It came as a massive surprise, close to a shock, to find Alan on his doorstep five weeks later, backpack in hand, dressed in his habitual hat, scuffed hiking boots, a pair of jeans and a dark blue shirt.
"Good morning?" Owen greeted him, making it a question.
"You're off for another run today," Alan stated.
"Yeah. We're going to snoop around the old enclosures, check out a few areas I haven't been to all too often."
"Good." Alan nodded. "I'm coming along."
Owen's eyebrows climbed a little. "You are," he echoed, stating another fact.
Alan's expression was one of stubborn challenge.
"Well, you are," Grady shrugged, deciding to just accept his friend's decision. "We can take the jeep. Let me just get the girls ready. If you want coffee, there's still some in the thermos."
"No, I'm good."
Alan stayed back, watched Owen harness Echo and put the cameras on Delta and Charlie. Blue was glancing over to their guest, curious, quizzical.
He has found courage.
He's stubborn, Owen replied. And maybe it'll help.
We'll do our best.
He smiled and brushed his hand over her side, giving his thanks.
x XX JW XX xx XX JW XX xx XX JW XX xx XX JW XX xx XX JW XX xx XX JW XX x
Delta's scream echoed through the jungle and Owen's head, making him cry out in surprise almost simultaneously. All four had a connection to him, not just as a pack, as individuals, but aside from Blue, the others had never been that forward. It was the privilege of the pack beta.
Owen could hear them, could distinguish their voices in his head. They addressed him with respect as their alpha, but they never talked casually, like Blue did.
Delta's contact wasn't casual.
It was filled with pain and fear, shrieking through the connection and making Owen gasp with the intensity. It was unexpected, it was terrifying, and it was crippling.
hurthurthurthurtPAIN!
Owen squeezed his eyes shut and panted, pushing back against Delta's almost overwhelming presence, her agony, her anger, her fear.
There was blood running down his leg. He was trapped and helpless, spikes of agony shooting across his body.
Blue was suddenly there, inserting herself between Delta and her alpha, creating a shield. She was a buffer, not cutting the bond, just controlling the input, and Owen drew a deep breath of relief.
His hands encountered warm, leathery skin and he briefly leaned against the strong body, felt the coiled strength, heard the deep rumble.
Delta! Owen called.
She screamed again.
Torn flesh, blood, pain. So much pain. Trappedfearangerterrorpain!
And he was off, following the cries, Blue at his side, Charlie and Echo barking from somewhere not too far away. They were calling, urgent and fearful.
Owen crashed through the underbrush, small branches slapping against his clothes and skin. He was dimly aware of Alan's calls, of him yelling something, but he couldn't take the time to answer.
This was urgent.
This was overwhelmingly urgent.
Then he was there, panting, eyes on his raptor. He felt anger and pain rise in him. Shared anger and pain.
"Shit!" he breathed, taking in the sight.
This was bad. So very, very bad!
Delta lay not far away, down a softly sloping incline that ended in a hollow. There was grass growing everywhere, tall, green stalks, interspersed with small trees and rubble. She cried out as he came to a stop out. Her right leg was wrapped tightly in what looked like barbed wire. Blood was running down her leg as she struggled to get up.
"Delta! Stop! Don't move!" Owen ordered, voice sharp and like a whiplash.
She did.
Eyes with pupils blown wide stared at him. She was panting through the pain and from the looks of it Delta had struggled a lot.
Owen had his hand palm out, approaching the downed raptor as quickly as he dared on the slippery ground.
"That's a good girl. Just stay calm. You'll only hurt yourself more."
The grass that had hidden the wire and the coils hadn't been visible. They were twisted, looked rusted in places, and the long prongs were hooked.
"Shh, it's okay. Keep still. It gets worse if you struggle."
He reached along the bond, holding the scared presence, felt her animalistic side so powerful and near-paralyzing against his human mind, but he wasn't just the alpha by name. He was bonded and he was in charge.
His mind could take this, work with this.
He wasn't prey to be stopped cold in his tracks. He could fight back and he was stronger than her.
Owen pushed forward, through the confusion and the fear, brushing over the core that was Delta.
"Hey, Delta," he murmured, seeking her eyes, holding the panicked gaze.
It was a panic he felt everywhere along the bond, that touched the others and confused them. Echo and Charlie were nervously pacing along the border of the grass, aware of the danger, aware of one of their own down and seriously hurt.
Owen still had one hand up. "Eyes on me, Delta. Just look at me and let me look at you. It'll be okay."
She whimpered.
"I know it hurts. So very much. And I'll get you out of there."
We have her.
The pack was there, cushioning their fourth member and Delta gurgled a little, pupils still blown wide, panting.
Keep her calm, Owen ordered and carefully reached for the wound.
The terrible, terrible wound that was a long cut following the wire wrapped around the leg.
Fuck, it looked bad. He would have to cut it off her.
"I'm here," he murmured when Delta twitched, hissing a warning. "We'll get through this."
Blue gave a warning growl, looking at the other raptor, lips pulling back over sharp teeth. Delta hissed again, but she didn't try to snap at Owen.
"Owen?"
He looked over his shoulder, surprised to see Alan at the top of the incline, just a few feet away from Echo and Charlie. He looked muddied and a little out of breath, but from his expression he couldn't care less. His attention was on Owen and Delta.
"Damnit," he professor breathed.
"Alan, I need the medical kit," Grady called. "Echo!" He whistled sharply. "Hold still! Good girl. Let Alan get the kit!"
Echo trilled.
Alan's whole posture tensed and he looked at the raptor no ten feet away from him. Echo had her head cocked, stood perfectly still, waiting. He chittered, shifting a little to indicate that he could take the bag from her.
Owen turned back to his patient, trusting in his pack not to do something stupid. Blue was watching Echo and Alan with no sign of alarm coming through the bond. Delta had laid down her head, was still panting, her pain getting worse as the shock passed.
Owen tightened his mental hold.
"Owen."
He turned and smiled grimly at Alan, who had slid down to him, carrying the saddle bag that contained the medi kit and tools.
"Good work," he said quietly, giving the older man a nod.
Grant's complexion was ashen.
He knew what he had asked of Alan. He had had to get close to a raptor, get the bag off the harness. It was a situation out of a nightmare for anyone who wasn't Owen Grady, and for Alan it had been even worse.
Echo had worked beautifully with the professor, holding still, letting him get the bag without a problem.
You did good, he told her. Thank you, Echo. Good girl.
She yipped.
"Thanks," Owen added to Alan. "I think I need help."
The rest remained unspoken. The only help was Alan Grant and the man was currently so far out of his depths, right in the middle of his worst nightmare, Owen wasn't sure how he might react.
Alan looked at the seriously injured raptor, then his gaze strayed to Blue, who kept watch with singular attention, keeping her pack mate and her alpha safe.
He finally nodded, pale as a sheet but with a decisive expression in his eyes. "What do you need?"
"I'm going to cut the wire off, then remove it from her flesh. There's a wire cutter in there, as well as several syringes with anesthetics and antibiotics. Anesthetics first. I don't want her in more pain than necessary."
"I can do that."
Owen was glad of that.
"You think she'll let you?" Alan added.
"She will."
Delta whined softly.
Alan worried his lower lip, then his eyes were on Owen. "How?"
"I'm her alpha, Alan."
There was a moment of silence, then Grant's eyes widened a little. "Bonded," he murmured. "Okay." He inhaled and slowly let out a breath. "This is fucked up."
Owen smiled humorlessly. "It is. And we can do this, Professor."
"Let's."
He still held the pained mind, soothed Delta with his presence, the alpha an integral part of her safety. Blue rumbled softly, reassuringly, meeting his eyes and nodding.
They could do this.
It would be fine.
Charlie, Echo, keep watch. Attention on the jungle, he ordered.
He got a yip and bark of confirmation, then the two others moved to their watcher positions. Alan glanced briefly at them, then his attention was on the operation.
The syringes and the anesthetics had been given to Owen by Dr. Themming, who had agreed with his argument that he might need a first aid kit that was a little different from the regular versions. Owen was skilled at small surgical procedures and giving shots. He could clean and staple the wounds. Everything else they had to see.
Delta gave a breathy whine, but she barely twitched when he placed the shots.
"Hope this'll work quickly," Grady murmured.
Alan read the labels. "This is strong stuff. She'll be numb for a while."
"Fingers crossed."
When Delta started to relax as the pain was fading into a background throb, Owen took the cutters and began his work.
There was blood everywhere.
"Stay," he told Delta softly as she lifted her head for a moment. "We'll protect you. We'll get you out of there."
She lowered her head again, eyes at half mast.
Alan proved to be a very capable nurse. Owen told him so, drawing a tight smile from his friend.
"These are deep," Alan murmured as they removed the last piece of wire.
Owen was cleaning the wounds. He had to agree. There would be a lot of stapling.
x XX JW XX x
It took almost three hours to finish the little surgical stint. Owen had removed the barbed wire, cleaned the deep puncture wounds and lacerations, then bathed it all in antibiotic fluids, stapled the worst parts, and finally applied a liquid wrap that shone silver against Delta's gray-green skin. It would protect the open wounds, keep the flies away, and was also antiseptic.
Delta was resting, exhausted and feeling weak. She had lost blood and the pain had drained her. Her eyes were partially closed.
Owen removed his bloodied gloves and gently stroked the raptor's nose. Delta blew warm air into his palm, making soft, rumbly sounds.
"You did good, girl. We'll get you back home. Just rest. Don't get up, okay?"
Blue stood behind Owen, nuzzling his sweaty hair supportively. One sharp-taloned claw came to rest on his shoulder, the razor-like tip pushing ever-so gently against his skin without breaking it. He leaned back, encountering muscular strength that wasn't human, and briefly closed his eyes.
Along the bond Blue was hugging their exhausted alpha, a steady, sturdy balance, an anchor that Owen needed very badly right now. Holding Delta had drained him.
We'll spend the night here.
It wasn't a question. It was a fact.
"Alan?"
Grant was still there, looking as exhausted as they all were. "We're staying the night," he stated as if he had heard Blue as well.
"I am. The pack is. I want you to drive back, inform Themming. And bring back the pick-up in the morning."
There was a stubborn line forming on Alan's forehead.
"Alan, please."
"I'll bring the pick-up back right away. We still have a few hours of good light. And you need supplies."
"Alan…"
"Don't argue, kid." He rose with a grimace as abused muscles protested. "You take care of her. I'll do the rest."
Owen exhaled sharply, then nodded. "Okay." He didn't have the energy to argue.
"See you later."
Blue hadn't moved the whole time, standing behind Owen, still touching him. She followed Grant's progress up the incline where Echo was standing watch. Alan straightened and, to Owen's absolute surprise and shock, let the raptor push her nose against his shoulder.
And he briefly touched the sinewy neck, a tiny pat as thanks for her cooperation.
"Okay, I'm hallucinating," Grady murmured. "That can't be right."
Blue radiated amusement, pleased.
Owen wasn't sure that his friend was even aware of what he had just done, touching the very predator he was terrified of. Then again, the last hours had been… straining. It might just have been the very catastrophe needed to undo the knot.
Echo accompanied Alan to the jeep, then watched him drive off.
Owen turned back to his patient, briefly closing his eyes again. He needed to wash off the blood, move the rest of the barbed wire as far as he could, then prepare the site for the night.
"Okay, let's get to work," he decided.
tbc...