Alpha and Omega

Chapter 26

Bucky stared at the leash in his hand. It was fake, of course, but it still ached that it was empty, that Gwen was gone. The truck had pulled away and Gwen was on it. Gwen had intended to leave the collar on the truck and sneak back out so the team could track the collar, but the truck pulled away before she could sneak back off and she was stuck on the truck. Bucky knew what her plan had been in an instant.

And hated that she was gone.

Hated that her plan hadn't worked.

Bucky's shock passed and he moved on to terror and panic. His Gwen was gone. He had to get her back. Now. "Fuck! Her first mission, and she's taken?!" He exclaimed, panic rolling off of him as he tried to figure out what to do.

"Calm down, Buck, she's got a tracker on her and your girl isn't stupid," Cap tried to reassure Bucky. Gwen was an Avenger now, she could handle being alone for a little while. Especially since they weren't going to let her stay alone.

"But she can't transform back, she'd be nude. And if she bite them, they could become werewolves. Hydra doesn't need more wolves!" Bucky protested, unsure how Gwen would get out of the mess she was in.

"I'm already following the signal," Stark reassured him, tracking the collar through Jarvis. "We're not going to lose the truck. You can kill her for scaring the shit out of you when we've reached their headquarters,"

Bucky snorted, "damn right I will," he growled as he started to pace, unable to contain his emotions. He flexed his metal hand, waiting helplessly for someone to have something to help. They had to find her.

Loki appeared next to him. Bucky didn't even jolt, used to Loki's teleporting antics by then. Though Loki didn't mess around on missions, so this was business, not fucking around. "We are waiting here until the truck stops, then I will teleport us directly to her. Be prepared for a fight," Loki warned his friend, his eyes slightly glazed as he tracked the collar by his own methods.

Bucky had a few knifes, and a gun in his hidden holster. He checked them all while he waited. He flexed his hands, nerves and patience running thin. Loki was flipping a dagger impatiently. Finally he stopped, vanishing the blade and placed a hand on Bucky's shoulder. "Do not vomit on my shoes," he warned Bucky firmly. Teleporting could be an experience and he wanted Bucky to be prepared. Bucky nodded and steeled himself, closing his eyes before they teleported.

They reappeared in the parking garage of one of the big skyscrapers downtown. Men were starting to unload the truck that Gwen was in. She was running out of time before she was discovered. Loki kept his hand on Bucky's shoulder and raised a finger to his lips. Bucky watched him confused before Loki's magic shimmered and the pair became invisible. Bucky couldn't see himself or Loki, just a wavering outline around each of them. Loki smirked and the pair could sneak much easier. They drew their weapons and stealthily made their way toward the truck.

They watched a very small wolf sneak back off the truck and hide behind some boxes, not noticed by Hydra. Yet. It wasn't easy for Bucky to not go to her the second he saw her, but they had to be careful.

"Shit, a stray dog snuck in here," one of the men said, spotting the wolf.

"That's a werewolf, stupid," called another, before one of the werewolf Hydra agents appeared, easily told by his wolf ears and tail, scenting the air.

"Omega..." The wolf growled softly.

Fuck! Bucky wanted to pummel him before that wolf got anywhere near his Gwen. He watched in anticipation, trying to keep quiet. She ran, trying to keep out of the reach of the Hydra men. Luckily, she was small and fast. Unfortunately, the other werewolf was fast too and grabbed her by her tail. She yelped and turned to bite at him. Bucky ran over then, snarling as he knocked the werewolf down.

Loki's illusion spell on him disappeared the second he wasn't touching Loki anymore. Bucky didn't care. He had to save Gwen. Loki's daggers and bolts of magic went flying as gunfire opened. The rest of the team arrived shortly after and the full battle began.

Bucky stabbed the werewolf who had attacked Gwen. The male wolf howled in rage and pain as he fought viciously. Gwen grabbed the wolf's arm in her teeth, keeping him from stabbing Bucky back. Bucky had a silver blade on him and sliced the wolfman's throat. He'd brought the silver blade on the off chance that he'd need it. He was glad he had it back. The wolfman howled, clutching at his throat as he fell, defeated.

Bucky used the wolf's tail to clean the blade, before he sheathed it.

"Buck, we're upstairs. Nat's stealing all their data, the rest of the team is taking out the leaders of this Hydra-cell. Do you have eyes on the wolf?" Cap asked over the comms, even as more people turned to attack Bucky and the wolf beside him.

"Yes, but kinda busy. I took out one hydra wolf-man," he replied as he turned to another opponent.

Bucky fell a moment later, tackled by a furry shape. A furry shape that whined in pain as her blood flowed from a bullet-wound in her leg. She had tackled him out of the way of getting shot. He would've been dead if he hadn't. Bucky got back to his feet and rammed the shooter, before turning the gun on him. The man was dead an instant later, shot with his own gun.

Gwen got back to her feet with a whimper. Bucky and Loki wiped out the few remaining idiots. Then Bucky picked her up. She yelped when he moved her, still surprised he could lift her in wolf form. He cradled her to his chest, whispering soothing words to her.

"She will be easier to get out of here, and care for, if she changes back," Loki said as he approached, cleaning off his daggers before he vanished them.

Bucky nodded and found a private corner of the warehouse, back behind some boxes. "Can you shift while in my arms?" He asked Gwen. He should have been pissed that Loki followed them, but he knew that Loki wouldn't make any moves against Gwen and was coming in his capacity as a healer.

She nodded and moments later was human again, naked, save for the collar around her neck, and bleeding sluggishly from the bullet wound in her leg. Loki looked the wound over. "Like I thought," he said as he carefully wrapped it with a bit of healing salve. "Shifting forms speeds the healing. With her healing factor she might very well be healed by the time we get her home," he said and summoned clothes on the omega in Bucky's arms. Bucky was grateful yet again that his teammate was Loki. Loki could be a pain in the ass, but he was a great friend when he felt like it and when he had given his loyalty to someone. And Bucky was his friend. The two worked well together, so they were usually paired. Not many could deal with Loki.

"Anything else you need to do here, or shall I teleport us back to the tower?" Loki asked.

Bucky didn't see anything else. "Beam us away." He wanted Gwen back safely.

Loki chuckled and placed a hand on Bucky's shoulder to teleport them back to the tower. The reappeared outside of Bucky's room. Loki yawned and waved to Bucky. "Too much magic," he told his friend. "I'm for bed," he'd teleported farther than he should have, especially with passengers. Bucky wanted to hug The God... but he couldn't with her in his arms. He nodded and thanked Loki, watching as his friend headed off. He turned his attention to Gwen in his arms. "My room or yours?" He asked, trying to keep hold of his emotions awhile longer.

He was still pissed as hell. Still hurt and angry and terrified.

"Whichever" she replied softly, with a cringing sort of tone that indicated that she knew she was in deep shit.

His room then.

He walked in, kicking the door closed.

He was angry.

So mad at her.

So terrified for her.

But mostly, very, very angry.

She'd been reckless and stupid and he had to kick her ass for it. Despite that she was already cringing and terrified in his arms.