Dean wanted nothing more than to throttle Alexandriana Montgomery. He had a pretty good idea as to why she'd run off on them, of course, but she was still a dumbass to think it was the best option she had. And the problem wasn't that she'd run off. Not at all. The problem was that she'd run off and now they didn't have a clue on how to track her. Sam with a soul, easy. Dean knew that Sam and Alex had found it easy to track him in the past, too. But Alex...Alex had never run off on them really, not like this. This was usually a Winchester move. Which made it all the harder to figure out where she'd gone.
He let out a loud breath of frustration, checking the gas pump. "C'mon," he muttered impatiently.
Sam, standing beside the Impala on the other side to stretch his legs, propped his elbows on the roof of the car and said, "You know, she probably didn't think we'd help. She's been on her own for a while now, right?"
"She knew we'd help," Dean corrected sharply. "She's just an idiot." He knew Alex hadn't thought that way. He'd told her so himself. They'd help her with anything she needed help with. Yet...she'd run off. "She got orders from the skinwalker Alpha, Sam. Orders to bite. She's always said she'd kill herself before she bit us."
That was what worried him the most, admittedly. As scared as Alex was of Purgatory...he had no doubt in his mind that if stuck between a rock and a hard place, she'd choose the hard place. It would have been touching - had he not been pissed off that she'd run off like she'd had.
"Did you find anything?" Dean asked Sam, and Sam nodded, much to his surprise, holding up his phone.
"Sightings of a huge wolf, just an hour or two from here," he said. "Even more interesting? There's been an influx of wild dog sightings in the area period. I mean, dozens upon dozens of dogs. Animal control's stumped. They can't figure it out, so I thought we could go check it out."
Dean considered that as he finished gassing up the Impala. "Sounds good." The dozens of dozens of dogs...that worried him. It'd be difficult to track down Alex when there were so many noses to sniff them out. The Winchester name was well-known among monsters, who he knew oftentimes feared them. If there were enough to outnumber them, however…
He slammed the car door shut after clambering in. Sam swung in, too, and they both took a moment to just sit there as the engine purred to life. "We've gotta find Alex," said Dean firmly. "I don't know what the hell she was thinking, getting involved with Crowley like she did, but the last thing we need is Crowley getting his hands on her again." He needed to know what had happened there. Whether she liked breaking oaths or not, he needed to know.
His frustration only grew when Sam shrugged, not concerned about the missing skinwalker. "He knows she doesn't know where Purgatory is. Why would he go after her?"
"Because he's a dick," snapped Dean. Like you. He fell silent after that, cranked up the music, and hit the gas.
"They weren't kidding," muttered Dean as he shut the Impala off and watched a pack of barking dogs chase an unhappy UPS driver back to his truck. He hopped in and slammed the door shut behind him, shouting angrily at the dogs that jumped at the closed door. He couldn't even count the number of dogs they'd seen since they'd walked into town. "Think the Alpha's around here?"
"It's possible," Sam said thoughtfully. "Why are we here?" he added, jerking his chin at the police station they'd come to. "Shouldn't we just go around and look for her at the pound again?"
Dean wanted to punch him. He really did. "Just shut up and stay here." Dean climbed out, slamming the car door angrily behind him. Almost immediately, there was a small dog at his heels, yapping and leaping and nipping at his fingers. Dean snatched them up, careful not to let the Chihuahua draw blood. "Go away," he muttered, nudging it aside with his foot. The creature snarled and snapped at his foot in response, and Dean, knowing it was likely a skinwalker, almost drew Alex's knife out. He didn't have time for this.
His phone rang as he ducked into the police station, ignoring the glaring dog. He checked the caller ID - and scowled at the sight of Lisa's name. "Not now," he muttered, shoving the phone back into his pocket despite the small flicker of guilt in his gut. He needed to call her back, but he needed to focus on the situation at hand first.
He only felt worse about that; wasn't there always a situation at hand?
Dean knew fully well that the cops were eyeing his clothing with suspicion when he ducked inside, clearly not trusting this random man who'd entered their building. "Hi," he said with false cheer to the first one who offered their help. "I lost my dog, and I heard there were sightings of her?"
The police officer looked at him blankly for a few moments, and then burst into laughter. "Have you seen what's happening?" he gasped. "You really think we're going to know what dog you're talking about here? There's been so many dogs in the past few days, we don't even know how many there are."
Dean wanted to punch a lot of people this day, apparently. Taking a deep breath to try and calm himself down, he forced a tight grin to his face. "I know, I've heard. I just...she's sick and needs her medicine. My brother and I've been real worried about her." He gestured through the window, to where Sam could be seen in the Impala, tapping away on his phone without an ounce of worry on his face. "Look, can I just show you a picture and if you've not seen her, I'll go away?"
The officer glanced over his shoulder at another, who shrugged. They had nothing better to do. "Yeah, sure. I guess." He rocked forward when Dean found a decent picture of Alex on his phone and showed it to the officer, smirking a little. It wasn't the best; Alex had been stretched out comfortably in the back of the Impala, on her back with all four feet in the air as she slept. The officer blinked, and then grunted in recognition. "Oh, yeah, no, I'd recognize that one anywhere. Kind of town hero now, actually. Good dog you got there. Friend of mine's daughter was out playing and was almost hit by a car; dog shoved her out of the way and took the blow herself before disappearing. We were all really worried that she'd been hurt until she showed up a day later, chasing off some other dog when it attacked another kid."
Of course Alex was doing work, even when avoiding the Winchesters - and saving children at that. If there was one thing she felt the immense need to protect, it was children. "Where was the last place you saw her?"
"Corner of West Avenue," the officer said. "And we'll keep an eye out. Got a number we can call?"
Dean passed him one of the fake cards he used when playing FBI, and the officer's brows rose in astonishment, but he said nothing. "Thanks, man. Let me know as soon as you know something." He made a small, mocking salute, and then ducked out of the office. He made his way back to the car, ignoring the angry Chihuahua snapping at his heels, and swung into the car. Sam glanced up. "We've got a lead, at least. Corner of West Avenue. Find it, would you?"
"Right." Sam went to work and had the route within seconds on his phone. The Impala's engine revved as Dean pulled out of the parking lot, explaining what the officer had told him. Sam looked unsurprised. "She's Alex. She's always doing stuff like that."
"Guess so. Still, she's gonna get herself killed. I mean, she was hit by a freakin' car, man. She's gonna be easy to catch, but she's gotta be hurt."
"Maybe."
"Maybe?" Dean gritted his teeth. "Sam, that's Alex. Not Samuel. Not Crowley. Not even Cas. Alex. She's saved your ass more often than not, and you're saying maybe?"
Sam ignored his brother's annoyance and said instead, "You know, I don't think I've seen you this worried about anyone since Lisa and Ben were in danger from those djinns. You're not even this concerned about my soul."
Dean said nothing, only clenched his jaw and tightened his fingers on the wheel.
They combed the streets for a few hours, starting at West Avenue and working their way out like spiders creeping along a web. They came up empty-handed, and eventually turned to tracking down the children who'd been saved. The family of both children were very willing to help, grateful for the strange canine that had saved their children's lives. The second of the two, the one who'd been attacked by a dog, had grabbed Dean's fingers as he was leaving and tugged urgently, her eyes rounded with worry.
"You're going to find the puppy, right?" she'd asked. "She got bit bad for me."
Dean had made sure to ask if the girl had gotten any bites from the random dog, to which the mother had shaken her head. "The dog took all of them. She took every single bite that the other dog threw, and then some. I can't say I like that my daughter watched her kill it, but then...it was probably rabid. I hope your dog's alright, sir. She's not been seen in a day or two."
Which meant more likely than not that Alex was no longer wandering town like a dog. That news had told Dean right away they'd been looking in the wrong places, and he'd immediately begun skimming through different motels, hotels, and bed-and-breakfasts in an attempt to track her down. Sam had helped out, hacking into cameras to see if he could spot her. They'd both come up empty-handed.
"She's like a damn ghost," snapped Dean in frustration, rocking back in his chair. The pair had rented a room of their own when night had fallen, figuring they'd be better off searching some more in the morning. "She could have skipped town by now."
Sam grunted in response, frowning at his laptop screen. "I don't think so. She's sticking around here for some reason. If the Alpha really is here, she could be trying to find it."
Dean glanced at him in surprise. "Why the hell would she try and find the Alpha when it's telling her to infect people?" It was the last thing Alex ever would have wanted to do. Biting people was one of her biggest fears. The idea of subjecting someone else to the life she lived - and now to Purgatory - freaked her out more than anything else. "Besides, she can't be working for Crowley right now. She hates the guy. And she's not trying to kill it. I have her knife."
"Why would I know?" Sam shrugged. "It's not like I can read her mind." He clicked on another link, opening a new window. "Maybe we're thinking about this all wrong," he said suddenly, frowning. Dean looked at him, confused, and Sam said, "Maybe she's hoping the Alpha will find her and kill her? I mean, she can't be a favorite; she's killed plenty of her own kind."
"She's the Soldier, whatever that means. From the sounds of it, more people want to use her than kill her," pointed out Dean. Just another reason they needed to hunt her down. On the bright side, they were more likely to find Alex alive than dead. "Look, can we just-"
The door flew open, and both Winchesters were on their feet in an instant, guns aimed at the intruder.
Alex merely grinned at them, her eyes somewhat glazed as she drawled, "Thought I smelled you boys in town." Her voice slurred somewhat, and as he lowered the gun with a shocked look, even Dean's human nose could pick up the burning smell of alcohol. Her hair stuck up in every direction and she ignored them in favor of stumbling further into the room.
"Alex?" said Sam, lowering his gun, too. He looked stunned.
"The one and only," she declared, throwing her hands up. "Soldier, skinwalker, and hunter at your service."
Dean pressed his mouth into a hard line, unimpressed with the sight before him. "You're drunk." He didn't think he'd ever seen her like this. Tipsy, sure, but not wasted.
"Mhm," hummed the skinwalker, prying their fridge open. She looked disappointed when she found nothing there. They had, after all, only been there a few hours and had yet to make a run for beer and food. "Bloody hell, I know you don't like to eat," she told Sam. "Being a soulless bastard like you are. But could you put something yummy in there?"
"...what the hell do we do?" asked Sam, glancing at Dean with lifted brows - indicating this was his mess to deal with.
"Nothing!" Alex bared her teeth, wiping at her mouth with her arm. Dean noted the sores that had appeared there, as if she'd done so enough times to rub her skin raw. "Or call Cas, 'cause you know, Castiel can fix everything, right?" She scowled.
Dean rubbed his hands down his face, already exhausted. "Alex, just...sit down for a second, would you."
"Hm?" she hummed, tottering over with a curious look. She paused, eyeing the seat he'd abandoned with distrust, as if she thought he'd done something to it - something that would trap her there. A flicker of fear raced over her face and then vanished, and Dean sighed heavily.
"Sit in the damn chair," he snapped. "It's fine."
"I like you," she said sincerely. "You know." She dropped heavily into the chair, grimacing a little as the world spun this way and that and made her waver back and forth. "Hey," she said suddenly, and Dean got the feeling this was going to be a very long night - until she sobered up at least. "Did you hear? I bit a dog."
Sam's eyes gleamed with dark amusement, and Dean could have clobbered him when he said, "You did?" He thought this was hilarious. Great, just what Dean needed: a drunk skinwalker who could barely see straight and a soulless brother who was going to encourage her.
She nodded seriously. "Was quite nice. Helps, you know?" She gestured to her mouth, even as she wiped it again. "Makes it stop hurting."
"We're glad you found a way to stop chowing down on humans," drawled Dean with frustration, "but why the hell'd you go and get like this?" He waved at her with a hint of disgust. She sobered immediately, blinking at him with enough despair that he almost regretted asking.
"I don't want to bite you. Don't want to bite anyone. So dogs are better. I don't feel so bad about it if I have some adult juice." She cackled then, amused by her own childish words, and then rocketed to her feet with a sudden frown. "Not supposed to be here."
"Like hell." He grabbed her shoulder and shoved her back down into the chair, pinning her against the back of it. "You're not going anywhere, Alex."
In an instant, he was on the ground, staring up at the ceiling in shock. Alex towered over him, glowering. "Don't touch me," she barked, entirely clear-minded for a moment. "Don't ever make me sit like that, Dean Winchester, or so help me God, I will tear your bloody throat out." Silence rang loudly in their ears, broken only by panicked raspy breaths. She looked panicked for a moment. "No, no," she grumbled under her breath, suddenly withdrawing entirely and dropping back into the chair. "I wouldn't. I'm sorry." Her voice trembled, as if she'd cry.
Dean hated drunk Alex, he decided, wincing as he climbed to his feet, rubbing the crick in his back. She'd pulled something, he couldn't help but think. Sighing heavily and rubbing the back of his head, Dean glanced at Sam, who'd merely settled back in his chair with his arms folded to watch the scene unfold before him. He was smirking lightly, so Dean ignored him, furious. He'd give Avery a call shortly, see if she'd ever dealt with this crap.
Alex hid her face in her hands, bending so that it rested in her lap. "Sorry," she mumbled again. "For what I did. Panicked. I don't want to bite you. I don't want to bite you. You can't go to Purgatory, too." She continued repeating it, as if forcing herself to believe such a thing past whatever was going on in her brain. "I'm sorry, Dean. I'm sorry."
He couldn't figure out if he hated the flicker of sympathy that licked through him. She looked more miserable than usual, and she'd been rather miserable every time they'd seen one another as of late. Her comments did spark some understanding about her sheer terror during the incident in which he'd almost become a vampire. She'd been frantic about the idea of him going to Purgatory. He was almost touched.
"Alright, here's what we'll do," Dean said, figuring Sam wasn't going to be any help for the time being. "You're gonna get your ass in that bed and sleep whatever this is off. We'll talk when you can look at me straight." She hummed in tired agreement, relieved with the idea. She rose slowly to her feet and let him grab her arm to help her over to the bed. "How much did you drink?" he demanded as she stumbled and staggered, barely able to keep her feet under her.
Smug pride flashed over her face as she grinned at him. "Almost caught up with Cas," she declared, and Sam snorted. Dean threw him a glare. It wasn't anything to be proud of. "Takes a lot."
"Yeah, I can smell that." He wrinkled his nose, not impressed. "C'mon."
It took a shocking amount of time to get her over to one of the two beds in the room. She quite literally couldn't walk straight and kept mumbling under her breath, distracted as she jostled into him. When he finally got her to the bed, he fought the urge to just shove her down and walk away - especially when she latched onto his arm and forcefully dragged him down to her level.
"Dean," she said seriously, and he cocked a brow, exasperated. "Thank you."
He sighed heavily. Annoying as she was at the moment, she was his family, he supposed. Just as much as Castiel and Sam were. At least Alex wasn't soulless or completely a participant in an angelic civil war. "Yeah," he muttered, "no prob-"
Every thought went right out the window when she suddenly seized him by the head, fingers curling over each cheek, and kissed him. Her lips caressed his fondly, fingers sliding gently along cheeks to comb just once through his hair. Dean froze like a deer in the headlights, and Alex beamed at him when she pulled back. "You're cute," she said sincerely, and Dean choked on nothing, going ramrod straight as he tried to comprehend what the hell had just happened. He could hear Sam cracking up nearby, laughing loudly. "Seriously though. Thank you. Good night, Dean."
Without further comment, Alex had curled up on the bed, burying her face in the pillow, and passed out.
Dean stared at her for a few moments, and then threw his hands up angrily. "What the hell - shut up, shut up right now," he snarled at Sam when Sam only laughed harder.
How was he supposed to respond to something like this!? Dean didn't know what to do. He had a girlfriend for God's sake! A girlfriend with a kid he was particularly fond of, at that. How was he supposed to talk to her now? There's no way he'd be able to call Lisa after that.
Mostly because the only thought that kept snapping up to the forefront of his mind was that he had been able to taste his favorite whiskey on her breath.
When Alex woke up, it was to a very nasty throbbing in her head. Groaning, she stumbled out of bed and nearly tripped over her own feet as her stomach churned warningly. She lurched for the bathroom as hastily as she could, ignoring the amused, "Hey, Alex" from Sam, who was seated at the small motel table with his laptop in front of him, as per usual.
It was a few minutes later that she emerged, grimacing. She wiped her mouth, hissing at the sting of the sores on her mouth. She'd been doing that far too often. But the saliva just kept coming. Even now, she could feel the ache in her jaw, demanding she chow down on the nearest leg.
Leaning her hip on the bathroom's door frame, Alex ignored her aching head and squinted at Sam. "...when'd you get here?"
Sam's lips twitched. "Last night. You showed up drunk."
"Mm, I shouldn't have done that." She slid out, reluctant to join him. She missed normal Sam. Normal Sam would have offered her some coffee and talking. Soulless Sam just went back to work. "What are you doing? If you're looking into the dog influx, I can tell you now it's skinwalkers. All of them."
"We guessed that." Sam clicked on something. "So...is the Alpha here? Can you tell?"
"I've smelt it around, but I've not run into it. Nor do I plan to." Alex scowled. "I'm avoiding the Alpha and leaving town. It and all of the other skinwalkers showed up after I did. I don't like being a part of whatever plan is being implemented. I guarantee you that it will all end with blood drawn and a couple hundred new skinwalkers."
Sharp yapping caught her attention before Sam could respond, looking interested. She cocked a brow. "That's a Chihuahua," she grumbled, annoyed. She hated the little rats. Always yapping, always biting, and always annoying. The yapping was accompanied by low swearing that made her grimace. Dean was back from wherever he'd gone.
"Get the hell off of me," he grumbled as he came in the door, wielding off a nipping Chihuahua. Alex peeled her lips back from her teeth and gave a very loud snarl that sent the creature yipping for the hills, tail tucked. Dean kicked the door shut behind him. "Good thing its teeth aren't bigger."
"Could have friends with bigger teeth though," Sam pointed out.
"Good thing I'm here then." Alex pinched the bridge of her nose, grimacing. She wished they'd not come here. It was even more dangerous than just her hanging around. There were so many skinwalkers in town, she could barely differentiate what dogs were simple dogs and which ones were like her. It made her headache all the worse, actually.
She didn't miss the fact that Dean was pointedly avoiding looking at her as he dropped a few bags of fast food on the table. "Greasy breakfast. Come and get it." He smirked when Alex groaned at the idea of eating anything, but dutifully dragged a burger over. How he'd gotten burgers this early in the day was beyond her. She tore into one, grumbling about nothing in particular, yet admittedly pleased with the way it settled in her stomach. She'd not eaten properly in days.
"So," Dean said, still not looking at her as he grabbed his own burger and went to sit on the nearest bed. Sam didn't bother to grab one, not looking all that hungry as he typed away, careless about the situation before him. "You gonna tell us what the hell you were thinking?"
"I just woke up, and my head is killing me. And the first thing you want me to do is chatter like a songbird?" Alex sent Dean a nasty look that he returned for only a brief moment. She narrowed her eyes. "Tell you what, Dean, you tell me why you won't look me in the eye, and I'll tell you what you want to know." It would only piss him off anyways. He already knew what she'd say.
Sam stopped typing to crack a grin. "You don't remember?"
"Sam," said Dean in a way that was quiet and lethal, "shut up."
Alex rumbled a curious sound in her chest, putting her burger down and looking between them. "What? What did I do?" The last few days were a blur, actually; she'd been quite drunk for most of it, hoping something would turn up and settle right into her lap with answers for all her questions. Not the best method, but a method, nonetheless.
"Nothing, you did nothing." Dean tore an angry bite out of his burger. "So start talking, Alex. Or I'm calling Cas to take you to the panic room."
She gaped. "That's a little extreme, Winchester," she snapped, tossing her burger aside. She wasn't hungry anymore. "You've done worse, you know! But if you're going to be that much of a twat about it… It's not safe to be around anyone right now. I've spent the last few days drinking alone, because the only thing I can think of is sinking my teeth into your lovely throats. It's hell. Worse than what I imagine Hell to be like. It's all I can think about. My mouth hurts, I can't stop drooling, and I want to know what I did."
She had no doubts she'd be talking with Dean within the next day or two about what had happened with Castiel and Crowley, but he seemed more content with what she'd said for the time being than she'd expected, so she'd push that off a little longer. She wanted to know what she'd done the night before that had Sam smirking with glee and Dean refusing to look at her. She paused, suddenly suspicious. "Did I bite someone?" she asked, voice rising in panicked pitch.
"No, you didn't bite anyone," Dean was quick to retort.
Sam muttered something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like, "You sure look like you wanted her to," and Dean hurled a remote from the bedside table at him. "Sam!" he bellowed, and Sam only grinned wider.
"Alright, if you two are going to beat around the bush, I'm heading out. I've got other things to do," said Alex firmly.
Dean rounded on her. "Like hell. What do you have to do? You've spent the last few days drinking, Alex!"
Her lip spelled back in a snarl. "Like you've done better in the past." She angrily grabbed another burger, glaring unhappily at them. After a few moments of tense silence, Alex sighed and murmured, "Look, are we going to talk about the skinwalker Alpha and what we're going to do about her or not? Because Crowley made it clear he's interested, but I don't feel very inclined to hand over anything he wants."
"Her?" Dean was effectively distracted. "The Alpha's a her?"
"Statistically speaking, they couldn't all be men." Alex lifted the burger to her mouth and nibbled at it. "But yes. I saw her in the pictures she keeps sending out. I think she's unhappy with me, actually. I don't know how she can tell I'm resisting orders, but I can feel it in my bones. She doesn't like me much."
"Does it have anything to do with you being a hunter?" suggested Sam, and Alex shrugged.
"That, or because I don't want to bite people who like me." She suddenly sank her teeth into the burger and held it there, a growl rumbling in her throat. "I hate it," she mumbled around the burger. "Hunters hate me, skinwalkers hate me, angels hate me. I can count on one hand how many like me without having ulterior motives. Anyways, what are we going to do?"
"Gank her," said Sam immediately, cocking his head as if he was questioning why it was even a question. "Take away both problems; she won't bother us, Crowley can't get her."
"Easier said than done," Alex pointed out. "She's an Alpha, Sam. And you saw how well that went with the Alpha vampire."
"I think it's our best option," Dean admitted, frowning. "We're just gonna keep running into issues if we don't deal with her."
Alex nodded slowly to herself, deciding that Dean's decision settled it. They'd be going after the Alpha skinwalker. "I'm gonna need another drink," she muttered, and cocked a brow when Dean loudly declared she'd be doing no such thing. Once again, she wondered what the hell had happened.
Alex did her best to not feel insulted as she touched her nose to the floor, inhaling sharply. The familiar vest felt heavy and awkward - more so than usual, with what she knew to be countless other skinwalkers seeing her. Her fur felt hot when one dog across the street stopped dead to stare at her, eyes gleaming with mockery.
Dean noticed and cleared his throat, pointedly reaching for the gun filled with silver bullets at his hip, and the dog bared its teeth before darting away. They clearly recognized Sam and Dean as hunters; it did make Alex wonder why no skinwalker was coming after them. There were plenty of them. All it would take was a small pack, and they'd undoubtedly be overrun.
"Anything?" muttered Dean, awkwardly holding the leash connected to the collar hanging loosely from her neck. Alex grunted, not really giving a yes or no answer. She took off at a slow lope, nose working furiously to keep track of the scent. She'd found it quickly after they'd left the motel and had been following it around town. Dean and Sam jogged after her, both becoming quickly impatient the longer it took them.
Alex stopped dead, rather confused when they came to the edge of the motel parking lot. She looked up at Sam when he stopped beside her, eyebrows arched. "Err, Alex. This is where we started."
"So...it's been by our room then," muttered Dean, frowning. "Not creepy at all - Alex?"
She glared at the door to the room they'd been staying in, hackles raised. Her teeth bared, she growled viciously at the petite, teacup-sized canine that sat patiently and neatly in front of their door, looking on at them with smug pride. As if it had known what they'd been doing and waited there all along.
Sam caught on first. "Is that…?"
Alex gave a curt nod. The Chihuahua who'd been leaping at Dean's legs continuously. She was the Alpha, apparently. Alex wished she'd thought of that before she'd led them on a wild goose chase around town. Grumbling under her breath, she snarled warningly when the Chihuahua stood and blinked calmly at them, no longer yapping and snapping. She cocked her head - and promptly trotted off, heading for the side of the building. She paused to look back at them, clearly wanting them to follow.
"This could be a trap," muttered Dean as they followed reluctantly.
Alex shook her head; she heard and smelled no others waiting to attack them.
When they rounded the corner, the Chihuahua was standing there, waiting. She snorted once, and then began to change, her body rippling with ease into that of a human's. Alex debated doing the same, but didn't bother. The Alpha would know what she meant, she was sure, when she told her to kindly screw off.
Sam and Dean both cleared their throats at the sight of the naked woman standing before them. She was just as Alex remembered her from the images she'd seen; short enough to make Alex herself look tall, with long wavy dark hair and piercing brown eyes. Her smile was cold as she said, "Sam and Dean Winchester. A pleasure to meet you at last though it's not you I'm here to speak with."
"You're the Alpha bitch in town, right?" drawled Dean, and Alex rolled her eyes. Way to start a conversation. This woman was the Alpha of her kind, and he wanted to piss her off. Naturally.
The Alpha's eyes narrowed. "Yes," she said. "I'm the first skinwalker. And you'd do well to watch your tone, boy. I've heard the stories about you and your brother; you might be feared by most, but everyone has a weakness, and I'm sure with a little digging, it would take me less than twenty-four hours to find it, and less than forty-eight to eliminate it."
Dean glowered, and Alex shifted nervously when the Alpha's attention turned on her. Her eyes flashed. "Change," she commanded, and Alex hated the way her body responded immediately. She grimaced, not appreciating that she was naked. Awkwardly hugging her arms around her chest, Alex forced herself to meet the Alpha's eyes as she purred, "Alexandriana Montgomery. The pride and joy of the skinwalkers." Alex couldn't figure out if she meant that or if she was being just sarcastic. "I'm glad you found me. I've been wanting to speak with you. The skinwalker who thinks herself a hunter - who thinks she's above the orders of her kind's Alpha."
Alex's eyes flashed and she bared her teeth, but she chose to say nothing. So, the Alpha continued. "Do you not understand what this war is about? To possess Purgatory...to control who comes and goes from such a place...we could be the top dog in this world." She spread her arms before her, as if imploring her to consider such an idea. "And your bite above all...the Soldier's bite...we already have the boat tipped in our favor, Alex. You merely being one of my children gives us the advantage."
Alex clenched her jaw, eyes blazing, and uttered a deep growl. Dean stepped in, annoyed. "Wait just a goddamn second. What exactly is your plan? Get Purgatory...and then what?"
"Eliminate every person who is other, whether it be through death or conversion" she said simply. The Alpha grinned wolfishly at them. "Imagine that. There's no need for your kind if you're all like us and there's no vampires or werewolves or ghosts. How can there be ghosts if we all go to Purgatory? We have to be careful, of course. How we do this. Too many at once will rain hell upon us from the hunters. But it'll be oh, so worth it. Picture that, Alex - you'd never have to worry about being alone again. You don't now. Who needs hunters? Come with me. We can get rid of any of those who would seek revenge, and you'd be practically worshipped by our kind.
"I mean, look, really look at those you think to be your friends and family," laughed the Alpha, waving at Dean and Sam. "Have you ever really thought about why that one carries a silver knife at all times?" She pointed to Sam, who looked stunned. Alex stared at him with shock. Was that true? Even Dean was eyeing his brother with alarm. Sam shrugged, as if it didn't bother him. Alex supposed it didn't, being soulless and all.
"And don't get me started on the other one." She made a mild gesture to Dean, smirking. "All those names. All those times you've looked at him and thought about how he has everything you can never have."
Alex rumbled a low growl, faltering. She wasn't necessarily lying was the problem. These were all thoughts Alex had had. Excluding those about Sam, because she'd sincerely not realized he carried a silver knife as he did. But Dean...yes, she'd been incredibly envious. He'd had a girlfriend and a child to take care of. A family that didn't have to worry about death all the time, a family that didn't look at him and think about every way he could be useful to them, who didn't think about how he could ruin their lives with one wrong bite.
"Everything you could have." The Alpha's face softened. "You could have what you want, Alex. You wouldn't even have to fight in our war. Your mere presence siding with us would be enough. Every drop of blood, every ounce of you is enough for us. We don't care what you are, who you are, what you've done. Because we've been through it, too."
Alex bit her lip. She'd never go around biting people. Never subject them to Purgatory. But she wouldn't lie and say she wasn't tempted. Everything the Alpha was saying was realistic, achievable. And honestly…
When had Sam or Dean ever actually said that? When had they ever said that simple Alex was enough? Time and time again, they'd thought about how they could benefit from her abilities, how they could use her. What would it be like to be around someone who didn't think like that? Who simply looked at her and thought that they liked her because she was her?
"Tell you what. Think it over." The Alpha smiled warmly, though a cold glint remained in her gaze as she gave a shark-like smile to the silent, yet furious Dean. "Alright? Consider my offer, Alex. And if you choose to side with me, then I'm sure you'll be able to find me. Your nose really is sharper than most others'."
With that, her appearance twisted into that of a Chihuahua again. She shook herself off, and then took off. Alex watched her go in silence, her face unreadable. And when Dean rounded on her, already opening his mouth to speak, she copied the Alpha, sliding into a form that meant she wouldn't have to speak.
"Alex!" snapped Dean and she ignored him.
She just wanted to sleep.
Despite the tension broiling in the air - Dean was absolutely furious that she was even thinking about what the Alpha had said - Alex felt rather calm. She was outside, finding it easier to breathe and think when not trapped in a room with the Winchesters. Dean's rage was contagious - he'd been angry a lot, lately, actually - and Sam was...Sam. She couldn't bring herself to relax around him, especially since the knife reveal.
It scared her and hurt her more than she had initially thought. How could someone she'd hunted with for years even think about such a thing?
She felt horrible for even actually thinking about what the Alpha had said, because she knew it was wrong. A world of skinwalkers was a terrible idea and would hurt and kill so many people. She didn't want that. At the same time, Alex couldn't deny the benefits. The idea of actually finding a family who'd not think of her as a skinwalker first and Alex last…
They couldn't even trust her enough to tell her what they were keeping hidden after the night before.
Alex growled to herself, frustrated, and glanced at her phone when it vibrated. She'd texted Avery, confused and lost. Avery had responded immediately, pleased to hear from her, and her words helped to calm Alex's frustration. "As Bobby says. Family's supposed to piss you off, Alex. But you love them anyways. Why do you think I'm here every time you finally call?"
It settled her immensely and she took a shaken, deep breath. It didn't matter that Dean was pissing her off, that Sam was apparently plotting her murder at every twist and turn. Besides, all the names Dean uttered had lost their true bite long ago. Now, they were practically words of affection. They were her family, and she wouldn't turn her back on them just because the Alpha had uttered sweet words to coax her.
And everything regarding the Soldier? Well. She didn't know how that worked, but she'd ensure she somehow figured out how to use that power and tip the scales in the favor of the Winchesters. Forget Castiel, the Alpha, or Crowley. She wanted them to win.
There was just one thing she had to do to make her message clear.
Alex rocked to her feet, determined, and headed for the motel room. Dean and Sam were still awake. Well, Dean was. Sam didn't sleep apparently. She ignored the cranky look she was getting from Dean. It wasn't like it was anything new for her. He was always crabby. "I need my knife," she said by way of greeting, staring Dean dead in the eye. She knew he had it; she could feel it and had known it since she'd woken up hungover.
"Like hell you do." Dean rocked back in his chair, not happy at all with the demand. "What for?"
"Tell me what happened and I'll tell you." She flashed him a bright smile, all teeth, and Dean grimaced. He contemplated for a moment, trying to decide the pros and cons of actually informing her of why he couldn't seem to meet her eye today.
"You kissed him," Sam said suddenly, and the chair nearly tipped back entirely as Dean jolted, horrified. Alex's brows shot up and she stared at them with such horror that Sam cracked a small grin. "Told him he was cute and everything."
"I...wait, what?" She snapped her face to Dean, horrified. "I did no such thing. No way in bloody hell I did it." Her face burned a bright red when Dean cleared his throat and awkwardly rubbed the back of his head. There was a long moment of silence as Alex comprehended the truth: she really had kissed Dean Winchester in her drunken state. Shaking it off - now wasn't the time - Alex focused on the situation at hand. "I need my knife because it's mine and there's a bunch of crazies out there. I'm not planning anything. Glad you guys thought I was though."
Dean gave a very loud swear, throwing his brother a nasty look. But, distracted as he was, he clearly believed her, because he handed her the blade without further question. Alex grinned at him as she took it, lining the blade up on her arm. Mission accomplished. The first part of her plan had been put into action.
She just needed to get the Winchesters off guard, so she could put the next part to work. She knew for a fact that Dean was entirely suspicious of the fact that she might run off on them again. Which wasn't necessarily untrue. It was what she needed to do next. She needed to get the Alpha off guard, which meant leaving behind two clumsy human hunters who'd give her away. Alex admittedly felt a little guilty about that. It wasn't that she didn't trust them, because she did. Well, she trusted Dean at least. She'd not have said she trusted Sam as of late. But she certainly trusted the eldest of the two, and hated that she was fooling him now. But she needed them to trust her to do what she needed to do, and Dean was too much of a worrier to let her.
Which, she supposed, meant telling them.
Alex grimaced, realizing that maybe just running off wasn't the way to do it. They'd be caught in the crossfire if this plan worked, and it was more likely to succeed if they were in on it. So, Alex took a deep breath as Dean turned away and admitted, "No, no, I lied. I need the knife for a reason. I have a plan. To take out the Alpha and keep her from Crowley."
Dean shot her a wary, annoyed look; Sam looked keenly interested, which unnerved her. She didn't want Sam involved as he was, but there wasn't really a choice at the moment. So, Alex waved for them to settle in, and when they were, she started talking.
When she'd finished, Dean had the reaction she expected. "You're an idiot."
"Yeah, yeah, tell me something I don't know," rumbled Alex with a roll of her eyes. "It'll work though. I'm sure."
"Sam," began Dean, expecting his brother to back him up, but Sam was nodding slowly.
"It could work," Sam told her. "We'll need to get her away from any other skinwalker in town and make sure no others come after us though. There's no way to get that much silver, so we'll have to come up with something else."
"We trick her into ordering others to stay away?" suggested Alex.
Dean threw his hands up. "And how the hell do you suggest we do that? This is a bad idea. Plain and simple, Alex. A bad idea."
Alex huffed, glaring at him from piercing blue eyes. "No, it's not, you're just too concerned about it going wrong to consider it properly. We can't rely on Castiel to help. He'll turn tail the first second something in Heaven goes amiss. Bobby's in South Dakota, and I sure as bloody hell do not want Avery involved. You're both human. I won't risk you getting bitten. More so than I already am by being anywhere near you. This plan will work. Because I'm going to make sure it does. Now, are you going to help me, or am I going to be doing it alone?"
She let the challenge hang in the air, staring Dean down. Finally, he scowled at her. "Fine. Fine. Let's get the stuff we need. Then we'll talk about what we need to do to separate the Alpha from the others."
Alex's anger melted away, replaced with determination. "Right," she agreed. "let's go."
The path through the woods was quiet at night. Alex liked it. She'd always liked the solitude that came with night's darkness. She wasn't sure if it was the skinwalker in her, or if she'd liked it even before she'd become what she was, but it was comforting enough that she felt at ease, even as she carefully walked towards what could be a potentially volatile situation. Her nostrils flared as she breathed in deeply, seeking out the Alpha skinwalker.
She found her easily, though it was mostly because the Alpha had purposely left the trail for her. An obvious trail at that. She was perched naked on a fallen tree, her eyes reflecting the light of the moon. "Hello, Alex," the skinwalker Alpha greeted with a smirk, winding long hair around her fingers. "Do you have an answer for me?"
"I do," confirmed Alex, biting her lip. This had to go just right. "And I think...I think you're right. I'd like to stand with you rather than against you. I'm tired of not being able to trust the people I'm with. I've had to look over my shoulder every day since I became a skinwalker, even after joining up with Sam and Dean. I'm sick of it."
The Alpha's eyes gleamed with triumph. "I know," she said soothingly. "But you consider them family, do you not? So to honor the alliance you're forming with us, we'll ensure that they can stand beside you as fellow skinwalkers. So that when the time comes, they're with us and not against us. So that you'll never have to strike them down as so many have done to their own loved ones."
"The first thing that bitch'll want to do is get us out of the picture," Dean had said.
Just as expected.
"I'd like that," said Alex firmly, and it hurt a little to realize that she really believed that. She really did like the idea of them being on equal ground with her. But she'd never want them to have to deal with the ultimate end that was Purgatory. In order for that dream - that idea of her being like them and them like her - to become a reality...she'd have to miraculously become human, and that just wasn't possible.
"Do they know that you've left?" the Alpha asked.
"No," Alex said honestly. She'd been determined to be as cautious as possible. They weren't sure just how easily the Alpha skinwalker could determine that Alex was lying to her. So, she'd left unexpectedly early. The Winchesters would just have to catch up with their half of the plan. "I...they would have stopped me from leaving."
The Alpha nodded sympathetically. "Then they will be in the motel, yes?" Alex nodded again, and she looked pleased with the information. "I've considered long and hard what needs to be done in order to ensure that they're brought to our side, and I know how little you care for the idea of biting anyone." She slid from the fallen tree and sauntered over. She cupped Alex's cheek in her hand and smoothed her thumb over Alex's cheekbone, eyes glowing with delight over the fact that she'd acquired the Soldier. "So I've decided to do it myself. It's an honor, you know. I've not bitten anyone since I created my first few children. Sam and Dean will be honored among our kind."
Alex fought the urge to attempt to tear out her throat. The blade at her wrist practically screamed at her, its presence heavy on her arm. She oh, so badly wanted to slam it home in the Alpha's chest. But they needed to truly catch her off guard; they couldn't risk a hasty action and her getting away. "They'll like that. Dean especially. He always likes to be pampered."
The Alpha chuckled softly, as if amused by this. "He seems the type. Come, let's go to meet them. The others will have gathered them in the meeting place by now."
"She probably has eyes on us," Sam had commented during their planning process. "She'll know exactly when we leave and where we go. I'd be surprised if she doesn't know what we're going to do."
Alex bared her teeth, almost in a grin. The Alpha grinned back at her, thinking that the smile meant she was pleased with this revelation. In honesty, Alex was delighted to find out that things were going exactly as they'd hope they go. This Alpha was old. Older than any other skinwalker to have existed. But she was oblivious in her age and power to the lesser workings of the world, and she'd given that away when they'd last spoken. She relied on tricks and cleverness. Too many tricks blinded one to the obvious, however, and Alex fully intended to take advantage of that.
"I won't be able to strike if you're in danger," she'd said to Dean and Sam firmly. She'd downright refused to risk their lives. "I won't put you at risk. But the moment you're where we want you-"
"We strike and open up the window for you to finish her off," Sam had finished.
Dean had been entirely pleased by this - until Alex had reminded them to be cautious about any injuries or saliva. If a skinwalker left so much as a drop of saliva on their clothes - saliva that later touched an open injury - they'd be stuck in her situation, and no one wanted that. Well, Alex wished somewhere deep in the darker parts of her heart for it, but she'd never have allowed it.
No matter what the Alpha thought of her, Alex loved the Winchesters more than anything else - more than herself - and would ensure that their happiness and wellbeing came way before her own.
No matter what.
The Alpha was quick, and Alex was forced to jog to keep up with her. She guided Alex through the trees with ease until they came upon an old, abandoned building. Alex squinted at the building the Alpha had brought her to, highly suspicious of what was happening. There was only silence. The Alpha's nostrils flared as she inhaled sharply, confused. "Something is wrong…" She trailed off, and then suddenly growled low in her throat. "I see. You thought you could lie to me. I smell the blood of my children on the air. Gasoline and bleach, yes, but beneath it, the scent of blood. You thought you could fool me as you have? I'm insulted." She laughed, throwing her head back.
Bloody hell. She should have considered that the Alpha's nose might be a little stronger than her own. Alex withdrew a few steps, her fingers flexing as she readied herself to grab her blade. The Alpha was on her in an instant, however, snarling. Alex found herself retreating instinctively, swearing under her breath.
"You," breathed the Alpha, baring her teeth. "I was willing to welcome you, child, and you attempted to turn on me? I made you, yet you take the gift you've been given and attempt to turn on me?" She laughed again, voice rising to a shout. "How dare you! I am the Alpha of the skinwalkers, the oldest, the strongest, the proudest. And you will do as I say."
"And if things go wrong?" Dean had asked. "She's an Alpha, and you're a skinwalker, Alex. What the hell is your plan if she switches on us?"
Alex hadn't had an answer.
She still didn't.
Dean grumbled under his breath as he wiped his silver dagger on his pants, cleaning the blood away. He glanced over at his brother, checking to see what he was doing as he doused the skinwalker in gasoline, ready to light it aflame if need be. Alex had told them about several things that helped to mute her sense of smell, reluctant to do so yet understanding they needed the information if they were to trick the Alpha into an ambush.
"Alex should be here by now, shouldn't she?" Sam called, tossing the container he'd been using aside. "So where is she?"
"I don't know," muttered Dean, frowning. He looked to the door. It was an easily defensible building, one the Alpha had been using as some type of den. Several skinwalkers had been calling the place home, and Dean and Sam had carefully wiped out any that had once lived there. They'd made an agreement with Alex to let any of those who wished to run go, but none had, and Dean wasn't looking forward to telling Alex that. It would hurt her, to realize that skinwalkers like her were one in a million. Most liked doing what they did, and the Alpha's influence would be stronger here than anywhere else.
They stood there in silence, listening intently for any sign of Alex or the Alpha. There was only silence. As it stretched on, Dean grew more and more concerned. "Sam-"
"Yeah, they're taking too long." They should have been there by now, and Sam knew that as well as Dean did. "Should one of us…?"
"No, Alex has it handled. We need to be ready for the situation to be outside of the plan though." Dean was confident that their plan was no longer the way to go. Something had gone wrong, and they needed to be ready for whatever happened next-
Dean couldn't help the yelp that escaped him when something hit him from behind, slamming him harshly into the cement floor. He groaned, head aching where it had struck. Still, he didn't try to move, only curling his fingers tightly around the silver dagger that remained grasped tightly in his hand. Instinct had kept him from dropping it. Instinct and years of training.
He grimaced as a low, thunderous growl filled his ears. He recognized it at once. He'd have known it in his sleep after the years he'd spent hearing it. "You're heavy," he grunted up at Alex, who bared her teeth with an annoyed look. She wasn't happy about whatever was happening. He could tell immediately. Alarm suddenly flared in his chest, and he snapped his head up. "Sam-"
While Dean had been distracted, Sam had been attacked as well. Normally, a Chihuahua wouldn't have been so alarming to see, snarling at them with bared teeth and lifted hackles. Dean might have even laughed.
The pair of massive canines that stood on either side of it, however, were another story. Both were heavy set dogs, with wrinkled faces and powerful jaws. A dangerous growl thundered in their chests, and even Sam, who didn't feel anything on a normal day, looked concerned when one took a threatening step towards them.
The Alpha's form melted into that of the woman they'd met. Her hands came to rest delicately on each of the dogs' backs, and they stilled beneath her touch, waiting. Her eyes burned with fury as she seethed, "You thought to trick me? You'll have to try harder than that. I am the Alpha, the first skinwalker. My blood truly runs through all skinwalker veins, and they do as their Alpha commands. I was going to take you as my own children - a small gift, for the alliance of the Soldier. But since you three have decided otherwise…" She waved her hand, and the dogs snarled. Alex braced herself on Dean's back, her muscles trembling. "I will have the Winchesters killed and the Soldier put in chains."
Dean wanted to hand the bitch off to Crowley. Almost. If it wouldn't have benefitted Crowley, he would have most certainly done it, just to piss her off. "Alex," he muttered, "get off. Now."
She didn't budge, and he briefly wondered if she was capable of hearing him at that moment. None of them knew all that much about the Alphas. For all they knew, they could exact direct control over their children. This one seemed capable of such feats. But then, most things that went bump in the night weren't like Alex. They tended to prefer the violence and gore. They would have happily went along with this Alpha's plan.
As if to prove his point, Alex's weight seemed to lessen as she leaned back slightly, taking some of her weight off of Dean. Gathering her muscles in her haunches, preparing to-
Sam hurled a knife, and the Alpha screeched in fury when it struck home. The dog to her left collapsed, and the other lurched for Sam. He reeled back to avoid the massive, snapping jaws and the Alpha stalked after him.
Attention diverted, Alex sprang. The Alpha's scream hurt Dean's ears as he rolled to his feet, ready to back Alex up as he watched her tear at the Alpha's throat. Her jaws had latched around it, and Dean was taken aback by the viciousness with which she attempted to tear it out. When she didn't achieve the damage she wanted, her form rippled, and she slammed the Alpha to the ground, pinning her as the Alpha tried to gather her wits. Within an instant, Alex's knife had appeared in her hand.
Dean stared when she slammed that blade right through the center of the Alpha's skull.
The Alpha collapsed, dead, and Alex bared her teeth as she yanked her knife free and hissed, "I decide who deserves my allegiance, and it's not someone who cares so little for the fate of those like us. I've already decided where it lies. It's not with skinwalkers, or vampires, or werewolves. It's not with angels or demons either." She looked akin to some kind of war goddess in that moment, blood smearing her skin and chin high. And then she snapped her gaze to the canine attacking Sam.
The other skinwalker froze mid-lunge, and Sam breathed heavily as it retreated uncertainly. Finally, it decided that the attack wasn't worth it and with a yelp, whipped around and fled. Alex watched it go with a scowl, her knife spinning in her fingers. In one smooth movement, she lined the blade along her arm, face like stone.
Dean had a good guess as to where her allegiance was, and it wasn't with the Winchesters either. It wasn't with them, or Bobby, or even Avery.
Her allegiance was to herself, and he suspected it was because of that allegiance that every monster under the sun wanted Alex Montgomery to side with them.
"They're all gone," reported Alex as she rounded the side of the building, her bag in tow. She'd gone to fetch it while Dean and Sam packed up their own things, followed by a warning of what would be done if she tried to run again. She'd promised to check into the number of skinwalkers during her walk in addition to grabbing her things.
Dean slammed the trunk of the Impala shut with a loud bang, relieved to be leaving the town the Alpha had stolen for herself. He tried to not think of the small twinges of pain in his shoulders and back. Alex really had been heavy when she'd knocked him to the ground. "Good," he said. "Means we won't have to worry about the people here." He really had been worried about that; there were a lot of children here that had been targeted and that was the last thing children needed.
Alex murmured her agreement and pried open the rear door, throwing her bag in. Sam muttered a curt greeting, already in the passenger seat. Alex glowered weakly at him, too tired to care all that much. She'd been intending to sleep anyways. Grumbling, she asked, "Ready to go, Winchester?"
Dean grunted his agreement, striding for the driver's side door. He paused before climbing in, however, glancing at Alex closely. She looked exhausted, and still seemed a little wary, as if she was worried she'd turn around and bite them, the craving too heavy to enjoy. Guessing that to be her problem, he questioned, "Still feel like chowing down?"
"No, thank the bloody heavens for that." She smiled briefly, her eyes lighting with relief. That light was gone quite quickly. "I just don't want to know what Crowley will try to do when he hears about this."
Maybe not the chowing down thing then. "He won't be able to do anything," Dean answered.
Alex searched his gaze, hearing the silent promise in his words. He'd ensure that Crowley didn't lay a finger on her. She appreciated the silent gesture of companionship, and was grateful that they'd hunted her down like one of their usual targets. "I know," she answered, and he offered a brief grin. He'd understood her silent message, hidden behind two simple words. She trusted him. Even to protect her from his own brother, who she'd confessed to have a small fear of upon hearing that Sam carried a silver knife on him.
She swung into the backseat with that, and Dean took a moment to try and clear his head, frustrated with a single thought that wouldn't leave - a thought that had no business lingering in his mind: the taste of his favorite whiskey on Alex's lips, accompanied by the feeling of what might have been home.
Not only an update at last but a KISS. I was so excited for this. It's not the one we quite want, but one nonetheless. ;) More to come soon (hopefully)!
Thanks to reviewers (emily2696, Savage Kill, Mo, savethemadscientist, WickedlyMinx, linor456789, and winchexter!) as well as those who favorited and followed! You're truly appreciated!