Chapter Text
Jack Crawford entered the lecture hall in Quantico, intent on talking to a certain infamous professor. His nostrils flared as a sweet scent filled his senses, it was faint but for alphas like him, it was certainly detectable. How could omegas even be FBI trainees? He caught himself thinking for a moment.
Omegas were generally not approved to work in any field work. The scent of angry and intense alpha pheromones would be able to put any normal, healthy omega in distress.
When he came into the classroom. He was expecting a meek, neutral beta. Whose only scent would be clinical, white-washed walls; the universal scent of all betas. Instead, he stopped momentarily as waves of gardenia, soft vanilla along undertones of sandalwood hit his nose. It had a tremendously calming effect on him, an alpha known to be hot-headed and too intense for omegas.
And instead of an ordinary beta, there stood a short, lanky omega with brown curls delicately framing his face, and dark glasses perched on top of a sloping nose. The light provided him with a sort of halo, making him look nothing short of an angel. He seemed to be busy talking to an alpha who was seemingly a trainee asking questions after class. It was obvious that he wasn’t the only one feeling the almost-holy effect. Wondrous creatures, Omegas. He almost forgot how calming they could be when not in distress.
Jack shook away these thoughts, he had a lovely beta wife waiting at home for him. Omegas were immediately put off by his intense scent almost all the time. This one would be no different, he told himself. He walked to the unsuspecting omega in long strides. Doubts were already forming in his head as he wondered how an omega could stand strong and teach a classroom full of alphas, undoubtedly in their prime. He got closer to the omega who started to pack his bags after the alpha trainee too started to walk away, almost reluctant in his strides. Jack found himself unable to take his eyes away from the glimmering pretty thing that was–
“Mr. Graham,” He said to the flighty thing who started to speed up just a little bit more. Was he afraid? Jack couldn’t tell by his scent which remained unchanged. “Special agent Jack Crawford, head of the behavioural science unit.”
Will took the hand offered to him, his handshake wasn't firm but pliant. Jack visibly relaxed as the gardenia scent enveloped his space like a gentle, warming hug.
“Have we met?” Will said to him, looking in his general direction but never in the eyes. He was undoubtedly an omega, a small one at that but his clothes were of a beta male. It puzzled Jack why this lovely omega didn't want to wear omegan clothing when he made no effort to hide his scent.
“We have met now,” Jack says, good-heartedly. He's not using the soft voice that all agents are trained to use when dealing with omegas. He's using the soft alpha rumble specially reserved for his pups when they become relaxed enough. Something that even Bella couldn't easily bring out in him.
“I have heard so much of you, Mr. Graham” The alpha tried a different approach when Will didn't look convinced. The skittish thing glared at his tie with an intense concentration.
Oh.
“So where do you fall on the spectrum, Will?” His alpha rumble is especially gentle to ask this probing question. The omega looked away, finally closing his briefcase.
“Closer to autistics than sociopaths and narcissists,” Will said, tightly strung out from the interaction. The skittish omega only seemed more endearing to the older alpha. He moved to walk away from Jack who was positively towering over him. Jack easily stopped him with just a slight change in the angling of his body.
“But you can empathize with said sociopaths and narcissists?” Jack asked, hopeful. Will's scent soured a bit by his annoyance but the new spice only spurred him on. What an unusual omega. Usually, they tried to subdue their reactions given so easily by their scents through training but this peculiar skittish creature didn't even bother to tinge it down a bit.
“I can empathize with anybody. It's less to do with a personality disorder than an active imagination.” The omega says curtly, his glasses have now slid off a bit down that sloping nose to give Jack a perfect opening. He leans in, a bit close to being considered friendly and does not raise his hands yet.
“May I?” Will looks confused for a second and then nods, barely visible. Jack hovers his hand over the perfect face and adjusts the plastic glasses back to make Will meet his eyes for once. He is met with a pretty, intense blue gaze.
“Can I borrow that imagination of yours, Will?” He asks slowly, trying to not make it obvious that he used an alpha command on this innocent omega. He awaits the instant submission and is instead met with an almost bored expression. Confusion fills his mind as Will backs away, almost tentative in his steps.
“I'm not suited for fieldwork, and aside from the biological screening, I also didn't pass the psychological screening.” Will states calmly or as calmly as a fidgety creature like him can sound.
“It is mostly consulting and any field work you will do will be accompanied by me.” Jack steps forward, trying to convince the omega to ease into the idea. “I did my homework, Will. I've read your assessment carefully. Don't think so hard, it might hurt that pretty head of yours.” Jack says but instantly winces as those words come out of his mouth, knowing how patronising they sound. But the damage is done as Will closes the gap between them. It was almost like whiplash how that small, fidgety creature could turn so fiery and dominant in just a second.
“If you've done your homework then you should know that my…disability poses dangers to doing fieldwork. Dangers that you certainly won't want to be held accountable for risking it with me .” Will says softly but the words strike him all the same. He almost berates himself for forgetting who he was actually dealing with. Cumma laude , in a practically all-alpha college and the highest-rated homicide detective across Virginia and some other states.
He takes in the scent of blooming gardenia and realises that none of his pheromones affected the scent as it did with other omegas he's met in the past which was concerning since it wasn't only a submission tactic for alphas to use but also a survival mechanism in omegas. Disability , Jack almost catches himself groaning at how stupid he had been. He almost pities the omega, unaware and truly defenceless in terms of biology. Putting him in fieldwork would make him susceptible to any alpha attacks that happened so frequently in the scene. And it also meant that since Will couldn't sense it coming, he would most likely fall prey to it. Jack couldn't take that risk for the sake of his career and a little due to the soft spot he's harboured for the young omega.
“Well, I already got approval stamped from HR. Any risks that I take will be accountable to my person.” Jack offers. His voice gets softer and more gentle as he deals with the young omega now completely in his care. Will huffs and looks away, pensive. No doubt, the gears in his mind are turning and working, in a way he'll never really comprehend.
“Can I refuse to do so?” Will asks but his tone tells him that he already knows the answer to that question. Jack sighs and shakes his head.
Will sulks, looking like five years have been sucked out of his lifespan.
————————————
Jack knows the gravity of his actions and knows that he has been practically scenting Will. He doesn't think himself to be bad since Will's presence is already doing wonders for his cases. It also helps that his team members are visibly elated to accept Will into the fold. Provided that they keep their distance and try not to whiff him every time he joins a meeting.
Jack knows that he is unconsciously seeking Will out. Taking him everywhere with him. The omega manages to always crack the tension that occurs often in the lab since the team members are all alphas. His face was a sight for sore eyes on hard days. Jack knows that he is exploiting the unsuspecting omega but the moral argument gets lost when soft spices of gardenia replace the decaying scent of bodies and sour tinges of alphas. His brilliant mind procured answers that were a soothing balm on all the confusion created by the ripper case. For now, Jack wouldn't pull too hard and hoped that Will wouldn't catch on.
But some of him was scared that even if Will found out, he wouldn't be able to stop.