Chapter 8: Defended
Balthazar sighed gratefully into the silence of his mind as he finally spotted the huge Spellbound castle on the horizon. The trip had only taken five hours, but he had taken a half-hour break at the watch post to eat a quick meal and rest his wings. He had never flown for so long; he was glad that he had been able to do it, but he was beyond ready to return to the ground. He knew that the clearing where he had taken off was just within sight of the palace, spotting it a moment later among the dark smudge of the winter pines. Balthazar folded his iridescent white wings and dove for the ground, flaring them at the last minute to halt his speed.
Balthazar folded his wings away and sniffed the ground, finding the path he took that morning and trotting off toward the palace. He knew from the position of the sun overhead that he had at least an hour before weapons' practice, so he kept a steady pace until he reached the end of the trees. Crowley had promised that a guard would be waiting there to accompany him back to the palace, so Balthazar raised his head as soon as he emerged into the brilliant sunlight, searching for his escort.
He spotted the guard almost immediately, shifting forms and grabbing his supply bag as the taller man approached. Balthazar recognized him as the dark-haired alpha who was often standing outside Crowley's study in the mornings when he visited. He searched his memories for the frowning man's name, finally remembering it as the alpha stopped in front of him.
"Gerald. Are you my escort?" Balthazar tried to ignore that shiver of unease that he always felt when he was around the alpha, not having the slightest idea why the man worried him. He knew that Gerald had once served Abaddon but had been loyal to Crowley for decades, even fighting by his side in the most recent Celestial skirmish.
"Yeah. Go ahead and get dressed and we'll head back."
Balthazar nodded and turned toward his bag, a sudden icy shock shooting down his spine. He sensed the alpha move closer before he could respond to that sudden terror, the cold bite of a metal collar snapping around his neck.
The omega jumped back, facing the taller alpha as he raised one hand to run along the collar, fear blossoming in his pale blue eyes. He had never seen a control collar before, but he knew what it was for. Once the collar was locked in place, the wearer couldn't shift into wolf form, and they were often etched with runes that would prevent pack and bond communications.
Gerald's eyes had darkened with hatred, a sinister malevolence coloring his scent. He grabbed Balthazar's arm and threw him against the nearest tree, grinning as the omega yelped in pain. "You stupid little pup. You thought we would allow some arrogant little Celestial to mate our Head Alpha? I've been watching you with him over the past few days, and it makes me sick. Crowley sent me here to escort you back to the castle, but I promise that you will never see it again." He lunged for the omega, but Balthazar had been anticipating the attack and dodged away a moment before the alpha grabbed for him.
The Celestial took a second to consider his options, trying to ignore the terror clawing at him. He hadn't practiced fighting in human form much, and rarely without weapons, but he knew that running wasn't an option unless he could incapacitate the larger alpha. Gerald lunged at him again, Balthazar just barely dodging his fist as he ducked and managed to land a punch of his own. He twisted away, eyes flying to the supply bag as he tried to remember if there was a knife in there somewhere. With no other options, Balthazar dove for the bag, gasping as a kick to his side threw him to the ground.
"I thought about poisoning you," Gerald growled, kicking Balthazar as he tried to rise. "Then I heard about this mission Crowley gave you, and I realized that this is better. He'll think you ran away, and he'll never suspect a thing."
"You're wrong," Balthazar growled defiantly, one hand scrabbling at the ground for a weapon as Gerald grabbed the edge of the collar and pulled him up. "He'll know what you did. He'll kill you, you backstabbing bastard."
Gerald punched him, dropping the groaning omega back to the ground. "I've been with him for decades, his most obedient and loyal guard. You think he cares about you more than me? He won't even miss you. He's just playing with you while you're here; he'll forget all about you when spring comes and the Spellbound omegas go into heat. Who do you think you are, you worthless, ugly pup, that he would ever want anything to do with you?"
Balthazar whined, wondering if the alpha was right. He had only known Crowley such a short time, and it didn't make any sense for the Head Alpha of Spellbound to ever be interested in him, a too-tall, runaway Celestial omega with wings and a prophecy of destruction hanging around his neck. He barely felt the next few blows land on his face and chest as he retreated further and further into his mind, trying to protect himself and screaming for his wolf to take control. His searching fingers brushed across a rock, and he grabbed it without thinking, swinging it at his attacker. A satisfying crack and a yelp heralded his success, the alpha falling back and leaving Balthazar free to flee.
He couldn't change form, but his wolf was more than happy to take control of the situation and do the one thing omegas desired during conflict: run. Without a backward glance, Balthazar fled into the trees, holding his bruised ribs and wiping the blood out of his one good eye. He heard the alpha howl behind him, but he was already deep in the trees and searching for a place to hide until the alpha gave up the chase. Balthazar, falling deeper and deeper into the safety of his own mind, begged his wolf to take him back to his brothers.
He should never have come to Spellbound lands.
"Crowley! So good to see you."
The Head Alpha froze at the voice, groaning in the secrecy of his own mind as he plastered a welcoming smile on his face. "Don, I didn't know you had come to town."
The alpha witch wasn't much taller than Crowley, lean but powerful with dark brown hair and vibrant indigo-purple eyes. He was one of the oldest witches in the coven, his petite beta mate following close behind him. Donald and Maggie Stark had supported Crowley's takeover of Spellbound pack, using their considerable power and influence to keep peace throughout the kingdom. They both carried the title of Guardian, granted to them by Rowena when they helped to drive Cain and his pack into the swamplands that comprised the northern part of Spellbound lands, and they took the responsibility of protecting the coven very seriously. Crowley owed them a great deal, but Don and Maggie could still be overwhelming at times.
"We came with Clea from the south," the witch replied, tilting his head curiously at his leader. "Your scent is different. There's a hint of rosemary . . . have you taken a mate since the last time we were in town?"
Crowley shook his head, continuing his trek toward his throne room, knowing that the pair of witches would follow him. "No, but I have been spending some time with a young omega who has recently come to visit."
"A Celestial?" Maggie caught Crowley's arm as she sensed him stiffen. Her long, chocolate-colored hair was currently braided over one shoulder, the innocent style belied by the power in her nearly-black purple eyes. "He is, isn't he? I heard something about a Celestial in town when I arrived. I'm told he's cute."
Crowley didn't blush, but the sudden color in his cheeks was frighteningly close. Maggie was something of a matchmaker; her teasing, suggestive tone indicating that she approved of the young Celestial even before meeting him. "He is, yes," Crowley answered reluctantly. The last thing he wanted was for the Starks to get involved in his love life.
"Great! We'll have to meet him while we're here." The slender beta looped her arm through Crowley's, matching the alpha's speed as they headed toward the throne room, Don shaking his head as he followed a few steps behind.
"Maggie, don't you get tired of interfering in other people's love lives?"
"Nope! Besides, I've been waiting for Fergus to find a nice omega for a long time now."
Crowley shuddered as they reached the throne room, a pair of servants throwing the doors open as the guards along the wall straightened smartly. "I've asked you time and again not to call me that. I go by Crowley."
"Fine, Crowley," Maggie relented, her enthusiastic energy undimmed by the rebuff. "What's his name, this young omega who caught your eye?"
"Balthazar." Crowley disentangled his arm from Maggie's, patting her hand as he ascended the two steps to his throne and nodded at the alpha seated in the floor-level pseudo-throne. Abaddon bowed her head to her alpha, her long, gently curled red hair flowing across her shoulders and down her back as she bent her head to glance at the list of the day's petitioners. As the daughter of a witch, she had the signature red eyes, but her shade was more of a bright cranberry instead of the dark crimson that Crowley sported or the lighter ruby of his mother's primary guard.
Ruby and Meg entered the hall just behind their Head Alpha, nodding toward the servants who brought four chairs forward and arranged them along the wall near the throne. Don and Maggie took the two nearest Crowley, their positions as noble witches ranking them above noble half-witches like Ruby, despite her high rank in Crowley's entourage. As soon as they were seated, Ruby leaned over and greeted the beta witch warmly, nodding at Don as he turned and bowed his head. It had been some time since the pair had last visited the city, and Ruby was quite fond of the way they kept Crowley on his toes almost as much as his own mother did.
"We have a petition from one of the southern farming communities first," Abaddon announced, glancing at Crowley for his permission before waving for the servants to bring in the day's supplicants. Abaddon held court in the mornings, Crowley taking over the serious cases from noon until about two or three, then highly-ranked witches and noble half-witches would spend the rest of the afternoon filtering the next day's requests. It was organized and efficient, two things that Crowley prided himself on.
Before the leader of the small group of farmers could speak, a ragged, bleeding man stumbled into the throne room and staggered to the foot of Crowley's dais before collapsing. All of the gathered nobles and spectators fell silent as their head alpha descended to the floor, helping the man to his feet, Abaddon lending her arm. "Gerald?" The first spark of fear ignited inside the Head Alpha as he remembered that he had sent this guard to escort Balthazar back from his quick mission that morning. He hadn't worried when the omega didn't greet him upon returning, assuming that the boy had met with his temporary siblings for weapon practice.
The alpha guard raised one hand to the jagged cut that sliced across his forehead, blood still running from the wound down his cheek. His uniform was dirty, torn and studded with bits of twigs and leaves as if he had run through the forest at high speed. "He attacked me," the alpha gasped, his legs shaking as he struggled to maintain his balance. Don glanced at Maggie as both witches stood, Ruby and Meg rising uncertainly to their feet at the action.
"Balthazar? Why?"
"I went to the forest to escort him home, like you asked me to, but he didn't want to come back. He said that he couldn't possibly be with a Spellbound alpha and all he wanted was to return to his brothers. I tried to convince him to come back, but he clocked me with a rock and ran into the forest. I searched for almost an hour, but I couldn't find him."
Crowley took a step back, shock warring with despair in his chest. Balthazar didn't want him? He ran away? But he had been so insistent on helping Crowley, and so beautifully submissive in his arms . . . Crowley latched onto that last thought, the memory of Balthazar's lips on his, the scent of the omega that still clung to his clothes hours later. No. The Celestial wouldn't just run away, and certainly not on his own in the middle of winter. He knew that Crowley would let him leave if he wanted to, but his words still rang in the alpha's mind.
"After all, the only thing keeping me from asking you to court me is all this damn political nonsense."
"You're lying," Crowley growled, the silence in the room suddenly taking on an aura of fear that it hadn't held before. Don and Maggie stood straighter at the sound, exchanging a knowing look as they waited to see what the Head Alpha would do.
The guard shook his head, somehow steadier on his feet as glowing crimson eyes rose to meet his muddy brown. "I'm not! I've been loyal to you for decades, fighting by your side against Cain and in the recent Celestial skirmish. Why would I lie?"
"I don't care," Crowley whispered, his hands slowly balling into fists as he struggled to contain his wolf. "He wouldn't leave me. He all but asked me to court him; why would he run?" A chill ran down his spine as the Head Alpha realized that the omega could have run if this guard had frightened him badly enough. "What did you do to make him run?"
Gerald opened his mouth to answer, a sharp growl from his left giving him pause. Don watched him with glowing purple eyes, power sparking from his fingers as he itched to teach this guard a lesson. "Do not lie to your Head Alpha," the witch warned softly, the alpha and betas by his side echoing his aggressive posture.
Abaddon's grip on Gerald tightened in a warning, no longer supportive. "I told him the truth," the guard hissed, knowing better than to lie with two witches in the room. "I told him that he doesn't deserve to be courted by our Head Alpha, to mate into Spellbound pack. I told him that we can't allow some worthless Celestial omega to seduce you and that I wouldn't allow him to return here, to my home, where he doesn't belong. I told him that he had no right to think that you'd care about him beyond the spring and that you wouldn't even miss him if he left."
Crowley stared at the guard for a long moment, Ruby and Meg gaping in shock at the man's words. No one who had seen Crowley's first meeting with Balthazar or their daily interactions would believe that the alpha cared so little for the visiting omega, but this guard's deep hatred for the Celestials had clearly landed on the only full-blood target in the palace, one ill-equipped to deal with such vitriol.
When Crowley spoke, he used his alpha voice, cowing everyone in the room except for Donald and Maggie, even Abaddon dropping her gaze to the floor and sinking down slightly. "He is not worthless, he is not unwanted, and he sure as Hell is not uncared for. If he wants to make this his home, if he does me the honor of asking me to mate him, that is my business, not yours. He will leave in the spring because my mother has asked him to, not because I desire it in any way, and I will miss him greatly when he is gone. I care for Balthazar more than I thought I ever could, and if you do not tell me where my omega is right now, I will TEAR YOUR FUCKING THROAT OUT!"
Ruby had never seen Crowley angry. Annoyed, frustrated, displeased, vexed, and hostile, yes, but never outright, tear-someone's-throat-out, homicidally furious. There were days when she forgot the story of how Crowley had won leadership of the pack, forgot how he had chased Cain, Lilith, and Cain's children out of the Spellbound capital city, but she could see that commanding, powerful alpha now. Her own alpha quivered in fear inside her, terrified that Crowley would turn his glowing crimson eyes upon her, but she fought against that desperate urge to submit, to show her throat to her leader. Around the room, almost every other wolf had done just that, barely daring to breathe and risk catching his attention.
"I don't know," Gerald whispered, his knees shaking in fear. "I met him at the edge of the woods where you said, and I . . . he ran into the forest. I chased him, but I never found him."
"What else did you do to him?" Crowley could tell that his guard, a man he had thought so loyal just that morning, was holding something back.
Donald snapped his fingers, a web of purple lightning tightening around Gerald's throat as a quick spell compelled him to speak. "I collared him and beat him," the alpha gasped, struggling against Abaddon's suddenly iron grip as he futilely fought against the witch's spell. "I intended to kill him, but he hit me with a rock and ran away."
Crowley had a very long, slow-burning fuse. He never lost his temper, never felt the need to lash out at his people, and he certainly never lost control of his wolf. For the first time in his life, Crowley had been pushed too far, and he snapped. He lunged forward so fast that Ruby almost missed it, his sharp canine teeth sinking into Gerald's exposed neck with a satisfying crunch as he shoved the alpha to the floor, blood spraying in an arc from his severed carotid artery. Gerald gasped, desperately grabbing at the blood gushing from his neck as he flopped around on the floor, terrified eyes meeting the coldly furious gaze of his alpha. Death by exsanguination was quick, and Crowley had wanted to torture the alpha who dared lay a hand on his omega, but his fury had demanded an outlet.
As soon as the body fell still, Crowley turned his glowing crimson eyes on Abaddon, his second standing there obediently with her head tilted to the side to expose her neck and her eyes locked on Gerald's still form. "Round up every guard and servant in my palace and find out how deep this corruption runs," he growled, the fury from before having solidified into icy determination. "Deal with this problem in whatever way you see fit, but make sure that this place is safe for my omega when he returns."
"Yes, Alpha," Abaddon whispered, knowing better than to move before her leader left the room. He was still high-strung enough to attack.
Donald stepped forward and held out a handkerchief, Crowley taking it gratefully and wiping the blood from his mouth and cheek. The witch glanced down at the body, noting that the jagged tear had sliced through the trachea, as well, broken rings of cartilage sticking out of the blood. He had never, in three hundred years, seen an alpha rip someone's throat out with just his human teeth, and he had never respected Crowley more.
"Ruby," Crowley called, staring at the bloodied cloth in his hand. "Fetch Linda; we're going to need my best tracker to find Balthazar now."
"Yes, Alpha," Ruby replied, waiting for Crowley to nod at her before leaving the throne room, Meg in tow.
"We'll come with you, if you want," Donald offered, Maggie nodding as she joined him beside their leader.
"Yes, please do." Maggie snapped her fingers and materialized a small supply bag, one that was large enough to carry clothes for a handful of wolves but not much else. Crowley nodded in thanks and stepped around the body on the floor, heading out of his throne room, the two witches just behind him.
As soon as Crowley was gone, Abaddon took a seat in his throne, the position she always used when she held court in his name. A pair of guards approached the body on the marble floor, but a quick growl from the red-headed alpha stilled them. "Leave it," she ordered. "Bring me every member of his unit, stripped of their weapons, and let's see how far his poison has spread."
Ruby and Meg were waiting at the city gate with Linda, the beta's two pups standing behind her silently. Linda had been apprised of the events that transpired in the throne room, but the traces of blood on Crowley's normally pristine suit made it all a little more real. Her voice, when she spoke, was soft and respectful. "You need my help to find him?"
"Yes. I know where he entered the forest, but he already managed to evade one alpha, and I know that he and his brothers were adept at hiding from their older siblings even while in heat. I believe that your special skills may be of use here."
Linda nodded and pulled off her shirt, quickly stripping down to her wolf-fur undergarments as her sons followed suit. Maggie handed her the bag, packing her own clothes in side as her mate followed suit, Ruby and Meg waiting patiently for orders. Crowley stripped out of his clothes and handed them to Linda, nodding toward the two women who had brought Balthazar to him. "Do you want to come with us? It's your choice."
Ruby shook her head. "We're needed here, to help Abaddon. You'll feel better knowing that people loyal to you are making this palace safe again." She paused for a long moment, biting her lip as she dropped her eyes to the ground. "I've seen abused omegas before, Crowley, and more alphas won't make him feel better. You and Linda know what he needs more than I do, and I have every faith that you will find him and bring him home safely."
"Of course," Crowley promised, reaching out to clap a hand on Ruby's shoulder. "Thank you."
Ruby bowed her head and led Meg back to the palace, knowing that it could be a very messy afternoon for Abaddon. Behind them, Crowley shifted into his wolf form, Kevin taking the supply bag as the Head Alpha dashed off, Linda just behind him with the witches in the rear to guard the omegas.
They reached the tree line within an hour, Crowley growling softly at the metallic scent of blood near the abandoned supply bag at the meeting point. He shifted out of form, carefully lifting the nearly-empty bag as Linda touched a bloodied, fist-sized rock nearby. She examined the ground for a moment, Crowley tucking Balthazar's supply bag into Kevin's as he waited for the tracker to speak. "There was a fight here, for sure. This is where Balthazar was thrown to the ground, and here is where Gerald landed when he was thrown off."
"The blood on the rock is his?"
"Yes, but that is not the only blood here."
Crowley's hand strayed to the communications tattoo on his arm, silently cursing himself for not giving Balthazar a way to reach out to him. He briefly considering contacting his mother and asking her to have Tasha speak to the boy, but there was a very good chance that he was in no condition to answer. He also couldn't bear to tell his mother that the omega had been hurt while under his protection until he was sure that Balthazar was okay. He had to be okay.
Linda glanced up at him, pointing toward the trees. "He entered there. Let's go."
She followed the trail for almost two hours, sniffing every broken twig and torn leaf, examining tracks in the dirt and marks on the rough bark of trees. She found where Gerald had given chase relatively quickly, dismissing his scent and marks as she led the group to the edge of a small stream. Linda sniffed the bare ice, scratching at the uncertain surface and testing her weight before leading the group across it and deeper into the dark forest.
The ground was hillier north of the stream, dark trees clustered together around the mouths of small caves and dens, many of them from previous winters and empty now, though they did come across a hibernating bear as they followed the beta. Crowley had long ago lost the fear-sour rosemary scent, and clearly Gerald had, too, but Linda's nose was incredible and she walked in a perfectly straight, confident line.
When she reached the entrance to yet another abandoned den, the beta looked over her shoulder at the head alpha, nodding before switching forms. "He's in there."
The rest of the pack switched back, Kevin quickly handing out clothes as Maggie moved closer to the den, reaching out with her empathic abilities and touching the terrified mind within. "He is lost to his wolf," she whispered. "I can sense the collar that Gerald put on him, so he can't shift forms, but he managed to pull his wolf out, anyway. I don't believe I've ever seen that ability in a mundane before."
"Kevin and I can go in," Alfie offered, eyes trying to pierce the darkness. "He trusts us."
"I know he does," Crowley replied, "but he'll come to me. I'll go."
"That's not the best idea," Linda argued, her normal maternal fire having returned during the long search. "He was attacked by an alpha; why would he trust one now?"
"We have a . . . connection, if you will. It's best that I go in alone."
"Crowley—"
"Linda! I know what I'm doing!" Crowley kept his voice low, not wanting to startle Balthazar, but he had to make the beta understand. "If he stays in this state much longer, he could lose his sanity. I will not let that happen to another omega in my pack!"
Linda's eyes widened at the words, remembering back to her omega friend who had taken her own life after Asmodeus's cruelty took her mind. Her eyes softened as she finally realized why Crowley had fought Abaddon a second time, as she appreciated why he had been so desperate to win. He felt guilty about her friend's death, and he hadn't wanted something like that to happen to another omega ever again. "Okay," she whispered, that simple word conveying her apology and trust.
Crowley nodded and walked into the den, ducking almost immediately as his head scraped the ceiling. He heard a shuffling sound off to the left, deeper in the cave, and he was suddenly grateful for his enhanced night vision. He spotted Balthazar a moment later, huddled up against the wall in the back of the abandoned bear's den, his legs pulled up to his chest as he tried to pull some of the dried bedding around him. The omega was shivering even in the relative warmth of the den, but he didn't seem to be in any danger of hypothermia.
Crowley sat down in the den entrance, blocking the only route of escape as a precaution. He offered a small purr, hoping that the omega would recognize him as a friend even without the aid of light. Balthazar jumped, eyes searching for the intruder, holding perfectly still in the hopes that he would be left alone.
"Balthazar, can you hear me?" The omega whined and tried to back away, his fear scent spiking as he realized that he was trapped. "Hey, it's okay. I'm not going to hurt you. I'm here to take you home, where it's warm and safe."
The omega growled and dropped his head into his arms, clearly trying to ignore the alpha until he went away. Crowley sighed and glanced over his shoulder, trying to decide if Kevin or Alfie might be a better option, but he was worried that Balthazar was too far gone to hear even them.
The alpha snapped his fingers as he realized how he could reach past the wolf. He had to be careful, though, since he had no idea exactly what Gerald had done to the Celestial. Drawing on his alpha voice, Crowley called out across the cave. "Balthazar, listen to me." The omega raised his head, one bright eye searching for the voice calling his name. Concerned that he could only see one eye, Crowley closed one hand over the other, and cast one of the few spells he could manage on his own: summoning a small, bright ball of witch-light. As the luminescence filled the den and he could finally see the extent of Balthazar's injuries, Crowley felt his wolf rear its head again. Bruises covered Balthazar's side and face, his left eye swollen shut from the damage and blood caking the side of his face from a cut on his forehead. His back was scratched, though the bleeding had long ago stopped, and his legs and arms were covered in wounds inflicted by the trees had had barreled through in his desperate attempt to escape his attacker. The silver of a runed control collar shone from his neck, preventing the omega from shifting and simply flying away. Crowley knew that he had done the right thing by tearing Gerald apart, though some small part of him wished that he had made the alpha suffer more.
The Head Alpha reigned his wolf in, knowing that he had to stay calm and controlled for the omega's sake. "Balthazar, you're hurt. Let me take you home so we can get you cleaned up."
"H-home?" A flicker of recognition flashed in that eye, but the omega didn't move.
"Yes, home. With me. I know that the other alpha said some terrible things, but none of them were true. I do care about you, and I want you to come back."
Balthazar shook his head, retreating back behind his wolf. "He'll hurt me again."
"No, he won't," Crowley promised, his eyes flashing in the oddly-colored light. "I tore him apart. If anyone else ever lays a hand on you, I'll do the same to them."
For some reason, that seemed to get through, Balthazar looking up at the alpha. "You killed him? He said you wouldn't. He said you wouldn't miss me."
"I just spent three hours tracking you through the densest part of my forests, Zar. I very much missed you." He glanced over his shoulder at the tunnel that would lead them out, hoping that he could get through to the young omega without having to call in his pack mates. "I could order you to follow me, but I wouldn't do that to you. It has to be your choice."
Balthazar shivered as he watched the alpha, clearly debating with his wolf the dangers of this plan. "I don't want to go back out there," he whispered, "but I can't stay here. I'm cold and hungry and I can't shift."
"I can take care of that," Crowley whispered. "Come here."
Balthazar slowly unfolded himself from his defensive position, slowly crawling over to Crowley as the alpha placed his glowing ball of light on the nearby wall. Balthazar paused just before reaching the alpha, but Crowley opened his arms wide and smiled gently. With a strangled sob, the omega jumped forward, curling up in the alpha's protective embrace and giving into his terror at last. As he cried, Crowley sensed the omega's wolf retreat, finally convinced that he was safe, the alpha holding him until he ran out of tears.
"Are you ready to go?" Balthazar nodded against Crowley's chest, wincing as he started to feel his injuries. "Is anything broken?"
"I don't think so," the omega whispered, touching the swollen skin around his eye and running his fingers over his bruised side. "It hurts to breathe, but no stabbing pains."
"I have someone in town who can help patch you up," Crowley promised, glancing toward the exit as he let his witch-light slowly fade. "We'll have to crawl out; it's too low to stand."
With one hand tightly gripping the omega's, Crowley slowly crawled out of the cave, pulling Balthazar into the sunlit forest behind him. His pack had retreated from the den entrance, all of them dressed and patiently waiting for their alpha to return, not wanting to startle the omega. As soon as they spotted their friend, Kevin and Alfie rushed forward, stopping just outside of arm's reach and staring at Balthazar.
The blonde smiled and opened his arms, gingerly hugging each of his friends in turn before returning to Crowley's side. "I'm okay," he assured them, smiling despite the damage to his face. He hugged Linda when she approached, eyeing the two purple-eyed strangers warily as he moved to stand behind his alpha.
"They're friends," Crowley assured him, "very old friends. They aren't going to hurt you."
Maggie touched her mate's shoulder, indicating that he should stay back to avoid frightening the Celestial. She stepped forward and held out a hand, smiling as Balthazar reached out to let her grasp his. "Do you want me to take off that collar?"
"Yes," Balthazar whined, stepping forward and baring his neck. Maggie reached for the collar and turned it until she could see the lock, a tiny zap of her purple magic snapping it open. The omega sighed as he felt his wolf return, the itch to shift dancing under his skin. "Thank you," he breathed, rubbing his bruised neck.
"It's a long walk back on foot," Linda began, glancing at her temporarily adopted son. "Are you going to be okay shifting?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. I won't lose myself again, if that's what you mean." He glanced down at his hand, still holding Crowley's tightly.
"Alright, everyone shift and I'll find the best path out of here."
The trip back to the city didn't take as long as Crowley had feared. Somehow, Balthazar's headlong flight had carried him north and west, closer to the city than his original rendezvous point had been. The omega ran by Crowley's side the entire time, Balthazar trusting the alpha to help keep him grounded and sane. As soon as they reached the castle gates, Crowley shifted back and gestured for the others to do so, as well. Kevin handed out everyone's clothes, pulling Balthazar's supply bag out and passing it over.
As soon as Balthazar was dressed, he reached for Crowley's hand, freezing at the dark brown spots on the alpha's suit. "There's blood on your shirt," he whispered.
Crowley nodded. "I'll change as soon as I get a chance. It's Gerald's blood."
Balthazar shrank against his side, the alpha curling an arm around his shoulders as he led the group inside. "Don, would you be so kind as to fetch Clea and bring her to my private study? Zar and I will meet you there shortly."
"Of course, Alpha," the witch replied, offering the traditional response for the first time since Crowley took the throne. Maggie rolled her eyes at her mate, following him toward the witch wing of the palace as Crowley led Linda and her boys toward the throne room.
The two guards standing near the huge double-doors were not the same alphas who had been there earlier, but they straightened instantly as Crowley approached, tilting their heads to the side slightly in a gesture of submission. Clearly the stories of the bloody events that had transpired earlier in the day had already made their rounds of the palace. Crowley held his head higher, pulling Balthazar tightly against his side as he strode into his throne room, noting the silence that gripped his court.
Abaddon stood from his throne, bowing her head as she returned to her own and waved at a servant to bring a chair for the omega. Linda and her sons took the seats previously occupied by Ruby, Donald, and Maggie, Meg sitting with them while Ruby stood near Abaddon's throne at the bottom of the dais. Balthazar slowed as his eyes took in the sight of Gerald's body lying in a pool of dried and drying blood, blank eyes still filled with the terror that engulfed him when Crowley attacked. He glanced at the jagged wound on the side of the alpha's neck, blue eyes widening as he realized where the blood on Crowley's suit had come from.
"I tore his throat out," the alpha informed him, "for daring to lay a hand on you."
Crowley led Balthazar to his throne, the omega taking the chair that had been placed to one side while the alpha settled into his seat of power. "Abaddon, have someone take the body away. I am pleased that you left it for Zar to see when he returned."
Balthazar squeezed his hand, grateful for the closure that Crowley had offered him. It would take a while for him to be able to spend time with strange alphas without fear, but at least he knew that Gerald would never be a problem again.
"Of course, Alpha," Abaddon replied, sticking to his title in case Crowley was still agitated. "Is there anything your omega needs?" She waved vaguely at Balthazar's swollen eye and the dark bruising visible around his neck.
Balthazar blushed at the possessive words, knowing that Abaddon would not have used them if Crowley hadn't made his position abundantly clear before dashing off to search the forest. He leaned his head on Crowley's shoulder, letting the alpha's strong scent comfort him as he silently confirmed his place in the pack. He hadn't known weeks ago why Rowena would send him to Spellbound lands, but now he dreaded the day when he would have to leave.
"No, Abaddon, that will not be necessary. Clea will see to him when we are done."
The redhead nodded and took a list from Ruby's hands, scanning through the names. "We were able to identify four members of Gerald's unit who agreed with his position, Charisse offering her services to elicit the truth." Crowley nodded; Charisse was a young member of the coven, a natural-born witch whose powers tended toward empathy and mind-reading. Rowena liked to call the young omega a truthsayer. "They are in the dungeons awaiting your return. Two more have admitted that they do not want a Celestial to mate you, but they were visibly upset when I told them that Gerald here had attempted to kill your omega to prevent that eventuality. They are locked in their quarters, under guard."
Crowley nodded. "Find a creative and painful way to kill the first four, and do make sure it involves the control collars. Demote the other two from palace duty for six months until you are sure that they will not cause any issues in the future. Have you started questioning the staff?"
"Uh, just the personal servants. None of them are any less than completely loyal."
Balthazar squeezed Crowley's hand and leaned forward to whisper in his ear. "Gerald told me that he thought about poisoning me before this mission came up."
Crowley growled, the sound silencing his court. He took a moment to appreciate the new level of respect he had earned by slaughtering a man at the foot of his throne, calming his wolf with no small amount of effort. "Abaddon, skip ahead to the kitchen staff. And assign Balthazar one of my personal taste testers for the remainder of his stay here."
"Of course."
Crowley led Balthazar out of the throne room soon after that, Linda and her pups in his wake. They walked to his private study in silence, Maggie and Donald already waiting there with a third witch, a dark-skinned woman with short black hair who wore more necklaces and talismans than a merchant's booth could display. The woman rose as Crowley entered the room, her dark indigo-purple eyes locked on the omega by his side.
"Balthazar, this is Clea, my mother's third in command and a powerful healer. Will you let her look you over?"
Balthazar nodded and took his customary cushion, Crowley seated on one side, Kevin and Alfie sharing the cushion on the other. Clea pulled a cushion up to face the young omega, Donald and Maggie staying on their feet nearby with Linda. The witch raised one hand, a dozen bracelets jingling as she touched Balthazar's swollen eye, a flash of purple light healing the damage. She repeated the action with the cut across his forehead and the bruises on his neck, reaching for a bowl of water on the table and carefully cleaning away the caked blood. "Do you have other wounds, child?"
Balthazar nodded, wincing as he pulled his shirt over his head. He kicked off his shoes and slipped out his pants, waving his hand at the bruises and cuts covering his slender form. Clea nodded and started with the bruises, smiling as the omega began to breathe easier, moving onto the deeper cuts before healing the last of the abrasions on his back. She cleaned the last of the blood from his skin, watching as yawned, struggling to keep his blue eyes open. "How are you feeling, little one?"
"Better," Balthazar whispered. "Thank you. I'm tired, though."
"That's a normal side-effect of the healing. You should try to eat something and get some rest."
Crowley reached down and pulled Balthazar to his feet, not even bothering to grab his clothes. "I'll take him to my rooms to rest. Linda, can you have some food sent up?"
Linda glared at Crowley, narrowing her dark eyes as she sent a message along the pack bond to him, knowing that he would be able to hear her even though both of them were in human form. "I don't think he should go with you."
Crowley turned to Alfie and smiled at the pup. "Can you take Zar to my quarters, Alfie? I need to speak with your mother."
Alfie nodded and took Balthazar's arm, Kevin taking the other one as they led the taller omega away. Crowley pulled Linda to one side, waiting until the three witches left before speaking. "I think he should."
"Crowley, the boy has been through a lot. He should curl up with my boys for a while and limit his exposure to alphas."
Crowley's instinct, especially with his wolf so close to the surface, was to simply order her to accept his decisions, but he was tired of fighting with this feisty beta. He wanted her support, wanted her to be a trusted member of his inner circle, so he swallowed his instincts and tried to explain himself. "I understand why you feel that way, Linda, but running away isn't going to help him heal. When he leaves here, he will have to interact with plenty of alphas, and not just ones he already knows. He has to be ready for that. Zar feels safe around me."
Linda stared at him for a long moment, finally nodding. "I can see that you care about him, and I know that he trusts you. But, Crowley, I care about that boy, too, and I do not want to see him hurt again."
"He won't be," Crowley growled. "I can promise you that."
Linda nodded and stepped aside, physically and metaphorically clearing the path for Crowley to follow Balthazar. "One more thing, before you go. My boys will be going into heat within a week, and Balthazar already offered to stay with them. I don't know how your courtship is going to interfere with that, but I'd like to let the boys know if plans have changed."
"I'm not courting him, Linda, no matter how much I wish I could. Politics are tricky like that. And even if I was, he's free to make his own choices."
Linda tilted her head. "I thought you would be more possessive."
Crowley frowned at her is disbelief, waving one hand in the direction of the throne room. "Did you miss all of that? I am possessive, but Zar is not an object. He's a person who can make his own choices, even if my wolf wants nothing more than to hold him close and keep him safe from everything. Forever."
"Do you know what you're saying?" Linda had known Crowley her entire life, working as a special messenger to the coven before running away to become a spy. She had never seen him truly care about any one person other than his mother, but here he was, all but proclaiming his love for a young Celestial he had known for less than two months.
"Yeah, I do. And I wish I had the right to ask him. But I have to wait until he has an official pack and alpha."
"Well, if it means anything as his temporary mother, I approve."
Crowley chuckled and reached out to clap a hand on Linda's shoulder. "It does. Thank you."
Balthazar looked up as Crowley entered the room, curled against Kevin's side in a pile of ornate pillows as Alfie spooned him from behind. He still wasn't wearing any clothes, but he had wrapped himself in one of the warm blankets Crowley kept in the living area, more to satisfy a desire for protection than out of an actual need to keep warm. After the ordeal he had gone through, curling up with the two omegas was helping to ground him, though his wolf craved a different companionship. Crowley smiled as the omega whined, reaching out with one arm in supplication. "Tell me what you want, Zar."
"Can we all just rest together? I don't want them to leave, but I need to be close to you right now." His blue eyes shone in the late afternoon light streaming through the window, some small amount of his old self returned.
"Yeah, that's fine. After we all eat something, since I know that Kevin and Alfie missed lunch worrying about you, we'll see about getting you to bed."
Kevin slipped out from under Balthazar, waiting for Crowley to take his position before settling in beside the head alpha, arm still curled around his friend's back. Crowley pulled Balthazar closer, the omega stretched half across his chest as their legs tangled, sighing in contentment as that hot pepper and wood smoke scent washed over him.
Linda found them like that thirty minutes later, Balthazar fast asleep with Alfie nearly there and Kevin whispering something to Crowley. The alpha nodded, offering a soft answer as both of them tried not to wake the Celestials. "Crowley, the food is here. I tested it all myself."
The alpha nodded gratefully, shaking Balthazar gently as he whispered his name. "Zar, you need to wake up. I know you haven't eaten all day; you must be starving."
Blue eyes shot open, a trace of fear darkening them before he realized where he was. Taking a deep breath, Balthazar pushed himself into a sitting position, stretching his arms as the servants placed a series of steaming platters on the low table nearby. He readjusted his blanket as he noticed the food, his stomach growling a command. "Yeah, starving."
"Well, boys, eat up! Don't wait on ceremony in my private suite."
The omegas headed over to the table, pulling up small seat cushions and distributing plates and bowls, Alfie ladling out soup for the group as Kevin poured them all wine. Linda and Crowley took their places at the table a few minutes later, both of them opting to skip the soup and pass around the fish course. This late in the winter, most of their fish came from frozen stores, so they had to eat lots of fat with it to prevent malnutrition. The cooks had prepared scalloped potatoes, beans, and winter greens, as well, a basket of hot rolls to the side with two jars of jam and one of the blackberry-grape jelly that Balthazar loved so much.
Balthazar ate much more than Crowley thought he would be able to manage, polishing off three rolls slathered in his favorite jelly, even having room for a slice of the walnut-chocolate cake the chefs had prepared for desert. He leaned against Crowley's side as soon as he was finished eating at last, contentment in his rosemary-mint scent. The food had just made him more tired, the events of the day still weighing on his mind even though his injuries had been healed.
Crowley wrapped one arm around Balthazar's back, slipping the other under his legs as he stood from the table, the omega's blanket forgotten in a pile on the floor. "I'm going to take him to bed, and I imagine that he will sleep through the night. You boys are welcome to join if you feel like you need to."
"We will later tonight, if that's alright," Alfie answered, staring at his wine glass. "I really need to go throw some knives for a while, work off this . . . I don't know. Anger isn't right. I'm so frustrated; I feel like I should have done something, even though I wasn't there."
"I know how you feel. The guards will let you in when you return. Linda, is that alright?"
"Of course. And I will sleep out here for as long as my boys are in there with you."
Crowley nodded. "Have my servants bring you anything you need. These large cushions are comfortable enough for young pups, but us mature wolves tend to need more specific bedding in our lives."
Linda grinned and nodded, polishing off her wine as she led her two sons to the door. "We'll be back tonight. Don't forget to call your mother and tell her what happened today."
Crowley grumbled something back, but he knew that he couldn't put the call off much longer. Balthazar was safe, but his brothers deserved to know what he had gone through that day, and he might need to speak with them. Accepting the inevitable, Crowley carried the half-asleep omega into his bedroom, settling him on the huge, king-sized bed and climbing in beside him, pulling a blanket up to cover them both. He felt the omega curl into his side, and he smiled as he wrapped one arm around the wiry man. Crowley promised himself that he would call his mother as soon as the omega woke.
Castiel had been uneasy since noon. His brothers could sense his distraction, could see when his wingbeats faltered, but they had no idea what was bothering him. When they reached the border with Spellbound land, two hours after Cas's first twinge of unease, the omega shifted back and sat beside the cairn, staring down the path his brother had taken almost two months earlier.
"There's something wrong."
"Yeah, we can tell," Gabriel replied, digging into their bag for fire supplies and clothes, already knowing that they would need to eat and rest before turning back toward Asa's city. "Aren't you cold, Cassie? Come put some clothes on."
The raven-haired omega nodded, clearing the snow off of a nearby log as he slipped into his pants, taking a seat before taking the heavy socks and moccasins his brother offered. He already missed the heavy boots he wore around Asa's city, knowing that they had packed lightly on purpose to avoid overloading the three omegas. Once he slipped into a heavy shirt and jacket, Gadreel had started a fire, heading down to the frozen river with a water skin and ice pick.
"I've never felt like this before," Cas continued. "It's like my wolf is calling me east, demanding that I head into Spellbound lands. I don't know why."
"Is Balthy in trouble? Your twin bond was always stronger than what Gad or I have with him."
"I don't know. Maybe. When I first felt this longing, it was much worse. Now it's calmed down slightly, but it's still there."
Gadreel returned a moment later, placing the water skin on a tripod near the fire to heat, nodding as Gabriel added the herbs to make tea and handed out their dried meat and fruit. "What do you want to do about it?"
"I don't know, Gabe. What can I do? We can't fly to Spellbound lands uninvited. Omegas or not, we would most likely be killed on sight. None of us have one of those convenient purple tattoos that the witches use to communicate, but the faster we head back, the sooner we can reach Tasha and ask her to call our brother."
"Well, we need to rest for at least thirty minutes," Gadreel replied, checking the tea as he took another piece of meat from the pack. "Then we will fly back as fast as we safely can."
"I'm sure Balthy is fine," Gabe soothed, patting Cas on the shoulder.
"I hope so," his youngest brother whispered, accepting a cup of tea as he stared into the fire.
"Dean?"
"Cas! You're back almost two hours earlier than I expected."
Cas stretched his wings out further, scanning the plain between the trees and the lake for a glimpse of his alpha. He caught a flash of movement, closing his wings and diving for the ground, sensing his brothers following him in.
Dean's tail was wagging wildly as he ran up to meet the black wolf, slowing down and tilting his head at the strange undertone in the honeysuckle-clover scent he loved so much. "Cas, what's wrong? Something is bothering you."
"Yes, and I don't know what it is. I need to speak with Rowena or Tasha."
"Okay, let's head back. They should still both be awake."
Dean led the three omegas back to the city, nodding at the guards watching the gate as they took the long road up to Asa's mini-palace. They didn't shift forms until they entered the huge home, the three omegas dressing quickly from their supply bag as Dean headed for his room and the clothes he had abandoned there.
"Gabe!" The blonde looked up as Sam dashed down the hall, jumping into the alpha's arms before he even came to a stop. "How was your mission?"
"Not bad," Gabe replied, his face buried in the crook of Sam's neck. "Something is bothering Cas, though, so we need to see Tasha."
"Sure, hun, no problem." Sam placed Gabriel back on the ground, looking up as his brother appeared behind Cas.
"Looks like we're ready to go. Sam, have you seen Tasha in the last hour?"
"Yeah, in her study." Sam turned to lead the way, glancing over his shoulder as Gadreel reached out and grabbed his sleeve.
"Where's Benny?"
"Sleeping. He has the midnight shift on the eastern watchtower tonight, and I have the one right after. He'll be glad to see you when he wakes, I'm sure."
They reached Tasha's study in silence, Sam knocking once before all five of them piled into the room. Rowena looked up from the ancient book on the table, purple eyes jumping from one wolf to the other as she tried to determine what was wrong. Tasha leaned back against the wall and sipped her tea, nudging Charlie with her knee when the younger witch didn't look away from her notes. "What's wrong?"
"Tasha, can you reach out to Balthy? I've been worried about him all afternoon."
"Yeah, sure." Tasha pulled her sleeve up and placed her fingers on the purple tattoo below her elbow, whispering the omega's name and waiting for a response. As soon as she tried his name a second time, Cas leaned against Dean's side and whined, knowing for sure that something was wrong with his brother.
The witch looked up at Cas, tilting her head in confusion. "I can't get through. He must have blocked the link for some reason."
"What reason?" Dean wrapped an arm around Cas's shoulders, trying to project an aura of calm toward the omega.
"There are a number of reasons," Tasha answered diplomatically, but it was clear from her frown that few of them were good.
"Let me try Fergus," Rowena offered, smiling gently at the Celestial. "I'm sure my son will know where your brother is." She touched her own tattoo, whispering the Head Alpha's name as her eyes glowed. She tried two more times before shaking her head. "He's blocking me, too, but I know that some members of my coven reached the city recently and one of them will answer."
Cas swallowed and nodded, his fingers clenched in Dean's jacket as he waited for an answer. Now that he was back in the city, the omega had donned his favorite robe, so he fiddled with the fringe on the edge with his free hand in the hopes that it would calm him.
"Donald? Yes, dear, it's me." Rowena wasn't bothering to whisper, knowing that the omegas needed to hear what was going on in her homeland. "Glad to hear you reached the city safely." She paused, eyes widening in shock at whatever this Donald was telling her. "Really? In the middle of his throne room? Whatever for?" Rowena's eye narrowed in fury as purple lightning danced across her skin, the witch angrier than even her apprentices had ever seen. "That stupid, misbegotten . . . Gerald attacked Balthazar?"
"WHAT?!" Cas lunged forward, Dean grabbing him around the waist as he reached for Rowena, desperate to hear the conversation for himself. Fear for his brother overrode all sense of self-preservation, because no one in their right mind would want to touch an irate witch crackling with that much power.
Charlie spun to face Dean, emerald eyes flashing. "Get him out of here," she ordered, her tone dark and commanding. "Now!"
Dean tightened his hold around Cas's waist, dragging the howling omega out of the throne room. The Celestial was almost a match for his strength, digging his heels in and pulling back, eyes locked on Rowena as she listened to the story from her fellow witch. Desperate, Dean called on his alpha voice, hoping that Cas wouldn't be too angry later.
"Cas, stop fighting and let's go!"
The omega froze, unable to disobey a direct order, all resistance gone as he followed his partner into the hallway. Charlie glanced at Gabriel, who had gone white but otherwise didn't move, and Gadreel who was struggling to maintain his own composure. Satisfied that they would wait patiently to hear the outcome of Rowena's message, she turned her attention back to her mentor.
"But he's okay? Tasha tried to contact him but he's blocking her out." A pause, then Rowena nodded. "Fergus too? Yes, that makes sense. Go wake my child, would you, and tell him to contact me immediately."
Rowena released her tattoo, glancing toward the space that Cas and Dean had recently filled. "I sent them into the hall," Charlie answered. "Cas got a bit . . . irrational when you said his twin had been attacked."
Rowena raised her voice and called Cas back into the room, the omega silently following Dean as the alpha gestured for him to take a seat. Gabe, Sam, and Gadreel followed suit, Dean settling onto the cushion beside Cas before reaching out and cupping the omega's cheek in his hand. "Come back, Cas; everything is fine now."
The omega shook his head, clearing the last of the fog away as he turned sad eyes on the alpha. "Dean . . ."
"I had to, Cas. You were going to get hurt. Now that Rowena's done with her call, she can tell us what happened to Balthazar."
The witch cleared her throat, running her fingers over her communication tattoo as she waited for her son to reach out. "Your brother was attacked this afternoon by one of my son's guards. He beat him and chased him into the forest where Balthazar managed to escape." She watched as Cas whined and leaned against Dean's side for support, thankful that the omega wasn't hysterical anymore. "The guard returned to Fergus and lied about what happened, so my son forced the truth from him before ripping his throat out. With his teeth."
"Why?" Gabriel leaned forward, golden eyes intense as he ran through all of the possibilities in his head. When he reached the only logical conclusion, the omega whistled and leaned back, grabbing for the comfort of Sam's hand. "He isn't. He wouldn't. He has no interest in alphas."
"Well, apparently he does," Rowena answered smartly. "Not officially, of course. Balthazar doesn't have an alpha to represent him, and the courtship rules at Fergus's level are pretty strict. But, from what Donald told me, my son is unofficially courting your brother."
Dean barked out a laugh, too shocked to do anything else. "What? Balthazar and the Head Alpha of Spellbound pack? Your son has never shown any interest in mating, from all of the reports that I've seen. Why now?"
Rowena smiled and tilted her head. "The prophet told me that Balthazar was the one for him. Why do you think I sent him back with Ruby and Meg?"
"You knew, all along," Charlie whispered, her eyes glowing as she touched her growing bond with her unrisen prophet. "I can almost see it . . ."
"Yes," Rowena replied, cutting her apprentice off. "You see what I saw when I met that boy. And Fergus has grown quite fond of him. I've never seen anyone tear someone's throat out with their human teeth before, so he must have been furious. Don said that he took Linda off to the forest to track Balthazar down, returning a few hours later with your brother. He ordered the deaths of anyone who was involved in the situation and has Abaddon interviewing everyone in the palace with the assistance of my truthsayer. He wants to ensure that your brother is never in danger again."
"But he's okay, right?" Cas's soulful blue eyes caught Rowena's gaze, the omega begging for some sign that his brother was safe.
Rowena twitched as the mark on her arm glowed, touching it as she answered her son's call. "Fergus! So good to hear from you." The "finally" was implied. "No, I called you earlier but you were blocking me out." She tilted her head, nodding once. "Yes, I understand. How is the poor boy? He's blocking Tasha out." The Wilderness witch rolled her eyes at the mention, but didn't speak. "His brother sensed something was wrong. He came in here, frantic, and asked us to reach out. I think they need to talk." Rowena furrowed her eyebrows, the only sign of her displeasure. "No, not in the morning. Now. This pup will go insane if he has to wait that long. Do you remember how to span a link or do I need to get Tasha on line?"
Clearly, Crowley did remember, Rowena waving Cas over to her side. The grateful omega touched his fingers beside hers on the glowing tattoo, closing his eyes as he listened for his brother's voice.
"Cas?"
"Balthy," Cas sobbed. "I've been so worried all afternoon. Are you okay?"
There was a long pause, and Balthazar's voice was softer, without that sarcastic bite that Cas had become accustomed to. There had been times when his command of the language of pure sarcasm could rival even Cas's, but today that edge was gone. "I was terrified, Cas. He said that he was going to kill me and that Crowley wouldn't care. I ran."
"Rowena told us . . . about you and Crowley. She said that she knew when she met you."
Balthazar chuckled. "I can believe that. She didn't tell Crowley, though, so I think that our bond was as much of a surprise for him as it was for me." He paused for a moment, and Cas felt the ghost of a hand cup his cheek. "Don't worry about me, baby bro. Crowley killed the alpha who attacked me, he searched for me, and he brought me home. He's taking care of me."
"Are you coming back?"
"Of course. Rowena must have known what she was doing when she limited my time here. I don't want to leave Crowley, but I want to see you again. But, once we have an official alpha again, I'm going to ask him to court me."
Cas smiled, sensing Dean move to stand behind him and rest a hand on his shoulder. "I didn't think you liked alphas at all, Balthy. You aren't one to submit."
"What, and you are?" Cas blushed, and Balthazar chuckled, sensing his brother's discomfort across the link. "I never thought I would be," he admitted. "This kinda snuck up on me. And have you ever let an alpha dominate you? That omega space thing is better than they say."
Cas blushed and ducked his head, almost breaking the link as Rowena chuckled. Dean rubbed his back in gentle, soothing circles, letting the omega know that he didn't have anything to be embarrassed about. Taking a deep breath, Cas returned to the link. "Actually, I have recently had the occasion to try that. I, uh, agree with you."
"Damn, bro. You? The great general? The omega who would be alpha?"
Cas shook his head. "No, I don't want that. I just wanted to protect you."
"I know. I want you to be protected, too, Cas. Will you let Dean protect you?"
"Yeah."
"And I think I might let Crowley protect me. For now, and later. I'm going to ask him to court me, as soon as I legally can."
"Yeah, that's good. I'm happy for you."
Balthazar's smile flashed across the link. "I know you are. I didn't come here looking for a mate, you know. But I'm glad I came. I'll be okay, I promise. And I'll see you in a few weeks."
"See you then." Cas pulled his hand back, breaking the link as he leaned back against Dean's chest. "He's okay. Crowley is taking care of him."
Dean wrapped his arms around the omega's waist, holding him close and kissing his neck. "Of course he is. You've had a long day, sweetheart; ready for bed?"
"Yeah."
Dean and Sam led the three omegas out, Gadreel heading for the room he had recently begun to share with Benny in the hopes that he could have a few minutes with the beta before his watch began. As soon as they were gone, the two younger witches turned to Rowena was identical glares of disbelief. "Why didn't you tell us the real reason you sent Balthazar to Spellbound lands?" Tasha demanded, arms crossed over her chest.
"I couldn't. This future is delicate, and I am losing my link to my prophet by the day. Soon, I won't be able to see anything anymore, and I had to do what I thought was necessary to ensure that these omegas do not break."
Tasha nodded, having been filled in on the rising prophet situation, but Charlie snorted and leaned on the table. "Two of them already have," she argued. "Gabriel when we first arrived and Balthazar today. Who will be next? Which omega are we going to have to put back together tomorrow? Rowena, they won't survive."
"They have so far," she argued, reaching out to grab their hands so she could show them what she had seen in her son's mind. "Yes, Gabriel broke, but we healed him and Sam put him back together. Today, Balthazar broke, but Fergus's affection for the pup was enough to find him, break him free of his terror, and bring him back. He will heal, with the help of my son and his temporary family. Don't you understand; when I said that the prophecy is the same for paths two and three until the end, I meant that they must each survive path two in order to reach path three. They will all break, and they must be healed by the people who love them. That is what will repair this tired, shattered kingdom. I can't tell them that, because it would terrify them, but all I see in their future is more pain. I can't see the end of the road; I just know that it can be good if we are determined to save them."
"Rowena," Charlie whispered, "I don't want this. I don't want to have to watch them suffer in the hopes that there is happiness in store. I don't want to have to see their pain before it happens and point them toward it anyway. I don't want to be the speaker."
"Neither did I," Rowena replied, tears in her purple eyes. "It is a terrible burden, but without a prophet and a speaker, all four of those omegas will die, and their future mates soon after. You have to walk this path, no matter how much it hurts, because I cannot stand even the thought of burying my son, let alone the reality. I cannot bear to lose this extended family that we have begun to build here. I want the war to end. I want there to be peace, true peace, that will not be broken by narcissism and bigotry and pride. I want my five hundred years of patience and suffering to have meant something."
Charlie tightened her grip on Rowena's hand, tears streaking her cheeks in response to her mentor's pain. "It will, I promise you. I will carry this burden, and I will see us through to that bright future that you have led us toward for so long. I promise."
"Thank you."