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“Yeah, I can see that you’re pretty mad right now. You’re upset.”

Dean is sitting cross-legged on the kitchen floor. He tries to keep his body language open and his voice calm and patient. It’s hard, though, what with his daughter having thrown herself to the floor in a temper tantrum and crying loudly.

“Jack’s not like Deanie at all, huh? Is that what makes you mad?”

It gets answered with wailing which isn’t a definite yes or no but at least seems to indicate that she’s listening. And seeing that they’ve just had a video call with Sam and Deanie last night, and that this is going about as well as any other time Jack visited their house since Deanie isn’t here anymore, Dean’s going to follow his hunch on this one.

“You know, it’s not Jack’s fault that he’s not like Deanie. And it’s not a bad thing, either. Everyone is different from each other because they’re all different people. Take Rob and Ben for example. They’re twins. But they’re still different from each other. Rob likes to eat his bananas, Ben likes to smash them. Deanie likes following you on adventures, Jack likes sitting quietly and looking at picture books. That’s all okay.”

Though truth to be told, Dean really hopes that Ben will grow out of the phase where he finds it more fun to Hulk-smash his food than eat it. Preferably in the very near future.

There isn’t any positive reaction from Mary, or much of any reaction really. She keeps wailing. Dean will have to wait her out. The concept he’s trying to explain is still a little over her head, even though Dean simplified it down as much as he can. He lets his head fall back against the kitchen counter.

The truth is, his loud and boisterous daughter scares the living daylights out of Jack, even though he’s almost a year older than her. And Mary just can’t understand it, why Jack hides behind his dads’ legs instead of playing with her. Why he starts crying when she runs around the room yelling at the top of her lungs in excitement. Though Jack even does his crying quietly. Judging by his reactions, being loud was the worst sin one could commit in the facility. Everyone was supposed to be quiet and well-behaved at all times.

Dean shudders.

Quiet and well-behaved

is something that’s been used against him way too often in his life. He’s never quite managed it.

“It’s okay to be mad,” Dean continues when Mary’s wailing has calmed to a volume he can talk over. “It’s okay to be loud and show your anger so that we know that you don’t like what is happening. You’re doing that very well.”

Possibly a little too well, sometimes. Whoever named it the

terrible twos

was obviously right. But Dean’s doing his best to show his daughter that all emotions are okay as long as you manage to express them in a way that doesn’t hurt anyone. The only times he interferes physically is when she starts throwing her toys or kicking and biting.

He looks up as he becomes aware of a shadow by the door. Well, talking about not hurting people…

“You can come in. It’s safe. The others took Jack and the twins outside. It’s only the little Miss Thunderstorm and me.”

Dean’s never quite sure what is worse for Kelly, being in one room with several Alphas or with the child she bore. She tries to avoid both. Not that she’s particularly keen on being in Dean’s company, either. Or anyone else’s for that matter. Right now, she’s eyeing Mary suspiciously. Like the two-year-old might jump her.

“She’s upset because Jack wouldn’t play with her. And she misses Deanie something fierce. Well, we all do,” Dean sighs. “Isn’t it so, little bug?”

Mary keeps crying but she also gives him a pouty nod, so she’s actually calming down.

“You just come over to me when you want your snotty nose cleaned, okay? Or if you want a hug.”

That’s one thing where she’s definitely starting to grow up. The twins still always search out bodily contact to regain their emotional equilibrium. Mary already wants to do things on her own. He’s not sure whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing or just

a

thing. But if it’s her way of dealing with her emotions, he’s going to let her handle it her way. Though he has a feeling that it spells nothing good for their future, especially during the bristly teenage years, far off as they might still seem.

“Advance warning, Claire’s going to come by tomorrow to look after the pups while we’re dealing with the POA agents. She’s bringing Kaia.” He says it to Kelly but hey, look at that, his daughter actually straightens up and looks at him. “They’re going to come by after breakfast and are going to stay and play with you the whole day.”

“Claire,” Mary repeats.

“That’s right, Claire. And Kaia.”

“Kay.” It sounds hesitant.

“Almost, love. Kaia.”

“Kaia.” This time it comes out more surely.

“That’s right. Well done.” He smiles at his daughter and she actually wobbles onto her feet to come over to him.

“Clean nose,” she requests.

“That’s a really good idea, sunshine.” He fishes for a tissue in his pocket and cleans her up as well as he can.

“Daddy?”

“He’s outside with Uncle Bal and Uncle Gabe. Do you want to go look for them?”

She nods earnestly.

“Well then, off you go. Run out to them.” He gives her playful swat on her diapered bottom to get her going in the right direction and chuckles when she takes his instruction literally and starts running.

He gets up to have an eye on her as she climbs out the backdoor, satisfied with her safety when he hears Cas’ rumble as he calls Mary over to them.

“Alright, crisis averted for the moment.” Dean sighs a breath of relief. “Did you need anything specific? Can I help?”

Kelly is quick to shake her head, holding up her glass of water in reply.

“Yeah, it’s kind of hot today. And ‘sufficient hydration is important’.” He laughs softly at himself as he imitates his mate. “Guess I should get myself some water, too, huh?”

He goes back to the counter, careful to seem undisturbed while at the same time making meticulously sure that he’s not anywhere too close in Kelly’s personal space.

It kills him every time that happens. Because Kelly doesn’t even retreat. She goes completely still and lets it happen. The instinct to fight or even to flee has been thoroughly beaten out of her. Probably literally.

He shudders and averts his thoughts so that his scent won’t get too dark. “Want some Iced Tea?”

He expects her to shake her head but she looks - intrigued. Which is as close to a yes to anything as he’s gotten out of her so far. The only one who every so often gets a shy nod to anything is Cas. So Dean gets two glasses and fills them, carefully sliding one of them over to her while still keeping himself a good four feet apart from her.

“I guess I’m supposed to say that I have good childhood memories of drinking Iced Tea on hot summer days or some other sentimental bullcrap that would

‘build a connection’

between us but, yeah, sorry, no dice. If anyone ever got Iced Tea it was Sammy. Usually, whatever resources we had went into food. Soft drinks are just – nice, you know? You don’t need Iced Tea to survive.”

Pamela has told them that, that they should try to integrate Kelly, tell her stories so that she would get to know them better, find a connection that would make it easier for her to open up. Dean’s not against it in principle, but he’s not sure it’s going to work. Because they’re all on high alert around Kelly, always careful, always treating her like she’s fragile. And she probably is, but Dean still doesn’t think that any Omega actually wants to be treated like a porcelain doll.

“Is she an Alpha?”

The question is whispered but it still takes Dean by surprise. Kelly does not exactly talk much. He tries to remember what they were talking about before the Iced Tea. “Mary?” he asks when no other option what she could mean presents itself.

Kelly nods.

“We don’t know,” Dean shrugs. “We never had any of our pups tested.”

Kelly frowns, and yeah, Dean guesses that if you’re used to in utero testing to determine whether a pregnancy is even going to be carried to term, then not testing your children for their secondary gender must seem weird.

“I mean, it wouldn’t surprise me at all if she turns out to be an Alpha. But headstrong Omegas exist.” He chuckles a little self-consciously. “I should know.”

Kelly side-eyes him in a way that he can’t quite figure out. He’s never sure what she thinks of him. And sometimes he catches her sending looks between him and Cas that give him the weirdest vibe.

He gets it, the part where Kelly is waiting for the other shoe to drop. Being in her situation, Dean would do the same. She’s been sold on to a different breeding facility before. And now suddenly this Alpha comes along to

rescue

her? Sounds fishy as hell. And Dean’s not sure that the fact that Cas has been nothing but calm and quiet and

sweet

around her, keeping his voice to the gentlest tones he can manage, has actually made things any better. Dean has a feeling that all it’s doing is giving Kelly the wrong ideas. Which, thinking about it, might be why she’s eyeing him like she’s trying to assess whether he lost his mind. No Omega in their right mind would want competition anywhere near their mate, after all. So Dean should be trying to bite her away.

Only, Dean knows his mate very well. He knows his scent very well. And no matter what his instincts told him before Kelly was here, now that she is here, Cas’ scent around her is a weaker version of the scent he shows around Claire. He wants to protect both of them, to make life better for them. But there is not a trace of desire in there. Dean’s pretty damn sure he’d notice the difference. He was also someone who Cas wanted to protect and make his life better for, after all. But the honey is still all his and always has been.

“They might need you to talk tomorrow. To the POA agents. Depending on how it goes,” Dean tells Kelly. “Do you think you can do that?”

He wrinkles his nose. He still doesn’t like that the agents are at their pack at all. He guesses no one enjoys POA agents coming around to write reports about them but most other people don’t have to worry about those reports ending up on the desk of the pack-Alpha’s exiled brother. Cause it might be coincidence that the Pack Oversight Agency got onto their case right after they got Jack and Kelly out of the facility, but it might also be that someone pointed them in their direction to look for ‘irregular behavior’. Which is the official reason why they are here: irregular pack behavior. Apparently, showing compassion is legally frowned upon.

Kelly carefully and slowly shuffles a few steps backwards, away from him.

Dean sighs. “It’s not you. This whole POA business stresses me out. I have no idea how much trouble they can really make for us but I don’t like it.”

Again, she looks at him like he’s lost his mind. This time, it’s pretty clear why.

“No matter how you look at it, trouble for Cas

is

trouble for the rest of us,” Dean shrugs.

Though the most likely scenario is that it’ll leave the pack-Alpha and his immediate family relatively unscathed but spell trouble for all of their rescues. The two people that Dean is most worried about being Charlie and Cain. Charlie, because none of them really know the exact nature of the trouble she’s been in before but they

do

know that it involved the feds. Cain because, well, Lone Wolf. That’s all the reason there needs to be. Dean hopes very much that all of their other rescues are in less immediate danger. Jody and Donna have officially applied for guardianship for Claire a couple of months back, after it became clear that Claire wasn’t going to run. So that is all sorted. And Kelly herself, well, her contract was bought out legally. There is nothing the POA can do about that, whether they approve of it or not.

“Is there - a script?”

Dean almost jumps when Kelly actually talks again. That’s twice in a row now. “Beg your pardon?”

“A script. Things you want me to say,” Kelly explains and it has more bite than Dean has ever heard. Like she’s incredulous that Dean makes her explain something that is common knowledge.

“The truth?” Dean answers a little helplessly.

“And what is that?” Kelly asks back.

“Umm, anything that really happened?”

Kelly sighs, her scent bordering on the impatient, a colorful flare in her subdued pastels. “The truth is whatever the Alpha deems it to be. He’s your mate, so I assumed you’d know.”

“Kelly…” And for once, Dean is at an actual lack for words. “You can ask him but I’m pretty sure Cas is going to tell you the same thing. Just give them whatever information they want to know. We have nothing to hide.”

“Are you going to talk to them like this, too?” Kelly challenges.

And somehow, Dean’s apparently managed to push the right button – or the wrong one, depending on how you look at it – to make Kelly’s anger break through her submissive exterior. Sometimes, Dean’s got a feeling that there’s a tough as nails person underneath the trauma and learned behavior and that with a little bit of luck they’re going to meet her someday.

“To be honest, I’m not really expecting to have to talk?” Dean makes it a slightly cocky question and attaches an intentional smirk. “I’m just an extension of my Alpha, after all. What could I have to add to his without doubt comprehensive statement?”

He adds dramatic flair to that, too, a tone that would have made Sam roll his eyes and Gabe break into laughter. Kelly does neither. Maybe sarcasm is not on the list of things that work for her.

“That was a joke. In case it wasn’t clear,” Dean explains with a grimace. He’s got experience explaining jokes, seeing that Cas is not usually up-to-date on Dean’s pop culture references, but it always feels a little bit embarrassing. “And for the record, I

am

gonna try to tone it down if they want to talk to me, but that’s mostly because it lowers the risk of Cas starting a fight. Cause he will, you know. If they say or do anything shitty to us.”

Kelly nods but she hugs one arm around herself, her stance even more closed off than before.

“Are you okay with Cas being in the room when they interview you? If you’re not, we can probably compromise on Ellen. The only thing that’s not going to happen is you being alone with them.” And it’s not even just because Cas is too protective for that. It’s mainly because he wants to always have a witness, should there be any disputes arising from this.

“Whatever the Alpha wants.”

And Dean should have expected that answer. “I didn’t ask about him. I asked about you,” he stubbornly insists.

This time, he gets no more than a shrug.

Dean kind of wants to tear his hair out in frustration but seeing how she’s been more talkative than normal so far and that’s definite progress already, he takes a deep breath and tries again. “Look at it this way then. He

is

the Alpha. The final decision will always be his. But if you have a preference, you can state it for him to consider. That’s well within the rules of conduct basically everywhere and it definitely is encouraged here.”

Of course, his assessment leaves out the places where not even this much consideration is shown for Omegas. Which, unfortunately includes the breeding facilities, where the human livestock is, well, just that – livestock. The thought makes his insides hurt.

Apparently, his scent isn’t subtle about it, either, because Kelly abruptly turns away from him, her shoulders hunching and her gaze dropping to the floor.

“I’m sorry,” Dean tells her. He is, too. He tries to treat her as normally as he can. To talk to her like she’s a grown-up human being and not like she’s some wild animal that needs to be calmed down. But it’s hard sometimes.

“Why?”

The question throws Dean even more than the rest of today’s conversation. He hasn’t yet heard her ask for the reason behind anything. “Why am I sorry?” he asks to make sure he understands correctly.

She carefully puts her glass on the counter and wraps her arms around herself again. But her voice doesn’t waver when she clarifies, “Why are you nice to me?”

“Uhh, because it’s the decent thing to do?” Dean tries. “You’re not exactly rude to me, either.”

“Decent?” She squints at him for a moment like the word makes no sense to her. “Your mate brought me into your home.”

And okay, that clears up what she’s getting at. “Yep, he did,” Dean nods. “He had my permission.”

All that does is deepen her frown. She takes another step back from him like she’s scared he’s going to come closer. He wasn’t planning to.

For a moment, she seems torn. Then she asks, “Why? Why do you suffer me beside you?”

The answer to that of course is the one he’s already given: It’s the decent thing to do. But Dean doesn’t have the words to explain what that means. That he cares for her because he feels it deep in his heart that caring for people is the right thing to do. “You needed a home and I had one that I could share.”

The simple statement is the best he can offer. But by the way Kelly stares at him suspiciously, he’s not sure that she believes in altruistic motives.

“Dean? Oh. How are you today, Kelly?”

They both look up as Cas’ voice interrupts them, though Kelly’s eyes quickly sink back to the ground while Dean smiles at his mate.

“Quite good, Alpha,” Kelly mumbles. There’s a slight blush to her cheeks.

Dean wrinkles his nose as Kelly’s scent gets softer in reply to Cas’ warm soil and earth.

“I’m glad,” Cas answers warmly before turning to Dean. “We were missing you outside, Dean. Do you want to join us?”

Dean raises his eyebrows. “How’s Mary doing?”

Cas chuckles. “Because we want your company, not because your child whisperer talents are needed.”

That makes Dean snort. “Yeah, okay. In that case, sure.”

“Kelly, you can of course join us as well if you want to.”

Immediately, she looks frozen. It wrinkles Cas’ forehead and turns his scent a shade darker, though he loses nothing of his protective warmth.

“We’ll be outside. If you decide to join us, just come to the garden,” he gives her the out she needs, where she can decline without actually having to say no.

Dean nods his approval at his mate and then pushes off the counter where he’d been leaning against it. “Alright, we better get out there before the rascals start another fight. See you later, Kelly?”

She nods vaguely and Dean guesses it’s about the best he can expect.

Outside, the scene is actually more peaceful than expected. Balthazar has Mary and Ben on the swings they’ve installed, Ben sitting in the one that has an actual closed seat so that he can’t fall out, Mary holding on tightly to the ropes that frame the wooden board that serves as a seat for her. Gabriel is sitting on their picnic blanket on the lawn, holding Jack and Rob in his arms, reading the hungry caterpillar book to them.

“Dada!” Mary squeals at him. “High up!”

“Yeah, Uncle Bal is making you swing really high up,” he agrees with a smile. “Uncle Bal is cool like that.”

He gets back another excited squeal in response, so he figures it safe to leave them to it.

“Hey,” he plonks down on the blanket with the others. Immediately, Jack holds on to Gabe’s leg.

“It’s okay,” Gabriel puts an arm around his shoulder. “Uncle Dean is not going to hurt you.”

Dean nods his agreement as he’s done about a dozen times before and holds his arms out for Rob, who immediately comes crawling over. Hey, at least his own pup loves him.

“You wanna take over reading, Cassie? They all love your voice.”

Cas sighs theatrically but he drops down next to Dean and holds his hand out for the book. “The hungry caterpillar it is. On Wednesday,” He starts reading where Gabriel left off, and instantly, both pups hang on his lips, straining to get closer when Cas holds up the book for them to see the plums that the caterpillar eats on Wednesday.

Dean doesn’t get it. He really, really doesn’t. Not the part where Jack trusts Cas. Cas is a trustworthy guy and pups even more than anyone else are good at figuring out who the Alphas are that will protect them. Also, Cas is the one who got Jack out of that place down South. He was the first person to hug him and hold him close. It’s got to have some impact, even beyond the Novak family scent.

It’s just that Dean doesn’t get why Cas reading will make Jack come out of his shell while Dean reading will make him hide and cry. It isn’t so much dislike, Dean thinks, as genuine wariness. And Dean doesn’t get it. He might not behave like the Omegas at the facility, but Dean doubts Jack would even have had any contact with them. And he’s taken to Gabe well enough, though again, he’s had the familiar Novak family scent to help. But Dean’s bond with Cas is more than clear in his scent, he’s about the closest he can get to being a family member without being a blood relation. And Jack took well enough to Bal as well. So why not Dean?

He’s got that far when Mary comes barreling into him at full speed.

“Oof.”

He gets his arm around her at the last minute to stop her from crashing into the middle of their assembly. Still, Jack predictably starts crying. Which makes Rob cry. Which makes Mary’s face contort. And they haven’t even made it to the five oranges on Friday yet.

“Okay, Mary, it’s okay,” Dean quickly tries to calm her before she goes into another meltdown. “You didn’t do anything wrong. The young ones are just a bit overwhelmed when you come at them this fast. That’s okay. We’ll slow everything down a little and then everyone will be alright.”

But of course, the speech helps absolutely not at all. He’s not even sure whether the tears are angry or frustrated or sad but Mary starts bawling, which in turn animates everyone else to cry louder as well. Even Ben starts sniffling, though he and Bal are still a good six feet out from them.

“I fear this makes no sense,” Cas sighs and closes the book.

“No, it doesn’t,” Dean agrees, though he’s not happy about it. “Alright, the young missus and I will go see whether we find a few yummie snacks inside. When we’re gone, you can probably calm everyone down enough to keep going with story-time. Come on, Sunshine, we’ll find you some animal crackers.”

He delivers Rob into Cas’ arms and then heaves Mary up with him. Goddamn, she’s getting heavy.

“Sorry about this,” he apologizes to no one in particular and isn’t even sure whether he apologizes for himself, for his daughter or just for the fact that the afternoon is not going as planned yet again.

“No, we are sorry,” Balthazar shakes his head. He’s still got Ben on his hip, who is the only pup to have calmed down again. He watches the commotion quietly. “Our presence is disturbing your routine.”

“Dude, no,” Dean disagrees. “If anything is disturbing the routines around here, it’s who’s

not

here, not your visit.” He gives him a half-shrug, half-smile while pulling his struggling daughter up a little higher on his hip. “Uh-uh, you’re not slipping out of my grasp, young lady. Alright, we better go. I’ll see you around. Bye, Gabe. Goodbye, Jack.”

Maybe explicitly including him will eventually get Dean in his good graces. Otherwise, he

will

try ice cream, Bal’s warnings be damned. Bribery is always worth the try, even if Jack’s been fed a super bland diet so far. It had all the necessary nutrients in a carefully blended dosage but it’s had no spices or variations of flavor. So now Jack balks at every new food and Pam thinks it’s a good thing to introduce him to new stuff only very slowly. So Dean’s not allowed to feed him anything, ice cream included. It’s really unfair.

As soon as they’re in the kitchen, Mary’s struggling increases as she tries to get him to set her down on the floor.

“Not yet, love. We’ll get the crackers and then go to your room, okay? Where all your stuff is. Hey, hey.” He stops trying to open the cabinet with the crackers when she starts punching his arm with her little fists. “No! Ow! That hurts! Hey!”

He gets his other hand between Mary and his arm and catches her hands.

“Ow,” he repeats. “That’s not cool, love. That hurts me. It’s okay to be angry and to be sad but it’s not okay to hurt other people. Alright?”

She takes one deep long breath and then she’s bawling again. But she’s stopped hitting him, so he’s going to take it as a win.

They make it to the nursery without any further incidents, continued crying notwithstanding. Dean gratefully lets his daughter drop down to the ground. Immediately, she goes and hides her face in Mr. Piratebear, who is her current favorite and has thus replaced the little bunny.

But Mr. Piratebear is almost her size and Dean can see why hugging him would feel good for his daughter. He tries not to think too much about the way how Mr. Piratebear also is almost Deanie’s size and originally was one of Deanie’s toys.

With a sigh, Dean opens the cracker package. “Tell me if you want one. Otherwise, I’m going to eat this, uhh, giraffe all on my own.” He does, too, because apparently crackers are not enough right now to placate Mary about the unfairness of the world. He lets her be, as hard as that is.

It takes a while, too, for her sobs into Mr. Piratebear’s fur to ebb away. Finally, though, there’s only the occasional sniffle.

“Clean up and cracker?” Dean offers.

This time, it works. Mary nods. She grabs the bear’s hand and drags him behind. Instead of coming directly over to the couch, she toddles to the bookshelf first, though. She comes back holding the Spring Story from the Brambly Hedge series.

“A very good choice,” he compliments her. “Do you want to read about the great spring picnic?”

Mary nods emphatically and gives him the book before she hoists her bear and then herself up on the couch.

“Alright. But clean up first.”

She bears it stoically but she doesn’t refuse when he hands her an elephant cracker, and he doesn’t have to prompt her to snuggle into his side to start reading the book.

“Alright, settle in. Let’s see what the residents of Brambly Hedge are up to.”

To his surprise, it’s Gabriel, who pokes his head in the door, when it opens just when the final preparations for the big spring picnic are through.

“Unc’ Gabe!! Picnic!!”

“Huh? Where’s all the food then?”

“In’e book!” Mary informs him in a voice that makes it clear how silly it is to assume otherwise.

“Oh, in the book! That’s different of course! What book is it?”

“Bram Edge!” She says proudly.

Dean holds the book up so that Gabe can read the actual title.

“Oh, mice,” Gabe wrinkles his nose. “Ah well, do they have a good picnic at least?”

“Yes!” Mary nods enthusiastically. “Dada reading!”

“I see. Is it okay if I join you?”

“Yes!” Mary exclaims again and grabs Gabe’s hand as soon as he is close enough for her to reach, so that she can draw him down on the couch next to them.

“Whoa. Bossy much?” But Gabe plonks down without resistance.

Mary cuddles herself in between the two of them. “Read!”

Dean raises an eyebrow at her.

“P’ease,” she adds.

“Alright,” Dean nods and ruffles her hair before going back to the book.

They make it through spring and autumn at Bramble Hedge before Mary gets bored and clambers off to play with her blocks and fire truck.

“I’m sorry,” Gabriel turns to Dean.

“For what?” Dean asks confused.

“It’s our fault that you’re banished to the nursery,” Gabe says guiltily.

“Oh,” Dean nods in understanding. He shrugs. “Nah, it’s not your fault. It’s a bit too much change for her right now. I have the hope that the tantrums will eventually stop.”

“Are you enrolling her in pre-kindergarten this fall?”

“Right to the hard questions, huh?”

“Does it help if I say you’re not the only one struggling with the decision?”

“Marginally,” Dean nods. “Do you think Jack is ready for it?”

“No,” Gabriel sighs. “I think he’s still overwhelmed. But I also think that he’s already behind in his development because of the fu-,” he interrupts himself and clears his throat, “because of the way he lived before. And he’s got two working dads. It’s going to be complicated to have him at home full-time once the semester at school starts.”

“You could get a nanny,” Dean suggests.

“I’d rather not,” Gabe grimaces. “Kind of don’t want our child to start calling the nanny

Mother

the same way I did. He may not be biologically ours, but I’m damn well going to try to do a better job than

Chuck Novak

.”

“Pretty sure you’re already doing that. Though, admittedly, the bar isn’t all that high.”

“Tell me about it,” Gabriel huffs.

They are quiet for a little while, watching Mary race her firetruck around. That at least is something that hasn’t changed, she’s still good at amusing herself. Dean thanks whatever higher power is listening, too, because as much as he loves her, if she didn’t have periods of peace where she plays quietly by herself, he thinks he’d go insane. “Was Cas the same?” Dean asks and nods towards where Mary is playing.

“Did he like fire trucks?”

“Was he content on his own,” Dean clarifies. “Not anti-social or anything. I mean, Mary asks for Deanie every frikkin’ day. She misses him like hell. But she’s, I dunno, she’s different from how Sam was when he was her age. Especially when she’s upset. He clung, she’s much more self-reliant. I dunno, it’s hard to describe. But it reminds me of Cas.” He shrugs.

Gabe watches Mary for a few minutes. “Never really thought about it that way. I always thought…” He shakes his head and takes a deep breath. It evens out his scent. “It changes you, Dean-o. That place. It’s hard to tell what would have been. What I can tell you is that Cassie was a quiet pup. Didn’t cry as much as Jack does, not that I remember anyway. But definitely didn’t show any of Mary’s temper.”

“Were you close, you and Cas? As pups?”

“What did Cassie say about it?” There is an undertone of actual curiosity in Gabe’s voice, even if there’s also wariness. Like he’s not sure that Cas’ and his answers will match.

Dean shrugs. Cas doesn’t actually talk all that much about his early childhood. “That this was not a house to be close with anyone. But that out of all your siblings, you two were the closest. And usually got into trouble together.”

Gabe nods thoughtfully. “That’s not a bad way to put it, actually. I’m not sure that we loved each other the way Mary and Deanie love each other. I don’t think we knew how. But as the youngest, we were natural allies.”

“I’m sorry,” Dean says because as shitty as it is for Mary to suddenly have to cope without her co-conspirator, he would never wish for his children to not know how love works.

“Don’t be. ‘S not like your life was any less shitty.”

That is, of course, undoubtedly true. Still, “My brother’s always been the most important person in my life. I’m having a hard time imagining it differently.”

“Try not being allowed to have any connections for the first three years of your life. And then being stuck in a conservative household, where manners are everything and your feelings count for nothing. You’ll find that you become a natural at not loving your family.”

“Yeah, well, if it’s all the same to you I’d rather not try it out,” Dean answers drily.

“Good choice, Dean-o. It’s really not that fun an experience.”

“Yeah, I didn’t gather it was.”

“Sometimes I think… sometimes I think even Mikey and Luke would have turned out differently, had it not been for that.” Gabe shakes his head. “I mean I can’t know. But as the firstborns, they had it quite a bit worse than Cassie and I did.”

“Even more pressure to perform?”

“Let’s just say, our dad was not known for his patience.”

“Did you love him?”

“I did. Mind that what counted as love in our world might not look the same in yours.” He rubs a tired hand over his face. “In any case, I promise we’re doing our level-best to raise Jack as somewhat less of a sociopath than his father turned out to be. Which I guess is why we will in the end enroll him in the pre-kindergarten class. We can give him a lot, but we can’t teach him how to interact with peers unless we allow him to interact with peers.”

Dean nods and takes it as the unsubtle end of their heart-to-heart. “So, on a scale of one to nuclear fallout, how fu- effed are we if we enroll Jack and Mary in the same class?”

It doesn’t take too long after that before Bal and Gabe leave. Jack’s not at the point yet where it’s possible to get him to take his nap wherever they currently are. He needs routine and familiar surroundings to relax. Cas watches them leave with a smile that is quite inadequate at hiding the messy emotions present in his scent.

“You wanna talk about it?” Dean asks and slings his arms around his mate’s waist from behind to lay his chin on his shoulder.

“I’m not sure it’ll make a difference,” Cas sighs but he lets his head fall back on Dean’s shoulder and relaxes into Dean’s hold.

“It might for me,” Dean replies quietly.

Cas nods against his shoulder. “It troubles me,” he says just as quietly.

“Which part?” Dean asks.

“Every part,” Cas answers with a slight huff. “Though admittedly, I like the part where I can’t do anything to help the least of all.”

“But you

are

helping,” Dean points out.

“It’s just -,” Cas sighs and looks for the right words. “I feel kinship, I suppose. But that doesn’t mean that the pup trusts me any more than he trusts any other stranger.”

“Hmm,” Dean makes an unconvinced noise. “He’s not fleeing from you like he does with Meg. Though admittedly, that’s Meg.”

That makes Cas chuckle, though Dean gets the feeling that there is no actual mirth in it.

“Kelly trusts you, too,” Dean adds. “Neither of them trusts me but they both trust you.”

That makes Cas twist out of Dean’s grip to look at him doubtfully.

“Nah, I mean it. Out of anyone here, she trusts you the most.”

“Well, I did get both of them out of

there

,” Cas reasons.

“And you’re an even-tempered Alpha with a very calming scent,” Dean points out the obvious. “Having you in command feels very safe. To all of us. But I think for her it’s, well, something she’s not had before. She might want to keep it.”

“Dean…”

“No, Cas, I’m not jealous or anything. Just making you aware.”

“Are you sure about this?”

Dean nods. “Pretty much, yeah.”

“But she must see that I love you! Or if she doesn’t see it, she must smell it!”

“I’m not sure she knows the difference, Cas. I mean,

I

can smell it. The difference in your scent for us. Not sure she can.”

“So she’s thinking what exactly? That I’d want her as my secondary Omega?” The frown on Cas’ forehead becomes steeper with every question he asks.

Dean bites his lip, his shrug less nonchalant than it could be. “It’s not a secret that the pregnancies were less than easy. And she’s already proven genetic compatibility to your family…”

Dean’s not sure what he expects. A logical argument, probably. Anger, maybe. But it’s not for Cas’ scent to turn sour like curdled milk or bitter like bile. Or maybe both. Like Cas is going to throw up any minute.

Immediately, Dean pushes into his mate’s space again, offering his neck so Cas can scent him and ground himself. “We both know it’s not true, Cas. That it can’t be true. There’s undeniable proof of it. But those are medical decisions that by our own choice are

not

common knowledge.”

Cas nods against Dean’s shoulder, not taking up the offer to scent him but instead hiding his face. Dean closes his arms around him, hugging him close. For a while, they stand like this, motionlessly wrapped up in each other. Then finally, Cas takes a deep breath. “I’ll talk to her. I’ll try to explain it. How what she thinks is not how we work.”

“Yeah,” Dean nods, “that’s probably a good idea.”

“Can you, uhh…”

“Yeah,” Dean says. “I can be there. But I think the explanation has to come from you.” Because whatever Dean says, in Kelly’s eyes his words don’t hold any weight. They can be negated by his Alpha at any second.

Cas nods again and lets his forehead fall against Dean. His voice is muffled when he says. “But first we have to get through tomorrow.”

Dean chuckles and rubs his mate’s back. “Are you whining, little Alpha?”

That gets him a pouty “hrmpf” and a pinch to his side.

Dean twists away laughing because it’s a ticklish spot. “Okay, okay. You are of course very dignified and not whiny at all.”

It gets him another pinch but Dean’s laughter and teasing shifts Cas’ scent towards something lighter that allows for more room to breathe and feels less like being sick any minute. So Dean leans down and catches the corner of Cas’ mouth with a kiss. “Have I mentioned that I gave Charlie the baby monitor?” he whispers.

“Mmh, you have not,” Cas replies before capturing Dean’s lips with his own.

Cas’ lips are warm and soft, his stubble just the right kind of scratchy. Dean leans into the kiss, makes himself pliant and lets Cas lead. There’s no denying how tense Cas is, no matter how gently he moves against Dean, and Dean doesn’t like it. Don’t get him wrong, he gets it. Between the rescues and the POA, Cas has every right to be tense. But Dean’s his mate and he’s a good mate goddammit. He takes care of his Alpha and makes sure that he gets to face the world with all the extra boost that a satisfied mated life gives you.

“Come on, Alpha,” he whispers against Cas’ mouth, nudging him softly to get him to deepen the kiss. To let go of his worries at least for a short while and concentrate on nothing but this. “We have a few hours. Take me to bed?”

They may have been married for a while but when Dean makes his voice coy and blinks at Cas through his lashes, obviously trusting him, obviously wanting him, it never fails to light a fire in Cas’ eyes. It does so today, too.

Dean smiles at it even as Cas tugs at his hand to get him to come along. There’s no pretense from Dean there, either. He puts up no faux struggle, makes no attempt to have the Alpha drag him instead of following him freely. Sometimes games like that are fun. Sometimes it is worth it to make Cas work for the reward just because of the way Cas’ Alpha preens when he is deemed worthy and gets his prize.

But not today. Today Dean doesn’t want to do anything other than give himself over to Cas. To show him that he is in fact everything Dean wants. That he is perfect and enough and most of all, loved exactly the way he is. Cause Dean thinks that today is a day where Cas needs to not only hear that, but feel it. And it’s easy for Dean to show it to him because it is the truth anyway.

As soon as the bedroom door closes behind them, Cas strips them. With efficiency and single-mindedness he rids first Dean and then himself of their clothes. He doesn’t waste time to walk Dean backwards towards the bed after, either. Dean lets himself plunge the moment his knees hit the bed, knowing that it’s safe to let himself fall. Not that he actually falls. Because Cas is immediately there, one hand under his head, one under his back, lowering him down gently.

He frowns, though, when Dean chuckles at his self-satisfied expression.

“I’m taking you seriously, Alpha, no worries,” Dean smiles and lets a hand slide along Cas’ face and down his strong shoulders.

Cas still pouts a little, the laughter in Dean’s voice too clear, but he doesn’t let it distract him and instead noses at Dean’s neck, scenting him with obvious enjoyment.

“Still all yours, yes.” Dean runs a hand through Cas’ hair, the wild tufts as untamed as usual. None of Cas’ haircuts have ever managed to subdue his hair into something orderly. Now, Dean messes up the strands on purpose, even while Cas nibs and bites at his skin. When he gets to a particularly good spot, Dean grasps Cas’ hair firmly, keeping him in place. It’s all he needs to do, Cas understanding and sucking a mark there.

Their satisfied rumbles match each other, Cas happy that he gets to mark his mate, Dean happy that Cas obliged and gave him an inappropriate hickey above the collar line that will be clearly visible tomorrow. He refrains from leaning up and doing the same to Cas, though. That’ll have to wait until the POA is gone.

But maybe it’s good like that anyway, because right now, Cas’ Alpha is firmly in charge and Dean’s got no wish to interrupt that. “Feels so good, Alpha,” he murmurs. “Love your weight on top of me.” Because so help him, that, too, is the truth.

It makes Cas purr in satisfaction. It also shifts his focus away from Dean’s neck and throat to lavish more attention on the rest of his body. And it really is lavishing attention. It’s unhurried and intense and loving and lovely. It’s everything Dean wanted out of this for the both of them. A re-centering of their world that will allow them to come at tomorrow from a position of strength and unity instead of from the frazzled and overwhelmed world of helping traumatized rescues and soothing screaming children.

Still, when they lie together after, arms and legs tangled and sticky with sweat, Cas’ scent doesn’t calm down to the sweet relaxed notes of satisfied Alpha but drops right back into the sour notes of moors and brackish water that are Cas’ strand of worry.

“What is it, Cas?” Dean asks and gently pushes a few stubborn locks of hair out of Cas’ face. “You need a haircut soon.”

The observation gets him a small warm smile. “I’ll go next week.”

Dean nods. “You do that. But for now, which of our manifold crisis hot spots is it that gives you enough anxiety that not even knotting helps?”

Cas frowns at him. “You’re making it sound like an exercise routine that didn’t work out as well as planned.”

“I gotta say I would like to think that I’m better than any cross-fit.” Dean breaks off suddenly. “Oh God, I’m spending too much time with your brother. I sound like Gabe.”

He chuckles helplessly while Cas groans. “Please don’t talk of my brother while we’re knotted together.”

“Yeah, okay, Alpha, whatever you say,” Dean wheezes while he tries to bring his giggling under control.

Cas huffs, but in contradiction to his played indignance his scent actually loses some of its brackish notes in the face of Dean’s amusement. So Dean hides his face in Cas’ shoulder and lets the giggles run their course while Cas pets his neck and shoulder.

When the giggles are finally dying down, Dean has to wipe a few tears out of the corners of his eyes. “Gosh, I needed this,” he breathes. “All of this,” he adds immediately and squeezes Cas’ butt where he can reach.

“You are incorrigible.” Cas places a kiss on his hair.

“Pretty sure I am,” Dean nods peacefully. “So, you wanted to tell me about your worries.”

“

Want to

is not quite the way I remember it.”

“Quit stalling, love of my life, and start talking.”

“Uh-oh, elaborate pet name. I’m in trouble.”

“Damn right. Talk!” Dean pokes him.

Cas sighs. “I don’t want to weigh you down.”

“More than you’re already doing by lying halfway on top of me, you mean?” Dean snarks.

This time it’s Cas’ turn to roll his eyes. “This was your idea if you remember.”

“I remember,” Dean nods. They both know that if Dean has any actual complaints he’ll rearrange them until he is comfortable.

“It’s the POA. Or more specifically, the agents they sent.”

“What about them?”

“Both Jody and Charlie did some recon on them.”

“And?”

“And neither search turned up anything out of the ordinary.”

“And that’s bad?”

“Yes,” Cas nods. “Everyone has something. Something that’s not part of the official story. Something that is not written in the CV.”

“They might just be ordinary guys,” Dean points out.

“Or my brother managed to manipulate someone to send us their – specialists. The field agents that they usually use for the less savory cases.”

Dean frowns. “How the fuck are we less savory? We saved a few people, that’s all.”

Cas sighs. “For certain people, that’s more suspicious than killing a few people.”

Dean’s face hardens. “Killing a few people like Cain, huh? Like Kelly. Or like Sam. Lone Wolves. Omegas that are no longer useful. Alphas that dare falling in love with another Alpha.” He snarls silently.

“Or any number of minorities,” Cas agrees. “Pretty sure Claire’s girlfriend can tell you all about that.”

“Kaia’s a good kid,” Dean answers sullenly.

“You and I both know that,” Cas nods. “But we also know why she’s going to school here.”

Because just being a wolf from the reservation had been enough to get her into trouble at every other school. And because every time she’d fought back, the teachers had automatically assumed her to be the troublemaker. Her path had been all but determined before she transferred here. It had been a pretty steady downward slope. Who’d have thought that meeting Claire of all people would be the turning point. Well, with a little help from their teachers and community.

“Better don’t call them girlfriends where they can hear, though. I think it’s supposed to be a secret.”

“It is?” Cas looks at him puzzled. “I wasn’t aware. They’re not exactly subtle.”

Dean snorts. “Yeah, I think about everyone agrees with you on that one. I mean, I know for certain that Jody knows cause I talked with her about it.” He shrugs. “But you know how teenagers are.”

That causes Cas to look even more puzzled. “I do?”

And yeah, okay, Dean’s got a feeling that Cas has never been the type of teenager that Claire and Kaia are. Or that Dean once was, for that matter. Somehow, it melts his heart into soft goo even though the information is not exactly brand-new. It’s just that he loves his dorky mate, who always strives to do the right thing, with all of his heart. “Don’t ever change, Cas. Don’t ever change.”

The comprehension level on Cas’ face doesn’t go up but his eyes turn warm and fond and his scent turns mushy as he leans into Dean’s touch where Dean has cupped his mate’s face. Dean swears he would continuously purr if he could.

“You’re so much more cat than wolf sometimes,” Dean chuckles.

“Big bad wolf status is overrated,” Cas mumbles into Dean’s hand, kissing his palm softly and at least for this moment, apparently completely content.

“Yeah,” Dean nods. “I do in fact think that it is.”

But of course, that changes exactly nothing about the fact that like it or not, big bad Alpha is what the POA expects. And what Cas is determined to deliver, judging by the expression on his face as they make their way into town.

It is somewhat less than polite, meeting the agents at the police station instead of at their home and Dean’s got a feeling that it’s merely dragging out an inevitable invasion of their privacy, but he appreciates the gesture. The longer they can keep the agents busy with the town and just Dean and Cas, the less risk of them interfering with anyone else. They have to have a budget line for cases like theirs. They can’t stay forever. Or so he hopes.

“Any last-minute instructions?” Dean asks his mate when they arrive at the station.

“We have nothing to hide.”

That’s true, obviously, but, “Wasn’t exactly what I was getting at,” Dean points out.

Cas cuts the engine and turns around to face Dean. “No, it was. We have

nothing

to hide.”

Dean searches Cas’ face for a moment, then nods. He guesses he should have expected this. “Alright. But do me the favor and try not to punch them in the face when they tell you that you have an insolent loudmouth for a mate and need to control him better.”

“I promise nothing,” Cas answers darkly.

Again, not a particularly surprising answer. “Try? For me?” Dean bats his eyelashes.

“If I have to,” Cas grumps unwillingly.

“You don’t

have

to but I’d like you to. I mean, I’ll post your bail but…” He shrugs and gives Cas his most charming grin.

It’s not quite enough to break through Cas’ battle armor but instead of a growl it gets him a half-hearted smile. “Well, if you insist… I’ll avoid punching if possible.”

Dean’s pretty sure that it’s the best he’s going to get. “Thanks, Cas.” He’d lean in for a quick kiss but just at that moment a black bike comes to a roaring halt next to them. It’s a big machine. Not one of Dean’s favorite models, but still, it’s impressive. “Do we know that bike?” he asks.

“You would know better than me,” Cas frowns. “So I guess we do not.”

Dean takes a deep breath. “Well then, let the games begin.”

In the beginning, things go pretty much exactly as Dean expected. The bike rider turns out to be a broad smarmy Alpha who introduces himself as Arthur Ketch. He quite literally makes the hair on Dean’s neck stand on edge and his slick, oily scent does absolutely nothing to minder the neon warning signs that are immediately flashing in Dean’s mind. But even with that, Dean watches the Alpha carefully but he isn’t cowed. It might be an effect of having Cas right here or an effect of having been in this pack for so long, but all he feels is revulsion. There’s no fear attached to it. He kind of hopes that he won’t be regretting that.

For the moment, he stays his step behind Cas, observing the exchange of fake pleasantries as the introductions are made. Apparently, they are still waiting for Ketch’s partner. Why the guy couldn’t be on time, no one knows.

Or so they say.

Because the moment Dean finally catches the first sniff of Ketch’s partner, he calls bullshit. He sees Cas’ eyebrows fly up to his hairline as he turns around with a snap. Oh yeah, Ketch’s partner is late because he wanted

an entrance

.

Ketch’s partner is an Omega.

“Ah, there you are, Mick,” Ketch greets him evenly.

“Here I am,” his partner smiles widely. “Needed a little longer in the bathroom this morning. You know how it is.” And then he winks. Not at Ketch – he winks at Cas.

Dean fights to keep his growl on the inside and not let it get loud. He can see that this is intentional, so Cas can see it, too.

“Mick Davies,” Ketch’s partner introduces himself. He grins up at Cas. “But you can call me Mick.”

For a second, Cas just blinks. Off-balance because somehow Charlie’s expose had not included this. They had all assumed the POA would consist either of arrogant Alphas or of bureaucratic Betas. Not of raggedly handsome Omegas

“Novak. I’m Alpha Novak,” Cas finally recovers. “You can call me that.”

There is an undertone of anger in the response that has both Ketch and Mick raise their eyebrows.

“You have to excuse my partner,” Ketch says in a fake amiable voice. “He’s more forward than you might used to seeing in an Omega. It’s part of the job and means no disrespect. Over the years, the agency has found it helpful to employ people of all designations. We wouldn’t want to rely on judgements made due to instinctual antipathy between two Alphas after all. Don’t you agree?”

It sounds like a trick question and it probably is but Cas still nods. “Of course.” There isn’t much else he can say.

“I’m glad you agree. I’m sure this also means that you agree to our policy of not letting that instinctual antipathy getting in the way and instead having separated interviews for everyone. In a controlled environment of course. You need not worry. Your Omega is safe with me at all times.”

He smiles his fake smile again that is more like baring teeth and raises Dean’s hackles.

“That is not acceptable,” Cas growls.

“I’m afraid you’ll have to make it acceptable,” Ketch smiles. “It is standard procedure. And seeing how we’re already at the police station, I’m sure the good sheriff can give us permission to use her interrogation rooms where she can monitor the proceedings.”

Jody, who’s been silent through most of the exchange, looks at Ketch like she’s bitten into something rotten but she nods. “Of course, Agent.”

“Please, call me Ketch.”

“Of course, Agent Ketch.”

If he wasn’t looking at having to spend time alone in a room with Ketch, Dean would probably chuckle at Jody’s sarcasm. As it is, there’s a sour feeling of bile in his throat.

“Look, you can make a big deal about this. Call our bosses. Whatever. But in the end, this will go like we want it to go. It always does,” Ketch says jovially. “So we might as well save the time and get started. My partner and I have exemplary records. I promise you, you’ll have nothing to complain about.”

Dean highly doubts that Ketch’s version of

exemplary

has anything to do with what anyone else would even classify as being a decent human being. But still. “Cas?” Dean asks, keeping his voice quiet and timid in a way that is as affected as the British accents the POA agents are sporting.

“Dean?” Cas turns around to him.

“Not Kelly.”

For a moment, it’s like they all hold their breath. Then Cas closes his eyes and breathes out long and deliberately. When he opens his eyes again, he nods at Dean. He has understood. “I agree to this where it concerns my mate and me, under the condition of constant video surveillance. The tapes of which will be open for viewing for the sheriff as well as myself and my lawyer. I understand that you will also want to talk to the sheriff and my lawyer. They are both Betas and I assume will not have a problem with this setup. Any additional people you want to interview will need to be cleared by me personally, and either my lawyer or I will be present for these interviews. I will not allow you to traumatize my pack.”

Ketch holds out his hands in a peaceful gesture. “I assure you, we have no intention of traumatizing anyone. We’re just here to make sure everything is up to the standards of our pack regulations.”

“I assure you that it is. But you are not going to take my word for it, either, will you?” Cas asks with a tilt of his head and a bite to his voice.

“Alright, touché,” Ketch laughs. “All further interviews will be cleared with you.”

“Good,” Cas nods. “I assume you want to begin immediately?”

“If you don’t mind. We find it helpful if the pack-Alpha and his mate can’t coordinate their answers.”

“Since we don’t know what you’re going to ask, it would be rather hard to coordinate answers, wouldn’t it?” Cas answers irritated.

Dean represses the urge to put a steadying hand on Cas’ back. They are already getting under his skin. That’s bad. But Dean doesn’t like the way Ketch is eyeing them. Like he’s smelling out any weaknesses. And if Dean calms his mate, it’s going to be seen as a weakness. So Dean resorts to glowering without making direct eye contact and doesn’t touch his mate.

Still, Ketch smiles a sharp smile like he knows exactly what Dean is thinking. “Shall we begin then?”

“So, are you allowed to talk to strangers?” is the first question Ketch deems to ask.

Dean raises his eyebrows. “Yeah, pretty sure I heard my mate give you permission to talk to me,” he answers drily.

“Ah,” Ketch nods to himself and notes something down.

“Ah?” Dean asks back.

“Just making a note that you’re one of those.”

And okay, this is bait, pure and simple. Ketch will have to do better than that. “Yeah,” Dean nods. “I gather I am.”

He marks it as a win in that it throws Ketch at least enough that he’s looking Dean over again, like he’s sizing him up. Well, let him.

“You got any actual questions that you want to ask me?”

It’s a spiel and they both know it. Ketch asks about how long Dean’s been part of the Novak pack, about his and Cas’ courting, about their mating ceremony and about their kids. It’s all stuff that is publicly documented, so Dean answers concisely and truthfully. He stresses that he had worked at the garage as a mechanic with a stable income before he married Cas, and also that they’d been mated for a year when their first pup came around, to make sure Ketch doesn’t work on any wrong assumptions.

Ketch seems to get the hint, too, though the small smirk playing around the corners of his mouth does nothing to make Dean feel better.

“So how do you like sharing your mate and your house with a second Omega?” Ketch finally drops his first bomb, his smile widening.

“And here I thought you were gonna ask about my father,” Dean answers.

“Ah, would that be a certain John Winchester or a Cain McMullen?” Ketch rifles through the documents in front of him as if he isn’t well aware of the names already. Which he obviously is. Dean’s gotta give him that much, Ketch did his homework.

“Seeing how one of the two drank himself to death in a different state a few years ago, I’d gather you’d be more interested in the one who’s our ranger.”

“So, you are telling me that you see the Lone Wolf as your father?” Ketch asks. “Even though he’s, well, Lone Wolf and you’ve only met him recently?”

“Yep,” Dean agrees. If the agent wants any further details, he’ll have to ask.

“Curious.” Ketch notes something else down on his sheet of paper. “And your mate agrees with this?”

“Agrees with me having a father?” Dean asks, faking confusion. “Seeing how he studied medicine and all, I think Cas was always pretty well aware of that fact that I have a father.”

For a few heartbeats, Ketch eyes him like he is calculating whether it makes any sense to turn sharp and cow Dean into submission. Then he decides against it. “A Sire perhaps. We all have those. But it’s not quite the same thing as a father, is it now?” he asks.

And yeah, Dean has to give him that one. “I gather you had a Sire rather than a father, huh?”

For a moment, Ketch blinks, disturbed. Then he catches himself. “That is quite irrelevant.”

“If you say so,” Dean shrugs. He has no interest in playing shrink to a federal agent.

“Be that as it might, I believe you wanted to tell me how

sharing

is working out for you?”

Wanted to

is overstating it quite a bit and the emphasis on

sharing

makes it clear what Ketch means.

But Dean refuses to rise to the bait. “Is this cause I told Cas that I didn’t want Kelly alone with you?”

“Now that you mention it – why did you do that, Dean? Can I call you Dean?”

“Mister Novak is fine, thank you,” Dean smiles his own best fake smile. “You ever been to one of these places? The breeding facilities, I mean?”

Ketch wrinkles his nose in distaste. “That’s not the politically correct term anymore I believe. And no, I haven’t.”

“Well then, I’d recommend doing your research before asking stupid questions. No offense meant, obviously.” He turns his palms outward in a gesture of peace, but that’s about all the submission he’s going to give this arrogant ass.

Of course, the agent isn’t that easily rattled, either. He’s probably met more than one angry Omega in his career. “None taken. Would you enlighten me as to why it was a stupid question?”

To do that, Dean has to admit to knowing what Ketch was alluring to. He makes a face but still answers. “I’m referring to the fact that you seem to assume that what is an arrangement to help a severely traumatized Omega is of a much more sordid nature.”

“Hmm,” Ketch hums noncommittally. “What do you know about your mate’s past,

Mister Novak

?”

Dean can hear the sarcasm in the emphasis but Ketch has respected Dean’s wish to be called by his last name, so Dean’s going to let it slide. “I know everything that’s important, I believe.”

“What do you know of his family specifically?”

“That his older brothers are asshats. Well, not Gabe, Gabe’s fine.”

“I see. Anything else?”

Dean shrugs. “Well, his father disappeared. Left the pack in shambles. Took a while before we got where we are today.”

“We

?

” Ketch’s eyebrows rise.

“

We

,” Dean repeats with emphasis. “This is my pack, too, Agent Ketch. I care about it. Have for a long time.”

Ketch searches Dean’s face. Dean raises his eyebrow but he doesn’t look down. He owes this Alpha civility, no more. After a long moment, Ketch nods and lets it go. “Since you care about this pack, I assume you are familiar with its history?”

“Yes,” Dean nods.

“Do you know any of the other Alphas in your mate’s family?”

“I know Balthazar.”

“Mister Novak,” Ketch sighs like Dean is being difficult on purpose.

Which, you know, maybe he is. “Far as I know, Cas’ father is lost in the wind, and so is his brother Luke. Michael and Cas have no direct contact, though from the lawyers’ letters they exchange every so often I assume he’s alive and well.”

“Tell me more about that.”

Dean shrugs and tells the story of Deanie and the claim the Moore’s made on him via Michael’s law firm. He leaves out any information about Adam or about the events with Cain. Ketch can ask if he’s interested. Doesn’t seem like he is, though, because instead he circles back around to Kelly and Lucifer’s pup.

“And you’re sure your mate has no contact with Lucifer Novak?”

“Yup,” Dean nods.

“You’re certain he would have told you if he had?”

“Yes,” Dean says determinedly.

“Just asking…”

“Like hell you are,” Dean snorts.

Ketch looks at him.

“Oh, come on,” Dean rolls his eyes. “At least admit to it. Your whole set-up,” he gestures around the room, “separating the Alpha and Omega of a bonded couple? Putting them into a - what? – hour-long interview now with someone from the opposite designation? It ain’t subtle, you know.”

“Well,” Ketch weighs his head to the side, “interviews with Mick can get a little

intense

. And sometimes they run over from their allotted time-frame.”

“Dude, seriously? You really think I trust my mate so little that I’ll get worked up about your partner asking him for his phone number?” Dean asks incredulously.

“We’ll see whether your Alpha sees it the same way.” The fake smile is back, but there’s a hunger and perverse glee in Ketch’s eyes now that makes Dean shudder.

“

My Alpha

knows me very well, and I him, Agent Ketch,” Dean answers, humor draining out of his voice. He’s about ready for this interview to be over. “Is there anything else you want to know?”

“I believe your answers are to my

satisfaction

. For now, anyway.”

“Well as long as your satisfied…” Dean manages to keep himself from rolling his eyes again but only barely. “You know that this would go over much faster if you just told us what you’re after, right? You’d get a straight answer and we’d all be on our merry way.”

“In my experience, it’s never that easy, Mister Novak. People don’t usually do the right thing if you leave them the choice.”

“You might be surprised about the results if you tried it out.” This time, there is no hiding Dean’s contempt for the guy and his ‘methods’.

“Not in this life or career but thank you for your valuable input.”

Dean’s not sure whether it’s plain sarcasm or a reprimand but he decides to play dumb either way. “You’re welcome.”

Cas is already back in the front hall of the police station when they come out. He’s pacing the room and his scent is so bristly that Dean expects the smoke detectors to start blaring any second.

“Dean!” Cas exclaims as soon as he sees them and hurries closer, checking Dean over with his eyes.

“Alive and unharmed,” Dean confirms what Cas wants to know. He looks his mate over, too. He’s quietly seething and somewhat disheveled from running a hand through his hair repeatedly but otherwise he looks unharmed as well.

Cas stretches a hand out towards Dean as if Dean’s words aren’t enough, as if he wants to physically make sure Dean’s not hurt but he thinks better of it. Instead he turns to Ketch and Mick with a snap. “Ellen will be here after lunch. We can go through the list of interviews you plan then. Now, I’m bringing my mate home.” His voice brooks no argument and no one argues. “The Roadhouse provides good food. Unless you want to work through lunch, in which case you’re welcome to stay here at the Police Station. Jody will find someone to stay here with you in case you need help.”

Cas tries for a smile but his scent shows his fury too clearly and any friendly effect is lost. When Cas notices it, he turns on his heels and strides out of the room. Dean shrugs at Jody, who’s watched the proceedings with a stony face. When she catches his gaze, all she does is gesture for Dean to follow Cas. Not like he wasn’t planning to do that anyway. He tips his imaginary hat at her and nods at the two agents before following his mate.

“Keys.” He holds out his hand when they’re at the car, though he makes sure that his back blocks the view through the station’s glass front door. “Come on, Cas. You’re in no state to drive. Give me the keys and just rant at me in the car.”

With a grunt and a grumble, Cas slaps the keys into Dean’s hand and marches over to the passenger side. Alright, so Mick had been pretty effective at getting into Cas’ head then.

Dean carefully reverses the car out of the lot and then turns in the direction away from their house.

“Where are you going?” Cas demands to know.

“The lake,” Dean says. “I think we need some fresh air and I’m not bringing you near the pups before you’ve not calmed down. I have no interest in spending the whole afternoon calming down Mary.”

“Yeah, okay. Good idea,” Cas admits, and a part of his bristly fire falls in on itself.

Dean smiles. Never takes all that long.

“Did he touch you?”

And just like that Dean’s smile is gone again. “What? No, of course not.” Dean tries to look over at Cas when Cas’ scent doesn’t let up even a tiny bit at that, but he’s driving and this doesn’t work. With a curse, Dean swerves to the side of the road and hits the brakes until they come to a stop. “Seriously, Cas. He didn’t even come around to my side of the table.”

That finally has an impact, Cas’ scent dropping a level of acid.

It’s only then that the implication of asking this question creeps up on Dean. “You? Did he – did Mick -?”

Cas growls lowly under his breath and really, that is confirmation enough but Dean’s too shocked to process.

“He touched you?” Dean asks again. “Inappropriately?” Though really any touch by a strange Omega is inappropriate but Cas wouldn’t be this rattled by a touch to his arm.

Cas nods jerkily, just once, but that’s all that it takes to blow away the rest of Dean’s calm.

“I’m gonna kill him.” He turns the key in ignition with the full intention of turning around and going right back to rip Mick to pieces.

“Dean, no! It’s not worth it.”

Cas’ hand on his arm stills him but it doesn’t still the fury. “He

touched my mate

! He touched

you

! Against your will! It is completely worth it! No one gets away with that!” Dean fumes.

“Dean.”

“No! No, you don’t get to

Dean

me. He had no right!”

“And I’ve made that clear to him. He took me by surprise is all.”

Cas’ scent shifts minutely, the fire of his own fury changing to worried dark waters. It causes Dean to take a deep breath. He doesn’t want to be the cause of worry for his mate. But he’s not sure he can fight down all if the red-hot rage that thinking about Mick’s slimy little hands on his mate brings him. The thought makes him growl, so he clenches his fists around the steering wheel and forces a few more even breaths.

“I don’t like it,” Dean finally presses out.

“Can’t say that I liked it much, either,” Cas nods drily. His scent is wavering, still wary of Dean’s reactions, but the thorns and edges that Mick provoked are overlaying the worry. “Drive us to the lake for a walk?” he asks quietly.

It takes another deep breath and a willful concentration on the tone of Cas’ voice to banish the image of Mick, but then Dean nods and obeys. Cas is what’s import. Mick is not. And this is what Cas wants.

“So – are you okay?” he finally asks when they’re parked in their usual spot near the lake.

“Dean,” Cas sighs and averts his eyes.

That doesn’t do. That doesn’t do at all. “Cas,” Dean shakes his head and takes a deep breath to keep his voice gentle, “I’ve been through my share of sexual harassment. If they’re harassing you, they are doing it to rattle you.” And because they think they’ll get away with it. Because Cas is an Alpha. And their society doesn’t allow Alphas to admit to the harm done by harassment. Alphas are supposed to be the sexual aggressors after all, and anything else will be perceived as weakness. Can’t have that, obviously. Yeah, Dean should have gone back and killed them. “Tell me what happened, Cas,” he demands.

“Can we walk?” Cas asks, voice subdued.

Dean takes another deep breath. Don’t let the anger reign. This isn’t Cas’ fault. Stay calm for Cas’ sake. “Yeah. Yeah, of course.”

They walk in silence for a while, next to each other, but not touching. Dean keeps glancing at Cas but Cas stoically looks straight ahead. They walk until they’re on the path that goes all the way around the lake. When it’s been a good few minutes since anyone crossed their path, Cas finally says, “I feel like I shouldn’t even have mentioned it. I know that it – that it doesn’t compare.”

To the harassment that Omegas go through on a pretty much daily basis. Cas doesn’t have to say it for Dean to understand.

“I have no doubt that that’s what they’re counting on.”

Unless of course they were actually counting on Cas enjoying whatever it was that Mick had offered. A ploy to make the Alpha more malleable and open to giving information, or, if that doesn’t work, a convenient wedge to drive in-between the mated couple to see whether breaking them will yield said information. It’s despicable either way and there’s no doubt in Dean’s mind anymore that these agents are not of the garden variety. They are something much worse.

Cas is still not talking, though. Dean takes his hand. “Tell me how it made you feel? If you don’t want to talk about what actually happened.”

It takes a moment and Cas’ eyes get stuck somewhere in the empty space past Dean’s shoulder, but he answers. “Angry. Helpless. I’m very sure the camera surveillance won’t show anything out of the ordinary. If I had – it would have looked like an unprovoked attack.”

“They scoped out the place. Knew the camera angles.”

Cas nods unhappily. “Yes.”

“Audio recording?” Those have to be agreed to by both parties, though, and Ketch never asked Dean for one.

“No.”

“Damn.”

Cas sighs. “Probably for the better.”

Dean growls after all because, dammit, someone hurt his mate and they’re going to get away with it.

“This must seem so stupid to you,” Cas goes on. He ducks his head away from him when Dean tries to catch his gaze. “I mean you’ve told me that… And I’m making a big thing out of something so small. It just – it caught me so unawares. This hadn’t – this hadn’t ever happened to me before.”

And Dean’s glad about that at least, even though, “It should never have happened to you.”

“But to you it should have?” Cas turns his gaze on Dean after all.

“No,” Dean shakes his head. “Course not. It shouldn’t happen, period. But that’s not how the world works, is it now?”

“You would tell me, right?” Cas asks and grabs Dean’s arm. “If someone touched you? Even if it was – even if you thought it was small? Not

that

bad?”

“Cas,” Dean pulls on Cas’ hand to cradle it in his and stop Cas’ frantic movement. “There’s a reason they didn’t try this with me. They knew you were gonna kill them.”

Just like that, Cas’ anger falls in on itself and leaves bitter shame that burns on Dean’s tongue like an unripe orange. “Doesn’t look much like they think I’m strong.”

“Nah, Cas, seems to me like there’s something specific they want. And like they think they won’t get it unless they break us first. And people like them are plenty good at breaking others.”

“There’s no reason for that, though. Yes, we took in a Lone Wolf but they didn’t seem to care about that very much at the time. That we adopted my brother’s pup and brought his Omega parent here is hardly an event so out of the ordinary that it warrants any action beyond pushing papers.”

And that is true, in theory. If it wasn’t for that “Ketch asked me a lot of questions about your family. About your father disappearing. About Luke having dropped off the planet.”

“He thinks I have something to do with that? That’s absurd.”

Dean shrugs. “We don’t know who fed them the information. And we both know that there are people out there who want to harm you.” Specifically, one person. Who is well versed in making Cas look like the villain in his family. Leave out some information, place some strategic bits as bait and the feds might just take it at face-value.

“But if they’ve already made up their mind about this…”

“They won’t let it go,” Dean voices what he’s feared ever since he was in that interview room. “It doesn’t matter what we say, they’ll keep going until they find something that they think proves their theory.”

“Unless we change their mind.”

“Redirect their attention, more like.”

Cas frowns. “Feed them something? A different story?”

“A

better

story,” Dean nods slowly as he thinks about this. “But it can’t look like we’re feeding it to them. They’ve got to discover it themselves.”

“They’re pros,” Cas cautions.

“And we’re a family. They’ve got nothing on us if we put our mind to it.”

For the first time since they left the police station, Cas smiles, though it is a weak reflection of his normal self. “I appreciate your trust in us.”

“Nah, Cas, it ain’t blind trust. I’ve seen us work. We work. And the fact that they’re underestimating us makes it easier.”

Cas thinks about that for a moment before he nods. “We need to talk to Charlie.”

“Good thinking. She writes adventures, she can steer this narrative, too.”

“I was more thinking in terms of that now that we can provide her with a starting point she’ll have a much easier time figuring out leads from all the places she shouldn’t have any access to in the first place, but whatever makes you feel better.”

Dean snorts. “Oh, I’ll be more than happy to aid and abet if it means taking down these assclowns.”

“Well, I obviously never heard this because as the pack-Alpha I make meticulously sure that the law is kept in these lands, but I can’t say I disagree on any particular point.”

“You got any problem trying to take your brother down with it? Because you know that’s what it’s going to be coming to,” Dean warns.

“I’m aware. To counter any story he spun about me, we’ll have to spin a better one about him. Put the doubt on him instead of us.”

“You up for that?” Dean reiterates his question.

“You may have noticed already that I’m not particularly fond of my brother.”

“Ain’t quite the same thing, though, is it?”

Cas sighs. “He’s brought this on himself. Though I will ask Charlie to try to find a way that doesn’t take Adam down with him. I’ve done this to him once. That’s quite enough for one lifetime.”

Dean squeezes Cas’ hand in acknowledgement of the old pain. “We’ll do what we can to get it right this time.”

“Alright.”

Explaining this to Charlie goes over easily enough. They leave out the parts how they came to their conclusions and cut right to the chase. Charlie doesn’t need to be told twice. She makes herself a triple espresso and disappears towards her computer with a grim face.

But then, since she’s been in trouble with the feds before, even though she will absolutely not give him any details, so he guesses that getting the attention of the POA off of them as quickly as possible is in Charlie’s interest as well.

Cas calls a stern “be careful” after her to which she only shrugs.

“Don’t worry, boss. They won’t ever catch me again.”

Dean looks after her with some satisfaction. The plan sounds insane, but it might just work. But when he looks back at Cas any good mood evaporates. “Cas?”

“I’m going back down to the station. Expect that I’ll send Ellen up to fetch whoever of the household they want to talk with later. If they even get that far today.”

“No chance that she can handle them instead of you?” Dean asks.

“No,” Cas shakes his head. “I’m not leaving anyone else alone in their company for an interview. I should never have allowed it for you, either.”

It makes no sense pointing out to Cas that he’s the one who got hurt, not Dean. “Thank you for always protecting us, little Alpha,” he says instead.

But today, the nickname is the wrong choice because Cas hunches his shoulders and his expression closes down even more. “I’ll call if anything unforeseen comes up.”

“Cas,” Dean runs after him and stops him before he can get out of the door. He’s helpless for what to do, though. They have no time to talk about this right now, and offering to come down to the station will only make Cas feel weaker. “Kiss me?” he asks.

For a long moment, Dean isn’t sure whether Cas is going to oblige, but then he leans in and Dean exhales a relieved breath. He brings his hand up to cup Cas’ face and leans in close. The kiss is soft and unhurried, gradually getting deeper as they go along. And yeah, this was the right choice, Dean can feel it. This is unchanged. They are unchanged. Nothing has been lost by the events of the morning.

“I love you, Cas.” It’s a statement of fact. Maybe the truest of all truths he knows. The most unchangeable in his heart. People have tried to do a lot of shitty things to them in their lives – have done a lot of shitty things – but this here, this is always going to be a solid core to fall back on. “Remember that, okay? There’s no use pretending that today won’t be super-shitty. But you come back here tonight and I’ll be here. Whatever you need, I’ll give it to you. Because I love you. Understood?”

Cas leans their foreheads together and takes a deep breath. “Thank you.”

“Nah, Cas, there’s exactly zero need to thank me. It’s just who we are.”

That makes Cas smile a little and press another kiss to Dean’s lips. “Then thank you for making us who we are.”

Dean chuckles. “Silly Alpha. Like it’s not at least as much your fault as it’s mine who we are.”

“I’d hope so,” Cas smiles. Then he sighs, “I need to go.”

Dean nods but he still holds Cas back for another moment. “Cas? Tell Ellen?”

Cas grimaces.

“I get it, Cas. Why you’d rather not. But she’s our lawyer. And she can only do her thing if we give her the chance.”

It doesn’t make Cas any happier. But he reluctantly nods. And that’s all that Dean can ask for.

When Cas is out of the door, Dean lets out a deep breath. This whole thing proves to be as awful as he expected, though in a different way than he had thought. He had been prepared to be silent and not be taken seriously. That is a thing that has happened so frequently to him over the years, that even though he balks at it - more so now that he knows how it feels when it’s different - he knows how to handle it. Asshole investigators trying to push a wedge in-between him and Cas, and in the process either accidentally or on purpose undermining Cas’ Alpha and

hurting

him, is a curve ball Dean wasn’t expecting.

Dean has worried a lot about abuse in his life. That is, mostly he’s worried about avoiding it. But not once before today did it cross his mind to worry about Cas. As an Alpha, Cas should be immune. No one should have the power to mess with him. To come on to him, maybe. But a situation in which Cas is stuck and can’t get out or fight back? Not a worry Dean’s ever considered. Somehow, he doesn’t think Cas has considered it, either. Which is all kinds of worse if you think about it. Because at least Dean knows what to expect. He knows how dirty it makes you feel but also that, yes, the dirt will wash off eventually. That there isn’t a permanent stain on your soul. That it doesn’t mean jackshit about who you are or how much you’re worth. And that the only people who tell you it does are assholes that you want nothing to do with anyway.

But yeah, Dean’s had years and a few dozen incidents of varying degrees of severity to figure this out and it hasn’t once been easy. He still doesn’t like to think back to any of the things that happened to him before this pack. Though if he had to choose? If there was no other option? He’d always choose himself, not Cas. Let the shitty stuff happen to Dean and keep his family safe.

Speaking of which, he should check on the pups. They’ve checked in on them when they came home of course, and found all of them deeply enthralled in a jigsaw puzzle, though the twins were mostly chewing meditatively on the large puzzle pieces. Claire and Kaia definitely seemed to have the situation under control, and Dean’s and Cas’ mood had been fragile. So they’d left the group alone and took care of their grown-up issues first. But Dean doesn’t like leaving the pups alone with the teenagers for this long.

There is no way around it, they’re going to have to find another nanny. As much as he hates to admit it, running the pack and the school is a full-time job for both of them. So unless Dean does the traditional Omega thing and scales back all of his involvement, he’s going to run himself ragged and that’s before he even starts with his thesis. Which at this point is looming like a mountain that he has no idea how to climb.

He chuckles to himself at the absurdity of the situation. The laughter sticks in his throat, though. Because when he was young, Dean’s always thought the pack-Alpha household untouchable. All the power, all the resources. In his mind, that had equated to no problems. No tragedies. Nothing could touch that household. But somehow, even though he’s long since learned the lesson that a pack-Alpha household comes with its own set of challenges and in no way does their status prevent tragedy from befalling them, Dean’s learned it the hard way today that his mate isn’t untouchable, either. Is literally not untouchable.

At this point, he has to calm his breathing down again because even thinking about Mick’s sharp blue eyes brings a growl that he can’t stop.

It’s not a lesson Dean enjoys learning to begin with and it’s even worse because he has no way to punish Mick for what he did. He’s gonna get away scot-free. In fact, their best-case-scenario is to get the agents off their backs without any trouble for their pack, and that doesn’t seem enough.

Dean shakes his head. Thinking about fucking Mick up will get him nowhere. Mick caught Cas unawares, but that ain’t gonna happen more than once. Now as always, protecting the safety of their pack has to be their number one priority.

He doesn’t have to like it, though.

With a last deep breath, he puts on a smile and enters Mary’s room, expecting to hear excited giggling or at least play noises. Instead, it’s quiet. The room is empty. The door to the twin’s nursery is open, though, the window shades drawn but the night light on. So the little ones are still down for their midday nap.

He makes his way over, relieved when he finds them quietly snoring away.

He freezes a moment later. Someone else is in the room.

He turns slowly towards the shadow of movement, senses alert and ready to fight. As soon as his eyes adjust to the dim room, the scent makes it through, though. Kelly.

His immediate reaction isn’t relief but heightened tension. Another Omega is alone in the room with his pups. Another Omega who is potentially into his mate is alone in the room with his pups. His hindbrain screeches

danger

and

protect

and

fight

at him.

Apparently, his scent screams the same thing because Kelly not only cowers, she makes her way backwards towards the door. Slowly, cautiously, never turning her back on him, she retreats.

“Kelly!” It comes out too much of a growl and they both freeze again. Dean takes a calming breath and tries once more. “Where are the others?”

“Outside. In the garden.” Her voice sounds as haunted as her face looks. “I’m sorry.”

“You didn’t harm them.”

Kelly’s eyes widen in shock. “Of course not! I would never!”

It’s only then that Dean notices that he had in fact meant it the way it sounded. He hadn’t been sure. But her horror seems real enough. Still, “What are you doing in here?”

Kelly hadn’t necessarily shown as much aversion to the twins as to Mary and Jack but Dean’s always had the impression that she avoided all pups.

Even in the dim light, Dean can see that Kelly blushes. Her scent turns shy, like the scent of the first flowers after the snow in spring. “I was trying to figure it out,” she whispers.

“Trying to figure out what?”

“Pups,” she mumbles, her face turning even redder.

Dean must look and smell as lost in this conversation as he feels because when he doesn’t answer she hesitantly goes on.

“I’ve born a lot of them. But I don’t – the way you and Castiel look at them. I don’t feel that.”

“Because they were never your pups. Not really. You never decided on them. They were never your family.”

“Don’t you think it means something is wrong with me? They are my flesh and blood.”

Dean most definitely notices how she stays with the noncommittal

they

instead of saying Jack’s name, but then Dean guesses that it isn’t the name she would have chosen. If she had ever wanted to choose a name for the pup who is technically her son but who she never wanted and probably never got to see before Cas had gotten her out of the facility.

“No, I don’t,” Dean shakes his head. “Would surprise me if it was different, actually. But look, Cas and I, we love our pups. If something were to happen to them…”

“No! No, no, of course!” She’s quick to assure. “I wouldn’t think about that! Not even if…” She bites off the rest of the sentence.

“He ain’t gonna replace me with you,” Dean says bluntly. “And he ain’t gonna make you his mistress, either, no matter whether you’d be willing.” Cause Dean has the unfortunate feeling that she would be. Cas has protected her so far. And Dean knows Cas well enough to know that the expectation of kindness and safety that Kelly has of his mate is not misplaced. The only thing that is wrong is that she mistakes it for romantic or sexual interest. “If you want to figure out how you feel about pups, by all means do it. But don’t do it because you think he expects you to carry his pups and love them. That’s not gonna happen.”

He says it harsher than is maybe strictly necessary but there are entirely too many people hitting on his husband lately. Dean’s not in favor.

“I shouldn’t have been in here alone. I’m sorry.”

That’s undoubtedly true but it’s not an answer to what Dean was saying at all. Dean rubs a hand over his face, suddenly exhausted. “He’s not a thing. Omegas aren’t things to be used and manipulated, but Alphas aren’t objects, either. Or time bombs for that matter. He’s a person. He gets to choose who he wants to be with. He’s not a slave to his instincts or to society’s expectations. I wish people would get that through their heads.”

It’s only when there’s a whining from Rob’s bed that Dean notices how intense he’s actually gotten.

“Shit,” he sighs and turns around to the pups. “It’s alright, pumpkin. Daddy’s gonna be quiet again now, you can sleep on.”

But it’s never that easy. Rob’s eyes blink open and he reaches up for Dean. At least he doesn’t start screaming instantly.

“Yeah, okay, young man, you’re done with your nap, I get it.” Dean reaches down to pull Rob up into his arms.

“Adda.”

“Yep, I’m Dada,” Dean agrees though really the twins are still mostly babbling and it’s anyone’s guess what their words mean or if they mean anything at all.

“Adda,” Rob repeats and gifts Dean with a brilliant smile.

“Yeah, I love you, too, bug.” Dean presses a kiss to Rob’s cheek and becomes aware that Kelly is watching their exchange. This whole frikking day is giving him a headache. Still, “Ever carried a toddler?”

“Not one of mine.”

“Well, this one isn’t one of yours,” Dean makes clear. “But he knows you and he is in a good enough mood that I think he’ll let you carry him to the kitchen. If you feel up for it.”

“I don’t know.” She retreats another step as if the toddler in Dean’s arms is a physical danger.

“As soon as they’re both awake they’re gonna notice that after their nap they’re kinda hungry. They’re gonna start whining. Now I can carry them both but they are getting kind of heavy. And letting them make their own way to the kitchen will take us about half the day. Which we don’t have. They’ll be screaming bloody murder well before then. So by carrying one of them, you would do me a favor.”

“But you’re not… not allowed to carry two of them?” Kelly asks hesitantly.

“I’m not pregnant if that’s what you’re asking,” Dean snorts. “Cas would have some legitimate questions if I were.”

Kelly looks at him blankly. Of course. She still doesn’t know anything about his and Cas’ history or about their more permanent approach to contraception.

“Never mind,” he shakes his head. He’s not inclined to tell her any of their personal stories. “What is important is: you don’t need to. I can handle the rugrats on my own. But sharing the load is something we do in this household and if you feel like you want to be more integrated, then getting to know all the people living here is a start. And that includes the youngins.”

She thinks about it before cautiously coming a few steps closer. “And you’d be okay with me touching them?”

“Dude. Lady. I told you before, I ain’t threatened by you. And I don’t actually think you’d harm the pups. If I did, you wouldn’t be living here.” He states it matter-of-factly and goes the last steps towards her himself. “What do you say, Rob, want to try out whether Kelly is a comfortable ride to the kitchen?” He dislodges Rob from his hip to hold him out to Kelly. “Careful, he’s heavy.”

She tentatively stretches her arms out for the pup. For a moment, Dean’s scared to let go. Not because of anything Kelly might actively do to hurt him but because she seems so insecure that Dean isn’t sure she’s going to have a firm enough grip on the pup. But Rob, always the helping type, wraps his arms around Kelly’s neck and holds on himself.

“There. See, he likes you.”

“He’s so warm,” Kelly wonders.

“He’s a baby not a snake,” Dean snorts. “Though with the way your sister can slip through mine or Alpha-Daddy’s fingers when she wants to, maybe she is.”

He boops Rob on the nose and turns to pick up Ben. Ben is still sleepy, whining quietly when Dean disturbs him.

“Shh, shh, it’s okay,” Dean calms him down. “Just wake up slowly on my arm, okay? No need to be fully awake right now.”

That was definitely one advantage Mary had had. For the most part, it hadn’t been a problem to structure the day after her sleeping patterns. With three kids and without a full-time nanny, they now have to make do. Usually that means trying to get everyone to sleep at the same time and wake them up at the same time as well. It sounds good in theory, but in practice it’s proven difficult.

Ben falls right back over onto his shoulder, hiding his face in Dean’s shirt.

“Yeah, I know,” he rubs soothing circles on his back. “Waking up is stupid. Especially if you still want to sleep. But we’re gonna find you some yummie watered-down juice and some lovely rice crackers as a snack, and that will make everything better. And then we’re going to go check on your sister and see what she and the teenagers got up to.”

And whether it was the teenagers who convinced Mary to do something stupid or the other way around. The odds are even on that one.

“Come on,” he waves at Kelly to follow him and she does. Rob seems comfortable enough in his spot on Kelly’s hip, too. Somehow, Dean’s got no doubt that Kelly would have made a good mother, had the circumstances been different. As it is, he doubts that she’ll ever trust anyone enough again to find a mate and have a family of her own. He’s sorry for that like he is sorry for a great deal of other things that he can’t change.

“There you are!” Meg greets them the minute they enter the kitchen. “For a hot moment there I thought you had abandoned ship.”

“Not meaning me I assume?” Dean asks and dumps Ben in the play pen. The pup is awake enough by now to at least keep himself upright. Though Dean wouldn’t necessarily be surprised to find him fallen back over in a few minutes. Ben’s got an uncanny talent to sleep absolutely everywhere. Dean’s kind of envious, to tell the truth.

“Go fuck yourself, Winchester,” Meg smiles at him amiably.

“Nah, I got Cas for that,” Dean says back in the same overly friendly tone and doesn’t bother to correct her on his name.

“Well, last I heard the agents were still keeping him busy. Guess you gotta wait until tonight.”

He shudders, though Meg can’t know what had transpired in the morning. “Yeah, I think I can deal,” he grumps instead and goes to get Rob from Kelly, who’s watching their exchange with wide eyes. “We can put him in the playpen now,” Dean explains before he carefully takes the pup from her arms.

By the time he has Rob lowered into the pen, Meg is already filling their mugs with apple juice and water. He’s gotta give it to her, for all that she’s an asshole, she’s a helpful asshole.

“Thanks,” he grouses.

“Whatever,” she shrugs her shoulders as if completely bored. It’s as affected as everything that Meg does.

“Kelly was gonna help me feed the pups.”

“Was she now?” Meg raises one eyebrow. “Guess you don’t need me here then.”

“Well, in fact…” Dean sighs. “Can you start this while I check on Mary and the teens?”

Meg chuckles. “Now don’t make a face like you bit in a lemon, just because you had to ask me for a favor. I don’t bite. You, anyway.” She smirks.

“Just try not to poison the pups?”

She laughs a high peel of laughter. “No worries. I’m not going to poison the pups. They are Cas’ pups, after all.”

She winks at him and Dean rolls his eyes. Even with their otherwise completely different attitudes, Meg and Hannah have both always made it clear that their fondness for Cas surpasses their fondness for Dean by large margins. Dean doesn’t mind either, since they accept and respect him. But boy, is he glad that he has an ally in Charlie. There is only so much ribbing he can take in any given day.

Still, Meg turns back around to Kelly without any further ado. “So, you want a lesson in baby mush?”

Kelly looks like a deer in the headlights but she mumbles, “Dean said something about rice crackers?”

“Ah, snacks then. That’s much better anyway. The more you know about feeding the monsters, the more often they will make you feed the monsters. That’s why I try to avoid seeming helpful. Though of course they know that I’m a trained nurse, so…”

Meg’s chatter seems to take the pressure off of Kelly because she visibly relaxes. She even sort of smiles at Meg’s bad jokes. Dean watches it for a minute before actually leaving towards the garden. He would bet dollars to doughnuts that Meg knows exactly what she’s doing. For all of her bitching and her biting tongue, she actually

is

a good nurse.

Outside, Dean goes slow. Stays in the shadows to get an impression of how it works out with Mary and Claire and Kaia when he or Cas are not around. The girls are harvesting some of the blackberries that grow along the fence at the border of their garden. Claire and Kaia are laughing about something, and Mary is smiling, too, though she’s too intently focused on her task to give much of her attention to the teens. From the way her whole face and much of her play-apron are saturated in purple, not much of the blackberries Mary plucks actually makes it into the bucket where the berries are supposed to be collected in.

And that is it. That is what they need to do.

It’s a lightbulb moment as Dean watches his daughter being so, so careful with the thorny bushes. He’s going to invite Gabe and Jack to come along to inspect grandpaw’s beehives. If they can get Mary to concentrate, he thinks Jack might just have a chance to connect to her. His quiet intensity and hers are not that badly matched in those moments.

The laughter gets louder as apparently Kaia said something particularly funny. In any case, Claire laughs so hard that she almost loses her balance. Instead, she lets her head fall forward onto Kaia’s shoulder. Kaia brings her arm up around Claire’s waist, steadying her, though she keeps her no doubt also purple hands carefully away from Claire’s clothes. It looks – gentle in a way that Dean doesn’t usually connect to Claire. He raises his eyebrows. He’d known that there was something between the shy young scholarship Alpha from the reservation and their brash rescue pup, but he’d taken it for a crush like everyone has in high school. Looking at them now, he’s not so sure anymore. Bringing out this much of Claire’s soft side? Dean’s not seen it happen before. He hadn’t been sure Claire

had

a soft side.

Suddenly, he feels bad for observing them while they obviously think they are undisturbed. So Dean clears his throat and calls out to them, “Hey, have you found the mouse wedding yet?”

Mary laughs delightedly and comes running over to him. “That’s summer, Dada!”

“Oh, is that so?” Dean teases.

“Yes!” Mary shouts brightly and jumps up and down where she stands, all her energy that was so subdued while she was concentrated suddenly back. “Berry harvest is fa’!”

“Fall,” Dean corrects her.

“Fallllllll,” Mary over-emphasizes.

Dean chuckles. “Sometimes I think you’re just too lazy to say your Ls.”

“Falllllllll!” she screams again, this time ending in a giggle fit.

“Alright, you can do it, I believe it.” He refrains from picking up his daughter, seeing how her overall purpleness is even worse than it looked from afar. Instead he steers her back over to Kaia and Claire. “How’s it going?”

“Good! We have, uhh,” Claire looks into the bucket that is maybe a third full.

“Really not enough blackberries to make jam. Which is what we wanted to do,” Kaia says wistfully.

“Guess you gotta pluck more and eat less. Good old child labor,” Dean smirks.

Both teens groan but they’re also still smiling.

“Oh, we have a baby monitor by the way! We didn’t just leave the twins!” Claire gestures towards where the monitor is sitting in the grass. “But we figured you had it sorted.”

“You heard my conversation with Kelly,” Dean deducts.

“Uhh, yeah. Sorry about that.” Claire wrinkles her nose, apparently not quite sure what she thinks of the topic. Or the conversation they witnessed. Or Kelly. Who even knows.

“She’s better than she was,” Kaia observes quietly.

Dean hadn’t known that Kaia had met Kelly enough to know whether she was better or not. But Kaia’s not wrong. “Yeah, she is,” he agrees.

Claire’s scent turns sharp for a moment like she has a bitter comment but she looks at Mary and then Kaia and bites it back.

He’s never gonna tell her of course but it’s uncanny how much Claire reminds him of himself. He looks at her when she’s a sour petulant moody teenager and he sees the pictures of his own teenage years that his brother put in his photo album. He sees the new softness around her eyes and he remembers those first pictures taken after he and Cas met. There is the same wonder, too, the same insecurity whether this good thing is actually good or whether it’s maybe too good to be true.

Consequently, when Mary drags at Claire’s hand to get her to pick her up so that they can get to a particularly stubborn patch of berries, Dean turns to Kaia. “Be careful with her heart. Please.” He says it lowly, under his breath, doesn’t want Claire, who would absolutely insist that she has the situation handled, to catch him. She’d have insisted she has the situation handled even while Cas had grappled her to the ground.

Kaia looks up at him for a short moment, like she’s double-checking that she got the right meaning from his words. Then she nods. “As careful as she allows me to be.”

Dean snorts. “Yeah, I’m pretty sure that it would be a mistake to think of her as someone who needs to be protected. She’s gonna punch you for that, no matter how much she likes you. And she likes you a lot,” he adds. “There are not many people who can claim that honor.”

This time, Kaia smiles when she nods. “I know.”

Suddenly, Dean’s pretty sure that his advice isn’t needed, so he changes the topic. “How are you getting on?”

She’s instantly on her guard. He gets it, too. The reservations don’t necessarily have the best reputation. Kaia got into their school on a scholarship but she drives herself into town every day to attend school.

“Just asking cause, well, senior year is a bitch, so if things aren’t 100% peachy at home…” Dean shrugs. “I would hate to hear that you dropped out.”

“Cause you think I’d take her with me?” She nods in Claire’s direction.

Dean huffs a short burst of laughter. “Yeah, you better. She’s gonna hunt you down if you don’t. But no, for real, I saw your report card. You’re smart and you do the work it takes. Now sometimes, that still isn’t enough. So if something like that comes up, you know you got people to turn to, okay? You don’t try to solve it by getting a job and dropping out.”

“You did,” Kaia states with conviction.

“Yup,” Dean nods. “Sure did. Can’t say I regret it, either, seeing how it ended me up here. But you’re

already

here. You have different options.”

“Hey, are you helping or are you gonna let Dean talk your ear off all day long?”

It’s not a tone Dean can imagine many Alphas being happy with, not even the young ones, but Kaia smiles at Claire like the sun just came up. “I’m coming.”

Claire quickly lowers her head so that her hair falls over her face before she brusquely turns back to Mary but it does nothing to hide either her blush or her sweetening scent.

“Go,” Dean tells Kaia. “Remember what I said, though. She has many people on her side, but so do you. Okay?”

“Okay,” Kaia smiles, a slight blush tingeing her cheeks as well.

Dean smiles back at her, heart incredibly fond. The rest of the day might have been a shithole, but this moment makes up for a lot.

Ellen does not come by. No one else from their household gets called in for questioning this day. Instead, they all wait for Cas. Dean’s worry increases by the hour, to the point where Charlie and Meg volunteer taking over pup duty because Dean’s scent makes everyone whiny. But Dean can’t help it. He doesn’t like his mate stuck in a room with Mick.

He tries texting Cas but Cas’ answers are short and infrequent. And yeah, it stands to reason that Cas has better things to do than texting, but it does nothing to settle Dean’s nerves.

It’s hours later and Dean’s already in their bedroom when Cas finally comes in. He looks and smells utterly exhausted.

Dean lets his tablet sink. “That doesn’t look good.”

Cas with a tired swing throws a piece of paper towards Dean. It lands on the blanket.

Dean picks it up. “What is this?”

“Mick’s private phone number,” Cas sighs.

Dean lets the piece of paper drop as if it’s bitten him. “His

what

?” The growl is back in Dean’s voice.

“Apparently,

no

is not an answer the agents are used to.” Cas lets himself plonk on the bed. “Though at least there was no more groping. I seem to have made it clear that no one would like the results.”

“Did you mention to him that I’d enjoy ripping him to pieces?” Dean growls and it’s not even halfway a joke.

It gets a worn smile. “No, Dean, I did not. I try to handle our pack’s affairs with as few direct threats to the lives of federal officers as possible. Though I’m pretty sure he knows the sentiment exists.”

“You betcha it exists,” Dean snarls. “In fact, it exists in details. Vivid ones.”

“I appreciate it, Dean.”

Dean frowns because he isn’t sure whether it is or isn’t sarcasm, and Cas of course notices. He gives him another weary smile.

“I mean it, Dean. I appreciate it.”

Dean nods, growl subsiding for now. It’s good that his Alpha knows that Dean is ready to defend him. It’s even better that he appreciates it, whether that’s usual for an Alpha or not.

“How did the day go here?” Cas asks.

Dean watches him for a few heartbeats. Is it deflection? He isn’t sure. But he does know that it makes him himself feel better when he knows that the pups are alright, so he indulges Cas. “We made blackberry jam.”

“Blackberry jam?”

“Well, apparently Mary told Claire and Kaia about the Brambly Hedge series and the two took it upon themselves to further her berry education.”

“Claire knows how to make jam?” Cas asks disbelievingly.

“Oh God no,” Dean scoffs. “Or I guess, she does now. Kaia taught the rest of us.”

Cas blinks, the surprise obvious, even though his shoulders are taking on a more relaxed slant. “You should bring by a jar when you next visit Cain. Surprise him with undiscovered skills.”

“Dude, there’s only two jars in the first place. Mary ate most of the harvest before it could ever be made into jam. And I gave one of the jars to the girls. Thought Jody and Donna could use a surprise of

undiscovered skills

as well.”

“Okay. That sounds fair,” Cas admits.

“You know of course, that you, dearest Alpha-Dad, will have to try our concoction in the morning and tell your daughter that it’s the best breakfast you’ve ever eaten.”

“Which I’m sure will be nothing but the truth,” Cas answers diplomatically.

“A little more feeling and you’ll almost have me convinced,” Dean teases.

Cas smiles, though it turns out more of a grimace. “To be quite honest, I was not actually planning on taking the time to eat breakfast.”

“I see.”

“Dean, I…”

“It’s okay. It’s okay, Cas. I’m worried is all.” Dean reaches out to take Cas’ hand and squeeze it. The way Cas holds on, Dean is right to be worried, too. “What can I do to make it better?”

“It’s not your job to make it better.”

Dean wriggles his hand out of Cas’ grasp so that he can put his college stuff on the floor next to the nightstand and crawl his way over to Cas’ side of the bed. “Stubborn little Alpha.” He can’t resist putting a small kiss on Cas’ ear before he whispers. “I

want

to make you feel good. And I can think of a whole range of activities for that, from sweet innocent cuddles to rather more depraved activities which require the both of us to be naked and will make us very sticky.”

Cas frowns. “Nothing that we do is depraved, Dean.”

Dean refrains from rolling his eyes and instead puts a peck on Cas’ cheek. “Alright. Let’s go with: A range of activities going from sweet and innocent to would not want my brother to walk in on. Or yours, actually, though I gather he’d in all likelihood be less shocked and rather provide a running commentary. With encouragement and helpful tips.”

Dean laughs at his own joke while Cas groans. “Don’t even say it in jest. He’ll hear it somehow and do exactly that.”

“Slight paranoia, Cas?” Dean teases.

“I grew up with him! There’s nothing slight about it!” Cas answers in a mock dramatic voice.

They look at each other and burst out laughing.

When they’ve calmed down, Cas nudges Dean. “You know what? I feel better already.”

“Glad to hear it,” Dean smiles and smuggles his hand back into Cas’. “Is there anything beyond dumb jokes that I can do?”

“Can I ask you a question, Dean?”

“Course.”

“If I – if I’d say I’d rather cuddle tonight, what would you think of that?”

Dean nods. This isn’t completely out of the blue. “I’d think that I love cuddling you. And that I’m glad that you want me close.”

That makes Cas look down at his lap.

“Hey, no, there’s no reason for that, Cas. I love you with all of my heart and then some. Am I going to be worried? Yes. I don’t want you to hurt. And I don’t want us to be changed by the likes of

Mick

. Or anyone else for that matter. But I believe in you and I believe in us. And I believe that you being honest with me allows me to support you the way you need. So in the end, I guess what I’m going to think is: Thank you for letting me know and thank you for letting me be there for you.”

He doesn’t expect it when Cas wipes at his eyes but he doesn’t comment on it, either. He just wraps his arms around Cas, allowing their body heat to mingle.

Dean has played through scenarios like this in his mind, of course. They live in a violent world. It was never that unlikely that something like this might happen. Though Dean’s got to admit that he usually thought about how he himself would react. He’d always been stumped, though. Would there be circumstances under which he couldn’t abide Cas’ touch anymore? Could there be? He has no point of reference for that. There has never before been anyone in his life who he wanted to be touched by the way he does with Cas. Now that he knows the feeling, that he has a mating bite to go with it, could anything make it go away? He doesn’t know and he doesn’t want to find out.

“Come on, little Alpha. Go brush your teeth and let’s make that cuddling happen.” He nudges Cas in the direction of the bathroom and lets go of him.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, Cas, I’m very sure.” Dean nudges at Cas again and this time Cas gets up, if with a heavy sigh.

Dean uses the time that Cas is in a bathroom to pick up the piece of paper with Mick’s phone number with two fingers, touching it as little as possible, and dropping it in the garbage can. They have official phone numbers to contact the agents. This piece of junk can go in the trash where it belongs.

It’s not exactly unexpected when the morning feels like the worst emotional hangover. It is also not exactly unexpected that Dean wakes up because he’s missing the warmth of his mate wrapped around him. Cas said he needed an early start after all.

He checks his phone and surfs the web mindlessly while Cas is in the bathroom, trying to wake up while at the same time giving himself a few more minutes before pups. He loves them to pieces, but boy, is he exhausted.

“I’m pretty sure they’re going to call on Hannah and Kelly today,” Cas says when he comes out of the bathroom and finds Dean awake. “I have some hope that they won’t call on Charlie at all, seeing how she has no connection to my brothers. But I cannot try to openly dissuade them from interviewing her. That would just make it more likely that they want to talk to her.”

“I’ll tell her,” Dean nods. “Is there anything else you want me to know or do?”

“Is keeping me sane a valid request?” Cas sighs.

“Yeah,” Dean says. “It kinda is.” And since he knows they won’t be seeing much of each other today he holds his phone up and wriggles it in the air. “Call me, text me, whatever. I’ll shove the pups in someone else’s arms and answer immediately, okay?”

“I’m not asking you to neglect our pups for my sake.”

“And I’m not actually neglecting our pups.” Dean shakes his head and gets out of bed after all. “You’re a little high strung this morning, little Alpha.” Consequently, he wraps his arms tightly around his mate, not letting go until Cas stops his attempts at closing his belt and relaxes into Dean’s hold. “Better.” And then, voice much darker, “Am I allowed to beat the shit out of him if he touches you again?”

“No,” Cas shakes his head.

“He’s an Omega. Fair game if you ask me,” Dean persists. It won’t result in a change of answer but with a bit of luck it will make Cas feel loved and like the world is not on his shoulders alone.

“And surprisingly enough, I am actually intrigued by the offer. But I’m not risking the father of my children and my pack leadership in one fell swoop.”

“I could take him,” Dean states confidently. Though if he’s honest, that statement would have been truer before the pups and while he still worked as a mechanic. His body has changed in ways that are not conducive to fist fights.

“I have no doubts about that. If all else failed, you would out-stubborn him.”

Dean isn’t sure whether it’s honest or teasing so he decides to take it at face-value. “Yep. I would.”

That makes Cas smile. He turns around in Dean’s arms. “I love you, my amazing, courageous, stubborn Omega.”

“I know,” Dean nods satisfied. “I mean, love you, too,” he spells out because he’s pretty much sending Cas into battle without being able to be there with him at the front lines so it’s the least he can do.

Cas smiles at him in return and stretches up to kiss Dean.
It’s satisfying in every way when Cas’ hand comes up around Dean’s neck and what started as a sweet thank you kiss turns that much filthier as Dean opens his mouth and licks against Cas’ lips to invite him in. Their bodies press up against each other, Dean’s hands gliding from Cas’ back to lower regions, grabbing a handful of ass under abysmally large suit pants. Where another Alpha might complain about being manhandled by their Omega, Cas goes willingly, slotting himself into place, pressing one thigh forward and between Dean’s legs.
That is in fact how far they’ve gotten when a stern voice behind them says, “I came to find you. You need to go, Alpha, if you don’t want to risk running late.”

They both flinch, the moment broken as if a bucket of ice water had been emptied over them.

“Thank you, Hannah,” Cas says, his voice rougher than usual. If there’s a hint of annoyance and sarcasm in the tone, Dean’s pretty sure he’s the only one who detects it.

“Finish tonight what we started?” he asks instead, employing a coy voice that he’s pretty sure will be found

adorable

by his mate. Cause his mate is a dork like that.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Cas smiles and steals another kiss, albeit a short one this time.

Cas is already in the hallway when Dean calls out to him one more time. “Take care, Cas, okay?” This time, his voice matches his actual mood: worried.

Cas turns around to him and nods, his face already back to a worried frown as well, “I will.”

As soon as he’s gone, Dean mumbles something about the children and flees Hannah’s presence. He’s never managed to completely get over being embarrassed whenever she catches them in a private moment.

In fact, he tries to run so fucking fast that he almost misses that they had an audience of two, not of one. She’s stayed in the shadows of the hallway but Dean’s pretty sure that she still saw a good part of what happened.

Not that he cares if she did. Things Dean doesn’t give: Any fucks about what Kelly thinks about his interactions with Cas.

Though possibly that also means that he should hold back the low growl that escapes his throat when he passes her. Well, sue him but he’s stressed out and he’s pretty sure that Kelly smelled more curious than scandalized right there. And Dean would rather not want to know what that means.

He decides not to risk any further meetings and hides in the nursery with the pups most of the morning. The weather is not as nice as yesterday anyway, rain showers drizzling down on the house every so often and bringing with them the smell of autumn in a way even the blackberries didn’t. Dean is content with inside explorations and the pups seem to feel the same.

He keeps his phone close. Cas updates him in short words, not that there is that much to update. Cas himself is not allowed in with anyone they’re interviewing, and Ellen isn’t either, as she’s seen as biased since she’s Cas’ lawyer. Finally, the compromise is an officer of the law, meaning that Jody and Donna share the questionable honor of being in a room with Ketch and Mick and whoever their latest victim is. Though Dean guesses that the agents would protest that term.

It’s well into the afternoon when Dean finally manages to wrangle the pups down for their nap. He’s eaten some of Mary’s jam for breakfast, and though his opinion isn’t quite as important as Alpha-Daddy’s in Mary’s eyes, he’s still made sure to praise her plenty. Though the truth of the matter is, Dean hadn’t even really tasted what he was eating. His thoughts had been too preoccupied.

It’s not much different now. There’s a pot of pasta that’s been prepared for everyone who wants lunch and by the looks of it Dean is one of the last people to come through today. He scrapes out a few of the remaining noodles and some sauce and nukes the whole assembly in the microwave. He guesses that it tastes decent enough but he eats it mechanically. This is nutrition, nothing more.

He’s already drying the dishes after a quick clean-up when Charlie comes in.

“Oh good, Dean! Can I talk to you for a second?”

“Yeah, sure.” Dean frowns when he notices how pinched Charlie’s face is. “What’s wrong?” he asks.

“You mean apart from POA agents crawling all over my town?” she grimaces and sits herself down with a thunk. She’s got a file folder in her hand.

“How are you holding up with that?” Dean asks carefully.

“Umm, I’m holding up. And with that I mean that since they still haven’t called me in my papers are holding up. So far at least,” she answers grimly. “I’d really rather give them something to sniff out that is not me. Or us. Which is kind of what I wanted to talk to you about.”

And that can only mean one thing. “You found something we can use?” Dean asks, immediately alert.

“Well, I found

something

alright.”

It doesn’t sound as excited and smug as Dean would have expected, in fact, “That does not sound good.”

He wrinkles his nose because it doesn’t smell good, either. In fact, he’s got to quickly hold his breath and rub his nose to stop himself from sneezing. Because Charlie’s stressed-out scent is through the roof. And for a Beta’s scent to get strong enough to almost make him sneeze… This is not going to be the breakthrough he was hoping for.

“It’s – I don’t know what it is, to be honest. I don’t even know whether it’s true. And to be even more honest, if it is true, I think that’s a reason

not

to use the info.”

Dean interrupts with a, “Start at the beginning, please?” because he’s already lost the plot.

Charlie takes a deep breath and nods. “Okay. So, I was searching for crumbs to throw to the asshats. To give them a trail that leads away from us.”

“Clear so far,” Dean nods to encourage her to keep going.

“And I thought to myself, well, why not kill two birds with one stone, you know? Why not lead them

away

from us and

towards

the asshole who settled us with them.”

“So you’re trying to find dirt on Michael.” Dean spells it out because Charlie is nervously fingering her folder and doesn’t seem to want to come to the point.

“Well, there was an obvious choice for a link between this pack and Michael…”

“Ezekiel,” Dean guesses because it really is obvious, even though he isn’t sure what he thinks about it. Seeing how Ezekiel is not even around anymore. “Have you found him?”

“I have a trail that might well lead me to him,” Charlie exhales a big breath. “If we actually want them to find him. Which I’m not sure we do.”

“You’re talking in riddles again, Charles.”

“Yeah,” she fidgets. “I guess I am.”

“Come on,” Dean encourages her. “Just spit it out, whatever it is. He worked for both Michael and Luke. It’s not unexpected that some dirt stuck.”

“Yeah, but that’s just it, Dean.

Ezekiel

never worked for Luke.”

Dean frowns. “He lied about that?”

“No, no, I don’t think he did.”

“You lost me again,” Dean shakes his head.

“My papers held up. His didn’t.” Charlie finally pushes the folder towards Dean. “I think I found his original identity.”

Dean’s eyebrows rise. “Original identity?” He hadn’t known Ezekiel had one of those.

“Just look,” Charlie nods at the folder.

When Dean pulls it closer, it’s light. There are only two pieces of paper in it. A birth certificate and a copy of an old driver’s license. “Gadreel…” Dean starts reading the ID before he stops. “Charlie, that can’t be. That can’t be him.” His eyebrows draw together as he stares from the paper back up at Charlie. This is too big an error, it’s not an oversight she would make. So that leaves only the option that it is

not

in fact a mistake. “That can’t be,” he repeats but his voice comes out questioning.

“Gadreel started working for Lucifer about ten years ago. He was barely of age. He worked for him for six years. Then he disappeared, never to be seen again. Ezekiel shows up at Michael’s about half a year later.”

“That can be a coincidence,” Dean points out.

“They share the same birthday. Though Gadreel’s childhood and early adult years are evidenced by more than these two files. There are medical records for him, school records, a whole plethora of documentation. For Ezekiel, there is exactly zip. Beyond the most basic info needed to get your ID and social security, that is. There is nothing older than a few years.”

And okay, that’s strange. That’s very strange indeed.

“I didn’t – I didn’t try to verify beyond what I could do without attracting notice. If I start calling hospitals and city archives, someone is bound to get wind of this. So I, well, I brought it to you. See what you think of it. Whether you think it’s possible.” She bites her lip.

“Shit.” Dean’s not really sure what to say. Or to think for that matter. His eyes find that one line in the document again that made him stumble.

Sex: Male. Designation: Omega.

It’s not unheard of, of course. He’s stumbled upon it a few times in his college courses. Research papers from Canada usually, or from a European country that’s more progressive than the good old US of A. A country where this kind of thing isn’t quite as illegal.

“Shit,” he repeats.

He’d never once thought of Ezekiel as anything but an Alpha. But if this is true, then what he’s holding in his hands is a grenade. A grenade that’s going to explode Ezekiel’s whole life if they throw it. That’ll have him end up in jail. And that’ll have him end up –

Sex: Male. Designation: Omega

.

“Shit.” Dean closes his eyes for a moment to take a deep breath. “I thought pretty much nothing could surprise me anymore. I was wrong.”

Charlie snorts a hollow laugh but she doesn’t disagree. “You’ve talked to him more than I have. Do you think it’s possible?”

“I –“

The way Ezekiel is cowed by Cas faster than an Alpha should be.

The way how for all his posturing, his scent stays far softer than expected from an Alpha.

The way he didn’t react to Gabe’s heat scent at all.

The fact that he had recognized that Adam had been taking hormones, even though a regular Alpha should have no clue about such things.

The fact that he even knew an Omega specialist who would sell them birth control pills under the table. A specialist, who probably sells all kind of other meds under the table as well. Like hormones needed for an illegal transition.

“Yeah,” Dean hears himself say. “Yeah, I think it could be true.”

“Shit.” Now it’s Charlie who softly swears. “I was hoping you’d say the opposite. Cause now we’re in a dilemma.”

Dean thinks of Ketch’s smarmy cockiness and of handing him this file and everything in him shudders. “God knows I dislike Zeke. But I don’t think I can do this. We can’t give this to the POA.”

Charlie looks at him with a helpless half-smile. “That’s not even the dilemma, Dean.”

Cas, Dean suddenly understands. If they’ve discovered evidence of a crime – and this is an on-going crime according to federal law – they have to bring it to Cas’ notice. Who in turn is supposed to notify the proper authorities or exert his own authority to stop the offender.

“Shit.” It really is the only word that fits. Dean runs a helpless hand through his hair.

“Yeah,” Charlie agrees. “I mean, we’re not 100%. So I guess there’s – enough doubt? That we don’t have to tell?” But her voice doesn’t sound like she believes it.

“I don’t like it,” Dean shakes his head.

“Neither do I. But it’s

Cas

, you know? His allegiance is lawful good. So if we’re – if we’re agreed that we’re not using this anyway, all we’re doing is giving him a no-win-situation.”

“No matter what he does, it’ll feel wrong to him.” Because either he spites the law or he destroys a person’s life.

“And for us it’s only a lie by omission?” Charlie shrugs guiltily. “And Ezekiel isn’t even here. Maybe he never shows up again and for all that we know, it might never become an issue.” But the hope in her voice is thin.

“Unless he’ll be back for the fall semester?” Dean makes it a question but mainly tries to read Charlie’s face. “You found his trail. You got an opinion on this?”

Charlie ways her head and makes a vague

maybe, maybe not

gesture. “Science classes start in two weeks. If he shows up, it’ll be then.”

And okay, that makes sense. “Can you tell me where he was so far?”

“Not with any certainty. He used his credit card a few times. Looks like he was on a road trip.”

“Did he contact Adam?”

She shakes her head. “I wish I knew. But no idea. He didn’t leave any traces near California. Doesn’t mean he wasn’t there, obviously.”

“You think he got wind of Mikey contacting our lovely POA agents and decided to take an extended road trip until they’re gone?”

Charlie shrugs, “If my papers were this shoddy, it’s what I’d have done.”

“I guess,” Dean nods and fiddles with the edges of the folder in front of him.

“We can always wait until we know for certain. That he’ll show up again. It’s not like Cas can do anything about this right now anyway.”

“Apart from giving this to Ketch,” Dean nods at the folder.

Charlie shudders. “I don’t think he would.”

“Yeah, I don’t, either,” Dean agrees though it doesn’t make him feel any better.

“He’s got so much on his shoulders already. We’d only be adding another burden,” Charlie says softly.

And that’s the last thing Dean wants to do. Still. It doesn’t feel right to him, leaving Cas out of the loop. He shakes his head. “I’d agree with you if we weren’t us but anyone else. If Cas was any other Alpha. If bringing him in on this meant dumping it on him and leaving him to deal with the fallout. But you and I both know that that’s not how it’s going to go. We’re still going to be a part of this. It’s not going to end up all on his shoulders.”

“The consequences will be.”

“No,” Dean shakes his head. “No. We’re going to carry that together as well. We always do.”

For the first time, Charlie gives him a genuine smile, even though it’s still tired, no energy for her usual bubbliness. “Sometimes I have no idea how the rest of us manages to live with the two of you. You’re such a happy and functional couple it’s downright gross.” She chuckles, then nods at herself and seems to come to a decision, because she pushes herself up from the table. “Alright. Your choice. I’ll leave that folder with you. Tell him now or tell him later, whichever seems best to you. I’ll put a pin in this investigation for now and hope that I find something else to throw to the agency wolves.”

“Thanks, Charles.” Dean closes the folder. He has a feeling he’ll have to look at it a few more times before this info has really sunken in.

“Don’t mention it. No, really, don’t. Especially not when Ketch is asking after me.” She wrinkles her nose in disgust.

“I won’t,” Dean promises. “Guess it’s too much to hope that I don’t have to talk to the fucker anymore at all. Though I guess if I could make wishes happen, I’d get Cas out of Mick’s clutches first.”

It’s only Charlie’s raised eyebrows that clues Dean in to his own growl. He sighs.

“I’m not gonna say I’m sorry. Cause I’m not. That asshole needs to leave Cas alone.”

Charlie tilts her head and thinks out loud. “I mean I guess I could dump a random trail of info about him on the net. Starting with his designation. Seeing how carefully they swiped everything, they’re going to scramble for damage control, doesn’t even matter whether the info is legit or not.”

It’s tempting. It really is. But Dean shakes his head. “Nah, even if they can’t track it back, they’ll know it was us. It’ll make everything ten times more difficult.”

“Hmm,” Charlie thinks about it for a moment. “What if I could do it

and

pin it on Michael?”

“Frame him?” Dean asks back.

“Not a nice word but I guess it fits,” Charlie shrugs. “He’s done worse to us. I won’t feel any guilt about this one.”

“Yeah,” Dean nods, “I wouldn’t, either. And believe me when I tell you that I’d love to hurt those fuckers. But we’re gonna need something other than that to get rid of them.”

“Any ideas?”

“Actually, yeah. Do you have any trail of Lucifer?”

Charlie raises an eyebrow at him. “You know I don’t.”

“Is it reasonable to assume that no one has a trail of Lucifer then?”

“I guess?” Charlie frowns.

“So how likely is it that a trail might show up that would, I don’t know – get lost somewhere around California?”

“You want to frame Michael for Luke’s disappearance?”

Dean shrugs. “Not

frame

, exactly. You’re good but I’m not quite sure you’re

that

good. But from what the idiots are asking, that’s what they’re looking into. The disappearances of Lucifer and possibly Chuck.”

“Chuck? That’s been like, forever.”

“Well, it’s the only disappearances they have. There’s nothing else to work with.”

“Hmm,” Charlie nods thoughtfully. “Are we assuming that Michael is doing the same thing to us?”

“Framing Cas for the disappearances you mean?”

“Well, throwing breadcrumbs more likely. Just enough for the agents to make up their own mind the way Michael wants. It’s what I would do,” she shrugs and grins sheepishly.

“It’s not unlikely. What with their extra-special agents showing up here and all.”

“Interesting. I’ll have to think about it. I wish I knew what he told them. That would make this so much easier. Hmm, maybe if I could physically get to their phones…”

“No!” Dean puts a stop to that one immediately. “You’re not endangering yourself. You do this safely and remotely, and if they don’t call on you, you do

not

go anywhere near them.”

“Spoilsport,” Charlie grumbles.

“See it as a challenge: Can you hack them remotely or is there a security system you can’t get past?”

“A system like that doesn’t exist,” she huffs. Then she blinks. “Asshole. You almost got me with that one.”

Dean grins. “What do you mean

almost

? You’re already fidgeting to get started.”

She huffs again but she doesn’t deny it. Instead she asks, “Permission to bring Ash in on this?”

“Sure,” Dean nods. “I mean, I can’t speak for Cas obviously.”

“Your permission is good enough for me. I’ll make the trip to the roadhouse. Kinda don’t want to discuss shit like this via the phone.”

“Do it,” Dean nods. Because if they play this right, it even has a somewhat better than a snowball’s chance in hell to succeed. At the very least, it might get Michael an audit and agents sniffing around his office. “Give me a ballpark number on how sure you are that you can figure something out? I like this much better than the Ezekiel option.”

“I can make

something

work,” Charlie says firmly. “You can tell Cas that. He doesn’t need to rely on the other shit.”

“Okay,” Dean nods. “That’s good. Okay.”

“Tell me what he says?”

“I will. But it won’t be before tonight. I doubt he’s even going to come home before bedtime.”

A prediction that proves to be right. They have no babysitters in the house today, so Dean’s got his hands full and Cas’ short text messages are his main source of information. He is worried when they – as expected – call for Kelly, but a little less worried when Meg bullies Ellen into taking her down to the station with her. That way, Kelly has someone in her corner at least. As weird as it is to think of Meg as moral support he thinks that’s exactly what she is, in her own darkly sarcastic way. In any case, when they come back home Meg is glowering more than usual, but Kelly seems to be about the same amount of rattled that she always is.

“How did it go?” Dean asks.

Meg levels a pointed look at Ben who’s currently residing in Dean’s arms. “I don’t think you want me to discuss this right now.”

“About as well as expected then,” Dean nods.

Meg grumbles something that might be agreement and follows Kelly’s retreating back with her eyes until Kelly is out of sight and earshot. “She did well enough. Was adamant that Cas is a good Alpha and that she’s happy to be here. Not that she ever looks it.”

“’s gotta be better than where she was before,” Dean shrugs.

“Pretty sure that goes for all of us, Winchester.”

“Never said that it didn’t, either.”

“You know that I don’t give a rat’s ass about Cas’ precious adherence to the law if it comes down to it, right? In case action is needed.”

Yeah, Dean knows that. “Can’t say I particularly disagree.”

“Good,” Meg nods grimly. She doesn’t growl but the way she’s baring her teeth makes her feelings very clear.

She’s already turning away to follow Kelly when Dean calls her back. “Why did you trust him? Cas, I mean? When he found you.”

She stops and looks over her shoulder. “You better never fuck up my unicorn, Winchester.”

Dean’s well-versed in Meg’s threats, which he has no doubt are meant exactly as she says them. But their exchange of unpleasantries is a routine dance at this point. “Do you think I could interest you in a time limit on that? Like, when Mary is in school you start calling me by my married name or something?”

Now she turns back to him for a minute after all. She smirks. “I’ll think about it, Winchester.” Then she follows Kelly.

Dean shakes his head and boops Ben’s nose. “Did we think this one would turn out worse than Hannah? No, we did not. Did she turn out to be a tougher nut to crack? Yeah, she sure did.”

Ben giggles, blissfully unaware of what Dean is talking about.

“Yeah,” Dean agrees. “For you, it’s a worry for another day. But when you’re old enough, you better take note, bug. Your Alpha-Dad has a useful talent there, inspiring loyalty in everyone he meets. You could do worse than emulating that.”

Of course, Ben just blinks at him blankly and grabs a strand of Dean’s hair to pull on it.

By the time all pups are finally in bed, Cas has texted that he’s on his way back, so even though he’s exhausted Dean makes his way back to the kitchen to put on a kettle. All the teas they have are herbal blends from Cain’s homemade collection these days. Dean chooses a forest berry blend that he hopes will help to sweeten the end of a shitty day. In fact, he runs with the thought and also grabs some toast and Mary’s homemade jam and puts it on the table. Cas didn’t have the chance to taste it in the morning but maybe he feels like it now. Dean doubts that he’s going to have much of an appetite, seeing how stress always affects Cas’ eating habits, but comfort foods are a thing.

He is looking over his assembly with a satisfied nod when the air in the room changes. Dean turns around to greet his mate with a half-smile and a, “It’s not PB&J but at least the jam part is there. Oh, and the water is boiling.”

Dean is already turning around to get the kettle when a hand wraps around his wrist, stopping him easily. He turns back to Cas who looks exhausted but who’s also wearing a genuine smile. “Thank you, Dean.” Cas leans up to give Dean a kiss that Dean smiles into.

“Any time, Cas. Go sit. I’ll bring you your tea,” he nudges him towards the table.

Cas nods gratefully and sinks into a chair. He watches Dean as he fills their mugs, hanging the tea filters into them and adding some honey to sweeten the tea even further. They’ve earned the small luxury.

“Here you go.” Dean places Cas’ mug in front of him before fetching his own and a small plate to put the tea filters on once the tea is done.

“They’re going to bring Cain in tomorrow,” Cas says while stirring his tea absentmindedly.

“I was wondering. Thought for sure they’d want him in today.”

Cas huffs a breath that might have supposed to be laughter. “I think they miscalculated their schedule when they went to interview my brother.”

“Is that so?” Dean raises his eyebrows.

“Well, they insisted on separating him and Balthazar.”

“Yikes, bad move,” Dean groans because he can already see the direction this is going.

“In their defense, they’ve never had to deal with my brother or his mate before, so they couldn’t have known. Though this whole policy of separating mated couples is begging for trouble, obviously.”

“Pretty sure that’s intentional.”

“Well, if they believe that someone here will crack under the pressure and give them what they want – they’ll have to tell us what they want first,” Cas says drily.

“The fact that they brought your brother in before the lone wolf speaks volumes if you ask me,” Dean shrugs. It’s been pretty clear yesterday already, it’s only gotten clearer today that they could care less about Dean’s side of the equation. This is all about Cas’ family.

“It is just so – utterly stupid. My father disappeared years before I became pack-Alpha. It is very well documented that I had no ambition to become the leader of this pack. In fact, I did my very best to only come here for the minimum amount of time necessary to keep up appearances during college. There was

no

scheme for power. Or if there was, it wasn’t by me.”

Dean knows that of course, so he nods, stirs his tea and lets Cas continue.

“As for Lucifer, I had every right to execute him once and I didn’t. Why would I murder him now? For all I know he’s started a horse ranch in the Midwest. He’s never bothered us. Wouldn’t it make much more sense to let Michael disappear if this was indeed me?” He huffs in annoyance.

Dean hums a noncommittal sound. “Guess Gabe’s and Bal’s testimony didn’t help? Not trustworthy because they’re caring for Jack?”

Cas snorts. “More like: What testimony?”

“That bad?” Dean grimaces.

“I couldn’t tell you who of them was worse but judging by the sour faces of the agents, the experience wasn’t enjoyable for either of them.”

“Did Mick or Ketch try to, uhhh, you know?” Dean shudders when miming grabby fingers. It clues Cas in about what he means well enough.

Cas grimaces with disgust. “I had no time to speak to Balthazar on his own. I managed to get Jody sent in with Gabriel, though. And I tried my best to warn both Mick and Ketch off of doing anything of this kind.”

“Judging by the fact that you haven’t mentioned any broken bones on Mick’s part, I think they probably heeded the warning.”

Cas shakes his head. “Mick is still an Omega.”

Dean gives Cas an intentional smirk. “Already accounted for. If he was an Alpha and tried any of this bullshit on either Bal or Gabe, he’d be dead and we’d currently be trying to figure out how to bail your brother out from an accessory to murder charge - or how to hide the bodies.”

Cas snorts but he doesn’t counter the argument. And yeah, Bal and Gabe might have their share of marital problems, but if there’s one thing they are, it’s fiercely protective of each other.

“How did Kelly’s interview go?”

“About as well as could be expected,” Cas says but the way he frowns he doesn’t think that’s actually too well.

“Something she said or something they did?”

Cas thinks about it for a moment. His scent reads hot and cold like guilt. “I feel a need to protect her.” He says it quietly, like it is something wrong.

“Yeah,” Dean nods. “I know.”

“You know?”

“Mate, remember? I can read your scent better than anyone.”

“And you’re not – upset?”

That makes Dean frown. “Do I have reason to be?”

“What you told me about her…”

“Ah,” that makes it clear where this is coming from. “You can see it now, huh?”

“Yes,” Cas nods. “I’m sorry.”

Dean puts his hand over his mate’s where it’s resting on the table. “You falling in love with her?”

“What? No!” Cas shakes his head emphatically.

“Are you planning on sexually exploiting her then?” It doesn’t need more answer than Cas leaning backwards out of Dean’s space, literally taken aback by the suggestion. “Thought so. So what exactly are you apologizing for? For wanting to help? For caring? Cause last I checked that was something I loved about you.”

Cas takes a moment to recover but then he stubbornly continues, “But they’re not wrong, Dean. I put up a second Omega in our house. And you have to deal with it. You have to deal with her –“

“- making googly eyes at you. Or rather, at the floor, because she’s too traumatized to even l

ook up

most of the time. She’s clinging to you because you’re the first kind Alpha she’s encountered in

years

. It’s fine, Cas. It really is. She helped with the twins earlier.”

“She

what

?”

Dean isn’t sure whether that’s surprise or whether Cas isn’t happy about the fact that Kelly came close to the pups, either way he thinks it better to smooth this over. “I was there to show her what to do. She did well, too. Though you can see that it weirds her out, the whole family thing.”

“She’s

not

a part of our family,” Cas growls.

“Hey, hey, chill, Cas. That’s not what I meant. And it isn’t why I let her help with the pups, either. She needs to get routine at handling life and

people

. She can’t do that if all she does is stay by herself unless Meg bullies her into a walk. If helping with the pups is a thing she feels up for, it’s as good a place to start as any.”

For a moment, Cas stares unblinking. Then he averts his eyes, his gaze dropping to his tea. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” Dean says, noticing only now that he’d actually gotten quite forceful. “It’s been a long few days.” He bites his lip. “And I fear I’m gonna have to make this day even longer.”

“That’s possible?” Cas asks, though Dean can hear the apprehension under the attempted sass.

“Yeah,” Dean nods. “Yeah, I fear it is.”

“How bad is it?” Cas abandons all pretense that he feels anything but weary.

“It falls under the heading of ‘it could become important so as the pack-Alpha you should know it’.”

“Something personal?” Cas frowns.

And yeah, Dean guesses usually the things he’s been close-mouthed about had been things said to him in confidence. “Yes. But differently than you mean it. It is not personal for me but it is very personal. Charlie discovered something about Ezekiel that we think might be true.”

“Ezekiel?” By the surprise in his scent, that’s not a direction Cas expected this to go in.

“I know, I know. Charlie found it accidentally. She was trying to discover ways to set the POA on Michael’s trail instead of ours. Ezekiel seemed a logical choice, seeing how he disappeared and all. Though I’m telling you immediately that I’m against using the info she found. We have an alternative plan already. But that, I’m gonna bore you with when we have made some progress. For now, here.” He takes the file folder from the stack of documents that’s been stashed on the kitchen table for convenience’s sake.

Cas opens it apprehensively. He reads over it blankly. Dean sees it, though, the moment when Cas gets it. His eyes get drawn back to the same line Dean keeps stumbling over. They never show the same disbelief that Dean’s eyes had shown, though. Cas’ jaw is tight but that is the only change in his expression when he asks, “Charlie is certain?”

“As certain as she can be…” Dean trails off and observes his mate. “You’re not surprised by this.”

“Well, I’m

not

not surprised.”

“Yeah, but…” Dean shakes his head. “I was definitely

surprised

.

You

look at this like it’s something you’ve seen many times before.”

“That’s because I have, Dean,” Cas says tiredly and closes the folder. “Not

many

times maybe, but transgender people exist. I studied medicine, remember?”

“Uhh, just didn’t think they taught you about this kind of stuff. Don’t you have enough to do learning all the legal treatments?”

“True enough. And my college was handpicked by Michael. So that tells you a lot about what kind of college it was. But even that campus had its share of human rights activists. They weren’t as outspoken as Jess maybe, but they helped in quieter ways.”

“Huh.” Dean looks at his mate curiously. “Were you one of them?” Because whether he’s aware of it or not, Cas just basically described himself.

There is a hint of a blush that appears on Cas’ cheeks but he shakes his head. “Not so much. I didn’t want to make waves and I knew it would make waves if Michael found out about it.”

“But you helped them?” Dean presses.

“But I helped them,” Cas admits. “Medical knowledge was useful to them. Also, resources. Even med students and interns have them.”

“You stole hospital equipment?” Dean asks incredulously.

Cas squirms. “I didn’t

steal

anything. Not really. I might have helped to get the right signatures on the right prescriptions. Seen to it that pills that were still useful would find a recipient instead of getting thrown out. Things like that. It wasn’t anything big. Nothing important.”

“Did it make a difference in someone’s life?” Dean asks.

Cas nods. “I think it did.”

“Then it was important,” Dean states the facts.

Cas smiles back shyly, blush intensifying.

A sudden rush of affection warms Dean inside and out. “I’m proud of you, Cas. I’m so fucking proud of you.” That makes Cas’ blush deepen and Dean can’t help it, he leans in to capture Cas’ lips in a kiss. “So. Fucking. Proud.” He emphasizes every word with another kiss.

Cas draws him closer then, though basically just so that he can hide his face in the crook of Dean’s neck. “…”

“What was that?”

“Hmpf.” Cas buries himself deeper.

“I see,” Dean chuckles. “You’re out of arguments. Well, that’s good. Because you can’t change my mind. I am proud of you. I have no idea how you’ve managed to become such a good person when most of your family are such shitheads, but it only shows even more how awesome you are.”

That one gets him a warning little bite and something grumbled that sounds like “shut up”, though it’s too muffled for him to be sure.

“Oh little Alpha,” Dean presses a kiss to the crown of Cas’ head since that’s the only place he can easily reach. “You gotta live with my steadfast support and unwavering adoration. What a terrible fate.”

Cas grumbles but he also noses at Dean’s mating bite before he straightens back up. “On the risk of being a disappointment, my motives weren’t even half as pure as you are assuming.”

“Hmm, I’m kinda already aware that you’re a bit of a rebel, Cas. So you wanted to show your big brother the metaphorical finger and in the process helped some people. Maybe it’s not quite enough to get a street named after you, but it sounds perfectly acceptable to me.” And because they still have a topic at hand here, “Does this mean you already know what you’re going to do with this?” Dean taps the file folder lightly.

“Nothing, Dean. I’m going to do absolutely nothing with it.”

“Even though it’s illegal?”

Cas smiles a tired smile. “Morality and legality are not always the same thing. Even Hannah will tell you that.”

And maybe Dean shouldn’t be surprised by that, but usually Cas at least tries to skirt the edge of legality, especially when a risk concerns not only him but also the pack. “This could have consequences, though. If Ketch and Mick find out about it.”

“Then burn this,” he holds up the file folder. “Tell Charlie to do a complete sweep of her computer. Make sure there is no proof that we’ve ever known about this. My brother was fooled by Ezekiel, no one will expect me to be any different.”

Dean tilts his head. “You think Michael doesn’t know?”

“I’m certain Michael doesn’t know. He has never gotten the distinction between the laws of jurisdiction and the laws of human decency. He would have turned him in.”

That makes sense to Dean. But it also brings another question. “What about Adam? Do you think he knows?”

Apparently, that is not something Cas has thought about because he startles. “Huh. That would be – an enormous amount of trust from Ezekiel’s side. He’d basically place his whole fate in Adam’s hands.”

“Like Adam did with him. I mean, we know that Zeke is paying for his contraceptives. Pretty sure Mikey ain’t gonna be too happy if he ever finds out about that one, either,” Dean argues.

“No, he is going to be enraged. But it’s a distinct possibility that Ezekiel would bear the brunt of that anger, too.”

“In public, maybe. But in the privacy of their bedroom is a different story altogether.” Dean stops there because he doesn’t have to spell this out in all its ugly details for Cas to understand.

Cas’ lips form a tight white line. Then he exhales a conscious breath. His voice is quiet when he answers. “I hope it’s at least not always like that. I’ve always hoped it, from their wedding night on.”

And hell, that’s a thing Dean hasn’t thought about. Doesn’t even want to think about, if he’s honest. “Shit.” Because of course Adam always knew what was expected of him and he’s sure they’ve found an arrangement over the years, but that wedding night? “Shit.” He shudders and lets his fingers glide over the ridges of his mating bite. Tries to imagine how it would be if this wasn’t Cas’. And promptly shudders again. Because yeah, being assaulted, being forced to open up for an Alpha, that changes you. Like with a plate that gets cracked if you treat it roughly, you can mend the broken spots and paint them over. If you’re really good at repairing shit, the cracks might even be unnoticeable to someone else. And yet, the plate will never be quite the same. But a mating bite? A mating

bond

? That changes you on a molecular level. With that bite, if that is forced upon you, there is no fixing the broken plate anymore because you’ve smashed it to pieces and then exchanged the whole fucking set of dishes.

“Dean?”

At Cas’ worried voice, Dean shakes himself out of his thoughts. “Have I mentioned lately how glad I am to have you?” He tries to make it sound less shaken than he feels but he doesn’t think he’s succeeding because Cas gets up to wrap his arms around Dean.

“Yes, you have.”

“Good.” Dean leans into his mate, clings to his scent, to his warmth, to his presence. “I’m not taking you for granted, you know that, right?”

“I do. I’m not taking you for granted, either.” He swallows. “And you have the same rights in this house as me. Including to decide who lives in it.”

“Why are we talking about Kelly again?” Dean frowns because she hadn’t actually been on his mind right this second.

Cas doesn’t answer but his scent changes to the lilac fragrance of shame. Dean catches his arm and looks at his mate trying to puzzle this out.

“Cas, what happened?”

Maybe it’s Kelly. Maybe she did something. Acted on what she thought the Alpha wanted of her. Maybe, for a moment there, Cas reciprocated. But then, that doesn’t work. The only time Kelly saw Cas today was at the station. And she wouldn’t do anything there. Would she? Or did Cas do something rash? Did his wish to protect her give Mick and Ketch the wrong impression? Have they written down somewhere that Cas has a mistress? Is it expected of Cas? Do they want it to be true?

“Dean, I – I do not know how to handle this.” Cas hides his face in Dean’s side again.

It takes another long moment before Dean begins to understand. Or at least has an inkling. “Because of what Mick did. You were good with her in the house before Mick.”

The scent of Cas’ shame increases tenfold and his voice is barely above a whisper when he says, “What if it is my fault? What if he only reacted to something I did? What if I led him on without noticing? What if I led both of them on? What if that’s why Mick… And why Kelly…”

“Cause the pants you were wearing were too tight? Cause the top button of your shirt was unbuttoned or your sex hair stuck up in all directions?” Dean frees himself enough that he can look at Cas. “Cause you and I both know that that’s bull. And you’d

never

tell an Omega that it was their own fault that they got assaulted.”

“And it was – was it assault?”

Cas sounds and smells so insecure that it almost kills Dean inside. “Yeah, Cas,” he nods. “Yeah, it was. He made advances that you didn’t want specifically in a way so that you couldn’t stop them. That’s assault.”

“But I could have – I’m an Alpha. I could have overpowered him.”

“Had he come on to you randomly on the street, sure, you could have. But that’s not the situation he chose, is it? He knew he had power over you in that moment.” And when Cas doesn’t answer, “Cas, I’ve been there.” Even though he’s severely unsure that reminding Cas of this fact will help. But hey, at least he’s got experience and stuff, Dean thinks grimly. “It’ll feel this shitty for a while. But not forever, I promise.”

Cas growls lowly, blanketing Dean in thorny scents of protection.

“I’m okay, Cas. I really am. It’s you who’s got me worried.”

“I just – I’m not sure I should be around Kelly anymore. I don’t – I don’t trust myself with this. With her.”

“I trust you. She trusts you, too.”

“But that’s – that’s exactly the problem, Dean!”

“No, it’s not,” Dean shakes his head. “The problem is that Mick is an asshole who messed with your head. Which, let me repeat, was completely intentional.” But it doesn’t have the desired effect, so Dean grabs a hold of both of Cas’ hands. “Okay, how about this. Tell me how she smells.”

“What?”

“Kelly. How does she smell like? Like, what does her scent make you feel? How do you react to it?”

Cas looks at him like he can’t really follow. “Like – plums?”

Dean raises an eyebrow. “You’re saying you’re not sure how she smells? And that’s not a feeling anyway.”

“No, I’m – she smells like plums when she’s calm. It doesn’t make me feel anything.”

“Hmm, I don’t think that’s true, Cas. Wanna try again?” Cas looks a little panicked but Dean holds onto him. “Come on, you can do this. I have a point here, I swear.”

But Cas just keeps looking confused and like he wants to be out of this conversation.

“Okay, I’ll give you a hint,” Dean sighs. “Think peaches instead of plums.”

“Claire,” Cas answers immediately.

“Yeah,” Dean nods. “That’s how it smells like to me, Cas. When you interact with Kelly. You smell like you smell with Claire. Like you want to protect her. Like you want to make up for every bad thing that’s ever happened to her. Not like you want to touch her or have her get naked or whatever.”

“Oh.”  Cas digests that for a moment, then he nods. “Okay,” he says. “Okay.”

And that’s about as good as Dean can expect things to go right now he thinks. Time for a change of topic. “Try our daughter’s blackberry jam?” he asks. “It’s actually pretty decent for a first try. And if you don’t like it, well, you’ll already know what to expect when you eat it again in the morning, and can pretend that much better.”

“I’m going to like it, Dean,” Cas says confidently.

“You sure?”

“You and Mary made it. Of course, I’m sure.”

Cas puts that to the test by immediately putting some jam on the corner of a toast and eating it.

“And?” Dean asks.

“’s good,” Cas answers while still chewing. “Lots of kernels but good.”

“Yeah, it’s not jelly, so it’s still got all the bits. Kaia said for jelly you should definitely not eat most of the berries before starting to make it.”

That makes Cas chuckle. “I’m pretty sure Cain would back her up on that,” he says drily.

“Definite possibility,” Dean grins back, glad to see his mate smile.

Cas takes a second bite of the toast and nods appreciatively again, but he puts the rest of the toast back on the plate with a sigh. “If we want to get our scheduled four hours of sleep, I guess we should get going.”

“We don’t have to,” Dean shrugs. “I can make sure to be up early enough that you can sleep until the alarm goes off. That’ll give you, uhh,” Dean checks his phone for the time, “more hours.” Because more often than not it is the baby monitor that wakes them up still. Or Mary unceremoniously making her way from the nursery to their bedroom and climbing on top of them.

“Thank you,” Cas smiles. “But I’d rather you get your four hours as well.”

“Okay,” Dean nods.

They clean up their mugs and the toast together, working silently and efficiently. Dean takes a moment to appreciate it. Dean has raised Sam to help around the house, mainly because there had not been much choice in the matter. With Dean working fulltime and picking up extra shifts whenever he could, he didn’t have the time to keep their household running without Sam pitching in. But Cas wasn’t raised like that. Cas was raised with paid help doing the menial tasks. He was raised in the belief that Alphas are the top of the food chain and as such get the best piece of meat and never do the dishes. And yet, here he is, carefully stacking mugs into their dishwasher.

“Do I have jam on my shirt?” Cas asks self-consciously and starts looking for stains.

“Nah. Just watching my mate being all domestic. It’s kind of hot.”

“Dean…” Cas frowns.

“I’m not being sarcastic!” Dean proves it, too, by moving in and putting his hands on Cas’ hips and letting them slide up and down Cas’ side, trying to find his way under Cas’ layers. “You’re all kinds of hot right now.”

Cas stills his hand, worry clear on his face and in his scent. “Dean, are you sure about this?”

“Course I’m sure,” Dean says with a frown and retreats half a step, though he holds on to Cas’ hand. “Doesn’t mean we have to do anything, obviously. But you and I, we have made a claim on each other and no matter what bullshit the world throws at us, where I’m concerned, that’ll always hold.” He squeezes Cas’ hand. “I’ll always appreciate you, little Alpha, and I’ll always tell you that I do, too.”

Cas draws Dean closer again then, and Dean lets himself be reeled in. It’s a sweet kiss, soft, even with the talk of claims not turning into a claim itself.

“Love you, Cas,” Dean whispers. “Love all of you with all of my heart.” Then he captures Cas’ lips again.

This time, Cas brings both of their hands behind Dean’s back, effectively drawing Dean closer until they’re pressed against each other, one long line of warmth. It’s only a small movement for Dean to widen his stance, to invite Cas to push a leg between Dean’s, to bring friction to add to the warmth. Cas doesn’t hesitate, either, pressing forward and in the process backing Dean up against the kitchen counter.

Dean sighs into their kiss, body relaxing, arms going lax and pliable in Cas’ hold.

“That’s right,” Cas mumbles between kisses. “Beautiful mate, gonna show you that I love you. Gonna make you feel good. Gonna make you all mine.”

Dean noses at Cas’ neck, deeply inhaling his mate’s scent before scraping his teeth over Cas’ mating bite, a silent prompt to do just that. To center them back in the knowledge that whoever else is around them, whoever else tries to get to them, they are their own and each other’s.

Cas growls deep in his throat, not threatening, but a possessive-grumble-growl that makes Dean shiver. Which in turn transforms the growl almost into a purr when Cas notices the effect it has on Dean. He lets Dean up, though only to grasp his hand firmly and pull him towards the bedroom. Which, all things considered, is probably a good idea.

There aren’t any words because there aren’t any words needed. Cas locks the door, they strip efficiently, and in no time at all the weight of his mate’s body is pressing Dean into the mattress. He sighs at how good it feels, how this physical weight actually takes the weight of the world off of his shoulders for the moment.

“Please,” he says and spreads his legs wider, even while his hands hold onto Cas’ back, not letting him get away, not even allowing him to attempt to carry his own weight.

“Gonna have to move a little, beautiful mate,” – and when did that pet-name become a thing? - , “gonna have to line us up.”

Dean whines but he loosens his grip on Cas, which Cas immediately rewards by sucking a hickey into Dean’s collarbone, right above the one from the other day that has already begun fading.

This time, the noise Dean makes is closer to a whimper and he bucks his hips up against Cas, urging him to get a move on.

Cas chuckles against Dean’s skin, the sound darker than normal. But still, Cas obliges, moving backwards and onto his knees to be able to spread Dean wide open. It’s a loss at the same time that it makes Dean’s body thrum with anticipation.

Cas looks him over again, eyes alight like he’s been parched and has finally found an oasis in the desert. Dean actually has to look away, it’s so intense.

Which is why he misses Cas’ next movement, and only catches up when he already gasps as his body is breached. He adjusts fast enough, his body craving Cas’ touch inside and out, every fiber wanting to draw Cas closer. So Dean does that, draws Cas back down on top of himself, lets himself feel Cas’ warmth everywhere.

Cas sighs into it, closing his eyes for a moment and taking a deep breath.

When he opens them again to look at Dean, the intensity is still there, but it’s changed now. Like everything shifted just that inch back to where it belongs. Where they belong. It makes the blue of Cas’ eyes even bluer and crinkles his face into a smile so full of love that it warms Dean’s heart so much that it feels like his whole chest expands.

Cas cups his face with one hand and draws him into a kiss. It starts languid but it turns deep, this kiss turning into a claim after all. “I love you.”

“Love you, too, Cas.”

They smile at each other, back in balance, their connection as deep and unbreakable as always.

Only with that reassurance does Cas finally start to move, guiding them gently but determinedly until they plunge over the edge.

Afterwards, they lie quiet for a long time, though Cas’ breathing doesn’t take on the slow rhythm of the usual after-sex drowsiness, and Dean’s not feeling like falling asleep, either. It’s too good, being intertwined, almost interwoven like this, arms around each other, legs tangled, still knotted, bodies connected and mind at peace for the moment.

“I can’t wait for my heats to come back.” He notices that he’s said it out loud only when Cas tilts his head at him. “I’m a selfish person, Cas. I want you all to myself every so often.”

“You have me. You know that, right? Even on the days when we don’t have the time to do - this.” He squeezes Dean’s thigh to illustrate what he means. “Or even just spend much time together. You always have me. And I will always make time for you. I’m not taking you for granted, Dean. Please just tell me when I get too caught up in everything else.”

“I will, Cas,” Dean promises. “I do.” Even though they both know it’s not that simple. They have responsibilities they can’t shed. “Maybe we can manage a coffee date sometime after the asshats are gone?”

“I’d love that,” Cas smiles.

“Yeah, me too,” Dean agrees. “Also, I’m pretty sure they miss us at the Cake & Pie.”

Cas snorts. “Not any more than they miss Gabe’s cookies.”

“Well, new fatherhood is a pretty good excuse for delayed cookie deliveries.”

“There is that,” Cas nods with a smile. He cups Dean’s face again, blue eyes soft and shining in the warm light from their bedside lamp. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“Everything. For giving me a family. For being a father with me. For running this pack with me. For having asked me how I am the first time we met and ever since always picking me up when I’m down. For loving me on those days just as much as on any other day.”

Dean places a kiss to Cas’ palm since it’s already next to his face and smiles. “I’m glad that you don’t doubt it. That I love you on any day.”

“You leave no room for doubt,” Cas answers and leans in for a kiss. “Thank you for that as well.”

“I’ve got it,” Charlie staggers into the kitchen the next morning, carrying a stack of papers that she throws on the table in front of Cas. She is pale, has dark rings under her eyes and her expression is slightly frantic. “I’ve got the trail together. Now you need to lead them to it.” She collapses in a chair.

Dean checks quickly but Mary’s already run off to the living room to play with the dollhouse Grandpaw has built them, so it’s only the twins in their playpen with them in the kitchen right now, and they are too small to care for adult conversations.

Cas takes his time to clean the traces of blackberry jam off his fingers before looking at the files Charlie brought him. “Run me through it?” he asks.

“It’s everything I found that hints at a connection between Michael and Lucifer. And anything that hints at Michael having had a hand in Luke’s disappearance.”

“Everything you

found

?” Cas asks with a raised eyebrow.

“Believe it or not, Cas, once you dig deep enough, you don’t actually have to make this shit up. There’s enough here to give the POA reason to believe that Michael’s trying to frame you for something he did.”

“Unless they think I am the one trying to frame my brother. Which technically I’m doing.”

“You’re not, though. Read the files. This is more plausible than I thought it would be.”

That makes Cas pause. “What are you saying?”

Charlie shakes her head, “I’m not saying anything. Not based on one overnighter of research. But I don’t think your high and mighty brother is not as squeaky clean as he pretends to be.”

“I can’t believe that. He has always been such a - lawyer. He wouldn’t do anything illegal.”

“Well, if what you’re saying is true and if this,” she puts a hand on the papers, “is also true, then that might be a fortunate combination.”

“Why?”

“Because people who don’t usually commit crimes are bad with the cover-up.”

“I don’t even want to know how exactly you came to know about crime cover-ups.”

“No,” Charlie shakes her head, “you really don’t want to know. Read it, Cas. Before you go down to the station today.” She yawns loudly. “And I will now go sleep before I keel over.” She actually wobbles when she gets back up and she gives them no more than a tiny wave before she disappears towards her room.

“So this is the new plan?” Cas looks at Dean. “The one you didn’t want to get into yesterday night?”

“You got it,” Dean nods. “Not that I expected her to work this fast.”

Cas leafs through the individual sheets. “I can insist on being in the room when they interview Cain today. Since he’s a Lone Wolf on my lands. When I’m already in there I can also say anything that I deem important.”

Dean raises his eyebrows. “You’re actually going through with this.”

Cas takes a deep breath but he nods. “Yes. Yes, I think I will do exactly that.”

“Are you sure?” Dean asks because this morning, Cas’ scent is nothing but determined and he seems to be taking everything in stride, but that’s definitely a large change from yesterday and Dean doesn’t want Cas to regret this.

This time, there isn’t even the hesitation of taking a breath. “Yes, Dean. I’m sure.” Cas smiles a small but honest smile. “I understood something last night. Something that I already knew but that was suddenly utterly clear to me.”

“Oh?” Dean asks and looks at Cas curiously.

“We are who we are. It sounds inane, I know, but Dean,” he catches Dean’s hand and weaves their fingers together, “

we are who we are

. It doesn’t matter what the world throws at us. They can’t change us. We know who we are. We know what is important to us. We know what to protect in our lives and how to protect it. And we have a solid moral core for doing so. Or at least, I like to believe that.”

“Ratting out Ezekiel, not okay. Giving clues to the feds about something Michael may or may not have done, not damaging our integrity?”

“You have already given me that answer. You told me immediately that you didn’t want to use the info about Ezekiel. That you and Charlie came up with a new plan. I trust your moral compass as much as I trust mine. In fact, right now I trust your judgement more than mine. I’m-,” he shakes his head, “I’m going to need a while to sort this out.” He takes a deep breath. “But I trust you. We have a solid foundation. I trust that, too. I trust that you’ll not be afraid to tell me when I do something wrong. So if you say I haven’t fucked up with Kelly or with - anything, then I’ll trust you on that. And when you agree that this plan is the best to protect what we love, I’ll trust you there, too.”

“We have, Cas. We have a solid foundation.” Years of love and trust and respect to build upon. “I trust you, too.” With his life, with his heart, with his kids, even with another Omega in the house. “And this, us,” he encompasses the pups in their playpen and really the whole house and the whole pack with his gesture, “this is what’s most important in the world to me.”

“To you and me both,” Cas agrees. “So let’s do this. Let’s protect it. Together.”