"He's coming now my lady, Master Ion is almost to the gates!"

Jo smiled excitedly, "Thank you Marcus I'll greet him, now be sure his room is ready and tell the cook to prepare something."

Jo went outside and watched her weary brother enter the small courtyard and dismount as a stable hand took away the horse. Jo hadn't seen her brother in years and wasn't sure how to approach him.

She heard he was wounded in the same battle their father died in and there were rumors swirling around Ion that he was a beast in disguise but Jo dismissed the rumors as pure ignorance brought about by her brother's infirmity.

Ion dropped his bag and Jo ran to him grabbing the knight in a hug, "My brother!" Ion buried his face in the golden hair and felt comforted by the fact that Jo looked so much like their mother.

Ion grabbed her shoulders, "Josephine your beautiful! You look just like mother, fair and sweet."

Jo let out a musical laugh, "I look like her dear brother but I'm nothing like her, my sweetness left me when our parents died. It's been a difficult life running the estate by myself and I'm so happy you're here."

She grabbed his hand and moved quickly until she noticed his stiff gait, the days of riding were catching up with him now.

….

Sam 13, Dean 17, Castiel 19, Ion 29

She pulled the stories out of Ion slowly that year, he was so reserved and secretive it took a long time for him to open up to her but eventually it all came out.

Ion was tender and gentle when he spoke of Castiel and Jo saw the love there as well as the sadness. The prince was her brother's one weakness and the heartbreak over losing him was etched on the young man's face.

…..

When Ion turned up missing during the full moon Jo questioned him and finally trusting her he showed his sister his scars. "I don't want you frightened of me Jo but I have the wolf inside of me. I've been well controlled but I find that now I'm separated from Castiel it becomes difficult and I've…"

Jo touched the scars gingerly, "What have you done?"

Ion watched the moon shining outside, "I've done a full transformation, I inflicted this on Castiel and now I'm worried he might do the same. He's young Jo…so young to carry this burden alone and it's my entire fault. I was selfish and wanting him so badly that I bit him."

"Did he want it?"

"Yes, now he's mine, my bitch …my life mate and I can't have him. Next year he's going to be truly married to Sam not just in a contract. It's not fair, Castiel is soft and wants nothing more than a strong male to guide him and keep him safe."

Suddenly Ion whipped his head around and growled, "I want him Jo, I can't bear the thought of him sleeping with anyone but me. I left him intact, what if Sam takes him?"

Jo took a step back, her brother's face was hard and his eyes had changed, "Brother calm down."

Ion dashed out of the room and into the darkness.

…

Castiels life had changed, the happy young man was resentful, his anchor was gone and the man that was his mentor and soul mate had been ripped away. Now here he was sitting at the long table with John, Abbadon, Judith, Sam and Crowley trying to choke down yet another dinner.

Sam reached under the table and held Castiels hand, "What's wrong Cas?" Castiel ran his thumb over the back of the boy's hand, "I'm lonely."

"But I'm here don't be lonely…I'm your friend."

"No you're my soft male, you wouldn't understand."

Judith was embarrassed by the dinner conversation; Abbadon narrowed her eyes and hissed, "Keep you boy in check Judith."

John slammed his fist on the table and Sam jumped, "Sam, friendship doesn't belong in a marriage, look at your mother, I hardly consider that woman a friend!"

Crowley rolled his eyes and chuckled, "John I have a lovely bottle of wine for you." Abbadon kicked him under the table, "My king has no use for your bitter wine necromancer."

Suddenly Castiel heard it, the howl in the distance; he bolted out of his chair and ran to the window. He started a low whine and that was when Judith realized how truly bonded they were and that the rumors were true.

She ran to her son trying to control the damage he was doing but Castiel was gone in a flash.

…

He ran into the forest following the call that seemed so far away. The prince yelled, "Ion where are you?!"

Castiel was desperate, he looked up at the moon and let go. All the control left him as he felt himself changing, the process was excruciating as he was twisted in all directions, then when it was over he felt freedom for once in his life and the wolf that was a prince ran into the night.

…

Ion waited as long as it took for Castiel to find him and when the huge sliver wolf finally caught the scent of his mate he began to let out little yelps and whimpers. The smaller black wolf found him in a padded down patch of soft grass and they began their greeting.

The black and silver nuzzled and licked, taking in the scent of each other as the silver lead his mate through a fair sized crevice in the rock. The large wolf had prepared a den for them. The two curled into each other with the silver male rested his head protectively over his mates.

….

Sam sat in his bedroom alone and lonely once again, an entire year without Dean. He wondered if it had all been a dream but then Sam held the box that contained the little stone heart and he knew it was all very real.

Sam's door opened and Crowley walked in unannounced, Sam was angry at the bold intrusion, "Get out of my room!"

Crowley gave the prince a wicked smile,"What do you have Sam, a little love token from the bakers son?"

Sam suddenly realized who the ghost was that tormented him as a child, the one that forced him to lock his door and lay awake at night watching the shadow move under the door.

Crowley snatched the box out of Sam's hand and opened it, he took out the little heart, "Is this Dean's heart?"

Sam got up and kicked the necromancer straight in the jewels forcing the man to double over and fall, "Don't ever touch that! Get out you pig or I'll do it again." Sam grabbed the box and heart then tucked them under his mattress, "I hate you…I don't know why mother keeps you here."

Crowley got up slowly trying to catch his breath, "You'll be sorry you did that, I was the only thing keeping your mother in line…if that little bastard comes here I will personally beat him senseless."

He stormed out leaving Sam alone once again. Sam ran up and locked the door then sat there and prayed Dean would be alright.

…..

Dean sat with Robert as the man shivered by the fire, nothing seemed to warm his father any longer but Dean brought in more wood and stoked the flames. Robert coughed and spit the blood in the handkerchief hiding it from his son.

Robert had quarreled earlier with Ellen about telling Dean of his real past and giving him the blood ruby from the wizard. Ellen felt it wasn't the right time but Robert was afraid he would pass away before he could be honest with the boy that gave him so much joy. They decided to wait a bit longer until the circumstance forced their hands.

…

Dean slipped out that night and rode Gwyn to the castle; he left her in a hidden spot and slipped in where no one would see. The benefits of so many years playing at the castle was coming into play now as Dean worked his way through the passages until he slipped under the tapestry and over to Sam's bed.

He stood over his love watching him sleep, Sam looked peaceful enough and for that Dean was glad. The pretty coral lips parted slightly and a pink tongue slid over them wetting as it went then hid back inside the warm mouth.

Sam wasn't aware of how many nights Dean did this; just watching over him but Dean couldn't risk waking his prince. This night Sam opened his eyes and focused them directly on the figure standing over him in the darkness and felt a hand clamp over his mouth.

He let out a muffled scream and thrashed on the bed thinking the necromancer came back until Sam heard a loud whisper, "Sam stop it's Dean. I'm going to take my hand away now."

He removed his hand and Sam kissed it, "Dean oh I missed you so much…" his voice trailed off as he began to cry.

"Sammy, don't cry I'm here now. I said I'd watch over you…would it be alright if I rested next to you for awhile?"

Sam pulled back the covers as Dean slipped off his boots and crawled in next to him, "I'm sorry I smell like horse Sam."

Sam pressed against him, "I think you smell wonderful."

They both knew the situation was trouble but began kissing anyway. Sam was still a babe in the woods when it came affection and Dean not far behind. Dean sucked a bruise on the long, elegant neck and traced the shell of the princes ear with his tongue, "You are so beautiful Sammy…I love you."

Sam ran his fingers over the bulge in Dean's leather leggings, "I want this only from you, I love you Dean I don't want to marry Castiel."

Dean unlaced the closure, "Sam no one has ever touched there before…please Sam." The long fingers teased the soft hair then hesitated, "Are you sure Dean?"

"Yes, only you Sam."

Suddenly the door burst open and there was Crowley with his arms folded staring at them smugly, "I told you what would happen if he came here Sam."

Dean was dragged away shouting for Sam and struggling between two guards. The last thing he remembered was a dank, windowless room and then darkness.

Crowley nudged the boy with his foot, "Now you're in my playground bastard prince."

…

Ion and Castiel both woke a short time later naked and entwined, the musky scent of damp fur in the air. It felt like a dream to the prince, the change and the run through the forest to his big silver wolf.

"Ion you came for me, I heard you calling and I couldn't stop myself."

Ions eyes washed over his body taking in what he hadn't seen or felt for a year, "I needed you, I felt like I was truly dying my prince…your mine always." Ion bowed his head, "But I let myself go and came here with nothing. No plans just instinct, I put us in danger and acted a fool."

Castiel pushed him back and straddled his hips, "I may be your bitch but I have a say don't I?" Ion gave him a wicked, white smile and grasped his mate by the hips, "Are you bleeding, I don't smell it Castiel."

"No my cycle ended, the moon is waning…you can have me safely." Ion groaned and pressed against him pulling the prince open wide and running his fingers along the tender skin then began pushed a finger inside as Castiel took in a sharp breath.

There came the sound of tracking dogs in the distance and Ion caught their scent, Ion slowly removed his finger and lifted Castiel off, "They found you, don't worry I'll protect you Castiel."

The prince got up and realized he had no clothing, "No, you stay here its only me they want and I won't be harmed. I won't risk them killing you."

Ion started to get up but Castiel took his foot and shoved him back pining his chest, "Listen to me, you stay here I mean it! I'm saying this as your prince and not as your mate." Ion stayed down and growled, "Yes my prince."

Castiel slipped out of the crevice in the rock and covered it with brush just as the dogs bounded into view with a search party right behind them.

Castiel slammed one of the hounds in the ribs with his bare foot as it advanced on the den and it rolled over yelping in pain, he growled at the dogs and they cowered.

The prince snapped his fingers at one of the men, "Give me your cloak." He grabbed it from the man and wrapped it around himself, "Get these dogs out of here and take me home. Your never allowed in this area again do you hear me?!"

Then bowed in supplication and helped the naked prince on a horse then they headed back to what Castiel considered was his prison.

…

Sometime later Ion ventured out and realized how far he was from his estate; the transformation was over leaving the knight a naked human with a pronounced limp. He started the long journey home feeling lonely once again.

…..

Deans eyes fluttered and shut again, a bucket of water was poured over him, he gasped from the sudden cold, When the gem green eyes finally opened he was face to face with Crowley.

TBC