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Hard green eyes watch as the simple coffin is lowered into the ground. It's not much more than a pine box, but that's all you get when you spend most of your life drinking your paycheck away instead of sticking it in the bank.
John Winchester was dead. Only a breath over forty with no one left to remember him kindly. Dean knows he sure won't. He might be burying his father today, but his dad died years ago. The same night the fire took his mom.
Now, Dean was left alone to care for his two younger brothers with nothing but the rags on their backs and a few measly bucks. They had about a month left on their shitty house before the landlord would come knocking for rent, and as soon as CPS got a sniff that Dean's not only an Omega but a meager 18 years old, he could kiss his brothers goodbye. Especially now that Sam's a freshly presented Alpha. There was a lot of shit about Alphas needing other Alphas as role models and leaders or they'll grow up wrong, and the state loved to rip them right out of their mama's hands to prove it.
Adam was too young yet to present, but they'd take him too. He might be their half-brother by blood, but that boy was the closest thing Dean will probably ever have to a pup. This was his family and he'd been fighting tooth and nail for as long as he could remember to keep them together, and no caseworker or government official was going to take his boys from him.
He turns now to look at Sam's stoic face. At 14, Sam was a little more aware of the situation they were in than Dean would have liked. The kid was too smart, and he should be using that big brain of his to study instead of worrying about where their next meal would come from. Sammy was already catching up to Dean in height and most likely would keep on growing; he ate like a horse and went through clothes and shoes faster than an infant. He was the one Dean struggled to provide for. If Sam showed up to school looking dirty, in clothes that were too small, and a growling belly, well then someone's bound to narc.
Next to Sam, Adam looks even tinier than his seven years. Fat tears slide down his little face as he clings to Sammy like a lifeline. Dean is the only mama Adam has ever known, and the Omega takes the roll seriously. Dean had only been 11 when John came home with a squalling red-faced infant loud enough to wake the dead and dumped the poor thing into Dean's skinny little arms. Adam's real mother had pushed him out of her womb and right out the door in an effort to get away from the toxic infection that was John Winchester himself. For reasons Dean has never understood, John had kept Adam instead of dropping him at the first available firehouse. Of course, Dean wouldn't hear of parting with the little guy now. Adam was a sweet kid and easy enough to care for. As long as they had some cartoons and enough Easy Mac to choke an elephant, the kid was happy. He followed Sam around like a shadow and didn't understand what was really happening to them right now.
The Omega may be young but he was strong and he was fierce. And these boys might be his brothers but they were also his pups, and his need to care for and protect them superseded all others. Nothing else mattered beyond keeping them together.
They didn't have a priest, couldn't afford that part of the funeral package. John's meager savings was spent entirely on the box he was meant to rest in. Dean would have buried him in the backyard to save on cash if he thought he could have gotten away with it. When the backhoe started filling in the plot with dark soil that reeked of damp earth, Dean knew it was time to go. They'd given John enough of their respects, and now it was time to move on.
◇◇◇
That night with Sam snoring away on the single bed the boys shared and Adam tucked in beside him, Dean sat at their rickety kitchen table and started making lists. He wrote down the cost of rent, utilities, food, clothes, shoes, books, toilet paper, everything he could think of that would get them through the month, bare minimum. All in total, even when cutting his portion of the food budget in half, removing the cost of his suppressants he'd hoped to finally refill with John's next paycheck, and the savings if they parked the car, Dean would still need a little over $2,000 just to get them through a single month. And that was only if CPS didn't catch them first.
Dean's belly rumbled and protested, and the Omega quickly chugged the glass of water sitting next to him. He had skipped dinner after Adam had looked at him with his big sky eyes and told Dean he was still hungry after eating his Lunchable. The Omega has yet to learn how to say no to one of his pups. They've got about $30 to their names, but Dean can stretch that out for a few weeks if he makes soup and stocks up on dried beans and rice.
Once the money's gone, Dean has no idea what they're going to do. The Omega had been pulled from school the minute he presented, because John didn't want him getting knocked up by some knothead who couldn't control their hormonal urges. Dean's been taking care of pups and whatever dump they called home for the week ever since. He doesn't have a lot of employable skills, outside of the fact he's good with cars, but no garage would hire a barely-legal Omega.
He briefly contemplates selling his ass, but that would be more likely to get him dead than rich. He thought about running. He had faded, old memories of a gruff but kind old Beta named Bobby who was around back when Dean was young enough to think he still had a future. The old Chevy Impala that John left behind was a thirsty bitch though, and they wouldn't get far without some gas money. All the furniture belonged to the homeowner, so outside of the car itself, they had nothing to sell.
There was really only one way to get around the CPS and the stigma saying Dean couldn't work, and that was to get mated. If Dean had an Alpha who was at least 21 and a bite on his neck, CPS wouldn't have a leg to stand on as far as his boys went. And mated Omegas were considered much safer to employ, as they didn't put out all those "distracting" mating pheromones. Dean calls bullshit on that one, but for now, he has bigger things to worry about.
Like, where the fuck he was going to find an Alpha willing to take on an Omega and another Alpha's pups. Dean isn't worried that he's a virgin and has never even seen a knot, let alone taken one up his ass. He figures he would have given up his v-card eventually, so it doesn't really matter to who. Maybe he'll even get lucky and find some old Alpha that can barely keep it up who just wants a warm body in bed and someone to spend their money on. Like a twisted Daddy Warbucks.
Nothing was going to change tonight, so Dean heaves himself up from the table, his legs tingling harshly from sitting for so long, and drops in a heap onto their lumpy couch. The house only has two bedrooms, and while John's bed is now up for dibs, Dean doesn't even think about using it before he can buy new sheets. The Omega shuts his eyes and tries to quiet his mind.
◇◇◇
Despite Dean's exhaustion and desire for a good night's sleep, he tosses and turns until the morning light is shining too brightly through the bare curtainless windows. Time to start another shitty day. Even though they buried their father only yesterday, Dean can't afford to arouse suspicion so close to the end of the school year. So he gets the boys up and ready in record time. The Impala has ¾ of a tank of gas and they need it to last, so after today's errands, the ol' girl will need to be parked until further notice.
Dean apologises to her silently while he runs fingers over her dusty finish. John used to at least keep the classic car in decent condition, with a fresh polish on the reg to keep her shiny. But as his liver took a nosedive, so too did the Alpha's priorities. Once Dean figured things out though, he'd get his baby shining again.
"Nice car."
Dean startles hard and whips around only to suck back the insult ready to fly off his tongue. Standing at the end of the driveway is an Alpha, older than Dean by at least a handful of years and hotter than Satan's asshole on a summer's day. With dark messy hair that looks like the guy just got done with three rounds of heat sex, shocking ocean eyes, plump pink lips that have Dean biting his own in need, and a jawline that could cut glass, all set above broad shoulders and a fit body. Dear lord, his thighs alone look like they could crush a watermelon . The Alpha is dressed in tight blue jeans, a faded maroon band tee, and a black leather jacket that has saliva pooling in Dean's mouth. In short, the guy was sex on two legs, and Dean thought that before the scent hit him.
Leather, ozone, and dark earth, it was primal and virile and spoke of Alpha strength. Who the fuck was this guy?
"Sorry, kid. I didn't mean to scare you."
Holy shit, that voice . Dean's pretty sure the deep timber of the Alpha's words was still bouncing around inside his chest. Was this guy even real?
"Yeah, well maybe don't sneak up on strangers, then." Dean sounds like a dick, but he has a reputation to maintain if he wants to keep the neighbors away. The house might be shit, but the neighborhood was quickly growing into a nice middle class suburbia around them, and it was chock full of concerned mothers wondering where the Winchester Alpha was. "And I'm not a kid," he spits out with venom.
The Alpha just smirks and shakes his head.
"If your old man ever thinks of selling her, let me know. I'm two houses down, Castiel Novak."
Dean glares, "Don't hold your breath, Alpha."
Castiel's eyes go dark, but he simply stares for a long moment before walking away, leaving Dean on edge and his skin prickling with goosebumps. Shaking the odd encounter off, Dean drops into the driver’s seat and cringes at the dampness he can feel between his ass cheeks. He starts up the car so she has a chance to heat up before the boys come out for their ride to school, while trying to clear thoughts of sexy Alphas from his head.
Adam and Sammy come spilling out of the house, both grumbling about being hungry and awake so early. Luckily for Dean and their nonexistent budget, the school provided free breakfast and lunch to kids in low income homes. With John gone, Dean figures he could probably apply for food stamps as a single Omega, and as long as he doesn't mention Sammy or Adam, he shouldn't raise any red flags. It wouldn't be much for just him, but it could be the difference that keeps them fed versus turning themselves in so they don't starve.
The drive to the high school is short, and Sam waves a hasty goodbye, jumping out of the car and getting swallowed up in the crowd of teenagers milling about. The elementary school is next, but here Dean parks and walks Adam straight to class so he can give him a hug and a kiss goodbye. Adam's teacher thinks Dean gave birth to the kid, and he's never corrected her on the matter. Lord knows how old the woman thinks he is, but it works out either way. As long as she believes Dean has a legal right to the kid, then that's all that mattered. Although she didn't have to be such a bitch about it.
With the next six hours of alone time ahead of him, Dean sets off to the welfare office. It takes him two hours, but he walks out with a foodstamp card with sixty dollars on it and a handful of brochures talking about safe sex practices, how to get free birth control, and the precious gift you could give a Beta couple by putting your unwanted pups up for adoption. Dean wonders if every Omega gets these or if he gave off a particular vibe that screamed "potentially experiencing an unwanted pregnancy." He dumps the brochures in the trash on his way out the door.
Even with the influx to their food budget, Dean still sticks to the basics at the grocery store. But he picks up a couple of boxes of Adam's favorite fruit snacks and the fancy beef jerky Sammy likes. If he keeps it hidden, he can ration it out to last longer. The caseworker who approved him said any unused money on his card would roll over to the next month, so Dean shops with the future in mind.
He has to use a whole $10 of their small stash to stock up on toilet paper, which pains him, but it's not really something one can skimp on. He's got a full cart when he walks up to the register and is absently scanning the magazine rack when a hand brushes his ass.
Dean turns with a snarl in his throat to find a pimply-faced Alpha who couldn't be a day over 16. He was scrawny as shit, too, and Dean's pretty sure he could take the kid with a single good punch. Why did it seem like Alphas were born stupid? Except Sammy of course, but that was because Dean raised him right.
The baby Alpha sneers at him.
"You smell ripe, bitch. What's the matter? Couldn't find an Alpha to mount that sweet ass so you decided to walk around smelling like slick till you found one?"
Oh god. Did this pipsqueak really think that line was going to work? Lord help whatever poor soul ends up with him. Dean's lip curls as he looks the boy up and down.
"First of all, dickcheese, if you touch my ass again, I will literally scratch your eyes out. Second of all, if I was looking for a real Alpha to "mount me," I certainly wouldn't be looking at you. You're like something ordered from Wish: unsatisfying. So back the fuck up and maintain my bubble."
A rumble of laughter cuts through the absolute death glare baby Alpha was aiming at him and they both turn to see Castiel, the same Alpha from earlier today, standing in their line with a handbasket full of produce. The baby Alpha's face flames red with embarrassment that this older badass Alpha saw the way Dean just handed him his balls, and he slinks away to another line without a word.
Dean smirks as he watches him go.
"Damn little Omega, you are a feisty one. Remind me never to get on your bad side." Castiel is smiling wide and open, his whole body relaxed as he takes the baby Alpha's vacated spot in line behind Dean. A shiver runs down the Omega's spine listening to the dark sound of the Alpha's laugh. A faint blush dusts his cheeks as he feels slick gathering once again at his entrance.
He lifts his chin and slaps on a devil-may-care smile. Fake it till you make it, Winchester , he tells himself, as he tries to look confident as well as older.
"Well, someone has to teach these baby Alphas some manners. Fuck knows their parents ain't doin' it."
Castiel's grin gets even bigger -- if that's possible -- but Dean has to tamp down the curl of arousal that stirs in his gut, because it's time to unload his cart. He's got half his shit on the conveyor belt when Cas gives a low whistle and Dean looks up to see the Alpha eyeing his pile of food.
"You must have one hell of an appetite, little Omega, if you need all that." Castiel's blue eyes are dancing with laughter, but Dean was too on edge for teasing right now.
"Yeah, well Alpha , I've got hungry pups to feed."
At this, the older man raises his eyebrows in surprise before they come down in confusion while his eyes trace up and down Dean's body. Dean knows exactly what Cas is looking at: his trim waste and slender hips. Dean's always had slim hips, and every time he sees an Omega specialist, they tell him to expect complications if he ever has pups because, unless they spread, nothing is getting past these narrow bitches. They also tell him that's probably why he's bowlegged. No Omega who's given birth would have hips like Dean's, but when Castiel's eyes lock onto his own defiant green ones, the Alpha doesn't argue.
◇◇◇
Not wanting to push his luck after so many Alpha encounters, Dean beats a hasty retreat to his car as soon as he has the receipt in his hands. He dumps the bags unceremoniously into the trunk and sets a course for home. Sammy and Adam both take the bus back to the house after school, so Dean still has a few hours to make sure the house is in order and to get dinner started.
Once he finds a suitable Alpha to mate and they file claim paperwork for the boys, a child welfare advocate will come to inspect the house. There's only two rooms, which could be a problem, but Dean's hoping with Adam being so young and unpresented, they won't make a stink about him sharing a room with Sam. That is, as long as they don't end up moving in with whoever Dean mates instead.
While getting a pot of soup going on the stove, Dean has the bright idea that he could join some kind of online mating site to find an Alpha. They don't have a computer, let alone internet, but the library does. Dean decides he'll walk down after the boys leave for school tomorrow. He turns the soup down to a simmer just as he hears the squealing brakes of the school bus pulling to a stop outside. He quickly heads out to meet Adam, a wide smile gracing his lips at the thought of his sweet little guy back in his arms.
He's halfway down the walkway when a loud motor catches his attention, and he looks over to see a man coming down the road on a big black beast of a motorcycle. When the guy pulls into a driveway a few houses down and removes his helmet, Dean stops in his tracks. Castiel is running a hand through his helmet hair and grinning at him like a cat who got the cream. Dean's eyes trail down to take in the way the Alpha's thick thighs straddle the heavy machinery, and Dean's mouth goes dry.
His staring is abruptly cut off though when the full weight of his littlest brother plows into him for a hug. If the little guy hadn't wrapped Dean in an octopus hold, they probably would have eaten dirt.
Dean huffs a laugh and ruffles the thick hair that was just this side of too long on top of Adam's head. He's going to miss this when the pup grows out of the need to snuggle all the time. It was his instinctual need to scent and mark himself with the smell of family that drove Adam into Dean's arms every afternoon when he got off the bus. But once he presents and has his own scent, he won't need Dean to cuddle him anymore. The Omega's arms already ache with the emptiness.
"Hey, little man! How was school?"
Adam buries his nose deeper into Dean's soft stomach and mumbles out a reply.
"What was that?"
Sad eyes the color of soft skies peek up at Dean through thick blond lashes.
"I said I was sad today. Mrs. Milton wouldn't leave me alone when I asked to sit inside for recess, and she told me she was going to send me to the nurse if I didn't tell her why I didn't want to play. I told her about dad."
Dean's body locks up tight. His body is so rigid, he's surprised his spine doesn't snap with the pressure. God damn it . He thought he'd taught Adam better than that. It was the number one rule: never talk about what happens at home, with anyone, not even other kids. Even if Mrs. Milton didn't have it out for Dean, she was a mandatory reporter. They'd have CPS down their throats by tomorrow, for sure.
He tries desperately to relax so Adam doesn't freak out, but already tears were filling his eyes.
"I'm sorry, mama. Don't be mad please, I'm sorry."
Dean dropped down to his knees to gather his boy into his arms. It had been a long time since his little pup called him mama. He rocks them both gently as he shushes Adam's sobs and pets his hair gently.
A shadow falls across them, and the scent of dark earth and leather tickle his nose. Dean looks up into the concerned face of Castiel.
"Are you two alright? Do you need help?"
Dean looks up into the Alpha's beautiful face and feels himself crumble. All these years of fighting -- fighting his father, fighting to keep his family together, fighting a system that saw him as a second class citizen -- has made Dean tired. When was someone going to fight for him? Angry tears well up in his eyes, and he watches Castiel's nose twitch as his scent sours and turns to despair.
"Unless you're some kind of angel who can snap your fingers and make the world less shitty, I doubt you could help right now."
Castiel drops down into a squat and oh so gently reaches out to brush the tears from Dean's face. He smells like the world after a thunderstorm but still warm and comforting with the hints of leather laced through his scent. It calms something deep and unsettled in Dean's chest.
"Talk to me, little Omega. I want to help."
And Dean does.
Castiel hadn't used his Alpha voice, but it was like the Omega couldn't deny him if he'd wanted to. So, on his knees in the dirt, with Adam now heavy with sleep in his arms, Dean talks. He just word-vomits his whole life story, like all he'd been waiting for was someone who cared enough to ask.
He tells Castiel about the barely-there, fuzzy, might-bemade-up memories of a happy life before the house fire that took his mom. He talks about the way John became an empty shell of a man and how Dean had stepped up to take care of Sammy and then Adam. About moving from town to town and how, sometimes, he went a day or two with no food so his brothers could eat. He tells the Alpha about how he doesn't correct people who think he's Adam's real mom. He talks about John and how they watched him drink their grocery money or rent money or gas money until they'd have to sleep in the car at some truck stop, and Dean would try and turn it into a game so the boys wouldn't cry, but Sammy always had wise eyes, and Dean knew he was humoring him. He spits out the fact that even dead John managed to screw them over just by not being there.
Dean talks until there's nothing left to say and he's left exhausted and rung out. Castiel never says a word, just watches Dean until the Omega finishes. Sammy should be showing up any minute, and Dean realizes they're going to have to make a run for it. Maybe Castiel would hand over some cash if he wants to help so bad. The Alpha is still stroking Dean's face, but he only just realizes he's been leaning into the touch the whole time.
◇◇◇
Dean pulls away and wipes at his eyes quickly.
"I should, um, I need to go inside and check on dinner."
Castiel doesn't say anything, just helps Dean stand up with the heavy weight of Adam in his arms. Quietly, the Alpha follows Dean into the house. He sticks to the Omega like a shadow as Dean tucks his pup into bed and then goes to stir the soup. They don't talk, but Dean can see the Alpha looking around and taking in the carpet stains and the dingy off-white walls and the worn down furniture. Dean's never let another soul into their house, and his face is red with embarrassment over how it must look to Castiel.
From the corner of his eye, Dean sees the Alpha poke his head into John's room and then a few moments later the bathroom. Finally, Castiel comes to stand next to Dean at the stove. With gentle hands, the older man turns Dean to face him. Big warm hands move to cup the Omega's tear-stained cheeks, and Castiel gives him a soft smile before leaning in to press a kiss to Dean's forehead.
"I'm going to help you, little Omega, so no more tears. I'll return in the morning."
Dean nods dumbly, his brain having trouble focusing with the Alpha so close. Castiel nods once and sweeps out of the room. As Dean watches him leave, passing Sammy on the way who stops in his tracks to follow the other Alpha with his eyes, the Omega has no idea what just happened.
◇◇◇
Dinner that night is a quiet affair. Sam sits stewing in his anger after Dean tells him they'll have to pack up tomorrow. This was supposed to be the first year he'd actually stayed at the same school long enough to make friends, and the young Alpha was having a hard time not resenting his little brother. Adam, too, was quiet but in a sad mournful way. The kid knew he fucked up, but Dean didn't scold him. He was just a pup and didn't deserve to hold the weight of blame on his shoulders. Both boys would have to stay home tomorrow to help pack up the car. Dean's pretty sure he could find someone to trade him some cash for his food stamps so hopefully they'd at least make it over the state line before nightfall.
The usual good-nature grumbling at bedtime is missing, and Dean spends a little extra time tucking in both boys and making sure to kiss the tops of both shaggy heads. Sam's getting a bit old for that kind of thing, but he doesn't complain tonight. Dean's too exhausted to bother with anything beyond putting the new sheets on John's old bed and falling onto the mattress with a grunt.
An insistent knocking drags Dean from the wrong side of the bed and straight into a pissy mood. It's way too early for anyone decent to be at his door, so he tries to peek out the window without getting caught. The Omega's heart clenches tight in his chest when he sees a stocky middle-aged man with thin hair and a badge standing on their doorstep. Fuck, they got here way earlier than Dean had expected.
He ducks down as his mind races through his options. The guy can't just let himself in, right? If he just sits here and pretends not to be home, then it could buy them enough time to pack their shit and go. A shadow falls across the window and Dean curses himself for not tacking a blanket up at least. He presses harder against the wall and does his best to will the guy away. The dude starts knocking on the window instead.
"Hello? Hello? I need to speak to Mr. Winchester please. My name is Marvin, and I'm from child welfare. It's of utmost importance that I speak to the Alpha of the house. Hello?"
A small creek in the floorboards has Dean's heart breaking as he looks up and sees Adam standing in the middle of the kitchen with wide frightened eyes.
"Ah! Hey! You boy -- open the door please. I need to speak with your Alpha. It's okay. I'm from the government, you can trust me."
Adam locks eyes with Dean, and the Omega can see the terror in his pup’s eyes and it's too much. He's up and gathering the boy in his arms before the tears can start. With his stomach in knots and Adam in his arms, Dean opens the door to face whatever fate awaited with Marvin from the government.
◇◇◇
"Mr. Winchester, I presume? May I come in?"
Dean doesn't move from where he's blocking the door, and he looks down his nose at Marvin’s smarmy face. He smells like wet dog, which means he's a Beta with an Alpha complex. Only synthetic Alpha pheromones give off that scent. Dean's got at least 4 inches on the guy, and he stands up straight to take advantage of every one of them.
"And if I say no?"
Marvin's smile goes tight and his eyes hard.
"Well then, I'd be forced to call the authorities, and you'd be spending the day in jail while any minors would be sent to temporary foster care. So let me ask you again. May I come in, Mr. Winchester?"
Dean moves back to let the Beta in the doorway, making sure to keep Adam turned away from the man's shrewd eyes. Marvin makes himself at home at the kitchen table, laying down papers from a thick file he'd had tucked under his arm.
"Don't worry, Mr. Winchester. This will only take a moment." He flashes a shark’s smile from across the room, and Dean shudders. He walks Adam back to his room and tells him to wake up Sammy quietly but not to come out again unless Dean says so.
He sits across from the smug looking Beta feeling numb. All these years of hyper-vigilance and living under John's thumb to keep them together, washed away by one pup’s innocent comment. The room starts to fill with the acrid scent of Omega despair. This man was going to take Dean's pups away from him.
"Now Mr. Winchester-- you are Dean Winchester, correct?" Dean nods. "Ah, splendid. Well, there is no need to get emotional. I just have a few questions. We've received word from a concerned citizen that you may be in need of help after the passing of your Alpha, one Mr. John Winchester. Is there an Alpha present I can speak to about this?" Dean shakes his head. "I see. Well, I can speak with you for now. Your paperwork has a number of holes I'm hoping you can fill in for me. I know John was your Alpha sire as well as your Alpha brother Samuel Winchester’s, but I'm unclear of the other minor in the home, Adam Winchester. Is he...your pup?" Marvin looks down his nose at that, and Dean bristles.
"He's as good as."
That shark's grin spreads even wider.
"I'm afraid that's not good enough, Mr. Winchester. I need to know how he is legally tied to you."
Dean glares daggers and clenches his teeth hard enough to hear a small pop in his jaw.
"Adam is my half brother. We share an Alpha sire, but not our Omega."
"Very good, thank you. Alright, and I see you're listed as a single Omega, age 18, no pups - yet. Are there any adult Alphas at this time that have a current claim to you or the minors in your care?"
Dean flounders for a moment grasping at straws.
"I have a mate," he blurts out.
Marvin sits back with suspicion written clear on his sweaty face.
"Oh, well that changes things, doesn't it? Where, pray tell, is this mate of yours? I'll need to see your mate scar and photograph it for our records, as I’m sure you know."
Dean sweats.
"What I meant was that I'm engaged to be mated. My Alpha made a public claim, but we're waiting for my heat to mate."
"What kind of public claim?"
Dean thinks fast. It's thin but without an Alpha or Omega present, Marvin's Beta nose won't be able to pick up the lie.
"A scent claim."
The beta scoffs. "Do I look like I was born yesterday, Mr. Winchester? I know what you're doing, but I can promise you that lying will get you nothing but trouble. I'm afraid if you don't have an Alpha to step up and claim these poor boys, then I'll be forced to remove them from the home. Clearly you aren't suitable to be raising a juvenile Alpha, let alone a small pup, and quite frankly you'll all be better off. The boys will get the care they need, and you'll be free to find an Alpha for real without the baggage of two tag-alongs."
Dean was seriously considering just knocking this little shit out and running when the scent of angry Alpha flooded the house along with a low warning growl. They both turn to see Castiel standing in the doorway, hands full of greasy bags that smelled like bacon and a look of murder on his face.
"Cas," the nickname comes unbidden from his mouth, but Dean has never been so happy to see an Alpha in his life. Castiel strides forward and dumps his bags on the table before pulling Dean up by the scruff of his neck and claiming his mouth with a hard kiss.
Dean is so stunned for a moment that he doesn't respond until he feels the Alpha start to pull away. Quickly, Dean wraps his willowy arms around Castiel's neck and lets himself melt against the older man's body. He opens his mouth to coax the Alpha's tongue into his own. The kiss is wet and sloppy and full of promises that make Dean shiver.
A throat clearing breaks them apart, and Dean smirks at the shocked red face staring back at him.
"Like I said Marvin, I have an Alpha."
Castiel chuckles beside him, and Dean can feel the rumble through his skin where they're pressed together side by side.
"That you do, little Omega. But that begs the question why -- Marvin, was it? -- thought it was appropriate to start this conversation without me present." If looks could kill, Marvin would be a smouldering pile of ash at this point, and he shrinks visibly under Castiel's gaze. Dean is positively dancing with joy on the inside. He sticks out his lip in a pout as he looks up at Cas adoringly. He might be laying it on a bit thick, but at this point he just wanted to watch Marvin squirm.
"He didn't believe me when I told him I had an Alpha. He tried to scare me into giving up our pups."
If it was possible, Castiel looked even more menacing as he quietly sat in Dean's vacated seat and then pulled the Omega onto his lap so he's sitting side-saddle.
"Is that true, Marvin? Did you try to scare my Omega into giving up our pups?"
Marvin splutters like a fish out of water for a few moments before he pulls himself together enough to form words.
"I-I, no of course, that wasn't what I meant. But you have to see what it looks like from my perspective. Your Omega has no visible claim, nor has any paperwork been filed, he has a record and a reputation. I was just trying to do my job."
Castiel's hands tighten where they've settled, one on Dean's waist and one on his thigh. The Omega nuzzles into the crook of Castiel's neck to hide his smile.
"Well, now you know better, so write it down and get the fuck out. I think you've insulted my Omega enough for one day."
"Yes, of course Alpha," Marvin simpers. "I'd love to be able to just walk out and not bother you any further, but there is the matter of some paperwork to fill out. It's not up to me, you see... it's my superiors that insist on dotting all the I's and crossing every T."
Cas sighs deep and put upon, and Dean has to stifle a giggle.
"Well get on with it, then. I don't have all day."
"Yes, of course Alpha." Marvin starts sliding over papers. "Here is the form stating you are claiming responsibility for the two minors, this is your Intent To Mate form, and here is the actual mate form. That last one will need to be filled out after you've officially claimed Mr. Winchester, and you'll need to attach a doctor's confirmation of the mating scar. You'll have sixty days to turn it in at the office downtown. Until then, you can expect at least two unscheduled visits to check on the minors and to make sure your arrangements haven't changed. You do plan to mate within the next 60 days, correct?"
Castiel doesn't even blink at the forms being placed in front of him, he just picks up the pen Marvin offers and starts signing.
"Of course," Cas grunts, not even looking up from the papers.
"The only reason I ask is that our records show that Mr. Winchester is currently on suppressants, and it takes at least 60 days just to work them out of an Omega’s system."
Castiel's hand pauses for a split second, the only tell that he's not sure what to say. Dean jumps in before Marvin notices the slip.
"Your records show I was prescribed suppressants, not that I'm taking them. I haven't taken a sup in a little over a month. (Score one for being a broke ass bitch who can't afford a refill.) We have plenty of time before your deadline to mate."
After that, Marvin keeps his mouth shut and less than 20 minutes later, he was out the door, and Dean was finally able to breathe again. The boys come flying out of their room, Adam making a beeline straight for Dean while Sam stands back to eye Castiel wearily. They stare awkwardly at each other before Cas breaks the silence.
"I guess we need to talk, Omega."
For the first time, Dean bristles at Castiel calling him Omega. Right now he owes this Alpha for saving them from CPS, but he doesn't want to give the impression he's a pushover.
"Stop calling me, Omega. I have a name, and I'd prefer you use it."
The Alpha's lips tick up into a half smile.
"I'd be happy to, Omega, but you haven't told me what it is yet."
"I-," Dean's mouth snaps shut mid reply. He quickly thinks back to his previous run-ins with the Alpha and realizes it's true: Dean never told him his name.
"Are you for fucking real? You waltzed in here and signed your life away as our Alpha, and you don't even know my name?"
Castiel shrugs his shoulders, "I knew you needed help and that I wanted to be the one to help you."
They stared at each other, neither one knowing what to do next, until Adam chimes in.
"Mama, I'm hungry."
Dean drops his eyes down to his brother’s hopeful face.
"Yeah, alright kiddo, go get some cereal. Sammy will help you." He shoots Sam a pointed look when he acts like he's going to protest. "I need to talk over some things with our new Alpha."
Sam sulks at being left out of the "adult" proceedings, his hazel eyes swirling with young Alpha rebellion, but after a tense moment he dutifully goes to the cupboard to get down bowls and the box of Lucky Charms. Dean inclines his head toward John's room; he should probably start referring to it as his room now. It's not ideal, but it's the only way to get a little privacy in this matchbox of a house.
He plops down on the bed and looks up definitively at the Alpha still standing by the doorway.
"Okay, so... what is this? You're buying us some time to run? Planning on using me to piss off your parents before leaving us high and dry? Planning to mate me and keep me barefoot and pregnant? What's your motivation, man?" Almost as an afterthought, Dean remembers to tack on, "...and the name is Dean, not Omega."
Castiel stocks forward and, despite Dean's trepidation, his legs part seemingly of their own accord to allow the Alpha between them. A warm hand cups his face, and it takes all his strength not to lean into the touch.
"Is it not enough that I wanted to help you? Good things do happen, Dean." Ocean eyes threaten to drown him in their depths until Dean has to avert his gaze.
"Yeah, well, not in my experience they don't."
Castiel's face softens, and his hand slips up from the side of Dean's face to the back of his neck. His palm is warm and heavy in a way that instantly calms the raging nerves inside the Omega.
Dean has never reacted to an Alpha like this. Even John's scent put him off after Dean had presented, but one whiff or touch from Castiel and Dean's ready to bare his neck and present his ass. Maybe he should go with his instincts on this one and try to trust the Alpha. At the very least, he can hear the guy out. After all, he did just save their asses.
Looking up into Castiel's open face, Dean sighs.
"Okay Alpha, what's the plan?"
A smile curls up the Alpha's face, and Dean shivers. What has he gotten himself into?
◇◇◇
It turns out the plan was pretty simple. Move Dean, Sam, and Adam into Castiel's place and play house til Dean's heat showed up. Okay... so it wasn't really that simple. They'd spent hours negotiating terms, and Dean made sure he had an out if he needed it. They would all live together like a family, Dean even sleeping in Castiel's bed, but no sex unless they decide to go through with the mating.
It's surprisingly easy to slot into Castiel's life and his home. Apparently, the Alpha had only moved in a few months ago, so the house was kind of empty still. There were four bedrooms, so for the first time ever, the boys would have their own rooms. Sammy was a lot more willing to play along after that. Adam took longer to adjust. The poor thing had slept beside either Dean or Sam his whole life and wasn't happy about suddenly being left alone. For the first week, Dean would lay beside him and rub his back for hours until pale blue eyes slipped shut and Adam would finally fall asleep. Dean had taken to wearing Adam's bedsheets around the house after washing them. It helps the pup sleep when he can scent his mama.
For the most part, Dean's role doesn't change much. He takes care of the house, cooks the meals, helps the boys with their schoolwork, though luckily Sam didn't need much help. The kid had already far surpassed Dean's skill level. In the evenings after the boys are tucked away in bed and Dean is left alone with Castiel, his role changes.
Castiel spends the majority of the day at work. He's a beat cop at their local precinct, and the first time Dean saw the Alpha in his city blues was like a religious experience. Every evening he gets home from work, wraps his arms around Dean where the Omega is standing in the kitchen cooking, and kisses the Omega's cheek. After greeting the boys, Cas goes off to shower and change into lounge pants and an old tee. Dean has to struggle not to just abandon the meal to rub up against him. The Alpha always looks so soft and snuggly in his sleep clothes. They sit together at the table while they eat and talk about their day. Afterwards, Sammy and Adam clear the table and wash the dishes, and they watch a show before it's time for the boys to go to bed.
It makes Dean a little sick to his stomach to see how easily the boys slip into this new life. How quickly and completely they grow used to regular meals and hot showers and leisure time. Now that school's out for the summer, Sammy spends most of his time with a couple of friends riding his bike (a gift from Cas) around town. Adam has summer day camp and playdates and a backyard with a swingset to pass the time. Dean's not sure they'd be willing to leave this new normal if he needed to run.
After the boys are in bed, Castiel makes a point of making Dean relax on the couch for a while; sometimes he rubs his feet, sometimes they sit quietly and talk, but Dean's favorite is when they kiss.
Just long moments of stretching out on his back, his legs parted to allow Castiel’s large frame to settle in the vee of his open knees. Their mouths explore each other with no traces of shame or shyness. Just hot tongues and sharp teeth and breathy sighs as Dean melts under the weight of his Alpha. It's not uncommon for one or both of them to get hard, and it's often Cas who has to grip Dean's hips tight to keep them from rocking against the hard line of Castiel's cock.
Sometimes, Dean wishes his Alpha wasn't such a nice guy. Sometimes, in the darkest part of Dean's brain, he wishes Castiel would just take so the Omega wouldn't have to make the choice. But that's not the kind of Alpha Cas is and, really, that's what Dean likes most about him. Well, that and his meaty thighs that make Dean imagine all kinds of naughty things.
So basically, things are great; you could say they were picture perfect even. Dean being Dean, though, had a hard time believing it was his to keep. He was sure there was a proverbial shoe just waiting to drop somewhere, because guys like Dean -- skinny Omegas with no education and a shit homelife -- never get the happy endings from fairytales. No... guys like Dean usually ended up hooked on meth and taking knots for their next fix.
So why Dean? Why would Cas choose him when he could have any sweet unattached Omega he wanted? What about Dean's smart mouth and too-slim hips screamed mate material?
Dean asks himself that every day, but he never asks Cas, too afraid to break the spell and ruin this for everyone else. But Castiel never falters in his decision to mate Dean. With each surprise visit from CPS, Castiel insists their plans haven't changed and they're waiting for Dean's heat. Every night after work and throughout the weekends, Cas continues to doting on Dean like he's something special, like he's precious.
Cas doesn't limit his time to only spoiling the Omega, either.
He talked with Sam for hours about books and college and changes he was going through now that he'd presented Alpha, and it was obvious Sammy was blossoming under the attention. Adam, too, has become very attached to the older man. It was becoming less and less common for the little guy to fuss at night, now that Castiel has started helping Dean tuck him in. And oftentimes, Adam would ask for Cas to be the one to read his bedtime story.
It was harder for Dean than he realized to share his pups’ affection, but after a few weeks, it started to feel less like something he was losing and more like something he was sharing. Felt like maybe this was something he could actually have.
◇◇◇
For the last three days now Dean's felt his heat coming on. His skin was more sensitive, his poor nipples were pebbling up with every slight breeze or brush of cotton, and he was waking up each morning with Cas plastered to his back and scenting deep at the crook of his neck.
Today would be the day though, Dean could feel it. The ache deep in his gut, the flush of his skin, his scent strong enough that even Adam was wrinkling his nose at him. Once, late at night, while cradled in his Alpha's arms, Dean asked Cas what his scent was like for the Alpha. Cas had run his nose along the smooth line of his neck, pulling in deep lungfuls of air.
"Like sweet almonds and fresh cut grass. Like spring and new life."
Now he smells like slick and desperation. Sammy doesn't argue when Dean asks him to walk Adam down to the Mills house. Jody Mills worked on the force with Cas and, along with her mate Donna, was one of the only neighbors he trusted with a task like this. Adam and Sammy would both need to sleep over until Dean's heat had passed. It could be three days or more depending on his body's response to having a real Alpha sharing his heat with him.
Dean is supposed to call Cas the moment he knows for sure his heat has started but he doesn't. Cas is doing real work, important work, helping people, and Dean doesn't want to bother him when he knows he can handle himself just fine until the Alpha gets home.
He's naked on his back in the middle of their bed, his legs spread obscenely wide as he works his fingers into his aching hole. His skin is flushed and covered in a fine sheen of sweat, and his hair is dark with it, sticking up at odd angles from where his own hands have been pulling absently at the strands. Dean can't remember ever feeling this desperate during a heat. His fingers aren't enough even as he jacks his weeping dick in time with the slick desperate movements of his fingers.
He's sobbing as he tries desperately to find some kind of relief when suddenly the room explodes with the scent of Alpha, his Alpha. Dean whimpers and pulls out his fingers with a soft squelching noise to reach blindly for Cas.
"Please… Alpha... need you."
Cas is there in seconds, already stripped of his uniform and his skin deliciously cool against Dean's flushed body. Large hands grip his thighs tight to hold them open as Cas' hungry mouth sucks wet kisses down Dean's neck.
"You should have called me, Omega."
The deep rumble of his Alpha's voice shoots down Dean's spine straight to his aching dick. A fresh wave of slick practically gushes out of him. The hot line of Cas' thick Alpha cock blazes against his thigh. He's never wanted something inside him so bad.
"Please Alpha, it hurts."
Cas settles his weight against Dean's cock, rutting slowly as he brings their lips together and Dean sighs into the kiss.
"Shhh, little Omega. I'm going to take care of you, don't worry. Always gonna take care of you."
Dean is lost in the feeling of his Alpha's cock rocking along the crease of his thigh, smearing precome everywhere. He's burning up and wanting Cas to lose control, to give him what he wants. He decides to push his Alpha back to give him room to roll over onto his stomach. He brings his knees up and out, his shoulders pressed to the bed and his back arched.
Dean presents for the first time in his young life. He feels open and vulnerable and so very tiny as he waits for his Alpha to respond.
Cas groans low and dirty, and Dean feels the dip in the mattress as his Alpha settles behind him.
"God, you smell good, my perfect Omega. So good for me."
Dean doesn't even bother to respond just whines and sways his hips enticingly. One moment, Dean thinks he'll never get what he wants, and the next, Cas is using his large capable hands to pry his ass cheeks apart and burying his face in Dean's slick.
The Omega howls as he feels the first swipe of Cas' wide tongue along his entrance. The Alpha doesn't hold back as he laps up the trails of slick that Dean's been leaking for hours. His tongue is rough against the Omega's sensitive skin, causing Dean to squirm and moan as he forces his hips back against Cas' face.
"Fuck, you taste so sweet, Omega."
Dean sobs as that talented tongue finally spears forward to breach his fluttering rim, his Alpha tasting him straight from the source.
"Ahh, fuck!"
Dean's eyes roll up as Cas thrusts two fingers into him alongside his tongue. Just the Alpha's fingers feel huge, like they're stretching him impossibly wide. Dean feels a moment of panic that he won't be able to take Cas' knot after all. That the Alpha simply won't fit. His body tenses, but Cas is there to soothe him, his free hand sliding between Dean's legs to grip his neglected cock where it's been drooling onto the sweat dampened sheets below him.
Without thought, Dean thrusts forward into Cas' fist, only to spear himself back on the Alpha's fingers.
"Fuck, fuck Cas, please!"
Dean doesn't give a fuck that he's essentially begging. The more he works himself between Cas' hands, the more he opens up until two fingers just aren't enough. Cas wiggles in a third finger, and Dean sees white as his rim works to accommodate the new stretch.
"You're so goddamn tight, Dean. I can't wait to have you wrapped around my cock." Dean whimpers and presses back harder. "Is that what you want, little Omega? Want my fat cock splitting you open? Want my knot, my bite?"
Dean nods his head furiously where it's pressed into the mattress. That is exactly what he wants.
"Let me hear you, Love. Tell me what you want."
"Yes!" Dean explodes on a choked sob. It's all so overwhelming, Cas' hands and voice and the need need need inside of him.
"Yes Alpha fill me up, want your cock, wanna be full, wanna be yours."
Cas growls low in his throat, and suddenly his hands are gone. Dean panics. Did he say the wrong thing? Before he can get worked up, Cas is lining up behind him, one hand holding the base of his cock and the other grabbing Dean's hip hard enough to leave a bruise.
Dean watches over his shoulder as Cas brings the head of his cock to kiss his slick opening, the Alpha's eyes dark and wild as he stares at where he's about to sink into the Omega.
"Mine," Cas whispers right before he thrusts forward and into Dean's wet sucking heat. He groans low and stops, letting Dean adjust to his girth.
Dean's hands are fisted in the sheets as he tries to breath through the feeling of being split in two. It doesn't feel anything like his old heat toy. It's too much and not enough at the same time. He wants, he needs to be full, to have Cas buried to the hilt, and he needs it yesterday, so Dean takes a deep breath, lets it out slowly, and shoves back on Cas' cock. The pain is intense and immediate, but Dean just purrs low in his chest as his Alpha cries out as he's suddenly encased fully in Dean's tight channel. Cas doesn't move except to drop down across Dean's back, his arms on either side of the Omega's head.
Dean breathes through the pain until it dulls into a low pleasant throb that makes his hips undulate on pure instinct. He can feel Cas' hot breath on the back of his neck, making him shiver with anticipation.
"If you use me to hurt yourself again, little Omega, I'll make you wait until your next heat for my knot." Cas punctuates his words with a hard thrust that rocks Dean down into the mattress.
"Sorry Alpha, sorry, just need you."
"And I told you I would take care of you."
Cas stays draped over Dean's back as he starts up a slow drag out of the tight slick heat of the omega's body only to snap his hips forward hard. It's slow but deep, and Dean thinks if he rested his hand on his stomach, he'd be able to feel the outline of his Alpha's cock deep in his guts. Every time Cas pulls back, it feels like Dean's being turned inside out, and his body sways under the Alpha with each powerful thrust.
Cas starts mouthing and sucking on Dean's mating gland as he speeds up his thrusts. The Omega can do nothing but hold on tight as his Alpha fucks him open. Dean tilts his head to give Cas better access to his neck. He's beyond words now, just breathy little noises punched out of him everytime Cas bottoms out, hips against Dean's supple ass.
When he feels the base of Cas' dick start to swell with his knot, Dean's head clears a little. He's never been knotted, not even with a heat toy, since the inflatable knots were too expensive for him. He wants it like he wants air to breathe.
Dean finds his voice.
"Knot me, Alpha. Knot me, bite me…," Dean throws his head back as he feels his release starting to build low in his gut. Cas hasn't touched his dick since he started fucking him, and Dean hasn't bothered either. At this point, it's become clear he won't need to because he's seconds away from coming on Cas' cock. But he wants his Alpha there with him. He wants to feel Cas lose control the same way he's reduced Dean to a quivering moaning mess.
"Come on Cas... fuck ...breed me! Breed me, Alpha please, want you."
Cas loses it, snapping his hips so hard Dean can't even catch his breath, harsh "uh uh uh" sounds punched out of him by his Alpha's cock.
"Is that what you want, little Omega? Want me to fill your belly with my pups?"
" Oh god, yes Alpha, want it, want your pups."
Cas slams into him, his knot presses against his still too small rim, and Cas has to sit up to grip Dean's slim hips. He pulls the Omega back on his cock to work his knot in. As Dean stretches yet again, there is a moment when his body fights the intrusion. Cas' knot feels as big as a fist, but the Alpha is determined to get it into his Omega. And when it finally pops into place and locks them together, Dean sees stars and his dick is shooting ropes of watery come across the sheets.
Cas is growling behind him as he thrusts his knot into Dean over and over again. It's small rocking movements now versus his earlier wild thrusts, but the stretch is impossible to ignore. And when Cas finally comes locked inside him and bites into the meat of Dean's mating gland, a second just as intense orgasm is ripped from him, leaving the Omega spent and limp like a ragdoll.
Cas' jaws are locked onto Deans shoulder as he works through his orgasm. The Omega's guts are flooded with his Alpha's potent seed to the point he feels like he could burst. Cas' hand comes to rest low on Dean's belly where his come has started to make the Omega's normally flat stomach bulge. It makes Dean gasp and squirm on Cas’ knot, which makes the Alpha growl as his grip tightens and his jaw tenses.
Finally, after the last wave of come has emptied from Cas' balls, the Alpha releases Dean's neck, his rough tongue running across the bite to clean it. Cas nuzzles into Dean whispering sweet words of praise.
"My Omega, so good, my perfect Omega."
Dean is floating in a wave of mated bliss, his ass throbbing in time with his heartbeat around his Alpha's knot in the most delicious way. Cas easily maneuvers them onto their sides so he can continue to stroke Dean's belly and lap at his mating bite.
"Love you, Alpha," he slurs out and smiles at the pleased sound his Alpha makes behind him.
"Love you too, little Omega."
Dean lets his eyes slip closed. It won't be long before his heat is back and demanding attention, so he needs to sleep while he can. He settles a hand on top of the one Cas is using to cradle his swollen belly. Dean hopes he catches this heat but if he doesn't, that just means they'll have to keep trying until he does. Just thinking of walking around huge and round full of Castiel's pups, a walking billboard of his Alpha's prowess and potency, has Dean flushing with heat.
Cas chuckles behind him.
"You are insatiable, little Omega, but try and rest while you can."
Dean snuggles back into Cas and sighs. He can't believe this is his life now. Happy and safe with his brothers and a mate, his own pups one day.
With strong loving arms draped around him, Dean falls asleep with a full heart and a smile on his face.