself between her and Lena, watching closely.
Luckily for the good doctor, there were no screwdrivers within reach.
After what happened to Jacob, I couldn’t risk the omega being triggered and attacking Dr. Hampton.
I had no idea what might set her off, and I wasn’t sure Lena even knew herself.