Archive of Our Own

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In 1970, David L. Mech published his bestselling book "The Wolf: Ecology and Behaviour of an Endangered Species".

Not only did this lead to people being obsessed with the idea of an Alpha Wolf- be it men trying to hide their machismo under the cover of biology, women trying to explain their passive behaviour with nature wanting them to "be led", or just fanfiction writers to find an outlet for their excessive creativity- but it also caused a major rupture in America's were society.

Centuries ago during the arrival of the first settlers, the werewolves had been hunted, killed and minimalised to prey for those who were controlled by their feelings. The humans' fear had nearly led to their extinction, deeming a life in harmony between both species an impossible utopia.

When the number of victims had become too pressing for them to keep fighting, the
weres
had decided to take the opportunity and retreat into the woods, into Native American Reservations and into the national parks all over the continent. For their own lives' sake, they had given up the land they had been holding ever since their creation and had become mere more than a tale to the humans.

Mech's book spotlighted the existence of wild wolves once again, made them once again a public interest and made them once again concerned for their safety. It took them years of worrying, years of minimal hunting, years of hiding, to be able to relax again.

Although Mech himself had renounced the term "Alpha wolf" after finding different behaviour in wild wolves, claiming he had made a mistake during his research, the damage had been done. A major part of the werewolf dynamics had become common knowledge to humans, and even if people confused it with normal wolves' behaviour, it posed a threat to the
weres.

Alphas lead the pack, and their demise could bring chaos over not only their own members, but also the surrounding packs.
Weres
without an Alpha were considered wild, rogue and generally uncontrollable, no matter their destination.

The other alphas fought for control, not caring for casualties, not caring for life.

The betas fled, too often breaching the boarders to other packs or even worse, to the humans.

The omegas were left to fight for themselves and their pups, to protect their families from the Alphas that were no longer under the control of the pack's leader.

A pack's dynamic was sacred, regulated and enforced by the Alpha, and yet it took only one rogue wolf to damage their regime for decades- one rogue wolf or a rogue hunter, as in the following story.

***

The day Dean's Alpha had been killed was a cold one at the end of January, some time after his birthday.

Michael's pack didn't care for time, electricity, technology. They were conservative concerning traditions, spending nearly all of their time in wolf form, breeding in wolf form, giving birth in wolf form. It was unwritten law to only shift when the Alpha had allowed it.

After Dean's troubled youth, John had seemed glad to be able to sell his oldest as an Omega when Dean had presented. He wasn't his problem anymore, and if there was a pack that was able to teach his uppity Omega son some manners, it was this one. Of course, it had been hard to see Dean crying in the rear mirror of the Impala as he drove away, but John knew that he had to leave him behind. He couldn't allow his younger son Sam or other pups to grow up idolising this poor excuse of an Omega.

Confronted with a new pack, new
weres
with new smells and a weird ideology, Dean had reacted as he had always reacted when he was overwhelmed- he had lashed out. His new
pack
had spent nearly a full year "re-educating" him, showing him his place in the system, showing him what he was good for. Dean had been forced to prove himself worthy, had been reminded of his inferiority on a daily basis, had been defamed as the weakest part of the chain.

And each of his mistakes had been severely punished.

His 18th
birthday and the heat accompanying it were supposed to be part of the
reward
he had earned with his apparent obedience.

Which was also the reason why Dean didn't mind the freezing cold that reigned said day in January. Heat coiled in his guts, made his organism go into overdrive, made his head go crazy. It didn't erase the rebellion in his heart, the knowledge that this was wrong, that he didn't want this, didn't want to lay in the cave miles away from the pack as so many Omegas had before him- but his body made him pliant to Michael, pliant to the asshole that thought his goons had broken Dean, pliant to the Alpha that for the first time treated him with something different than a whip.

Dean would have preferred the whip any time.

***

Minutes melted into hours, hours into days.

Dean lost track of time.

His thoughts stumbled as he lost consciousness, lost awareness of where he was.

He felt too hot, shouldn't he...

There was somebody who was supposed to take the heat from him- Alpha- but he wasn't-

Dean was alone, shaking in fever and pain.

Michael didn't return.

***

When he finally did wake up, did regain control over his mind, Dean found himself in the
den
the Omegas in heat were brought to. It had happened, he realised numbly. Michael- Alpha- had...

Before Dean had the chance to change into his human form, his instincts took over and he heaved bile out of his empty stomach.Normally, when an Alpha used an Omega during their heat, it was their least responsibility to make sure the Omega stayed fed and hydrated- even in this pack. Yet, Dean felt like he hadn't eaten in days. If his cloudy memory was to trust, Michael hadn't even
been here
during the last days.

Under enormous pain, Dean changed into his human form. His limbs felt as if they had been broken and only half-way healed. Unsteadily, he stood up and looked around the cave. It was a tradition to make Omegas receive and deliver at the same place, which is what this cave was destined to be. A few sparse furs covered where the Alpha had rested, a jug of water stood next to it which Dean greedily emptied, and a set of clothes laid on top of it. They were Alpha clothes- a dark green t-shirt, underwear, socks, a leather jacket, a pair of jeans and some thick boots- but since it was cold and no Alpha was in sight, Dean couldn't care less.

A heavy weight fell from his heart as he found his necklace under one of the furs. Sam had given it to him, before...

Dean sighed as he realised how much time has passed since his presentation heat. He had lost his family, his friends, even his frigging virginity. Now he practically was a slave, possibly pregnant and apparently not worth care during his regular heat.

He should just flee.
Maybe another pack would take him in, Omegas were often welcomed for their fertility. The question was whether they would even treat him any differently. And
if
Dean was
indeed
pregnant-

It wasn't that he didn't want children, he just didn't want them now, not under these circumstances, not by Michael. Yet, should there be little pups in him, he'd protect them with everything he had. He wouldn't give his pups up for circumstances they were a victim of, too. Another pack would never accept another Alpha's child, would never let his pups live. He couldn't leave before he was sure that there were no pups in him he would put in danger. Before he was back in Michael's claws, guarded twenty-four seven, back to his so-called life.

He had lost his best friend the last time he had tried to flee, he thought bitterly. He wouldn't lose his pups
for it, too.
Dean dragged his hand over his face, wiped away a single stray tear that dared to flee his eyes as desperation clenched his stomach in tight knots- desperation, and hunger.

The sun shone brightly as he left the cave, blinded him as sunshine reached his human eyes for the first time in weeks. It had snowed some time over the last days; the ground was covered by an untouched white blanket. As magical as it made the forest look, it was also proof that Dean had indeed been alone for quite some time.

He tried not to feel hurt by it because- he didn't have Stockholm's syndrome or anything! He was glad the bastard hadn't been here all the time. And yet, the Omega couldn't supress the little ache that spread in him at being rejected like that.

The snow crunched under his feet, making Dean smile. The last time he had wandered through the snow had been with Sam...

Strategically, Dean thought to bring himself back to reality and out of this stupid nostalgia, it was good that he was alone. It meant that he had time to think and didn't have to return immediately to the pack. He'd have to set priorities so they wouldn't suspect anything because he stayed gone for too long, but other than that, Dean embraced the idea of him walking around as he wished to. Of him having freedom, even if it was only for a few hours.

Food first, he decided. As much as he wanted to, Dean wouldn't dare to take a bath somewhere since it would raise too many questions, yet he wanted to clean himself as much as he could. Mostly, he wanted to enjoy his time alone though. It had been too long since he had been able to be by himself, to feel connected to nature- to just be okay.

***

In the end, Dean never did reach the pack.

He hadn't been ready to give up his human form and change back into wolf form yet, enjoyed walking on two legs too much, which made hunting incredibly hard. Once again it was thanks to Sammy, thanks to the books the little brother had demanded Dean read out loud for him, that Dean knew what to do. It was disgusting, no doubt, even more so as a human, but if the Native Americans had been able to survive on berries and insects, then so could Dean. Finding the right ones had been difficult, and it didn't do a lot to soothe his hunger, but he figured that it would give him enough energy for the next few hours.

Yet, before he had been able to clean himself by the nearby river, voices came closer.

Immediately, Dean's instinct took over and changed him back into a wolf, accidentally shredding the shirt he had worn, making him wince in pain. If he was going to be caught wandering around by someone of his pack, he should at least be in the adequate form, he thought. He was too weak to endure any punishment at the moment.

Too late did Dean recognise the mistake in his reasoning.

The voices were human.

They were unknown to him.

They were from strangers.

The fur on Dean's neck rose at the realisation and he instantly hunched down, instantly felt the need to flee. Grabbing the discarded clothes with his snout as good as he could, he creeped backwards, skulking into the nearby bushes.

Normally, he wouldn't shy away from a fight, but Dean was weakened and not in control of the situation. Nor could he run away,
as
his body
was
protesting with every move he dared to make. His only option was to stay back and not be seen.

Laughter echoed through the woods and Dean had to use all of his willpower not to growl at the invader.

"I told you it would be easier once we had the Alpha male!", one voice yelled, filled with pride and obvious stupidity. "The others were no problem after we took him out."

"Did you see how giant he was?", another chimed in. "This one will bring a lot of money, guys! One hell of a carpet,
ain't
he?"

The laughter became louder as Dean folded his body even smaller together and willed himself to listen.

"He looked so surprised once the bullet hit him- and they warned us that the beasts were supposed to be clever!"

Bullet. A bullet had hit-

Dean's thoughts stumbled.

"And the others! Mech has been right, they truly were lost without their leader. Don't think I've ever been on a hunt that easy."

His
pack-

"Have you finished bathing in pride now?", a third voice sneered, much colder, much more threating in Dean's ears. "One of them is still missing and your yelling will chase him off! My hope is that he's still in that area, but he sure as hell won't stay there if he hears you two
asshats
talking about slaughtering his pack."

Silence.

Even Dean's breath seemed too loud.

"Boss?", the first one finally started talking again. "What's so special about that one?"

"It's just another mutt, you moron, there's nothing special about him."

They were walking directly past Dean now. Mere feet distance between him and them. Mere feet distance between life and death.

"Then why do we have to find him? It's cold and it'll be dark soon, can't we just bring the others-"

"Did you ever even listen to Mech beyond his Alpha male talking?! All wolves need an Alpha, and if this one becomes rogue... We can't risk to draw attention from the nearby cities. This forest still has enough packs to hunt down without these animal loving idiots crossing our way. We didn't observe this pack for nothing for hours and hours, idiot."

"But boss-", the second voice started complaining, slowly fading into distance.

"Shut up! We'll find the beast and we'll kill it. I won't lose my job because of you two and your god damned lazy asses."

The silence in their conversation was only interrupted by the sound of the snow under their boots. Dean didn't dare to move, even long after the noise had stopped. He just laid there, slowly being covered by the flakes of white that wetted his fur.

His Alpha was dead.

His pack was dead.

He was free.

-he was alone. Hunted. On his own.

Ever since he had presented, Dean had craved nothing more than the freedom that had been stolen from him. The freedom to go wherever he wanted, with whom he wanted, when he wanted. To visit Sam or choose
for himself when he wanted pups, to flick off John or build himself a house- somewhere in the woods, far away from caves and tents, somewhere all for himself and maybe his brother- to just be who he wanted to be.

Now he had the chance for all that.

All that and nothing to start with.

***

It was a week later that Dean found a reason to keep going.

A week of hunger and exhaustion and fear later that he realised it.

A week of a tiny being growing inside him later that he smelled something new on him.

It was only one new smell, faint, barely there- but it gave him hope when he had needed it most.

He had been close to giving up. It was cold and he felt his body weaken more and more. He felt his spirit slipping.

Dean hadn't known where to go. He hadn't dared to go back to the pack lands, didn't even want to. The hunters were trailing the pack boarders, so he had to escape those. But then?

His old pack wouldn't take him back. John wouldn't allow that. His friends, his family, his Sammy- he couldn't reach out to them.

Other packs weren't an option either. He couldn't stand another pack like Michael's, couldn't- Dean wouldn't voluntarily enslave himself to another power hungry
knothead.

The only option left was to stay alone.

When Dean had been younger, still loved by his father as the "next Alpha to lead the pack", John had told him stories about rogue wolves. About how they were dangerous, went crazy without an Alpha, weren't curable. About how they were to be put down immediately.

"Every wolf needs someone to lead them, control them, keep them at bay", he had said. "If the Alpha is killed, the whole pack is useless. They depend on him, so he needs to be strong for them. You have to be strong, Dean."

Once his oldest son had presented Omega, strong at heart, John had probably wished he hadn't said that. But it was too late, Dean had listened, he had imprinted the words into his mind.

He had to be strong.

Alpha or no Alpha, he was a wolf. He had his ancestors' strength. And now, he even had a will to survive.

***

The days passed in a blur of trees, snow and exhaustion.

Dean forced himself to go further, to keep going. He walked along the pack boarders, crossed other
weres' land, followed rivers and streams. It was dangerous, but his only option.

He willed himself to hunt, to keep his pup strong, to keep himself strong for his pup's sake.

He willed himself to spend time as both, wolf and man, to make sure his pup wouldn't be stuck in one form.

He willed himself to not give up.

Further
west, he had heard, there were areas that were not claimed by an Alpha. Free land he could live on, at least temporarily. Free land that could even become his
home.

So
Dean kept going.

And as the snow started melting, he kept going.

And as he became rounder and heavier, he kept going.

And as the tree pollen started to tickle his nose, he kept going.

He just kept going.

***

It was march when Dean realised that he, in fact, could
not
keep going like this.

The very same instincts that had helped him survive his first weeks in the wild, were now working against him. His body wanted to rest, wanted to nest, wanted to create a safe space for his pup. Every step he took felt heavier, harder. Dean was tired.

Each inch in his body demanded the presence of an Alpha, demanded a home. Step for step, Dean fought- against his body, his mind, his designation.

He kept fighting for the little pup that grew in him, until one day, he couldn't fight anymore.

He allowed his instincts to take over.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

"Castiel!
Castiel, you forgot something", a voice made the alpha stop in his tracks and abruptly turn around in the hallway he had just been crossing. In the doorway to his apartment stood his roommate, still clad in her Star Wars pyjamas, a wide grin on her face and a mischievous sparkle in her eyes.

"What, Charlie?",
Castiel
tried his best not to sound annoyed at the sight of his best friend. He had hoped to be gone before she woke up, had tried to safe himself from the annual teasing- but once again it hadn't worked.

The redhead just winked at his exasperated tone and wordlessly threw a bottle into his direction. Thank alpha reflexes, or there was no way
Castiel
could have caught the...
lube?

"Charles, once again, even
if
I wanted to spend my time with an Omega, that wouldn't be necessary."

"I know you're going to be alone in that hut of yours, that's exactly why I bought it for you. You need to destress Cassie, so... whatever helps,
y'know", she shrugged, smiling as if she was Lucifer in person.

Castiel
rolled his eyes- they have
had this conversation way too often for him to still feel scandalised by it.

"Bye, Charlie."

"Have
fu-un", she chimed before running back into their apartment, her giggles still audible through the closed door.

Again, he rolled his eyes, grumpily discarded the lube into his duffle bag, and made his way down the stairs.

Sometimes,
Castiel
wondered whether it had been the right idea to tell Charlie about his nature. It made matters easier, made her understand him and why he left into the forest once a year- and yet. Charlie was human, and there were some things she just didn't get- like his ruts.

Of course,
Castiel
liked living in a human city, he truly did. Not only had it allowed him to go through college, but it had also freed him from the archaic pack dynamics he had dreaded so much growing up. Democracy, law, a social state- all these concepts, these fascinating human concepts, and none of them had reached the were society. Many packs were still living in caves, still bathing in rivers, still hunting all of their food. Especially the pack he had grown up in had shown itself chronically resistant to change, which made the decision for him to leave it a lot easier.

Yet,
Castiel
also had to admit that there was no way he could supress his dynamics, or his instincts.
Not all of the "rogue wolf" talk had been wrong, he had found out.
After he had left the pack lands, he had quickly realised that he became too aggressive, too grumpy, too
alpha
without a connection to his roots. Reluctantly, he had stopped supressing his ruts and instead chose to spend them in an old house he had bought, comfortable and distant from any humans, yet away from any pack lands too. While
Castiel
couldn't erase his instincts, he yet wanted to control them as much as possible.

Not to mention that not supressing his ruts anymore
finally gave his
conscience
some rest. He knew that true mates were rare, very rare, and yet- should he have a soulmate out there, they'd suffer too under those drugs. True mates were designed to have matching cycles every year; messing with one's heat or rut always held the danger of hurting the other.
Castiel
didn't want to hurt anyone, his mate even less.

If being in a rut once a year meant that he could possibly keep someone else safe during that time, he'd be willing to let his wolf take over.

The drive was long, but
Castiel
enjoyed the speed, the wind through the open windows of his car and the music blasting through his stereo system. Driving to the house always felt like going home, like discarding the human mask he was so used to by now. And while
Castiel
did not look forwards to his rut, he always loved the second part of his stay. The week he passed with reading and fishing and hunting, with being who nature had wanted him to be.

Especially after the stress of the last year, he felt like he had truly deserved it.

***

Of course, it all came different in the end. Because, once
Castiel
had manoeuvred his car into the depth of the woods near the Sequoia national park, there was already another car blocking his driveway. A car he was uniquely familiar with.

Bags and food forgotten in his vehicle,
Castiel
sprinted out of his own car, up the stairs to his porch, ripped open the door to his little domicile and-

It was truly him. Gabriel. Snoring on the old, leather clad couch, a lollipop still hanging out of the corner of his mouth.

Castiel, confused and elated at the same time, froze. It had been years since he had last seen his brother,
years.
His beta sibling, only a few years older than himself, had left the pack before him. He was actually the one who had planted the idea of a life outside the were society, a life away from their Alpha, a life in freedom, in
Castiel's
mind.

Although there had been letters from time to time, postcards from Alaska, Haiti or Las Vegas, souvenirs from all over the world, that had landed in his mail-
Castiel
had never been able to answer his rolling stone of a brother. The last time he'd seen him, Gabriel had driven away in the very same golden Lincoln Continental that now stood in his driveway, his taillights shining in the night like the eyes of a predator.

Yet, all of his worries for his brother had been null,
Castiel
realised as he kept staring. Gabriel looked good. His hair was long, his beard gruff and his face had aged as it was to be expected to have happened within
six
years. Still, he couldn't grasp it. Couldn't grasp that this here. This man lying on his couch. It truly was his brother.

"Has no-one ever taught you that it's rude to stare?", a muffled complaint brought him out of his reverie. Gabriel hadn't moved, but a smirk played around the corner of his lips.

"Actually, I've been raised by my brother, and considering
his
manners I dare to say that I turned out quite well."

With a laugh, Gabriel finally opened his eyes, sat up on the couch and stretched his arms over his head; intense amber eyes fixed on the younger sibling.

"You've always been a little shit, Cassie."

Castiel's
expression softened considerably. "I missed you too, Gabe."

Mere moments later, he found himself wrapped into his brother's arms and being squeezed tightly.

"It's good to see you, little bro", Gabriel whispered into his shoulder- making
Castiel
realise how much time has passed. The last time they had seen each other, they have had the same height with
Castiel
being a not yet presented scrawny teenager. Now, he towered a full head above his older brother.

"You too", he smiled pulling back. "Do I even want to know how you've found this place?"

"Probably not. And I'm afraid you won't be glad I'm here once I've told you what brings me..."

Castiel's
face fell. Worry spread in him, darkened his joy over being reunited with his brother, with the person who has once been his best friend.

"Do we have to talk about it
now?"

"I'm afraid so. You might want to think about taking a rut suppressant once you've heard, so that should happen as soon as possible."

"Gabe",
Castiel
started protesting instantly, "I really don't-"

"Cassie. Please? I...", Gabriel gulped. "I know I haven't been a good brother to you. I haven't been there when you needed me, and it's selfish to ask for your help in this matter. But- it would mean a lot to me if you could just hear me out. Okay?"

Sighing
deeply,
Castiel
ceased. He didn't want to ruin this reunion before it had even really started.

"Fine", he murmured. "But Gabe- I can't promise you anything."

"That's understandable, little bro", Gabriel smile seemed forced as he nodded towards the couch. "Can we sit?"

***

Castiel
hadn't thought that it would hit him that hard. He hadn't even liked Michael after all, quite the contrary.

When his cousin had become Alpha of the pack, a lot of things had changed. Like his father Zachariah before him, Michael had set traditional values and norms- traditional and outdated. Within a year, omegas had been minimalised as a lower class, reigned by alphas. Betas had become mere more than workers without a voice, and alphas were both, the judiciary and the executive power without even a standing legislative.

It had played a major role when
Castiel
had considered leaving the pack, had convinced him to seek out a life in freedom. He hadn't missed the pack. And yet.

"All of them?"

Gabriel sighed.

"Whoever they were, they knew what they were doing. No experienced hunter would leave a pack member behind, you know that. And we haven't found anyone around the pack lands, either."

Castiel
rubbed his hand over his forehead in exasperation, then straightened where he sat on the armchair.

"All of them. Gabriel, the pack wasn't large but they were-"

"I know", the older brother shook his head. "It's not even the first pack they have attacked. At least two other packs have practically vanished off the map without an explanation, all in immediate proximity of the hunters at some time. From what I've heard, they mostly make money selling the fur or... or the pups."

With a huff,
Castiel
rose from the chair and paced up and down the room.

This was- it was disgusting. Hunting a species for money, for their simple greed for more.
Domesticating wolf pups. Raised without their pack, they'd be stuck in their wolf form, raised to act like a tamed dog.

"I know that you and Michael didn't get along", Gabriel started carefully. "And I'm not asking you to join me to get revenge or something stupid like that. But it'd be naïve to think that the hunters stop now- and if they don't do it themselves, we have to
make
them do so. We can't allow them to further eradicate our nature and abominate our pups,
Castiel. If there ever was a time to stand up for our kind, it is now."

"And what do you want to do once you've found them?"

"We already did. Their trailers are around 50 miles from here."

Abruptly,
Castiel
stopped in his movement to turn to Gabriel, eyebrows raised, his gaze assessing.

"Then what do you need me for?"

Gabriel sighed.

"Would you mind sitting down? You're making be all nervous like that."

"Don't dodge the topic",
Castiel
sat down anyway.

"Think about it, Cassie", Gabriel leaned forwards. "We can't just kill them, I mean we don't want the other humans' attention on us once again. A group of campers killed by the rogue wolves that live in the forest? We want the hunt to stop, not to become even worse."

Castiel
nodded absently, tense. No matter how detestable these hunters were, he didn't know whether he was really able to
kill
someone should it come that far.

"I have talked to other packs- the Singers, the
Harvelles, the Winchesters. We have a plan, but we need you for it, you and your human mastermind."

"What is your plan?"

"We'll fight them with their own human weapons."

***

Castiel
nervously tapped his fingers on the wardrobe where he was standing in front of it, the suppressant laying there as if it was all innocent.

Taking it would mean that his rut wouldn't come for another few months.
It would mean possibly hurting his true mate.
It
would also mean that he decided to help Gabriel and the other packs with the hunters.

Castiel
sighed. He didn't like the plan, nor did he like the idea of being with packs again. Spending a lot of time in the human society had changed him and his idea of a working system, of a just system. It was everything the wolves weren't.

On the other hand- there were lives in danger. Pups' lives. He couldn't justify him not helping with his selfish idea of a better society. It was only for a few weeks, and as someone who has literally been raised by the wolves, he felt like it was his duty, too.

Caught by the spur of the moment,
Castiel
grabbed the
pill
and swallowed it.
In his mind, doubt was still prominent. But in his heart-

Not that he'd ever admit it, but in his heart,
Castiel's
wolf was cheering at the thought of running around again. Of being who he really was.

After he had sent Charlie a quick text so she wouldn't worry, he came back out of his bedroom -only to find Gabriel roaming through his kitchen cabinets.

"I brought your food in from the car and put some stuff in the freezer. Also, you don't have enough sweets. As your older and more responsible sibling, I have to say that I'm disappointed- why are you looking at me like that?"

Castiel
huffed a laugh. "Just glad you haven't changed."

"Awww", Gabriel cooed. "And now tell me where you hid your chocolate."

***

The hunt took even longer than
Castiel
had expected.

Around twenty wolves from three packs worked together, plus Gabriel and himself. Honestly,
Castiel
was impressed by how progressive two of the packs were- for example with the
Harvelles
and the Singers sharing pack land.

The
Harvelles
had a female Alpha, who
Castiel
immediately took a liking in. Ellen was a kind being, but everybody who dared to cross her path or disrespect her quickly met her other side. Bobby Singer was calm and regardful and correlated perfectly with Ellen's nature.
Castiel
wondered whether there was something between them; Alpha/Alpha relationships were rare but not unheard of after all.

The only Alpha he tried to avoid was John Winchester, who never lost a chance to show the others
exactly
how
much of an alpha he was.

The first part of the hunt had been easy.
Castiel, posing as a confused hiker, had told the police how he had seen hunters killing wolves in the wildlife-sanctuary. With the evidence in the trailers- and some other evidence Gabriel had planted there- they were assured that none of the hunters would get out of this without spending a few years in jail.

Freeing the pups had been a bit more difficult, but with Bobby Singer posing as a forest ranger, they finally had them back in the were society. All twelve pups had lost their families, their packs, their homes- and possibly the ability to change into a human form. The Singer and the
Harvelle
packs offered to take them in and raise them, lifting a heavy weight from
Castiel's
shoulder. He was glad that they could have an at least somehow normal life now.

The third was the most difficult part of the hunt. After all, the hunters were only the henchmen, exchangeable workers for someone who wanted to profit of the dead wolves. Someone too powerful to ever end up in jail.

Fergus McLeod, in the scene also known as "Crowley", died on March 15th. After weeks of searching, weeks of research, weeks of planning, it had only been one cup of tea that had brought his downfall. Admittedly, one cup of tea with a little extra ingredient.

Once they had found his paperwork, the whole organisation had a quick demise.

It was both a shock and a relief to find out that Crowley had really thought he had hunted normal wolves. A shock, because exploiting a species for simple matters like money was a disgusting way to behave. A relief, because they wouldn't have to worry about other hunters, wanting to profit from the rare creatures.

For
Castiel, it meant that his part of the hunt was over. Gabriel, John, Bobby and some members of the packs kept searching for Crowley's business partners, but Ellen and
Castiel
parted ways with them at this point. Too long had her pack gone without a leader, the Alpha had said as she bid the other farewell. Too long had she not been at the place assigned to her.

"Take care of yourself, son", Bobby grunted, surprising
Castiel
by squeezing his shoulder. "You're one of the good ones."

"Thanks, Bobby. If there's ever anything I can do-"

"Of course. And if you ever miss the pack life, feel free to visit us."

Castiel
smiled at that. So far, all the packs he had met had been an in-or-out deal. None had ever offered him the right to visit without committing to them, without binding himself to them.

"I'd be honoured to do so", he said gratefully.

Bobby only nodded and went to the other pack members who
Castiel
had already said goodbye to. Some of them, he'd really miss, others-

Castiel's
gaze fell on John Winchester who was casting him a disapproving look. He had made it excessively clear what he thought
of
Castiel’s
„lifestyle
choices“, what he thought
of
a were posing as a human. Rumour had it that the Winchester Alpha was a traditionalist, with values even his own family hadn’t been able to escape from.
At one point,
Castiel
had asked Bobby why he and Ellen acted so dismissive towards John, receiving a story he had rather not heard. According to Bobby, John’s oldest son had vanished a short time after his first heat, and while nobody knew what exactly had happened, John hadn’t allowed anyone to search for him. Rumours were that he had mated him off to another pack. Rumours that made Bobby’s eyes glint in barely
supressed anger.

“I can’t do anything about it”, the older Alpha had told
Castiel
in exasperation. “I have no idea whether that boy is even still alive or
does
experience the happiness he deserves. All I can do is try to keep John at bay so his younger son will have a better fate. Sam wasn’t made to be stuck in a life like that.”

Gabriel brought
Castiel
out of his thoughts,
finally
made him break the eye contact he still had with John Winchester.

“I don’t think you’re his type, baby bro”, he grinned, a warning hidden in his voice not to provoke the Alpha.
“Don’t worry,
I'll cope",
Castiel
smiled
half-heartedly. He hesitated. "Is this goodbye, Gabe?"
"More of a
see you next time",
Gabriel smirked. "Can't leave my little brother alone for that long again, can I?"
"I'm really not that much younger."
"You keep telling yourself that."
Castiel
huffed a soft laugh. "It was great to spend time with you again, Gabe, even under those circumstances. I know you enjoy your freedom, but... if you're ever in the area, don't hesitate to come by, okay?"
"Of course, Cassie."
This time,
Castiel
was the one to
initiate
the hug, holding his older brother tightly. As he pulled back, a sad smile marked his features: "See you next time, Gabe."

***
Castiel
had decided to stay in his house for a while. Not only was his
supressed
rut going to come in the next few months, but him reconnecting with other wolves also made
him
miss
what he had once been glad to give up.
This...
it seemed worth
missing a few more weeks of lectures.

He sighed as he once again walked up the steps to his porch. He could work on his college
lessons over the internet, could use the time to read all the books he had once bought but discarded for later, could-
A smell reached
Castiel's
nose. A smell he hadn't scented in so long, it took him a moment to
remember
what it was.

Omega.

His house smelled like omega- omega in distress.
Castiel
froze, unsure of what to do.

A scream of pain echoed from inside, making him react instinctively.
Castiel
sprinted up the stairs, ran inside-
Someone has lived
here;
the signs were clear. The blanket on his couch was scrunched together,
food laid on the floor, and most importantly, a whole new smell was all over the
furniture.
Castiel
took a deep breath to steady himself, inhaling the scent that was filled with pain, reminding him why he ran inside in the first place.
Carefully, he walked through the living area and to the smaller rooms in the back. Should there be someone dangerous here, he could shift and defend his territory, he thought. And yet, his instincts told him that it wouldn't be necessary. His instincts told him to protect.
Castiel's
bedroom was empty.
His bathroom, his office, the
guestroom- empty.
His
laundry-room-

Castiel
stopped dead in his tracks. His laundry room was a mess. His clothes, his towels, his blankets were piled up as a nest in the small room
that was
merely bigger than a closet. On top of it laid a wolf, a beautiful, brightly
coloured wolf, eyes closed, breath
flat. And next to him,
desperately whimpering, laid a pup, not older than a few hours.

What the hell had happened here?!

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Dean woke in a cloud of softness and pain.
He hunched together, flinching at his hurting limbs, releasing a soft whine.

Something was wrong. Something was missing. Something-
Bright light blinded him as he forced his eyes open, instinctively huddled closer to his pup to clean it. His wolf huffed contently at having it so close, at being able to look
after it- after her. He had a daughter, now, Dean thought, carefully
daring to be
happy.
Once he was sure that his little girl was alright, he looked around. Although in wolf form, they laid on a bed, a warm blanket drawn over them, other blankets and towels and
jackets stacked around them.
That wasn't...
Dean remembered bits and pieces of his wolf taking over. He had heard of it, had heard of
weres
in danger for their life
having the stronger side of their nature taking control to protect them and their kind. Never had he thought of it as more than a tale, until his wolf had led him to the empty house. A shelter, food, safety- his wolf side had
saved
his life.
Yet, what he could not remember was him in this room. It had smelled too much like alpha for him to
even take a step into it. He had made himself a nest in a small room. Not... not this.

Dean was too exhausted to keep wondering about his wolf's weird preferences
and why the smell was apparently okay now. It was a nice smell, he did admit it. His gaze fell back on his little girl, tightly asleep against his chest. She was so small, so fragile. Softly, he nuzzled against her, tucking her under his chin.

And knowing that she was safe here, Dean could do nothing but doze
off again.

***
"Hush, little one, come on. You'll be fine, just let your daddy sleep some more...
shhh, please, I beg you."
Within a second, Dean was wide awake, the fur in his neck rising, a snarl
rumbling in his throat.
There was a man, tall, broad, with his whining pup in his arms.

A were.
An alpha.

Dean jumped
to
his feet, ready to attack and
fight for his little girl, but he barely stood as a pained yelp
tore
out of him, the ache
making
him stumble and fall down again. He panted, tried to make his body obey, tried to ignore the panic that rushed through him. His pup was in danger, he had to-
The alpha cursed, rushing towards him, making Dean snarl even louder.

The man didn't seem impressed, didn't even react to that. Carefully but quickly, he sat the pup down on the bed, hushing it towards Dean and- a few clumsy wobbles
later, Dean
felt his
little girl cuddled under his chin. Had he been in his human form, he would have cried tears of relief.
It hurt, but Dean moved his head enough to bump his nose against her, check her smell. She was excited, but otherwise fine.
Involuntarily, Dean huffed. Figured
that
his little girl was a fighter.

The alpha still stood a few feet from the bed, his demeanour tense, his eyes trailed on him. Dean, aware that he couldn't actually do anything to defend himself or his daughter in his current state, trailed back his flews in warning, showing the other his teeth.
"I'm not here to fight you", the man said with a voice so deep, there was no way he was
anything else than alpha.
Dean didn't lower his head.
"Okay", the man sighed. "I won't come any closer to you, I promise. I... My name is
Castiel, this here is my house. I found you in the laundry room three days ago with your pup, but you were in a bad condition. Believe me, I'm really glad to see you finally
awake. You had me worried there
for quite a while."
And he smiled.
Confused,
Dean dropped
his flews, his eyes still fixed on the
strange were, his chin still protectively over his little pup.

"I also know that you probably don't trust me, but you haven't eaten in at least three days. You need your
strength, for yourself and for her", the alpha-
Castiel-
nodded towards him and his
daughter. "If I bring
you something, will
you eat it?"
Dean didn't move. Partially, he was too confused to answer. This were, an
alpha, had allowed him to stay after
Dean's
wolf had invaded his
land? He had looked after his daughter and now he offered feeding him? He hadn't
just
killed
them?
Mostly though, Dean was just too exhausted. With his pain, his tension, his fear for his little girl, all he wanted to do was sleep.
Dean flinched as
Castiel
started talking again. "We'll just try it, okay? I'll be right back. Please, try and stay awake for a few more minutes."
The alpha moved towards the bed,
and
Dean couldn't supress the rumble in the back of his throat. It took him a moment to understand that the other one only wanted to reach the door on the other side of the room. Thankfully,
Castiel
didn't react, only smiled sadly before he went into the hallway.
The door was left open, Dean realised. He could try to leave, at least leave this room and go back to his little cave on the other end of the hallway. And yet- this here was his nest now. Alpha had made this nest for him and his pup. He didn't want to leave it.
At his chest, his baby girl was stretching her tiny legs. Dean couldn't stop looking at her, proud, glad, afraid. She was so small, way too small. A wolf was normally born after two months,
or two full moons as
Michael's
pack would have said. Wolf born
weres
were always smaller than human born kids, but he hadn't ever seen a pup
that
small. Her eyes were still
barely open, her movements
clumsy
and uncoordinated and her little ears twitching at every noise. Dean carefully inched back and continued cleaning her.
He hadn't even been able to look after her after she had been born. The strange alpha had saved her life, he realised, his head spinning in confusion. Still, he couldn't pinpoint
his
motives in this whole-
Said were entered the room in that very moment, a tray with various bowls in his hands, a soft smile on his lips.
"I made you
something light in hopes that you can stomach it; I hope
tomato soup and rice is acceptable. There's some water and a bit of formula for your pup that I had ordered a few days ago to give you a chance to rest. It's up to you whether you want to use it or not, just look how you feel",
Castiel
hesitated. "Can I come closer to put it on the
bed?"
Dean looked at him, assessed him. In the end, he thought that if the alpha hadn't hurt them yet, there was no point in him starting
now. He laid his head on the
blankt
as a sign of him agreeing.
Castiel
nodded, his eyes kept on Dean as he slowly walked past him and towards
the side of the bed. The bowl with the soup was placed in front of him. Dean flinched at the
angry
grumble of his stomach, yet he didn't stop eyeing
Castiel
critically.
Said
were's
gaze was trailed on the little one, softness in his eyes that Dean hadn't expected from an alpha. "Do you want to feed her
yourself? Otherwise, I can make the formula and you can try later when you're feeling better?"
Dean was torn. Of course, he wanted to nurse his baby, wanted to be close to her, but every inch of his body screamed at him not to do it, to rest and become stronger first.
"It's no shame to have her fed until you have healed",
Castiel
said as if he had read his thoughts. "A few times of being fed with a formula will be better for her than not having her
father
around at all."
Dean huffed. He was too tired for this. His eyes fell on the bottle that laid on the tray. There was no way he'd be
able to hold it as a wolf, nor was he capable of shifting at the moment. He looked back at
Castiel.
"Do you want
me to hold the bottle?", the man
asked, kind of bewildered, surprised.
Softly bumping
his little girl with his nose, Dean shuffled her closer to
Castiel. He didn't trust the alpha, not at all. Yet, this was the only way to make sure that both of them were okay. He couldn't let his daughter starve because he was too weak to feed her when there was an alternative.
And should the other wolf try anything, Dean was ready to jump and protect her, no matter the pain.

Castiel
hesitated, then he took the bottle and sat down on the bed, as much distance between him and Dean
as
possible. Before giving the pup the milk though, he
nodded towards
the bowl
in front of Dean, giving him a stern look. "You need to eat, too."
Too tired to disobey, Dean did as his alpha had said- not even realising the shift in his mind. To him,
Castiel
was a stranger. To his body though, he was already accepted as pack.
As Alpha.
Carefully, Dean dipped his tongue into the soup without losing eye contact with
Castiel, only to then forget everything and literally wolf down the entire bowl. He hadn't even realised how hungry he had been, how much he had needed food.
When he looked back up,
Castiel
cradled his pup in his arms, the little girl greedily sucking on the
bottle. The alpha smiled down on her, only looked up once he noticed Dean had finished.
"She's beautiful. I can't wait to year your names", he said softly. Then, his face
fell. "Not that I want to rush you to change. Your wolf form will heal faster, and you probably feel safer in it, too. And I can stay in this form so your pup is used to both smells. Just don't worry about it, okay?"
Dean only kept staring.
He hadn't ever met a wolf so... so friendly, so nice. So
human.

"Also, I think it'd be good if you spent a few more days in bed.
Of
course,
you're free to do whatever you want. If you want to leave- I can't stop you. But for your own, your
pup's and also my sanity's sake, please consider staying at least until you've healed. I don't think I could deal with having you two out there in this condition."
Dean's tension slowly left his body. He wasn't
a prisoner here, he realised, he was free to go if he wanted to. Yet, this strange alpha offered his help. And as much as it ashamed him
to admit it, but he couldn't look after his pup alone. He'd need the help.
"Don't decide now. You need some rest."
Castiel
softly put the little pup down on the bed, daring to set
her
down directly in front of Dean.
He reacted on
instinct.

Before
Dean
has had a chance to think about it, he had raised his snout to the other
were's
hand, giving it a gentle nudge. A little thank you. And
an
unspoken apology.
Quickly, he lowered his head over his pup again, his eyes closed. He didn't want to see
Castiel's
reaction. For now, he only wanted to sleep.
Already dozing off, Dean barely felt the hand driving through his fur or heard the soft "good night". Yet, a feeling of safety spread in him. He and his pup were in good care.

***

He was in the cave again. He wasn't alone.

His little girl laid in his arms, her tiny head resting on one of his- hands?

Dean was in his human form.

Michael wouldn't like that.

Said Alpha sat

on the other end on the cave, his wolf giant and majestic, his glare shooting daggers at Dean. A snarl made Dean flinch, his arm protectively over his daughter.

"You stole her from me", the wolf grumbled, his eyes red in

aggression, his voice familiar
. "You have no right to be with her."

Dean started

shaking, cradling the pup even closer to his chest.

"Give her to me, o
mega! She deserves better."

John. It was John's voice. John telling him that Sammy deserved better.

"
Yo
u

will just screw her up as you always do."

The

Mich
ael
/John wolf stepped closer and closer, his giant paws scrunching on the cold floor. Dean felt

tears escaping his eyes, his desperation growing with every second. How was he supposed to protect her like this? What could he-

The wolf lowered his f
or
m, prepared himself to launch at Dean. His little girl was whining in stress, a hand carding through his fur, a soft voice-

Dean woke with a start.
"Shh, it's okay, you're safe here. Please, calm down,
please-"
A hand touched him- and Dean dared to lean into it, whining gratefully. He was tired of being afraid,
tired
of being
tired. Something told him that he'd be alright
to show some trust.
The hand
stopped
for a second
at his reaction, then it kept softly carding through his fur, accompanied by
Castiel's
soothing voice.

"Thank god you're awake;
I think you had a
nightmare", the alpha sounded as agitated as Dean had felt mere seconds ago, taking a deep breath before he kept talking. "Everything's okay though. You and your pup are safe here; nothing will happen to you, I promise."
As if on cue, the little pup inched closer to Dean, making him
huff
amusedly
in spite of his exhaustion.
He tilted his head down to clean her,
though
less for cleaning
and
more to assure her that he was okay.
Castiel
was still sitting on the edge of the bed, his hand still cradling Dean's ears.
Dean allowed it.
Minutes passed. The pup fell back asleep. Dean dozed off
too, his heartbeat and his breathing normalising as he
dared to
enjoy
every
peaceful moment
he was granted.
After a while, the hand in Dean's fur stilled and retreated, the bed
dipping as
Castiel
tensed to rise. Again, Dean reacted on instinct. He whined, raising his head to look at the man with pleading eyes.
Dean, who had never before voluntarily given up control, who had never trusted anyone but his little brother, who had never before even
liked
an alpha- he
begged
Castiel
to stay.
"Are you sure?", the other asked
hesitantly. "I can sleep on the floor."
Dean huffed indignantly and laid his head on his paws, his gaze daring
Castiel
to even try and leave the bed. He wanted him here, needed him here to have someone protecting his pup, protecting himself. And even if it was only from nightmares.
"Fine. But don't you snarl tomorrow morning when you find me here."
The bed dipped again as
Castiel
settled back,
respectfully leaving space between them. Dean was okay with that. Just the alpha's presence, his scent that Dean liked more with every minute,
was enough to lull him into back to sleep.

***
On his second day
conscious
in
Castiel's
house,
Dean had been mostly
sleeping.
He
had
decided to call his daughter
Eddie, a name waking bittersweet memories in him. Sammy's imaginary friend had been called Eddie, and while it would have hurt
too
much to name her after his brother, he yet felt like he had honoured Sammy with his daughter's name.
So,
he stayed cuddled up with Eddie in the soft bed all day long, allowing his body to heal.
And he learned that he could trust
Castiel.
Not only did the alpha
give
them
more food and care, but he also
spent every following night with them, sometimes on the floor, sometimes next to Dean when the
omega
needed the comfort.
Yet, he never crossed the line.
Castiel
was always respectful, always cared. He was a good Alpha.

Dean didn't know what made him think
of
Castiel
as
his Alpha, to be honest.
Castiel
just
smelled
right,
an earthy scent of home that made Dean believe in him. He
was so dear with
Eddie, looked after them with everything it took. He was the Alpha Dean had wished
Michael
to be.
Which is why, on
the morning of
his third day, Dean dared to shift into his human form.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Castiel
flipped the bacon in the pan, the fat sizzling
loudly
at the heat.

The omega had been
awake
for three days now and
Cas
deemed him fit enough to stomach heavier food. At least it couldn't hurt to try.
The alpha
sighed as his thoughts trailed off.

It hadn't felt like three days. Already, the wolf and his pup were
part of
Castiel's
life, and he was unable to think of
it
without them.
In truly selfish moments,
he
even
allowed himself to hope that
they would stay.
Castiel, who had never wanted to live in a pack, found himself facing exactly this-
his own little pack,
and he couldn't bring himself to
ignore
the warm feeling that spread in him at the notion. He enjoyed the wolf and his pup, enjoyed the responsibility, enjoyed caring for someone. Also, and this was something he had never been allowed to admit as an alpha,
he really loved spending time with the kid. He couldn't wait for her to turn, to teach her everything
that's
in
his knowledge.
Of course, he couldn't wait for the wolf to change,
either. He felt weirdly
intrigued
by him, wanted to be close to him- and not
in a sexual or primal sense. All
Castiel
wanted
to do
was to make sure he was okay. He wanted to protect him.
The omega had given birth in wolf form, a tradition far outdated, but not unheard of nowadays.
Castiel
feared for the wolf's past, feared that he was on the run from his pack. It didn't happen often, as the
tale of
dangerous
rogue wolves was well known, but for a pregnant omega to rather live alone than go back to his pack-
"Your meat is burning", an unknown voice made
Castiel
not only
flinch violently, but also
accidentally throw the spatula through the room
as he turned
away from the stove.
A young man, mere more than a teenager, stood in the door to the hallway, the pup protectively held in his arms. He was
tall and pale
and way
too thin,
especially in the baggy clothes
Castiel
had laid out for him just in case. He was also...
pretty,
Castiel
noticed
absently.
"I'm not
gonna
fetch that",
the man
nodded towards the spatula with a weak grin,
his insecurity visibly falling off his tense shoulders
when
Castiel
started laughing.
"Of course
not",
Castiel
tried to
act as casual as possible as he crossed the room to retrieve his kitchen
tool. The smell of fear
still
radiated off the omega, as the man clutched his daughter, still in wolf form, closer to his chest.
"Do you want to sit down? I'll have breakfast ready in a minute",
Castiel
turned the bacon
with
a
frown. "Provided it's still edible."
The man hesitated, eyed
the kitchen table for a moment before he carefully passed
Castiel
and sat with his front facing him, the pup protectively in his
lap.
"Do you want some OJ?"
Silence.
Castiel
turned to see the man looking at his pup with a questioning expression, making himself smaller on the chair. He didn't look at
Castiel
as he answered: "I
haven't been allowed that in a long time."
Castiel
was taken back for a second by the honesty with which he was met. He remembered
the pack
he himself had grown up
in. His suspicion that this omega had fled from a conservative pack
substantiated, a pack
like
Michael's-
with ancient dynamics,
still living
in caves or huts,
without electricity
and pipes for water.
He tried to play over his worries with a soft smile. "Want
some
now?"
The man nodded shyly, unable to contain his
excitement
as
Castiel
put the glass full of the orange liquid
in front of him.
It was truly cinematic to watch what followed- a critical look, a careful sniff, a little sip. A wide smile at the taste. The omega looked up with an expression
that warmed
Castiel's
heart.
"Thanks, Cassi-,
Casti,…
Cas?"
Castiel
nodded encouragingly. "Cas is fine. It's a pleasure... I'm sorry, I don't know your name."
The omega looked away again, his gaze directed towards the sleeping pup on his lap. His answer was
barely
more than a whisper: "Dean."
"It's nice to officially
meet you, Dean. Have you already picked a name for your daughter?", Cas kept trying to make the
omeg- he tried to make
Dean
relax with easy questions.
"Eddie",
Dean smiled at his pup, the adoration visible in his eyes.
"That's a pretty name",
Castiel
agreed as he busied himself with the pan. "Is it a short form for something?"
Dean huffed a laugh, still cradling the pup in his arms. "Nope, I guess we just have to be unconventional. But Eddie suits her, I think."
"It does", Cas smiled to himself at the pride in
Dean's
voice.
"Do you want formula for her?"
"Thanks, but she should be okay for now."
"I'm glad to hear that. How about you;
what do you want for breakfast? There's bacon, eggs, toast- I'm afraid I'm a bit short on fruits at the moment, but don't hesitate to ask if there's anything you want", he turned to look at Dean expectantly.

What he received as an
answer was an uncertain shoulder shrug, a questioning glance. "I'm fine."
"Are you not hungry?"
Another shrug of his shoulders.
Castiel
contemplated for a second before he went back to his original plan- shovelling the second plate full of food, too. There was no chance Dean wasn't hungry, and the omega needed food. He
was
way too thin, especially considering how young Eddie still
was
and how much she relied on him.
He chose the seat opposite to Dean, giving him as much space as possible with the distance,
after he had set down the plate in front of the other. Dean only stared at him.
"Dig in",
Castiel
encouraged him with a smile, expecting nearly everything but Dean's torn expression.
"Dean?"
"I...", the omega looked up at him with wide eyes. "I have nothing to pay you back with."
"Why would you...?", Cas trailed off as he saw the other's desperation. "Dean, you don't
have to pay me back for this. I don't mind helping you, quite the contrary. It's a joy to have you and Eddie around, it truly is!"
"I don't want to be mated off." The
again
hung unsaid in the air. "I'd rather leave if-"
"Dean,
no. You are an omega, yes, but first and
foremost,
you are a person. It's your
right
to
choose your future, not to have it dictated by some idiotic alpha",
Castiel
forced himself to calm down before he kept going.
All
his worries about Dean's past seemed to verify themselves.
"If you want to stay, you are more than welcome to. But believe me when I say that you are here as a person who needs help-
who I'd like to help-
not as someone I want to enrich myself with."
Dean looked at him, his gaze assessing and critical, his body still as small as possible on the chair. "Won't your pack object to that?"
"I don't have a pack."
"Oh", the omega's face fell, making
Castiel
huff a sarcastic laugh.
"Don't worry, I'm not a rogue or wild. I just chose to live in the human society rather than
be part of the
were dynamics", he explained.
"Why are you here then?", Dean asked, curiosity making him forget his play of obedience.
Castiel
was glad to see him like this, to see him so
awake. This man was a fighter, he knew it.

"That's a bit more complicated. Normally, I come here for my ruts, but this time
my brother needed my help for something so I stayed a bit longer than usual
and supressed it."
"What did your brother
want?"
Castiel
hesitated before he answered- this wasn't the direction he wanted this conversation to take. He had been glad to get Dean out of his shell so far, even if it was only with
small
talk. A topic like this, he feared, would make the omega retreat again.

Yet, this here was also about trust. If he wanted
Dean
to confide in him, if he truly wanted to help him,
he couldn't keep something from him or even lie.
"It isn't a nice story",
Castiel
warned
carefully, sighing as Dean nodded. He wouldn't get around telling it.
"My brother and a few
packs worked together to fight human
hunters further east. They have asked me for my help because of my knowledge
concerning
human laws and criminal prosecution."
As he looked back up, he saw that Dean had paled even more. The man, looking more and more like a boy in his current state, gulped before he asked: "Did you find them? The
hunters?"
"Yes, we did",
Castiel
nodded, worried by Dean's reaction. "The henchmen are in
prison;
the boss is dead and my brother hunts down the... associated parties
at the moment. You don't have to worry, Dean, you're safe here."
"And-", Dean hesitated. "And the pack? Has anyone from the pack survived?"
"Yes, everybody who went on the mission came back-
"From the pack the hunters have attacked."
"Oh",
Castiel
frowned. "I- no."
Dean looked down at Eddie, absently biting his lip, his brain
working practically
visibly.

"Okay", he said, finally looking back up.
"Okay?"
Castiel
asked perplexed. This was not
the reaction he had anticipated.
And for the first time, the omega looked
openly
vulnerable. There was an emotion
Castiel
couldn't name in his eyes -something between pain, fear, and relief-
as Dean nodded.
"That means that they won't come for Eddie. They won't take her from me."
And all of a sudden, the pieces fell into place. Yes, Dean had been in a traditional pack, and yes, he didn't seem happy about it. But he wasn't on the run from them. He was on the run from the hunters
who have killed his pack.
"I'm sorry", was all
Castiel
could answer. "I didn't realise-"
"It's okay", Dean smiled weakly. "I'm just glad that Eddie is safe
now."
A horrible suspicion tugged at Cas' mind, became louder and louder the more he thought about it.
"Dean", he asked carefully. "I understand if you don't want to answer but... who was you Alpha?"
Dean froze, his demeanour tense again.
Castiel
understood, understood the pressure of the memories he forced Dean to face, understood the boy's trauma. But if there was any chance the
Alpha had been-
"His name was Michael", Dean whispered, interfering
Castiel's
thought with the
horrendous
truth.

"Fuck", Cas
murmured, his hand clenched to a fist where it laid on the desk. "I- fuck- Dean. I'm so, so sorry; this is all my fault."
The omega froze, but Cas didn't stop talking, his head buried in his hands
to keep himself from running away.
"Damn it, I should have known, should have- fuck!"
It was
his
fault. He had known Michael, he should have stayed, should have helped-
Something
soft
was placed in his lap. As
Castiel
looked down, he saw Eddie, the pup looking up at him with her eyes wide in curiosity. Bewildered, the alpha looked up at Dean, who stood a few feet from him. He saw the other building up his courage, saw his internal conflict, how he kept biting his lip, but finally Dean lowered himself into the chair next to Cas.

"Talk to me", the omega demanded, bringing
Castiel
out of his shock at the obvious display of trust. It had worked;
at the contact with the pup
he had immediately calmed down. And yet, the omega's sharp look made him all but want to run away in shame.
"I... I was part of Michaels pack", the words practically escaped
Castiel. "I left when I was 18 years
old,
five years ago now,
but- I saw what has happened. I saw that the pack became more and more traditional, more and more radical in their dynamics. And I left."
"If you left, then how is it your fault?"
"Dean. I could have helped you. I could have protected you, all of you", the alpha was panting in barely supressed emotions. "I saw that things changing
for the worse and I just left. I didn't fight. And you..."
"And I experienced what I had to experience", Dean finished the sentence, his eyebrows scrunched together.

All
Castiel
could do was
nod, as he kept his gaze towards the pup in his lap. Eddie had relaxed again, laid there as if nothing had happened. As if this wasn't possibly the last time
Castiel
was allowed to see her.
"Dean, if you want to leave, I can help you. I can arrange things, with other packs, friendly packs, or with humans if you'd prefer that; I will do everything I can to-"
"Cas", the omega interrupted him, his expression still tense in thinking. "Did you... did you know Benny?"
"Benny?",
Castiel
repeated, confused.
"Benjamin. Big guy, surly, beta. He had this weird accent-"
"A Louisiana
accent. Yes, I knew him. I think we went to on hunts together from time to time."
"I'm sorry."
"You're... you lost me, Dean."
The omega drew in a deep breath. "Benny is dead and it's my fault."
"What...?"
"I tried to run away
from the pack, around a year ago. Benny knew and helped me. They found out", Dean looked at
Castiel, the pain written in his eyes. "They cast him
out
after
they... there's no way he could have survived that."
"Dean, this isn't
your-",
Castiel
immediately started to defend the young omega, but he was interrupted.
"That's not why I told you this. A bit more than a week ago, I was close to death. I was so close, I-", Dean released a shaky breath. "There are two reasons I'm still alive. Two reasons that Eddie is alive at all. One, my wolf taking over. And the second reason is
you."
"I can't take credit for your wolf finding
my
house."
"No. But you have to take credit for letting me stay. For looking after me when I was on the verge of giving up.
For
giving Eddie a chance to explore all the beauties this world has to offer", Dean smiled at the pup that was
soundly asleep in
Castiel's
lap. When he looked back up, his expression was serious again. "I'm not saying
that I don't wish the last year would have been different, because believe me, I do. But had you been there, there would be no way you'd be here
now, and Cas, that's what matters. I need you;
we
need you. We need you now."
Castiel
stared at Dean, tears welling up in his eyes. His thoughts were tangled, blurry, but he couldn't
help
but feel...
thankful. He felt
useful. Not like an abomination of his own kind.
Castiel
had his pack to look after, and he had just been praised for it, had been praised by
his Omega. His inner alpha purred at the realisation.
"Thanks, Dean."
Dean offered him a smile as an answer, before he leaned over the table and pulled his untouched plate
to his new seat. And finally, sitting next to each other, with Eddie sleeping in Cas' lap, they had breakfast.

***
Dean
as a human
blended as well into
Castiel's
life as
Dean the wolf had.

He was still exhausted, still needed healing and therefore slept a lot or spent the time snuggling with Eddie in his bed-nest.
Castiel
gladly
used the chance to look after him- be it with necessities like food
or luxuries like entertainment.

He learned that while
Michael's
pack had indeed lived without electricity or
any other modern
"indulgences", Dean hadn't grown up this way. For all his shyness and once forced obedience, Dean was a totally different person with topics he was passionate about. He ranted for an hour about how the new
Star Wars
movies were so much worse than the old ones,
begged
Castiel
for a chance to catch up with the latest
Game of Thrones
episodes and shone like the sun itself as Cas told him that there had been a new
Rolling Stones
album released.

It was those moments when
Castiel
could fool himself that Dean was just
another normal young
were, with a great childhood and funny stories under his wings.
The nights during which he heard Dean yelling
because
of nightmares were when reality hit him like a
sledgehammer. When the omega asked him for comfort, for touch- literally and
figuratively. When he felt his inner alpha bristle in concern.
Dean was not fine. He was hurt. And
Castiel
wondered whether only time itself was enough to help him heal.

Time passed. Not a lot had changed. Until, one day,
Castiel
felt his
supressed
rut coming.

***
He felt almost sorry for waking Dean.

The omega laid on the couch, protectively curled around his pup, his chest heaving in soft breaths. Warmth bloomed it Cas' chest at the sight, at the realisation that Dean trusted him like this, at the thought that Dean had stayed.
Castiel
had a pack now. And he knew that waking Dean could change that.
With a sigh, he stepped closer into the room.

"Dean?"
The omega stirred, but didn't wake. At least not until
Eddie, who raised her head at the sight of
Castiel, promptly hopped down the couch and ran towards him. Smiling, the Alpha picked her up, cuddling her for what might be the hundredth time. She should be shifting into her human form
soon
for the first time.
He really hoped he'd be around to witness that.
"She really has a thing for you."
On the couch, Dean had sat up, stretched his arms over his head, revealing an inch of skin on his flat stomach.
Cas swallowed roughly and chased away
the
unwelcome thoughts
that infiltrated his mind.
"Dean, we have to talk."
The omega stilled. "Is this the part where you throw me out?"
"No, it's the part where I hope not to scare you away for good."
As an answer, Dean only tilted his head, assessed him with a critical gaze.
Sighing,
Castiel
sat down the pup on the floor, watched her run off with
the
enthusiasm
only a child could show.
"Dean-", he started, unable to look into the other's eyes. "I need you to leave the house for a few days, for your own safety."
Dean paled visibly, making
Castiel
groan in frustration. All his plans to treat the topic softly seemed to burden him more and more.
"Okay, no. That came out wrong", the Alpha hesitated, then he sat down on the floor in front of Dean, with distance between them to make himself seem even less threating. Dean didn't move an inch, although his eyes widened at
Castiel's
actions.
"When I went on the hunt with the other packs, I had to supress my rut. There is medication that gave me a few more months, but I'm afraid that those are up now", he tried to keep his voice as neutral as possible. "I can't go away from here, I hope that you understand that. And I'm not casting you out, not at all. But I'd like to offer you an alternate home for a few days, so you can keep yourself and your pup safe when I'm unable to."
Dean still stared at him, biting his lip in concentration. The omega hesitated.

"You... you're not
gonna
make me stay here? To...
help
you?", he asked, with a voice that made
Castiel's
inner alpha snarl at the thought of what must have happened to Dean that he had so few trust in the dynamics of his own kind.
"Dean, you are my friend, not a toy for me to use. I want you to be safe."
"But you will suffer."
"And that's okay", Cas smiled
softly
at Dean. "I'll be fine as long as I know that you and Eddie are fine."
For another long moment, the omega only stared at him. Then, slowly, he nodded.
"I can offer you two places to go to, both not ideal -but safe. There's a pack, further east, that would take you in for the week. They're nice, Dean, not like your old pack. I trust them, and I trust them to be a pack that'd welcome you with open arms and respect."
Dean didn't answer, but his fear was clearly written
in his eyes.
"I understand that
you probably don't like to go to
weres, but I'm afraid that it is one of only two alternatives. The other is Charlie. She's my flatmate, my best friend- and she's human. You'd have to stay in the city, in a small apartment away from nature and your roots. But you wouldn't have to worry about other
weres."
Finally, curiosity won over Dean's fear.
"Which city?"
"Palo Alto, that's
in-"
"California. I know. My
brother always talked about going there one day."
It was Cas' turn to look confused.
"You have a brother?"
Dean just shrugged, avoiding
Castiel's
gaze. The alpha used the moment to study Dean's features-
the sharp
cheeckbones, the long eyelashes, the full lips...
"I- I'm really sorry about this, Dean, but we don't have a lot of time on our hands. Charlie will be here in two hours and she'll drive you wherever you want to go.
Of course,
I won't force you to anything, but I'd be really grateful if you chose one of those two places to stay. I'd know that you're safe there."
"Do I- Do I have to decide now?"
"No, Dean. Take your time. How about you go and pack some stuff you want to take with you and I'll get some food for your drive?"
Castiel
watched as the omega left the room, the pup dancing around his feet.

The thought of being apart from them tore at him, made him already miss his pack.

Because that's what they were.

They were his pack. And as alpha, it was his responsibility to protect them. Even from himself. Even if it hurt.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Dean
eyed the little yellow car critically, making Cas chuckle next to him.
"Don't worry, she's a fierce one."
"Charlie, or the car?"
"Both."
"Charlie, I have no doubt. This
so-called
car though...", Dean drifted off. "My father had this beautiful car. A big black impala. A majestic beast. I always thought I'd get to be the one to drive
her
one day..."
"A muscle car? Why doesn't that surprise me?"
"Oh,
shut up", Dean laughed- before he stilled,
fear paralyzing him.
Had he- had he just told an Alpha to
shut up?! Had he really-
It was an
unconscious
move to bare his neck, a move he had been taught in his last pack, a move that couldn't express
his
submission any clearer. The omega had given the Alpha a command, and even if it was meant to me
humorous, he felt like he had crossed a line.Even if
Castiel
was
the
nicest
Alpha, the nicest
person Dean had ever met-He had questioned his position. Michael wouldn't have allowed this kind of insubordination.
All Dean could think of was pleasing his Alpha, begging him for mercy, presenting him his obedience-

A wave of
pheromones
crashed over Dean, making him look up again.
Cas had turned rigid, his hands balled into fists, his breathing shallow.

Only now did Dean realise that he had just shown an alpha nearing his rut his neck.
He had-
"Stay safe, Dean. I'll see you in a week",
Castiel visibly forced himself to smile, before he shakily exhaled and turned around to quickly stalk back into the house.

It was strange. Dean knew that the alpha wasn't mad at him. He knew that
Castiel
didn't mind him talking back. He knew that Cas didn't leave
him
or make him leave for a long time.
Why did it feel like that, then? Why did it feel like he was losing here?
The bang of the trunk being closed brought Dean back out of his trance. He turned to see Charlie standing
there, her head
tilted, Eddie
in her arm. A question was clearly written in her eyes.
Dean nodded.

"Let's go."

***

Cas had been right when he had said that Dean and Charlie would get along; Dean had realised that within the first minutes of meeting her. He was thankful for the warm hug she greeted him with as if they were lifelong friends. He was thankful for her helping him out like he wasn't
the
liability
he felt like. He was thankful for her trying to distract him during the car ride with questions about Star Wars and
which
Harry Potter
house he'd be in
and
who should win in
Game of Thrones.
Yet, as Dean sat in the passenger seat of The Duck, as Charlie called her car, Eddie asleep on his lap and the trees of the forest running past his window, he couldn't help but feel-
Incomplete?
Broken?
Sad?
Dean leaned his forehead against the cold glass, watching the forest grow smaller and smaller the further they drove west.
He had decided to stay with Charlie for the week. Just the thought of a pack, of other
weres, alphas that weren't Cas- he couldn't bear it. Cas had told him that he trusted Charlie. Dean decided to do the same.
Why
did
he
feel so miserable, then?

***
"Dean."
A hand on his shoulder shook him.
"Get up, buddy."
Dean groaned. He didn't want to. He didn't feel good. Didn't have it in him to move.
The hand moved from his shoulder to his cheek and forehead,
pleasantly
cold.
"Fuck, you're burning up, dude."
Dean didn't understand. He tried to pry his eyes open, but the light that greeted him was too bright, hurt him.
"Dean, I need you to focus", a red-haired
silhouette
said, her voice slow and serious. Charlie. This was Charlie.
"You have a fever, you need rest, but I can't carry you. Can you pull yourself together, just for five minutes, so we
can get you upstairs?"
He
didn't know how he
managed to nod.
But this seemed important. He could do it.
Somehow, Charlie managed to heave him out of the car. Eddie in her right arm, her left arm around Dean, she slowly
manoeuvred
them
to the apartment building. Dean could see cars and a few sparse trees in front of it. He noticed a tall door that led them inside. He allowed Charlie to guide him into the elevator, a feeling he hadn't felt in years, not since the last time his father had permitted him to accompany him during one of his trips into the city.
A few more steps and Dean was engulfed by a smell he hadn't been aware he had missed
somewhat
fiercely.
A smell he had
needed.
A few more steps, and he fell into a soft bed, buried by warm blankets, embraced by the thought of Cas.
Dean
craved the alpha, craved the soothing voice, craved the way he felt
when Cas was close.
He felt like he was burning from the inside.
In the distance, Charlie was talking
animatedly. He heard voices rise and fall, unsteady like the wind he had felt during his trip to the Grand Canyon with Sammy. Sammy's birthday was soon. He wondered whether he'd get a chance to send him something. Last year, they hadn't allowed him. His old Alpha had forbidden him to reach out to his brother. His new Alpha was different though. Cas would be okay with it. He would like the idea.
Dean
snuggled
closer to into the cushions at the thought of Cas; the cushions that smelled so much like said wolf.

He allowed himself
to imagine a life with Cas and Eddie and Sam, a life in the sun.

He allowed himself to be happy in his dreams.

He allowed his fever to take over.

***
He was in the cave again. But t his time, he was alone.
He saw no Michael. No John.

Not even Eddie.

Dean looked around, looked for his daughter. There was no panic in his movement, just curiosity. He knew that she wasn't in danger. No one where would take her from him. Yet, he felt like
something
was missing. Like someone
was missing.

"Hello, Dean", a voice made him turn around. Cas was at the place which Michael normally occupied, in his nightmares .

The a lpha sat
on the other end on the cave, his wolf giant and majestic, his
eyes full
of care and adoration as he looked
at
Dean.

Dean smiled and stepped towards the wolf, greeting him with his snout bumping
softly
against the other's cheek. Then, he laid down
in front of the Alpha , looking at him expectantly .
It only took a few moments for him to feel a heavy weight behind him. Cas curled around
him , his snout buried in Dean's fur.
The omega sighed contently, bathing in those
strange emotions he was feeling.
He knew he was vulnerable, knew he was weakened by what felt like a heat- but here, in his dream and with Cas, he felt safe.
He had his mate to look after him.

***
When Dean woke, the warmth surrounding him hadn't disappeared.
That
soft
and
comfortable
warmth, that embraced him as much as the feeling of being home.
The
kind of warm that was breathing a warm huff into Dean's neck.

Cas.

For a moment, Dean allowed himself not to care. He snuggled closer to the alpha, seeking the contact without shame.
It felt good.
So good to have him close. Safe.

"Dean", the other huffed against his neck, made him chuckle at the tickling feeling. He didn't bother open his eyes, only slightly lifted the corner of his mouth in a barely-there
smirk.
"Hm?"
The arm
snug
around his waist tightened ever so slightly. "Do me a favour and never do that again?"
"Do what again?"
Silence.

Confused, Dean turned in Cas' arms, suddenly finding himself mere inches from intense blue eyes. He instinctively tried to shuffle back as reality crashed on him. As he realised how close they were. As he noticed how he crowded Cas' personal space. How he dared to-
Castiel
didn't have any of it. Softly, but firm, he held Dean close to him, pinned him down with a serious stare.
Pinned him down with his smell;
that smell that the omega could only decribe as
home."Dean-", he seemed to hesitate. "Do you remember what happened during the last
days?"
"Well, yeah?
I went to Charlie because you- wait. Shouldn't you be in rut? Why are you..."
"Don't- don't worry, Dean. I'm not a threat to you, even if I was in a rut", Cas sighed. "You leaving the forest. That was
four
days ago."
All Dean could do was stare at Cas, aghast.
The other kept going.
"When you arrived here, you had a fever. Charlie managed to get you into bed, but you didn't respond to her. She tried to look after Eddie and you, both, but-"
"Eddie", Dean gasped. "Is she-?"
"She's fine. I think she found a new
best
friend in Charlie", Cas smiled weakly. "But, Dean. You weren't fine. And it was my fault."
That sentence was a déjà-vu
to Dean. He had heard
Cas blaming himself before, and he had learned something from it, it was not to take it serious. The Alpha carried too much weight on his shoulders, weight that wasn't his to bear.
"How is it your fault that I had
an irregular heat?"
"I...",
Castiel
hesitated. Searched Dean's face for something. "I don't know how to put this in words, Dean. I don't want you to feel-"
"How about you let me decide how to feel about it?", Dean smiled, hoping
to comfort the other with his own calm.
The alpha kept
assessing
him.
Then, finally: "I
think that I triggered your heat."
Dean
froze,
his
mind
working
to
process
what
he
has
just
been
confronted
with.

A false heat was
embarrassing. Especially in this situation.

For god's sake, he had only been
living with
Cas for a few
weeks, and already his body reacted on the other
were's
smell as if they were mates. It would explain why he was more sick than horny- Cas might have triggered his
heat, but after that he wasn’t around anymore.
Which
is why
Dean's body
physically
told him that he wasn't okay with it.

Dean opened his mouth to defend himself, but Cas interrupted him.
"Don't look so guilty, Dean, it's not your fault", the Alpha sounded agitated. He took a deep breath
before
continuing. "On the contrary. I think that it is me who is to blame. Had I not supressed my rut earlier this year, you wouldn't have had to suffer like this."
"How is that even-"
"Dean, I think that we are true mates."
Silence.
Cas, rigid as if he was waiting for a condemnation.
Dean, his brain whirring in
thought.

He had never considered that. Even when everybody had groomed him to present as alpha, even when he had read the stories of true mates to his brother or listened to his father mourning his omega
mate. Dean Winchester had not been someone to put hope into a small so little.
So much had happened since then, though.He had presented as an omega, had been sold to a strange pack. He had survived said strange back, an asshole of
an Alpha
and
the
human hunters. He had a daughter now- and a mate. A pack.
It would explain so much. Why he trusted the Alpha, why he felt save with him, why he was so goddamn dependant on his smell-

Dean's laugh cut through the silence like a cold breeze on a summer's day, making Cas' eyes widen comically. Dean had to laugh even harder at that.
"Dean, are you...?"
"Fine, I'm fine", the young man gasped,
slowly
calming down. "I just remembered something."
"Something
that
funny?"
Dean sobered at that: "Well... no. I just. A bit over a year ago I was convinced that faith had fucked me. I felt like- I
don't know. I just didn't feel good,
y'know?"
Cas nodded, his expression serious, his eyes trailed on Dean.
"And now look at me", the omega laughed softly. "I'm a free person. I have a wonderful life, a wonderful daughter... and a wonderful mate."

The moment Dean saw the smile that spread on Cas' lips, he knew that he had made the right choice.
He knew that this was where he wanted to stay.

"You'd really take me as a mate?", a wide
range of emotions was on display in Cas' eyes. "Because, I wouldn't kick you out or anything if you said no. This comes with no obligation, Dean. Of course, I'd understand it if you wanted distance and even if I would miss you and Eddie a lot should you do that, I
wouldn't
stop you. I could even help you settle down somewhere. You said it yourself, you are a free person and I really don't want-"

Afterwards, Dean wasn't sure what gave him the courage to do it. Cas' lips just looked... nice. And the alpha had talked too much. Kissing him really was the only choice he
had to get the other to concentrate and shut up.

As he
slowly
pulled back from his first real kiss, his mind
floating
on
a cloud of sappy happiness, his eyes fixed on Cas' tongue tracing his
lips, he smiled
coyly
up at his Alpha.
"You were rambling", he whispered, aware of how close he laid
in
the other's arms, aware of Cas' warmth, aware of the deep rumbling that vibrated against his chest as his mate chuckled.
"If that's what rambling
brings
me-"
"Then
just imagine what all your proper words could do", Dean smirked, actually making Cas groan, which no, did nothing to Dean and his imagination, why would you ever think that??"You're
gonna
be the death of me", Cas pulled him closer, placing a kiss on the top of Dean's head as the omega cuddled his face into the alpha's neck. "What a fantastic way to go."

***

Some time later found Dean Winchester sprawled out on an old red
IKEA couch in a small living room, his head resting in Cas', in his mate's lap, while he himself was curled around their pup.
Castiel
smiled as his hand trailed through
his omega's short hair, his eyes glued to Dean's face, which was relaxed in pure content.
The mark where his teeth had broken Dean's skin was prominent on his neck, making the alpha
huff his chest
in pride.Engulfed in his mate's confident
smell and surrounded by his pack, Cas allowed himself to lean back.
In the background, the radio played Sam Smith.

Can I lay by your side?

Next to you

To make sure you're alright

I'll take care of you

And I don't want to be here

If I can't be with you tonight

Lay me down tonight

lay me by your side

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Just letting you know that the second part of this series is finally posted! Check it out if you're interested :)(This chapter will destroy itself in t-24h)