Chapter Text

Unrelenting 
Chapter 14 - Dread

Unease.
The disturbing unspoken things Tarble kept from him circled and taunted his thoughts.
Kade, the lawyer sent to represent him from an invested party, was moving his mouth. Vegeta hardly took in a word.

“Do you understand what I'm telling you?” Apparently Kade knew his newest client wasn’t exactly present. “None of this looks good for you.”

That made the alpha laugh. A good little chuckle eased the fog that had grown around him. This didn’t look good for him? What about Tarble? This ran deeper than he could imagine, knowing his little brother. What were they going to do about his situation? Oscar had been more than interested in Tarble’s activities the last time he spoke. Now it seemed Kade was too.

Oscar and fucking Kade. 

Vegeta lent backwards in his chair, allowing the pressure from the plastic edge to bring him back into his body. “Well, I should thank you for helping me then, shouldn’t I?” He smirked at the thought that came next. “Are you saying you’re giving up already?”

Across from him, Kade smiled along with the joke. He then filled the stark and sterile room with a drawn out sigh. “He told me you’d be like this.”

“Handsome? Dreamy?” The edges of his mouth took a wicked angle. “It’s the petricor, isn't it? Are you a secret omega perhaps?”

He had no idea why he was pushing the conversation in such a childish way. It could have been something about the way Kade appeared to be bored of the situation. Or maybe he was the bored one. Tired of having absolutely no idea about what was going on in his own fucking life.

“I am a Beta, Vegeta, I assure you.” Leaning a little more over the desk, forearm and elbow resting, the man shifted his weight and the tone of his voice. “But If I had your family's traits, and wanted to change my second gender to resemble one of our lovely submissive friends, you’d be the first Alpha I would let fuck me.”

That was all he needed. He knew what this was about now. He had lived almost a decade without Oscar intruding on his life. It wasn’t a huge surprise he would turn up at a time like this.

His own hands came flat down onto the table, and he flashed a little bit of his incisors for effect. “Now we are getting somewhere. I suppose Oscar revealed that little secret to you, and you also want something from my brother and me?” A taste of the power he held inside his body? The way he could possess another? What was it that made Kade’s dick hard? “Whatever it is you think Tarble can give you-”

“Don’t misunderstand.” A hand came up fast, and fell at the same pace. Still the man maintained composure. “I am here purely because of your case, and at Oscar's request.”

His case?

“Why my case?” A fair question, considering his freedom and cock were on the line here. In all the time he had known Oscar, he’d never revealed their family secret. It was time to pay up, apparently. He liked to keep the Ozoulf’s to himself. Especially Vegeta. Which was fine by him, at least Tarble had been separated from the one sided, dubious relationship.

The man shrugged, as if all this was an unconscious action. Like he just happened to walk in off the fucking street. “I’m a little neuro-spicy, I get hyper fixated on things for years. Decades even.” The shrug made sense now. It eased Vegeta’s tight posture. “You could say government corruption gets me going.” 

There was an ‘and’ in there somewhere. But he’d never get to hear it. But there was an ‘and’ for him. He might as well try to get it out.

“And Oscar’s request of me?” his eyebrow raised, as if to say, ‘I fucking know he wouldn’t do this because he had a charitable nature’. “What do I have to pay for your service?”

Kade smiled at him, happy to have the conversation flowing very quickly. Probably. “I’m sure you’ll find the detailed explanation of your job, a responsible request. Considering the amount of trouble you’re in.”

Fucking pricks.

“You’re not going to tell me before I accept the offer?” There was no way he could keep the anger from his face, or his voice. “I just have to blindly trust it’s a good deal?”

Hands picked up the papers before them, along with soft tones of Kade’s voice. “Vegeta Ozoulf is charged with reckless endangerment of an omega. Vegeta Ozoulf is charged with interference, and unregistered relations with an omega. Vegeta Ozoulf is charged with assault of an officer occasion-”

“Alright, I get it.” He didn’t need to be told what just the consequences of the charges to do with Bulma, let alone pinning the fucking deaths of officers on him. “Oscar wants me out of jail, and completing a little job for him, is that it?”

“Not quite.” The paper was returned to the table. “They are going to offer you a deal, and you’re going to take it. They’ll drop the charges pertaining to the two detectives' deaths, if you’ll work with them to fish out their associates.”

Vegeta scoffed, and hit the table. A barbaric way of expressing his feelings, but it did the job. “So they want me to go to jail? They want me to plead to the omega charges? And what if the council dismisses my case because of that? I’m to just give up my freedom, my relationship, my fucking life, because Oscar want’s a favour?”

Kade nodded.

He brought up his briefcase and unlocked it. “Seems that way.” Papers were drawn out - a contract. For his nuts, for his freedom, for Tarble and Bulma’s safety. “Oscar will explain what he wants from you soon. That means all he wants is your full corporation, and my services to fight the omega charges against you can proceed.”

Fighting the system for his innocence would bleed him dry. Not to mention the media frenzy it would likely cause. Bulma would be hounded, or worse. If they found out what she had been doing for work, her relationship with him, the police corruption and death. Not to mention Tarble's part in all this. And their family history.
It was all so goddamn salacious.

No.

That couldn’t happen. If he was an informant, they would keep it quiet. No one would hear about it. At least not straight away. It could give them a chance, for something else. He had to protect his brother, and his omega.

This time he growled, a softer warning, that his limit was almost met. “Give me your fucking contract, and a pen, for fuck’s sake.”

Distress.
Despite the fact that Vegeta had been released on bail, she had not spoken to him. He was under strict orders to stay away from her. A man, Kirt or something, Vegeta’s lawyer had told her to not contact him and to continue to work with the police. It would look good to the council.

It had been weeks.
The torture of it was starting to affect her in ways she didn’t immediately pick up on. Like the nauseating way her stomach curled at food, and the increasingly negative language she was using. Both externally, and internally. Without him, she felt like she was broken in half.
And they hadn’t even bonded yet.

To think of the pain he would have gone through when his mate died. It almost hurt her heart too much, that she could actually die from it.
The strength of Vegeta rose to new heights in her perspective. Every new thing she learned about him, just made the intense feelings for him spiral out of control. It lit something inside she had barely tapped into herself.
The prosecution had been calm, in control, perfectly articulate. Which made Vegeta visibly annoyed. Considering the line of questioning, she understood why.

“And where was your residence situated at the time of the attack?”

Why the fuck was any of this relevant?

Vegeta spoke low and husky, like he was trying to figure out that question too. “We had just moved to a secure community in East Harbour. It was secure with gates, walls and security.”

A click sounded before the man spoke. It had been grating on her nerves for the past three hours. “So you were feeling unsafe by something, right?”

“Objection your honour, leading question.”

The room fell silent.

“No, continue please.”

A repeat of the question compelled Vegeta.

“Yes, the current state of crime in the area made me seek safer residence for my mate.”

Oh? The sleek prosecutor had not liked that answer. Directly it was going to have to be then.

“It wasn’t because you were afraid someone was after you?”

“No-”

“No?” a raised intonation made it feel stupid, and annoying. Like that fucking click. “Because it’s in the court documents from your court case twenty-two years ago, when you were charged with conspiracy of murder, that evidence was given that you knew you were in danger.”

What?

“No, I wasn’t aware that we were in immediate danger. Those claims weren’t true. I was not convicted of that crime.”  

“Is it true that your perverse actions directly led those men to bribing the security on the compound, and heading straight to, and only to your house, resulting in the death of your mate?”

Hushed voices vibrated. Vegeta’s own council talked. “Objection, your honour? Relevance. Mr Olouf is not on trial for conspiracy of murdering his mate, twenty two years ago.”

The judge opened his mouth to speak. But Vegeta cut him off.

“They came in through an open window. I was distracted. I was in a rut.” his voice was hardly audible over the beating of her blood. It rushed and surged as his words grew increasingly emotional. “They did things to her that I still see when I close my eyes. Because they made me watch. Every single time they tore at her, pulled at her, bit her, broke parts of her, smash pieces of her, raped her.”

Silence cloaked the entire room. Even the fans that were cutting through the thick air faded away into the void.

“I broke free from the restraints. I don't remember how, I was told afterwards my hands were shattered. They took a decade to recover, and even then, the pain they still cause me-” He shook the thought. This wasn’t about his hands. “All I remember is her screams for me to save her. And the smell. God.”

Kade cleared his throat, seizing the opportunity.

“Vegeta-”

But it didn’t work. He’d come too far now.

“No, I won’t be accused of knowing this could happen.” He seemed to suddenly switch his attention to someone in the crowd. “I didn’t conspire to brutally rape, torture and murder my mate.”

Bulma’s head creeped forward, trying to get a peak at who he had directly spoken to in the crowd. Three Namekian Guardians sat silently. Eyes fixated on Vegeta.

“All the things I have been accused of doing with Bulma are true. All the texts, the phone calls, the inappropriate nature of our relationship in the eyes of the law are true. But she was never unsafe with me. She was never in danger, except for when she was in the presence of those two corrupt officers. And when she was in danger, I protected her. I have no remorse for that. Exactly how an alpha should feel. And I’d do it all again.”

Whispers came once more, this time more assertive and concluded. 

Then it was only a short time until her Alpha was convicted.

Tenacity.
Through the depression of her situation, she had almost forgotten her line of work and unique skill set.
Her favourite position was on her belly, headphones on for listening to her perfectly curated playlist, and her legs swinging like a tail would on a happy dog.

It was easy enough to get onto the server of Kade’s practice, and Bulma had arrived, quiet as a mouse. Free to download whatever her heart desired. She had stalked the man after seeing him poorly defend her alpha, needing his name and personal details. Something wasn’t right. The whole defence strategy had woken up her mind, and switched it into overdrive.
And before long, she had the evidence.

“What the hell?” Her eyes skimmed the text again, trying to absorb every little meaning.

Vegeta had been coerced into a contract with a ‘Mr Deep’. An obviously fictitious name that came up time and time again in each new document she read. He would need to work with the police, and be convicted of omega crimes. But he had wanted a stipulation added that it would be made clear to the council that he wasn’t a danger to her, and that Kade would need to help him further.

He was protecting her with his life, again. Not only that, he was fighting to be her alpha. No big show, no manipulation tactics. Even if she would lay down everything for a mere whim he might have.
A sharp drying of her throat threatened to gag up a sob. Veins palpitated as fast as her mind raced.

The information solidified her intentions to help him in any way she could. That might only mean a surge of motivation. But she could continue to dig and learn how best to help.

So, turning up to the corrections facility, where he was being held for sentencing, was the first stop in her plan. Being led to him felt like walking up to his front door, all over again, her dirty panties in tow.
It was clear by his reaction to her that he was surprised. He didn’t need to say it.

She would say all her thoughts though. Very matter-of-factly. “I want to go to the council, ask them to approve a bond, for us to be mates.”

Slowly, surprise turned to curiosity, then to a strange glow that resembled pride.

“Everything will change if that happens.”  A warning? “You understand that?”

It was probably fucked up that the implied suggestion made this all a hundred times hotter.

“I know.” She giggled. “You’ve never been ordinary, Vegeta, even in the beginning.”

The truth was, she had been obsessed from the very first interaction. Something deep inside, without many words, told her he was special. Someone who would understand her, and treat her the way she longed for someone to. And simultaneously, he slowly lowered those walls of his around her. First in his scent, when he opened the door to her. It became increasingly verbal. Telling her all the naughty things he’d love to do to her.

Vegeta vented a silent but heedy groan. “You’re such a smart little thing.”

Praise at a time like this was almost too much to bear. After what he had been through, however, she had no right to complain. The hardened courage in her spine pushed her posture upright.

“I’ve stopped my online business.” That gripped his eyes from her lips. They dug into her soul. “I want you, alpha, regardless of what having you will cost me.” 

“In light of your conviction, it is sanctioned that we look into past histories of both the alpha and omega. Which has happened here today. There were serious crimes committed by Vegeta Olouf, that has the Namekian Guardians here today worried.”

Watching him be compliant scared her. There was an underlying acceptance that she couldn’t understand. Why wasn’t he fighting for her, as he had done in the court case?
Bulma decided to watch Kade as the rest of the deliberation was read out.

“You will be awarded a three month period of dating.” A smile and look that gave her a teasing vibe unfolded in front of the small room. Like he was rubbing in that he was right about something. “You must both see a therapist weekly, as a couple, and separately, during these three months.”

Didn’t Kade allude to a deal with the council in an email? Was this all part of the contract? Did this ‘Mr Deep’ have a connection in the council? Her eyes jumped to the stand, where three Guardians lorded over them, passing judgement over her relationship.

“The trial of your dating status will start after Mr Olouf’s sentence is completed.” They turned to Bulma. “You will not be able to see him while he serves out his sentence,” then it was back to Vegeta, “and you will not step a toe out of line. Any additional crimes, time added or bad behaviour will cancel the Guardians decision.”

What did that mean? They would never be together if they messed up, even a little? Suddenly the world was on her shoulders. The realisation of how careless and idiotic she had been swept through her mind.

“You will not be allowed to stay at the other’s house. And you are not allowed to have sex during Miss Brief's heat, or Mr Olouf’s rut.” Her heart stung with hot pain. “But you will be able to have sex outside of those conditions. And you may stay the night together, outside of your respective homes, with concessions from the council.”

Her future laid bare for everyone in the room to see. It almost felt like she had been stripped naked. Everyone knew exactly what would happen the second he was released.

“We will meet again, after those three months are up.”

After they dismissed the hearing, it took her a few moments to face him. She needed to collect herself, and what she wanted to say. It was no use, her rational mind was clouded by rage.
Life was so unfair.

“They can’t do this, we have rights.” -Needs. That’s what she fucking had. A deep need to be fucked.

There wasn’t a smile, or a smirk, just a flat voice. Pretending.

“It’s a pretty standard deal for alpha and omega who have crossed the line, like we have. In spite of all the drama, we are lucky we even get to try, let alone only have three months.” 

That was true. Even if he was clearly having a hard time convincing himself of it. They could have been ordered with restrictions for years, then denied.
That was a form of torture all in itself.

“You shouldn’t stay around. They won’t let me stay for long.”

Just the thought of him leaving her right now caused the chasm inside to distend.

“No.” In the best whine she had, Bulma‘s words trembled. “This is tormenting.”

She could see he understood. A sadness wasn’t only present in his mood, but behind his eyes also. Staying strong for her no doubt. Was he losing an omega all over again?

They weren’t permitted to do anything, only hug when he left. But fuck that. Soft, delicate fingers found their way through his.

“When we are past this, when you are out, I’ll be all yours.” The words perked the alpha up, earning her a lip bite.

Snapped from the daze, his eyes traced around each part of her he could see.

“You’re already mine, Bulma.” he came back to her eyes with a promise. His own fingers tracing over her hand, wrist, and up her forearm. “I’ll just be able to give you everything you’ve been so desperate for.”

Fingers wrapped around the meat of her arm and squeezed. The action told her if things were different, he would have pulled her onto the table and fucked her like she had never been fucked before.
It sounded so good she closed her eyes and rocked her hips.

“I’ll do anything you want, alpha.” It was dangerous to say that here, but he had to know it.

Doors flung open, and annoyed voices commanded space. “You absolutely will, little kitten.” Came next, before he was dragged out.