A/N: Wow... Almost 2 months. Don't worry, I haven't abandoned the story, however, I have been trying to find a stopping point. I haven't lost interest in the story per se, but I've been busy with other stuff that I've kinda been putting it off. So, there will be this chapter, then an epilogue. Most of you were probably wondering what would future plans be, concerning the Betas and Hunters, they will be last mentioned in the epilogue.
For now, this chapter mostly contains fluff. So will the epilogue.
I hope you enjoy the chapter.
Chapter 10:
Silence followed suite for a long time after the Beta's confession.
Gabriel seemed to be in a state of vapor lock, as if he couldn't comphrehend the words.
"I'm sorry...? Come again?" He finally spoke in a light demanding voice.
Anna adverted her gaze elsewhere. "He forced me to. He was preparing the pack for the future generation."
Gabriel remained silent, unsure how to react to the news.
"I know... He broke the law, which means I have too, but... Please don't kill me for it, I-"
"Kill you? What on earth makes you think I'd do that. This was not your fault." Gabriel finally spoke up.
"But... The baby-"
"Will be welcomed in the pack as our own. Unless... you have no interest in it...?" Gabriel asked.
"No! I mean, yes, I mean... I'd like to keep it." Anna said.
Gabriel nodded, "Then that's all that matters. We'll talk more on this later. Go get some rest."
Anna nodded, before finally leaving their presence.
"That's just cruel." Sam suddenly spoke up.
"What?" Gabriel focused on him in confusion.
"What they did to her." He said, suddenly feeling the similar anger Gabriel must have felt earlier.
Gabriel sighed, "Calm down, Sam. You stopped me from going after them, don't make me change my mind."
Sam immediately tried to calm his anger.
"Now. Let's go check on our brothers." Gabriel said, trying to change the subject.
Sam nodded, following the Alpha to the house.
Gabriel had only made it to the doorway before he suddenly stopped.
"What is it?" Sam asked as they peeked through the slightly open door.
A smile spread across his face at the image before him.
Castiel and Dean were both asleep, in the same bed, both keeping close to each other.
"It would seem, that Castiel is well taken care of." Gabriel smiled lightly. "How about, we turn in as well?"
Sam nodded, returning his focus onto the other Alpha.
They left the house, leaving the other two to their peaceful rest.
When Castiel first awoke, he was warm, and an all too familiar scent filled his nose.
He opened his eyes to find Dean sleeping next to him, his head buried against his chest.
He looked so peaceful, all Castiel could do was smile.
Carefully and cautiously, he brushed his hand up Dean's side, stopping at the side of his neck, caressing his mark.
Dean hummed in his sleep, but didn't awake. Yet.
While he was taking in the feel of his mate, he also surveyed the bandages on his own neck and stomach.
His body was slightly sore, but he could feel most of the wounds healing nearly completely.
After a few minutes, Dean stirred.
The first thing he noticed, was that he was nuzzled into Castiel's chest, which he didn't recall doing.
The next thing he n oticed was a hand caressing his neck.
Suddenly remembering all the injuries, he pulled away as if he'd been stung. "Oh. My god. I'm sorry."
Castiel's hand fisted into his hair, stopping him short, bringing him back down, "It's fine, Dean. I'm fine."
With that, he closed the distance between them, pressing a chaste kiss against the Omega's lips.
When he didn't reply, Castiel tried again, putting a little more feeling into the kiss.
Finally, Dean seemed to snap out of his hazy state, replying to the kiss with intense need.
The kiss was deep, but gentle at the same time.
Dean cautiously ran his hand up Castiel's side, avoiding the bandaging.
Castiel attempted to move closer to the Omega, but didn't get far without gasping at the sudden sharp pain.
Dean immediately pulled away, looking into the Alpha's eyes worriedly.
"You okay, Cas?" He asked.
"Yeah. Just a little sore. I'm going to need to get up soon, or the pain will never leave." Castiel said.
"Yeah, ok. But not right now." Dean said, holding him back down as the Alpha tried to move.
Castiel focused on Dean again, "Whenever did you become so caring?"
A smile spread across Dean's face, "I think I always have been. Even if I haven't shown it."
Castiel returned the smile with his own.
"... I love you, Castiel." Dean finally couldn't hold the words back any longer.
The smile faded from the Alpha's lips, a look of surprise and bewilderment taking its place.
His eyes filled with so much emotion in that short time.
He pulled the Omega back down, until their foreheads rested against one another.
"You don't know how long I've waited to hear those words. Because I love you too." Castiel answered.
Dean smiled against him, but was mixed with a tremble and a formation of tears that formed without his permission.
"Dean?" Castiel pulled away, suddenly worried about the Omega's sudden change.
"God damn it, Cas. If you've been waiting this long, why didn't you tell me before you took the risk of getting yourself killed?" Dean said, his chest suddenly tightening as the vision of that night came into mind. The black wolf laying helplessly on the ground.
Castiel let out a breath, feeling sudden guilt at the Omega's words.
"I'm sorry, Dean." He managed, even though he knew he owed a lot more than just an apology.
"Don't leave me, Cas. Ever. I won't be able to take it." Dean pleaded, burying his nose into the Alpha's neck.
Only to him, could he ever let himself feel vulnerable. Knowing he'd be safe nonetheless.
Castiel took in a sharp breath, feeling his mate's torn emotions, "I will never leave you. I promise."
He ran his hand through Dean's hair comfortingly, trying to encourage him to lighten up.
However, Dean only pulled away when he heard the door behind them open.
He turned to it alertedly, eyes focused on the newcomer.
Naomi, another Beta.
Dean couldn't hold back the growl that escaped him.
Naomi glared at him, "You have no right to growl at me. In fact, you shouldn't be in here."
"Naomi." Castiel spoke up, moving slightly to focus on her, "You will not talk to my mate with such disrespect."
Dean inwardly smiled, his chest fluttering at the way his Alpha spoke for him.
Naomi stared at him, bewildered, but quickly covered it with a smile, "Of course. But, with all due respect, Dean, you're going to have to move so I can better examine Castiel's wounds."
Dean didn't want to do that either, however, Castiel reached out to his tense shoulder, which easily dropped his guard.
With the silent assurance, Dean reluctantly moved off of the bed, allowing Naomi room to tend to Castiel.
Now that he was up, he noticed that the bandages on his stomach and neck were lightly red, where blood had shown itself from the inside, and Dean wondered if he was still bleeding.
Naomi ran her hand down the length of the bandage on his stomach, testing to see if Castiel would react to it.
He did, only wincing lightly.
"This is going to need to be changed. Dean, can you bring more bandages please?" Naomi asked without turning to him.
Dean complied, shuffling around to find the tape.
While he did so, Naomi carefully removed the bloodied bandages from Castiel's body.
When Dean had finally returned with the fresh bandages, he got a clear view of the Alpha's injuries.
The bites down his chest and stomach had healed enough that the bleeding had stopped, but it still looked bad.
Soon enough, the wounds were covered with white patches.
His sights trailed up to Castiel's neck, where Michael had bitten.
It was only then that he realized that he had bitten the side that Dean had marked himself.
Michael's bite wasn't a Mark, but the scar there made Dean's mark barely visible.
Naomi was about to cover that part too, which broke Dean from his trance.
"Don't." He managed simply.
Naomi glanced up at the Omega, a mix of confusion and irritation formed in one.
"Don't cover that one." He expanded his words.
Naomi opened her mouth, nearly ready to refuse the request, but closed it soon after.
Castiel had calmly and quietly told her that it was fine.
Naomi stood up, now finished bandaging the rest of him.
"You better not open any of those wounds." She said, before leaving.
It was silent for a while, Dean glaring at the door.
"It's fine, Dean. She won't be back for a while." Castiel's voice almost immediately made him relax.
"So. How bad is it?" Castiel brought him out of his thoughts again.
Dean finally focused on the Alpha's eyes, occasionally glancing at his neck.
He slowly reunited with his Alpha again, carefully leaning over him.
"Does the bite ruin the mark?" Dean asked, unsure how those things worked.
He just knew he couldn't see his mark past the injury.
"No. It's permanent. It'll always be there." Castiel answered.
After another few minutes of silence, the Alpha reached up to caress the side of Dean's neck, taking his focus off of the injury, and back to him.
"It'll heal." He said assuringly.
Dean nodded slightly, before carefully laying back down, keeping close to him.
He managed to rest his face into the crook of Castiel's neck.
He nuzzled it lightly, feeling the heat radiating from it.
The smell of dried blood hit his nose, and a light growl escaped his throat.
Dean didn't care if he was an Omega or not. If anyone tried to hurt Castiel again, he'd kill them.
His tongue carefully ran across one of the marks that the bite had made, cleaning some of the blood as he did so.
Castiel gasped in reply, but it wasn't of pain. In fact, he slightly bared his neck, giving him more room.
This encouraged Dean to continue, lips and tongue roaming the area.
He might not be able to heal him, but he felt satisfied to get most of the wound cleaned.
Castiel was breathless above him when he finally finished, Dean's lips slowly trailing up to his chin, then up until their lips met.
He couldn't get enough. Seeing his Alpha near death seemingly brought them closer than any other normal mating bond.
"Good morning little bro." Gabriel suddenly sounded into the room
Dean jumped up alertedly, surprised he hadn't even heard the other Alpha come in.
"Mmmm. You seem to be getting better." Gabriel said, not looking the least bit apologetic for ruining the moment.
"What do you want, Gabriel?" Castiel finally asked, managing to sit up a little.
Gabriel gave him a look, "The last time I saw you, you were bleeding out and unresponsive. Am I not allowed to come visit?"
Castiel's eyes lowered, silently apologizing.
"Anywho. I just came in to say we're going on a hunt. Coming?" Gabriel asked, switching his attention to Dean.
"I can." Castiel spoke first.
Gabriel gave Castiel an annoyed glance, "I wasn't asking you. You're not going."
"Yeah. I'll be right out." Dean spoke up before either could said anything else.
"Alright then. We're leaving in five." Gabriel said, giving his brother an assuring glance, before leaving.
When they were alone once again, Dean sighed, "Well. That's one way to wake up in the morning."
"You should go hunt. You haven't anything proper for a week now." Castiel said, managing to sit up more, his back now fully rested on the head of the bed.
"Neither have you." Dean countered.
"I'm an Alpha, Dean-"
"Yeah, y'know, if you're going to one day make me Alpha, that quote of yours won't work anymore. Besides, I don't even have to be one to know that you're lying. Whatever we bring back, I'm bringing you about half of it." Dean said.
Castiel didn't reply or try to prove his point. He just smiled.
"Now. I'm going to go before he barges in here again." Dean continued, but as soon as he made it off the bed, Castiel grabbed his arm, pulling him back down, capturing lips in a long parting gift.
When they finally pulled away, Dean wasn't sure he wanted to leave again.
"I'll be back soon." He finally managed, pressing a light kiss to the Alpha's forehead, before leaving the room.
He was greeted by a bright sun, forested surroundings, and a few pack members, all gathered and ready for a hunt.
It felt different being surrounded by all the familiar and unfamiliar faces of the pack again.
Dean finally went to go join Sam, who welcome his company happily.
"So. How's Cas?"
"He's fine. His wounds are pretty much starting to heal up." Dean said.
"- You ready Dean?" Gabriel sounded beside him.
The Alpha was making his way to the front, all the other assisting wolves awaiting order.
Dean took one last glance at the Pack house, then back at Sam, then to Gabriel, "Yeah."
A/N: So, everything is pretty much a smooth ride from here. Once again, I'm sorry I couldn't try to extend it. I came up with some ideas, but couldn't fill the in-between, plus it would have probably made this story with a lot more chapters, and the fact that I haven't updated like I should...
I think we'd just like an epilogue, right?
Everything will still be explained there. It won't just be like everything was forgotten.
Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter!