Chapter Text
Steve stops and crouches.
There's something behind the trees, something, not quite lurking but hiding, almost waiting for something to happen, something inevitable. He's been stood here for five minutes now, waiting patiently.
He braces himself and grips the knife even tighter. Then-
He pounces from behind the thick tree roots and stares.
There's a small ball of fluff, no bigger than the space he'd create if he cupped his hands. It doesn't appear to be moving but on inching closer, the blond realises the fluff is covered in dirt and-
-blood.
There's a small puddle of blood. A trail snakes out from behind the ball, sadistically paving the red journey of this tiny thing.
After a moment of hesitation, Steve tilts his head to one side and sheaths his knife, dropping his big woven bag to the floor. He shucks off his shirt and trousers quickly and crouches, letting his limbs morph into a familiar stance. He assembles his form-a big alpha white wolf that's nearly waist height with the average male. An unusually large shift.
He shakes his fur out and carefully approaches the ball, crouching gently and finally, bringing his face closer, breathing in it's scent.
Then he jerks back in shock.
It's an omega wolf pup. It must be a shifter who's been newly born and has just discovered his shift, getting lost from its pack, but then getting attacked viciously. Some awful predator perhaps, that saw an easy target and tried to shred it to pieces.
He can see parts of the pup's brown fur missing, clumps ripped out, torn, leaving horrible scabs that would need a long time to heal. Teeth marks litter it's snout that's carefully tucked close into its belly as if to protect itself from more blows. The pups eyes are closed and it doesn't appear to be moving. It's sweet scent is so faint under the blood that Steve actually worries that this omega might already be dead.
That worry spurs him and he whines and pats the ground near the little wolf, hoping for a response. Nothing happens and then Steve whines louder and paces around it before settling on the ground and curling his body around it to hide it away. Ever so carefully, he nudges the omega's tail with his snout and tries to wake it up.
Hello? Can you hear me?
Steve's heart rate is starting to escalate startlingly at the silence but then he thumps his tail with pride when the little one's ear twitches. He sniffs its tail again.
Yes. That's it, little one. I'm here to help you. Can you hear me?
...he-hello...
The white wolf feels his tail lift into the air and wag wildly. Finally! A response!
Hello! My name is Steve! What's your name?
The pup blinks its eyes open and Steve's tail drops again in horror. Tears begin to leak out of the pup's dim brown eyes as it starts to whimper. It's small belly moves up and down with each quick breath but Steve instantly realises the pup's chest is also bleeding from a long cut that runs from the top of its chest to the tip of its belly. It's breathing is rapid and the pup is clearly going into shock.
Hey...it'll be okay.
M-my chest...I-it h-hurts...
More tears leek and the small being sniffs, raising its head to reposition it further into its belly, curling its thin tail around himself. Inside the safe wall that Steve's powerful body provides, this omega shivers and bleeds with a dying scent and doesn't make a move to save itself.
Why have you not called for help?
N-no one would come...I t-tried...got tired...its alright...
Steve growls loudly at that in rage. This pup quakes in pain, calling out while the world carries on and no one gives a damn. Casting a heavy shadow, he leans over the pup and licks the wounds gently, ensuring that as much of the wounds are covered as possible by his tongue. He doesn't want any of these wounds to get infected out here. Alpha saliva is better at healing than a lot of things.
Whines and shivers come from the omega and it starts to uncurl with each lick, it's breathing starting to rest a bit. Steve caries on, knowing that his healing gene will help relieve some of the pain.
...Thankyou...my name is Tony...
Steve pauses in his grooming and steps over the pup completely, licking its tail now. God, what sick brute tried to rip its tail!? If they'd been successful, the pup would've never walked again. Who would be so cruel!?
Tony. That's a lovely name. Are you a newborn omega?
He sends the thought through but keeps licking the wounds clean. The omega sighs and lets its body go totally limp on the forest floor.
Thankyou. Y-yes. I turned last night. But my father and I had an argument so I left. D-didn't like my shift.
How could he dislike it? Were you attacked when you left your pack?
The cub lifts its head slowly and watches his cuts leak more blood sluggishly despite getting groomed by the massive alpha. Instinctively, he lifts a paw at Steve's fluffy underbelly to try and mimic some form of grooming.
He had the pack come after m-me. I couldn't get away in time so they t-tried to s-slaughter me. They succeeded I think. I d-don't think I will survive now.
The alpha stops and circles around again till he is crouched down face-to-face with the omega. Carefully he hazards a lick between its small ears, pushing himself up when the omega whines and drops its head back to the ground as if dizzy. Tony can barely keep his head up.
Tony. Look at me. The alpha commands, forcing his mind speak through, even though the link is fading.
Tony opens his eyes to half mast but doesn't lift his head up. A bad sign.
Thankyou...for not letting me be alone...you're really kind...I was really scared before...
Even the cub's mind voice is dimming. Fading away. It's tail twitches against the ground in gratitude, despite it barely having any energy left to do so and little tears fall to the ground.
I'm cold...
The whisper resonates in the huge wolf's mind and Steve howls in rage, hoping one of his pack members will hear and prepare for his arrival, and opens his mouth wide, scooping up the omega into his mouth. He makes sure to keep it carefully held and applies no pressure around its flank with his teeth. He tastes the sharp tang of blood on his tongue but he pays it no mind and turns around, launching himself into a full run. He doesn't care about his things left behind or his hunt for food or that his pack has limited resources. He will save this omega even if it means he has to cross oceans to do it.
Stay with me Tony. I will help you. You won't die today.
Faster than he's ever moved in his life, he runs to the pack base. Bruce would know what to do. Right now, it was down to him to get the pup to the medic.
When he arrives at the door to the borrow of his pack, he carefully sets the pup down on a soft patch of grass and stretches out. Once he morphs back into his human form, he bangs on the door hard.
"Bruce! Bucky! Quick, I need some help here!"
While he waits for the sounds of scurrying to get closer, he bends down and pulls Tony into his arms, gently shaking him in his arms to rouse him.
"Tony? Can you open your eyes? I've brought you to my pack home. We'll get you stitched up, don't worry."
A small mewl escapes the pup as Steve holds it close to his naked chest and stands tall, angling himself away from the wind. The front door clicks and opens, revealing Bucky, with bed hair as tall as a cockatoo's. The secondary alpha looks slightly frantic though, like he'd known to expect the worst. Despite that, he tries to hide it with a smirk.
"I swear punk, this better be an emergency, because I did not wake up to be dragged for a morning hunt."
He knows Bucky's trying to diffuse the situation but it gets his back up. Steve bares his teeth and shoves past the soldier's metal arm.
"I take it you heard my call? Where's Bruce?"
The smile vanishes and Bucky's brow furrows. "I did. We thought you'd been hurt so Bruce prepped the medical area. I was gonna come find you to see if you-what is that?"
"This-" Steve lifts his crossed arms up. "-is Tony. He's been hurt badly. He's the reason I came back."
Pity fills his friends eyes when he sees the matted fur, and Steve braces himself because he knows that look. He's seen it enough times in the war. "Steve, we can't help every animal out there. I wish we could but after the last mission, we're low on resources and-"
"Bucky he's not an animal. He's a newborn omega. A shifter. His own pack did this because he was omega I think."
Bucky reels back at that with a snarl before schooling his features and holding his arms out.
"Give him to me. I'll get him to Bruce right now-" but Steve already starts making his way downstairs to the scientist's lab. They'd invested in a small medical area in that lab after the team kept coming back with injuries and they were struggling to find nearby hospitals after missions.
If Tony survives, Steve will invest in twenty medical areas.
He barges through the glass doors and charges up to the scientist, his secondary alpha traipsing after him.
"Stevie, I was gonna say I'll take the omega while you put some clothes on please! Where is the coverage!?" Bucky yells as he rushes behind Steve and whacks his back with a towel that appears out of nowhere.
The blond soldier ignores the punk and holds Tony out to Bruce.
"Please help him Bruce. He's one of our kind but he's been hurt because he's omega. Please, he won't survive otherwise."
Bruce, a short scruffy beta with a kind heart, assesses the trio and then tears his goggles off, tucking them into his lab coat and reaches out to settle a hand on Tony's neck.
"Get some clothes on Steve." He mumbles, adjusting his glasses. "His pulse is low. Blood loss." Bruce looks up. "What's his name?"
"Tony."
Bruce nods and leans in. "Tony? Tony, can you hear me? Move an ear if you can hear us?"
The three wait tersely in silence for a response. Bucky opens his mouth to say something but Steve silences him with a hand. They wait.
Finally, Bruce smiles a bit when Tony's left ear twitches down.
The room picks up and they migrate to the medical bed in the corner which is all set up and Bruce settles Tony on top. In the meantime, Steve takes the towel and wraps it around his waist to save what little remained of his dignity.
At seeing the full extent of the injuries, Bruce swears and settles a blanket over the pup.
"We need him to turn human. I can treat him better that way and see more clearly."
Bucky shakes his head slowly while Steve straightens the thick quilt out more. "I don't think he has the energy for it. And in his current state, it'll hurt to shift."
"If he doesn't, I'm not sure I can save him. I want to increase his chances as best I can. This equipment fits humans only. He needs to shift."
The Winter Soldier tuts and glares. "It's not fair. Scum appear and ruin some poor pup's life just because he's omega. It's not right and someone should go and teach these people-" Steve swings a hand out to grab at Bucky's shirt collar before he can run off and try to harass some innocent bystander on the street.
"Calm yourself jerk. You're not leaving unless it's to get supplies for this pup. Until then-" Steve's eyes darken and he bares his teeth, sharp canines showing. "You wait for me. I'm first in line to tear them apart."
"Alright enough alpha posturing, both of you. Tony still needs to shift."
The alphas break away from their shared look. Steve rests a hand on Tony's head and brushes his fur back gently.
"Tony. Can you please shift for us? We want to help you."
Steve watches with a detached sort of horror as Tony trembles and tries to shift. He's seen this before. It clearly hurts the poor thing to even move, let alone force his bones to change.
Failing to shift, the small wolf whines and coughs out a bit of blood. It's clear he's getting worse.
"I'll shift. Try and push him through." Steve informs them and drops the towel and becomes a huge white wolf again.
He leaps onto the bed, ignoring Bruce's shriek and curls around the pup's head again, like in the forest.
You must shift. Please, it's the only way to save you.
I-I'm trying. It hurts so much-
You must do this Tony. Please, I know it hurts but we want to save you. You have to try.
Drops of blood begin to sink into the mattress as Tony twitches his ears again and tries once more. His whole body shakes from pain and he lets out a strangled noise that starts to sound more distinctly human after a moment. And suddenly there he is in human form.
A young man with familiar brown hair, who looks to be in his late twenties appears before them, flat on the bed and smeared with dirt and scars. Most of his body is hidden under the blanket but judging by the number of cuts on his upper chest, the injuries are likely to be consistent. Steve observes the styled goatee that he seems to be sporting and the long eyelashes that fan over his sickly pale cheeks evenly. He's sweaty and dazed and hot with fever. But still-
Steve feels his tail lift up. What a beautiful young man!
"Hey, hey. Tony? My name is Bruce, I'm a medical expert. I'm here to help."
Tony's eyes flutter open and to everyone despair, his eyes appear glossy, hardly tracking Bucky walking over to Bruce, like he isn't totally there.
"Bruce?...Nice to meet you." His voice is deeper than Steve expected under the rough coughs. An unexpected surprise.
Bruce smiles but reaches for the oxygen mask attached to the canister with a tight grip. Restraint.
"I'm just gonna give you some oxygen and give your cuts a look if that's okay?"
"Okay..." The man whispers, and lets Bruce guide the oxygen mask over his nose and mouth.
"Do you have any allergies Tony? Anything I should know medically?" He asks and puts an Oxygen saturation monitor on Tony's finger to monitor heart rate.
"I don't know..." the man blinks drowsily and lets his eyelids droop, jolting Bruce to shake his shoulders firmly and press a hand over his chest.
"Tony, are you with us?"
"Mmm that alpha? The-the one that found me?"
On que, Steve peeps his wolf head over Tony's head, giving him a large wolfish grin upside down.
He licks Tony's hairline and pants, pleased when Tony releases some of the tension on his shoulders.
Good. Tony should relax. He's got a very strong alpha to protect him.
Tony tries to reach a hand up to stroke the alpha but Bucky firmly pushes it down.
"Relax Tony. You can stroke him later, believe me he's not going anywhere. His eyes are on you."
It's true. Steve is going to watch over this omega and maybe, integrate him into the pack. He's acutely aware of their low resources but he firmly believes this is worth it. The omega needs pack protection otherwise there's a risk he could be kidnapped for breeding or worse. And the fact that it was his own father that caused this-
"Tony, I'm gonna push the blanket down to your waist if that's okay? I'll start with the top."
The omega nods and lets Bruce roll the blanket down to his waist. His thin chest rises up and down with exertion and the long cut is more obvious now that fur doesn't mask it. Steve paws Tony's fluffy brown hair and whimpers. Tony's so thin it looks like he's been starved for years.
This time Tony does reach up to scratch behind Steve's ear. His fingers feel cold and shake against his fur and Steve leaps off the bed to nudge the radiator nearby. Bucky gets the hint and turns it on while Steve resumes his vigil on the bed.
Steve feels a weird sense of closeness, or protection over this man, like Tony has become his responsibility and he takes it gladly. He found this ball of fluff and he must protect it.
Nudging Bruce's hand towards the largest cut makes the scientist huff and shove Steve slightly but he seems to undertstand Steve's urgency. He begins to clean the wounds but it stings and Tony's eyes water. Steve licks the tears away but otherwise can't do much.
He hates feeling so helpless. He hated it back then and he hates it just as much now.
"Bucky, can you go and get some bandages? And some more of this medication?" Bruce hands a list of things for the soldier to get and resumes his work. Once Bucky's gone, Bruce leans over Tony again and asks quietly;
"Tony, I need you to tell me honestly. Are there any wounds down there-that you don't want-that you feel is private?" The words are said and Steve freezes. His body goes tense and hackles rise. He squeezes his eyes shut and prays to whichever god is out there that no one has touched this omega like that. That no one has hurt him so badly that they've ruined that for him.
His naivety shows. Tony's face is a blank stare until suddenly he catches on and shakes his head vigorously, eyes wide. "No, no. I'm fine, they-they didn't do that. My legs are a bit torn up but-nothing else. You can see if you need to."
Steve breathes and licks Tony's shoulder this time. That hasn't been taken from him, thank the lions. It would be awful if that hope and youth was stolen from him before he could experience a heat with a mate to look after him. Show him what it's supposed to be like.
The beta lets out a sigh too and runs hand through Tony's hair. "Good, okay, that's good. I'll just sort your legs out then and after you can sleep. Do you want someone to stay with you?"
Tony says nothing while Bruce finishes sewing up the last chest wound but he looks up hopefully. Steve's chest rumbles like he's laughing and he paws at Tony's hair, earning a small smile from the omega.
Steve's heart leaps and he yelps eagerly over Bruce's laugh.
"I guess Steve's staying. He can keep an eye on you while you sleep and we can talk some more after. How does that sound?"
Bruce gives Tony a gentle look of encouragement like he can say no to any of it and Steve just wants to hug the beta for being so gentle. This is right. This is how omegas should be treated. Like treasures.
Tony nods tiredly and curls his hand around Steve's warm furry neck, perhaps subtly seeking comfort. "That sounds great. Thank you for everything. You've done so much for me, I don't know how I'd even return the favour."
Bruce shakes his head. "You're very welcome. But say that when I've actually gotten you on your feet. Rest up. Steve will be sleeping next to you."