Chapter 15: Separated

"They'll never learn it in time."

"Tasha will."

"Tasha already knew it," Charlie deflected. "The omegas will probably have to read off the paper, and I doubt I can teach them the crystals and herbs in time."

Rowena grinned and ran her fingers across the tattoo just below her elbow. "Maggie has solved that issue for us, as a matter of fact. She just contacted me to let me know that her spell worked and she was able to imbue the memory magic into a set of scrolls that she will send to us with Balthazar, Ruby, and Meg. Each scroll will allow the holder to memorize the entire ritual after reading it once, then it will fade organically when we are finished. Conveniently, she also placed a time marker on the pages that will let us know when Fergus begins his ritual."

Charlie stared at her mentor for a long moment. She had known that Maggie's powers tended toward the control of thoughts and memories, but this could well be one of the most intricate spells the witch had concocted in her three centuries. "Wow. I know that you asked her for some help recommending the fifth omega and in arranging some supplies, but I never imagined she had this up her sleeve."

"Yes, I must admit that I am rather impressed myself."

"You know, if she and Don ever have pups, they will be unstoppable."

Rowena shrugged, the motion a tacit agreement. "You can give Max and Alicia the day off tomorrow. They need time to pack for their trip to Spellbound lands, in any case. Will you spend the day with Jo or studying with me?"

Charlie bit her lip and ran her fingers through her long, wavy red hair. "I was hoping for time with Jo. It . . . it could be some time before I see her again."

Rowena smiled and opened the box of crystals that Tasha had given her the day before. "Spend the day with your future mate, Charlie. I do remember what it is to be young, and in love."

Dean felt consciousness come on him slowly, the heaviness slowly leaving his limbs as sunlight filtered through the curtained windows to burn into his eyes. He felt warmth on his chest and against his back, more bodies pressing in on either side and keeping him from moving more than a few inches in any direction. The omegas had refused to be separated from their future mates or each other, so the entire pack had curled up together on a huge pile of pillows the night before, needing minimal blankets with so much body heat available.

Cas, his cheek pillowed on Dean's chest, stirred, purring softly as he returned to consciousness. "Dean?" His voice was soft, but still carried that deep gravel that his alpha loved so much.

"Morning, Sunshine."

"What . . . what are we doing today?"

"I thought you might want to go for a flight. You've been cooped up for a while."

"That would be wonderful. I want to feel the wind under my wings again."

"What about wind?" Gabriel grumbled something else as Sam jerked away at his voice and elbowed the omega in the side. The tallest alpha was frequently ungainly, unable to control his long limbs, and it was especially bad when he was half-asleep. Dean did not envy the blonde omega who would have to wake up to that clumsiness every morning.

"We had better get up and eat, then, if we are going to have time," Gadreel murmured, nudging Benny until the beta rolled over and opened his eyes.

The pack finished their breakfast and made it to the clearing in record time, Jo bringing Charlie though Rowena decided to stay behind. Unexpectedly released from their studies, Max and Alicia headed to town, probably to find some beta partners for the day before heading to Spellbound lands in the morning.

Cas, Gabe, and Gad wasted no time in spreading their wings as soon as they were safe in their clearing, their partners fashioning a makeshift camp with blankets and baskets of food that would allow them to stay out all day. Jo and Charlie also shifted forms, the big alpha leading her petite partner on a chase across the clearing, startling the trio of messengers into flight.

Dean led the ground-locked portion of his small pack in a series of fighting drills, first in human form and then as wolves, tearing up the ground with their claws as they ran under the flying omegas and playfully tried to jump and catch them.

"Dean, what are you doing?"

"Having fun! Cas, relax a little and enjoy yourself. This is our last day staying with Tasha and her pack and I want to have fun."

Cas yipped at his alpha and spun in the air, tucking his wings and diving toward the ground. Dean growled and dodged, rolling his eyes as the omegas laughed at his reaction. The other two messengers copied their brother's actions, diving at their own partners as the alphas and betas jumped at them and howled.

They played like that for almost an hour, Jo and Charlie returning to the blankets and relaxing as the men played. Cas finally landed, letting Dean jump on his back as he rolled over and snapped at him, playing with the alpha like an unruly pup. The other two messengers landed a moment later, all six of them rolling around and wrestling with each other while Jo and Charlie called encouragement from the sidelines.

When they finally finished playing and stopped for a water break, Jo forced them all to eat a little snack, too. "You'll need your strength if you're going to fly again."

Cas nodded gratefully, glancing over his snack at his brothers before turning his attention to the three Wilderness wolves. "What do you think?"

"It has to be you," Gabriel answered, eyes widening gleefully as he found a jar of candied fruit. "I'm way too small and Gad's partner is too big."

"Dean is taller," Cas argued, finishing his cup of water.

"Benny is bulkier," Gadreel pointed out. "And you are the biggest of us. It has to be you and Dean, brother, and you know it."

"Yeah, yeah, I know."

"What the hell are you three talking about?"

In lieu of answering, Cas stood and left the blanket, quickly shifting back into his alpha-sized, iridescent black wolf form, ears tilted toward Dean. He freed his wings and held them half-open, whining at his partner. "Come on, Dean."

"You want me to climb on your back?" Cas nodded, waiting patiently until Dean walked over, the alpha carefully climbing onto Cas's back. "You picked me because I weigh the least?"

"It seemed safest," Cas replied. "Sam may one day be able to ride Gabe, but not until my brother is much stronger. And Gad is right; Benny is bulkier than you."

Dean chuckled, tightening his legs around his omega's waist as he buried his hands in Cas's neck ruff. "So I'm the smallest of my brothers and you're the largest of yours?"

"Pretty much. Hold on, Dean; I have never done this before. I'm going to stay close to the ground so I don't drop you."

Dean leaned down until his lips were inches from the black wolf's twitching ears, his voice barely a whisper. "I trust you with my life, sweetheart."

The other wolves followed Cas a few steps away from the camp area, watching silently as he quickened into a trot, his wings stretching to their full length as he swung them down, pushing off with his haunches at the same moment. Dean tightened his legs at the sudden jolt, taking a deep breath as they rose a few feet off the ground, quickly reaching a speed three times that of his fastest gallop. He reveled in the feeling of the wind rushing through his hair, reminding him that it had grown a little long over the winter, something he had not experienced since the last time he had ridden Sam through the forest.

Dean opened his mouth to express his glee, but his words were ripped away by the wind. He settled for leaning forward and wrapping his arms around Cas's neck, burying his fingers in the silky undercoat. "Do you like it?" Dean nodded, squeezing with his legs in what he hoped was an agreement. "Good. I've . . . I've wanted to share this with you for weeks. When we . . . when we are mated, I will be able to hear you even when we are flying."

Dean leaned back, eyes widening in shock at the thought that Cas wanted to fly with him again. He looked up as the omega rose above the tree line, giving him a glimpse deep into Wilderness lands to the west, with a hint of clouds hiding snow-capped mountains to the north. Sunlight lit up the world beneath them, the dark green of winter-weary evergreens warring with the brighter shades of new spring growth. Cas tossed his head as he completed his turn, Dean following his gaze to the low-lying clouds cloaking Spellbound lands to the east. He squeezed his legs again, pulling back slightly on Cas's ruff, silently asking the Celestial to fly a little higher.

Cas turned his head slightly, intense azure eye focusing on his passenger. "Are you sure?" Dean pulled back again, nodding, and Cas flapped his wings harder, hitting a thermal and rising further above the trees. Dean could still see their pack members on the ground, but they were too small for details, and soon they would vanish into the trees. Thankfully, Tasha had cast a spell over the city to prevent anyone from seeing the flying wolves, just in case they did get close enough to elicit attention, but neither Cas nor Dean wanted to test that theory. "What are you looking for, Dean?"

The legacy shrugged, nudging Cas with his left leg in a request for him to turn toward the south. The wolf obeyed, blue and green eyes searching the distant horizon. Cas held his position in the thermal for as long as he could, turning back to the clearing at the first twinge of pain. "We have to land now; I don't want to risk falling."

The pair returned to the ground a few moments later, Cas throwing up a cloud of winter-dry dirt as he fumbled the landing slightly, just barely catching himself before falling on his face. Dean dismounted quickly, arms ready to catch the omega as he shifted back into human form. "You okay, Cas?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine." He managed to stay upright, though he held onto Dean for balance as they returned to the small camp, Gabe quick to offer his brother a cup of water. "I stayed up a lot longer than I thought I could."

"That you did," the blonde agreed, refilling Cas's drained cup before letting his younger brother even think of speaking. "Though I'm not sure how safe it is to ride a flying wolf without some sort of harness or saddle. We'll have to look into that."

"What did you guys see up there?" Charlie, as usual, was a bundle of energy, the faintest touch of purple magic glowing from her eyes in her excitement.

"A lot of trees, the mountains to the north, and a desert to the south."

"A desert?"

Dean nodded, pulling Cas onto the blanket beside him as he leaned back against the largest picnic basket. "It was almost blinding, all that sand, but I felt almost a pull. I felt like . . ."

"Like our destinies lie south of that desert," Cas finished, his blue eyes distant as he stared into his empty cup. "None of my people have ever been so far from home, but I have heard that there are lands to the south, beyond the desert, where people like us live. Metatron once told me a story of a tribe of men whose wolf forms are tall and slender, with long black legs and golden fur too short to survive a northern winter. I'd like to meet them sometime."

"You will," Charlie whispered, her green eyes glowing with a deep indigo-purple light. "If you wish for the prophecy to end well, you must."

Balthazar shrugged as he stared into the low-lying clouds, his lifetime in the mountains giving him a unique perspective. "It's just a really heavy fog, probably because of the rapid weather changes we are dealing with now. I can get above it, no problem, if you want to go flying today. It's your last chance before I leave."

Mshindi stared into the white sky, his dark eyes distant. "The shaman told me that I would find my answers in the clouds."

Kevin glanced at his brother, both of them shrugging before they stripped out of their clothes and changed forms. Balthazar handed his own clothes to Linda before shifting forms, watching the beta as she fastened his leather harness around his chest and waist, checking the buckles and saddle before handing the heavy belt to Mshindi. "It's going to be cold up there; do you want another layer to keep you warm?"

Mshindi shrugged and nodded, accepting Balthazar's tunic and coat, as well as an extra pair of woolen overpants. He climbed onto the white wolf, fastening the three straps to the small saddle before tightening his legs and settling into his seat. "Whenever you're ready, Balthy."

The wolf growl-barked his response before taking off at a gallop, already trusting that the Nomad could keep his seat with or without the straps. His ears flicked back for a moment, the only warning he gave before leaping into flight, the omega's powerful wings pushing them higher into the cloud bank. The cold, wet fog only gripped them for a moment before they were clear, soaring under a brilliant winter sun and facing the heavier, gray clouds covering the lands to the northwest. Mshindi raised one hand to shield his eyes, feeling the tiny spark of shaman power he had inherited from his mother rise to the surface of his mind. He relaxed, letting the magic take control, and he felt his consciousness slip free of his body and fly hundreds of miles to the north, diving into those thick clouds and rising above them.

As soon as Mshindi's consciousness emerged from the cloud cover and he glimpsed the northern mountains he had dreamed about for so long, the omega felt a deep sense of calm envelop his soul. This was his destiny; this harsh, jagged, frozen landscape would be his future. Dark smudges on the lower flanks of the towering peaks indicated a hint of life, forests not unlike those of his homeland where wolves could hunt, and a bright reflection deep in one of the valleys indicated a river or lake.

Mshindi gasped as he returned to his body, having been gone for only seconds, but he felt a deep, profound change deep inside, a tugging that even his wolf couldn't ignore. He had once asked the shamans to give him some sign that his mission would succeed, and they had told him that his answers could only be found above the clouds. "My future is in those mountains."

Balthazar flicked his ears back, gliding slowly enough that was able to hear his passenger's words. He turned his head and fixed one bright blue eye on the Nomad, a question rumbling against the omega's legs. "I'll tell you when we land," Mshindi answered.

Balthazar nodded, flapping his wings again as Kevin and Alfie rose above the clouds behind them, taking perfectly practiced positions on either side of the white wolf. Mshindi tightened his legs around the older omega's chest, flattening against Balthazar's neck as he prepared to hold on during whatever maneuver the boys were preparing to attempt.

"Ok, just like we discussed last night. Keep up with me in the ascent and keep your dives steady and controlled. If you feel like you're about to lose your position, veer off away from the group and land safely in the forest. Any questions?"

"Nope, Balthy; we're ready."

Balthazar flashed his fangs at Kevin, turning his gaze skyward as he flapped his wings again, gaining altitude as the other two wolves rose behind him. His powerful thrusts pushed them hundreds of feet into the clear sky, far above the brooding pines and lingering fog that cloaked the Spellbound lands. Kevin and Alfie kept their positions flawlessly, despite their smaller sizes and weaker flying muscles. Balthazar leveled off almost a mile above the ground, settling into a brief glide as he gave his passenger time to correct his grip and prepare for the inevitable decent. Glancing at Mshindi for just a second, Balthazar let out a tremendous howl, the younger omegas joining him as they announced their superiority over the skies before dropping their heads and flapping their wings once more, twisting the appendages at the last second to push them into a steep, terrifying dive.

Mshindi was no stranger to speed, but this was beyond anything he had ever experienced before. He felt his eyes start to water and he fought against the urge to close them, eager to see the white wolf finish his dive and land. They reached the top of the low-lying cloud bank and Balthazar flared his wings, the strain echoing through every tense muscle as his body struggled to adjust to the maneuver. The wolf raised his head to the sky, angling his glide upwards as the ice crystals in the cloud sliced into Mshindi's skin. He felt his breath catch in his throat as the white wolf's speed dropped as he fell out of the clouds, adjusting his position in the last few dozen feet so he could glide into a running landing. Kevin and Alfie touched down just behind them, perfectly in formation, trotting to a stop at the edge of their makeshift camp.

Crowley had joined Linda sometime after the wolves had flown away, his red eyes following Balthazar as the wolf turned to the side, silently asking for someone to help Mshindi dismount. The Nomad detached his buckles and slid off of Balthazar's back, helping Linda remove the harness so the other omega could shift back and slip into his clothes.

"Did you manage the dive, Zar?"

"Yeah, it was awesome. It worked just like you said, even the strain of slowing down before we could land. How did you know?"

Crowley shrugged as he took a seat by the fire, pulling his omega into his arms. "Mother told me about some of the mechanics of flight when I was younger and curious about my father. In the past, messengers could be useful in battle, taking orders from the general to units far away, but they had to be able to dodge the enemy's arrows and spears. The higher you can fly and the faster you can return to land, the safer you will be."

Balthazar nodded and rested his head on Crowley's shoulder, smiling at Mshindi across the fire and he joined Linda and her sons. "What did you see up there? You said something, but I couldn't make it out."

"Here, in the North, you have people who are part witch, with varying levels of ability. In the South, we have similar people with small amounts of shamanistic ability, and I am one. When I was young, before I even had my first heat, I felt drawn toward the North, to the lands beyond the deserts, and I asked the shamans of my tribe about it. They told me that I would find my answers above the clouds."

Balthazar nodded slowly, blue eyes flicking to the fog blanketing the forest. "I thought I would have to fly much further north for you to see them. Did you see what you wanted to see?"

"When we faced north, whatever powers I have pulled my consciousness toward the mountains you came from. I saw them, how every many hundreds of miles away they are, and I knew that my destiny lies there, in your mountains. One day, I must go there."

Kevin's eyes flashed silver as the vision of Mshindi standing next to a strange man in the snow returned to his mind. He grabbed at the image for as long as he could, trying to identify the scents and sounds around him, sighing as it finally faded. "The pine . . . it's sharp but with a kind of tangy aftertaste? But it doesn't linger, it's clean-smelling like the snowy backdrop."

Balthazar, guessing that Kevin had seen the same vision in the mountains again, tilted his head to the side. "Yellow pine, I'd guess. It grows near my family's palace in the north." He reached out and patted Mshindi's knee, smiling warmly. "One day, when Michael's not so much of a threat, I'll take you there."

"Thank you, Balthy."

"What's wrong?"

Balthazar sighed and gripped the edge of the window sill, staring out across Crowley's city. "What Mshindi asked . . . to go to my mountains. It reminded me that Michael is certainly looking for us. He won't tolerate the loss of four usable omegas. Now that the snow is starting to melt, he'll start sending out emissaries. Later, it'll be soldiers."

Crowley moved to stand behind the omega, wrapping his arms around the slender man's waist. "He won't take you, love. He wouldn't risk the might of my armies and my half-witches, and he certainly knows that the Coven would go to war to defend my mate. Your brother may be the worst kind of overbearing alpha bastard, but he isn't stupid."

Balthazar's breath caught on a sob as he collapsed against his alpha, letting Crowley lower them both to the floor before wrapping his arms around the shaking omega. "I'm not your mate yet, Crowley, and I have to leave in the morning. I don't want to go."

"Shh, Zar," Crowley purred, holding the omega tightly against his chest. "You will be my mate, I can promise you that. I don't care if I do have to fight Michael and John and all of their damn armies, I will have you. Okay?"

Balthazar swallowed and nodded, tears leaking from his bright blue eyes. "When Rowena sent me here, I was terrified," he whispered. "I thought that I would be barely tolerated, living on the outskirts of your pack and that I would be miserable. I thought I would look forward to going back to Wilderness lands, to seeing my brothers again. It feels like a betrayal to say that I don't miss them as much as I thought I would."

Crowley kissed Balthazar's forehead and sighed into his hair. "You know, I'd almost given up on ever finding a mate. I mean, as soon as I took over Head Alpha from Abaddon, every alpha in my realm had omega sons and daughters to offer me, and some beta daughters, as well. I never looked at them twice, and eventually everyone stopped. Sometimes one of my noble alphas will ask to send their omegas to my palace for their heats, which I always allow. Charlie loved to make new friends, after all, but I never liked their scents or their personalities. And then you came running up to my city with Ruby and Meg, clearly terrified of the welcome you would receive, and you snapped at me! The audacity! No omega in my land has ever raised their voice to me, but you practically challenged me to make you back down. Damn, Zar, that was hot."

Balthazar smiled at that, reaching up to wipe his tears away. "I never looked for a potential mate in any of the alphas I've known. I mean, Michael had me promised away basically as soon as I presented, but I always doubted that I would find love or acceptance at the hands of my assigned mate. With you though . . . damn, Crowley, Rowena knew what she was doing."

The alpha nodded, his hand rubbing soothing circles across the omega's back. "She always has. I wouldn't be surprised if she saw your future with me as soon as you met. It wasn't chance that chose you for the mission to go with Tasha and meet my mother at the border; it was fate. And we both have to trust in that same fate to bring you back to me safely."

"I want to believe that," Balthazar whispered.

Crowley sighed and leaned against the window, staring out across the land lit by one of the last suns of winter, most of the fog having burned away since that morning. Reaching for the purple tattoo on the inside of his arm, he whispered a question across the link to Don, knowing that the alpha witch was somewhere in the castle. When he received a more enthusiastic answer than he had expected, the Head Alpha pushed himself to his feet, pulling Balthazar up with him. "Come on, I want to do something for you."

Mystified, Balthazar followed Crowley out of his chambers and through the hallways to the throne room, the alpha pausing a moment to touch his communications tattoo and send out a call. The pair strode into the throne room, the doors hanging open during the public court hours in the afternoon, eliciting the surprise of Abaddon and the dozens of petitioners waiting along the wall.

"Crowley, I didn't know you planned to return today." Abaddon abandoned the throne as her alpha entered the chamber, heading back to her seat where Ruby and Meg watched in silence. All noise in the huge chamber faded as the Head Alpha and his omega took their seats, Crowley waiting patiently as more members of his court filed into the room, each of them rubbing the tattoo on the inside of their arm before taking a seat or standing patiently against the wall.

Linda, Kevin, and Alfie claimed their traditional seats at the foot of the dais, Donald and Maggie joining them while every member of the Grand Coven currently staying in the capital entered the hall in twos and threes. Most of the nobles who had been in court that morning also returned, a steady stream of confused wolves who knew better than to ignore their alpha's call.

As soon as Crowley saw every face that he expected to, he carefully stood from his throne, hands clasped behind his back as his eyes glowed, ever so slightly, with his power. "Thank you all for responding to my emergency summons. I know that I rarely use it, so I am grateful that you were all able to gather so quickly."

He strode down to the floor of the throne room, a curious Balthazar one step behind him. "This is not our normal kind of emergency, but rather an announcement that I want my entire court to hear at the same time. I also expect that you will carry this to your towns and packs as soon as you leave here today." A chorus of agreements followed his words, and Crowley smiled. "Very well. I will start by sharing something that few of you know, a secret that once would have been celebrated but has become a badge of shame, a secret kept by Celestial wolves in their mountains and generally unknown to the other two packs."

Balthazar felt ice fill his frame as Crowley's words sunk in. Messengers. The alpha was talking about messengers. "Crowley . . ."

"Just wait, love," the alpha murmured back along their link, not even needing to touch his tattoo with the omega standing so close. "Over a hundred years ago, my mother fell in love with an alpha in the Celestial lands, a man named Hector, who was killed by his own pack not long after I was born and my mother returned here. He was killed because he had wings."

Some of the older witches, Don and Maggie included, nodded in understanding, though most of the court whispered uncertainly among themselves. The tales of wolves with wings had been assumed to be just that, stories, but here was their Head Alpha confirming their existence. "In the past, before the packs split, messengers performed essential functions that kept the kingdom running smoothly, including carrying missives across the land, ferrying injured pack mates to a healer witch much faster than a ground-based wolf could travel, and taking down enemies during border disputes and open wars. They were often called 'Avenging Angels' in honor of their dual duty as suppliers of both death and healing. All messengers must be of partial or full Celestial blood, and their people fear and hunt them, even today. I do not fear them."

Balthazar knew a cue when he heard it. He carefully stripped out of his clothes, folding them neatly and placing them on Abaddon's desk as he struggled to control the shaking in his hands. He was terrified, but Crowley desired this, and he wanted nothing more than to make the alpha happy. Calling on his wolf, the omega shifted, stepping in front of Crowley as all eyes turned toward him. Crowley placed a comforting hand on his right hip, his scent calm as he tried to project that feeling to the young Celestial. Flexing his shoulders, Balthazar slowly released his wings, opening them to their full span to make sure everyone could see them.

Silence filled the great hall, witches and nobles alike speechless at the sight. They had all heard stories about messengers, usually vague ones, but none of them could have imagined the reality of standing so close to one, seeing the size and power of his wings. It helped that Balthazar's coat was iridescent white, the color lending an otherworldliness to the young omega, one that his wings just confirmed.

"They're beautiful," Maggie whispered, stepping forward and running gentle fingers over the short, silky fur. "It's been over two hundred years since I last saw a messenger, and his wings were not nearly as lovely as yours. You're significantly bigger, too, which will give you an advantage in long-distance flying and passenger transport."

One of the lords, the Head Alpha of Sparrow Wood Village to the south, stepped forward next, bowing to Balthazar before holding one hand out near his left wing in a silent request to be allowed to touch. The omega nodded, watching as the alpha carefully ran his fingers over the delicate bones, stepping back to take a quick measurement of the messenger's wingspan. "Truly remarkable. You could travel much farther in a day than our best scouts, I would imagine. What's the multiplier?"

"Balthazar can fly approximately three times faster than an average wolf can run," Crowley answered, pride in his voice. "Once he has had more training, or if he pushes himself, that can reach five or six times faster than a traveling run." He watched the nobles for any sign of fear or distrust, and he knew that Abaddon and Ruby were attentive, as well, but everyone seemed to be simply amazed by the omega's wings. "He managed a supply run to Swift River Supply Post and back in a single morning. The circuit normally takes almost two days."

"Impressive! Crowley, your chosen mate is remarkable. Will your pups inherit this trait?"

"I don't know. I didn't, but I take after my mother. I would love to have messenger pups."

Balthazar looked over his shoulder at that, shock sharpening the edges of his scent. He and Crowley had not talked about pups much, but this was the first time the alpha had said anything about them in public. "You don't think messenger pups would cause problems?"

"Like what?"

The white wolf shrugged, watching curiously as Kevin and Alfie joined him at the base of the dais, both of them stripping out of their loose clothes. "If a witch can't rule, neither can a messenger. I thought you wanted an heir, presumably a half-witch."

Crowley walked around to stand in front of Balthazar, taking the wolf's huge head in his hands and kissing his snout. "Zar, I wouldn't care if all of our pups were completely mundane, no wings or powers or anything. I'd love them anyway. But I do think that you would love to have a pup who can fly like you, someone you can train. Just as I would love to have a little half-witch alpha who wants to learn to protect and command a pack."

"That would be pretty cool," Balthazar conceded, glancing over his shoulder as he heard the rustle of wings. Kevin and Alfie had both shifted while Crowley spoke, spreading their own smaller wings in a show of solidarity with Balthazar.

Crowley turned to face his court and shrugged, the hint of a smile on his face. "As you can see, our pack has been triply blessed with the presence of three young messengers. Samandriel and Kevin only recently sprouted their wings, while Balthazar has been flying for three months now. I announce this with the understanding that these three are valued and highly beloved members of my pack. We are not Celestials, and I will not allow any harm to come to them." There was a hard edge to his voice, the alpha issuing both a command and a challenge.

His people, however, were more loyal than Balthazar could have guessed. The head alpha of Sparrow Wood Village bowed his head, all of the nobles in the room echoing the motion. "We already treasure Balthazar as your intended mate and a masterful leader in his own right, and we have always loved Linda's pups. Alpha, if you fear any trouble from us, your loyal subjects, I am happy to disappoint you. We will always care for and protect these three messengers."

Balthazar had no control over his response to that. The scent of happy omega filled the room, and Crowley chuckled slightly as he ran his fingers through his boyfriend's shining fur. Turning around for a moment to disrobe, the alpha also shifted forms, taking a seat beside Balthazar as the smaller wolf folded his wings against his body without tucking them away. Crowley turned his head and nuzzled the omega gently, a smile in his mental voice. "Yes, you have to leave in the morning, but look at the pack that will eagerly await your return. They want you, Zar, as much as I do. They want a strong, confident omega to stand by my side, as my equal, and rule them. My pack has wanted me mated for a long time, and it helps that they truly accept you."

"Crowley . . ."

"Leave in the morning knowing that my entire pack will mourn your loss and wait eagerly for your return. No matter what happens in Wilderness lands, you belong here, my love."

Balthazar whined happily and leaned against Crowley's side, finally tucking his wings away as his tail began to wag. "Thank you."

"Well I don't know; it all fit in that bag for the trip over!"

Charlie raised her eyebrow at her mentor, the younger omega's face twisting into one of the new bitch faces she had learned from Sam over the past couple of months. "Rowena, you must have doubled your wardrobe since we arrived. Who the hell is giving you all of this stuff?"

The tiny witch shrugged, tilting her head imperiously. "I cannot help it if people in this town are grateful for my healing powers."

"Among other things," her apprentice replied dryly, finding another bag and carefully folding Rowena's expanded wardrobe into it. "I heard about that fertility charm you gave Tasha."

"She asked for it."

"She doesn't need it, Rowena. The ritual will be enough for her this year. You and I both know what her future entails."

Rowena took a seat on the chair near Charlie's packing area, careful to keep out of the way. She was terrible at neatly arranging clothes and supplies into the smallest space possible, so she left all of that to her apprentice. "You and I also know that there is a very real mental element to health and pregnancy. If the wee charm gives the lass some measure of comfort and hope, who am I to deny that to her? She will have her pregnancy."

"And in return she had five dresses commissioned for you, all too elegant to wear outside of court, that I will have to carry back."

Rowena grinned, sensing that Charlie's arguments were more stress relief than anything else. The young omega was upset that she would have to be separated from her new partner, one she was eager to explore a deeper relationship with, but it was necessary for now. The witch opened her mouth to offer a reply, freezing as the tattoo on her left arm glowed frantically and with a slight burning sensation. She touched it curiously, watching as Charlie echoed the action.

They listened to Crowley's call for an emergency meeting of the full Council, all nobles in town, and the entire Coven. Silence reigned in Rowena's room as they waited patiently, Don reaching across the link and dutifully relaying everything he saw and heard to his leader and her young apprentice. Both of them gasped as Balthazar stood in the center of the chamber and spread his wings, watching breathlessly as the reaction of the gathered wolves was nothing but curious, amazed, and supportive.

"They've accepted the messengers," Charlie whispered, blinking as the vision faded. It was never easy, watching something through another witch's eyes, though it was the best defense the Spellbound lands had from northern and western invaders. "I can't believe it."

"I would never have anticipated this outcome," Rowena mused, fingering the amethyst point hanging from a gold chain around her neck. "That was quite the gamble on my son's part, but he knows his people better than I thought. The Spellbound pack accepts the messengers."

Charlie frowned and leaned forward to nuzzle her mentor, knowing that there was something the older witch wasn't telling her. "What is it?"

"I just . . . the Celestial wolves killed Fergus's father for having wings, and now he is facing the prospect of a mate and possibly pups who will be in danger for the same reason. He must have somehow, maybe subconsciously, encouraged the pack to be curious about winged wolves, not to fear or hate them. I wonder if he was trying to atone for his father's death all this time."

"Perhaps," Charlie murmured. "I wish I could see their pups."

Rowena shook her head. "Don't try to force the visions yet. You will have more control once you properly bond with your prophet."

"I can't wait."

"Are you excited to see your brother in a few days?"

Cas nodded, eagerly packing his clothes into the large traveling bag Dean had procured for them. "I've never been separated from him before, and talking across Tasha's bond isn't the same thing. Not to mention that I couldn't talk to him while he was sequestered with the omegas in heat. I know the journey will take three days, but it's going to pass by in a flash."

"I don't have a twin, but Sam and I spent every waking moment together until my first rut. I went off with Dad, but Sam had to stay home until he presented. I went home as often as I could and we spent every winter in town, but other than that I barely saw him. As soon as he was old enough to leave home, the two of us were finally able to form our own small pack and have been inseparable for the last six years."

"What are you going to do when he gets mated and settles down?"

Dean's first instinct was a flippant answer that he and Sam would just live together, but then he caught himself and smiled sadly at the dark-haired omega. "You're thinking about Balthazar again, aren't you? He's going to mate Crowley and live in Spellbound lands and you won't see him more than a handful of times a year." Cas nodded, twisting his shirt in his hands as the conversation distracted him from his packing. Dean settled onto the floor next to the omega, pulling him against his side and purring softly in his ear. "We all have to grow up, Cas. At least you aren't both being forced to mate alphas of your brother's choosing. I doubt you would have seen him much then."

"No, I suppose not," Cas murmured. "And Gad and Gabe won't be going anywhere, I suppose."

"I really doubt they will." Dean grinned and ran his fingers through the omega's soft hair, letting the faint scent of roses fill his nostrils. Cas had discovered Tasha's collection of bath oils and scented hair soap weeks earlier and enjoyed trying out new combinations that enhanced his own natural scent. Dean was growing to love the roses.

"I'm sorry for being so emotional about this," Cas whispered, leaning deeper against Dean's side and letting the alpha's strength bolster him. "I'm just so worried about the future."

"Oh baby, you have been so strong and so brave for so long, barreling ahead without worrying about tomorrow. You're allowed to be concerned about your future." He nuzzled Cas's neck and nipped at the spot he would one day bite, watching as the raven-haired man shivered in his arms. "That's better. Relax, love. Let me help you worry, okay?"

Something sparkled in Cas's blue eyes as he rubbed against the alpha, whining softly in Dean's ear. "You can help me with something else, too."

Dean couldn't help his instinctive reaction to that suggestive tone, his scent darkening as he pulled the omega closer. "Cas," he groaned, leaning down to kiss the side of the omega's neck. "You can't. We can't. You know that. Rowena said . . . and Sam will kill us."

Cas reached up and twined his fingers with Dean's, pulling the alpha's hand to his chest, biting his bottom lip as he watched that hand drift lower. "No biting, no omega space, and don't mount me. Dean, I think you can handle that."

The alpha groaned softly, running his fingers across his omega's pants, teasing the younger man's sudden erection. "You need help with this?"

"Dean," Cas whined, pressing himself against the alpha's side. "Don't tease me, please."

"I'm not, Cas, but didn't you spend four days in the omega wing away from me to prevent this from happening?" Dean's hand didn't stop its exploration, his other one twining in Cas's dark locks. "Babe . . . it won't be longer than a couple more weeks."

Cas ran his fingers up Dean's arm, pressing down just hard enough with his nails to raise a line of red welts. He knew that the alpha's wolf would react to the marking, and he could feel his future mate fighting against every instinct in order to keep himself calm. "I'm in control, Dean. That was the point of my time away. I want this, want you, not just my omega. And I'm really, really fucking horny and masturbating alone isn't as much fun."

Castiel had learned over the past few months the words, the motions, the scents that would drive Dean wild. He knew how to hold them back, to control himself, and he knew how to push the alpha over the edge. He knew that his arousal deepened the trace of honeysuckle in his scent, and he knew that Dean would lean forward, bury his nose in the omega's neck to breathe in as much as he could. The alpha groaned, fingers tightening against Cas's chest and in his dark locks, something dark and primal strengthening in his cinnamon and apple scent. "Cas."

The omega pulled back, calmed his scent, pulled his hands away from the alpha's arms, and took a deep, calming breath. Dean looked up and met Cas's too-bright eyes, his own dark emerald eyes fading back to their normal jade shade as he started to nod slowly. "I'm in control, Dean," Cas murmured. "I'm in control of myself, and I'm pretty sure I'm in control of you. Can't you trust me to hold onto that until we're mated?"

"I trust you, Cas; Ancestors know I do. I'm just not sure I trust myself."

Cas leaned closer, locking eyes with Dean as he reached down to unbuckle the alpha's pants, slipping his hand inside and gently wrapping his fingers around a rapidly-filling erection. "I'll hold your hand through the tricky parts," the omega purred teasingly, tightening his grip to bring Dean to the edge as quickly as possible.

Dean groaned and thrust into the omega's fist, never losing contact with those intense azure eyes. "Cas, I don't think I've ever loved you more."

The Celestial leaned forward and let his lips brush across Dean's ear. "Wait until I let you slip inside me. You're going to lose your mind."

Dean tried to catch his howl, and he was at least partially successful, but he had never felt so out of control before in his life as he came all over his pants and his omega's velvety grip. Cas let his hand move lower to squeeze the alpha's knot, forcing a second, shorter orgasm out of his partner as Dean shivered with the aftershocks. "Damn, Cas. What the hell did you learn in that omega wing while the boys were in heat?"

Cas chuckled and pulled his hand free, wiping it clean on Dean's already-stained pants. "You know, just learned about babies and alphas' knots. Normal omega stuff."

"You've gotten a little cocky, my sweet omega." Dean reached up and ran his fingers through Cas's raven locks, grinning at the wayward curls that twisted away from his hand. "What's gotten into you today?"

"I'm just excited to finally see Balthy again. I didn't really get a chance to say goodbye to him before Rowena sent him to Spellbound lands. And then we're going back to your city and we're going to be mated. Dean, I've never been so happy."

The alpha slipped out of his stained pants and reached for the strings on Cas's, smirking at the omega. "Let's see if I can make you even happier."

"You know, I distinctly remember you biting your brother's head off for doing basically this with Cas. Aren't we being a little hypocritical?"

Sam, who had been kissing a trail down Gabriel's back, glanced up from the winter-pale skin he had been worshiping, long fingers still moving slowly against the omega's hips. "Dean and Cas were getting lost in each other like a mated couple, but without the bond that would protect them from the side-effects. I understand the urge . . . but Dean doesn't think anything through, not really. He wants Cas more than his wolf does, and he wasn't ready for that. My brother is a lot of things, but he's never been one for controlling himself. Me—" Sam ran his fingers down Gabe's side before gripping his thigh and pulling the omega tight against him—"I've never had that problem."

Gabe groaned as his alpha's erection rubbed against his ass, exactly where he wanted it to be, if not for the two layers of clothes between them. His scent spiked, the gardenia aroma almost overwhelming in the small space, the alpha taking a deep breath as his eyes darkened. "Sam," Gabe breathed, tipping his head back so he could catch the taller man's eyes. "Please."

"There we go," Sam purred, pressing against Gabe as he kissed the side of his neck where he knew that he would one day see the pale scar of a mating bite. "Stop worrying about everyone else for a minute and focus on yourself. Just relax and let me take care of you."

"Okay," Gabe breathed, pushing back against Sam, "I can do that."

"What do you think your brothers are up to? We were supposed to get all of our bags together before supper to ensure that we are ready to go in the morning." Charlie, having appointed herself Chief Organizer of the trip back to Spellbound lands, rifled through Gadreel's sack, tucking a few things more neatly as she shoved in bags of dried meat and fruits. She had no intention of stopping to hunt on the trail, so everyone had agreed to carry as much food as she thought they would need for the three day journey.

"They're having sex," Gadreel replied evenly, handing over the leather canteens she had asked him to fill, his golden eyes sparkling with amusement at her gasp. "I mean, nothing too close to actual mating, but they've been alone in their rooms for far too long to still be wearing any clothes. My brothers find Dean and Sam quite distracting."

Benny grinned as he leaned against the wall and chewed on a piece of candy Tasha had brought him earlier. It was flavored with peppermint, which seemed perfect for a late-winter treat. "I caught the end of one of Dean's howls earlier. Normally he keeps himself quiet, but I'm sure Cas has learned how to make that boy lose control. As long as they're careful, I'm sure there's no problem."

Rowena glanced up at Benny as she moved her small travel pack to the side, not wanting to listen to her apprentice scold her again about accepting so many gifts from the villagers for her magical assistance over the past couple months. "I'm surprised that you and young Gadreel are not partaking in this moment of peace today."

"We already, uh, partook," Benny replied, a touch of embarrassment in his soft voice. "We just also kept an eye on the time, something that our pack mates have neglected to do."

Charlie rolled her eyes as she sorted out the canteens. "I hope they get out here soon so I can check their bags. I want to make sure we're ready to go at first light."

Jo, who had brought her own bag as well as the Banes twins' satchels, looked up from the book she had been reading and smiled at her intended. "Char, everything is going to be fine. You've spent the whole day running around, flitting from project to project like a deranged butterfly in an overgrown meadow, and I'm worried that you're going to go crazy. The boys are relaxing in their own way because the next week is going to be nothing but hard runs, short meals, and even shorter tempers. Let them have today."

Charlie sighed and nodded, walking over to settle in the pillows against the wall beside Jo, resting her head on the alpha's shoulder. "I know. I just . . . I need to get back. I can feel this pull inside me, and I know it's my prophet calling for me, desperate for guidance. The sooner I get back to Spellbound lands, the sooner I can head north to look for him."

"And the sooner you will be able to understand your visions," Rowena added softly. She knew the real reasons behind her apprentice's actions.

Jo closed her book and placed it on a low table nearby, wrapping one arm around Charlie and pulling the omega close. "Why don't we put the packing aside until after supper? Alicia and Max will be back from the town by then, and I hear that they are absolute geniuses at packing for the trail. You can let them help you, and we'll be done in no time."

Charlie nodded slowly, letting Jo's sweet olive scent with its undercurrent of cloves calm her, nuzzling under the alpha's chin as Benny, Gadreel, and Rowena wisely slipped away. "It's not the journey there that I'm worried about; it's the ritual. This Spring Equinox ritual is going to be the most important one I have ever done; I know it. Somehow, I know."

"And it will be perfect," Jo soothed, running her fingers through Charlie's long red hair. When she was younger, before she started running with Dean and his pack, Jo had worked in the Hunter's Roadhouse, an inn and tavern owned by her mother, Ellen Harvelle, that sat on the outskirts of the main Wilderness city. It had given her the opportunity to have simple one-night stands with anyone she wanted, any gender or subgender, and Jo had tried them all. She didn't have a preference, not like Sam and Dean did when it came to omega males, but she really liked that Charlie was smaller than her, delicate enough that Jo felt like she could protect her, but strong enough to take care of herself, even without magic. "Want me to help you relax?"

Charlie grinned and raised her head, emerald eyes sparkling. "You know me so well."

The dawn was worse for being cheery and bright.

Balthazar glared at the sun through half-lidded eyes, hating the brilliance of the morning, the lack of gloomy clouds to match his mood, and the promise of a quick journey that would carry him away from his alpha. He didn't want to wake up, he didn't want to go, but he knew what the day held in store.

"Zar, glaring at the sun won't make it go away." Crowley and Balthazar had spent the night alone, Alfie and Kevin giving them their privacy for their last night together. It was a small comfort to be able to sleep tangled together, not worrying about clothes as Balthazar fell asleep to the sound of his alpha's strong heartbeat. Now, though, the bare skin was a tease, the flirty promise of a nebulous future that neither of them truly believed would come easily. He would leave today, run back to Wilderness lands, and maybe John would accept him into the pack, giving Crowley the right to ask for his hand in mating. Maybe.

"It might if I try hard enough," the omega murmured, his normally jubilant rosemary and mint scent muted and dark.

"Come, love; you need time to eat before the girls come to escort you back."

"I could just fly to the border, you know. It wouldn't even take me a full day if I push myself. Then I can stay another two nights."

"And will you be any more ready to leave in two mornings than you are today?"

"No," Balthazar whispered, sighing against Crowley's chest. "I'll never be ready to leave."

"I know. And I would prefer that you not go alone. The journey normally takes three days with good weather, but at the end of winter with everything muddy from the start of the thaw and glacier water from the mountains swelling the streams, there's easily an extra half-day. The trip here in the snow took you almost four full days, and you were running pretty hard. Ruby and Meg are going to push you hard, they're going to run into the night, and they're barely going to stop for food. The closest supply post that direction is over two days away, come to think of it. But they agreed to wait until this morning to give you one more night with me, even though they both wanted to leave last night. They can't give you any more."

"I know," Balthazar sighed, pushing himself into a sitting position. "Let's eat so we can meet them on time."

"Good boy," Crowley purred, cupping the omega's cheek and offering him a quick kiss.

Ruby and Meg were understandably impatient when Crowley and Balthazar finally met them at the gate. It was an hour past dawn, exactly the time they had asked to meet, but both females were eager to get on the road and return to Rowena's side. Staying in the city without her for most of the winter had been hard on them, and they were ready to return to the wild forests with their witches. Mshindi waited beside them patiently, with Linda, her pups, and Don and Maggie rounding out the group. Everyone had come to bid Balthazar farewell, only Abaddon absent since she was running morning court to give Crowley time to calm himself after his omega vanished over the hills.

"Okay, remember the plan," Maggie instructed, handing a carefully-bound leather bag to Ruby. "These are all of the scrolls and supplies that Rowena will need for her ritual. Set up the circle for five, and make sure that none of those Wilderness alphas come near it. They don't have the same respect for magic that our people do, so they may inadvertently scramble the gathered energies. And don't let them touch any of the ingredients!"

"Maggie, we're not purblind pups," Ruby chuckled, tucking the sack away among her supplies. "The ritual will be fine, and we will match your schedule perfectly."

"We know you will," Don replied, tilting his head at his mate. "She just worries."

"Let her worry," Crowley rumbled as he and Balthazar joined the group. "Saves me the trouble. Ruby, did you talk about Mshindi?"

"Uh, yeah. Not knowing his speed and endurance, which we will assume to be lower than average since he's an omega and from a much warmer climate, we've decided that we'll just carry him if he needs a break. All three of us are big enough, so Linda packed those riding straps you made." She flicked her eyes to Balthazar and grinned. "Thankfully, our resident messenger is larger than most betas in form and won't have problems helping out."

The omega grinned as he started to strip out of his clothes, Kevin and Alfie helping him fold them neatly and pack them away. He still hadn't mastered changing forms with clothes on, though Alfie could now manage cotton pants, but he left his beaded necklace on so he could continue to practice as they traveled. Mshindi, who of course could change with his heavy winter clothes and small supply bag, waited in human form for as long as he could, knowing that his short-furred desert-adapted wolf form wouldn't be immune to the lingering winter chill. "I can't wait for you to see Cas. He's bigger than most alphas I've ever met. It pissed Michael off every time we shifted around him; Cas is his height as a wolf, though not as bulky, and bigger than Raphael. Thankfully Dean Winchester is obnoxiously large; Cas is pretty happy to have an alpha who can tower over him in at least one form."

"I can't wait," Ruby replied dryly, already stripped down to her wolf fur undergarments as she and Meg patiently waited for the Celestial to shift.

Balthazar suddenly realized that it was time, that as soon as he changed forms he would run away from his alpha, and it could be months before they saw each other again. His scent soured instantly, a low whine vibrating his throat as he shook his head and backed away. "I don't want to go! Crowley, please . . . don't make me go."

Alfie and Kevin, reacting instinctively to the scent of a fellow omega in distress, whined and tucked themselves against their mother's side, asking for her protection from whatever was frightening their friend. Crowley stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Balthazar, shushing him as he kissed away the tears on the omega's cheek.

"I'll talk to you every day through that tattoo of yours. Would that help?"

Balthazar shook his head, taking a deep, steadying breath before pulling back and smiling sadly at his alpha. "You can't call me at all. Hearing your voice and not being able to get to you . . . I wouldn't be able to handle it. I'm not strong enough to stay away with that lure in my mind."

"Zar . . ."

"You have to turn the tattoo off, Crowley."

"Zar! This spell protects you, lets you reach out to me wherever you are. I can't!"

Balthazar nodded. "You can. You have to. If I'm deep in Wilderness lands and I call to you, how would you get to me fast enough to protect me? You can't, and I know that bothers you. Ruby and Meg will take over protecting me for now, and then the Winchesters will once I return to Wilderness lands. I won't be going alone, and there won't be another Gerald incident. You don't have to worry about me."

"Yes I do," Crowley whispered, sighing as he realized that Balthazar had a point. "I still would like to talk to you, to know that you're okay."

"It will distract you from ruling your people," the omega whispered, fighting back his tears as he held out his arm. "An alpha's responsibility is to his people first. You know that. Your pack needs you to be present and focused more than I need to hear your voice. I didn't talk to you on the fifth day in the omega wing because it would have made everything harder, knowing you were just out of reach. The journey to the Wilderness city is going to be hard, and I would rather you think I'm happy and safe than worry about every little spike in my emotions."

Crowley touched his fingers to Balthazar's purple tattoo, watching as the symbols he had added faded to white, only leaving Tasha's original lines intact. "I would, you know. I would reach out to you every hour, I would want to hear your voice as often as possible. I would touch your mind to check up on you, and I would worry if your emotions were anything but calm and peaceful. I would urge you to return, even knowing that your journey is vital, decreed by my mother, Speaker of the Prophet. I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough to offer this myself. I didn't want to let you go."

"I don't want to go," Balthazar replied, glancing at the pale lines he could almost still see on his arm. "And when I return, you can reactivate the tattoo."

"When you return, I'm giving you a mating bite, not some damn tattoo," Crowley growled. He glanced up, red eyes meeting those pale blue he loved so much. "I'll shift with you, okay? I'll change forms with you."

The omega nodded, standing as close to his alpha as he reasonably could while the half-witch stripped out of his clothes. Crowley started his change as soon as he dropped his shirt on the ground, black fur spreading across his face as his bones shifted and grew. Balthazar shifted, too, iridescent white fur spreading to cover his body as he grew into his oversized wolf form, not noticing the other three travelers changing into wolves behind him. Kevin and Alfie dashed forward, wrapping their arms around his neck and bidding him farewell before stepping back.

"I'll think of you every day, my heart."

Balthazar leaned against Crowley, ignoring Linda as she fastened his pack around his waist. "I am so glad Rowena sent me here. I will never regret the time we've had, even though we have to be apart. And, when I return, I'll be your omega forever."

"Forever," Crowley echoed, rubbing his head against the white wolf's. "But you have to go now, Zar. You have to go." On the last word, he shoved, his greater strength overcoming the omega's resistance as Balthazar was forced back a step. Ruby, who had been waiting for her alpha to let the Celestial go, jumped between them, red eyes flashing as she nipped at the white wolf, a commanding display of dominance as she ordered him to move.

Balthazar whined and glanced up at Crowley, the red-striped black alpha backing away as Ruby pushed the omega onto the road. Finally accepting the inevitable, Balthazar spun on his back legs and loped forward, Meg and Mshindi in front of him as Ruby nipped at his flank and barked a warning. Meg jumped into a run in front of him, and a shoulder against his hip encouraged him to match her pace. Too emotionally strung out to fight back and knowing better than to resist, Balthazar ran off after her, tears soaking his white fur as he called for Crowley in his mind. Relentless, Ruby pushed him onward, knowing that they had to get away from the city before one or both of the wolves changed their minds, before either one decided that they would ignore Rowena's instructions.

Behind them, as Balthazar's mental cry faded to nothing, Crowley raised his head to the heavens and howled, his entire city hearing his anguish. Balthazar, running too fast to catch his breath for a reply, just sobbed.

End of Part 1: Winter Journeys