Chapter 6: Have a Drink on Me

Sam settled deeper into his chair, glaring at the glass of water in front of him as he played with his silverware. Adam, barely two years younger than his half-brother, knew what was going through the taller man's mind. This would be the first major clan meeting since Sam took over the Demon Hunters from their adopted uncle, Bobby Singer. The gruff biker had adopted the pups when their father died in a stupid fight in a biker bar against three alphas twice his size. Sam hadn't known about his younger brother before that day, just a week after he turned twelve, but they had been close ever since.

"You're not too young," Adam murmured, his pale eyes watching the door as he reached for a sip of his drink. "First off, you're bigger than any other alpha you've ever met, and everything I've heard about this Castiel Novak character indicates that he is a fair and decent man. He wasn't any older than you when he took over his segment of the Hells Angels clan, and he's kept his territory running well for years. He's not going to judge you for your age."

"If you say so," Sam murmured uncertainly. He had agreed to an equal number of attendees for this meeting, five alphas besides himself and one omega to balance out Castiel's older brother. By all accounts, Gabriel Novak acted like an alpha in his clan, attending every meeting and making decisions in running the family business. Sam had been warned by Bobby and Rufus not to underestimate Gabriel despite his size and subgender, so he had brought Gadreel to even the odds, hoping that a tall, alpha-sized omega would counteract a brash, alpha-acting one.

Adam, Gadreel's brother Christian, Rufus, Garth, and Kevin rounded out the group, all of them sitting at the main table or one nearby as they waited for their hosts to arrive. Garth was the most unassuming of their group, very tall and gangly with a smile for anyone who needed it and a wealth of knowledge about anything biker related. He only rode with the gang part time, living with his mate and young pup in Sioux Falls near Bobby as the old man trained him to be the scholar of the clan.

Kevin, though much smaller, looked the part of a biker alpha much more, his features stoic as he casually played with a small knife on the table in front of him. His mother was a strong woman, having raised the boy when his father died at the hands of a gang in Chinatown, and she had hoped that moving to the middle of the country would protect her pup from the same kind of fate. It had worked somewhat, since Kevin managed to graduate high school and college with flying colors, but his knowledge of modern and ancient languages made him invaluable to the antiquities firm that the pack ran as a side business, and he had been riding with them for almost a year now. His mother had taken his new hobby in stride, joining him when he got his first tattoos and mothering even the oldest and grumpiest of their members.

Christian and Rufus were older members of the gang, Rufus nearing retirement with his old friend Bobby and Christian trying to juggle riding across the country with his mate's growing desire for a permanent home and family. Christian was a reasonably dominant alpha ten years older than Sam, so bowing to a young leader had been difficult for him. The position of Head Alpha tended to be inherited within a family line, so Bobby appointing his adopted son was completely accepted by most members. Sam and Christian had come to blows for the first month, but eventually the older alpha bowed to his cousin's authority. Rufus, who had probably never smiled a day in his life, had quickly accepted Sam, though he kept the boy on his toes with his sarcastic, borderline asshole personality.

Sam looked up as the door opened and a dark-haired man with a strong jaw entered, clad in a soft gray suit with a lavender tie, riding jacket slung casually over one arm. His hair wasn't mussed in the least from his motorcycle helmet, a single cross tattooed on the back of his hand. He looked too proper to be a biker, but his calculating eyes were sharp, taking in every detail of the scene before he reached up and tapped his ear, murmuring something into a hidden mic. The move was obviously telegraphed; he didn't need to touch his earpiece to speak, but he wanted the other bikers to know that he was reporting back to his leader. He moved to sit at one of the side tables across from Christian, though he never took his eyes off of Sam and Adam. This, then, was an alpha to be reckoned with, despite his civilized exterior.

The second alpha to enter the diner was bulkier than the first, his pale blue eyes surrounded by laugh lines and a bayou-looking hat settled on his head. He looked a bit more like a traditional biker with a scruffy beard and tattoos along his exposed forearms and peeking out from the collar of his shirt, but there was a casual ease about the way he moved that made him seem friendlier somehow. He glanced at the first man and nodded, taking a seat at a different table, greeting old Rufus cordially who actually grunted something that sounded nice.

The next two walked in together, both of them older and clearly very comfortable with each other. One was tall and lean with long, barely-controlled blonde hair, and his companion had darker hair neatly combed back with a salt-and-pepper beard that hinted at his age. Their faces were lined, from age and from the sun, and Sam decided that they must be two of the elders of this gang, putting them in their early fifties. They both looked like they could and would still fight, each taking a seat at the side tables with the rest of Sam's gang.

The next man to enter was leaner than the rest, visibly the most similar to Garth, with curled blonde hair and bright blue eyes, possibly a family trait considering how many of the Hells Angels sported that color. He wore a low-cut shirt under his leather jacket, tattoos covering his chest and arms, knives in sheaths tucked in his belt and what looked like a pair of handcuffs in his back pocket. Weird. He looked over his shoulder and ushered in his leader, the head alpha of the Midwest Hells Angels.

Sam had only ever seen blurry images and small group photos of Castiel, so he was not prepared for the intensity of those vibrant sapphire eyes, nor for the confidence that the other alpha exuded with every stride. It was said that Castiel could have any omega he wanted, and with that messy raven hair and those eyes, Sam could well believe the rumors. He could tell that the older alpha was built, easily a match for him physically even if he had a few inches on the guy. Sam hoped that their meeting went well, because he was not interested in tangling with that alpha.

Close on Castiel's heels, more eager than his brother to enter the diner and the promise of food, Gabriel couldn't have been more different. Though he dressed in traditional alpha colors, his sweet scent screamed omega, and his brilliant eyes were a dark imitation of true omega gold. He sported a couple days' worth of beard, even as his brother did, and he wore his blond hair down to his shoulders, allowing it to keep a slight wave. He walked as if he were as tall as the alphas in his clan, though he was only five-eight at best, and Sam caught his breath as the omega met his eyes across the room.

Gabriel wouldn't say he actively disliked clan meetings, but he did have plenty of better things to do. He didn't entirely trust his brother to take care of himself at these things, though, so he always made sure he was included, regardless of some clans' feelings about omegas. Today, though, as he met the green-hazel eyes of possibly the most gorgeous alpha he had ever seen, Gabe did not regret his choice. The man, though he couldn't even be in his twenties yet, was taller than Cas, with brunet hair that was a bit too long for someone who frequently wore a helmet and the clean face of a man who was too young yet to reliably grow facial hair. Cas reached out his hand in greeting as all of the bikers stood respectfully, and Gabe finally caught a taste of the alpha's scent.

Gabriel felt himself whine softly, all eyes turning to him as he strode to the tall alpha and leaned close enough to get a good lungful of sandalwood and . . . wood smoke? He ignored the faint terror in the biker's hazel eyes as he took a second sniff, his own gardenia and cherry blossom aroma sweetening with the very recognizable cloying scent of omega arousal.

"Dammit, Gabe," Cas growled, reaching out and grabbing his brother's neck to force him into a chair. Thankfully, the omega fell into the one beside this tantalizing alpha, Cas squeezing sharply in warning before taking his own seat. "Can you keep it in your pants for two seconds? This is not the proper way to greet the alpha of another clan."

The sandy-haired, blue-eyed alpha sitting beside his leader chuckled, reaching out a hand in greeting when it became apparent that his brother was still somewhat in shock from Gabriel's scenting. Cas had forgotten how young these alphas were, eighteen and sixteen based on his reports, though they seemed to have the loyalty of their clan and Bobby certainly must trust them if he was willing to retire and turn the day-to-day operations over to them. "Well, gotta' say I've never enjoyed Sam's scent as much as your brother clearly does. He always smells like burnt wood to me."

"Sandalwood," Gabe breathed, placing his hands on the table in front of him, palms down, as if he needed to physically restrain himself from jumping into Sam's lap. Perhaps he did. "And a campfire built from sweet wood. It makes me think of home."

"We had gardenia bushes in our front yard when I was little," the alpha replied haltingly, letting his hazel eyes meet shining gold as he twisted his hands together. "My older brother would pick them for me when I was sick or when I was sad about our mother's death. One time, I got the flu before the gardenias were blooming, so he went across town to the cherry trees in front of the capital building and cut a branch of tiny pink blooms to cheer me up. Those are my favorite flowers in the world. How can you smell like that?"

"I always have," Gabe replied softly. "Your brother was sweet to steal those flowers for you." Somehow, he wasn't surprised that he smelled like flowers that reminded Sam of home; Gabe believed in true mates even if his baby brother didn't.

Sam nodded sadly, his long hair falling over his eyes before he pushed it back. "He loved me, and I loved him. He basically raised me after my mother died. My dad . . . my dad sold him when it became obvious he would present as an omega. He was only twelve."

Castiel jerked at that, somehow keeping the shock from leaking into his scent as he leaned forward and cleared his throat. He saw Balthazar exchange a look with Benny across the diner, Ketch rubbing the tattoo on his hand in a gesture that indicated his discomfort. Twelve years old? Dean was twelve when he was sold . . . but he never mentioned two brothers. "Where are you from, Sam Winchester?"

The alpha waved one hand around haphazardly. "Here. I'm from Lawrence. Adam was born in Windom, Minnesota, but his dam died when he was very young. Bobby raised him, and he took me in when our mutual sire died."

"Bobby Singer? The former leader of the Demon Hunters?"

Sam nodded, already relaxing in the other head alpha's presence. Despite his rough handling of his omega brother, this blue-eyed man seemed nice, and the situation earlier seemed like a normal sibling interaction. "I asked him to train me to take over. I always wanted . . . heh, this is getting pretty personal for a clan meeting, but I almost had your brother in my lap a minute ago so I feel like I can say this. My brother was sold to a biker, and I always wanted to find him, to save him. He took care of me when we were pups and as an alpha sibling I have the right to buy him back from his . . . owner."

"What if he doesn't want to leave?" Trust Benny to ask that question, his deep voice flowing with a uniquely Cajun southern drawl.

Sam snorted. "If you had met that alpha, you wouldn't ask. He was slimy . . . cruel. I can't imagine that he treated a twelve-year-old omega very well."

Cas was silent for a long, long moment as he tried to decide what to say. When he finally spoke, he knew that these negotiations were going to take a very different turn. "Sam Winchester, we asked you here to propose an alliance against the Devil's Blood gang run by Azazel Prince. We recently drove them out of Lawrence and have taken up residence here in the last week in an effort to preserve our border. Before my older brother tried to crawl into your lap and before you told us about your older brother, that was my only intention today." A waitress approached the group to ask for their drink orders, pausing the conversation for a moment.

"You said that was your intention," Adam continued cautiously after she left, playing with the laminated menu in front of him. "What changed?"

"I will tell you, but I would like an answer first. Bobby Singer was an honorable alpha, a good leader for your clan. My brothers and I have never had an issue at the border with your clan, and we have always considered you friends. Do you feel the same?"

Sam glanced at Adam before making eye contact with his other alphas. "If Bobby trusted you, I trust you. I have no interest in Azazel taking any more cities than he already has."

Cas nodded and glanced over at his brother, stormy blue eyes meeting dark whiskey gold. "You should tell him, Cassie," Gabe murmured. "He deserves to know."

"Tell me what?"

The Hells Angel biker glanced up at his Demon Hunter counterpart, sensing all of his alphas on high alert at the motion. They knew what was coming. "Sam Winchester, when I met with the leader of the Devil's Blood gang, there was an altercation and one of his alphas touched Gabe inappropriately. In recompense for the assault, Azazel signed over ownership of a young omega to me. His name is Dean."

"What?!" Sam surged to his feet, his brother and clan members following a moment later. Cas stayed calmly seated, as did Gabe, but his other alphas stood to face off against the Demon Hunters, making it clear that they would not allow anyone to approach their leader. "You have Dean? You have my brother?"

Cas raised his hand, silently asking his counterpart to calm down. Nostrils flaring, Sam slowly returned to his seat, the ring of alpha red fading from his eyes as he touched his brother's arm. Once all of the bikers were seated, Cas laced his fingers together on the table in front of him and nodded. Sam hadn't mentioned his brother's name, but Cas had guessed that he would react strongly if he heard it. "I believe that the Dean we rescued is the same omega that you are describing. If so, then you were eight or so when he was taken, correct?"

"Yeah, I was eight. Dad wanted to wait until my scent started to come in, to make sure that I wasn't going to be an omega, before selling Dean off. I never forgave him for that."

"Do you remember his scent?"

Sam nodded slowly, nodding gratefully at the waitress as she brought his water. "Yeah, really well. He smelled like fresh apple pie; he used to cook that for me, or steal it when we didn't have the money for the ingredients. Sometimes, as he got older, I would catch a hint of vanilla."

Cas bit his lip and lowered his eyes. "The Dean you are describing and the young man that I liberated from Azazel Prince are the same. He is your brother . . . but I cannot let you see him."

Sam visibly stopped himself from another outburst, his eyes flaring red for a moment before fading back to hazel. Adam, one hand on his brother's arm, was not able to banish the red as quickly but he kept himself still. "Why not?"

"He has only been with us for a few days, and we still have very little idea what happened to him over the last decade. He suffered greatly under Azazel's control and I would prefer that he be more stable and confident before introducing you."

"Introducing me? I'm his brother."

"A brother he hasn't seen in ten years," Benny pointed out from his seat beside Gadreel, the tall omega nodding in reluctant agreement. "You don't look like you did when he last saw you, and at eight your scent had barely begun to blossom. He won't recognize you, cher, but introducing a new person into his life right now could cause him a great deal of stress. He's not emotionally stable right now, and we want him to heal. We care about him."

"He's one of us," Gabe added softly, "even if he was your brother first. I've only known him for a few days, but I already consider him one of my baby brothers."

Cas sighed and dropped his head in resignation. "We have been through this, Gabe. You cannot call me and Alfie 'baby', nor can you add that appellation to Dean. I am, however, glad that you care for him. I do, as well."

"He's my brother, Castiel. I want to see him."

Ketch cleared his throat, rubbing his tattoo absently. "Boss, I think that we should allow him to see his brother, albeit from a distance, confirm for himself that Dean is healthy. We should, however, hold off on any actual meeting until Dean is better, until he asks you about Sam."

"He will ask, too," Balthazar added. "When he is comfortable with us and when he is sure that Cas will not torture him the way Azazel did, he will want to know about his family."

"I'll give you your alliance, Castiel, if you let me see my brother, if you promise that I will be able to speak with him in the near future."

The older alpha reached out his hand and smiled as Sam took it. "Deal."

Balthazar glanced at his phone and read Anna's text, reaching over and tapping Cas's shoulder. The raven-haired alpha glanced up from the remains of his lunch, one eyebrow raised. "She says that they are finished at the museum and are heading to that park Dean likes."

Sam smiled. "He likes parks?"

"He likes being outdoors," Gabe explained. "He likes flowers. I guess that hasn't changed from when you were children. And he likes playing with the pups."

"Does he have any pups?" Gadreel, apparently one of Sam's cousins and the only Demon Hunter omega present, leaned forward see around Benny, his table mate polishing off his fries.

Cas shook his head. "No, he doesn't, but he wants them. I think it's best if he answers your questions about that when he meets you officially."

"I also want pups," Gabriel added, grinning as Sam blushed. "I'm hoping for twins."

"You aren't even mated yet," Balthazar groaned, the image of Gabriel chasing after two half-grown pups flitting through his mind. "I couldn't imagine you with kids. You eat nothing but candy and you wouldn't know what exercise was if it bit you in the ass."

"I eat other things," Gabriel argued, polishing off the huge slice of chocolate cake he had ordered for dessert. "And I'm in great shape."

"A salad's not going to kill you, though," Sam replied, eyeing the omega's dessert warily. "I don't think you had a single green thing on your plate today."

Gabe smiled and reached out, running his fingers along the back of Sam's hand gently before resting them carefully on the alpha's forearm. "If you want me to eat greens, you're going to have to feed them to me yourself."

"Be careful, brother, it's a trap," Benny warned. "That one is a handful."

Sam turned his hand over and grabbed Gabe's, pulling the omega's wrist to his nose for a quick sniff. "He might be worth it."

Balthazar snorted. "He can ride with you to the park, then. He's the worst backseat driver I've ever had on my bike, and he likes to sing along with the music. He's not terrible, but he is loud."

Sam nodded at Benny's table-mate, the tall omega with the pale blue eyes. "Gadreel usually rides with me. If I take Gabriel, who will take him?"

Benny smiled and reached up to touch the brim of his hat, lowering it slightly in an imitation of a bow. Cas had never figured out how he wore the thing under his helmet, but he rarely saw the alpha with a bare head. "Your cousin would be most welcome on my bike. He seems to be a bit less excitable than Gabe, and I would appreciate the change of pace."

Gadreel tilted his head and leaned forward, taking a gentle sniff and smiling at Benny's scent, one that always reminded Castiel of a sun-warmed sea breeze. "It is acceptable."

The groups paid for their food, filing out the door like some leather-clad pack of wolves, covered in tattoos and watching each other somewhat warily. Castiel's group reached their bikes first, Gadreel following Benny as Gabriel abandoned his brother in favor of the taller, younger alpha. Sam blushed as he pulled on his helmet and zipped up his leather jacket, the emblem of the Demon Hunters proudly displayed on his back. Gabriel hopped up behind him on the bike and snuggled up against his back, wrapping his arms around Sam's waist as he rested his chin on the alpha's spine. Castiel shook his head at his brother's antics, secretly happy to see the omega interested in someone for the first time since his tryst with Kali. And this alpha was a male, Gabriel's expressed preference, even though the boy was barely an adult and clearly unsure of how to handle a randy omega.

Benny was faring better with his charge, checking that Gadreel was settled in before pulling on his helmet and starting his engine. Balthazar walked his bike into position beside Castiel's as the head alpha revved his engine and prepared to head out. He met Sam's eyes across the parking lot, and the younger alpha bowed his head in deference, admitting Castiel's dominance over him both due to his age and the Hells Angels ownership of this territory. Nodding, the raven-haired alpha turned his sapphire gaze toward the road that would lead him back to Dean and headed out, a dozen bikes roaring out behind him.

Sam had been riding on motorcycles for most of his life, his dad pawning him off to Bobby frequently after selling Dean. He rarely had passengers other than his cousin, and Gadreel was nearly his height and didn't cuddle up to him the way Gabriel was doing. Also, he didn't rest his head between the alpha's shoulder blades or tuck a very prominent erection against his ass. Sam had never taken the time to date anyone, having devoted the last ten years of his life to finding his brother, so he was understandably flustered by the handsy omega, his sweet, flowery scent, and his own reaction to that lure. Sam's alpha was nearly howling for this older man, and he couldn't bring himself to push Gabe away or ask him not to dry hump him on the drive from the diner to the park where the Hells Angels omegas were relaxing. Part of him wanted to pull over onto the side of the road and take Gabriel right there, the rest of the bikers be damned, but a stronger part, if only barely, needed to see his brother, to know that Dean was alive and well.

Castiel pulled into a small parking lot off the main road, turning off his bike and kicking the stand into place. His alphas followed him, filling each parking space with three bikes and removing their helmets. Benny helped Gadreel down, even though the tall omega did not need any assistance, and Sam found himself wondering about the gentle way Cas's guard was treating his cousin. Gabe's arms tightened around Sam's waist as the young alpha pulled into a spot and hopped off, taking a moment to calm his hormones before turning to help Gabriel. The older omega grinned wryly as he adjusted his dark jeans, not even bothering to pretend that he wasn't still hard from the ride over.

"You're pretty forward, Gabriel."

"You're welcome to be a little more forward yourself, Sammykins," Gabe replied cheekily, linking his arm with the alpha's. "I'm going to sit with you and your alphas at the picnic tables and Cas will go speak with Dean. He doesn't want to risk destabilizing the boy's fragile mental state, but he thinks you deserve to see him. You have to promise that you won't run off to speak with him; Dean is under Cassie's protection and he would react poorly if you rushed him."

Sam recognized the warning for what it was, nodding gratefully as he followed the omega over to the picnic tables. They were turned sideways toward the play area where a dozen pups were running around, a few teens and at least two adult omegas keeping an eye on them. The rest of the Demon Hunters settled uncomfortably on the hard wooden benches, Sam's relatives looking around for a glimpse of the oldest Winchester pup.

Benny had taken up position on the other side of the playground, Gadreel leaning against a tree beside him as the two got lost in conversation. Balthazar stood near them, though far enough away that he didn't have to hear what the tall omega was saying to the biker he saw as a brother. Ishim and Akobel had taken up posts on the two sides of the playground, leaving Ketch to watch over Sam's clan and guard Gabriel.

Dean looked up as soon as he caught Cas's scent, smiling in that slightly unsure way he had. "Hey, Cas. How was your meeting?" He could usually manage longer sentences if he kept his voice low, thought it meant that he had to stand closer to the alpha to be heard.

"It was more productive than I thought it would be," the alpha replied, settling onto the long bench beside the omega. Charlie sat on the other side, her mate half-curled in her arms as they talked about something they had seen at the museum. "What about yours?"

"I liked the skeletons." Dean glanced over toward the picnic tables on the other side of the pup play area, frowning at the tall, brown-haired man sitting next to Gabriel who was watching them with intense hazel eyes. "Who is that?"

"He's the leader of one of the other biker gangs in the area," Cas replied smoothly. "Gabe has a bit of a crush on him, and he thought the guy should see our pack, see that we treat our omegas well and don't mean him any harm. We want an alliance with them against the Devil's Blood gang so they will never again dare to cross our borders."

"An alliance is good," Dean murmured, tucking himself slightly behind Cas as the alpha kept staring so intensely. "He's watching us weird."

Benny heard the words and nodded toward Balthazar, who raised his hand to his neck and tapped the side once, a signal to Ketch that the meeting was over. The Brit smiled politely as he leaned close to Sam and offered to show him a hotel nearby where his clan could stay for a while, a very clear command in his tone. Nodding shakily, Sam waved a hand toward his clan, leading them away from the picnic tables and the brief glimpse he had gotten of his older brother. Gabe moved to follow the alpha, growling sharply as Ketch grabbed his arm and pulled him back, handing him off to Benny as his fellow guard led Gadreel back to his family. Ketch led the Demon Hunters away, Gabe whining in Benny's tight grip as he was prevented from spending more time with this tall alpha who had intrigued him so.

"Keep it in your pants, half-pint," Benny growled softly. "We just wanted to let him see his brother so we can keep talking to him about an alliance. If you jump him, you may ruin all of Cas's hard work."

"I haven't had sex in months . . . you could at least let me have a little fun."

"Nah, not gonna' happen, cher. Sorry."

Cas watched Benny pull Gabe away from Sam, narrowing his eyes as he reached over to tap Charlie's shoulder. "Double the guard on my room tonight, and have a talk with Alfie about keeping Gabriel in his own bed. I have a feeling that my brother will not easily accept a forced separation from his new crush."

Charlie nodded. "Got it, boss."

Samandriel pulled on his pajamas, something silky and incredibly colorful from an omega boutique in Chicago. He slipped into bed and purred softly as Gabriel joined him, bright eyes watching his brother carefully. "Cas told me to make sure you stay put tonight."

His older brother snorted from his cocoon of blankets on the other side of the bed. "Yeah, I figured he would do something like that. He ruins all my fun."

"If it was up to me, I'd let you fuck the boy, but this alliance is important to him, even more now that he knows about Sam and Dean."

Gabe sighed and burrowed deeper into his blankets. "I know, and I don't want to cause any trouble, really. But damn that Sam is hot."

Alfie shrugged. "If you say so. I'll try to catch a glimpse of him next time the gangs meet." He hadn't gone to the meeting that afternoon, but he had to admit that he was somewhat curious about the members of this other biker gang. He would try to find time to see them within the next few days.