Here we go: please don't hate me!

Sam stood in the doorway of his bedroom and felt tears trickle down his cheeks. His emotions had been torn every which way over the last few days, and especially that afternoon when he had been so torn between the desperate desire of finally getting himself and his family home safely, or staying to face the reporters and build on the incredible chance of changing society's attitudes towards omegas that Dean had somehow managed to start.

In the end, logic had won out. But he had been unprepared for the actual amount of real interest in the topic! The moment he had finished with the reporters his cell had started ringing non-stop. First was his boss, who could see the advantages of being involved with what might well be a legal goldmine. Then reporters asking for private interviews and photo shoots for their respective outlets, and chat show producers asking for public interviews: all to include Dean of course. And support groups for omegas… and political organisations, all keen to be seen to be getting involved in something so high-profiled and with such a definitely strong public opinion behind it.

Night had fallen by the time he was finally able to get home, and he had felt a moment's blind panic when he had drawn his car up outside his darkened house. Why were there no lights on? But he was reassured slightly by the policeman still guarding the exterior who nodded at him: "They ordered pizzas, and your young man brought me out a couple of slices. And a mug of coffee."

He had entered his house… his house… and stopped in shock. The police had played him the recording that Dean had been clever enough to do: he had heard the threats and the noise of numerous grunts and landed blows. He had heard the terrified screams of his children, but now…

Sam followed the trail of violence through his house in disbelief as it all suddenly became real.

The two exterior doors had been patched up enough to be locked securely against the night, but still showed the extreme violence that had been used to break them down, and the stench of abandoned and now rotting food filled the kitchen and filtered through to the rest of the house.

And there was the stink of Alphas all through the house. Alphas who just should not have been there.

And just about everything in the living room was destroyed or smashed: furniture and possessions.

And there were outlines on the floor where the bodies had fallen.

And dried blood everywhere. So much blood.

Too much blood.

And the house was so quiet.

He had raced up the stairs feeling his heart pounding inside him: where were they all? Where were his children?

Where was his mate?

And now he was standing in the doorway of his bedroom, just letting the tears finally trickle down his cheeks. For they were all in here: all of them.

They had obviously simply ignored the state of the downstairs and had taken refuge upstairs with the pizza.

And here they all were, all cuddled together in the bed: all squashed in a tangled lump of bodies and limbs beneath the covers. Dean, the children, Samuel. All sound asleep in each other's arms… and safe.

Sam stood, watched his family… and cried as his emotions finally overcame him. He had come so close to losing them all. If it hadn't been for Dean…

He finally managed to get himself under control: they all looked so peaceful beneath the covers of his bedding. He should just let them sleep…

But… the need to hold his mate in his arms, to know he was safe, won through.

Gently he eased Johnny out from amongst the others, picked him up in his arms, and carried him to his own bed before returning for Mary-Anne. In moving her, he disturbed Samuel and the young man woke enough to blink sleepily at him from his position alongside Dean on the bed. "Dad?"

"Shush: you'll wake him. Did he take his antibiotics alright? It's important we don't let him pick up any infection at all."

"Yeah, he took them right on schedule. Dad?"

"Yeah, Samuel?" Sam paused with his daughter in his arms.

"We do miss mom: all of us do. We want him back home with us. But… this Dean's family as well, dad. He's ours and we love him… I love him, dad."

"I know you do, son." He took the little girl through into her room and returned to find the young man had got out from the bed, and was carefully tucking the covers around the sleeping human. Sam watched him momentarily and frowned: "Where's his shirt? Why isn't he wearing one?"

He wondered at the glance his son gave him, then Samuel just as carefully un-tucked Dean from the bedding to reveal his bare left arm. Sam stepped closer incredulously: "What is that? It looks like a hand-print! Branded into his arm!"

"We saw it when the paramedics cut his clothes off to get to the knife. Everyone saw it. And he's covered in scars: covered in them! Claw marks, previous knife wounds, bullet holes: you name it. Probably everyone else thinks that you've done it to him, dad!

Anyway, we've all been desperate to ask him about it. Well… M-A asked him. She kept on a bit…well, a lot! He finally gave up and took his shirt off to show us, but he wouldn't tell us much about how he's got so marked up." He paused for a moment: "He did really good today, dad. We've been watching him on all the news. And you. And it's all over the internet: the whole world knows! Things are going to change, dad!"

Sam nodded, his mind still on the mark on Dean's arm: how had he never noticed it before? But then, he couldn't remember Dean ever taking his shirt off before. In fact, he had been grimly determined since he had arrived, to keep as many clothes on as possible around Sam! He tried to shake off his thoughts: "We've got to make sure they do change, Samuel. While we've got the chance to! Time for bed now, though: fresh start tomorrow. There's a lot of clearing up to do downstairs for a start. Good night: sleep safe."

"Night dad."

It was a relief for Sam to finally be able to undress and slide into the bed beside his mate… the near-as-damn-it copy of his mate. Carefully he slipped his arms around Dean, making sure not to pull against his bandaged wounds, and shifted his own body as close as he could get behind him, spooning the human's smaller body into the curve of his own as he held him close.

Closing his eyes, he breathed in the man's perfect scent and finally, for the first time in a couple of days, felt himself relax. Dean was safe: he had been so brave in protecting the children, and had nearly paid for it with his life, but now… he was safe and where he belonged. In Sam's arms.

And his scent was so strong now. Or Sam had just gotten so used to it. But it filled his nostrils and his mind, filling him with peace as he breathed it in. Sam wriggled even closer to the sleeping man until he could bury his face against Dean's neck, drawing him in with every breath, and feeling his taste against his lips. He lay like that for a long while, just savouring the emotions of having the human beside him again.

Then he couldn't help but wonder about that strange mark on Dean's once again exposed left arm as he shifted against Sam's embrace. It looked like it must have been so painful: what by Our Lady could have caused something like that?

And Samuel had said something about other marks? Sam roused himself enough to be able to draw back the covers so he could examine Dean's naked torso, without any need at all to turn on the main light as his eyesight was just as good in the dark as it was in the daylight: that was one of the advantages of being an Alpha! He stared at all the scars that littered the man's body: what sort of life did Dean lead? What sort of life was it anyway, that involved him getting as hurt as he obviously did?

If he stayed here with Sam and the children, he could be safe. If there was just some way that he could…

Sam gently turned the human onto his back, and lightly used his fingers to trace the marks of the wounds, following where one ran into another, mapping the still stunningly beautiful body in his mind. But soon just touching wasn't enough: he wanted to soothe his injured mate and to help ease any still painful injuries. It seemed natural to Sam for him to lower his mouth to Dean's body and start to kiss and lick at the scars, starting from the black leather strap still around his neck and working down, running his tongue along the lines where blades, claws, and worse, had cut into the skin and left their marks.

Each individual rib received his full attention as he worked his way down his mate's body, as did each of the man's rapidly hardening nipples. Moving lower, Sam rimmed at Dean's belly button as it winked at him from beneath the edge of the tight bandages, eventually digging his tongue right into the inviting hole that lay amidst the warm, firm abdominal skin.

What lay at the lower edge of the bandages?

Sam couldn't help himself: Dean was still wearing the loose-fitting, cord-tied pants that he had come back from the hospital in. Carefully the Alpha raised the man's hips slightly to ease them down enough until he could pull them free completely and drop them over the side of the mattress, to be followed almost immediately by Dean's boxers as well.

Sam had to look, and look twice!

Dean had testicles!

He suddenly understood why the nurses in Dean's room had made shy comments about 'never having met such an attractive hermaphrodite before', how 'really unusual it was' and how it didn't detract from his masculinity 'at all'! Of course the hospital staff would have noticed, but they must have just thought that Dean was slightly abnormal. They obviously hadn't realised just how unusual his mate was! And lucky they hadn't!

Sam by this time, and without even realising what he was doing, was feeling the weight of Dean's balls in his hands. And then in his mouth: sucking them in one at a time and rolling them around on his tongue, moaning a little at the completely new taste sensation. Then he moved on to the man's cock as he felt and heard Dean also begin to moan and thrust his hips in involuntary invitation. And his hands settled into Sam's long hair as the human woke from his slightly drugged sleep even as he came in the Alpha's mouth. "Ugch… Sam?"

Sam wanted to make him feel good.

Sam wanted to feel good.

Quickly removing the rest of his own clothes, he crawled back up the bed to cover Dean's body with his own, mindful not to put any weight on the bandaged area in any way. The man by this time was coming fully awake: "Sam! Wait! What are you doing?"

"It's okay, it's okay, Dean. I'll be gentle, I will. Just… I need to feel you. Need to have your heart beating with mine: need to feel you around me… to be part of me! I'll make it feel so good, I won't knot! I promise." And he was trying to knock Dean's legs apart so he could lie between them, his own extremely large erect cock bumping against the bandages as the man beneath him desperately resisted.

"No! No, Sam! I don't want this: not with you! Please don't do this to me!" And he was trying to push the Alpha off him, but the medication was still in his system to dull the pain… and dull his reflexes… and he was so tired. But he was still going to try his damnedest to resist!

"It's okay, Dean. Just let me: I'll look after you! Please!" And Sam was catching at Dean's arms, careful not to hurt or twist the plastered one at all, but using his greater weight to hold them down to the bed.

"Sam! Get off me!" Dean was getting desperate: wriggling, struggling. Arching his body high in an attempt to throw him off.

Exposing his neck to the Alpha above him.

Sam's full attention went to it: the wide, black collar… his mate's collar... was still around the human's neck. Not that his Dean ever wore it… or even wanted to wear it. But some omegas did, as it was another obvious physical symbol to the world that they had already been claimed and therefore were to be, hopefully, left alone. No one but the omega's Alpha could remove their collar by law, and Sam had instantly recognised why and applauded Samuel for putting it on the human before he was taken to the hospital, thereby covering the lack of a mark on his neck. Hiding the fact that he wasn't claimed… and therefore vulnerable to any Alpha who happened to realise that.

Sam realised that.

Shifting his hands to be able to hold both of Dean's down in just one of his own, he used his free one to undo the leather strap and pull the whole thing away, leaving him to take in the expanse of mark-free, unblemished, un-claimed skin that lay beneath. Sam wantedto mark it. This look-alike…doppelganger…copy… duplicate… perfect double of his beautiful mate was unclaimed, beneath him… and his.

The Alpha side of him growled its approval: it had missed its mate so much. Surely Our Lady had meant this to happen? Why should she have sent the human to this world else?

Dean's body stiffened with surprise and terror as his brother's features changed suddenly above him. Sam's jaws suddenly distorted and extended slightly as his four canine teeth seemed to elongate to stand out from his mouth a good two inches longer they each had just been. Shit: this must be what he had meant when he had spoken of the mating bite!

He tried to force himself to remain calm, to try and get through to the logical, if somewhat self-righteous, man that he had spent the last few weeks getting to know. "Sam? Please don't do this. I'm not your mate. Not your Dean. He's going to come back… and I have to go. Just… think… please."

Dean tensed as Sam's head dipped towards his neck: he could feel the tips of the fangs pricking sharply either side against his skin. All his brother had to do was bite down.

He closed his eyes to try and brace against the pain that would surely be ripping into his throat at any minute…

But then Sam was blinking as if coming out of a daze.

Dean watched with a slight fascination, and a tremendous amount of relief as the canines receded to their normal length and his brother's features returned to their usual handsome state. Then the younger man was pulling away from him with such haste that he all but tumbled from the bed, landing on his knees beside the mattress. "Oh… oh, Our Lady: have I hurt you? I'm so sorry! So sorry… Dean… I…"

Sam was shaking, physically trembling as he knelt beside the bed. And Dean could feel his own heart pounding inside his chest hard enough to make him shake with every beat. This place, he thought: it's this fucking place! He lay on his back and tried to calm his breathing, although he now realised that he was panting and gasping for air as if he had not been able to take a breath for hours!

"Dean?" And Sam was reaching for him…starting to reach to touch him as he lay on the bed, but not actually making contact, because he was hesitating instead, the Alpha for once unsure of himself. And there were tears gathering in his eyes, with a couple already escaping to slide down his back-to-normal face. "Dean? I… I'm so, so sorry. I never even thought that I could everclaim another again: I've always counted myself as fortunate that I was given the chance to once! But to do that..? I… are you alright? Have I hurt you again? Dean?" And he was crying openly.

Dean looked at him: Sam's expression was miserable. He had seen his real brother look like that so many times: every time he had let Dean down, and sworn faithfully he would never do it again, and Dean had forgiven him and hoped with all his heart that there would never be another Ruby, or Amy… and then Sam would just go and break it for him all over again…

"I'm good, Sam. It's okay. We're okay. But…"

"But what, Dean?" He was already looking hopeful, his puppy-dog-eyes widening as he finally began to get up off the floor.

"Would you mind sleeping somewhere else tonight please? I'm so tired: I just need some sleep."

The look on Sam's face now reminded him of a puppy that had just been kicked instead, but he closed his eyes and tried to ignore it. "Sure, Dean. Of course, of course. I'll… if you need anything, just call. I'll be…." And the younger man was snatching up his clothes and hastily pulling them on even as he crossed to the door. Where he paused and looked back momentarily: "I'm so sorry, Dean. Really."

"S'okay, Sam. We'll talk tomorrow."

Dean breathed a sigh of relief as he heard the door open and close again; the strong scent of his brother receding gradually as he went. He rested on his back and stared at the ceiling, feeling his heart still beating far too fast. This world!

Not for the first time since he had arrived, he closed his eyes and prayed to any God, didn't matter which, that happened to be listening, to let him finally be able to go home.

On the other side of the door, Sam rested his head against the wood. What had he just done? The man in there had nearly been killed saving his children, and, by way of thanks, he had nearly done that?

He backed carefully away from the door and started with surprise as he suddenly sensed the presence of someone behind him in the hallway. "Samuel?"

"I thought I heard Dean cry out: is he alright? Is he in pain: shall I get his medication? What's happened?"

"He's fine: I just… I thought I'd sleep downstairs: give him some space. He must still be so tired. Goodnight, son."

"Night, dad."

Sam all but stumbled down the stairs, looked blankly at the wrecked living room, and headed for his study. The chair wasn't going to be comfortable for sleeping, but then… how was he going to be able to sleep? Not after what he had just nearly done.

His mate, his real mate, would be so ashamed of him and how he had behaved so far towards this other Dean. It should have been him protecting the smaller man and keeping him safe in this world: instead it had been him who had been the greatest danger to the human! He was as bad as any 'knothead' Alpha! Worse: because he knew he should be able to behave better, to act intellectually rather than instinctively.

How was he going to explain this to his Dean when he finally came home. And… please Our Lady, let him be home soon…

Because… to hell with logic: instinct was disagreeing with him. In his head, through his body, every single part of him that was Alpha, was still growling its demand that he go straight back up those stairs into that bedroom, and claimwhat was his!"

oooooooooooooxooooooooooooooxooooooooooooxooooooooooo

"Do you want a cheese and tomato omelette, or just scrambled eggs for lunch?"

Sam sighed at his brother's shout from the small kitchen: actually he would have preferred bacon with his eggs! Or even better; a burger. Two burgers! Or a great big juicy steak. His mouth began to water at the thought.

He had been so thrilled at this healthy-eating, almost vegetarian version of Dean… at first. But fish or chicken and lots of greens had quickly gotten not quite enough, even despite this Dean being such a really good cook. He wanted red meat. For the first time, he understood how irritated his real brother used to get when they went to a burger joint and all Sam wanted was a salad… and he wondered if he used to look at Dean's food with as much hunger as he felt when he thought about eating it now?

Besides, he had a good excuse to need toeat meat now! Or at least, something to give him energy, because… this Dean was waking him up more and more during the night wanting sex. Even after the evenings before… He was insatiable! And Sam, frankly, was exhausted. And sore, in places that he had never been sore in before, not even during the first couple of months with Jess! And they hadn't even got to this thing that Dean was worried about: what was it… a heat? yet…

He was disturbed from his thoughts by the heavy steel door at the top of the stairs opening and Castiel appearing through it. "Hey, Cas!"

The other looked around at the greeting and smiled as he hurried down the steps to join Sam where he was sitting at the table working with his laptop. "Hello, Sam. You look tired."

"And welcome to you as well, Cas. What brings you here? As if I don't know." And he was giving the angel a knowing smirk, which deepened as the other flushed a little in response.

"I was wondering how it was going: are you any closer to finding how to swap the Dean's back again? Or even where ours might be?"

Sam sighed as he leant back in his chair enough to tip the front legs off the floor. "No, nothing! I've read every book in the bunker twice. Hell, Dean's read every book here twice! But there's nothing! Nothing to give any clue at all.

And I've called every Hunter I can think of, but no one has ever heard of anything like this. And I get the impression they're all thinking I belong back in the asylum for just mentioning the existence of another dimension! Although… none of them believe in time travel either… and we know that's possible.

Hell, our Dean's probably the expert on that subject, as it always seems to be him who's taken through it!" He laughed at the irony. "We could do with him here, to ask about how we go about getting him back!"

"He'll be working on it there, Sam, he'll be wanting to come home. He'll find a way."

They both fell silent for a moment: "You really think you felt something…a presence? From the moon?"

"I'm certain, Sam. There was… something there: I distinctly felt it watching me. And we both saw that spirit animal: something caused that. Either Dean himself without realising, or… this 'Lady' that he assures us is watching over him."

"So… a Goddess, then? A moon goddess?" Sam thumped the legs back down and pulled his laptop forward again to make the screen light up on the site he had been currently studying. "I've researched plenty of those as well! And gods! And from many different societies and religions: Greek and Roman as usual, Hindu obviously, but also Aztec, Incan, Chinese, Native American Indian, Philippine, Egyptian; you name it! Some are even still worshipped today. And most seem to be connected with fertility and motherhood…which is somewhat apt for this Dean, but not ours!

But again, nothing documented as more than beliefs, nothing actually real. Or at least: nothing that has ever been chronicled in any of the ledgers in here!

And…if it is a Goddess…? And I'm not saying that I believe it… but if it is… then how the hell are we going to communicate with it…her? To convince her to swap them back? How?"

Their conversation was interrupted by Dean's light footsteps approaching them from the direction of the small set of stairs: "Your omelette's ready, Sam. I made one for you as well, Cas. I know you don't eat… but it seemed rude not to."

"How did you know I was here…?" The angel began, but caught back his own words as he reflected that Dean would have scented him the moment he entered the door. But then the question was forgotten anyway as he stared at the omega, his eyes crinkling with worry. "You are not well. What's wrong?"

Sam turned in surprise and also stared at his brother. Castiel was right: Dean's face was definitely looking unnaturally flushed. He swore at himself: he should have noticed that!

"I've been cooking, that's all. It's nothing." But Dean had turned away from them both, his head down, and was already beginning to return down the steps without even moving to greet the angel with his accustomed passionate embrace.

"Dean?" Sam's was on his feet, his long legs taking him across the room in just a few strides, followed closely by Castiel, to catch at the other's elbow and stop him in his tracks. "What is it?"

He was surprised when, for the first time since he had arrived, Dean tried to step away from him and his outstretched arms. And he was refusing to look up at Sam. The younger man gently caught his chin in his large fingers and made him tip his head back enough to see his face. "Dean, what is it?"

Again his brother tried to look away, but failed. "It's the start of the heat." The others could hardly hear the embarrassed whisper. "That's why I've been riding you so hard, no pun intended, hoping desperately to keep it at bay. But I can feel it building inside me, and it's going to be bad, Sam. I haven't had one for seven years! It's going to be bad."

His voice trailed off. Sam could see the tears glistening beneath the long lashes. He glanced over at Cas, who was looking as upset as he knew he probably did. Gently he pulled Dean back up the top two steps and stepped away from them enough that both he and the angel could put their arms around him: entangling him securely between their firm bodies, Sam to his front and Castiel pressed against his back.

"Can we do anything to help?"

There was a shake of soft hair against his chin. "I'm sorry to you both in advance for what I'll be like: I'm probably going to be… overly demanding when it hits full force."

Sam pressed his hand to Dean's forehead: his brother's skin was definitely clammy. "Is that why it's called a heat? Because you're genuinely going to get hot as well?"

"It's the sign of its approach: yes, my temperature will go up a lot to just about feverish levels. I'll start to get nauseous; chills; feel generally bleagh… then… the madness descends, and I'll just want… demand… "

"Demand what?"

There was a snort. "A knot. An omega wants a knot… needs a knot! Needs to be satisfied: needs to be bred. That's what the heat is. And for that I need an Alpha. And possibly you two betas could help me through a normal, 'regular' heat if I hadn't been using suppressants for years, but this… It's not going to be a normal one. Not at all. I need to go home: I need my Sam."

"Dean? Look at me." He felt his brother physically sigh, but waited until the green eyes were looking up at him, brimming with anxious moisture. "We'll get you through this. Cas and I will do whatever we have to, to get you through it. How long do you think we've got?"

"I'm not at the feverish stage yet. Perhaps tomorrow? Definitely by the day after."

"Is there no way of stalling it?" The angel's gravelly voice spoke up. "You said you were trying to keep it at bay?"

Dean's eyes flashed in his direction: "Well, only by… But you're going to struggle trying to satisfy me once the heat hits, believe me: it will be crazy to exhaust you both before it starts!"

"But," Castiel couldn't help his smirk as he physically turned Dean, who was still wrapped between the two of theirs arms, enough to be able to get his mouth pressed against the omega's full pink lips, his tongue already probing to try and get between them. "If there is just the chance that it gives us an extra day to find a way to get you home… then we must be prepared to make sacrifices."

He now had Dean fully facing him and was starting to loosen his clothing even as the other opened his mouth to allow him access. "I don't know about Sam, but I, for one, am ready to give everything I have to for the good of the cause!"

oooooooooooooxoooooooooooooxooooooooooooooxooooooooooooo

Dean stirred from an uneasy sleep. He couldn't settle: his abdomen where he had been stabbed hurt like shit; he was still un-nerved by that far too close encounter with Sam, and… He didn't know what else, but there was something… something that he needed… something that would let him settle… something that… he wasn't sure what it was but he wanted it. He wanted whatever it was.

More than that. He needed whatever it was: he needed it to help him sleep.

Whatever the hell it was.

Rolling onto his back with a slight groan of pain, Dean stared out through the slightly parted drapes at the night sky beyond. There was a circular-shaped glow behind the clouds: the moon must be up and bright. He'd lost track of the lunar cycle over the stressful last few days, but, he thought, from the shape formed, it looked close to being full.

And, as if they had been listening to his thoughts, the clouds suddenly parted and the moon revealed herself. A bright, shining orb in the sky that momentarily dazzled him before, in the very next blink, his eyes had adjusted perfectly.

Dean gazed out at the sight with awe: in whichever world it was beautiful. The first night of the full moon, and it was just…absolutely stunning. And bigger than he had ever seen it before, although, when he came to think about it, it had looked large that early morning in Kansas City as well. The morning he had somehow arrived here.

Jesus: had that really been a month ago? Had he really been here that long?

He lay back and stared up at the ceiling, intending to concentrate on just relaxing and take deep calming breaths in to aid him in his bid for more sleep. But after just one, there was no more need. Because he had now become aware of the aroma in the room, the scent that he liked so much, the smell of the pure forest, and spring, and musk. He didn't even need the light of the moon to tell him where the source of the wonderful smell was: Dean was raising himself on one elbow to look before he had even wondered about how it was he knew.

"Samuel?"

The young man was sitting on the chair in the corner of the bedroom, the one that Dean had retreated to that very first night: shirtless and bare-footed, dressed only in his sleeping sweatpants, leant forward on the seat with his long legs opened wide, elbows on his knees, clasped together hands supporting his chin, his eyes staring anxiously at the human as if terrified to look away. But at the mention of his name, he was across the room and kneeling beside the bed in an instant.

"Are you alright? I smelt your stress. I was coming to stop dad. I would have done, Dean! I wouldn't have let him hurt you! He shouldn't have done that!"

"It's alright, Sammy. No harm done."

"It's not alright, Dean. He shouldn't have touched you! You're not his to touch!"

He tutted at Dean, who despite himself had had no choice but to chuckle at his righteous indignation. Then Samuel was carefully edging onto the bed next to him, sliding beneath the covers, wrapping his left arm around the man's shoulders and allowing Dean to use his chest as a makeshift pillow. "Is this okay? Am I hurting your wound in any way?"

"It's fine. Better than fine. Thanks, Sammy." And indeed, the warm strong body of the young man did feel comfortable. Not to mention that the scent of his cologne was wafting over Dean like a comfort blanket, he really did like it so much: he could feel himself relaxing, his aches seeming to ease, sleep seeming finally within reach as his eye lids suddenly felt really heavy…

"What is that you wear, Samuel? Your aftershave, or anti-perspirant, or whatever it is… I keep meaning to ask you…"

He was almost fully asleep: he almost didn't process the sound of the snort, or Samuel's next words: "I'm not wearing anything, Dean. That's me: that's my scent. It's calling to you. Just like yours has been calling to mine ever since you arrived. Because you're mine, and I'm yours. No matter how much you try and deny it."

"Sammy, that's stupid…" Dean didn't bother to try and open his eyes. "I'm not an omega…"

"Perhaps you weren't. Not when you first arrived: your scent was so faint. But… since then… it's got so much stronger! Really strong: more than mom's even! It's been driving me crazy! Driving all the Alphas crazy!

And… didn't you wonder how the hospital never noticed that you weren't? They took scans, Dean. They operated on you, for Our Lady's sake. Why didn't they notice that you weren't an omega, unless of course… you are?"

"Samuel, I…" Dean was coming more alert. What was he saying? That was crazy talk: he was human! Of course he was! He couldn't be anything else… could he?

But the young man was still talking: "And you've changed in other ways, haven't you, Dean? Your sense of smell? You know where we all are in the house, don't you? You may not realise it but your nose twitches with every breath you take now. And your hearing, definitely. Much better than mine, and mine's really good! And when you jumped down the stairs: is that something you could have done before? What about your eyesight? Has that changed?"

"You're being ridiculous." Dean was indignant, and rightly so. Samuel was being ridiculous. He sat up to tell the young man so, and stopped.

For the moon had disappeared behind the clouds once more: the room was in complete darkness. Yet Dean suddenly was realising that he could see everything easily. Really easily. But it was… almost monochrome. He could see everything around him so clearly, but all in black and white, and grey. And possibly a drab beige. But no other colour at all. He stared incredulously at Samuel, who was also leaning up on his elbow and… reaching out to him.

He felt the touch of the boy's hand on his cheek, and… it felt good. It shouldn't feel good! Not from this boy. "What else, Dean? What else is different? And why do you like my smell so much? Because if you want me to prove it, I can go and have a shower, use nothing but water, and I'll come out with exactly the same scent because it's me, Dean. Just me. You can come into the shower with me and see, if you'd like."

He was now leaning forward, aiming to close his mouth on the hum… Dean wasn't quite sure about that anymore. He pulled away, trying to maintain some control over himself and what was happening. "This… I… I'm nearly twenty years older than you, Sammy! Don't even go there! This can't… this shouldn't…"

"Age difference doesn't matter here, Dean. Gender doesn't matter even. It's all about the scents: how they complement each other. And ours want to mix, want to merge together. We're soulmates. I know it: you know it. You need mine to feel complete: were you having trouble sleeping without it?

If I wrap you in my arms and hold you now, how quickly will you fall asleep? I bet you would. I may not be presented yet, but our scents know that we were created for each other. Come down here.

Come here, Dean."

And he was laying back down on the bed again, pulling Dean to lie with him. And despite himself, the older man was obeying the order and following, until they had returned to their position of just a few minutes before, with him resting against the young man's chest, Samuel's left arm protectively around him, holding him close, the aroma of his… natural scent… filling Dean's nostrils.

Despite himself, he inhaled deeply… and felt himself relax.

Then, as he felt Samuel's lips begin to nuzzle into his hair, Dean's fear grew again. He shouldn't be here. Not like this. Not with this good-looking young man. Why had he just thought about how good-looking he was?

He had noticed, naturally. Because Samuel was very good-looking! As well as already having a really good body, and being an absolute sweetheart, really good company and already somebody that Dean loved very, very much. But not because they were soulmates! That was ridiculous!

His dad would be so ashamed of him.

He would tell Dean he was letting him down.

Although… if Dean were honest with himself… he always let his dad down… in everything. He was never fast enough; strong enough; ready enough; smart enough; good enough. Not at anything. Sam had always told him that he was stupid for trying to please the man. Because he never could… and he never did.

And… if Dean were really honest with himself… his relationship with Sam was going the same way. It seemed as if nothing he ever did now was good enough for his brother, either! He always somehow made Dean feel small mentally as well as physically, as if he was only tolerating him until he could leave again. And he didn't even bother to look for Dean when he got trapped in Purgatory: what did that say about what his brother thought of him? Really, what would Sam say if he saw Dean lying on a bed with a man? And a much younger man, at that? He would tell Dean he was letting him down as well.

And he probably was.

He always seemed to, somehow.

"Whatever you're thinking about, stop it."

Dean started as Samuel suddenly broke the silence. "I… what?"

"Your scent has turned so sad, Dean." He wriggled down the bed, turning himself onto his side so he could face the man eye to eye as they lay there. "I don't like it when you're sad: I'm going to make it my purpose in life that you never are again."

"Sammee…" Despite himself, he was smiling at the young man's earnestness. And it did feel good when Samuel wrapped his right arm around him as well and pulled their bodies even closer, even though it shouldn't. "You're just a kid: really you are, compared to me… I'm far too old for you. You've just got a bit of a crush, that's all. Especially after recent events."

"Dean? Get this through your head, will you? It's not about our ages: it's about us! And just for the record… you're absolutely perfect!" And his mouth was once again awkwardly trying to find Dean's, pushing against the man hard enough to make the other slightly turn away and onto his back without realising, with Samuel immediately taking the chance to follow, carefully laying his body half over the other's while making sure he didn't put any pressure on any of his wounds. "And it's not just me that thinks that: you've seen the attention you get from all the Alphas!"

"You're making me sound like a hot chick!" Dean was amused and disgruntled all at the same time.

"You are a hot chick! You're an incredibly hot chick!" Samuel chuckled, but then abruptly turned serious. "You're a beautiful omega, Dean. Really! You are, seriously, absolutely stunning. And… I'm asking you to consider accepting me as a mate. Seriously, age doesn't matter here but if it does so much to you… do you think you can get over me being younger than you? Do you think you could?"

Dean stared up at him incredulously: there were tears gathering in the young man's eyes at the thought that he might be being rejected. It was instinctive for him to put his hands up to wipe them away even as they started to trickle down Samuel's cheeks. And somehow touching the young man's face, holding him so intimately… felt nice. Even though the tears were still coming, and now running down Dean's wrists. "Hey! You're going to get my plaster cast all wet!"

"Sorry." And the other was trying to wipe away his tears himself. Dean did so love this gorgeous young man: he did really love him. And looking up into the green eyes that were almost a match for his own… he wanted to make those dimples appear again. He really hated it when his mate was sad as well…

Why the hell had he just thought of him as his mate?

Dean stared up at Samuel, who stared back, still sniffling: his young face showing his nervousness, and embarrassment, and hesitation, and yearning. And shyness. He had never seen Samuel so uncertain, but he was: he was biting his lips with anxiety because he had taken the chance to declare his feelings out loud and was literally shaking with nerves as he waited for the response. Dean's attention focused on those lips, and wondered what it would be like to kiss them.

And then, he wanted to do just that.

And suddenly…what his dad might have thought? And what the real Sam would think? Suddenly neither of them mattered. Because Dean… wanted this.

Whatever this was. Whatever he now was! He wanted this.

He smiled shyly. So did Samuel. And then the young man was leaning right over Dean and lowering his upper body enough that their mouths were meeting once more. And this time, Dean was responding.

Dean had kissed numerous ladies over the years: he had even tried kissing men once or twice when he was younger. Not to mention this last month when he had been forced to kiss this world's version of Sam a few times.

But Samuel…?

He tasted every bit as good as his scent smelt. And although obviously a novice at kissing, he seemed intent on learning fast. And… it felt really good: more than that, it felt right.

They felt right.

They were both panting a little when they finally broke for air, and stared at each other as they recovered their breath. And, as he looked up at Samuel, Dean realised for the first time that, somehow, he was now lying beneath the other on the bed.

And that he was still completely naked apart from his bandages.

And that Samuel was extremely aroused in his sweatpants. And god, he was more than rivalling his father when it came to that department.

And he was hard as well.

But Samuel was speaking again. Dean tried to ignore what was rubbing against his lower half to focus on what the young man was saying: "You know, Dean. I've been waiting for years, desperate to present. Wondering why I haven't, but I finally realise why. You weren't here."

"I… What?"

"Our Lady brought you here, Dean. To save our family. To save our world. And…"

Dean couldn't help but smile at his intensity. "And?"

"And she brought you to me, Dean. You were created for me, and I was created for you. That's why we feel so right together. I know it: you know it. There would have been no point in me presenting earlier because you weren't here!

But you are now."

And as if on cue, the full bright intensity of the moon was suddenly streaming through the drapes. Dean would have momentarily winced in the brief instant before his eyes un-humanly adjusted almost instantaneously, but… he didn't even notice.

Because his whole attention was suddenly focused on Samuel.

The boy felt the entire majestic power of Our Lady sweep through him as he finally presented. He felt every single molecule in his body disintegrate and rebuild simultaneously before he even had the chance to scream. His eyesight, already good, became absolutely perfect: twenty-twenty, even at night. He didn't realise it but they glowed with an eerie interior light momentarily as he absorbed every single miniscule particle from the moon's rays.

Every muscle he had was torn apart and reformed, rippling with innate strength and masculinity. His hearing sharpened enough to catch the slightest rustle of breeze through a cobweb.

His animal ancestry flowed through him momentarily as the nails in his fingers and toes momentarily turned back into claws that erupted from his appendages before receding once again. His balls formed, with the strangest and most uncomfortable prickling sensation as they grew as if from the interior of the rest of his flesh and immediately filled with seed ready to be spread. His knot also came into being: erupting from and expanding his already erect cock until he was all but crying with the sensation, then, just as abruptly the uncomfortable swollen feeling was gone, leaving him with just the desperate desire to use it. To bury himself deeply into his chosen mate and howl at Our Lady with pleasure.

His sense of smell also impossibly sharpened: Samuel wouldn't have believed it possible, not that he was getting much of a chance to think about any of it anyway, but he had always thought of his ability to scent as being good. It had been nowhere near it. Now he could suddenly smell everything in the room, in the house, in the street. But nothing else was anywhere near as important as the one thing that every one of his new senses instantly and sharply focused on.

One perfect scent. The scent that had been affecting him ever since he had smelt it a month before. The scent of his mate. His soulmate. The one destined to be his and sent by Our Lady herself.

He was here.

Right now.

And he was so beautiful. So perfect.

And Samuel would have him.

And even as that certainty flashed through Samuel's mind, he felt his jaw begin to distort and his canines extending, sharpening to deadly points ready to deliver the claiming bite: forcing him to hold his mouth open uncomfortably until the strike was made.

He was an Alpha.

And the only thing that mattered to him… would ever matter to him… was hisomega.

His mate. His Dean.

His.

Samuel caught his breath and stared down in triumph at the wide-eyes of the incredulous man beneath him.

Dean couldn't quite believe what had just happened. Samuel had transformed from an, all-be-it already strong and fit, good-looking youth, into a really incredibly handsome Alpha in front of his very eyes.

His Alpha.

And the eyes of his Alpha were focused on him. And only on him.

"Samuel?"

He had been told of what would happen next: that a newly presented Alpha would be driven by sheer lustful instinct to mate immediately above all else… and, trapped as he was by the obviously powerful body above his, he was conscious that even if he hadn't just previously accepted that he was the target of such desire, the way the presenting had just happened meant that he would have had little choice in the matter anyway.

But at least he did want this: he did want Samuel, and actually… he did very, very much. But Dean now realised that he was afraid of what was about to happen: would he even survive it? Or would the knot of his young mate simply turn him apart internally?

And…there was something else that they hadn't even discussed yet.

But Samuel was taking many deep breaths above him, and panting, and… the fangs were withdrawing back to their normal appearance. "Dean?" he was gasping with the effort of containing his newly conscious instincts. "I would never force you! If you don't want this: if you don't want me, then… I'll let you go. I'd never hurt you. I would never hurt you. And I'll wait for you 'til the day I die, because I know you're the only one I'll ever want."

His limbs were shaking from trying to hold the Alpha now inside him back. Sweat was dripping from his forehead and running down his back just from keeping the most basic of animalistic impulses under control now they had awakened within him: "But you have to want me as well! You have to! I want a mate! I want a partner! I want an equal! I never want to have to worry that I claimed you against your will: I want you to claim me! I…"

He was losing the battle with whatever was now inside him. And it was something inside him: Samuel had never understood the smutty talk on all the TV shows about having to obey the 'inner Alpha' before, but… now he had presented, there was definitely something in him that hadn't been there before: a being formed from pure instinct inside his mind and body that was threatening to override all his ideals and moralities.

But then suddenly it didn't matter because Dean was putting his arms around Samuel's newly broadened shoulders and pulling himself up enough to be able to crash his lips against his young mate's. "I do claim you, Sammy. I do want you! But… are you sure? I have to go home: not because I want to, because I don't, but because your little brother and sister need their mom. What happens then…?"

Samuel moaned with relief and chased the other's mouth back down to the mattress. "Either you're staying here or I'm coming with you! Or I'll find you, somehow! I swear I will! Our Lady hasn't brought us together just to tear us apart again, Dean: we're soulmates!"

"Speaking of tearing apart, Sammy…. I'm really…quite…"

He felt the young… no, he felt the man, the newly presented Alpha, laugh against his mouth. "You're scared, Dean? I'm freaking terrified!"

And with that, all tension between them had gone. Dean relaxed and simply inhaled the spring-forest sweet scent of his mate, feeling it wash through him like a physical wave, flowing into every particle of his body and soul, whispering that it would be okay: everything had been planned by something far beyond their understanding. All he had to concentrate on was enjoying what was going to happen, and accept the claim from his mate.

The kissing turned more passionate: Dean had a mouthful of Samuel and he loved it. Loved the taste of him; loved the feel of him; loved being touched by him. And when his Alpha reached to gather his hips into his surprisingly large hands, and tilted his pelvis forward ready to take him for the first time, Dean only felt a momentary flash of anxiety. Relax: he just had to relax.

"Am I hurting your wound?" The worry in the whispered voice caused Dean to smile: he really did love his caring Alpha!

"No. just…do it, Sammy. Give it to me."

"Okay… my omega."

And with that he was finally pushing inside Dean, his inner Alpha howling with triumph. He himself was moaning with pleasure: Samuel had often wondered what it felt like, to have sex with an omega, it had been the source of many discussions with his friends, some of them even being done whilst sober!, but this… oh, Our Lady: his mate felt so good. So perfect. And all his!

And Dean in turn was blinking in surprise. Because it didn't hurt at all as Samuel entered him, although it felt a little strange. But a good strange. And… it was easier than he had expected… a lot easier. And he was suddenly realising that there was something that was making it easier. A thick liquid of some sort: he could feel it beneath him already soaking the bed covers, and it had an almost overwhelmingly strong scent…of himself!

It was coming from him!

What the hell?

"Sam! Sammy! What's the… what is that?" And he was reaching down with his hand, feeling the dampness on his fingers. Then his Alpha was snatching at them gently and sucking them into his own mouth, exclaiming momentarily at his first taste of heaven. Oh, Our Lady, his mate was so perfect: everything about him was perfect! He would be quite happy never to eat anything else ever again!

"You're slicking, Dean!" And he was scooping some more of the thick substance up and offering his hand for Dean to lap at himself. "Your body has prepared itself for mine! What more proof do you need that we're meant for each other?"

"I…" But Dean's response was cut off as Samuel instinctively adjusted the position of his next thrust, and perfectly struck… something… inside his mate that made the other see stars! "What the?"

"Am I making it good enough for you?"

"Hell, yeah. Keep doing that!" And he was arching his back, and just allowing Samuel to take the lead, because, somehow, the younger man knew exactly what he was doing! And then Dean could feel the strangest feeling inside him as Samuel's knot began to expand for the very first time inside him, stretching him to his very limits.

But it didn't hurt. Not in the slightest. In fact, as the new pressure was applied to where nothing of any kind had ever been, Dean could feel… something give, deep inside him. No, not give, there was no force as such, but… it was as if something was being pushed apart… open. Something that must always have been there, inside his body, was finally being opened by the expanding knot of his mate. And it felt better than good. In fact… as it dilated even more, almost too good. Dean couldn't take any more, he was going to…

And then he was hit by the most tremendous climax that he had ever had. Ever.

And as he all but writhed beneath the strong body of his young mate, he felt some instinctive inclination to throw his head back and expose his neck. For some reason he didn't fully understand, he wanted Samuel to see his neck. And then, even as he heard the younger man also start to moan and gasp from his first ever presented orgasm, suddenly the canines were slicing into his neck, meeting inches deep within his skin as if about to tear a huge chunk of flesh away.

But it didn't hurt. Dean had expected it to hurt. But instead it burnt! With a fire that passed from his mate into himself, carrying with it incredible desire, and offered possession from Samuel to himself, and a hope that Dean would want to be possessed also, and protection, and dedication, and want. And love. So much love that Dean felt it flame throughout every last atom of his body, igniting and disintegrating any doubts and fears that he had ever had into mere memories of ashes as Samuel claimed him as his: claiming him from the inside out and the outside in, until the end of time itself. And probably far beyond that.

He held his Alpha tightly to him as they both recovered their breath. Then Samuel was pushing at Dean's left leg to make him undo it from where it had been wrapped around the younger man's waist during their mating, and carefully lifted Dean's hips physically so he could gently turn them both to lie face to face on the bed, worried about pulling in any way at the stitches still in his beautiful mate's abdomen. "Was that okay? Did I hurt you?"

"No. That was… incredible. I…" But Dean couldn't speak again for another couple of moments as his mate's knot continued to pulse against every molecule inside him, creating such a continual build-up of pleasurable pressure that he could only moan through, tighten his still wrapped-round right leg, and try to ride out.

In fact, the last thing Dean was aware of before he fell soundly asleep in Samuel's arms, fully sated and his body still twitching from the effects of the knot that would join them together as one being for at least another half an hour, was the gentle licking of his Alpha's tongue at his throat, soothing and healing the mating bite, and the whispers of just how much he loved him.

He didn't even hear Sam suddenly burst frantically into the room, having been awoken from an uncomfortable and troubled sleep downstairs in his chair by the, to him, disgusting smell of another Alpha in the house. He had come racing up the stairs in a panic, desperate to stop the rape of the human, but paused immediately on entering his bedroom at the realisation that he was already far too late.

Sensibly Sam backed away from the deep disapproving growl of the newly presented and already very strong young Alpha, who wouldn't hesitate to defend his mate to the death if he thought there was a definite threat. But he was shaking as he did: Samuel had presented. And claimed their guest! What must Dean be thinking about them as a family?

But even as he went to close the door behind him, Sam paused. And listened. Not that he needed to strain his ears at all to hear the sound in the room, for it was very loud in the silence of the night. A new sound.

A pleasurable sound.

A deeply arousing sound.

The purr of a sexually contented omega.

Sam stood in the corridor outside his bedroom in disbelief, but there was no doubt as to what he had heard. But how could it have happened?

Somehow the human… had turned?