"A werewolf?"
Dean dove for the duffle bag at the foot of the bed that contained most of his hunter's arsenal, including a silver dagger. He grabbed the knife out of the bag and spun into a crouch facing the intruder.
Only to find his view blocked by a frowning angel.
"Dean," Castiel said, and Dean could have sworn he heard disappointment in his voice. This was confirmed by the angel's next words. "Don't be rude. Derek is our guest."
Dean snorted in disbelief as Sam watched the exchange with eyes as wide as saucers. "Cas, man, you know we're hunters, right? And we hunt things that are supernatural. Werewolf is just about as unnatural as things get."
"For the last time Dean, he is not a werewolf," Cas said impatiently. "He is a loup garou."
The being in question turned incredulous eyes on the angel. It looked like this was brand new information for him too.
"Oh!" Sam said from where he was now seated in front of the laptop. "I think I remember reading about those. I didn't think much of the legend because I'd always assumed that loup garou and werewolves were the same but if Cas means what I think he means, then things are making a lot more sense."
Sam looked up to see not one but two pairs of 'quit being a smug smartass and just tell me what's going on in plain English' looks. Dean and the werew-, Derek, he corrected mentally. Dean and Derek wore almost identical looks and Sam coughed and ducked his head to hide his smile.
"Legend has it, that when Lucifer first created the monsters that we know as werewolves and vampires there was an angel who sought to give humans a fair advantage against the supernatural," Sam started, typing furiously at his laptop. "He, along with some other likeminded angels, created the Nephilim – the offspring of angels and righteous humans. These hybrids looked and behaved like humans but aged slower, moved faster and were much stronger than average humans. They were supposed to stand guard against Lucifer's monstrosities and protect God's creations. The angels couldn't do it, maybe because they weren't given the order to, maybe because they just didn't care. I don't know.
"But this angel also created the divine counterparts to his monsters: the loup garou, a shapeshifter who not only takes on the shape of a wolf but also the behaviour and lifestyle of one, and worships the moon as part of its change. The draugr were members of the dead who were reanimated and needed to drink blood to survive, but they were all people who had sworn to protect while they were living and were able to continue to do their jobs long after they died. They also drank animal blood, although sometimes people would reward the draugr with some of their own blood as a thank-you for saving them. The list goes on and on; for every bad thing Lucifer created, the angel made its counterpart. Over the centuries though, the original story has been lost and the two terms have become synonymous with the evil guys."
Sam spun the laptop around to face Dean and Derek, who were staring at him open mouthed as he told the legend and Dean took a sharp breath as he read the information on the computer screen. Cas showed no reaction to the story or the web page he had brought up, confirming Sam's suspicions that the angel knew who it was that had created the Nephilim and the others.
Dean seemed to recover his voice first as Derek processed what had to be new information about his heritage.
"So, what? Are you telling me Gabriel is the one responsible for creating a hybrid holy army against Lucifer?" he asked incredulously. "Of course he is, what am I saying. The vampires probably sparkle in the daylight and you probably can't keep your shirt on to save your life." He turned and said the last bit pointedly at Derek.
Sam raised his eyebrows and began to ask about his brother's movie choices, when Castiel interrupted.
"It is true that Gabriel is the one who created the Nephilim, along with the loup garou and draugr, it was his last act as an archangel before he disappeared," the angel said solemnly. "Coincidentally, by infusing humans with angelic Grace to create the Nephilim, he created a way for angels to inhabit human vessels without damaging the human or endangering the angel. This allowed him to select a human to permanently inhabit during his 'angel protection program.'" The air quotes looked strange on Castiel as he mimicked his brother's gesture. "I'm sure he would tell you that was quite an accident," he finished dryly.
Sam gaped at the angel. "So all vessels are directly descended from the Nephilim? So that would mean…"
"Yes Sam," Castiel cut in. "Both you and Dean, your whole family in fact, are descendants of the Nephilim. Most Hunter families are, like your mother and the rest of the Campbells. They may not know why, but many of them are suited for the job of dispatching evil. Because that was what they were created for."
"But wouldn't the, I don't know, blood or gene that carries the Nephilim traits have died out by now? It's been centuries," Sam asked.
"Angelic Grace isn't something that fades over time. Diluted yes, but the trait is still as strong as it was when Gabriel first made the Nephilim," Cas said. "Same with his other creations. Derek and his family have lived peacefully alongside humans for centuries and most have never harmed a soul."
"Most, but not all. They're still monsters Cas," Dean said angrily. "They still harm humans and it's our job to kill anything that does."
At Dean's outburst, Derek snarled as his fangs came out and his eyes turned electric blue against the threat. "My family has never harmed an innocent, and neither have I. We were the victims the day a Hunter decided to burn my entire family alive in our home. I have never hurt anybody, but I promise you I will make an exception when I find her."
Castiel stepped in front of Derek as Dean made to raise his gun. "Dean," he said. "There are some who do go rogue, just as some humans commit atrocious crimes against others. Would you consider the whole of humanity to be evil based on a few bad people? Just as not all humans are good, not all 'monsters' as you call them, are bad."
Dean lowered his gun grudgingly. "Fine," he grumbled. "But I don't like it."
The loup garou snorted. "Me neither, but like it or not, you need my help. And I need answers."