JURASSIC WORLD:TAINTED

Chapter 36

This time it wasn't just about shielding.

It was also about branching out his mind again, touching the pack's individuals and riding along as they ran and chased, stalked and waited motionlessly for their prey to make the wrong move.

Owen had learned from the previous times that fighting the pull of the raptor wasn't helping, that he needed to slide along the bond and just be.

With Blue it was easy.

Taking on the other three, too... that was the challenge. Splitting his mind like he was watching four TV screens simultaneously wasn't easy.

But Owen was determined and he knew his brain was capable of it. He was preternatural and he had forged this evolving bond. Sometimes it needed a nudge.

So he nudged it.

He had chosen the safety of one of the spots they usually sought out in the restricted area, making himself comfortable, eyes closed, and then he was off. They were off, the pack.

Owen watched, attentive, never interfering, and he fell into an easy rhythm.

Blue welcomed him, letting him ancho safely as he spread to the other three. Delta wasn't happy about the backseat rider, Charlie felt indifferent, and Echo was her bouncy self.

None of them tried to kick him out or actively shut him off, so he counted that as a success.

x XX JW XX x

The training session went without a hitch, though Owen was left with a faint thrum in the back of his head, like an ache that wasn't turning into anything else. It was simply there.

He had been rather successful, though. Not only had the piggy-backing been an amazing experience, Owen could easily tell apart the different dinosaur minds now, by species, though not by individual. He had picked them up the moment one of the pack got close to the enclosures, approaching from a direction where no tourist would see them.

Some were stronger, some were pack minds. Of course, the rex and the mosa were very distinguished and both knew him by now, almost responding to his mind touch. He didn't need to be close to feel them because they were so unique.

Blue stuck to him like glue the first hour after he pulled back from his exploration of the other minds around him, looking far from happy.

"Has to be done," he only said when she grumbled her displeasure at him.

They have no right to share you. Even if you are the alpha, you are of our pack, not theirs.

"Noted. But they are there and I have to deal with it."

Yes, he had. They all had.

He was the alpha. He was powerful enough to go beyond his pack status.

x XX JW XX x

There were hardly any troopers along the backroads running past the t-rex enclosure. The few Owen saw gave him a respectful nod, guns a little more at the ready than without the raptors around, but they didn't look too trigger happy.

They ran into Dan Carter and the chief of security raised an eyebrow as Owen raised his arm, hand a fist, telling them to stop.

"Taking them for a walk?"

Blue chuffed, tilting her muzzled head. She flexed her claws. She wasn't a dog. Owen shot her a warning look.

Carter's expression was calculating and sharp. "Trying to impress me, lady?"

She chuffed again, now intrigued by his direct address.

"Making friends or trying to get a rise out of them?" Owen asked coolly, aware that the others were more than ready for a challenge.