**Author's Note: _

Another a/b/o story. I'm so sorry I live for these stories- I just, they're just so perf.
Besides, you guys have to admit that my a/b/o fics aren't actually focused on PWP or something- and this one surely isn't.

And before you guys ask- yes, Gatlinburg TN is a real place. I go there every year so I think I know if it exists or not- and it's perf for this story. If you want to know what it looks like, just use Google Maps or something.

The M rating on this SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN LIGHTLY. Seriously- there's some fucked up shite in here, no joke.
Murder n' stuff for one.
**COULD CONTAIN TRIGGERS**

Besides, I love making my bad characters badass. Or really messed up at the very least.

Lemme tell you that there's some shit behind this person slaughtering people, and you'll find out in a little bit. It may bother you, because some things they do even creep me out and I'm writing it. Readers beware.~

ENJOY!~


It's a chilly night for Castiel Novak, an omega going to Pickman University- a small college in the cloud-dense mountains of Tennessee. It's up near a little town called Gatlinburg, some place that started up around the 1950's or 40's and turned into a major tourist attraction. Castiel moved here because of Pickman, it being one of the very few werewolf colleges that allowed omegas to attend. For Castiel, it was a good thing.

The sidewalk is steep as Castiel finishes his nightly jog around the river. The trees are void of their usual leaves, the stream beside him sloshing alongside his hurried steps. His breath shows up a little as the chill of night seeps in. It's pretty late, but he's used to taking such long, dark walks. He finds that they clear his mind of a lot of worries and things- and it's good to forget about the stresses of life for a while. The omega werewolf shivers in his jacket a little as his dorm finally appears. The river rocks used as landscaping shift under his shoes as he enters.

Castiel finds the room number 98 and pulls out his key. As soon as he flops down on the mattress, enjoying the loss of strain in his muscles, there's a knock on his door. He raises a brow, going and opening it to find his friend smirking at the door.

"Hey Cassie."

"Hello, Gabriel."

The other omega walks into the others dorm, "Whatcha doin'?"

Castiel lays back down on the bed, "Resting from my walk. Why don't you exercise?"

"I don't because-" Gabe furrows his brow, thinking about his answer, "I can do what I want, Cassie."

Castiel just laughs at the shitty response.

They shift themselves to Castiel's bed, the werwolf crossing his leg as the mattress dips below from his weight. He and Gabe are the only male omegas at Pickman University; a little bit of an uncommon trait because male omegas were considered kind of rare. They had become close friends fairly quickly- the omegas finding comfort in the fact they were the only ones with a dick that wanted someone to use theirs instead once a month.

"How's theater going?" Castiel asked, remembering that was maybe the only class that the omega might have slightly cared about.

"Pretty good." he smirks, "I got cast as a role."

Castiel grins, "Really? What?"

The other omega brightens, "Yeah! An archangel whose name is actually my own."

"Ironic."

"And fitting. I think I'd be him in some other alternate universe. My life just kind of seems... fictional."

(Hehe, I'm not sorry guys.)

Castiel grins and relaxes on the bed. Other than Gabriel, Castiel doesn't have many shoulders to lean on. Sure there's Anna and Balthazar- but they usually had classes and their schedules clashed with Castiel's. Anna sometimes saw him before she got her week off for her heat- Balthazar, an alpha, only ran into Castiel on his free days or randomly while he was roaming around campus; sometimes he'd hit on the omega but he was usually drunk. Gabe notices the clock, cursing aloud and lumping off the bed.

"I'll see you tomorrow, yeah? Time permitting?" Gabe is already at the door, Castiel joining him and leaning near its frame.

The werewolf nods, "Yeah sure. See you tomorrow Gabe."

The omega shuts the door, noticing the alarm reads ten o'clock. No wonder Gabe panicked a little.

"Shit..." he mutters, rushing out of his clothes and jumping in the shower.

It's about eleven when he's done, settling in some robe and a tee, generic-stripped pajama pants lining his legs. The omega ruffles his dampened hair with a towel, throwing it onto the floor and trying to settle onto the ground. Castiel tries stilling in his bed as he realizes someone's screaming.

He runs out of his dorm, feet slapping against the carpeted hallway. It leads him outside to the road, and there's a girl by herself standing under the covered entrance, holding onto her mouth as Castiel notices what she's staring at. It's a body.

"Hey!" Castiel rushes over, "What happened?"

"I just- I was walking back and- and-" she's starting to sob, "oh my god they're dead!"

Castiel wants to deny it, but he knows she's probably right. He glances at the cooling form, blood pooling around it as he sees a 'Ω' carved into the skin. He hears the girl vomiting onto the road beside him, his arms going to her but his eyes remaining on the dead person.

"Move- out of the way- police!"

There's cars with flaring lights, people lining around the two of them. Castiel shifts uneasily, the girl still crying and people yelling everywhere. It's chaos The police start sectioning the road off, pushing people away from the body and dragging the girl and Castiel away from the scene so they can question them.

"I told you-" Castiel nearly growls at the obtuse officer for the sixth time in the past five minutes, "I didn't find the body, she did. I only left my dorm because I heard her screaming. I came out and there she and the body were, in the road. I don't know anything else."

The omega's arms are crossed over his chest as they dismiss him. He sees the girl from earlier, her arms shaking as she rocks back and forth in the back of an ambulance, blanket draping her shoulders.

"Hey-" Castiel walks up to her, "you okay?"

She sort of nods, a laugh that sounds forth escaping her lips, "I'm f-fine. I think. Thanks for showing up when you d-did."

"It's not a problem. I heard you and I thought you were in trouble. What's your name?"

"I'm B-Becky."

Castiel smiles slightly, "I remember you, you work at the library. Rosen, right?"

Her scent is pungent against Castiel's nose as she nods, and he can tell she's an omega. It's a little comforting to say at the least as she speaks in a lowered tone, "W-What kind of monster would do that to someone? To carve t-them up like that and just leaving them- sorry... I just... I can't get it out of my h-head."

"It's okay, I understand... Look, stay safe okay?"

She just nods and Castiel walks away. When the omega gets back near the crowd, Gabriel is waiting for him, pushing through the people to get to his friend. As soon as Castiel nears him, he's wrapped up in such a large hug the breath rushes out of his lungs. Gabe gives a shaky sigh of relief into his form.

"God, I thought it was you Cassie- don't fucking scare me like that..." he doesn't pull away, instead gets even closer, "You wouldn't even answer my texts..."

"I was a little busy..."

"I can see that fairly easily. Are you hurt?"

Gabe lets go then, Castiel rubbing the back of his neck as the night flashes back into his memory, "No I'm not, just shaken up a little. It was... graphic."

The other omega nods, "Uhh yeah- I heard about that. God- who would do this? Seriously? It's majorly fucked up."

"It is." Castiel looks over at the flashing lights and cars, officers and EMT's lining around the tape and body, "They carved our symbol into her stomach."

"They did what? ..." Gabriel's voice trails off, looking up at the sign on their dorm complex.

Castiel sighs, Gabriel pressing himself closer in fear as Castiel closes his eyes and speaks, "The symbol- the one for omega. They took something and literally ripped her abdomen apart to make it. Gabe, there was so much blood- and her face... The only reason I know it was a woman was because she was naked... She didn't have a face anymore..."

"Holy shit..."

They huddle together, Castiel's fingers wrapping on Gabriel's arm, "Hey umm... can you sleep in my dorm tonight?"

"Sure... I was going to ask but- I wasn't sure how to say it..."

The two omegas leave, shuddering in fear. The fact it could have been Gabriel lying on that road instead of that other person scares the hell out of Castiel- knowing that within that hour or more since the other omega left his friend could have easily been snatched. They enter Castiel's room, locking the door immediately and even going as far as putting the only wooden chair Castiel owns under the knob; checking the closets and under the bed just in case. They huddle in the blankets and fall asleep near each other hoping they'd wake up again.

It's apparently all people could talk about the next day. It was an omega named Meg Masters that had been lying all cut up on the asphalt last night. Castiel remembers her slightly, from the small coffee shop on the strip. He used to get there for the internet until they installed it in the dorms. She was nice, had black hair and blue eyes- or they were brown contacts; only Castiel knew because one had fallen out when he was ordering a coffee once. He didn't understand why she covered them up- they were beautiful... Not so much anymore.

Castiel was excused from classes today since he had found her murdered last night; it didn't matter either way because he was pulled shortly back to the sheriff's office. The room is small, built in the early seventies before the town really became anything like it is now. The tiles are faded from the sun and soles that have scuffed it, the wood having the varnish rubbed away by sweating hands and time. A few stray leaves have somehow wandered in, either on the bottom of shoes or by some winds- they take the floor as their new home as Castiel enters the small building. The omega sits in one of the three unmatched chairs available to him, leg shaking up and down nervously as he awaits his name to be called. At least he doesn't have to worry about alphas trying to crowd over him here- all of the law enforcement are betas so there's less tension whenever a crime is committed. Alphas can go too far and omegas won't go far enough. Betas are in the middle, neutral; in short: the better choice.

"Castiel Novak, the sheriff would like to see you now."

The omega gets up, jacket settling on his sides as he exits the main room and goes into the small office. The wallpaper is yellowed and peeling a little with age on the edges, the desk scuffed and marred from the scrapes or pens and markers and stained from overfilled coffee cups. The symbol for the town's police worn to where only the black outline seared into the wood is visible, the colors faintly lingering as Castiel sits in front of it. The sheriff is a burly man, a beard that covers the front of his neck and a mustache that curls on his plump cheeks. In a few more years when his hair fully goes silver, Castiel can easily see him becoming the Santa in their annual Winter Lights Parade.

The beta's green suit- Sheriff Hubner going by the name tag on his uniform- ruffling as his shifts yellow papers on his worn desk, "You were at the scene of Meg Master's murder, correct?"

The omega nods, "I was. I only showed up after Becky Rosen found her and screamed- I ran out of my dorm room to find her with Meg's body. The report says that."

"You do know about what the killer did to her, right?"

Castiel swallows, mind flashing briefly with images of the 'sign of the omega' carved into flesh and blood, "Yeah, I saw that. It's the symbol we have on our dorm complex..."

"There's more than that..." Sheriff Hubner sighs, closing his eyes and rubbing the bridge of his nose, "Twenty-six years I've been workin' in this service. I've seen a lot of stuff in my day. Burglary, theft, an occasional car wreck gone really wrong, sometimes even wild animals gettin' a little too close to the urbanized folk... But never this- never a cold-blooded in the dead center of my hometown... Either way, they left a note for us to find."

"There was a note? I never saw anything. I was too busy looking at- well... Meg."

The sheriff nods, "Yeah, I can understand that... Anyways, we found a letter in a plastic bag shoved down her throat. No prints; completely clean. We opened it and read it. All it said was: I'm not done yet. They even went as far as using silver to make the cuts in her skin... She was still alive at the time when they made them."

A shiver goes down Castiel's spine from those words. It could have so easily been him since he was walking home, it could have been him, could have been Gabriel- could have been anyone. Castiel shudders in his chair, Sheriff Hubner giving him a few moments.

"That's... terrifying."

"We've got Pickman alerted already. We're unsure who they're focusing on next, where it might happen- we've got some restrictions set in place so the next time they try to strike we'll be able to stop him beforehand. Make sure you stay safe Mr. Novak, lord knows we need to be."

Castiel nods, leaving the sheriff's office then. He walks back down to his dorm, taking the main roads and only walking when other people are present. He's got a fear settling in the back of his mind as he walks to his dorm. When he's at his door, Gabriel is already sitting there and jumping off the floor and hugging him again.

"Gabe- what are you doing? You're usually never this clingy..."

The other male omega sighs, "I know, I know... It's just- I heard that it was Meg and... Cassie she was in the dorm next to you."

Castiel's mouth drops a fraction as the words go into his ears and into his brain, he hadn't known that. He unlocks his door, falling to his mattress as he closes his eyes. Meg had never really come to her dorm, or their schedules were so contrasting they never got the chance to see one of them leave or enter their rooms. Castiel bites his lip, feeling Gabe lay down beside him. The other werewolf throws his leg and arm over Castiel, snuggling into his side as he sighs.

"This is all too fucking insane..." he mutters.

"It gets worse..." Castiel whispers, "I was at the sheriff's office today answering any more questions they had about Meg's death when Hubner told me they found a note, inside a bag shoved and down her throat."

Gabe holds tighter on Castiel's shirt as he grows quiet, "W-What did it say? ..."

Castiel takes a moment, thinking about Meg's body and what the person had done to Meg- they had killed her, mutilated her. Destroyed her. It's mortifying knowing he's going to do it again; they don't know when, they don't know who. It's just going to repeat itself. What if they can't catch him? How long will this person be able to go around knifing people because he's too smart and vicious for his own good? The omega shakes out a breath, Gabriel waiting patiently in worry on his torso.

"It said..." Castiel lingers as Hubner's voice replays in his head alongside Meg's ruined stomach, "It said he wasn't done yet. Gabe- they're not fucking done murdering people."

Gabe gags, lifting himself from Castiel's torso and grabbing onto the small trash can in the corner of the room and upchucking into it. Castiel leans up and rubs Gabe's shoulders, the werewolf coughing and sputtering. It's not well known, but whenever Gabe is really stressed or scared he throws up a lot. The doctor said it's a rare side effect from being a male omega that was a month pre-mature (it's why he's so small, and he had lung problems for a little while too).

"You okay?" Castiel asks.

The omega nods, "Y-Yeah... Sorry about your trash can, Cassie... I hate throwing up..."

"It's alright," Gabe flops over and buries his face into Castiel's side, "you can't control it- and I'm so sorry it happens to you."

Gabriel only grunts in a disgusted response.

Then they just lay there in silence for a while, letting their minds wander about things as they just try and figure out how to handle this overbearing situation. Castiel's top teeth catch on his bottom lip as he thinks about Meg for a split second- except, beforehand. He kind of wishes that maybe he had spoken to her more- seen her more than just an employee working for a place that had internet and coffee.

"You have class tomorrow, right?" Gabe asks quietly.

"Yeah... just a hunting course." Castiel deadpans, "I'm only going to be out in the woods for a few hours... maybe less so now."

Gabe huffs nervously, "I don't understand why they're still willing to do that out in the isolated mountains when a crazy murderer is loose."

Castiel nods, "Yeah- a lot of this doesn't make sense right now."

Castiel wishes that it did.

Castiel walks over to his hunting class, hoodie hanging off his skin and a beanie off his head. His sweatpants keep the winter chill from his legs as his feet go against concrete. He's going to be in wolf form today, with a murderer lurking nearby. That would make anyone really comfortable, right?

As he's walking, someone collides into his side.

"Shit-" Castiel catches his footing just in time, turning around to find someone pulling their headphones out of their ears, "Dude, what was that for?"

The scent his Castiel immediately- alpha.

"Sorry, I was just jogging and listening to music... Guess I didn't see you there."

Castiel glares, "Alright, just don't let it happen again."

"Wait!"

The omega grits his teeth and turns, pulling on an impassive face and tone before letting those eyes and attention settle on them again, "Yeah?"

"What's your name?"

Castiel takes in the alpha's green eyes and sandy hair, the smell of car grease and something close to sex as he breathes; maybe even the hint of apple pie. The guy's wearing a black tee and a gray jacket underneath his leather one. He's smirking a little, something Castiel thinks is a natural habit, as Castiel clears his throat.

"Castiel. Why?"

"I just wanted to tell you that your hat fell off, Castiel. My name's Dean Winchester. Sorry I wasn't paying attention." Dean offers his hand forward, the black beanie that was once on top of Castiel's head is now in Dean's fingers.

The omega just nods, "Thanks..."

Castiel fixes his beanie again, walking faster away as his breath leaves his lungs. Mountain air is perfect for clearing your head, honestly, so Dean drifts quickly out of Castiel's racing mind like the clouds rolling over the barren trees. The sidewalk breaks off into a gravel trail, Castiel following as his feet crunch the small rocks below deeper into the dampened, brown riverside dirt. He's soon coming across the small cabin known to be the ground site for his hunting class. The werewolf pulls the door back and enters.

Castiel lines up with the other omegas in the small classroom at the edge of the cleared campus- trees beginning just ten feet away and thickening out instead of thinning. The wolfish part of Castiel revels in the fact they're about to go through those exact woods as their teacher approaches.

"Today's lesson starts off with you getting split into teams. One alpha- one omega."

Castiel's shoulders tense a little, but then rolls the stress off by stretching his neck. He's got this; or he should, at least.

What's the worst that can happen?

They all go into the small dressing rooms to shed their clothing, Castiel staring at his naked form before shifting. His tattoos didn't scar over at least, the ink mixed with a little silver to counteract the healing process from happening and voiding the design completely. It's not much, just a small tribal ring around his arm and a wolf's paw print (he got it on a drunken dare and wound up liking it a whole lot) that's about the size of two quarters on the right side of his hip bone, resting a little lower on the v-shaped muscle and navel. He smiles as he runs a finger over it for a second before shifting.

He takes one look at his wolf form. He's a little larger than some omegas- lean and sleek to boot. He's got a feminine build to him, with the soft curve of his thigh and stomach muscles. He's lost count of how many times alphas approach him thinking he's a female instead of a male. Fair assumption, considering most omegas had a vagina rather than a penis. Castiel's fur is a mixture of black and brown, his nose a darkish pink on the tip that fades to black. Castiel licks it real quick to dampen it before leaving his room.

He pads out into the edge of the forest, his teacher already pacing around waiting for the rest of the class to join them; he's still in human form and watching the approaching wolves carefully. Castiel huffs, shifting back and forth on his paws. He wants to run, wants to feel the foliage brush his fur with speed, to see the the trunks blur in front of him. He just needs to get this pent up stress out of his system before he goes for an all out shutdown.

"Alright- the pairs are done by numbers, and- ..."

Castiel blocks him out then, not bothering to really pay attention. If someone's going to be his alpha- they need to learn that Castiel isn't going to be some omega that just skips up and shows their belly. If anyone's going to come approach anyone it's going to be the alpha.

Castiel feels a nose bump his side, blue eyes darting over to the wolf beside him. It's got sandy blonde hair and brown trailing down his chest and tail, eyes that match leaves when the sun hits them just right. The wolf's muscles are larger than Castiel's, taught and built up by genetics and use; straining his skin a little under his fur. Castiel can easily see his sharp edges and strength. The wolf's black nose nudges Castiel again, and Castiel snorts.

The message from the omega is clear: I'm not submitting for anything, so think again.

The alpha huffs back, but the teacher's speaking again, "Scent each other and find out who you are."

Castiel yelps when he feels the alpha's nose near his neck, a small growl leaving his throat as he bares his teeth in a defensive display. The wolf backs up for a second, muzzle ruffling in a wolfish scowl. He sends a small growl back to Castiel, the omega stiffening to the sound. Instead of Castiel laying down or baring his neck like he's supposed to for the alpha, Castiel stands straighter and fluffs his fur out in a sign of annoyance.

The wolf seems surprised instead of angry; in fact, his tail is wagging in amusement at Castiel's display. The omega barks, going over to scent the alpha first- against the usual order. His feels the strands brush his nose, the omega nearly sneezing at the sensation before the familiar smells fill his nose: leather, car oil and grease, a related alpha scent, apple pie, and... sex?

The result was easy: Dean Winchester.

The omega yips again, his tail wagging a little at the fact he was able to recognize someone in wolf form. Plus, it's always nice to remember someone after you just meet them- means they made a good impression. Dean's panting as he scents the scruff of Castiel's neck, his heated breath going against Castiel's skin while he smells the werewolf's scent.

Dean barks again, tail wagging as the omega knows what his brain is saying right now: Castiel.

Or so he hopes.

They join the other pairs that have recognized each other, waiting for the assignment. Dean's tail is thumping annoyingly against the ground as he eagerly awaits the assignment. It's causing Castiel to fidget because there's falling leaves going onto his coat and dirt flying into the strands.

"Alright- the goal today is to take your partner on a hunting exercise. There's a certain item you're supposed to be smelling for today. I'll come around with a small cloth for you to learn the scent you're looking for and then it's up to you two from then on. There's some obstacles in the way, but that's the point- and learn how to get around it. Return here once it's found- and don't even think about knotting each other!"

If Castiel were human, he probably would have blushed, but he's silently thankful for being in wolf form; fur hiding any flush from the comment. Dean seems unaffected from it, sitting nonchalantly beside the omega as the words are processed. The alpha doesn't move till a small bit of cloth is placed in front of his nostrils, nose eagerly going along the strands woven together and memorizing its scent. When it comes to Castiel's muzzle, the omega takes a few whiffs.

Bark, tree, leather, feathers.

What has that all together?

Castiel is thoroughly confused as the teacher whistles, Dean already sprinting off into the dense plant life making Castiel growl slightly in irritation at being forgotten. He races after Dean, his lithe body catching up to the alpha's form quickly, surpassing him easily with a few more strides. The omega catches onto the scent in seconds, Dean keeping up behind him with his paws slamming noisily onto the forest floor. It's then that Castiel abruptly stops, Dean almost barreling into him and making a gruff sound at having to halt so unexpectedly.

Castiel barks, clawing at the tree that the scent trail goes cold at. He whines, scuffing at the dirt thinking maybe it's buried when Dean huffs at him. He nudges Castiel in the side and lifts his paw to show Castiel it's not below the tree- it's actually up it. The omega grunts in distaste- because how in the fuck are they supposed to be getting the damn thing down?

Dean barks at Castiel, the omega looking at him as the alpha tells him, "Either way we're going up and it's coming down."

Castiel's ear twitches as he replies with, "How are we even supposed to get up there? We aren't allowed to shift back."

Good thing too- Castiel would die before Dean saw him naked.

"How the fuck am I supposed to know?" Dean yips, "Come on, let's see if you messed up or something's wrong."

The omega glares before huffing, "I didn't mess up."

"Yeah sure-" the other wolf snorts, "and I'm a pope."

"They must be lowering their requirements and expectations because I know for a fact whatever we're supposed to retrieve is up this tree."

Dean growls a little, "I'm the leader here, let's check around the tree-"

"No." Castiel barks simply.

The alpha's surprised, snarling slightly at Castiel's stubbornness, a small part of the omega wanting to bow down and listen but Castiel is too proud of his unusual omega ways for that as Dean says, "You're supposed to be listening to me, not fighting me about it."

"I could say the same thing to you-" Castiel snaps, his bark rough in the silence that had once settled between the trees, "we're supposed to be working together rather than you taking charge; and you're supposed to be listening to my suggestions too. This isn't some test to show you're a prick, it's to see if we can work on this task and get whatever the fuck is up that tree. Now are you going to help me or not?"

The alpha stares at Castiel a moment, Dean's head pulled back in frustration as his green eyes narrow on Castiel's. The omega feels a little weird for not following him, for not rolling over and letting Dean know that he's the dominant here and Castiel is submissive; because it's not going to happen. Especially if Dean comes into this thinking that Castiel's reigns are so easy to handle. He's not meant to be ridden, he's meant to follow the beat of his own drum and that's how it's going to stay. Dean grunts, turning to leave the small spot they've been stalled at for several minutes with a low growl that vibrates in Castiel's ribs. The omega watches him leave; in fact, there's no attempt coming from him to stop Dean's paws from carrying him away. His nose isn't wrong (it never has been); it's here and up this tree. Dean's just a dense idiot who thinks his alpha status makes him correct. He's supposed to be following his nose- not his title and self-conscious beliefs.

"Dumbass alpha..." Castiel growls before looking up the thick trunk of the tree.

It's a decent climb up from here, on the ground, where his four paws are settled. How in the hell is he supposed to get up this damned thing anyways? Magic? The omega grunts, looking around the small area to find some other way to- holy shit. There it is. A rock jutting out from the ground just enough that Castiel can leap into neighboring trees to get to the one that's the target. The wolf climbs onto it, his determination becoming something close to anxiety and uneasiness as he sees the branches laid out in complex patterns. He wiggles his back end a few times to ready himself, feeling the pads of his paws leave the rock and hit air. He yelps a little at the sensation, the stark and abrupt texture of bark hitting him as he lands.

"Oww..." Castiel grunts, fixing himself up and shaking the twigs loose from his skin.

He completes the leap of faith several times, finally reaching the tree in question with a panted relief as the tree accepts his weight without breaking or shattering under him. Castiel sniffs the air, the scent he's been tracking right against his nose. He yips in content as he feels the soft manufactured feathers and leather brush his nose.

It's a toy bird. Or duck. Maybe an ostrich?

He can't tell because he's too busy trying to keep his balance and to get the damn thing snagged on his teeth. Castiel growls a little, his hind leg nearly slipping off from the branch as he scuttles further up the trunk. The omega's attention is broken by the barking from below.

"What the fuck are you doing?!"

Oh yeah- Dean's here.

Castiel huffs a breath of annoyance, it showing up in a opaque cloud as it bellows out through the thinning branches, "I'm getting the thing we're after. I think it's a dog toy of some kind."

Dean's bark reaches his ears again before he has any chance to retrieve it, "How in the hell did you even get up there?!"

"By following my nose."

It's a simple statement, one of fact and no details (plus the it being the point Castiel has be trying to drive home for some time now), and even from here Castiel can tell it makes Dean's fur bristle. Perfect.

Castiel takes the moment of shock or whatever Dean is passing through to catch a flap (wing?) in his teeth as his neck pulls back. The omega's tail thumps happily against the trunk as Dean glares from below. Alphas don't like being wrong. At all.

"Told you it was up here." Castiel's reply is a little muffled by the item dangling from his mouth.

"Shut the fuck up..." Dean growls from below, mostly to himself, claws digging into the dirt, "It didn't seem rational to put the damned thing in a tree."

Castiel rolls his eyes, well, as much as he can in this form, "Dude- calm down. It's just a damn squeaky toy. It's practically generic."

The alpha below starts to pace a little around the base of the tree, "Yeah well, whatever. You gonna drop it or what?"

"Drop it? Are you insane?"

"No- just rational. Something this whole test isn't."

The omega fixes himself on the bark before replying, only focusing on conversation when his balance and weight are as even as his confidence among the branches, "I'm not dropping it, that's stupid. It could snag in a branch and we'd be seriously fucked then. I'm not letting all this hard work I've done go to waste because you want to take the lazy route."

"Hard work?" Dean barks incredulously, "You barely did anything!"

Castiel growls, though it's not as clear or loud as he wants it to be because the item that's stuck between his jaws, "Says you- you completely wrote off my idea because you have a knot and that somehow makes you so much better than me. I did the work to find it- I was right- I found it and got it- and now you're being a dick about me actually solving this rather than yourself. Learn to lose something every once in a while, it'll do your pride some good."

The alpha snarls at that, something inside Castiel saying: stop, just stop- you're making him angry; can't make the alpha angry; submit and let it go. The omega ignores the small voice in his head, sitting as much as he can with a tighter bite onto the prized item, head held high. Dean is growling now, pacing around the tree in pure frustration as the omega just waits him out. Dean's eyes never leave Castiel's, those green orbs fiery as his muzzle draws up in angered sounds.

"Are you going to keep pouting or are you going to apologize?"

"Apologize?" Dean's teeth are bared, "You're the one stiffing me!"

The omega shifts again, deciding he's gonna do something about this alpha's sour attitude before he attacks him and they royally fuck this up. He jumps down the branches with more ease, slipping between the twigs and landing onto the rock he used as a starting point. Dean's watching curiously as the omega sits down in front of him, toy held completely in mouth.

"Roll over."

"Excuse me?"

Castiel rolls his eyes, laying down in a comfortable position to let his overworked muscles rest for a second, "I said- roll over. You won't get this-" he shakes his head a little to make the toy sway and Dean's eyes trail it, "until you do as I say."

Dean growls, "You're not supposed to do that."

"Oh on the contrary, my alpha friend-" the omega smirks as he tilts his snout up, the toy- oh it is an ostrich- right in the middle of Dean's gaze, "I can."

"But-"

"Nope. No toy until you do it."

Dean's growls and then starts pacing around Castiel in circles as if he were prey. Normally, Castiel would be afraid (the voice in his head is screaming at him to stop and submit, but again he completely ignores it) and would have run, but this is too good to pass up now. The alpha's fur sticks out in all directions as it bristles, eyes training on either Castiel or they toy as he goes in circles.

"Fine..." he grumbles.

Castiel's ears and head prick up, "I'm sorry- didn't catch that."

Dean softly huffs, sitting in defeat, "I said fine... To what you want."

Castiel barks happily, instantly getting up and doing the whole circling just like Dean had. The alpha's eyes follow him, more so with a curious spark rather than an angry one. The omega keeps circling, getting closer and closer as he lets the moment sweeten in his brain as it's processed, his fur nearly brushing Dean's as he gently walks. The alpha's head turns to watch him, his tail lightly thumping on the ground as Castiel stops directly in front of him.

"Drop to the ground."

The tone in Castiel's voice surprises him, it's assertive- one that means 'I'm not going to take any shit if you give me any' and he revels in it for a split second. It only satisfies him more as Dean lowers himself to the ground, belly pressed to the decaying leaves under Castiel's paws.

"Roll over."

The alpha hesitates at that for a moment, but slowly rolls over on his side to where his belly is in the air and exposed to Castiel. It's meant to be the other way around, that Castiel is the one who's supposed to be baring the most vulnerable part and weakness of his body to Dean in a sign of submission- and it makes the omega hum in content. He drops the toy on the ground in that moment, turning abruptly and jogging through the trees. He hears the leaves rustle from behind when Dean jumps up quickly, and he joins Castiel's side in seconds with the ostrich dangling from his mouth. He seems a little pleased, but also confused.

"Where are we going?" Dean barks, the sound a little weird as it passes through the fabric in his teeth.

Castiel doesn't even slow or glance at the alpha beside him, "Back to our teacher."

"But I thought-"

"You thought what?"

Dean changes pace a little, "I dunno, forget I said anything."

The two wolves walk beside each other, the forest edging their vision as they walk slowly back to return to their class. Castiel's mind lingers on what Dean was going to say for while, but it stops because there's a feeling that something wrong is going to happen. He lifts his nose up, Dean noticing and joining in.

Nothing seems wrong.

The omega is weary after that, his next steps cautious and planned, eyes training throughout the trees. He feels like someone is watching him or something and it makes his skin crawl. Dean seems just as uncomfortable, teeth holding onto the fake bird tightly as they continue along the forest floor. Castiel's about to take another step when Dean yelps out of nowhere. Castiel's head whips around to see the other wolf stuck inside of a huge net.

"Are you fucking-" Castiel huffs impatiently, fear quickly growing, "Dean, are you alright?"

"I think so..." the alpha's still got the damned toy as he dangles in the air awkwardly.

The omega looks around, finding the supporting rope tethered to a rock, "I'm going to have to cut this with my teeth to get you down. You think the fall won't be too bad?"

Dean swallows, "I don't think so..."

Castiel starts biting at the rope, feeling it start to give way under his canines as he chews. Shortly enough, the net and wolf come crashing down in one noisy heap. Castiel pads over, pulling the net with his teeth back enough so Dean can get out of it. The alpha shakes his fur, huffing out a breath.

"Thanks, Cas."

"You're welcome, Dean."

The conversation's cut short by an arrow hitting a tree just a few inches from Castiel. The omega yelps in surprise, feeling his back legs kick out behind him as he and Dean start sprinting the direction they came. The alpha still has that damn bird.

Another arrow nearly hits Dean this time, and one more follows shortly after that nearly pegs Castiel in the ear but instead burrows in the dirt. Castiel pushes himself further, eyes darting alongside the trees for any type of seclusion they can hide in. He spots it, about thirty feet away and he barks to Dean, the wolf noticing what Castiel is pointing out and nodding in confirmation. They skid across damp dirt and fallen leaves, claws catching on exposed roots and mossy rocks as they take a sharp turn and enter a small hole underneath a tree. Castiel pushes himself in the back as far as he can. Dean's standing near the edge, a low growl rising in his throat as he waits to see if the person shooting at them passes. The omega can tell by Dean's hackles, they're raised, that he's in fighting mode.

"Dean, get back."

The wolf moves his head so he can glance at the omega, noticing how frightened Castiel is, how his legs are shaking and his breath is uneven, and not from running. The alpha comes to his side, laying down beside him as they watch the hole for anything that might shoot them again.

"Cas-" Dean huffs softly so they're quiet, "your neck is bleeding."

The omega feels something thick in his fur and growls softly, "Must have grazed me when they shot for my ear or something... I didn't notice..."

Suddenly, there's a tongue running over the injury, and Castiel wants to protest but knows that he can't. Not when someone is trying tokill them right now. He actually finds it soothing, the warm drags causing a quiet hum to come from his muzzle, his head resting on his paws as Dean licks away the drying blood.

"Tastes like silver..." he comments.

That's probably why it hadn't healed yet, and Castiel gets angry at the fact the guy was going as far as using that blasted metal anyway. Dean starts running his tongue over more of Castiel's neck, the omega letting him as he feels comfort replace his fear. Dean shifts then beside him, beginning to stand up on his legs as his tongue gets rougher on Castiel's fur. The omega lets him have more control, lifting his head up so Dean has more room. When Castiel shifts under Dean's tongue, the alpha growls and nips the skin on Castiel's neck. Something gives in Castiel's mind at that, the omega rolling over and baring his stomach to Dean as the alpha continues to hold his fur in his teeth. Dean bites a little more, growling in satisfaction as Castiel whines beneath him, back wriggling in the dirt and decaying plant life caught in their hiding spot from natural forces.

A twig snaps loudly then, Dean's attention leaving the omega's neck as he stiffens in anger. The alpha lowers himself protectively onto Castiel, barely-green eyes never leaving the hole for signs of anyone how may be trying to come after them, lips pulling over his sharp canines as he awaits for the cause of those arrows and sounds.

Castiel is uncomfortable, Dean's form on top of his and pressing his back into the ground below. He wiggles trying to move himself when Dean's teeth grab onto his scruff again. Castiel stills instantly, the alpha above him still watching the hole just as before. His teeth don't leave Castiel's neck, the wolf lying pliantly below and barely breathing so he doesn't make Dean angry at him.

"You kids alright?" it's their teacher again, someone Castiel forgot existed (he even forgot his name), "We saw the net and the arrows. You can come out now, we're leaving so the authorities can take care of this."

Dean gets up in seconds, Castiel flailing in the dirt as he gets off his back. A small part of him misses the contact from Dean, but overall he's pissed off that he submitted to the alpha like that. The omega growls, leaving the hole first as Dean follows him.

Little did they know that the toy ostrich sat scuffed in the dirt behind them, completely and utterly forgotten.

"I told you-" Castiel snaps on the officer, the same one who had pissing him off the previous time he had seen him, "we were just walking back and out of nowhere Dean got snagged up in a net! The arrows didn't start till after I got him out!"

"Cas-" Dean's hand comes onto his shoulder, pulling him back a few inches from the man who literally just blinks at him as a response, "give me a second, I'll bring him back."

The alpha pulls Castiel away, the omega still fuming at the ignorant behind them, "How some people get into law enforcement is beyond me."

Dean laughs lightly, then shifting as his hands are placed in his jacket pockets to keep the growing chill away, "Cas... What's gotten into you?"

"I don't know-" memories of submitting earlier flood Castiel's mind, mixing with arrows and Meg's body in her own blood, the symbol of the omega appearing for the thousandth time mentally, "maybe it's the fact I've been having such crazy shit happen to me!"

Dean sighs, patting a nearby bench as he sits down, "Come on... Let it out. I'm sure if you don't you'll burst open- and going by how your coping with the pressure now, I don't want to see that happen."

"Fine..." Castiel places himself on the bench, paying attention to the inches between himself and Dean. He sighs, placing his face in his hands as the words flow out of his mouth like vomit, "I was there when they discovered Meg. I heard Becky scream and I was the first to find her. I saw- well, everything. It was really fucked up... And now- just a day or so later, I've got arrows aiming for my head trying to kill me! I think I've got the right to be upset!"

Dean's silent for a moment- they both are. The omega just stares at the scene in front of him. Cops and cop cars, green suits and gold badges, frightened students giving statements and biting their nails. To Castiel, it's better than what happened not so long ago- when people were crying and an omega lay dead in the street mangled to pieces by some man whose work was unfinished. Incomplete.

"Cas?"

"I knew."

The alpha blinks, "What?"

"I knew- that this was going to happen."

Dean shifts completely, his confusion plain on his face, "Wait- you knew we were going to get shot at?"

Castiel huffs an impatient breath, "No, not that exactly... I just- I knew that that bastard was going to strike again."

The alpha leans in, his voice dropping low so no one else can hear him, "How did you know that?"

"Because-" the werewolf shakes a little, not from the mountainous cold, "they said they weren't. When I first saw Meg, she was- fuck Dean, she was ripped apart. I didn't know it was her then because of how they marred her face- it was just... gone. And her stomach- Dean, they had carved the omega symbol into it with silver. While she was alive. But the worst part is what Sheriff Hubner told me whenever I went in for more questioning- they'd shoved a bag down her throat with a letter inside. They said they weren't done; they aren't finished, Dean. More people are going to die before this is even over..."

Dean pulls Castiel close, and the omega hadn't realized that while he was telling Dean those things that he had starting crying. Almost sobbing, actually. Dean makes soft shushing noises, Castiel biting his lip as he remembers the sight of the blood- the wind whistling as an arrow passed and almost didn't miss.

"It's alright..." Dean is trying to comfort Castiel who's still falling apart in his arms, "I'm here. They aren't going to get you, I promise."

The omega shudders, somehow regaining the control over his breath. The images of Meg and earlier in the woods die down, Dean watching nervously as Castiel pulls back. The werewolf quickly brushes away his leftover tears and makes a shaky breath.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome, Cas."

Dean offers to walk Castiel to his dorm, the omega agreeing because he's too scared to be alone. As they're walking, his phone buzzes like crazy in his pocket as they leave the hunting cabin behind. Police are sectioning it off as Castiel pulls his cellphone from his pocket and turns the screen on.

There's five messages and ten missed calls from Gabe, the last one saying: omg if you don't pick up or answer me I swear im going to flip shite.

Castiel sighs, "Dean can we stop for a moment- I have to call my friend."

"Sure, no problem."

Dean leans against a mossy, paint-peeled fence as Castiel calls Gabriel, only one ring sounding until there's rushed breaths over the phone, "Dammit Cas- what have I told you about not answering me!"

"I'm sorry Gabe- I just got shot at-"

"Wait, that was you! I only heard about someone nearly getting killed out there in the woods today, I thought it was someone else! What happened!?"

Castiel gives a sigh, Dean watching with a hint of wavering amusement, "Yeah, it was me and Dean Winchester. We were doing an assignment for hunting and out of nowhere one of us got snagged in a net and arrows started flying."

There's a door getting shut in the background of Gabe's line, "Great. They're versatile with weapons. Just perfect... How are you guys? Everything okay at least?"

"We're doing fine- though I got nicked a little and it bled because well... they were using silver."

There's a string of rushed and feared curses over the phone, and the only other time Castiel heard Gabe do that was when he almost bonded with some alpha while drunk at one of the student bonfires; aka: it's saved for times of major uh-oh's.

"Gabe?"

There's a sigh from the speaker, "I'm still here, just- processing. When's the fastest you and Dean-o can come to your dorm?"

"I dunno- ten minutes, tops. We were walking there now and then you phone raped me."

Dean snickers at that, Castiel's usual snark seeping into his voice when Gabe laughs lightly on the other end, "You're using humor, so we're good. Alright, see you in ten. Sure you can't run here? I got this feeling you know?"

Castiel rolls his lips inward for a second, tongue flicking out nervously between them as he knows exactly what Gabe is saying, "Yeah- I know. We'll get there as fast as we can."

The two male omegas exchange their goodbyes, Dean lifting his back off the fence as Castiel places his phone back in his sweatpants. The alpha is close as they resume their walk, and Castiel is unsure what it's from. Whether it be the fact he's still frightened, or the killer's still on the loose, or maybe even he's got that ominous feeling too- Castiel will never know exactly. The omega complex is a relief as it enters Castiel's vision, the small sign from when it used to be a hotel still visible as they get closer.

"So this is where you guys stay? At the old Riverside Motel?"

Castiel nods, "Yeah- I'm guessing the housing for omegas is a little different considering we were only recently allowed to attend colleges and it's a little hard to get land good enough and cheap to build on. Taking this place and renovating it as a dorm complex must have been thousands of times cheaper than making something brand new- especially since mountains aren't too happy with construction and leveled ground."

"Huh, never thought of that."

"Most people don't." Castiel shrugs.

The omega pulls the door handle on the entrance back, Dean following suit as Castiel is about to pull out his key and unlock his door when it flies back. Gabe is standing there, face nothing but white.

"Gabe, what happened?"

"T-There was another one..." he shakes out, "Cassie- someone else was murdered."


HAHAHAHA I WARNED YOU FUCKERS- BUT DO YA LISTEN?

NOPE.

YOU GUYS SHOULD LISTEN TO ME MORE OFTEN- THINGS LIKE THIS WOULDN'T HAPPEN.

DUH.

OKAY, BYE. RANT OVER.~