So I blame Tumblr for making me into Zachwen trash. I was just minding my own business when I saw someone had put up an OTP collage and they so happened to be in it and they peaked my curiosity. Long story short: I got hooked. This is my first time writing an A/B/O fic but I really couldn't help myself after the, "Who's the Alpha?" scene in the movie. It's not the A/B/O like you see in hardcore M-rated fics but more in the sense of the A/B/O classification being secondary genders. (That doesn't include the relationship between Owen and the raptors of course then the words "Alpha" and "Beta" are meant in the normal sense of "leader" and "second in command".)
Zach is undoubtedly my favorite character in Jurassic World (and right behind him are Owen and Gray) because even though at first he kind of behaved like what people would stereotype as "a typical teenager" he really showed his true colors when he and Gray were in the Gyrosphere and afterwards. Instead of being just a jerk he showed that he was really a warm, caring guy who just wanted his little brother to be safe and tried his best to comfort Gray even though he was scared as well. I really hope that both Zach and Gray will be a part of the sequel(s), it would be a shame if they weren't because both of their characters are very interesting to watch and the actors are fantastic.
Two things that I don't actually mention in the story but are semi-important to know for this AU: 1) the helicopter didn't explode in the aviary so Mr. Masrani didn't die but he was injured and unconscious which still allowed Hoskins to take command and 2) on the whole a lot less people die from the aviary dinosaurs' attack and when the raptors turn (as in like no one dies at all). Other than that I changed a few things just to fit the story better but on the whole most of the events are canon-compliant. I also didn't bother writing in the whole final fight scene because even though I changed a few things I didn't want it to drag on too long.
Other notes/warnings: There are mentions of past abuse of a minor in this story. I know in the movie they suggested that Zach was about 16 or 17 but I bumped his age up to 18 for this fic. I'm pretty sure Nick Robinson was 18 at the time of filming anyways so it works out. We'll put Owen at 30 so there is NO underage in this fic at all.
Disclaimer- I don't own any of the characters, I'm just having some fun playing with them. :)
Zach had been under no impression that his life would suddenly get easier when he'd presented as an Omega just a few months ago but this was just ridiculous.
After presenting he'd broken up with his "girlfriend", not that he could even really call her that. He'd only spent time with her because his Alpha father had forced him to and he'd gone along with it thinking that maybe it would get his father to lay off him a bit.
He'd been wrong but he hadn't put much hope in the idea anyways.
The bruises on his side and back throbbed as a testament to that but he forced himself to keep running through the panicked crowd of Jurassic World guests around him, never letting go of Gray's shoulder.
What had started as an escape from their feuding, in the middle of divorce parents had quickly become a nightmare. Less than a few hours ago he and Gray had narrowly escaped being eaten by a large, very vicious dinosaur after Zach had the bright idea of going into the restricted section of the park with the Gyrosphere. After escaping the beast they'd found the original visitor's centre and managed to fix up an old park Jeep only to drive straight into chaos as dinosaurs from the aviary attacked the resort.
And now here they were.
As they ran Zach cast a glance over his shoulder and saw one of the pteranodons get shot down and begin to descend directly toward him and Gray. Thinking quickly he grabbed Gray by the shoulders and threw them down to the ground in front of a gift stand as the winged dinosaur began crashing into table behind them. He scrambled quickly to shield his litter brother as the unconscious dinosaur slid towards them, its sharp beak stopping mere inches from their faces.
The teen breathed a sigh of relief and helped Gray to his feet just as he heard the sound of their Aunt Claire's voice calling their names. Their usually put together Alpha Aunt was dishevelled and dirty as she raced towards them and when she reached them she began fussing over Gray immediately, frantically asking them where they'd been.
Instead of answering her Zach's attention was riveted on the man standing a few behind her.
He was tall with dark blonde hair, his skin tan and freckled from many hours spent under the Central American sun with broad shoulders accompanied by muscular arms. He had the most amazing green eyes Zach had ever seen.
"Who's that?"
His Aunt shot him a confused glance before looking over her shoulder at the man, "That's Owen Grady, we work together. He's been helping me look for you two."
The man- Owen- took a few steps forward and a strong, heady scent hit Zach like a freight train.
He was an Alpha.
Zach was torn as he registered the presence of the Alpha.
His Omega side was practically purring from such close proximity to the handsome older man, the scent of such a strong Alpha making his instincts go crazy. The other half of him was wary; just because Owen was the most handsome man Zach had ever laid eyes on didn't mean that he wasn't egotistical and thought himself superior to Omegas like many Alphas still did, even in this day and age.
Just because he had gorgeous eyes didn't mean that he didn't have a foul temper like this father. His bruises throbbed again at the thought, a prefect reminder of what Alphas were capable of when they put their minds to hurting someone.
He was jarred from his unpleasant thoughts by Owen calling out to Claire (the Alpha's deep, smooth voice sent shivers down his spine), "Hey, we gotta go."
Claire nodded in agreement and began herding her nephews to a closed off area behind a row of shops just as her phone began to ring. When she answered she addressed the person calling as Lowery and Zach could hear a hushed but panicked male voice on the other end.
The redheaded Alpha covered an ear in order to hear the man better, "What? What do you mean 'use the raptors'?"
Zach had to suppress a shudder at the strong pheromones filled with shock soon followed by anger that rolled off of Owen at his Aunt's words.
He was incredibly grateful that he wasn't close to his heat or he probably would've lost all control when the Alpha growled protectively, "Son of a bitch!"
And Gray, sweet innocent Gray whispered, "You shouldn't say bitch."
Zach had to choke back a laugh because, really? They were on an island with dinosaurs on the loose- many of which could potentially kill them- and his little brother was telling Owen not to swear. Well, he thought, I guess that's better than him freaking out or crying given everything that's happened today.
A loud thumping drew their attention and Owen turned in the direction of the sound slowly, "Take the kids, get them somewhere safe."
Zach's eyes bulged as a terrified mass of people burst through the heavy metal doors and began rushing toward them as a pteranodon hovered above them, cawing menacingly. He pushed Gray into action and followed their Aunt to a nearby park vehicle, sliding into the backseat next to his little brother as Owen threw the truck into reverse and deftly navigated them backwards until they were in an alcove out of the way of the mob.
Zach watched the people race by and couldn't help but recall Owen's words to Claire a moment ago, "This doesn't look safe!"
He saw the Alpha's eyes flick to him in the rear-view mirror as Gray leaned forward in his seat, asking, "Can we stay with you?"
Aunt Claire was gripping the sides of her seat tightly to the point that her knuckles were turning white but she shot an attempt at a reassuring smile at her younger nephew, "Oh, I am not leaving you as long as you live."
The brothers shot their Aunt a wide-eyed look of surprise and both began to gesture frantically to the blonde Alpha in the driver's seat, "No! No, him!"
Gray patted Owen's shoulder, "Yeah, definitely him."
Zach nodded in agreement with his little brother. He still couldn't get a good read on the Alpha and the longer he stayed in the man's presence the stronger the swirling feelings in him grew but it was obvious that sticking with Owen was their best chance at getting through this alive. He was putting his trust and the safety of his little brother in the man's hands.
He hoped that he wouldn't regret it.
Owen drove as fast as possible to the raptor paddock and when they arrived the place was swarming with men in military gear and heavily armored trucks with "InGen" written on the sides. The Alpha barely stopped the truck before he and Claire were out of the vehicle and striding towards an older Alpha about Owen's height who wore a smug grin as the pair approached him. Zach quickly pegged the man as the Hoskins guy Owen and his Aunt had been talking about on their way to the paddock. Hoskins' grin didn't last long as Owen promptly punched the man in the face upon reaching him.
Zach echoed his little brother's surprised cry but couldn't help but find the Alpha's display of dominance attractive. Owen was strong and fierce but unlike many other Alphas he used his superior strength to protect instead of hurt someone just because he was capable of it.
Zach wasn't able to hear what the three Alphas were talking about but from Owen's increasingly tense shoulders and Aunt Claire's vicious glare he could tell it wasn't pleasant.
Minutes passed but eventually Owen followed Hoskins into a covered area full of geared up men. The blonde Alpha looked back in their direction as he walked away and even from the distance between them the brunet could tell that Owen was pissed.
Whatever was going to happen next Zach was certain it would get a lot worse before it got better.
Owen was stroking Blue's muzzle and making sure the camera strap was secure around her head when a wonderfully sweet scent that he was rapidly growing addicted to began to grow stronger behind him. It was the scent of a certain brunet Omega and it was probably the most appealing thing he'd smelled in his life.
He had been caught off guard by the potent scent of Omega when he'd been introduced to Claire's nephews amidst the chaos around them. His fellow Alpha had neglected to mention her eldest nephew's Omega status but he should've expected it given that she hadn't known either of their ages until Owen had asked the boys during the car ride up to the paddock a while ago. Gray was only 12, still a pup, so he hadn't presented yet but he seemed like a good kid.
The 18 year old Zach, however, was amazing.
The Omega was slender but not thin, soft brown hair offset milky white skin and his brown doe eyes were framed by thick dark lashes. And he had the most wonderfully plush lips that had been doing a fantastic job of stirring up images in Owen's head that were testing his usually impeccable control to the max. Even covered in dirt and sweat, obviously exhausted after the hell he and his little brother had been through in the wilds of the island, Zach had been the most attractive person Owen had ever seen when he'd laid eyes on him for the first time only hours ago.
He shook himself out of his thoughts and turned to face the Mitchell brothers when he heard their footsteps stop at the bars. He purposefully kept his eyes on Gray and off of Zach when the boy asked, "Are they safe?"
The pup was looking uncertainly at the restrained velociraptors behind him and it made him pause. He sorely wished he could soothe the boy's fears and tell him that his girls were safe to be out of containment but he knew it was better for him to know the truth.
"No, they're not."
"What are their names?"
Owen felt a smile tug at the corner of his lips when he saw Zach watching Charlie and Echo in the paddock with soft, curious eyes. The younger didn't sound scared like his little brother had but instead looked genuinely interested in knowing more about Owen's girls.
He gestured toward the youngest raptor first, "Well, you've got Charlie."
His finger moved on, "There's Echo."
Zach frowned when he looked closer at her face, "How'd she get those scars on her muzzle?"
"A couple years ago she got into a fight with Blue over which of them was stronger; Blue won and those scars were Echo's reward."
He turned to watch Barry clip a camera around Delta's head, "That's Delta."
His eyes landed on the last raptor and he declared proudly, "And this one's Blue. She's the Beta."
Gray's eyes lit up slightly, "Who's the Alpha?"
Owen smirked, "You're lookin' at him, kid."
He had to restrain a pleased growl when Zach blushed prettily and looked down at the ground shyly, his scent making Owen's mouth water. It was obvious that his declaration had piqued the Omega's instincts.
Something about Zach called out to him (his Alpha side in particular) more than any other person Owen had been with in his entire life. He'd be lying if he said he didn't like it.
Zach was grateful when Aunt Claire called out for him and Gray, if he stayed under Owen's heated gaze much longer e was sure to do something embarrassing like grabbing the Alpha by the front of his shirt and leaning up to press their lips together through the bars. Not exactly the kind of thing he wanted to be doing in front of tons of strangers while they were preparing to hunt a homicidal hybrid dinosaur.
His cheeks were flaming red as he ushered his little brother to the truck their Aunt stood next to and he could feel the weight of Owen's gaze on his back. He peeked over his shoulder and shuddered at the hungry look in the Alpha's forest green eyes as he watched him.
Oh who are you kidding, his mind whispered unhelpfully, He's the hottest guy you've ever seen and he's an Alpha. By the looks of it he definitely wouldn't mind be your Alpha.
He willed away those hopeful thoughts and the imaginings of what it would feel like to be pinned underneath the Alpha's strong, muscular frame as his large hands ran down his sides until they reached the top of his pants and-
"Zach, c'mon get in!"
Claire's voice snapped him out of his daydream and he quickly clamored into the back of the heavily armored truck to take a seat next to Gray, hiding his flushed cheeks as he went. Their Aunt assured them that they would be safe in there but as he took a look around Zach had his doubts about that. The thing didn't even have any seatbelts!
The redheaded Alpha shut the doors and they soon heard the sounds of getting into the front seat followed shortly by the roar from one of the raptors.
Zach felt Gray jump next to him and his little brother's voice was soft and frightened, "Umm... Nothing's getting in here, right?"
He looked down at his baby brother's nervous face and blurted out the first thing he could think of, "Hey... You know that ghost at the old house, the one in the garage? I protected you, right?"
"You made a battle axe out of a ruler and a paper plate."
Zach smiled softly, "Yeah. See nothing's going to get to you while I'm around, okay?"
"But you're not always gonna be around..."
The Omega's heart clenched at the reminder of the harsh words he'd spoken to his brother on the monorail earlier that day. He'd been caught off guard by Gray revealing that he knew about their parents' impending divorce especially since he'd been trying as hard as he could to keep Gray in the dark about their problems to spare his feelings. The realization that he'd failed to do that had made him snap at Gray and he really regretted it. He took a deep breath to steel himself and allowed his softer side to come out in order to comfort his baby brother.
"Yeah well... Hey we're brothers, okay? We'll always be brothers and we'll always come back to one another. No matter what."
Gray looked up at him timidly, "No matter what?"
"No matter what."
He pulled his little brother close and rested their heads together as his Omega side praised him for taking care of the pup. He was also quite proud of himself for actually being able to comfort Gray; their parents constantly told him that he was mean and a horrible brother, that Gray deserved a big brother that wasn't as worthless as he was.
But they only saw what he wanted them to see.
He played the part of big, bad older brother who picked on his brother all the time so that their parents- particularly their father- would direct any and all negative attention solely on him, leaving Gray to receive their affections and remain safe as their perfect son.
Of course Gray was a typical little brother so there were times when he genuinely annoyed Zach but that didn't mean that he didn't love him. It was quite the opposite in fact. Gray was the only one in their family who still cared about him and he treasured that more than anything. Their mother only sought him out to tell him to do something for her or to berate him for something he'd done, otherwise she ignored him. Their father... well the bruises he'd been carrying on a daily basis for the past 10 years were a testament to what Scott Mitchell considered "quality time" with his older son.
Zach tightened his hold on Gray when a buzzer sounded, signalling that Owen's raptors had been set loose and the hunt for the Indominus was on.
His father had always told him that he was weak and useless, that he was meant to be no more than, quote, "an Omega bitch". But he swore, Omega or not, he was going to protect Gray and make sure he got out of this alive.
No matter what.
After a while Zach turned around to open the little sliding window so that he and Gray could watch the feeds from the raptors' cameras over their Aunt's shoulder. The Omega was caught between amazement and concern as he watched Owen ride through the jungle with his girls running alongside his motorcycle, looking for all the world like the Alpha of the pack that he was. He wanted to purr when he caught his Alpha smirking at Blue through her camera.
And yes he was going to ignore the fact that he had just addressed Owen as his Alpha in his head. He'd come back to that little slip later when they weren't in mortal peril.
To their dismay Aunt Claire shut the window just as the hunting party began to slow down but Zach only waited a moment before quietly sliding it open again. He watched as Owen and the others hid as the raptors sniffed around a clearing just as the Indominus slunk out of the trees. The white dinosaur began chirping at Owen's girls and a sudden, horrible realization entered Zach's mind.
"Aunt Claire... what did those guys in the lab use to create the Indominus?"
His Aunt had her eyes glued to the screen, "They wouldn't tell us."
He felt a surge of irritation and fear, "And you didn't question that sooner?! Aunt Claire look at them, they're communicating. That thing is part velociraptor!"
If possible the Alpha turned even paler than she already was as realization set in, "Oh my God..."
Zach's heart leapt into his throat as the raptors' cameras all came to a stop directly on Owen. The raptors had a new Alpha. The military men began to fire on the Indominus, sending all five dinosaurs running off into the trees and out of sight. Zach pulled Gray against his chest as the raptors attacked the InGen men throughout the jungle, the men's pained cries filling the airwaves as the raptors' claws and teeth dug into them.
After a few long minutes there were only groans of anguish from the many wounded men and Gray peeked up from Zach's shoulder.
"Are those people okay?"
Claire inhaled sharply and smiled unconvincingly at him, "They're fine, sweetie."
Zach hugged his little brother tighter and snapped, "Don't lie to him!"
"He's scared! It's okay to lie to people when they're scared!"
Just then one of the InGen soldiers banged on Claire's window, leaving a bloody handprint on the glass, "Go, get out of here! They're coming!"
Claire stomped on the gas but the back doors flapped open, giving Zach a perfect view as two velociraptors sprinted out of the trees across the gravel parking lot and began chasing the truck, knocking the injured InGen guy down as they raced past.
The raptors were easily able to catch up to the truck, even with the bumpy terrain, so Zach quickly scrambled to his feet and fumbled to undo an oxygen tank strapped to the wall. When he got the straps off he rolled the tank out of the back which forced the raptors to separate, one of them running up next to the truck while the other stayed at the back with them. They were heaved to the right when their Aunt turned sharply and knocked one of the raptors into the trees using the truck.
When they were able to get to their feet again Gray grabbed one of the cattle prods off of the wall and between them they managed to turn it on just as the raptor that Zach could now recognize as Charlie lunged into the back of the truck. They blindly shoved the prod at her and miraculously were able to shock her before she could reach either of them but the prod got caught up in the camera strap around her head.
Gray watched in horror as the prod slipped out of his hands and Zach was yanked out of the back of the truck along with it and the velociraptor. Both hit the ground hard and Gray screamed at the sight of his big brother laying motionless just feet from the dinosaur as the truck drove further away from them.
"ZACH!"
Claire threw open the window at the sound of her nephew's terrified scream, "Gray?! Gray, what happened?"
Tears streamed uncontrollably down the boy's cheeks, "Zach fell out! The prod got stuck, Aunt Claire!"
Her eyes went wide, "No..."
Just then Owen burst out of the jungle from a side road and drove up next to Claire's open window, "Claire, we've gotta get inside!"
Gray stuck his head through the back window, "Owen, Zach fell out of the truck! One of the raptors pulled him out with a prod, we have to go back and get him!"
Owen's heart froze at the pup's words and he quickly made a decision, "You two go on ahead. I'll go back for Zach and we'll meet up with you at the Innovation Centre."
With that Owen swiftly turned the bike around and headed back down the road, hoping that when he found Zach the young Omega would be okay.
C'mon kid don't do this to me, not yet. I'm not ready to lose you before I've even gotten to know you.
Zach groaned as he pushed himself onto all fours in the middle of the road.
He couldn't help the whimper that escaped him when pain flared hot and biting down his right side. Great, he'd probably broken a rib. Or maybe cracked one.
Wouldn't be the first time, he thought; memories of his father kicking him repeatedly until a loud snap filled the air playing through his head. He shook his head to clear some of the fog as he finally managed to get himself into an upright position. A quick glance around told him that the truck was long gone and he desperately hoped that Gray was alright and that their Aunt was keeping a close eye on him.
Zach wrapped an arm around his chest and gritted his teeth to brace himself as he attempted to push himself to his feet, only to freeze at the sound of a low growl from behind him. Slowly the Omega turned around to see Charlie getting back to her feet, the stun from the electrical prod wearing off.
Ignoring the pain in his side, Zach scrambled to his feet and moved as fast as he could to put some distance between himself and the dazed velociraptor but didn't get far before a threatening hiss filled the air. He tried to run but he tripped on a rock and fell heavily on his back before he found himself pinned under the solid body of a prehistoric hunter.
He stared up at Charlie in shock, gulping at the sight of so many razor sharp teeth so close to his face. The raptor watched him carefully for a moment, her fierce yellow gaze never wavering, before she reared back with a snarl.
On instinct Zach threw his arms up to cover his face and cried out, "Charlie!"
A minute passed and when Zach didn't feel claws or teeth begin to tear at his flesh he cautiously opened his eyes and peered up. He gasped quietly when he saw Charlie staring down at him quizzically, her eyes bright and curious instead of cold and empty like they'd been a moment ago. Slowly he brought his hand up to tentatively stroke her muzzle, sighing in relief when she churred softly and leaned into his touch. A loud roar broke the silence and Charlie took off into the jungle.
The Indominus was calling her new pack to her side.
Zach slumped back onto his elbows and let out a shuddering breath as the past few minutes caught up with him. An incredulous- possibly a little hysteric- laugh bubbled past his lips because holy crap there had been a very real chance that he could've ended up being eaten by one of Owen's raptors just now. The fact that he hadn't even been injured by Charlie was unbelievable.
The sudden roar of something that was most definitely not a dinosaur startled him out of thoughts and a familiar scent threw his heart into overdrive. Climbing off of his motorcycle was Owen, the Alpha smelling of irritation, exhaustion, concern, protectiveness and relief. The pheromones and Owen's natural scent had Zach's head spinning and it nearly overwhelmed him when the Alpha dropped to his knees at his side and grasped Zach by the shoulders with his large, warm hands.
"Thank God you're alright! I was so worried about you. What happened, none of the girls hurt you did they?"
"Ch- Charlie..."
"What about Charlie?"
"She was one of the ones that chased us from the paddock. The other might've been Echo, I only saw her for a second. I got pulled out of the truck when the prod got stuck in the camera strap around Charlie's head after Gray and I shocked her."
Owen's expression grew stormy and Zach whimpered, "I'm sorry! I- It was the only way to get her away from Gray, I didn't want to hurt her I-"
The Alpha's eyes widened and he brought his hands up in a soothing gesture to the distressed Omega, "Whoa, whoa there! Hey, I'm not mad okay? You did what you had to do to protect your brother. The prods don't hurt them much because of their thick skin, it just stuns them. It's okay, it's okay Zach..."
Owen made sure to keep his voice soft and gentle so as to not distress the already rattled Omega any further, "You said Charlie was here with you after you fell. She didn't attack you?"
Zach shook his head, "She... She was going to, I think. I got knocked out when I fell from the truck and when I woke up she started coming around too. She started chasing me and got me down, she reared back like she was going to attack but then she just stopped."
"She stopped, just like that?"
"I- I brought my arms up to cover my face, instinct y'know? And I shouted her name-"
"Wait, you called her name and that's when she stopped?"
The younger man nodded, "When I opened my eyes again Charlie was just looking at me and she let me stroke her muzzle. Then the Indominus roared and she ran off into the trees over there. That was less than a minute before you came."
Owen nodded as he got to his feet and offered the brunet his hand to help him up, "Well we know where they're headed. C'mon we've gotta go meet up with Gray and Claire at the Innovation Centre."
Zach took the Alpha's hand, silently admiring how large and rough it was in comparison to his own. But when he was standing upright again it suddenly felt like someone was stabbing him in the side and he doubled over again, gasping in pain and clutching his side.
He'd forgotten about his ribs.
Owen's hands shot out to steady the Omega, concerned about how pale he had suddenly gone.
"Zach what's wrong, are you hurt somewhere?"
Zach winced and swallowed a whimper, "My ribs. I think I might've broken one when I fell out of the truck. Probably bruised some too, knowing my luck."
Owen sighed heavily and reached for the hem of the teen's dark red t-shirt, lifting it to expose a few inches of pale skin. Zach flushed and batted at the Alpha's hand with the one he wasn't holding his ribs with, "What the hell, Owen?!"
"I just want to check your ribs, Zach. We're gonna be taking that motorcycle back to the resort and I want to make sure you're gonna be okay enough to make the trip."
"O-Oh... Sorry."
The raptor trainer reached for Zach's shirt again and caught his brown eyes, "You good for me to continue?"
Zach blushed under Owen's careful gaze but nodded silently, wincing softly as the older man began to pull his shirt up. Owen hissed at the sight of the dark bruise marring Zach's side and lightly ran his fingers over the discoloration, feeling the younger man flinch slightly under his touch from the pain.
"Well I don't think you've broken any but we'll still have to be careful of..."
His words trailed off when he noticed more bruises littering the Omega's fair skin trailing from lower down his sides around to his back. They were obviously from both fists and feet, all in various stages of healing, creating a macabre painting on Zach's body. It was obvious to Owen that these bruises hadn't come from anything that had happened in the last 24 hours, they were older and had had time to heal.
They'd been put there before Zach had ever set foot on Isla Nublar.
"Who did this to you?"
Zach stiffened at the sudden tone of anger in Owen's voice and his eyes widened when he realized why: Owen had seen the other bruises on his body, the ones left courtesy of Scott Mitchell.
The Alpha grabbed Zach by the chin, his grip gentle in comparison to his fierce burning green eyes, "I'm not gonna ask a third time Zach. Who gave you those bruises?"
The brunet swallowed thickly, "Wh- What do you mean "who"? I must've got them when I f-fell..."
Zach himself knew it was a weak excuse and he almost whimpered when the Alpha growled, "Don't lie to me, Zach. The ones on your back are old; they're obviously from before you came here."
Zach didn't know what to do anymore. He'd become accustomed to no one caring about him aside from Gray and absolutely nobody aside from his parents and himself had ever seen the evidence of his father's abuse. And yet here was Owen: the tall, attractive raptor-training Alpha who looked at him like he was someone precious and worth protecting and caring about.
For the first time in a long time the young man felt tears well up in his eyes, "Wh- Why do you care so much about me?"
Owen's eyebrows shot up at the tremulous question that slipped past the usually strong-willed Omega's lips. The vulnerability in Zach's voice made his Alpha side snarl and thirst to punch whoever had caused his Omega pain repeatedly in the face. He could tell that the younger man had resigned himself to being written off by those around him a long time ago and it made his heart ache with the need to hold him close and protect him from all harm.
Owen gentled his touch further and moved his hand to cradle the brunet's cheek, "Because it's not right that you're being treated like this. Because you deserve to be treated like the amazing, wonderful person that you are."
The younger man gasped softly at Owen's fierce yet sincere words and the tender way that the Alpha's thumb stroked his cheek, every so often brushing against the corner of his mouth. The scent of the older man was strong and comforting around him and Zach finally allowed his carefully constructed walls to fall completely.
"It was my father. He's the one who gave me the bruises."
The Alpha paused for a moment to digest the fact and when he responded his voice was deceptively calm, "Does he hit you a lot?"
Zach shrugged and looked at the ground, "I guess... It's usually worse when he's pissed off or when he thinks I've done something wrong, which is most of the time."
A low growl rumbled in the raptor trainer's chest, "Has he ever hurt Gray?"
The Omega's hand flew to Owen's shirt and clutched it desperately, his eyes suddenly wide and frantic, "Never! I'd never let him hurt Gray, he'd have to kill me first!"
Owen curled his arms around the younger man and held him close as Zach began to tear up, "Okay, okay shh... I just wanted to make sure. I know you'd never let anything happen to Gray if you could help it."
That was one of the main things he'd observed in the short time he'd known Zach: despite outward appearances Zach would do anything to keep his little brother safe. The fact that they'd managed to escape the Indominus without more than a few scratches was a testament to that. His inner Alpha growled contentedly at the Omega's obvious protective instincts towards the pup.
The young man shuddered and nuzzled into Owen's shoulder, "I know that I act like a jerk sometimes but Gray's the only person I've got that still actually cares about me. If anything ever happened to him I'd have no one. I'd be all alone."
Owen pulled back until he could look down into Zach's dark eyes, "Hey nothing's gonna happen to him," he gently thumbed away a few tears that slipped down Zach's cheeks, "And you're never gonna be alone. You've got me now, remember?"
The brunet blushed and met Owen's intense gaze timidly, mesmerized as he admired him; strong and handsome, fierce and powerful but not cruel. This Alpha didn't make him flinch in anticipation of a blow or a nasty remark. His whole life- even before he'd presented as an Omega- he'd been conditioned to associate Alphas with pain and distrust thanks to his father.
But Owen... Owen made him feel safe and wanted and, dare he say it, loved. This man who he's known for less than a day made him feel more complete than he had in his entire life.
Zach leaned up and pressed a chaste kiss to Owen's lips, laughing softly at the Alpha's pleasantly stunned expression when he pulled back. He took one of those large hands in his own and tugged the man towards the motorcycle, "C'mon, day's not over yet."
From behind he heard Owen chuckle incredulously, "You sure are something, kid."
Zach smiled happily, he knew that they still had a fight ahead of them to put an end to this chaos and that they'd undoubtedly need to have a long talk about what they both wanted out of this. But for now, with Owen by his side, Zach's world looked brighter than it ever had before.
They caught up with Claire and Gray at the Innovation Centre just in time to discover the truth about what had been going on in the research lab under everyone's nose. Vic Hoskins- the horribly smug Alpha Owen had punched in the face mere hours ago- had been sent running when Delta burst into the lab while InGen had been gathering the rest of the data they needed. Though he'd managed to escape with his life it hadn't been without a souvenir from the raptor's claws.
The four of them fled the lab as Delta gave chase through the lobby and when they got outside they found themselves trapped between all four raptors. Zach tugged Gray close to his chest just in case one of the girls lunged forward to attack.
Owen stood his ground in front of Zach, Claire and Gray and gazed directly into Blue's eyes, "So this is how it's gonna be?"
Zach felt Gray clutch at his arm but he kept his eyes on Charlie. The youngest raptor was edging closer to them while baring her teeth and hissing, which made Gray tremble in fear. The scared reaction from his brother made Zach frown and he sharply called out, "Charlie stop that, you're scaring him!"
To his surprise Charlie's eyes widened at his scolding tone and she immediately backed off, her eyes losing their predatory gleam, churring almost apologetically. Just then the Indominus came from behind a building down the street and roared viciously, causing the raptors to snap back to attention. Owen ignored the beast and approached Blue, carefully reaching to remove the camera strap from around her head.
Once the device was removed and tossed to the ground Owen kept his hand on the side of her face, looking nervous and hopeful. Blue gazed at the camera and then back at Owen, recognition bright in her intelligent yellow eyes.
Owen chuckled in relief, "Atta girl, Blue."
The Beta gave a sharp growl and the rest of the pack rallied around the humans, this time protectively. They had realized who their true Alpha was. With an almost feral grin Owen let out a piercing whistle and his girls were off, charging at the Indominus with teeth and claws at the ready.
Owen quickly herded the boys into a nearby gift stand as Claire ran to one of the shops across the street and he sat of the ledge of the stand so that he could shoot at the Indominus. They all watched in awe and fear as the raptors attacked the hybrid- lunging and dodging around it to jump on its back to sink their claws or teeth into its hide.
Zach flinched when the Indominus flung them all off, sending them crashing into various walls and buildings. When the beast turned towards their hiding spot he scrambled to put Gray between himself and Owen, who had joined them inside when he'd run out of bullets. Gray's screams filled the air when a massive white arm tipped with dark claws reached through the opening and one of those claws managed to catch the strap of Gray's pouch, trying to drag him out. He and Owen held Gray as tightly as they could and before the dinosaur could pull his little brother out Zach managed to unhook the belt, freeing Gray from the hybrid's grasp.
The Indominus reared back, obviously preparing to crush the building they were in, but was blindsided by all four raptors and pushed away from the building. Even though the raptors were a fraction of the hybrid's size they had the advantage in numbers and after a long, messy fight that resulted in some buildings being mostly destroyed they managed to corner the white dinosaur against the water's edge. Bloody and tired, the Indominus let out a vicious snarl just as the Mosasaurus broke the surface of the water. They all watched on as the aquatic giant locked its jaws around the hybrid's throat and dragged down back into the water with it.
The nightmare was finally over.
For the first time in what felt like days- but had really only been about 24 hours- Zach felt like he could finally relax.
The Indominus Rex was dead, Gray was safe (albeit scratched, bruised and still a little scared) as was Aunt Claire and they'd all made it through this hellish day alive, including Owen's raptors.
Zach swayed slightly as his injured rib suddenly began throbbing again now that the adrenaline was dying down but a careful arm around his waist steadied him and pulled him against someone's side. Owen's warm, earthy scent wrapped around him and he allowed a contented sigh to escape him as he leaned into the Alpha.
A gentle kiss was placed on the top of his head, "You okay?"
"As good as I can be after the last day."
Owen tightened his hold on the- his Omega, "Same here. I don't think I've ever wanted a bed so much in my life."
Loud chirps caught their attention and they turned to face the raptor pack with wide smiles. They were all a little worse for wear but they looked very happy now that the threat to their pack had been eliminated.
Charlie leaned forward to nuzzle Zach's hand when he stroked her muzzle, "Good girl, Charlie. You all did so good, thanks protecting us."
Owen smiled as he watch Zach interact with his girls, pleased to see his Omega bonding with the pack so easily. He joined the little gathering and fondly stroked their heads, incredibly proud of his girls after everything that had happened.
"I'm gonna take them back to the paddock."
Zach nodded, "I'll come with you."
Claire's eyes widened at her eldest nephew's words. She could tell that Zach and Owen had a growing bond- anyone with eyes would've noticed it by now- and while she wasn't sure of what she thought about it she knew that her opinion didn't matter. Zach was 18 (thank you Gray for that information) and it was obvious that what was between him and Owen was more than just two people getting together because of a crisis situation. But still, her sister had left the boys in her care...
"Zach, maybe you should stay here while Owen takes them back."
Gray had been watching his brother closely since they'd been reunited and noticed that with Owen Zach looked comfortable and relaxed in a way he'd never been before. He was glad, his big brother had always looked so despondent before but now he looked genuinely happy.
"It's okay Aunt Claire, he's in good hands with Owen right?"
The Alpha chuckled and ruffled the boy's golden curls, "I'll keep your big brother safe kid, I promise."
Claire sighed but couldn't help a small smile herself, "Alright just don't take too long. Lowrey called for a chopper to get us out of here and it'll probably be here in about a half hour or so."
The pair nodded in understanding and, after Zach gave Gray a hug, hopped onto Owen's bike and sped off with the raptors happily running alongside them through the jungle to the paddock. The girls went back into their home with very minimal coaxing, although Charlie was a little reluctant to leave Zach's side because she'd grown quite fond of him.
After locking the gate and feeding them from the overhead platform Zach and Owen sat down heavily on the metal grating, surprised to see that the sun was beginning to peak over the horizon.
"So what's gonna happen now?"
Owen turned his head to look at Zach. The Omega was gazing at the sunrise; he was scratched and bruised, like Owen he had smudges of dirt and mud everywhere, dark circles were beginning to form under his chocolate colored eyes and his hair was a mess. But despite all of that he was the most beautiful person Owen had ever seen.
"Well Mr. Masrani's gonna have his hands full with legal shit once he's recovered. No one but us really knows what happened here but when the dinosaurs from the aviary escaped a lot of people got hurt."
"You think they'll shut down the park?"
"I dunno, it's hard to say. Even after whatever the hell InGen was doing in the lab there's still a ton of eggs and research left there, I can't think that they'll just abandon all of that."
"And what about... us?"
Green eyes flicked over to look at the younger man and found Zach gazing up at him with a mixture of trepidation and hope.
"Well I guess the only question is: do you want there to be an us?"
"What?!"
"Look Zach, you're only 18 I'd understand if you don't want to be tied down to someone 12 years older than you.:
In a flash the brunet was in his lap and glaring down at him, "How the hell could you think that I wouldn't want to be with you?! I mean, have you looked at yourself recently? You're nice, you're hot, you're funny, you train raptors, you're hot-"
Owen laughed, "You said 'hot' twice."
"Don't pretend like you didn't like it. And besides you're really hot, like ridiculously good-looking it's pretty unfair. Anyway like I was saying I have never met another guy, let alone an Alpha, who makes me feel this way. But... if you didn't want to be with me then I'd totally understand."
Owen's eyes widened at the insecurity suddenly in Zach's voice and expression and he pulled the Omega into a tight hug, "Zach babe, trust me I'd have to be an idiot to not want you in every sense of the word. You're brave, strong, smart and so many other amazing things! In the last 24 hours you've captivated me more than any other person I've ever been with."
A shy blush crept over Zach's cheeks, "You mean that?"
"More than anything."
And to reassure him Owen tugged the younger man close and sealed their lips together in a deep, passionate kiss. The brunet gasped sharply but melted immediately and wrapped his arms around Owen's neck to keep the older man as close as possible.
When they parted both men were out of breath and Zach leaned their foreheads together, panting to catch his breath. Owen's large hands caressed his back and sides gently, being mindful of his Omega's many bruises and injured rib.
He pressed short kisses to the brunet's smooth jaw, "There's also the matter of your father."
Zach immediately stiffened, "...He already hates the fact that I'm an Omega. He's not gonna be any happier when he catches your scent all over me."
Owen growled protectively, "If he tries to touch you he's gonna wish the Indominus got a hold of him by the time I'm finished with him."
"Owen..." The younger man looked unsure.
"I mean it Zach! I'm not gonna let him lay another finger on you, I'm very protective about the people I care about."
Zach sighed heavily but couldn't help but smile at Owen's promise. The blonde was obviously very serious and it made him feel warm inside as well as relieved that he wouldn't be alone in facing his father the next time they met, which would undoubtedly be very soon. He was pretty sure that this meant he would never have to face his father alone again ever.
His Alpha would protect him and take care of him but would still let Zach be himself.
He kissed the raptor trainer again, pouring all of his gratitude and happiness into it, and when he pulled back a brilliant grin was lighting his face.
"So I guess this means we'll be sticking together from now on, huh?"
Owen smiled at the beautiful young Omega before him. In the last 24 hours he had watched Zach change from a seemingly sullen and uncaring teenager to strong, loving young man who wouldn't let even a homicidal dinosaur from keeping his loved ones safe.
Of course the most amazing Omega he'd ever met would be the one he chose to be his!
"Safety in numbers, babe; we gotta stick together. Y'know, for survival."
Zach laughed and was pulled in for another kiss just as the sun finally broke out over the treetops and bathed them in a golden glow. He leaned against Owen's broad chest and sighed contentedly against the Alpha's warm lips. For the first time in his life he was dreading seeing his parents because now he wouldn't have to cower, not while he had Owen at his side.
Coming to Isla Nublar had been the best thing that had ever happened to him.
Wow that was way longer than I thought it was gonna be but I hope that you guys enjoyed it. It was my first time writing for Zachwen but I think I did them justice. Thanks so much for reading! And thanks to anyone who faves, follows or reviews this, I always appreciate it very much. :) See ya next time!