Chapter Text
Feral Omega Syndrome: a state an omega will enter in order to protect their pups.
At least Evan "Buck" Buckley had always been told it was only for Omegas with pups. So color him shocked when he feels himself slipping into an episode.
just before the tsunami
Christopher, pup of his heart, noticed the water retreating from the shoreline before Buck did. When it did register with him, he scooped the pup up and took off. He ran as fast as his long legs would carry him, knowing somewhere deep in his soul they weren't gonna make it in time. He spotted a game stall tossed the pup in, then jumped in after him. The omega tucked himself and the boy against the wall of the stand.
Buck felt the impact of the water against the side of the game stand, and held onto Chris as hard as he could. As the water put them through the spin cycle, he felt the pup slip from his grasp. After that all he knew was his pup, his best friend's pup was in extreme danger and needed him. Buck felt his rational mind slip away and his Omegan Hind-brain leap forward, leaving him with no clear memory of what happened after.
EDDIE
Eddie was seriously wishing he hadn't had to be at work today. He was severely worried about his best friend, the Omega had been depressed as of late after a blood clot and subsequent blood thinners had put a stop to him coming back to work for the time being. Eddie, being the good Alpha he is, dropped Chris off with him this morning knowing the pup would be the best method to cheering up the taller man.
He'd called them about two hours ago, leaving a voicemail telling them that Chris was gonna have to stay the night with Buck, he was gonna be out late due to the disaster at the pier. His Alpha was concerned that Buck hadn't answered the phone, Buck always answered. Eddie managed to talk it down, telling his inner beast that they were probably busy playing and that's why they didn't answer.
6 hours post tsunami
Bobby approached him concern etched in the lines of his face. To the public he looked calm, cool and collected , but Eddie knew that face well enough to see the tenslon.
"Bobby?" Eddie spoke carefully as not to spook the older omega.
" Eddie! we are on the move" The man sounded calm, but Eddie knew his voice well enough to hear the note of fear under the calm. " we are getting reports of a feral omega protecting a pack of pups and by the description...Eddie... its..... Eddie it's Buck."
Eddie's alpha leaped forward, making his eyes flash red, and a growl to rumble low in his chest, before he could wrestle control back, and gesture for Bobby to lead the way, Eddie hot on his heels.
It took them almost two hours to find them, and Buck was glorious , if you asked Eddie. Buck was already big for an omega, standing at just over 6ft and weighing 260lbs of pure muscle, the omega was absolutely massive right now. His face was more animalistic, his Omegan fangs , though thin and cat-like, looked sharp and positively lethal. his eyes, already blue, glowed with the light of his omega. At the end of each fingertip was an elegantly curved claw meant to protect his baby, and tucked up beside and behind him was ,Eddie had to stop and count, six...six!.... pups one of those pups being christopher.
Eddie looked over at Bobby, " what do we do Bobby? How do we calm him enough to let us help?"
"He needs his Alpha." Bobby was looking at him with an odd expression.
"He doesn't have an Alpha" Eddie replied confused. Buck wasn't seeing anyone new. He would've told him if he'd started seeing someone after Ali...... wouldn't he?
Bobby looks at him with a cocked eyebrow, " considering his clutching your pup to his side" he points at the rest of the pups " even as he protects them all" his eyes find Eddie again " i'd say he does"
" what do I do Bobby?"
" Talk to him, croon, bare your neck, flash your eyes, let him know his Alpha is here to protect him and them pups" there was a slight whine to the older omega's voice, and Eddie knew it was because he saw Buck as his pup.
Eddie nods, then slowly approaches the feral omega. His eyes slowly turn red, alerting him to his designation of alpha. Buck growled at him, it was the most vicious thing that Eddie had ever heard come out of the other man.
"Buck," he crooned, his voice vibrating, as he bared his throat ln a show of submission." Omega....its ok.... you've done your job... the pups are safe."
The blue light in his eyes flickered momentarily, the Omega chirped in question looking around at the destruction, he clutched the pup closer to his side, growling. Chris, ever the smart pup, tugged on the omega's shirt. Buck looked down at him,lowering himself so that he was eye to eye with their pup, whining at him softly.
"It's ok mama" Chris said the honorific slipping out naturally.
Buck chirped at him seemingly beyond words. The pup puts one hand on Bucks face pulling him forward to bury his face in the omega's neck purring this small noise, not a fully developed thing, like an Omegas. It was the way pups communicated with their parents, while young. Buck purred back in the full adult way only an omega can, and scented the boy. Eddie took the opportunity to approach the pair.
"Buck" he said softly.
The omega looked up at him, his eyes their normal shade of blue, then they rolled into the back of his head as he collapsed. Eddie caught him before he hit the ground, it was then that the Alpha saw the wounds on his arm and side.
"BOBBY!"
The older man rushed forward to take Buck, stopping only when Eddie growled at him harshly, his eyes red, his Alpha in control. Bobby halted, then stepped aside, and let the man pass. Bobby turned to the pups, pulling them off one by one handing them to medics to be looked over. the whole time part of his mind was occupied by his subordinate and the man he considered his pup.
BUCK
Buck surfaces in a rush sitting up "CHRISTOPHER!!!" he screamed
" Buck! Shh mi sol" said a rumbly voice. With that voice came the scent he loved most, home,safe,alpha, Eddie. The smell of cinnamon,chocolate and caramel was a beautiful thing.
Buck opened his eyes, to see Eddie standing above him, worry etched clearly on his face. At the sight of him Buck let out a high keening whine.
"Eddie! ..... Eddie I tried!.. Christopher! where is he?! is he?!" he was frantic and Eddie scented him, rumbling in an Alpha approximation of a purr
" hush, amour, our pup is fine," Buck settled, whining at him a little " you kept him ,and about five other pups safe."
" I did?" he asked confused
Eddie hummed in the affirmative
" I don't remember" he started to say as Dr.Preston walked in.
" That's not uncommon, between blood loss and an FOS episode I'd be surprised if you remembered anything" Dr. Preston said the proceeded to give him a rundown of his injuries. A slice to his arm , made worse by the blood thinners, and a puncture wound to his side. " we are gonna keep you for a couple of days to keep an eye on you,just to monitor and make sure there are no side effects from the FOS."
Buck, and Eddie both fidgeted at that, the doctor caught it, and chuckled " don't worry your mate and child will be allowed to stay until you are discharged, we find omegas do better with recovery from FOS when their mate and pup are in the same room"
Before Buck could correct the Dr. Eddie said " thanks doc, you just saved me an argument with our pup about going home."
The doctor just laughed and left the room. Buck looks at Eddie ready to speak, to apologize for the Dr.'s assumptions.
" Don't." Eddie growls softly raising his hand, cutting the omega off. "you heard what the doctor said, Chris and I are staying here"
Before Buck could respond, the door burst open, admitting an anxious Chris, with a slightly frazzled Maddie right behind him.
"MAMA!" The pup yelled climbing onto the bed on Buck's un-injured side. He buries his face into the omega's neck, putting his nose right against his scent gland, immediately soft snores emerged from the boy as he settled into sleep finally.
"Mama?" Maddie, and Buck asked at the same time.
"mmhmmm" Eddie nodded "The first time he said it, it's what calmed your omega down enough to let us help."
" But i'm not his Dam?!" Buck exclaimed softly as not to wake the pup.
" you protected him like his Dam would've," Maddie said " you've been acting like his Dam since you guys met after the earthquake!"
Eddie nods " and look, he's asleep, the first time he's slept this hard since the tsunami"
Buck looks at the pup in his arms and then curls around him, his soft puppy scent of honey, baby powder, and milk, relaxing him enough to slip into sleep. Eddie crawled into the bed beside them, the beds in the hospital designed for Omegas to be able to have their alpha and pup in bed with them.
As Eddie slipped into sleep himself, Maddie pulled her phone out and snapped a picture of the three boys curled up together. She sent the picture to the 118 group chat and left leaving them to rest,