Castiel had been 15 when he found out what he was. When he woke up in the middle of the night with his pants soaked, Castiel initially thought he had pissed himself. But then he checked the fluid with his fingers; it was slippery and viscous and didn't seem to have an odor. To his shock, it seemed to be coming out of his ass. He knocked on his parents' bedroom door in a panic. When he told his mother what had happened, she started crying without explanation. She went to the linen closet and handed Castiel a box of sanitary pads, which only confused him more, and told him to cleanup. While Castiel was in the bathroom he could hear his parents talking next door, and his father raising his voice angrily.
"Where is that freak?" Michael roared. Castiel cowered in the bathroom, glad he had locked the door. His father jiggled the handle. "I won't have filth in this house!"
Castiel hurried to finish changing his pants and underwear. Now he realized why his mom had given him pads; he couldn't seem to stop leaking. His mother was arguing with his father. Castiel opened the door gingerly, stepping into the hall cautiously, holding his bundle of soiled clothes. His father immediately noticed him and closed the distance between them in two steps. He was nose to nose with Castiel, who shrank under his angry gaze.
"I won't have him in this house, Angela. My line is pure. It must be your blood that is tainted!" Michael whirled to face Angela.
"I told you there was a chance when we married. Please Michael." Castiel's mother pleaded, grabbing his father's arm.
"You told me about Bartholomew, but I thought he was a distant cousin. I thought the chance was almost zero. Thank God Gabriel is normal!" Michael growled.
"It must be someone you don't know about in your family." Angela retorted, her anger rising. "What does it matter, he's our son!"
"It matters. He goes. Now." Michael glanced at Castiel disdainfully. "Pack your things." Michael turned away and disappeared into the office, slamming the door hard. Castiel gaped. His mother guided him into his bedroom.
"Cas, just pack a few clothes, I'm sure your father will change his mind after he's calmed down. There are medications you can take for your condition..." Angela was opening Castiel's drawers and blindly grabbing clothes.
"What is my condition?" Castiel asked, completely bewildered and scared. He was too freaked out to be angry, that would happen later. His mom kept going through his drawers. Castiel grabbed her arm and forced her to look at him. She was crying freely even as she held the clothes in her arms. "Mom?"
"Oh Cassie...it's...you're...I can't…" Angela choked on a sob and sat down heavily on Castiel's bed. "You are...an omega." Angela looked at Castiel with pity and sorrow. Seeing the look on his mother's face, Castiel couldn't stop himself from crying too.
"Mom…I'm so sorry…" Castiel said automatically, not sure what he was apologizing for. A broken sob escaped his throat and Angela dropped the clothes and held him close. Castiel didn't know exactly what an omega was, but he knew it was a bad thing. At school there had been whispers about students that might be omegas. One of them, a small slip of a boy who Castiel had never heard speak and who kept to himself, had just stopped showing up to school one day. There were rumors that he had been raped and killed.
"It's not your fault, Cassie." Angela sniffled. "You were born an omega. We had no way of knowing- with no history of omegas in our immediate families, we never gave it a second thought."
"Why does Dad hate me?" Castiel asked tearfully. "What have I done?"
"He's scared, Cassie." Angela stroked Castiel's hair, something she hadn't done since he was a small child. He leaned into her touch.
"Where am I supposed to go?" Castiel asked.
"I know someone who will help you, Castiel." Angela pulled out her cell phone, and tapped at the screen. Castiel's phone pinged a moment later. "His name is Zachariah. He's a family friend. Call him."
"Can't you take me there, Mom?" Castiel asked.
"I'm sorry, Cassie. He's not too far, I promise, just downtown. You can take the 67 bus." Angela let go of Castiel and started gathering up the clothes. She found a duffle in the closet and threw the clothes in the bag. She pressed a wad of bills into Castiel's hand.
"Mom…please…" Castiel was scared.
"It'll be ok, Cas. Just go before your father does something stupid. I'll talk to him." Angela kissed Castiel on the cheek.
Castiel shouldered the bag, making sure he put the rest of the pads in his bag. He was confused and frightened. His mother was already going down the hall to knock on the door of the office. Castiel went down the stairs. He heard his parents arguing again.
"I won't have that omega whore in my house!" Michael shouted.
Castiel fled. It was the last time he saw his parents.
…
Castiel was tired, cold and scared. The number for Zachariah that his mom had given him had been disconnected. Why hadn't she called herself before she pushed Castiel out the door? At least she had given him some money, so he was able to buy food. Castiel thought about Gabriel, his older brother who was at college out of state. He wondered if his parents would tell Gabriel what had happened. Gabriel might help him, but he was so far away, and Castiel didn't want to bother him. They had been close when they were younger, but since Gabriel had left home for school, Castiel had only seen him a handful of times and almost never talked to him. At any rate, he couldn't be sure that Gabriel didn't feel the same way about omegas as their father.
Castiel had wandered after the bus dropped him off downtown, and had slept the night shivering on a bench, putting on all the clothes he had packed. He was still leaking, and he would run out of pads soon. Even worse, he had started feeling crazy - the only way Castiel could describe it was extremely horny. But instead of wanting to stick his dick in someone, he wanted someone to stick a dick inside him. When the alpha found him, he was still trying to sleep. It was extremely difficult with the pulsing need that ran through his body constantly.
"Crowley." The man said. "You may call me Crowley." He offered his hand to Castiel, who gripped it like a lifeline.
Crowley shook Castiel's hand firmly. Castiel was aware of a strong smell that must be coming from the man. It wasn't unpleasant, but it was unlike anything Castiel had smelled before. It made him feel hungry, but not for food. Castiel couldn't quite describe the scent- maybe dark chocolate would be a good analogy. Castiel didn't know why the man had stopped and started to talk to him, and perhaps he should have been more wary, but he was desperate. Crowley had kind eyes and was dressed expensively, so Castiel decided to trust him.
"Are you hungry?" Crowley smiled, and pulled a packet from his coat. It was a warm blueberry scone, and Castiel's mouth watered. "I was going to eat this, but you need it more than me." He handed it to Castiel who accepted gratefully. Castiel sat up and started eating. Crowley sat down beside him and watched him with amused eyes.
"What's your name, boy?" Crowley asked after Castiel had eaten half the scone. Castiel chewed and swallowed. He could use some coffee.
"Castiel." he answered, and then went back to the scone.
"Lovely." Crowley commented. He looked Castiel over. "How old are you?"
"Fifteen." Castiel said, his mouth full of scone. Afterwards, he realized he probably should have lied and said he was older.
"So young." Crowley said softly. He poked the duffel bag that sat between them. "Running away from home?" He raised an eyebrow at Castiel.
"Kicked out." Castiel shrugged. He reached into the duffel and found a water bottle. After he drank, he took a good look at Crowley. The man was short, with dark hair that was receding slightly, and a beard that was peppered with gray. He had intense, dark eyes, which were probably his most striking feature. He was in a black wool coat, a black suit and shirt underneath, with a red tie providing a splash of color to his otherwise monochromatic outfit.
"Ah. Found out you were an omega?" Crowley guessed.
"How did you know?" Castiel asked, feeling exposed. Crowley laughed gently.
"My boy, I could smell you from a block away." Crowley explained.
"Smell me?" A jolt of fear ran through Castiel. He had no idea he smelled and how this man could have smelled him from so far away.
"Oh yes. You must be having your first heat." Crowley said. "It's good I found you. I'd hate to think what other…less savory…types might have done."
"Heat?" Castiel said with bewilderment. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Oh, Castiel. You have so much to learn." Crowley shook his head. "Will you let me teach you?" Crowley looked directly at Castiel, his eyes gentle and guileless.
"Why should I trust you?" Castiel said suspiciously. "I just met you."
"I promise, I will never ever hurt you." Crowley said soothingly. "Please. You don't have anywhere to go, do you?"
Castiel hesitated. He really didn't have anywhere else to go. He was too angry and scared to go home, and he didn't understand anything about what being an omega entailed. He didn't even know he had a smell until Crowley mentioned it. And what was the heat that Crowley had mentioned? Wasn't that something only animals had?
"I promise." Crowley repeated. He grabbed one of Castiel's hands and placed it between his two larger hands. Castiel's hand was ice cold, and Crowley's were burning hot. Crowley squeezed gently and rubbed Castiel's hand to warm it. When Crowley touched him, Castiel felt a surge of desire which confused him. He couldn't be attracted to Crowley- the guy was his father's age. Maybe it had something to do with Crowley's smell, or Castiel's desperate situation. Whatever it is, suddenly Castiel felt like he would do anything Crowley wanted.
"O-ok." Castiel agreed. He felt dazed as Crowley released his hand.
"Come with me, Castiel. I'll take care of you." Crowley smiled reassuringly.
And Castiel followed.