Celestial War

by tucuxia

The three tribes-Celestial, Wilderness, and Spellbound-have been at an uneasy stalemate for generations, but a prophecy about four omegas could bring about a full-scale war that will destroy them all. Also posted on AO3

9. Risen

Chapter 9: Risen

---

"Morning, darling."

Balthazar groaned and opened his eyes, glancing out the window at the dim pre-dawn light, nuzzling closer to his alpha and digging his fingers into the blanket. "I liked it better when I got to sleep in," he groused.

"No you didn't," Crowley argued. "You're getting spoiled, being the pampered omega of a Head Alpha. I know you like it."

"I do, a bit," Balthazar admitted. "But I'd like to sleep in, once in a while."

"I know. This is a busy time of the year, though, even without interviewing the entire staff and half the townsfolk. We're going into planting season soon, and I have a lot of responsibilities."

The omega sighed, admitting defeat. "Trust me, Crowley, I want to learn this stuff. But you really need to take a day for yourself once in a while."

Crowley ran his fingers through Balthazar's hair, smiling at the blue-eyed omega. Alfie whined in his sleep on one side of the blonde, wrapping his arms tighter around Balthazar's waist as he settled down. Kevin rolled onto his back, dark eyes slowly opening as he stretched, his brother grunting his objecting to being shoved. The two younger omegas had slept in Crowley's bed with Balthazar for the past three nights, unwilling to leave him alone until they were sure that he was better. Crowley had been more than welcoming, happy to put up with any invasion of his personal space if it meant that his omega was content.

"Why are we awake right now?"

"Sorry, Kevin; you're the one who chose to sleep in the Head Alpha's bed. It's time to get to work. I have an early meeting with Donald and Maggie about the Equinox; are you coming?"

Kevin grumbled something unkind, slowly pushing himself into a sitting position. "Yeah, I will. Alfie, too, I'm sure. Do you have court this afternoon?"

"Yep. But it's going to be a short session."

"So, can we take Balthy for weapons practice afterwards?"

"Absolutely." Crowley gently pushed his grumpy, clingy omega over to the other side of the bed, slipping out from under the blankets and heading for his closet. "Along with a dozen of my most loyal guards. And probably Ruby."

Kevin rolled his eyes as he headed for his own clothes, punching Alfie as he passed by. "This overprotective streak of yours is getting really inconvenient, Crowley. How are we supposed to train Balthy to fight with so many people around all the time?"

Crowley glanced over his shoulder, his shirt in one hand as he watched Balthazar leave the bed and start searching for his own clothes. He knew that he was being a bit overbearing, but the thought of anything happening to his omega again tore at him every time the blonde was out of his sight. "Ruby and Meg, then."

Alfie let out a low whistle, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes as he poked Balthazar in the side. "The Head Alpha of Spellbound, compromising? Relenting? Balthy, you've been a pretty good influence on him."

"He's been a pretty good influence on me," the blonde replied, finding a dark red shirt with gold embroidery and slipping it on. "Ruby and Meg will be fine. Thank you."

As soon as the three omegas were dressed, Crowley led them out of the bedroom, smiling at Linda who was already awake and eating breakfast. "The boys have weapons practice this afternoon, Linda; Ruby and Meg will be joining them."

The beta nodded and sipped at her tea. "Sounds good. I assume you and Balthazar will be in meetings until then?"

"Of course. Your boys are welcome to join, of course. I'll see you at lunch." Alfie and Kevin joined their mother at the table, digging into the food with more enthusiasm than normal. Crowley led Balthazar to his private study where they would share breakfast with his first meeting of the day, as usual.

"They're going into heat," the alpha commented as soon as they were settled, pouring the omega a cup of his favorite tea.

"When?"

"Tomorrow night, I think. The scent isn't there yet, but increased appetite is a big sign. They can stay tonight, but they'll need to return to their own wing the night after. Linda mentioned that you had planned to spend their heat with them. Is that still true?"

Balthazar shrugged. "I still want to. After everything they've done to make me feel welcome here, it's the least I can do. I don't want to leave you, though. We don't have a lot of time left."

Crowley reached over and squeezed his hand. "I know. Trust me, I'm dreading the coming of spring. You won't be confined to their rooms since you won't be in heat; I'm sure we can find some time for a visit." He looked up as the guards admitted the Starks, a servant on their heels with breakfast. Alfie and Kevin entered just behind them, each still carrying a cup of tea as they settled onto their customary cushions along the wall. They had actually begun to enjoy learning the back end processes of running the pack, though neither of them had any interest in mating a Head Alpha and having to put everything they were learning into practice.

"Good morning Crowley, Balthazar. Boys."

"Donald, Maggie," the alpha returned. "I hope you have a good reason for requesting this meeting. Zar was just telling me this morning how he wished we could sleep in once in a while."

Donald chuckled as he reached for a biscuit. "You know we wouldn't interrupt your rest without good reason, Crowley. Tell me, when does Rowena plan to return?"

"Mother said that she would be at the Wilderness border on the Equinox."

"That's at least three days' run away," Maggie mused. "She won't be back in time."

Donald shook his head. "No. I suppose we have a couple of options."

Crowley sighed as he realized why the witches had summoned him, barely ten days from the Equinox. "She won't be here to lead the ceremony. Where's Olivette?"

"Also not here," Maggie replied. "She may be second in the Coven, but she and Rowena rarely get along. She stayed in the south with our new recruits and will be leading her own ceremony there. Clea won't do it, and I'm rusty."

"So, your options are to move the ceremony to the Wilderness border or find another leader."

"Exactly, Crowley. And, to be honest, we don't have enough time to set up the ceremony somewhere else. We've been running it in that clearing north of town for two hundred years, and none of us are keen to go anywhere else."

Crowley raised one eyebrow and tilted his head. "What am I supposed to do? I don't know anyone else who can run this ceremony for you; all of the other witches in town are too young or not trained in this."

"Except you," Donald replied slyly, grinning over his tea. "You're not a full witch, but you do have some impressive powers for a latent, and your mother taught you every ceremony she knew. Every spell, too, even the ones you can't do."

"There is a separation of Coven and Pack," Crowley pointed out, poking at his eggs absent-mindedly. Most of the palace chickens wouldn't lay in the winter, but all eggs that they did manage were offered to Crowley to be parceled out as favors for his guests or the other nobles. There were some perks to almost-dating the Head Alpha that Balthazar enjoyed, and fresh eggs was at the top of that list. "Mother put that rule in place for a reason."

"We're not asking you as a member of the Coven, Fergus," Maggie replied, raising one finger to forestall any arguments at the use of his birth name. "You renounced the Coven when you took your new name and claimed leadership of this pack. We're asking you, Crowley, as the Head Alpha of Spellbound Pack, to join us in one of our most important rituals of the year. The crops and livestock must be blessed; the omegas going into heat need to know that their fertility will be ensured. This ritual is important."

Crowley sighed and ran his hands through his hair. "I think it's a bad idea, but I will do it if there is truly no one else who can lead you. I do know how important this is."

"Great!" Donald reached into his jacket, pulling out a small leather-bound journal and placing it on the table. "Let's go over our plans, shall we?"

---

"This is a lot more planning than I thought it would be," Kevin murmured, reaching over his shoulder to scratch his back. "How many omegas are you going to have there?"

Donald shrugged. "We need at least one for every witch, but we accept everyone who wants to come. The wolves inside the circle help power the fertility part of the ritual, so they have to be omegas, but there are even female betas who will come every year for a blessing. Usually we have Charlie with Rowena, but we'll need someone to stand on the inside of the circle in her place. I would suggest Balthazar, but he will be gone by then."

Kevin glanced up and caught his friend's pale blue eyes. "If Balthy doesn't mind, I'll stand in for him. I've always kinda wanted to see one of these rituals."

"Sure, absolutely. Alfie, do you want a spot?"

"Oh, yeah, that would be awesome."

Balthazar pointed at the fourth position in the circle, the place where Maggie traditionally stood. "Maggie, the omega who stood with you last year is pregnant and won't be attending, correct? Do you mind taking Samandriel?"

"That would be great. We need a couple of younger omegas to lend energy for the ritual. Some of our omega coven members aren't comfortable on the outer ring so they stand inside, but they aren't exactly young anymore. Charisse stood as my omega last year, but she will be in position eight this year as a witch."

Crowley nodded, touching the eleventh and twelfth spots. "Abaddon and Ruby will join this year and take these two empty spots. I can teach them their part of the ritual quickly enough, and both have enough latent power to be useful. With ten full-blood natural witches, that should work just fine."

"Perfect. Let me show you the wording we've worked out for this year's blessing."

A quick knock on the door interrupted the meeting, a servant peeking her head in. "Sir? You are expected in the throne room."

"Damn," Crowley growled. "I really need to finish this."

Balthazar tilted his head, clearly thinking about something, shrugging his shoulders as he came to a decision. "I could go for you."

The alpha looked up in shock, glancing at the other two omegas to determine if this was some sort of a joke, but the Celestial was clearly serious. "Truly?"

"Why not? You've designated Abaddon and Ruby to speak in your name, and I know that all packs, large and small, have laws that allow for an omega to speak in an alpha's place if he has permission. I've been watching you for days, and helping you with your administrative duties for longer. I'm a quick study, and I know that your meetings today aren't that major."

Kevin cleared his throat. "Balthy, you'd basically be declaring yourself as his omega."

"No, I'm pretty sure he did that when he ripped Gerald's throat out."

Donald chuckled, running his hands through his hair. "He's not wrong. The court is under no illusions about Balthazar's place here. I've never seen someone seated next to the alpha's chair, in any court, before they were mated."

The omega turned his cornflower blue eyes toward Crowley, smiling softly. "I can do this. I want to do this. I'm not afraid."

The Head Alpha smiled and reached out to cup Balthazar's cheek in his hand. "Alright, you can do it, but with one condition. I want you to have a communications tattoo so you can reach out to me if you have any problems."

"I'm surprised you didn't slap one on me the minute you got me back to the palace."

Crowley shrugged and smiled gently at the omega. "Trust me, I wanted to, but I didn't want to force anything on you. The tattoos are really hard to remove, so I wanted to know for sure that you wanted to be mine before I marked you permanently."

Balthazar blushed as he caught the double meaning of Crowley's words, ducking his head as he held out his left arm. "Trust me, I'm yours. And I'm not going anywhere unless your mother orders me to. She kinda scares me."

"You and me both," Donald and Crowley replied at the same time, the alphas chuckling at each other as the half-witch pushed Balthazar's loose sleeve up to expose his inner elbow.

"You ready?" Balthazar nodded, watching as Crowley laid his fingers over Tasha's mark, a glow of purple magic engulfing the sun-encircled stylized pentagram. New runes appeared in the empty spaces between the points of the star, the strange symbols somehow merging with his existing communications tattoo. When Crowley pulled his hand away, Balthazar stared at the new mark in shock.

"You merged them?"

Crowley rolled up his sleeve and showed Balthazar his own communications tattoo. It was a simple pentagram inside a circle, with a thin rune inside each empty space between the points. "I thought they might work well together."

Balthazar placed the fingers of his right hand over his improved tattoo, whispering Crowley's name and watching as the alpha's tattoo began to glow. "Well, it works. I'm off."

Balthazar stood up from his cushion, Alfie joining him as he left the room. Two guards met them, leading them to the throne room without asking any questions, for which the omegas were incredibly grateful. Crowley's personal servants were very attentive, almost to the point of being nosy, but they were able to anticipate the alpha's orders without him having to give them. The servant who had called Crowley to the throne room had ordered the guards to escort and protect Balthazar as soon as he realized that the omega would be taking the alpha's place. The servant himself, a young beta named Mark, walked just behind Balthazar to his left, the same position he took with Crowley.

They reached the throne room a moment later, Mark stepping in front of Balthazar and giving him a once-over. The omega was suddenly glad that he had picked one of his fancier shirts that morning. Mark reached out and tilted Balthazar's head up, indicating that he should stand up straighter and puff out his chest. "Remember, be confident," Mark murmured. "You're not just some omega entering the throne room; you are The Omega, Crowley's chosen, and they are your subjects, too. Command them."

The omega nodded as the guards opened the doors, striding into the huge throne room with his head held high as he ignored all of the glances thrown his way. They were used to him entering with Crowley after the Gerald Incident, but seeing him alone was certainly a shock. Abaddon, who had been running court all morning, glanced up from her lower throne where she retreated when Crowley was expected to arrive, smiling as she stood and offered an alpha's bow.

"Greetings, Balthazar. I'll assume that Crowley has appointed you to sit court in his place."

"Yes, he did. He's deep in plans for the Spring Equinox and sends his regrets that he cannot be here with you today." He climbed the few stairs to Crowley's huge throne, swallowing that tiny shiver of trepidation as he settled into the soft velvet and gazed out across the court. Alfie took Balthazar's customary chair next to the throne, knowing that his friend would need his support.

One of the lesser nobles, a half-witch from the largest southern farming community, stepped forward, bowing toward the throne before speaking. "With all due respect, we were promised an audience with Crowley, not an omega he isn't even courting."

Balthazar felt the chill that spread through the court at the farmer's words, inwardly moved by the support he could sense from the courtiers and city nobles. Abaddon moved to answer, or possibly attack, but Balthazar raised one hand and stilled her. That, more than her greeting to the omega when he entered the throne room, startled the farmer and other visiting dignitaries and supplicants. Abaddon did not back down to anyone except Crowley.

Balthazar leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and holding his hands loosely in front of him, the gesture calculated and nonchalant. He waited a full minute before answering, his blue eyes darkening as they gripped the farmer's gaze. When he finally did speak, his tone was haughty and cold, a far cry from the omega that the court had come to appreciate. "You know, I don't think I caught your name." The farmer opened his mouth to speak, but Balthazar made a slicing motion with one hand, demanding silence. "I don't actually care. No one in this court has any doubts as to my position here, and none of them would be so stupid as to question my alpha's decisions." Crowley had all but claimed him in front of the court a few days earlier, but this was the first time that Balthazar had publically returned the possessiveness.

"Crowley isn't officially courting me for political reasons, as anyone with a brain would know. He hasn't had the opportunity to send an envoy to my alpha, not in the middle of winter. But if you dare think for a moment that I am not his, you had better leave this court right now and never return. He tore out the throat of the last alpha to make that mistake."

Balthazar's aggressive, assertive tone startled even Abaddon, the alpha staring up at him with pride and not a little awe. It was clear that spending so much time with Crowley was rubbing off on the young Celestial. The farmer, sensing that the entire court agreed with Balthazar and had become openly hostile, dropped to his knees and bowed his head, arms crossed over his chest in an alpha's bow. "Forgive my momentary lapse of judgement, Omega. I ask that you allow my suit to be heard today, despite my rudeness."

"I will allow it, but you will be last. Pray that I have time for you."

The farmer accepted the decree in silence, keeping his head bowed as he quickly returned to his delegation. Abaddon glanced at her list and called the next name on it, skipping over the farmer and making a note to call him at the end. Alfie leaned over to whisper in Balthazar's ear, a smile on his face. "That was awesome. The other villages will hear of this, of the omega who speaks in Crowley's name and practically in his voice. You two were made for each other."

The taller omega chuckled, patting his friend's arm. "I'm starting to believe that, myself."

---

Dean tested the weight of his wooden dagger, spinning it a couple of times in his hand to get used to the heft and balance. He and Sam had spent a couple of days making wooden replicas of a dozen different types of swords, daggers, and maces, hoping to get the omegas trained in close combat before the end of the winter. The snow was already retreating, the lake ice too thin to walk on anymore as the first of the spring birds returned. They didn't have much time left.

The dagger in his hand was modeled after the Celestial's short blades, normally forged from a special alloy created from metal that could only be mined in their mountains. The one in his hand was made of wood, but they had tightened a steel band around the upper edge of the hilt to get the balance perfect. Castiel called the weapon an angel blade, named after the brilliant pale color of the steel mixture it was forged from, the longer ones called angel swords. Dean had also carved some of the blades carried by Spellbound witches, the long, slender swords used by his own pack, and the heavy broadswords that his ancestors had once wielded. They would start their practice with the angel blades, since Cas and his brothers had used those before, eventually moving onto the other weapons until they had to leave for his home.

Truth be told, Dean was dreading returning home. He loved his family, but the city sometimes felt like a prison. He loved being out in the wild, even in Asa's small town, and he worried that the closeness his pack and the Celestials had gained over the past couple months would suffer once they had to deal with Wilderness wolves in the main city.

"Are you ready, Dean?"

Cas's bright azure eyes caught Dean's thoughtful dark jade across the empty field, the omega spinning a wooden blade in his own hand. Sam and Gabriel stood beside Cas, Benny and Jo with Dean, while Gadreel had opted to act as referee for this round. He would switch with Jo when they tried out the angel swords, then Jo would relieve Sam when they switch to the maces and double swords. Rowena and Charlie sat with Tasha and Max near a campfire outside of the official ring, teaching the Wildernesses a type of magic that the older witch called "weaving" that Dean did not understand at all. They were also there to heal any minor injuries obtained during the practice.

"Yeah, let's get started."

Cas moved forward instantly, flipping his blade down as he ducked under Dean's arm, landing a punch on the alpha's side before slipping away. The omega hadn't used anywhere close to his full strength for the strike, but Dean caught the message. He pulled his entire focus to the fight, slashing up at his own brother and grabbing Gabriel's wrist as the pair attacked together. Cas's blade met Benny's on his left, Jo crouching down and sweeping one leg toward Sam's feet. The taller alpha jumped back, his free hand jerking Gabe along with him as Dean moved to press his team's advantage. He froze as he sensed someone behind him, ducking what could have been a very uncomfortable wooden weapon neck-stab from his boyfriend, reaching around and behind himself to grab Cas's leg and pull it forward. The omega surprised him, letting himself be pulled to the ground, using the new position to hook his free ankle around Dean's overextended leg and jerk him down, too.

Dean grunted as he realized his mistake, raising his blade to block Cas as the omega landed on top of him. He realized with a shock that Cas was his size, just as broad-shouldered and well-muscled as the big alpha now that he wasn't half-starved to death. Dean placed his free hand against Cas's chest and tried to push him off, eyes still on their blades locked inches from his face, but the omega wouldn't budge. Switching tactics, Dean redirected their locked blades to the side of his head, swinging his trapped elbow up into the side of Cas's face. The blow was glancing, but it was enough to knock his opponent off-balance, and he was able to use one knee to dislodge Cas before rolling away.

The omega jumped back to his feet, half-crouched with his hands held in front of him, blade forward and cobalt eyes intense. They weren't boyfriends right now; they were two warriors from opposite sides of the border, and Cas was so into this fight that Dean was finally able to lose himself in their dance. His eyes flashed as he growled, moving to close with the dark-haired Celestial as their blades met again, neither of them able to gain an advantage over the other. Dean saw a flicker in the blue eyes locked with his, and it was enough of a warning for him to spin away and duck.

Sam grunted as his blow missed and he overbalanced, Dean taking the opportunity to slam the fist wrapped around his blade into his brother's stomach. Sam groaned and dropped to his knees, Cas moving to defend him and push Dean back. Benny and Jo appeared on either side of the omega, Gabriel body-slamming the blonde woman as Cas turned on the burly beta and jumped, kicking out with both feet as he came down. Benny grunted as the impact threw him to the ground, and Dean shook his head in amazement. Where the hell had Cas learned that move?

He didn't have any more time to consider the omega's fighting prowess as Sam charged toward him, forcing him away from the tight knot of combatants. Cas's kick had ended with him on the ground, but Benny was in no position to take advantage of that fact. The impact with the dirt had been enough to knock the breath out of him, and it took him an agonizing couple of minutes to convince his body that he could, in fact, still control his lungs. Cas regained his footing first, turning toward the skirmish between Gabriel and Jo, ignoring the semi-incapacitated beta.

Jo rolled away from Gabriel as he sliced forward with his blade, both blondes snapping their teeth in the same aggressive gesture they would use as wolves as they grabbed for each other. Gabriel wrapped his arm around Jo's waist, pinning her dagger arm behind her back as he raised his dagger to her throat, her free hand tightening around his wrist. He pressed forward, fighting against the pain she was causing him, grinning as the side of his triple-edged blade came to a rest against the side of her neck. "Jo is dead," Gadreel called, all combatants freezing in position as Gabriel released Jo and exchanged a bow with her, accepting her blade.

As soon as Jo was seated beside the group of witches, Gadreel called for combat to resume. Armed with two angel blades, Gabriel turned toward Cas and nodded toward Dean, both of them rushing off to join their teammate.

Dean sensed the tactic instantly, rolling to the left to escape his brother as he dashed to Benny's side and pulled the beta to his feet. The two of them faced the taller alpha and two omegas, not a sound passing between any of the wolves as they split again. Benny faced Sam, pulling him away from the other three, as Dean took on the two omegas.

Gabriel rushed Dean almost at once, the alpha catching both angel blades with his as he grabbed the omega's throat with his free hand. Gabriel's golden eyes narrowed as he tried to break the blade lock, but Dean managed to spin him around and moved his hand to wrap around both wrists, holding them to the side as he pulled the omega back against his chest. Flipping his blade toward himself, he pressed it against the omega's heart.

"Gabriel is dead."

The blonde omega left the field, offering one of his blades to Dean and dropping the other on the ground between him and Cas. The blue-eyed omega grinned as he assumed his defensive stance again, clearly enjoying the fight more than he thought he would. They both lost track of their fellow combatants the two rushed each other again, Cas leaning down to scoop up his defeated brother's weapon just before their blades met.

Sam had fought Benny before, learning to never underestimate the older wolf. The alpha had the advantage of a greater reach and alpha strength, but the beta was wily and had survived many more decades of vicious fighting both in his home land and along the Wilderness border. When they met, it was with fists and growls, blades contacting but not hitting any of the major organs that would immediately remove them from the contest. Their skirmish moved further away from Dean and Cas as they each struggled to gain an advantage.

Sam, slightly frustrated, planted his feet and hauled back, aiming a vicious punch at Benny's head, shocked when the beta somehow caught the swing, engulfing the alpha's fist in his larger hand. Finally finding an opening, Sam twisted his other wrist and rested the tip of his wooden dagger against Benny's heart. "I win," he growled.

"Depends on how much you want pups," Benny returned, glancing down significantly. Sam's eyes widened as he registered the blade resting on his groin in a position that would be inches from castrating him if it was forged from metal instead of carved from an oak branch.

"I'm calling this one a draw," Gadreel grinned, "especially since I know that my twin greatly desires pups out of this moose."

Sam chuckled and stepped back, not even bothering to hide his blush. "Good move, Benny."

"You, too." The beta nodded toward the two remaining combatants, watching them rush each other and break apart again without either gaining an appreciable advantage. Gadreel moved back to referee the pair as Benny and Sam joined the spectators outside of the circle, confident that their pack mates would be done soon.

They couldn't have been more wrong.

Dean closed with Cas twice, blades clashing as they pushed against each other, both of them growling as they failed to gain any advantage. When the rushed each other a third time, Cas shifted to the side at the last moment, releasing his blades in favor of grabbing Dean's wrists and twisting them, forcing him to drop his own weapons. Now that both of them were disarmed, Cas punched the alpha, Dean grunting as he grabbed Cas's arm and threw him over his shoulder, rolling away before the omega could jump back to his feet. Panting, Cas grabbed his two blades and backed away, Dean retrieving his own weapons and following.

Ten minutes later, Sam joined Gadreel in the center of the field, hazel eyes following his brother. "Dude, you have to call it. Neither one of them can win. They're just going to get tired."

"I agree. Dean, Cas; the fight's over!"

Dean responded first, relaxing his stance as his green eyes cleared. He held his blades tightly until he saw the bloodlust fade out of Cas's bright blue eyes, the Celestial lowering his weapons. "But we aren't done."

Sam sighed. "Cas, you won't ever be done. You're too evenly matched, and neither one of you will ever yield. I don't really feel like watching you fight each other to exhaustion, especially when we have other weapons to work with today." He nodded toward the witches and the clear area around the fire at their feet. "Come have something to drink."

Dean smiled at the raven-haired omega, clapping him on the shoulder as they headed for the camp together. "Cas, that was pretty amazing. I can see why they made you their general."

"Thank you, Dean, but I'm sure that most of that was from your training over the past few weeks. I definitely like using these blades more than any of the ranged weapons we tried. I definitely want to get a real one for myself."

Dean chuckled as they both settled near the fire, accepting the water and tea that Sam passed him. "Sure, Cas; we'll just march up to Michael and ask him for one."

The omega huffed grumpily. "I wouldn't have to go that far north. They use the blades in the southern pack, too, you know."

"Oh geez."

Sam grinned, running his fingers through Gabriel's hair absentmindedly. "You shouldn't have said anything, Dean. Now he wants a present."

Cas turned to Dean and took his hands, earnest blue eyes boring into startled green. "No, Dean, I don't want anything. This, everything you've already given me, this is enough."

The witches cooed at the pair as Dean leaned forward and rested his forehead on the omega's, pulling him into his arms. "That is the most adorable thing I have ever seen," Rowena purred.

Sam cleared his throat and glanced around the group. "Dean and Cas are not allowed to be on opposite teams anymore. Also, they need to sit this round out so the rest of us can get some practice in."

Jo chuckled. "I agree. We'll have to redo the teams for swords, so Sam and Gabriel against me and Gadreel with Benny as referee."

"Perfect, let's go."

They spent the rest of the day practicing with all of the prop weapons they had made, switching to real swords in the afternoon in much more carefully-controlled drills. Despite Sam's words, Dean and Cas did end up on opposite teams during the last fight of the morning. Dean and Sam took on Jo, Benny, and all three omegas, and the fight still ended with everyone "dead" and Dean and Cas in a stalemate. Sam shook his head at the outcome, leading the group back to the fire for lunch before starting the live weapon practice. If nothing else, they were all exhausted by the end of the day.

---

Crowley strode into the throne room with Kevin just behind him, the two witches trailing at the end of the group. He entered the huge chamber and glanced around at the courtiers still present, shocked to see that the room was relatively full of nobles, though the petitioners looked to be all gone. Abaddon looked up from the papers in her hand, nodding toward Crowley to get Ruby's attention. The two half-witches bowed toward their High Alpha, the muted conversations in the hall slowly fading as Balthazar descended the steps to the floor. Alfie joined his brother behind Crowley as Balthazar bowed, arms crossed over his chest.

Crowley reached out and cupped a hand under Balthazar's chin, tilting his head up until their eyes met. "You don't bow to me, Zar. Not ever."

The omega smiled and stepped forward, burying his nose in the alpha's neck and inhaling his familiar scent. "How was your meeting?"

"Good. How was court?" Crowley wrapped an arm around Balthazar and led him back to the throne, helping the omega settle into his customary chair before the alpha took his throne.

"Not bad," Balthazar answered. "It was a little rocky at the beginning, but I settled the problem and we didn't have any more issues."

"What do you mean, 'rocky'?"

Abaddon chuckled from her throne. "You'd have been proud of him, Crowley. Balthazar tore into one of your less useful nobles, put him in his place. He's rightly terrified of the boy now."

Crowley sat up straighter in his chair, puffing out his chest with pride. "Good, glad to hear it. Do we have any more petitioners today?"

"No, Balthazar has seen them all. We do have my afternoon roster, since you won't be holding court tomorrow, if you'd like."

"Yes, that will be fine. I'll see anyone you can fit in before lunch, then you and Ruby will join the boys for their weapons practice this afternoon." He turned toward Balthazar, patting his arm conspiratorially. "Abby here is the best sword master in Spellbound pack. You'll learn a lot from her, I guarantee it."

The redheaded alpha rolled her eyes. "I do wish you wouldn't call me that, Crowley."

"I know. Also, you and Ruby will be taking positions in the Circle for the Equinox. We're a bit short on witches this year in general, and Mother won't be back in time."

Abaddon and Ruby nodded, knowing that they would have to study the ritual with Donald and Maggie in preparation for the ceremony. "Will you start seeing omegas who have requests?"

"Naturally," Crowley purred. "We have the inner circle taken care of, but there is no limit to the number of omegas and female betas who can attend. We'll take requests up to the day before the ceremony, but the cutoff will be noon that day. Now, who is our first petitioner?"

Abaddon bowed her head and gestured for a servant to admit the first guest, Balthazar leaning over to whisper in Crowley's ear while they waited. "What does she mean, you aren't holding court tomorrow?"

"I contacted her after you left and told her to clear my calendar for tomorrow. I'm taking the day off, like you suggested." He smirked as the omega's eyes widened, patting the Celestial's arm. "Don't act so surprised. I do listen to you, from time to time. Besides, it's the last day I can see you for a while with the boys going into heat, so it makes sense."

Balthazar kissed the side of Crowley's neck before returning to his own seat. "Thank you."

---

Balthazar slipped into the loose, knee-length shirt he enjoyed sleeping in, watching as Kevin and Alfie also dressed for bed. Crowley was finishing up a late meeting with Abaddon, something about fishing rights in the south, but he would be in soon. Kevin sighed as he reached over his shoulder, trying to scratch at something on his back.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't know. My back has been itching since this morning. I think I must have gotten bitten by something when we were out practicing weapons yesterday."

Alfie grinned, reaching over to scratch where Kevin couldn't reach. "You have reactions to the strangest things; you know that? Shouldn't you be immune to all of this, growing up in the wild? What would Mother say if she saw you right now?"

Kevin rolled his eyes and stretched out on the huge bed. "She'd tell me that scratching only makes it worse, for one. Then she'd tell me that wolves who live in the wild should learn to be at one with nature." He glanced up at Balthazar, tilting his head at the distant look in the taller omega's pale blue eyes. "What is it, Balthy?"

"Uh, it's nothing. I just . . . it's nothing." He climbed into bed beside Kevin, waiting for Alfie to curl up on his other side before reaching over and snuffing the lamp. Something bothered him about the way Kevin was scratching at his back, but he was sure that the omega was right. He was just having a reaction to a bug bite from the woods.

-hr-

"What's bothering you, Charlie? You've been on edge all day."

The redhead snorted and poked at her roll with a knife, trying to decide if she was still hungry or just bored. "You were training all day; how did you notice?"

"I make it a point to notice you." Jo smiled gently, ducking her head so their eyes could meet. "Is it a witch thing, or something you can tell me?"

"It's kind of a witch thing, but I think I can tell you. Everyone is going to know soon enough." She dropped her knife and stared out the window of her guest room, watching as the stars twinkled into existence, one by one. "A new prophet is rising."

"When?"

"I don't know. Very soon. Tomorrow, maybe the day after. I'm scared of it." Charlie turned away from the window and returned her gaze to her abandoned meal.

Jo reached out and squeezed Charlie's arm, offering whatever support she could. "Why are you scared? Rowena said that there hasn't been a prophet in five hundred years."

"Yes, because we didn't need one. The echoes she could see from her bond were enough to lead us these past five centuries. Now they aren't, and a new prophet is needed. With a new prophet comes a new speaker, a witch who will bond with him or her and translate their visions. That person will guide and influence the people of all three lands to lead us to the reunited kingdom that Rowena dreams about. Presumably."

"The speaker isn't Rowena?"

"No, a witch can only bond with one prophet in her lifetime. It's supposed to be incredibly intense, a connection almost as deep as a mating bond. I've been, uh, chosen."

"You're going to be the next speaker? Isn't that a good thing?"

Charlie shrugged and crossed her arms over her chest. "I don't know. I thought it was, at first, then I started to see echoes of the prophecies Rowena saw. I know where she is leading you and those boys, and it scares me. I know that it's the right call, but I dread the day when I will have to make it. And I think that day is coming faster than I thought."

Jo moved to sit beside Charlie, pulling the omega against her side and resting her chin on top of her head. "What can I do to help?"

"Oh, Jo, I don't think you can. I wish you could, but this is my burden. I don't know who the prophet is or where they are, just that I have to find them as soon after they awaken as possible. Whoever it is will need me to guide them through the headaches and visions."

"What are the requirements to be a prophet?"

"Uh, it has to be an omega. That's guaranteed. Also they have to be a messenger."

"Could it be one of the boys? Or do you think it's one of the other three unnamed messengers Rowena mentioned?"

"It has to be one of those seven, for sure. Messengers have to be omegas or alphas, and they gain their wings during heat or rut, never their first one but when they are old enough to serve. The boys got them at twenty and twenty-one, and I think that their growing need to get away from Michael and his planned mates for them prompted their change. Rowena said that it's a little different for a prophet; they rise during a moment of great transition in their lives, or through some great trauma. It doesn't have to be during heat, but they would have to already be a messenger to rise as a prophet. All four of the boys fit the profile."

Jo leaned back and furrowed her brow. "You don't think it's any of them."

"I have no reason to suspect otherwise, but something deep inside me says that the prophet is someone else, one of the other three messengers. Rowena said that a speaker can't see her own future or her prophet's identity, but I just know."

"What else did she tell you about this prophet?"

"She said that, in her day, the prophet and her speaker formed a tiny, independent pack with a legacy who would protect them from all threats."

Jo grinned, reaching for Charlie's abandoned roll and wolfing it down. "What if the legacy is an omega? Most of them, with few exceptions, don't enjoy fighting."

"That's not really an issue, since omegas can't be legacies, just as betas can't be messengers."

"And alphas can't be witches?"

Charlie shrugged. "Yes, but that particular rule has a tiny exception. Donald Stark, one of Rowena's oldest and most trusted friends, is the only known natural-born alpha witch within recorded history. No one knows how it happened, though Rowena suspects that his mother was practicing some pretty heavy and dark magic while she was pregnant with him. He is the only alpha witch, though he says that his wolf is not terribly interested in the more aggressive alpha tendencies. He has never been in a fight with another alpha, he defers to his beta mate during any confrontations, and has always quickly and almost eagerly submitted to the mundane alphas he has to interact with. He was one of the loudest voices in favor of Crowley being allowed to compete for Head Alpha, and Donald was the first one to offer fealty to him when he won."

"Wow. I'd like to meet him someday."

Charlie fell silent at the words, slipping free of Jo's arm and padding over to the window. She stared at the polished wood of the sill, running her fingernails over the swirls in the dark surface. "Jo, I am going to find my prophet. When that happens, the prophet and I will need someone to protect us, someone who isn't also busy guarding Rowena. I want to ask you to be our legacy, when that day comes."

"Me?"

"I can't think of anyone else I would want to run with for the rest of my life," she whispered, hands clenching into fists at her side. It was a hard thing to ask, and among Spellbound wolves the alpha often asked first. "I know that you have obligations with Wilderness pack, and I have to return home at least long enough to find my prophet and graduate as Rowena's apprentice, but I am going to miss you so much. I hope that you will miss me?" It wasn't phrased as a question, but the inflection was there, Charlie's insecurities leaking through.

"Of course I'm going to miss you," Jo whispered, joining the omega by the window and pulling the young witch into her arms. "I thought you would know that by now."

"I don't want to ask you to leave your pack."

"You aren't asking. Charlie, I wasn't planning on running with Dean for more than one or two more seasons. I was only doing this long enough to learn pack etiquette so I could return home and find my place there. I kind of thought that I would spend some time with my mother running the inn, but I don't think that's me anymore. Dean has said many times how much he wants to live in the wild, and I've been thinking about doing that myself. I was considering Jody's offer before winter started, but now . . ." She smiled at the witch, running her fingers through her red hair. They were the same height, though Charlie might have an inch on the alpha. "I'm not allowed in Spellbound lands, though, as a Wilderness alpha."

Charlie felt her heart soar at the alpha's words. "But you would consider it, if there was a way? You would run with me and my prophet?"

"I would run with you," Jo clarified. "And I would protect you and your prophet."

"And would you . . . will you court me?"

Jo chuckled, the sound shifting to a purr as she pulled the omega closer. "By the Ancestors, I thought you'd never ask."

Charlie reached up and cupped the blonde's face in her hands, emerald eyes sparkling as she leaned in to claim Jo's lips in a gentle kiss. "I've been waiting to do that since I met you."

"Why did you wait so long?"

"Didn't want to scare you away."

Jo shook her head and leaned in for a second kiss. "You never could."

---

"Hey, Gabe?"

"Hmm?" The blonde was already half-asleep, the long day of weapon practice exhausting him. "What is it, Sam?"

"Gad said that you want pups."

Gabriel groaned and forced himself back to full wakefulness, leaning up on one arm and staring down at his tall boyfriend. "What bothers you about that? I mean, yes, I do one day want pups, but that isn't a request. Gad knows me better than anyone; both of us have always dreamed of what pregnancy would be like, and we both want families."

"How large?"

"Sam, what's wrong?"

The alpha sighed and ran a hand through his hair, closing his hazel eyes as he tried to organize his thoughts. "I don't know. I mean, I never really thought about pups. I'm only twenty-two, after all, and I'm not the Wilderness heir. It's never been expected of me, not like it is of Dean. He has to mate and have pups, and Dad has been pressuring him since his first rut to start looking around at eligible omegas."

"But not you?"

Sam shrugged, opening his eyes again and letting them meet Gabriel's concerned gold. "No one ever asked me what I want."

"Do you?" Gabriel cursed the waver in his voice, struggling to push back his tears and gain some control of his emotions. "I'm not going to be upset if you say no, but it's what I was bred for. Omegas are raised to think about breeding and pups more than alphas, I think, and I did try to be the 'right' kind of omega."

"Gabe, there's no wrong kind of omega." He reached up and curled his hand around Gabriel's cheek, smiling as the blonde leaned into the caress. "It's not that I don't want pups, it's just that I think I'm too young to raise one properly. I'm not ready."

"Sam, I'm not asking you to impregnate me during my next heat, but I do want to know if you would ever be willing to."

Sam pushed himself into a sitting position, staring into Gabriel's unreadable whiskey-gold eyes as he considered the question. "I don't want pups, but I do want little mini yous running around and getting underfoot. I think you'll make beautiful little babies."

Gabriel's heart almost fell at the first few words, filled to bursting at the clarification. "I think we'll make beautiful babies," he returned, leaning forward to catch Sam's lips in a soft kiss.

"But not this year," Sam added, returning the kiss and pushing closer, tilting his head to deepen it. Gabriel groaned against his lips, pulling himself into Sam's lap as he nodded in agreement.

"Not this year," he echoed breathlessly, his inner omega singing with joy. He couldn't wait to mate this wonderful alpha.

---

Crowley woke first, as usual, groaning at the sudden scent of almost-heat that washed over him. Kevin and Alfie were in those last few pre-heat hours where more sensitive alphas could scent them, and they would be fully in season by the next morning. Crowley had been around omegas in pre-heat and full heat before, and the scent never bothered him, but it wasn't safe for the boys to be near an alpha while in that condition. No matter how they normally felt about Crowley, their wolves would demand that they get the alpha to breed them. It would certainly make for a long, interesting day.

Balthazar stirred before the boys, breaking the alpha's thoughts. His blue eyes, cornflower pale this early in the morning, found Crowley's crimson quickly, the omega smiling and stretching out his nighttime kinks. "Morning," he grumbled, nuzzling up against the alpha's chest.

"Morning, Zar."

The omega looked up, spreading his hand out on Crowley's chest and pushing down. "You're really tense this morning. What's wrong?"

Crowley smiled and threaded his finger through Balthazar's hair, forcing himself to relax. "It's your two new brothers. I can smell them."

"What do you . . . oh. Are they in heat already? I can't smell it."

"No, just pre-heat. Some alphas can catch the change in their scent a day before they go into full heat. Unfortunately, I seem to be one of those lucky few. I've never spent so much time with mundane omegas before, so I had no idea how distracting it could be. There's also this weird prickling along my spine, similar to when I have scented omegas in full heat before, but it's just making me uncomfortable. And, apparently, tense."

Balthazar turned over so he was facing Crowley, head still resting on his chest. "I thought that the pheromones were supposed to attract alphas. All alphas. Why are you immune?"

The Head Alpha shrugged. "Because it isn't you."

"I've never heard of anyone having that much control over their wolf. I'm flattered."

Crowley grinned. "I've had a hundred years to come to an understanding with my wolf. Donald and I had a long conversation about it once, and he taught me some tricks. He and I used to have to spend time with the Coven's omegas when they were in heat, and we had to control ourselves. I'm pretty sure that I won't be able to resist you, though."

Kevin stirred before Balthazar could answer, but the blush on the omega's cheeks reassured Crowley that his compliment was well-received. Kevin kicked his brother, caught in the last grip of a dream, and both of them woke with a start.

"Good morning, boys," Crowley greeted. "Ready for breakfast?"

Samandriel pushed himself into a sitting position. "What time is it? I think I see the sun."

"Yeah, I let you three sleep in. You'll be pretty high-strung for the next few days, so I thought you might appreciate a day off."

"The next few . . . oh." The Celestial raised his wrist to his hand and sniffed it, sighing. "Heat. Damn. I hate being in heat."

"Only because you hate the thought of an alpha knotting you," Kevin returned, slipping out of bed and splashing some water on his face before grabbing the neatly-folded pile of clothes that one of the servants had laid out the night before. "When you're in heat, you beg for it. I despise that loss of control as much as you do."

Crowley chuckled as he dressed, choosing to stay in his soft cotton underclothes instead of his wolf-fur ones. He had no intention of shifting that day, and he wasn't holding court, so he could choose more casual clothes. Balthazar also ignored his wolf-fur underclothes, finding a pair of heavy, cream-colored pants and a sky blue shirt that Crowley had given him a few days earlier, the sleeves decorated with light green vines interspersed with dark purple grapes. It was a nod to the omega's love of wine, and it was quickly becoming his favorite shirt.

"I've never met two omegas who so desperately wish they were betas," Crowley commented, handing Balthazar a loose brown vest to ward off the chill outdoors. He had already decided that he needed to get the boys outside where their scent would not overwhelm him, especially since it would only grow stronger as the day progressed.

"I don't wish that, not really," Alfie returned, leading the other two omegas into the main room of Crowley's suite. Linda, who had already eaten a small breakfast while waiting for the boys to wake, nodded toward the table where tea was waiting. Mark, ever attentive in a chair by the door, closed the book he had been reading and headed to the door to call for food to be delivered. Normally, he would have it waiting, but Crowley had told the beta of his plan to sleep in, so he had waited.

"The usual?"

"Yes, Mark, that will be fine. Perhaps some extra honey cakes this morning, if the chef has any prepared. And blueberry muffins." Mark nodded and stuck his head out the door, sending a servant down to the kitchen to fetch breakfast.

"Then what do you wish?" Balthazar settled onto his customary cushion, poking Alfie as the slender brunette settled beside him.

"I do want a mate, trust me. I may not want an alpha, but I don't plan to be a lone wolf forever. I just hate how much of myself I lose when I'm in heat."

"I do sometimes wish I had been born a beta," Kevin added, making a face as he sipped the too-bitter tea. "I can tolerate heat in the city, but it was definitely easier out in the woods with no one else around. I can't help worrying that some rutting alpha will bust in here one day."

"That will never happen," Crowley assured him. "Not only do I have a dozen laws on the books protecting omegas, but I post a half a squad of guards in your wing at all times, all of whom will be betas while you are in heat. There are no alphas living anywhere near you except me, and if anyone did somehow magically manage to get through all of those protections and into your rooms, Linda would tear his head off."

"Damn right," the beta grumbled, staring into her tea cup. "Living in the palace has its perks."

"Being friends with me has its perks," Crowley added, smiling as Linda reached across the table and squeezed his arm in agreement.

They took their time with breakfast once it arrived, Crowley arranging for Mark to have the palace gardens blocked off for the day and a light lunch prepared around noon to be delivered to them. He led the beta and three omegas outside into the fresh and slightly warmer air, the hint of spring riding the breeze. Crowley took a deep breath, finally free of that irritating tingle that had bothered him all morning.

Linda caught the action, pulling Crowley back as the three omegas started to wander down the path to the lower gardens. "What is it?"

"Nothing, just the smell was getting to me."

"Kevin and Alfie? I'm no alpha, but I've been told that omegas in heat are supposed to give off a sweet, irresistible scent."

Crowley shrugged. "It's sweet, alright; cloying might be a better word for it. Apparently I'm one of those alphas who can scent them early, but I wish I couldn't. It's distracting and slightly confusing, especially since my wolf wants them, but I have no interest."

"You really don't," Linda murmured, eyes raking over Crowley's form as she noted the subtle physical cues her training as a spy had taught her. "I never thought you would be the one alpha I could truly trust near my sons. I'm liking you more and more each day."

Crowley chuckled and led the beta deeper into the gardens. "You like me because I'm not attracted to your sons?"

Linda shrugged. "You'll understand when you have pups."

---

Crowley had never enjoyed himself as much as he did that day. He escorted Linda and the boys around the garden, showing them the plants that would be bursting into bloom within the next few weeks and explaining the origin and significance of each one. He showed them the huge fountain in the center of the lower garden, a gift to a former Head Alpha almost four hundred years earlier. They ate lunch on the benches nearby, watching the first of the returning songbirds hopping around in the retreating snow.

Balthazar leaned against Crowley's side, letting the alpha pull him closer and protect him from the late winter chill. "Is this what you imagined when you asked me to take a day off?"

"I didn't imagine anything," Balthazar whispered. "I just wanted to spend time with you, away from the glares of court."

"Glares?"

"Crowley, until yesterday not a single one of them looked at me with an ounce of trust or respect. I get it, of course; I'm just some rogue Celestial omega looking to shack up with the boss."

Crowley chuckled. "That is not how they see you."

"Not anymore, for sure," Alfie purred, joining the pair on the long marble bench. He sat on the other side of Balthazar, checking that he was downwind of Crowley to avoid upsetting the Head Alpha any more. "After he put that stupid noble in his place, I'm pretty sure that the court is a little in love with him. The outer villages will respect his position, if nothing else."

"That's not a bad thing in Spellbound pack," Crowley mused. "Unlike the other two packs, we have quite a bit of turnover at our highest ranks, though the nobility tends to be consistent. Other than the Coven, nothing stays the same here long, so we have to rule through whatever means we can find. Respect is hard to earn here. It took me decades before I could stop ruling through strength and fear. But you're getting there much faster than I did; even Abaddon likes you."

"And Abaddon doesn't like anyone," Linda groused. "I heard that she stood up for you, though, yesterday morning. She was willing to attack that alpha for talking back to you."

"Not bad. I'll have to thank her for that." He placed his empty cup back on the edge of the bench for the servants to collect later. "What do you boys want to do for the afternoon?"

"Can we go swimming?" Kevin turned hopeful eyes up toward Crowley, reaching over his shoulder to scratch his back. "I think I got bit by something or rubbed against some poisonous plant a couple of days ago; my back is itching something crazy. I think a swim might help."

"Yeah, we can head to a small pond I know of in a park in the northern part of town. The nobles' estates are nearby, but the park itself is relatively secluded. It's close enough that we won't have to shift."

"Sounds great." Balthazar slipped off the bench, following Crowley back into the palace proper, his two omega friends behind him with Linda taking the rear guard position. Crowley insisted on bringing a full dozen guards, all of them betas except Ruby. She glanced at the two younger omegas, sniffing gently as she caught the faintly sweet scent of their impending heat, glancing at Meg and nodding. Her second headed to the park ahead of the group, clearing nobles, servants, and guards from the path before the main group came through, knowing that even the hint of an omega's heat this early in the mating season would drive alphas wild. It technically wasn't safe for the boys to be wandering so far from the palace, but no one would dare argue with Crowley.

Linda and Crowley chose not to swim, sitting with Ruby and Meg on a small bluff overlooking the clear but still cold pond as the three omegas stripped and jumped in. The two full-blooded Celestials didn't feel the chill at all, this late in the season, but Kevin could only manage a half an hour before running back to his mother for blankets and hot tea. The beta built a small fire for them, helping her older son warm up as the other two chased each other through the still water.

"Did it help your back?" Linda pulled the blanket away to examine her son's skin, dark eyes narrowing at the two long scrapes on either side of his spine where he had been scratching, or asking for help scratching, almost nonstop all day. "I don't see anything wrong, not really. I mean, you've scratched your back almost bloody, but there's no marks from any plants or bugs that could have caused this."

"I know," Kevin whispered. "Alfie has the same marks on his back from the constant scratching, but he's more subtle about it. This itching, it just won't stop. It's going to drive me crazy."

"Look, I have some aloe ointment that should soothe your skin. I'll get it for you when we get back. Are you two the only ones suffering from this?"

"As far as I know, yeah. Balthazar seemed a little freaked when I first told him, but I think it was just guilt. He worries that we got it chasing after him a few days ago, in the deep woods where we rarely venture. He could be right, but I don't want him to feel bad about it."

Linda placed a hand on Kevin's forehead, looking into his eyes and making him open his mouth so she could check his throat. "You don't seem sick. Whatever it is, it's topical. The ointment should help."

"Thanks, Mom." Finally warm, Kevin shrugged out of his blankets and ran back to the pond, Crowley politely averting his eyes from the naked omega.

All three of them returned less than an hour later, bundling up in the blankets they were offered and enjoying the heat of the fire. Crowley reached out and ran his fingers through Balthazar's spiked, damp hair, smiling as the blonde strands refused to be tamed. "How was your swim?"

"Invigorating. I'm glad we came." The omega turned to Alfie, tilting his head as Linda checked his back, as well. "You guys didn't tell me that the itching was that bad. You've almost made yourselves bleed from scratching so much."

"I have an ointment for them to use tonight," Linda assured him. "Are you sure you don't have the same symptoms?"

Balthazar shook his head, his blue eyes worried. "Not . . . not now. I have had them before . . . back in Celestial lands. I don't think it's the same cause, though. It wouldn't have lasted for almost two days if it was. I mean, I don't think it would."

"How long did yours last?"

"Just a few hours, maybe eight? It itched like no one's business, but it was completely gone the next morning." He couldn't elaborate any further, but Balthazar was reasonably certain that Kevin and Samandriel were not reacting to the same situation that he and his brothers had gone through. They had been scratching at their backs for much longer, if nothing else.

"Zar, what aren't you telling them?"

The omega fought against the urge to look up at Crowley or in any way acknowledge that mental communication. He had forgotten that the alpha could communicate across any bond in his pack without speaking, including through a tattoo, apparently. Focusing his thoughts and shifting his hands under his blanket as surreptitiously as he could, Balthazar touched his tattoo and tried to project his message back. "It's nothing, honestly. I was worried at first, but this is much worse than the, uh, ailment I thought they had."

"If you're sure," the alpha replied cautiously. He had caught the edge of a few of Balthazar's thoughts during the projection, and what he had seen was worrisome. "Good job with that focus, by the way. You're pretty clear for an amateur."

"I'll keep practicing."

"I'm sure you will. Just . . . Linda is worried. Keep an eye on the boys tonight."

"Of course."

They only managed one more hour of swimming before the omegas were too tired to continue. Once they were warm and dry, the boys dressed and followed Crowley back to the castle, their retinue of guards flanking the group. Ruby glanced at Crowley as she walked one pace behind and to the side of him, brushing the purple tattoo on her arm. "At least they don't smell as strong now," she observed.

"Be glad you aren't cursed with sharper faculties. It's been overwhelming all day."

"Just think how wonderful it will be when it's Balthazar who's in heat."

Crowley could imagine it, all too clearly, in fact. His wolf, already on edge from the hint of fuck me hormones the younger omegas had been leaking all day, jumped on the image of a very naked Balthazar on his hands and knees in Crowley's bed, that rosemary-mint scent overlaid with the delectable musk of full heat. Crowley looked over his shoulder and glared at Ruby, his crimson eyes flashing as her lighter ones laughed. She glanced down at his crotch significantly, smirking at the effect her words had evoked, bowing to her alpha as they reached the omegas' chambers.

"Is there anything else, Alpha?" she asked in a too-pleased tone.

"Yes, Ruby, one thing," Crowley ground out. "Double the guard in this wing when you leave, and make sure that they are all betas."

"Of course." She tapped Meg's arm and led her away, the beta oblivious to the tension in the air or the silent conversation that had provoked it.

Crowley followed Linda into the suite, reaching out to take Balthazar's hand as he glanced at the doors leading out of the main room. "Which room will you boys use tonight?"

"Alfie's, I guess. It's in the middle and the bed will be big enough for all of us."

"Alright. Linda, do you want to take your two boys into Alfie's room and try that ointment? I'll bid my farewells to Zar and leave. I'll have supper sent up in a couple of hours since it won't be safe for the two of them to be anywhere near the main dining hall tonight."

Linda glanced at the alpha's tense posture and the death grip he had on Balthazar's hand, and she nodded in agreement. She knew that spending the day with two omegas going into heat had been hard for Crowley, and now that they were getting closer he was struggling to contain his wolf. She trusted him not to take advantage of Balthazar, but he definitely would need a few minutes alone with the boy before he could face his court again.

Crowley pulled Balthazar into his assigned bedroom, closing the door and leaning against it with a sigh. The omega, hands still linked, watched him warily. "Are you okay?"

"Damn lieutenant of mine, putting ideas in my head," Crowley growled, his eyes closed as he tried to push his wolf down and gain some sort of control over his erection. He was currently at a stalemate, the scent of the omega so much stronger in his own room. "I was perfectly fine until she said something."

"You were pretty on edge already," Balthazar argued, stepping closer and cupping Crowley's scruffy cheek in one hand. "If I had known that you were more sensitive to that heat scent than most alphas, I would have suggested locking us away a day early."

Crowley shook his head and dropped a kiss in Balthazar's palm. "I wouldn't have traded today for anything. It has been a long time since I just got to relax and take time for myself, and I enjoyed my gardens more today with the three of you than I ever have before."

"I'm going to miss you over the next week," Balthazar whispered, leaning close enough to rest his head in the crook of Crowley's neck, nuzzling the alpha's scent gland and letting the smell calm his wolf. He had no idea how fast he could fall for someone, but here he was, close to tears at the thought of spending a week away from his alpha.

Crowley wrapped his arms around Balthazar's waist and stepped away from the door, turning them and pushing the omega against the wall, purring as he claimed the blonde's lips. Balthazar let out a tiny whine, bending his knees and letting the wall support him, subconsciously trying to find a way to submit to his alpha. Crowley sensed his omega losing himself, a warning that he should pull away and leave, but he could still feel the imprint of Balthazar's lips on his scent gland. He pressed closer to the omega, groaning as he felt Balthazar's erection rub against his own, and he knew that he had lost.

Crowley pulled out of the kiss, pressing his lips against the base of Balthazar's neck as his wolf growled. The urge to bite down, to claim this omega for his own, was almost overwhelming, but he managed to pull away and reclaim Balthazar's lips. He felt the omega's hips jerk forward as he desperately searched for some sort of relief, and Crowley was happy to oblige. He pushed against Balthazar, rubbing harder and faster as a voice screamed in the back of his mind that dry-humping an omega in his own room was way past his line.

Balthazar broke free of the kiss and threw his head back, pale blue eyes completely clouded over as he whined and wrapped his arms around Crowley's shoulders, raising one leg to try to pull the alpha closer. Crowley growled as he thrust faster, chasing his orgasm as he felt the omega come undone in his arms. Balthazar still had enough self-control to bite his lip as he came, Crowley growling through his own orgasm as they both slid to the floor.

Crowley held Balthazar against his chest, panting as his wolf finally retreated, sated at last after a long, long day of being teased and ignored. "Dammit," he whispered.

"I don't even know why you have a line," the omega whispered against his neck.

"I never needed one before I met you," Crowley returned, still not ready or willing to move. "No one has ever made me lose control like this in my life, but just the idea of you in heat and I'm reduced to humping you against a wall."

Balthazar raised his head, smiling at the alpha. "Is that what Ruby said to you?"

"Yes. I made the mistake of telling her how hard it's been to control myself in close quarters with the boys today, and she told me to think about how wonderful it would be when it was you instead. Apparently I have a very active imagination."

"Well, I, for one, can't wait to try that for real," Balthazar purred.

The alpha chuckled and stood, pulling the shaky omega to his feet and leading him toward the washroom. "Let's get you cleaned up." He helped Balthazar clean off and change clothes, tossing his soiled ones into the laundry basket in the corner for the servants to collect later. He slipped out of his own under shorts and dropped them in the basket, too, opting to go without until he returned to his room.

As soon as Crowley was sure that the scent of what they had done was gone, he led Balthazar back into the main room of the suite, catching Linda's eyes as she waited patiently on the couch for them. He nodded toward her before turning to offer Balthazar one last, quick kiss. "I'll see you in a few days, Zar."

Linda wrapped an arm around Balthazar's back as the alpha left, offering whatever support she could. They might not be officially courting, but she knew that her temporary son would miss his alpha greatly over the next week. "Come on, the boys are resting."

"Did the ointment help their backs?"

"Somewhat. Go sit with them and relax until supper, okay?"

The three omegas spent a couple of hours sitting together, talking about their previous heats as the boys mentally prepared themselves for the coming days. This would be their first heat in a city, trapped in a small suite of rooms, but at least they wouldn't have to worry about finding food or avoiding any roaming alphas. Balthazar told them about some of his earlier heats, before Michael started trying to starve them into submission, and moved on to his most recent heat and escape through the mountains.

"You guys did that in heat? With no help? That must have been hard."

"It was," the blonde confirmed. "We couldn't really stop for long, staying in wolf form as much as we could and covering our tracks and scent every chance we got. We ran out of supplies a lot faster than we thought we would, and there's not much to hunt in the highest mountain peaks in the winter. When we finally reached the plain that forms the forbidden land between the three pack lands, we were understandably relieved. However, Lilith and her betas scented us as we came down the final peaks and they attacked me before we realized they were there."

"And is that when Dean and his pack came to help?"

Balthazar nodded at Alfie, the younger omega watching with an entranced expression on his face. He had heard tales of Asmodeus and Cain's other pups since he was a baby, all of them warnings from his mother, so hearing a first-hand account of a group of wolves who fought with those outcasts that he had learned to fear was exciting. "Yeah, they did. We were holding our own, barely, but even Cas was running out of steam. I don't know what prompted Dean to bring his band into the forbidden lands with nothing but the scent of blood to go on, but he really did save us that day."

A quick knock on the door ended the conversation, Linda poking her head in. "Supper's here. Crowley sent pheasant and at least a dozen different types of deserts. I think he feels bad that you have to be cooped up for the rest of the week."

"Or he's trying to impress Balthy," Kevin returned, grinning at his friend.

Balthazar rolled his eyes. "Let's just eat."

The two younger omegas packed away much more food than usual, their wolves demanding that they get ready for five days of mating. They complained the entire time, but Linda reminded them that it would be healthier for them to just obey their instincts even if they weren't going to mate this time. The food and their rising hormones exhausted them, so Balthazar led the two to bed and changed into his favorite sleeping shirt.

"Balthy, you said that your back itched like this before." Kevin's comment caught the older omega off-guard, but he nodded hesitantly. "What did you do to stop it? The ointment isn't working as well as I'd hoped."

"Well, it didn't itch nearly as much in wolf form, but I really don't think you have the same thing I had. I don't know if changing forms is going to do you any good."

"I'll try anything at this point," Alfie grumbled, reaching over his shoulder to try to scratch a particularly annoying spot. He slipped out of his shirt and sleeping shorts, no longer modest around Balthazar after spending so much time with his cousin. He shifted into his pale brown wolf form, his belly a few shades lighter and his eyes the same soft brown shade he had in human form. He whined something to his brother, and Kevin stripped and shifted into his own black wolf form with white points and dark eyes. Balthazar followed a moment later, curious to hear whether shifting had helped.

"Balthy, I wish I'd asked you earlier today how to make the itching stop. This is so much better than even the ointment."

Balthazar felt himself go cold at Alfie's words, struggling to keep his fears out of his eyes or scent. It couldn't be the same thing, but he was fearing more and more what would happen in the morning. Offering a mental smile, he pushed a few pieces of furniture around and curled up on the huge rug in the center of Alfie's bedroom, waiting for the two smaller omegas to curl up next to him before closing his eyes. As their familiar scents washed over him, that sweet heat overlay strong enough for even him to smell, Balthazar closed his eyes and willed sleep to come quickly. He prayed to every god he knew that he was wrong.

---

Morning came sooner than Balthazar thought it would, sunlight brightening the world outside, thought it didn't come into the window in the winter. The omegas had grown used to Crowley's south-facing room, so they should have been able to sleep though the dimmer morning in Alfie's bedroom. Balthazar opened his eyes less than an hour after sunrise, raising his head to look over the two omegas curled up against his side. They were in full heat, the entire room taking on the sweet scents that were meant to call every alpha and some betas for miles to come find them. He watched as Kevin's face contorted in almost-pain, the black wolf whimpering and groaning as he rolled onto his side, yelping in shock as he jumped to his feet.

"What's wrong?"

The younger wolf shook his head, glancing at his side. "I feel like I rolled on something. There was a pain in my back, same place I itched yesterday."

Balthazar closed his eyes and hung his head, rising to his feet as Alfie groaned himself awake. "Can you . . . do you feel the itching anymore?"

"No, it's gone," Alfie murmured, Kevin agreeing with him. "But I feel weird, unbalanced."

"Stand up and stretch your back, reaching out with your arms at the same time."

"Arms? Balthy, we don't have arms in wolf form."

"I know," the Celestial whispered, "but it's the only analogy I know. Please, just try."

Kevin shrugged, reaching out with his front paws and stretching his back, focusing on reaching out with his "arms" as instructed. Balthazar whined as two huge, black-furred wings unfurled from underneath skin flaps on the omega's back, Alfie stretching out a similar brown pair. He sensed the instant that the boys realized what had happened, opening his own iridescent white wings and staring at the younger omegas as their shock slowly faded into wonder.

"We have wings? You have wings? Balthy, what is going on?"

"You're messengers, like me. It's like the witches of the Celestial pack. Crowley says that we used to serve the Three Lands but my people fear us now. His father was a messenger, and all of my brothers are, too."

"All four of you?" Kevin glanced away and did the math in his head, eyes wide as he turned back to his temporary brother. His dark eyes were sprinkled with white, the tiny spots growing as he spoke. "You changed right when your heat started. Your backs itched like ours did, and that's why you were so concerned yesterday. You didn't run because Michael was forcing you to mate; you ran because you sprouted wings."

Balthazar nodded, watching as the white spots in Kevin's eyes slowly grew. "Yes, that's why. I'm sorry I didn't tell you before, but my pack kills messengers on sight. There's a prophecy that four winged omegas would bring down the pack, and that's me and my brothers. We're destined to break the leadership of every pack and bring about the rise of some King. I never thought that there would be other messengers."

Kevin folded his huge wings away, watching them over his shoulder to make sure that they were hidden correctly before shifting back to human form. Alfie and Balthazar followed quickly, all of them dressing before anyone spoke. Kevin sighed and closed his eyes, running his hands through his jet-black hair. "So, messengers get their wings when they go into heat?"

"Yeah. Not the first one, though; Crowley said that it's two to six years later, when they are old enough to serve. Messengers have to be omegas or alphas, though most of them were omegas in the past. Crowley's father was an alpha."

"What are we supposed to do? Who do we serve?"

"I don't know," Balthazar answered honestly. "We need to talk to Crowley or Rowena about it; they know a lot more than I do. My brothers and I are part of the prophecy, but I don't think you are. I guess you're just the two messengers meant to be born this generation."

"Are we . . ." Alfie trailed off and looked away, picking at the edge of his shirt. "Are we in danger? Is someone going to try to kill us?"

"Not here," Balthazar answered firmly. "Crowley will protect you, I can promise you that. And Linda isn't going to let anything happen to you, either."

"Balthy, I'm only half Celestial. How did I end up with wings?" Kevin finally opened his eyes, Alfie gasping in shock at the color. "What?"

"Your eyes. They're completely white."

Kevin's now-colorless eyes widened in shock and he turned to find a mirror, dropping to the floor with his head in his hands as searing pain lanced through his skull, followed quickly by images that flashed by too quickly for him to catch. He heard Alfie and Balthazar calling his name as blackness claimed him, mercifully dampening the pain and silencing the visions.

---

Hundreds of miles away, Rowena woke with a start, purple eyes glowing in the early dawn light streaming through her curtains. She saw two wolves with wings in her mind—two male omegas hidden by a dark fog—for an instant before something deep inside her snapped. The bond that she had carried for five hundred years finally broke, her fading connection with her prophet lost at last before she could focus that final image. The last two messengers had found their wings, but she had no idea who they were. More concerning than that was what the broken bond meant.

The new prophet had risen at last.

---

AN: Time to answer some reviews from the last few chapters (in no particular order, from FF & AO3)!

First off, this chapter is way longer than I planned, but I got kinda into the fight scene with Dean's pack and I needed this to end with the rising of the prophet. Hence, super long chapter. Generally, when I start a chapter, I know what scene I want it to end on, so the length varies greatly depending on how long it takes to get there (like Gabe getting his voice back in 4 or Castiel revealing his identity in 1).

I'm kinda using Rowena as the "author's voice" character like Kripke used Chuck. So, she's going to be helpful because I want the readers to know what she knows. Eventually, Charlie will take over her role somewhat, but only because Rowena won't be involved in some of the later adventures of Dean & pack (which is all I can say without giving anything away).

As for Anna and Lucifer teaming up, I did originally plan to just use Anna, but without a co-conspirator it would be almost impossible for the readers to know what she is thinking and planning. I think Lucifer works with her, and I want to do something with the older Celestials' sibling relationships. With Raphael wholly on Michael's side, Anna gets Luci. Fair warning, I'm probably going to end up killing off more Celestials than Spellbounds or Wildernesses.

To be completely, 100% honest, I really, really wanted to use the word "exsanguination" in a sentence after watching 13x21. I always planned for Crowley to kill Gerald (aka creepy guard) but ripping his throat out as a parallel to Sam's death in s13 was just to satisfy my artistic desires. (I actually once wrote an entire fight scene in "The Last Sacrifice" just to use the word "untried", so I'm weird like that)

As for Abaddon, she wasn't loyal to Crowley in the show because she was more powerful than him and more highly ranked in Hell's political infrastructure, but here he beat her in a fair fight (albeit on his second try) and drove Cain out, something she failed to do multiple times. He's more powerful than her and has the backing of the full Coven, so she wouldn't dare cross him. She's an opportunist, not stupid.

To everyone: I'm glad you are enjoying the story! I love writing it; I never expected to have another epic-length story after "The Last Sacrifice" (which I still technically haven't finished) but this is not going to end anytime soon. I do answer questions, but the best way to get a response is just ask them in your review and check the next chapter(s) for replies. I try to answer what I can without giving anything away, sometimes even having the characters explain things for me (like Rowena in last chapter finally explaining why I sent Balthy to Spellbound lands).