HOME | DD

Description
body div#devskin0 hr { }

I rubbed the sleep from my eyes, they were puffy. I had cried myself to sleep. The sun peeked through my half closed curtains shining right in my face. I rolled over and stared at my dress that lay on the end of the bed.
                Owen’s bike roared to life and I heard him take off to work. I jumped out of bed and quickly got dressed. I had slept in and was running late. I brushed my hair and put it in a ponytail.
                I sped across the island towards the raptor enclosure, I slammed on my brakes and skidded to a halt. Barry waved at me, I gave a small wave back.
                “How was dinner last night?” Barry asked.
                I rolled my eyes as I walked passed him. “Owen didn’t tell you?”
                Barry caught up with me. “No, he didn’t. He has barely spoken this morning. What happened?”
                “It didn’t go as planned and let’s just leave it at that.” I sighed as I walked into the safety cage.
                The girls were listening to Owen as he commanded them to do things. We made eye contact and Blue followed Owen’s eyes over to me. She turned and made her way over to the bars.
                “Morning Blue, I see you guys didn’t tear him limb from limb last night,” I said sternly.
                Blue barked and snapped towards Owen. I reached through the bar and patted her head. She chittered towards me.
                “Blue, pay attention,” Owen called.
                Blue ignored him and kept nudging my hand. I placed my head on the bars so she could nudge my head.
                “You better listen to him otherwise, he will start accusing you of things he thinks you don’t understand,” I said loudly.
                Blue looked between Owen and me. My phone started to ring in my pocket and Blue watched it with curiosity. I answered with a mild hello. It was Dr. Grant.
                “How’s everything going there? Haven’t been eaten?” He asked.
                I knew it was meant to be the joke but then Dr. Grant had nearly been eaten by raptors on serval occasions so it was a little hard to tell if he was joking.
                “Good, these raptors are extremely well behaved.” I held my phone towards Blue and she started calling the girls and they all gathered around the phone chittering to each other. I pulled it away. “What do you think?”
                “How close are you to them?” Dr. Grant asked a little concerned.
                “I had my arm through the bars and one of them was leaning on my arm.” There was silence. “I have also been in the paddock with them. They seem to like me even their trainer won’t get into the paddock.”
                “Well…okay just don’t get eaten. I will see you in a couple of weeks.” He hung up before I could answer.
                Barry walked up beside me. “Owen wants me to tell you that he thinks you should take the day off, he wants to work with the girls and with you around they won’t listen to him.”
                I raised my eyebrow at Barry. “He really is mature. I will catch you later Barry.”
                I walked over to my bike. I could see Owen watching me, he gave me a half smile before turning back to the girls. I shook my head and sped off.
                A day off, I didn’t know what to do with myself. I still had unpacking to do but I really wanted to kick my feet up. There was also a puzzle I was meaning to do, that book I wanted to finish and my clothes to wash.
                I changed out of my work clothes and slipped on a pair of daisy dukes and a singlet. My body could finally breathe, my work clothes always killed my body with heat. I picked up my book and sat outside in the sun with a beer and kicked my feet up.
                It had been a half hour since I left work when my phone started going crazy. I picked it up and Owen’s name was on the screen. I rolled my eyes and answered it.
                “What do you want?” I snapped.
                “We have a problem and we need your help.” He said.
                “What?” I sighed.
                “Charlie and Delta managed to escape and they have us surrounded,” Owen said, I could hear Charlie and Delta in the background.
                “Be there soon.” I threw my bag aside and jumped on my bike.
                I got there and all of the workers were in the safety cage. Owen pointed at Charlie and Delta who looked interested in their caged food. I laughed to myself as I got off my bike.
                “Charlie. Delta. What are you two doing?” I called to the raptors as though they were naughty children.
                They both swung their heads over to look at me. They cocked their heads to the side, I wasn’t in uniform so I looked a little different.
                “Yes, I’m talking to the two of you.” I approached them.
                The men watched in amazement. Delta was first to greet me, she nuzzled up against me. Charlie ran at me and head-butted me a little in the stomach.
                “Thanks, Charlie.” I groaned.
                I started walking towards the safety cage where the men were all huddled like small children. I went to open the door and one of them yelled at me to stop.
                “How else am I supposed to get them in?” I said with a hand on my hip.
                Owen stepped forward. “Do you think you can get them to walk passed us without attacking us?” He asked.
                “I don’t know, you’re their alpha,” I said sternly.
                Owen looked down at the ground. “I think that is a shared responsibility now.”
                Delta chittered at me over my shoulder and I patted her head softly. “Do you think you two can go back into your paddock without eating the scared men?” I cooed to the raptors.
                Charlie snapped and looked unpleased. “I’m sure they will listen.”
                I walked up and Owen held the door open for me. I smiled at him as I hit the gate button. Blue and Echo were waiting patiently. Delta and Charlie walked passed Owen sniffing him as they went. The other men cowered behind me, Charlie barked as she walked through the safety cage making the men jump. Once the girls were all together I closed the gate behind them.
                I approached Barry. “How’d they manage to escape?”
                “After you left, Owen was trying to get them to settle down but they weren’t listening. Delta and Charlie managed to climb the wall which is a first. We all got into the safety cage and waited for you to show up.” He explained.
                “Uh, so you guys want me here for the rest of the afternoon?”
                Barry nodded. “They seem happier when you’re around. Maybe you should try training them?” He suggested.
                I looked over my shoulder at Owen, he was staring right at me. “I will have to speak with the alpha first.”
                Barry nodded and left the safety cage. Owen approached me, he was looking me straight in the eyes.
                “About last night,” I began.
                “I shouldn’t have said those things. You know my girls and you treat them as though they were your children. I guess I have been a little jealous of how they react to you.” He said he took a step forward so the space between us was gone. “Do you think you can forgive me?”
                I smirked at him. “Maybe.” I squeezed passed him. “So about helping you train?”