Hey, guys! Sorry for the late update, but life's been kicking my butt and I've been trying to take it easy lately. Anyway, I don't know how I feel about this chapter. I feel like I could've done better but it's late as hell and I'm too tired to care.
John has the pack ready and mobilised within twenty minutes. He allows Ash and Jo to come, this time, since of all the wolves in the pack they have two of the best noses despite their youth and inexperience. The group chosen to go is small; only John, Bobby, Sam, Dean, Charlie, Jo, Ash, and Jody are coming, with the others staying behind in case Metatron's pack tries anything.
Chuck is also coming along. Sam, when he'd called him to let him know the plan, hadn't even tried to dissuade him. They'd both agreed on keeping Castiel out of it. He knows what's going on, but he's not leaving the house; Chuck talked to Cas' parents, who'd basically put their son under house arrest until they hear from John that everything's okay.
Half an hour after John gets the call, they're on the freeway that leads out of town. The exit that'll take them to the forest, a registered camping spot that's popular with tourists in the warmer months, is a good few miles ahead, and it'll take them a little while to get there. Sam, so far, has focused most of his attention on other things, like loading and packing his rifle and ensuring that his mate's best friend won't sneak out to come help and accidentally get himself killed.
Now, with nothing to do but anxiously bounce his leg and silently will the car to go faster, Sam reaches out once more to Gabriel. His presence has been a comforting one in the back of Sam's mind since he woke up, but they haven't really "talked" much since that first conversation.
Gabe, are you okay? he asks, but there's no answer. Confused, Sam tries again. Gabriel?
Still no reply, and Sam starts to worry. He probes at his Bond, frowning when he encounters a mental block. Gabriel must have put it there, but why?
"Dad," Sam says quietly. John glances at him briefly and hums inquisitively. "Gabriel's blocking me."
The already quiet car goes completely silent.
"Hold on," John orders. Sam barely has time to grab onto the dashboard before they all lurch backwards, pressed into their seats by the sudden speed of the car. He ignores how his shoulder slams into the window whenever John swerves around another car and instead focuses on picking apart Gabriel's block.
It's a lot better than the first one he'd tried, so long ago in that little hospital room. Whereas that one was more of a picket fence, this block is a concrete wall reinforced with razor wire. It's solid and sturdy and Sam knows it'll take a lot of time and concentration to break it down, neither of which he can afford right now.
Still, something seems… off about the wall. Every so often a stray thought or feeling will drift through to Sam, almost as if Gabriel's not really trying to block his thoughts. And yet, there's a huge, hulking mass of willpower preventing Sam from getting a decent read on his mate. A thought occurs to him.
"Dad, can you put up a mental block without trying?" he asks. John doesn't take his eyes off the road (he's currently swerving around one car and in between two others, so Sam's incredibly glad about that) but he frowns thoughtfully.
"I'm not sure," he says, voice the slightest bit strained. "It sounds like it could be possible, but I've never heard of anyone doing it."
"I have," Jody says from the back, voice uncharacteristically subdued. Sam turns to look at her, almost falling out of his seat as the car suddenly swerves, and notes the way her mouth is set in a tight line and her knuckles are white where they're gripping the back of his seat. She looks up at him, her brown eyes dull with pain. "My mate did it once, right before he died," she says, and Sam exhales sharply.
Dean reaches out to grab one of her hands and squeeze it tight, while Sam faces forward again and closes his eyes.
"This is our exit," John says, and with that insufficient warning he jerks the wheel and spins into the turn, cutting off three cars and narrowly avoiding a collision with a motorbike. Once they get off the freeway, they find themselves speeding down a two-lane road through a quickly thickening forest.
Once they're deep enough, John slows down and carefully turns off the main road, following some barely-beaten path until they reach a clearing far away enough from the road that they can no longer hear cars.
They pile out of the car and immediately head for the trunk, where John's stored all their weapons underneath a false bottom. Jody quickly arms herself with her pistol and a machete, which she straps to her hip.
"Anyone been in contact with the others?" she asks as she checks the pistol's magazine.
"Charlie just texted," Dean replies. "They got left behind when Dad sped up but they'll be here soon."
"What now?" Sam asks. He's practically vibrating in place with the need to phase and start searching. The only reason he's still human is because he's too focused on breaking down Gabriel's mental block.
John narrows his eyes and looks back the way they came, then off into the woods. "We need to wait for the others. Dean, how long until they arrive?"
Dean fishes out his phone and taps the screen a few times. "She said they're pulling off the road now, so they'll be here in five."
"Okay, go ahead and phase. You, too, Sam, but don't go anywhere until I say so." He levels his son with a stern glare, only letting up when Sam nods. Chuck's car skids to a stop in the clearing a few minutes later, with several new scratches on the sides and tiny dents in the bumper. Sam, Dean, and John have already phased and are all pacing around impatiently, though they stop and stand at canine attention when the others arrive.
Chuck is the first one out, already armed to the teeth with knives and guns. Sam hasn't seen him since the last time he'd come over to the pack mansion, and he's surprised at how different he looks. Chuck's kind eyes are hard and steely and his usual jeans and t-shirt have been replaced with cargo pants and combat boots. Sam remembers, suddenly, that Chuck is a hunter, and likely has been since before he was even born.
Jo, Ash, and Charlie strip and phase as soon as the car door opens, while Bobby grabs his gear from the trunk.
"Alright," he says, taking charge since John can't talk. "Ash and Jo, you'll each lead a team of three in different directions to find Gabriel, Svadilfari, or the cabin. Chuck, Jody, and I are going to head back to the road and see if we can't find another path that'll lead to a campgrounds or something."
"Everyone good?" Jody asks. A cacophony of yips answers her. "Alright, then head out. And don't come back until you find our packmate!"
Ash lets out an excited bark and immediately rushes off into the trees. Charlie and Sam follow him, leaving Jo, Dean, and John to search in the other direction. Despite the urgency of the situation, Ash has to slow down in order to scent properly, though until he actually finds something they're basically just running around blind.
Sam and Charlie fan out to either side of him, all three of them hunting for a scent or a sound, anything to give them an idea of where Gabe could be. Sam lets his wolf take over the tracking, focusing his human mind on knocking down the mental block in his mind. It seems like it'll be easy to dismantle, but no matter how much he pushes and prods, it won't come undone.
His frustration grows the longer they look, running aimlessly around the forest without finding a lead. Charlie trots up to him and noses at his shoulder reassuringly, and he snarls at her until she backs off, tail and ears down and belly low to the ground in submission. He feels a little bad but can't be bothered to apologise, not when his skin is still crawling from where she touched him. As agitated as he is, only Gabriel's touch can calm him down; anyone else will just make it worse.
A few yards ahead, Ash barks sharply and Sam dashes to his side, Charlie hot on his heels. Ash noses around a faint paw print pressed into a small patch of soft ground. The scent is very, very faint, washed away by the wind and the pine scent surrounding them, but after a few moments Sam picks up a very familiar smell.
Gabriel's been here.
Sam growls low in his throat, but stop abruptly when he feels the mental wall suddenly fall away.
Sam! Gabriel calls, his voice filled with fear and pain, and Sam growls again.
Gabriel! Are you okay? Why were you blocking me? What's happening?
Sam, shut up for a second, Gabriel says sternly. I'm in the forest outside of Svadilfari's cabin.
You escaped? Sam says, shocked.
Your faith in me is astounding, Gabriel says dryly. But could you hurry up and find me? Svadilfari's chasing me and the morphine he gave me is wearing off, so I don't think I'll be able to run for much longer.
Sam pushes at the Bond and flinches when he feels Gabriel's exhaustion and pain. He also learns that Gabriel's in his wolf form, which gives him an idea. Standing up straight from where he was crouched by the pawprint, Sam draws in a deep breath, throws his head back, and howls, as loud and for as long as he can.
The entire forest is silent after he finishes; not even a breeze stirs the trees. A few seconds pass and Sam's about to explain to Gabriel what the howl was for when another howl splits the air. The voice is one he's never heard before, and yet it's just as familiar to him as Gabriel's human voice.
Sam listens intently, trying to pinpoint where his mate is judging by the sound, and as soon as he has a general idea he's off. Charlie follows close behind him while Ash pauses to let loose a howl of his own. The answer comes in a voice that's unmistakably Jo's, which means that the other three wolves are on their way.
Gabriel howls again and Sam veers left, heading towards the sound. The two groups of wolves meet up soon, and Sam hears them before he sees them. He catches a glimpse of Jo's blonde pelt streaking to his left, and flashes of John's black pelt are clearly visible running up ahead of him.
Gabriel? Sam calls.
He left, Gabriel replies. He sounds totally exhausted, but from what Sam can tell, he's still running. I think he freaked out when he heard that I wasn't alone.
Really? That's great! Where are you?
I honestly have no idea, I'm just running towards where I heard you guys last.
Okay, just follow my voice, Sam says, slowing down to a trot and then stopping completely. The rest of his packmates stop with him, pacing around him and growling with anxiety. Sam ignores them and tips his head back, letting out a loud, long howl.
When he runs out of breath, he simply pauses for a moment and then begins again. Charlie is the first to join him, then Dean, and soon all six of them are howling and barking madly. Sam feels Gabriel's excitement through the Bond when he hears them and can tell that he's getting closer, but he's still entirely unprepared for the small golden-brown wolf that bursts from the bushes and tackles him to the ground a few minutes later.
Sam's howl cuts off abruptly and turns into an excited whine. He pulls himself up and pushes Gabriel off of him, tail wagging like crazy and excited whimpers spilling from his throat. Gabriel barks happily and pushes his face into Sam's neck, practically vibrating with the force of his happiness.
The other wolves give them only a few moments to themselves before swarming them, tripping over themselves in their haste to greet Gabriel. Ash and Jo pounce on him much as he'd just done to Sam, John nips his shoulder affectionately, and Dean and Charlie both press themselves against his sides.
Gabriel, for his part, endures the attention for only a few moments before bounding back to Sam and pressing up against him with a deep sigh of contentment. Sam's ears twitch when a low rumble crawls its way up his throat.
Gabe, are you purring? he teases. Gabriel growls playfully and reaches up to bat him on the nose with one large paw.
I'm not purring, I'm rumbling, Gabriel says self-importantly. He pulls back just enough to look Sam in the eyes, and the latter takes a moment to admire his mate's wolf.
Gabriel's smaller than Sam but still larger than regular wolves, with the same overlarge paws and ears that all teenage Greys have. His coat is mostly a uniform golden colour, a little darker on his back and shoulders and lightening to an almost blond on his underbelly. In the awkward teenage phase that Sam and most of the pack is going through, he's more adorable than handsome, but Sam can tell that he's going to grow up to be very majestic.
John woofs softly to get everyone's attention, then turns and begins padding away into the underbrush. Ash, Jo, and Charlie immediately follow, but Dean lingers a bit so that he and Sam can sandwich Gabriel between them as they walk. Sam, and especially Sam's wolf, feel a rush of gratitude towards his brother, as Gabriel's walking like he's going to pass out at any moment.
Gabriel? Sam says. What's wrong? And don't give me some smartass answer, I want specifics.
Gabriel growls, the sound weak and exhausted. I'm just tired, he says. And everything hurts, and I think I might actually throw up soon. Did Raphael ever find that cure?
I'm not sure, Sam says worriedly, nudging Gabriel's shoulder with his own. The brief touch helps relieve a little of the stress carried in both of their shoulders. I hope so, otherwise we might need to have a talk with him about time management.
The joke draws an amused huff from Gabriel, not as much as Sam was hoping for but better than nothing given the circumstances. John sets a fast pace back towards where the cars are parked. Their desperate run through the forest to find Gabriel had put a lot of distance between them and their human packmates, and it takes them a good half an hour of walking to get back.
Gabriel looks about dead on his feet by the time the greenery of the forest is broken by black rubber and metallic paint. Sam can tell that he's blocking his pain at least a little bit, and while he can understand the reasoning he'd much rather suffer alongside his mate.
John phases back first and changes quickly into the clothes Bobby hands him. Jody passes out shirts and pants to the others, while Chuck immediately rushes to his son.
"Gabriel!" he says, discarding his gun so he can wrap his arms around Gabe's neck. Gabriel looks up at the sound of his father's voice, though his ears are still dropping and his tail only gives a single tired wag. "Jesus, you're enormous!" Chuck laughs, pressing his forehead against Gabriel's.
"Sam," John says, drawing Sam's attention to his father. "I need you to phase back. I have Raphael on the phone and he says he's figured out how to help Gabriel."
Sam looks over at his brother, who has his phone pressed against his ear and is nodding every few seconds, completely unconcerned with his nudity. He looks up and meets Sam's eyes, circling one finger through the air to tell him to hurry up.
John hands Sam something to change into once he's human again, and Sam barely stands still long enough to pull his legs into the sweatpants before he dashes to Dean and holds his hand out for the phone. Dean hands it over without protest, watching with worried eyes as Sam bites his lip anxiously.
"Raphael?" he says by way of greeting.
"He needs blood," the doctor says, straightforward as ever. "Your blood, specifically. Have him bite you like you'll do during the Blood Rites."
"And that'll cure him?" Sam asks.
"You'll probably have to do it every day for a few months until the foreign human blood cells in his body have died," Raphael replies. "It may take less time but it might take more, I'm not sure."
"It doesn't say in the medical record you found?"
There's a long pause. Sam looks anxiously at his mate as he waits for Raphael to say something; Gabriel is lying down with his head resting in Chuck's lap, not even twitching when Dean kneels next to him and gives Chuck a worried look.
"The record—Zachariah had it, by the way, I found it in his office—is from farther back than I thought," Raphael finally says. "The patient was admitted to the hospital a few decades ago. His name was Gavril but he refused to give a last name. The head neurosurgeon was a Grey and had a lot of sway, so the hospital administration let it slide."
"What happened?" Sam asks.
"Gavril was there for a few days before his mate found him. It took a few days of drinking her blood until he woke up, but within two weeks he was well enough to be discharged."
Sam is quiet for a moment as he absorbs this. "Okay," he says at last. "Thank you, Raphael, for everything. I owe you big time."
"No, you don't, Sam," Raphael says, sounding oddly hesitant. "That's what pack is for, right?" Before Sam can respond, he hangs up. Sam pulls the phone away from his ear and looks at it in shock for a second, then pockets it and heads to his father.
John is trying to get his packmates to give Gabriel some space. Sam knows it must be going against every tactile Grey wolf instinct he has, but he's grateful all the same.
"Dad," he calls. "I know how to cure Gabriel, but I can't do it here and I can't do it while he's a wolf."
"Do you think he'll be able to phase on his own?" John asks. He sighs when Sam shakes his head. "I'll help him, though it'll probably be painful." Sam winces but makes no other sign that he heard that last part.
"Also, what are we going to do about Svadilfari? He's still loose and he still needs to be taken care of."
John hums thoughtfully and looks at the Greys anxiously milling around the clearing. He spots Bobby and motions him over.
"Sam, go keep Gabriel company and see if you can get any information about Svadilfari out of him," John instructs. Sam obeys, leaving just as Bobby walks over to them. He sits next to Chuck and places a hand on Gabriel's head, scratching him lightly behind the ears.
Gabriel?
Hi, Sammy, is the soft response he gets. I heard what you and your dad were talking about.
Okay?
Svadilfari's rabid, Gabriel says, and Sam's mouth drops open in shock.
Are you sure?
Completely. He was foaming at the mouth and looked twitchy as hell.
"Sam?" Dean says, frowning in concern at his brother. "What is it?"
"Svadilfari's rabid," Sam says quietly, but everyone in the clearing hears him anyway. All the wolves go silent and still, staring at Sam or each other in shock. The birds, alarmed by the sudden hush, quiet down, too, but after a few moments their songs fill the air again, sounding unnaturally loud in the suddenly tense air.
"You're positive?" Bobby demands.
"Gabriel is, and I trust him," Sam replies. "If he says that Svadilfari's rabid, then he's rabid."
Bobby curses and takes his hat off to run a hand through his hair. He looks at John, and the two of them share a long, meaningful look. Eventually John sighs harshly.
"Alright, here's the plan," he says loudly, though no one's spoken since the revelation about Svadilfari. "Sam, Chuck, and Jo, you three will take Gabriel home and find Raphael. Charlie and Ash, guard the road in case Svadilfari tries to make a run for it."
"What are you gonna do?" Dean asks.
"We," John replies, indicating himself, Dean, Bobby, and Jody, "are going to hunt down Svadilfari. The four of us should be able to handle him."
Sam growls at that, his lips pulling up to expose his blunt human teeth. "Svadilfari should be my fight," he protests. "It's my mate he took."
"I know, Sam, but your mate needs you to be with him right now," John says sternly. "If we can, we'll bring Svadilfari back alive, but our first priority is to prevent him from doing this again. Got it?"
Sam scowls and looks away. "Got it."
"Good. Alright, everyone, get phased and get going. Dean and Jody, you'll take the west side of the forest. Bobby, give me a minute here and then we'll take the east."
The clearing erupts into action as people start shucking clothes and shoes, not even bothering to put them back into the car. Within moments, a handful of wolves are streaking away through the underbrush in all different directions, leaving Chuck, Sam, Jo, Gabriel and John alone. Jo respectfully wanders a few meters away to give them privacy.
"Now what?" Chuck asks quietly. John crouches down in front of him, placing a hand on his shoulder and offering a tight smile.
"Now we get you guys out of here and back home," he says. "Sam, could you get me one of the blankets from the trunk?"
When Sam returns with the biggest, warmest blanket he could find, it's to find John helping Chuck pull himself from underneath Gabriel's considerable weight. Gabriel's eyes are completely shut and he doesn't react at all, and Sam bites his lip, hard. He carefully arranges the blanket around his mate, taking the time to run a hand gently between Gabriel's ears in an attempt to comfort them both.
John focuses his attention on Gabriel as soon as Sam steps back, and soon the still air is thick and hot. Sam easily shakes off the few tendrils of power trying to cling to him, refusing to take his eyes off of Gabriel for even a second. He winces in sympathy when Gabriel's eyes snap open and he lets out a loud, pained whine as he begins phasing. A moment later, a very exhausted and very naked Gabriel slips back into unconsciousness.
Sam immediately rushes forward and pulls him off the ground, wrapping him up in the blanket so that the only thing visible is his face and then lifting him easily. He releases a careful breath and doesn't look at anyone else as he begins walking to Chuck's car. Chuck is opening the back door for him before he's even at the car, for which Sam is grateful. He murmurs a quiet thank you and somehow manages to settle himself in the car with Gabriel curled up in his lap, all without hitting any body parts against the doorframe.
Jo emerges from the woods and gets into the passenger seat, turning around briefly to flash Sam a reassuring smile.
"Get home safe," John tells them through Chuck's window. "But get home fast. That phase couldn't have done him any favours."
Sam tightens his hold on his mate.
"We will," Chuck says determinedly. "Thank you."
John nods and backs away as the hunter twists the key in the ignition and pulls onto the path that'll take them back to the main road. Sam doesn't watch as the trees crawl by, gaining speed the thinner they get. He doesn't take his eyes off of Gabriel as they merge onto the highway, almost crashing into another car in their haste.
He keeps his eyes firmly on his mate, watching the shallow rise and fall of his chest and willing him to hold on.