Sweet Disposition

Her reassurance and that well known fact put Vi at ease, but it wasn't enough to shake away the bad feeling that was starting to spread. "Let me do it."

"What?"

"Let me go to the University and talk to Peter. I'm sure he'll know something about what happened, and if he doesn't, he can find out. He has an in with his academic advisor. He's some prominent Doctor or something."

"You have a point, but wouldn't that get Peter unnecessarily involved?"

"Only if I push too hard." Vi shrugged.

Karen smiled, shaking her head slightly, "sweetie, you either push too hard or not all." She sighed, rubbing her face with the heel of her hand before grabbing her purse and gesturing towards the door. "C'mon."

"You're letting me come along?"

"I'm taking you to see Peter so you can be sure he's okay while I do my job. You can file those papers when I get back."

Vi nodded eagerly, "deal."

Karen stopped at the door, glancing at Vi with a shrewd look in her eyes. "You can also make dinner tonight. I have stuff for spaghetti and garlic bread if you're game?"

Vi rolled her eyes, "trying to make sure I eat something not from a vending machine?"

"Or from Zane's fruit stand a couple blocks away. I'm surprised you're not dead from eating all that rotten fruit."

"Beggars can't be choosers," Vi responded with yet another shrug.

"That wouldn't be the case if you were to take me up on my offer." Karen smirked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"And risk running into Frank in another rut? Pass."

"He hasn't come back during a rut since that night, and you know he never would have stopped by if there was anyway to avoid it. Nothing happened between us, and he made sure that you weren't at risk either." Karen started defending, but Vi was not in the mood to listen.

Frank was the only Alpha Vi allowed to be in her life, and it was only because he and Billy served in Afghanistan together and looked out for one another. He took her in after Billy's death, but due to her obvious discomfort he didn't force her to stay with him. He was the only person she told the truth about what happened to Billy, and since then he has been good about keeping a fair distance to respect her wishes. After his family was murdered and he became the vigilante known as the Punisher, it was a good thing they kept their distance. She visits him whenever he wanders back in the city to off some douchebag, and he checks in about once a week to make sure she's still alive and not in prison. Karen knows him because they incidentally saved each other's lives during a wicked shoot out about a year ago. Since then they've been close.

"Karen, you know how Alphas are. Frank might be able to keep his brain in the game but eventually his nature will get the better of him, and some poor omega is going to get hurt because of it. We see it all the time."

"Do you really believe Frank is capable of losing himself like that?" Karen shot back, arching her eyebrow.

Vi sighed, "My heart says no, but my brain says never underestimate the deps of depravity a person will sink to with the right push."

Karen shook her head, "Not everyone is horrible Violet. Someday you'll find someone who will convince you of that."

Vi snorted at that, "the day I do is the day I just might let someone else take care of me."

"Oh! The horror," Karen joked, pantomiming a horrified expression before grabbing the doorknob and stepping out into the cold, musky hallway.

Vi followed quickly, eager to see her friend safe and unharmed.