You all fucking rock. What the hell. I did NOT expect the amount of support this story got? It was written to be a mostly smut story? but you all rock. Thank you very much. I appreciate it more than you can imagine!
When Dean opened his eyes, he gave a small groan.
His head was pounding. It felt like there was a tiny construction crew doing work on his skull, and he knew it was too late to cancel on work that day.
He lay in bed a few more moments, trying to force himself to stop hurting. His alarm went off and he casually hit the snooze button, despite knowing he didn't have the time.
He lay in bed for a few more moments before groaning and rolling out, feet hitting the floor and arms working to push him up. Things seemed just a little more... Well, bright, today. The light seemed harsh in his room.
He walked into the bathroom, feet shuffling along as he went to shave.
He looked up into the mirror, and blinked.
His wound, it had scabbed over before he'd slept last night. However, now all that remained was an angry red scar. It had healed incredibly fast, leaving no sign that it had been open and bleeding just the night before. Dean lifted a hand to prod at it, feeling nothing but smooth, scarred skin.
His eyebrows knitted together. That was... Well, he wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth.
Jo immediately punched him when he came in, ten minutes late.
"One of these days, I'm going to stop covering for your scrawny ass." She spat, crossing her arms across her chest. "You're gonna be the death of me, Winchester."
Dean knew she didn't mean it. He had covered for her on multiple occasions, and would continue doing so. They had each other's backs when it came to bullshit like that.
So, that was why, he leaned down and scooped her up into a big hug. He buried his face in her hair as she pretended to struggle, pushing him. Dean knew she was more than strong enough to actually push him off (and probably beat the shit out of him, too) if she wanted to. Jo just had appearances to maintain, and didn't want anyone to know that she secretly liked his dopey hugs.
As he breathed in, he smelled her. It was a scent he'd never smelled before, wild and masked beneath her perfume. Actually, she was wearing a lot more perfume than usual, too.
Now that Dean thought about it, everything was a little bit more potent, today. He could smell the popcorn butter, the trees, he could smell Bobby's morning coffee from two rooms away. Everything felt a little overwhelming, but he managed to keep a straight face as he set Jo down.
"You stink." He informed her. It was a half-truth. Although her scent didn't necessarily smell bad, it didn't feel right, either.
That was when he caught it. The smell, faint and lovely, of freshly fallen snow, honey, and... Well, the last little bit was a twang at the end that Dean couldn't quite identify. If he had to compare it to anything, it would be what pleasure would smell like.
"Whatever. I switched deodorant, I think I smell like the bomb." Jo informed him, standing up tall and proud. Dean wasn't really paying much attention to her at that point, focused mostly on the tantalizing scent.
"Do you smell that?" He asked Jo, taking a few steps towards the direction it was coming from.
This was crazy. It was stupid and crazy. He could smell everything. How had he not noticed before? Seriously, he felt like some kind of botched science experiment. Like someone had given him something in his sleep, and now...
"Smell what? You're acting even more stupid than usual this morning." Jo accused. Dean shook his head, partially to clear it and partially to make sure that he had the right direction to head in. The scent was strongest coming from towards the african animal exhibit.
The crazy thought that the leopard had done something to him passed through his mind, but he quickly swept it aside.
"That. It smells amazing. It's literally the best thing-"
"Dean, if you're implying you want me to go with you to the pie stand, the answer is no. I have to clean out the gecko's cages today. You have to clean parts of the parrot sanctuary, in case you didn't remember. We'll have time to goof off later. Come on." She said, rolling her eyes. She gave him a firm smack on the ass as she walked out of the room, and Dean resisted the urge to growl in frustration.
"Whatever." He mumbled, knowing that she was right. He ran a hand over his face tiredly and headed out the door, intent on finishing his work quickly.
The only problem with that plan was that he kept getting distracted. There was the thick, rich, crisp scent that kept overtaking his senses. It wasn't long before he realized that it was starting to make him hard. It was an... well, an odd reaction, to say the least.
This was the zoo. Children came here. He desperately tried to keep it down, grabbing his ipod and blasting Metalica songs to try and take his mind off of it. At one point, he actually considered finding nose plugs.
He opened his mouth to breathe through it, but it somehow made the situation worse.
Finally, the bird cage was clean enough. He knew he'd done a piss-poor job, but he couldn't risk staying around much longer.
He grabbed a jacket, hanging up on the hook. It was usually used for the winter months, when the wind was blistering and the animals needed more food and care to keep their temperatures up. They had to stay outside even longer in situations like that, and most of them were grateful for the extra layer of clothing provided.
Now, it helped Dean with another problem. He quickly tied it around his waist, stifling a groan as the back of his hand pressed up against his bulge. Once he deemed it hidden well enough, he shook his head back and forth and set off in the direction of the smell.
The zoo was busy today. Children ran around laughing and screaming, parents following behind. Most of those looked bored, but there were a few who were happy and excited to see the animals. The scent of food wafted through the air, and helped to distract Dean from the much more delicious scent flowing towards him.
Through the crowd, he walked. Nobody paid him much heed, and he knew that even if they did, they wouldn't assume he was up to anything odd. He walked around casually, following the scent. Eventually, he came to rest in front of an exhibit that was nearly empty.
The snow leopard.
Heat stirred under his skin, and he felt an ache begin. He shook his head, a little bit dazed, as his eyes scanned the exhibit hungrily.
The leopard wasn't anywhere to be seen, much to the disappointment of the few small kids left around the exhibit.
That was when he realized; it was his responsibility to let the damn thing out of it's cage. He almost gave a groan, hands patting his pockets to make sure that he had the keys. He grumbled as he started walking around the back of the enclosure, trying to force himself to remain calm.
His dick was throbbing and pushing up against his pants at this point, straining and begging for attention. Dean promised himself that, as soon as he finished his duty, he would lock himself in the employee bathroom for a moment.
It wouldn't take long. He was easy to please and had been hard for far too long to take his time.
Actually, now that he thought about it, this felt... different, from other times. It felt like fire was kissing his skin all over his body. He'd thought it was from the blazing sun, but it persisted, even once he was in the cool embrace of the sleeping shelter.
"Hello?" Dean asked, trying to make sure nobody else was there. It was unlikely, but...
"H-Hello?" Was received, in turn. "Alpha?"
Dean didn't know what "Alpha" meant, but he did know that he'd never heard that voice before. It sounded just a little desperate, low and rumbly, surprisingly pleasant.
"Who are you?" He asked, walking straight to the leopard's enclosement. He turned around each and every way, looking for a sign of another human being. He was almost certain that the tantalizing scent was coming from the man, whoever he was. Dean wasn't sure how he knew, but that voice just felt... right.
"I could ask you the same question." Was purred, from behind. Dean turned around, eyes narrowing at the leopard's cage.
Inside, a man sat, lounging inside of the leopard's hammock.
"What the hell?" Dean demanded. His eyes swiped up and down the man's form, naked and...
Well, just as hard as Dean was. Dean felt another wave of wanton arousal go through him, but it was overshadowed by surprise. Because, this man had eyes just as blue as the leopard's, and spots in patches along his body.
"I take it you haven't figured anything out yet." He said, blandly. He smiled a little bit, showing off half-sharp teeth. "That's fine. I have some things we need to discuss. Urgent matters."
"What the-" Dean started, but then stopped. "I'm hallucinating. This is a dream. That, or this is Jo's sick idea of a prank." He said, shaking his head. What was, presumably, the predator, tilted his head.
"She's not your current mate, is she? I wouldn't want to cause discord in any relationship you have." He said, sounding genuine. Dean shook his head.
"She's... No? Why would you-" Dean cut off. Parts and pieces were starting to come together. Discord in your relationship, that absolutely beautiful scent... "Are you implying that you want to fuck me?"
"I'm glad you caught on." He answered curtly, rolling those big, beautiful blue eyes. "It's not so much a want as a need. I'm going into heat. It happens when we meet our True Mates for the first time, and we're required to, as you so delicately put it, "fuck" during the first heat. You'll go into rut, too."
"Dude, who is "we"? True Mates? What the-" He stopped talking as the thing turned, showing off a pair of leopard ears. "Okay. That. That clears a little bit up."
"We are Shifters. Yourself included, after I marked you last night." The cat said, gesturing towards Dean's shoulder.
"You're telling me that I'm some kind of weird, were-leopard now?" Dean demanded. "And I'm supposed to believe a naked man with cat ears. Who, apparently, turned me into one without my permission."
"It's not like I had a choice." The Predator hissed. "Shifters have to be around other Shifters in order to survive. It's crucial. I would have been dead within another week if I hadn't found someone to turn." He spat. Dean shook his head. "I was only so "lucky" that you wound up being my Mate."
"No, no. This is not happening to me." He said, out loud. The cat's ears pinned back, and his eyes narrowed.
"There is no time for denial. Your body has already begun to make the changes." The beast said. He rose out of his hammock and leaped to the floor, coming closer and closer to the door that separated them. Dean had to stifle a groan as the scent of his Mate overwhelmed him. "Don't lie and say I don't smell like heaven to you. I'm about ready to jump you, too."
Dean closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. "Look, neither of us sound all too happy about this current situation."
"You could say that again." He mumbled in response.
"So, let's change it. How do we get un-mated, or whatever?" He questioned. "I don't want to be whatever you are. I'm sure I could find some way to sneak you out of here. I'll probably lose my job, but hey, I won't be a monster in my spare time."
"You think of me as a monster? You're the one who's species is destroying my people's land and resources, sucking the earth dry like leeches." He spat back, narrowing his eyes. "Believe me, if there was anything to be done, I would do it. But, there isn't. I'm going into heat, tomorrow, and we're going to mate, or we're going to die."
"How does that even-"
"Hormones." He answered, simply. "Alphas and Omegas need to, at the very least, be around each other. It keeps them healthy. Omegas can survive approximately eight months without an alpha, and alphas last about nine without an omega. True Mates can't be argued with, however. If we don't fuck like animals once I'm in heat, we'll both be gone within the month."
"And if we do?" Dean asked, almost afraid for the question. The Cat shrugged.
"I've never had an interest in romance before. I kept with my family, my alpha brothers keeping me alive and myself returning the favor."
"Wait, that doesn't mean that you... y'know... did your brothers, does it?" Dean asked, wrinkling his nose. To each his own, he supposed, but he couldn't imagine being put in that situation.
"Heavens, no. I've never mated before in my life." He responded, curtly. Dean felt something weird flop in his stomach. "After our initial mating, we will decide what to do, then. If you'd rather not have further involvement, that's fine. We need only spend time around each other when our bodies need it."
"So... Basically, you're saying that we're gonna have to fuck, but after that we can just... Pretend like this never happened?" Dean questioned. "I don't even know your name. How can I trust what you're saying is true?"
"You won't have to trust it. Tomorrow, you'll hardly be able to resist me. In fact, I'm not even sure how you're fairing now. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm glad you have your head so that consent can freely be given both ways, but it's... Strange."
"Believe me, I'm having some issues here." He growled. His cock gave a painful throb at the suggestion that consent, had, in fact, just been given. Neither of them were giving any objections. Dean could just walk in there, right then, and take him hard and dirty, crying out his name... "What's your name, anyways?"
"Castiel." He answered, curtly. "I'm sorry I had to do this. If... If there was any other way, I wouldn't have. If you would like, I could teach you everything I know about my people. Since you are one."
"You know, I think I'm gonna have to get back to you on that. I, uh..." Dean paused, trying to get his head to stop swimming in a sea of Castiel's beautiful scent. "I have a lot to think about, over the next little while. I also have a job I have to go and do, in the mean time."
"Is... I know this is sudden, but... Is this okay with you?" Castiel asked, nervously. "The mating, I mean."
"That's... That's the last of my worries about this whole thing, okay?" Dean assured him. This was clearly important to his companion. Wait, what? Companion? He shook his head. "I just found out I'm gonna turn into some weird leopard thing that needs "omegas" to survive. By the way, what the fuck is an omega?"
"It's a male of our species who are physically capable of giving birth and self-lubricate." Castiel said, flatly. "Alphas are males who have knots. Some people cling to traditional roles with Alphas as family providers, though for the most part that varies on a family-to-family basis."
"So you could... Get pregnant?" Dean asked. Suddenly, he imagined little versions of himself running around with tails. It was... It was a weird picture to have. This entire conversation was inexplicably weird.
His breathing sped up, and he forced himself to remain calm.
"No. We can control whether or not we think our environment is suitable for pregnancy and adjust our bodies accordingly. Right now, I have no desire for pups." He assured Dean. Dean nodded his head. Well, at least he didn't have to worry about that.
"I, uh... Okay. I should really... I should really get going. I have a lot of stuff to take care of, especially if I'm going to be out of work for a significant amount of time tomorrow..." Dean said, backing up a little. Castiel's ears pinned back, and his pupils grew wide.
"Wait." He said. "I've not been around an alpha in months. I'm sorry to ask this, but it's... It's physically painful now."
"Okay." Dean said, slowly. "What do you need me to do?"
"It would help a lot if you would just come in here for a few minutes. I would get what I need faster if you would touch me, but I understand if that would make you uncomfortable." Castiel said, stepping back and away from the door. Dean nodded his head a little bit. He could do that.
He fumbled with the keys in the lock, hands shaking a little. As he opened the door, the scent, that beautiful scent, enveloped him. He shut the door behind and kept his eyes closed as Cas scooted a little bit closer, trying to get what he needed.
"Thank you." Castiel said, gratefully. Dean felt a small nudge at his shoulder, and he looked down to see Castiel's forehead resting against his shoulder. Then, as if he was in a trance, he watched his own hand come up to rub lovingly through his hair.
"It's... No big deal." Dean said. He could hear a soft purring noise, and knew instinctively that it was Castiel. The sound was like music to his ears.
Cas pulled his head off of Dean's shoulder, and Dean's hand fell down to cup his jaw tightly. Dean didn't know what he was doing; he barely had control over his own actions, knowing only that he needed this like he needed air to breathe.
Cas's lips looked like the most delicious piece of candy Dean had ever laid eyes on. They were parted slightly in anticipation, his pupils blown wide as he gazed hungrily into Dean's eyes.
Dean leaned down, moaning as Cas's lips met his. He felt a tremble go through his body, every single one of his cells screaming at him to get closer, go farther, that Cas was a need.
His tongue slipped out to delicately probe Cas's lips, and Castiel opened his mouth willingly. Their tongues danced and Castiel was purring even louder than before, and Dean felt something hard press against his leg.
He bucked his hips, and Cas gave a groan. Dean pulled away, and a trail of saliva connected their lips.
He looked into Cas's eyes, and he knew that if he didn't leave now, he wouldn't be leaving for a long time.
"I need to go now." He said, simply. Castiel nodded and stepped back, untangling his fingers from Dean's hair and looking away.
"Yes, you do." He said, simply. Dean had a lot of information he was lacking, but he forced himself to turn and leave the room.
He would have to go and make sure that everything was set up so that he wouldn't have things to do the next day. There was still a great deal he didn't understand to do with Shifters, but he wasn't in the position where he would be able to stand in a room with Cas long enough to ask about them all.
However, that didn't bother him all that much. He knew anything he needed to know would be revealed in time. And he had a feeling he was going to be spending a lot of time with "Castiel".
Please leave a comment and tell me how I'm doing! Or tell me your favorite kinks, maybe I'll put them in. You can follow me on tumblr "MysticMoonhigh". I love recieving asks about my stories, so feel free to ask any questions there, if you would prefer!