This is a far cry from how Blue was when she woke up in the hospital, and for at least the initial part of her time spent with Marie; that's a large part of why Owen is at such a loss. Blue can't fight this the way she fights anything else. They can barely predict it. At first, she seemed to crave every comforting touch she can get, and now even Owen's hands are enough to send her reeling back in horror.

If only Vic Hoskins survived the first bullet to the head, Owen would gladly follow up with a second. Maybe several. Hell, maybe he'd take a few pages out of Omega's playbook...

He rest his arms across his knees again and nods. "He does. A little. I don't like going into details about you girls with outsiders, even family, but he does know that you exist and what you are." Owen isn't certain how much his father actually understands about all that, but ultimately he doesn't think it would matter. He treats everyone pretty much the same.

"I'd have to warn him about a few things. That you're working through something -- I won't give him details -- and a little about the boys too, just to be on the safe side. He's ex-Navy, like me, and not exactly a friendly guy, but he definitely understands wanting to keep to yourself and handle your own business. We'd all go."