Chapter 4: Accepted

Gabriel rarely traveled anywhere alone. As the leader of Caesar's great army, he always had his highly-ranked personal attendants, the attendant's three lower ranked personal attendants, a scribe, and four servants with him at all times. He enjoyed the attention and the company, but sometimes he really needed to be alone. Over the years, he had found ways to slip free of his company, usually to his second's dismay. Sam, however, had become quite the tracker since he joined the army, though at almost sixteen he was getting too big to sneak around like he used to and Gabe knew he was being tailed. Slipping out of the small inn where he had spent the night, Gabe brushed his hand through his hair and glared at the murky shadows thrown by the early morning sun.

"I know you're there, Moose."

The gangly young soldier shuffled forward, dressed in a simple civilian robe that did nothing to mark his rank or position in the army. He had excelled in his infiltration classes, even letting his hair grow a bit longer than a soldier would wear to prevent any easy identification. Sam had thrown himself into training with gusto, clearly determined to become as great a warrior as his general and mentor, Gabriel. The prince was the first to admit that he let the kid get away with a lot, but loyalty like his was genuine. "You've been gone for days. Isaac's beside himself with worry. I wouldn't say the Three are too happy with you, either." Isaac, whose rank in the Northern Army of General was second only to Gabriel himself, worried more than he needed to, and his three Lieutenant Generals tended to match his intensity. Fenrir, Narfi, and Sleipnir were brothers from the Nordic lands beyond the Roman border, but their mother had been Roman so they had happily joined the army when they all presented as alphas years earlier. Now, all three were mated to lovely young women in one of the smaller northern towns, happy with their lives as career military while their wives raised hordes of raucous pups at home. The last thing any of the Three wanted was to fall out of favor and have to spend any more time at home than they already did, so they kept their concern for Gabe quieter.

"I wouldn't say that I care overly much."

Sam sniffed the air, eyeing his leader as he leaned against the wall beside him. "What were you doing for so many days? You smell . . . different."

"Well, if you must know, I was in rut. I came here because the proprietress has a reputation for discretion, and I cannot be seen in a common brothel. Cas has his harem, but I don't have room for something like that on the road."

Sam tilted his head. "Why do you have to hide it? A good chunk of the army is alphas and we all go through this. I mean, I haven't yet but older alphas are more regular and have heats twice a year. Do you always hide?"

"I didn't use to, but I found that there were too many female betas in the army offering to help me through my rut, or alphas who happened to have a sister in a town not far away. I won't be used for my sperm, and I have already declared that I will never breed a pup that could challenge Castiel's throne. I love my brother too much for that. Here, the mistress of the inn finds me a male beta, one who isn't from the brothel, who will partner me and keep my secret."

"He'd have to," Sam pointed out; "it would ruin him."

"Yeah, exactly. My rut ended last night, so I stayed until morning to get the rest of it out of my system before heading back to the army. I guess you'll be my escort."

"Of course." Sam chewed on his bottom lip for a minute, not sure how to ask his question but determined to try. "Gabe . . . what should I do for my rut? It's been three years since my first rut, so my next one is coming soon. After what happened to Dean, I promised myself that I wouldn't give my dad the satisfaction of grandpups, so I have to be careful, like you." When alphas were young, their ruts tended to be spread apart, and they often went years without one, but at Gabe's age they came every six months almost like clockwork.

"We'll be in the area for a few more months yet; I can find you a suitable male beta."

Sam grinned, hazel eyes brightening in the morning light. "Thanks, Gabe. Now, go upstairs and grab your things so we can get going; Sleipnir's going to lose his mind if you don't show up for drills today."

Gabe chuckled and turned back to the inn, his protégé hot on his heels. "Where'd you learn to be so bossy, little Moose?"

"From you, of course."

Four years.

It had been almost four years since Dean had last seen his little brother. Sam was off learning to be a soldier, and Dean was sitting around pretending he cared about weaving. He was getting pretty good at it, mostly from a lack of much else to do, but he didn't like it. He also didn't like gardening in the small plot allotted to the harem, sewing, making candles, painting, or sculpture, though the last he was at least passably good at. The only thing he truly enjoyed was spending time with Cas, and he rarely got to do that. The alpha had just come out of a rut after spending a year at the front with the Southern Army. Inias had accompanied him on the tour, ostensibly to serve him if he went into rut while he was gone, but mostly to spend time with Ishim. Dean had not been allowed to go because April was loathe to certify him proficient in servicing the prince, so Meg had been sent, instead. With his harem friends gone, Dean had spent as much time in the kitchens as he could, though Benny and Gadreel had been gone for a time to visit their families up north. Dean hoped that things would be better now that everyone was home.

Dean looked up as Meg entered the main room of the harem, catching April's attention. "He wants to see you and Dean."

April looked up from her embroidery, tilting her head. "Where? Castiel hasn't summoned me in years. And Dean isn't fit for an audience with the prince."

"Look, sweetie, I'm going to quote Cas directly here: 'Dean's been here for four years; if he isn't ready yet, maybe it's time for me to remove April from her training duties'."

April glared at Meg, the recent iciness of their relationship due to the younger woman's growing friendship with Dean, but she wasn't dumb enough to risk losing what little power she had in the harem. Frowning, she stood and waved at Dean, glaring at the omega impatiently as she waited for him to follow her to the door. Meg led them out of the harem and toward Cas's wing of the palace, four guards flanking the small group.

The guards stopped at the door to Cas's suite, Ishim waiting patiently to escort the trio inside. April was seething but silent, Dean was silent with his eyes on the floor, and Meg was almost bouncing as she entered the room.

Cas looked up from his couch and smiled a greeting, his azure eyes locked on Dean. The omega, for his part, did not look up, unwilling to do anything to antagonize April. She had been in quite a mood since Cas left for war, and Dean didn't want to start an altercation with her.

"Welcome home, Highness," April greeted, offering a perfect bow to the prince. Inias, sitting in the corner, watched the interaction nonchalantly, a little tired around the eyes from the long campaign. Concubines did not generally like to travel, especially for almost a full year, but his contract was almost up so this would be Inias's last trip.

Cas reached for a rolled set of scrolls and placed them on a low table nearby, glaring at April. "I read your reports while I was gone. Some of this has the tone of my brother's words. What are you playing at?"

"It's a fair assessment. Lucifer had nothing to do with it."

"This would not be the first time Lucifer used you to release one of my concubines. Ones that he desired himself. I thought I made it clear to you before I left that I intend to keep Dean."

"He isn't worth it," April hissed, jabbing a finger at the scrolls. Dean didn't react, just waiting silently for the two to decide his fate. He knew April was trying to get rid of him, but he hadn't known that Lucifer was involved. "He fails at even the simplest training, he still can't get the formal address right, and he keeps acting like a spoiled nobleman's son and not a slave. I have trained a lot of concubines for you, but he was just too old when he got here. He's male and an omega; two things that you never seemed interested in."

"Oh, but Lucifer was willing to take him off my hands?!"

"It's not like that! He just wants some help during his ruts is all!"

Cas surged to his feet and grabbed April's arm, growling in the beta's face. She tried to shrink back, terror in her scent, but the alpha intended to make his point. "Lucifer is the son of a man who was barely noble, one stupid enough to get himself killed in a war he wasn't even supposed to fight. I am the son of Caesar, heir to the throne of Rome, and if you try to cheat me again I will throw you in the slave markets of Avaricum and be done with it!"

"Yes, Highness," April whispered. She stumbled back when Cas released her, almost falling into the wall before regaining her balance and adjusting her robes. She schooled her face back into its normal emotionless mask, though she kept her eyes lowered this time and clasped her hands in front of her skirt. "Will there be anything else, Highness?"

"I expect your report on Dean's readiness to serve as consort in my hands by the end of the day. Have one of the guards bring it; I don't want to see you again."

"Of course, Highness." April turned toward the door, Meg glancing at Cas before falling into step behind her. Dean turned to leave, also, not entirely sure why he had been summoned to watch Cas chastise April, but a hand on his arm stopped him.

Dean looked up to find Cas smiling at him, the alpha reaching out to run his fingers through his hair. He knew he should drop his eyes, but he couldn't look away, something in that vibrant blue calling to him. "Stay here," Cas murmured. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you, too," Dean whispered, following Cas to his bed as the other two concubines left. Inias chuckled as Dean took a seat beside his alpha, sipping from his wine as he had done for the entire confrontation.

"You know, Cas has never looked at me like that."

"You have Ishim to stroke your ego if you require that," Cas teased, smiling at his unflappable servant. The older man narrowed his eyes and rubbed his beard, but he accepted the ribbing without response. Taking pity on the pair, Cas waved toward the door. "I'm still not feeling my best, Ishim, and I think I'll take a nap. Why don't you take Inias to the market for some new tunics; most of what he took on tour is ragged now and he needs some replacements."

Ishim did smile at that, a tiny twitching of his lips, bowing his head slightly. "If that is your wish, Highness, I shall obey." He reached out and helped Inias to his feet, gently leading the beta to the door. He was always so reserved and gentle around the concubine, and Cas wondered why it had taken Dean to show him how much they cared for each other. He smiled as the two headed out.

Dean watched the prince silently, not entirely sure why he had been asked to stay. Cas turned back to him and ran his fingers through the omega's hair again, pulling the boy close enough that he could breathe in his scent. "I'm sorry for being gone so long," he whispered. "I was told that it was a quick operation, a minor border skirmish that we could put down in a few weeks, but we encountered resistance that my scouts did not prepare me for. I have secured the border for now, but I had to leave two legions to guard our trade routes in case there is retaliation."

"I'm sorry that I didn't learn fast enough to go with you," Dean replied, remembering that moment when April had told him that he couldn't go. "I tried so hard to learn everything and do everything correctly so I would be ready when you came back, but she said that I'm useless."

Cas wrapped his arms around Dean and pulled the omega into his lap, leaning against a pile of pillows as he held the boy close. Dean cuddled against the alpha, sighing in relief as everything felt normal and safe again. "I was injured a few months into the campaign," Cas whispered, stroking Dean's back as the omega started to purr. "I got pretty sick, and my rut came along during the worst of it. I don't remember anything, but the doctors said I was calling for you, that I was trying to rip off my bandages and run out of the medical tent. They had to tie me down and give me small amounts of water when I was calm, but the fever eventually broke and my rut ended at about the same time."

Dean pulled back, his purr stuttering to a halt as he looked over Cas's body, clearly trying to see the injury through his tunic. Chuckling, the alpha leaned forward and pulled his light tunic off, tossing it toward the end of the bed and leaving himself bare to Dean's exploration. The injury was obvious, a pair of red scars on his lower left side, stab wounds from a barbarian sword. Dean leaned forward and kissed the lower scar, his head only inches from Cas's groin. "You're okay now, though?"

Cas cleared his throat, urging his libido to calm itself before he scared the omega away. "The injury healed, but something about that rut caused me issues later. Inias stayed with me, of course, even though I was in no state for him to help, so when my rut came back during the march home, he came to my tent. I couldn't touch him, Dean."

"I don't understand."

"My ruts were fine when I was here, when . . . when I could spend time with you before and after them. I thought that the front would be too dangerous for you, so I wasn't altogether upset when April wouldn't let you go, but now I see that was a mistake. I needed you two weeks ago, and when Inias realized what had happened, he tried to have a scout come and get you. He was told that we were too far away for you to get to me before my rut ended, so I suffered alone. I don't remember the last time I had to do that."

Dean bit his bottom lip and looked at Cas's groin, reaching out to run tentative fingers down the alpha's cock as he had been trained, marveling at the change between the paleness of the shaft and the dark, more flexible skin around the base that would swell into a knot. He'd never seen the knot, of course; it would have been inappropriate for a concubine-in-training to see a naked alpha, so all of April's training had been done with male betas, slaves from the kitchen. Cas was bigger than them, even flaccid, and it looked like he would be thicker than the toys April had made him practice with. Dean felt the faintest hint of slick between his legs, and Cas's dick twitched in response.

Cas chuckled when Dean jerked back. "It's not a snake, Dean. It doesn't bite."

"Pity," Dean teased, already feeling braver in his alpha's presence; "I might kinda like that."

Cas growled and rolled over on top of Dean, pinning the omega with his arms. Dean ran his hands over those strong muscles, marveling at the scars that crossed his skin, evidence of life spent at war. He leaned down and nibbled at the exposed skin of Dean's throat, grinning as the omega bucked against him. "I want to show you how much I missed you. Would you like that?"

"Please," Dean breathed, eyes brightening to gold.

"Take off your clothes."

Dean sat up as Cas scooted back, pulling his pale green palla off and laying it carefully on the floor. This was one that he had made himself, down to the apple blossoms embroidered along the hem, and he was quite proud of it. Unlike Cas, he did wear a thin loincloth under his clothes, so he canted his hips up and removed it, watching the alpha as he dropped it on the floor. "What are you staring at?"

"You," Cas purred, reaching out to run his fingers across Dean's freckled skin. He frowned as his fingers crossed a pale line along his ribs, then another and another. He grabbed Dean's shoulder and turned the omega, glaring balefully at the pale lines crisscrossing the boy's back. They weren't deep and they didn't look like they had bled, but Cas had not expected them. Some looked older, paler, while most of them were still red and clearly painful. "What happened to you, Dean?"

The omega swallowed, hard, and looked away. He had been afraid that Cas would see these marks and not want him anymore, which might have been April's plan all along if keeping him away from the prince didn't work. "April told you that I wasn't doing well in training," he replied softly, hands tucked in his lap. "We had an audience with the Empress a couple of weeks ago and I didn't bow far enough. I also failed to keep my gaze on the floor when she slapped me for my poor behavior. That night, Lucifer came to the harem to meet with Hester, accompanied by Uriel of course, and I didn't hit my knees fast enough or with the correct amount of grace. These are only my most recent infractions, and April has punished me for each one. I try to learn, I've tried to remember, but I can't. April's right; there's still some part of me that knows I'm a nobleman's son, and I can't be a good slave."

Cas leaned forward and kissed the top mark, pulling Dean back into the safety of his arms. He was doing everything he could to hold back his anger, not wanting to scare the boy. "These don't look like whip marks."

"No, she uses a kind of a switch. It hurts, but it doesn't bleed, so the marks are gone . . . before you can see them. She said that you ordered her to never leave marks on your concubines."

"These marks here look newer than two weeks, Dean. Tell me why she punished you within the last few days." Dean shook his head and whined, trying to tuck himself closer to Cas, but the alpha wouldn't have any of it. "Dean, my dear boy, you have to tell me."

"Your second-in-command sent a fast scout when your rut ended, announcing your imminent return, but he was a friend of Benny's so I got a bit more info. Benny said that you had a tough time of it, that you had suffered during your rut, and I wanted to go to you. Something inside me needed to find you, to make it better, but I made the mistake of telling April that you needed me. I insisted that she let me go back with the scout, meet you on the road home. She told me that it wasn't my place to decide what you wanted. This was her teaching me to stay quiet."

"I did need you, Dean," Cas whispered into his hair. "You have good instincts, and April is wrong. She had no right to keep you from me. She also has no right to injure you like this. I don't want you beaten into submission or whipped because you don't match her idea or my mother's idea of a good slave. I want you safe and happy, even when I have to be gone."

Dean looked up, shocked to see Cas's eyes so red when his scent was still calm. "You're angry. You don't smell that angry."

"I didn't want to upset you, but I am furious at April. She has done everything I always told her not to, and she tried to chase you away because you threaten her. I'm going to tear her to pieces, throw her into the street, and sell her to the damn slave market for this."

"Don't, Cas," Dean whispered, wrapping his hands around Cas's clenched fists, slowly forcing the alpha to relax. "She wants you to send her away. She wants to leave this place. Don't give in to her manipulations; you're smarter than that."

Cas nodded, the red slowly fading as the burnt scent faded away. "How do you know me so well, Dean? You haven't spent much time around me the last couple years."

Dean smiled and gently pushed on Cas's shoulder, encouraging the alpha to lie back on his bed, giving the omega space to curl up against him. It was weird for the prince; he'd never spent time resting in his bed naked with anyone, but with Dean it felt right. "Sometimes I feel like I've known you my whole life, like when I begged April to let me go to you last week. I knew you needed me, and I'd felt uneasy the whole week before. I'd thought it was because Benny and Gadreel were gone, but they came back and it didn't soothe the ache inside me. I know that I wasn't ready, that my training was taking longer than it should, but I wanted nothing more than to go on campaign with you."

"Next time I have a long operation, I will make sure you come with me. I don't care what April says or what my mother wants. She bought you for me, after all, and even though I was reluctant to accept her scheming at first, I plan to keep you no matter what. Would you like that, living in here with me as my permanent concubine, my new favorite, my official consort?"

"Yes," Dean whispered, nuzzling Cas under the chin. "I never asked for this life, but I think it'll be worth it if I can have you." Cas smiled, his scent warming happily as he stifled a yawn. After reading the last report that April sent back with the scout a couple of days ago, he had pushed his army into a hard march, determined to get home before she hurt his omega any more. "You told Ishim that you needed a nap, and I don't think you were lying."

"Honestly, I am. I mean, I have a beautiful young omega curled up in my arms and I can't even get a proper arousal going."

"Let's just nap, then," Dean suggested, reaching toward the embroidered blanket draped over the edge of the bed. It was medium weight, appropriate since it was winter, but Cas would create enough heat that anything heavier in the middle of the day would be too much.

"You think I can just fall asleep with a naked omega in my arms?"

Dean tucked his nose under Cas's chin again, wrapping his arms around the alpha's waist before beginning to purr. "I might be able to help you," he whispered. Cas chuckled and shook his head, clearly not believing the boy, but his eyes slowly closed and he drifted off. Smiling, Dean kissed Cas's neck and followed him into slumber.

Cas woke slowly, the late afternoon sun too annoying to ignore. He shifted his weight and froze as the omega stretched across his chest started to purr, clearly a protest of the movement. Betas couldn't purr, and an alpha's purr was really just a low growl, but an omega's purr was soothing, able to portray contentment and, if Donna could be believed, perhaps even speed the healing of wounds. Right now, it was being used to lull the alpha back to sleep, to maintain the peaceful tableau a little longer. Cas chuckled at the ploy, raising his arm to run his fingers through Dean's hair, the purr intensifying as the omega woke up. "Aren't you hungry, little one?"

Dean snorted. "I'm pretty sure I'm taller than you, and if I had the chance to exercise I would be just as strong. I'm not that little."

"Hmmm, do you want access to my trainers? I know that concubines are supposed to be frail and pale, according to Mother anyway, but I wouldn't mind if you got some sun and some bulk. It might give you something to do between embroidery projects."

Dean chuckled, kissing Cas's chest. "I only do that to keep sane. I tried all of the approved harem crafts, and I'm not bad at making nice clothes. I don't like it that much, but they won't let me stay in the kitchen and learn to cook or go to the stables. Those were my favorite things when I was younger, before I presented."

"You ride?"

"Dad had a couple of horses, and I was allowed to use one for errands. I can't say I was very good, since I had to stop almost eight years ago."

Cas grinned and leaned back against his pillow, staring at the silks that hung above him. There were very few times that he liked his power and wealth, but this was going to be one of them. "So, there was actually a second reason we were pushing so hard to get home, and I was so angry that my rut came on the road and slowed us down."

"Yeah? What?"

Cas pointed at his heavy pack on the floor, clearly abandoned in haste when he returned to the room. He had been eager to get Dean into his room and stop whatever April was doing to him, so he hadn't had time to unpack. "Look in there, you'll find a small green bag in the front."

Dean slipped out of the bed, uncaring of his nakedness as he carefully opened Cas's sack. He found the bag and brought it to his alpha, slipping back under the blanket and matching Cas's seated position. The prince smiled and opened the bag, handing it to his omega. Dean gently tipped out the contents into the sheet over his lap, gasping in shock at the beautiful gold necklace inset with dark emeralds and lustrous pearls, tiny pale beads filling in the gaps between the larger stones. "Cas," Dean breathed, running his fingers over the lovely stones, easily the two most precious in the entire Roman Empire.

"Do you like it?"

"Cas, it's beautiful! I can't . . . this is the kind of thing your mother should be wearing, not some common concubine."

Cas cupped Dean's chin in his hand, forcing the omega to meet his eyes. "Dean, I got this for you because I want you to understand that you are not a common anything, and I knew that your training would have to be done when I returned. Since you refuse to ask me for anything, even protection from April's cruelty, it took me months to find a good birthday present for you."

Dean froze, almost forgetting to breathe for a long moment as he stared into Cas's azure eyes. "You knew? I haven't told anyone my birthday, not even Meg and she's been asking for years."

"I figured it out. I may have sent some letters to my brother in the Northern Army."

Dean snorted. "I can't believe my brother gave me up."

"He wants you to be happy, Dean. He said that your dad took you to this market in Athenae when you were younger, and you were fond of a certain jeweler there. He's still in business and I picked this up on the way back from the front."

"Cas, I . . . I don't know what to say. Thank you."

"Happy Birthday, Dean. I was planning on getting here a few days ago so you could have woken up with me, here in luxury, and I could have made this day amazing for you."

"It was already amazing because you came home. I never thought I would miss anyone except Sam, but I guess you've grown on me."

Cas picked up the necklace and clasped it around Dean's neck, using his free hand to pull the omega in for a kiss. They had flirted pretty heavily before Cas headed off to the front, but it had never become physical and they had certainly never kissed. Dean was shy at first, not sure what to do with his hands or how best to respond, but then his enthusiasm became clear as he climbed into Cas's lap, purring fiercely. Cas wrapped his arms around the omega, growling softly as he pulled away and started kissing Dean's neck, right where he would bite if they were allowed to mate. He didn't let himself think about things like that, but he could feel Dean's approval of the move pressing against his belly.

Dean gasped as Cas's erection pressed against his ass, alternately grinding against it and rubbing his own against the alpha's belly until he was whining and shaking with need. Cas could feel the omega's desperation as he chased something he didn't quite understand, so he pulled away and grabbed Dean's hips, freezing his movements and catching his eye. "Hey, calm down. I'll take care of you, sweetheart, ok?"

Dean smiled, reaching up to hold Cas's shoulders, trying to gain control of his breathing. He had thought about this moment for years, ever since he first spoke with the prince, and his furious purr was indication that patience wasn't his strong suit. "I was taught a lot of things, Cas, that I'm supposed to do for you. I want to do this right."

"Dean, I promise that you can't do it wrong, but you can show me what you learned in the harem training program if you want."

If Dean had a tail, it would be wagging. The omega backed off of Cas's lap, running his hands down the alpha's chest, just barely letting his nails scrape the tanned flesh. Cas groaned, letting his head fall back against the bed as Dean kissed the faint red welts left by his nails, worshiping both nipples before moving lower. Cas raised his knees and watched Dean with crimson eyes as he intentionally skirted the erection bobbing in front of him, dark knot just starting to swell at the base. Dean kissed all the way down Cas's legs, running his fingers over the scars that covered his shins. "What are these from?"

"A building holding slaves for auction up north caught on fire and the owner abandoned them to die. We couldn't let that happen. Gabe and I ran in, freed the slaves from their chains, and I kicked out the back wall so they could escape. I got some burns that eventually scarred, but they all survived. Gabe bought them all, actually, offering them life in the army or a place with the palace servants. Of all of my scars, I have to say I am the proudest of those."

Dean ran his hands up Cas's thighs, teasing the alpha to keep the conversation from ruining the prince's libido. "Is this what you do, Cas, buy slaves to free them?"

"I don't believe in slavery, Dean," Cas whispered, reaching out to run gentle fingers over the omega's freckles. "As future Caesar, I have to accept it, but I do what I can to ease the injustice of it. I can't do that for you, but I promise that you will always be safe, and happy, and loved for as long as you live in my court."

Dean blushed, unable to control his instinctive response to such a promise. Cas gently carded his fingers through Dean's hair, tugging sharply to remind the omega to focus on his task. Grinning, Dean leaned back down and carefully kissed the sensitive skin on the inside of Cas's thighs, trying a couple of test bites as the alpha's cock twitched insistently. He turned his head and kissed the dark, swelling knot, finally leaning up and taking Cas's cock in his mouth. The alpha groaned and let his head fall back, relaxing into Dean's enthusiastic, if novice, blowjob. Dean bobbed his head in an attempt at a steady pattern, testing to see what amount of pressure Cas liked as he managed a few quick deepthroats. He had practiced that part with the toys April gave him, but they were rigid and unyielding, while Cas was thicker but more flexible. He was also very long, so Dean used his free hand to gently massage his knot, squeezing harder each time he managed to swallow him down, listening to Cas growl and whisper his name.

Cas finally reached down and pulled Dean off, much closer to orgasm than he had expected with a virgin concubine. He kissed the omega, giving himself time to calm down a bit before sliding his hand between their bodies and wrapping his fingers around Dean's erection. As an omega, his dick wasn't as large or thick as Cas's, but it was still a respectable size for his subgender. He seemed shocked when Cas stroked him, pulling back and staring at the hand wrapped around his erection. "What is it, sweetheart?"

"I don't understand. April said that you wouldn't want to touch me. She said that I would have to seek my own pleasure during our coupling because you wouldn't care about it."

"I don't care about her pleasure," Cas growled, stroking a little faster as he used his free hand to make Dean meet his gaze. "I definitely care about yours." Dean's eyes widened as the gold, which had faded to flecks, returned full-force. He bit his lips and glanced down, clearly wanting to ask something but not sure if he was allowed. "What is it?"

"If you care about my pleasure, then would it be alright if you fucked me? I've been thinking about it for years, and I've never had an alpha before. I haven't had a heat in four years so it has to be coming soon, within the next month maybe, and I don't want to go through another one not knowing what it feels like to have you inside me instead of some dumb toy."

Cas growled and leaned down for another bite, already addicted to Dean's apple blossom and cinnamon scent. "Of course, dear boy." Dean grinned and wriggled out of his alpha's arms, turning over and dropping his arms onto the bed, ass in the air and legs locked in the presentation position that April had forced him to learn. She said it would give him the strength to stay still for Cas, let the alpha chase his pleasure without worrying about holding the omega up. "What are you doing?"

"April taught me that this is the pose I need to use for you."

Cas sat up and rested his hands on Dean's hips, his cock tantalizingly close to the omega's ass. "And is this what you want? When I'm in rut, I admit that this pose is easier on you, because I can be quite forceful, but I'm not in rut right now."

Dean looked over his shoulder. "I don't think April intended for me to attend you outside of your rut. I never thought about any other options."

Cas grabbed Dean's left shoulder and rolled him over, settling between the omega's raised knees and gently teasing his leaking asshole with his cock. The omega was eager, but Cas wasn't sure if he was ready yet. He reached down and slipped two fingers into Dean, grinning as the boy groaned and arched against the intrusion. "What if this is what I want, to watch you come undone the first time I bury myself in you?"

"Your pleasure is my command, Highness," Dean whispered, a teasing lilt in his voice. "But if it's my choice, I want to see you, too."

Cas leaned down to capture Dean in a furious kiss, slipping a third finger into his slick hole in the process. He flexed his fingers a little, but he knew that the omega was ready, so he used some of that slick on his cock before pressing the tip against Dean's ass. Dean bucked at the touch, grinning as the move forced the tip in, Cas growling as he buried himself to the hilt. Dean gasped and instinctively tried to move away, wrapping his hands around Cas's arms to stop him from moving. The alpha watched and waited, trying a few shallow thrusts when the omega relaxed. He slipped one hand under Dean's ass and pulled it off the bed, changing the angle just enough that he could hit the boy's sweet spot on each thrust. Dean whined and moaned each time Cas moved, slowly graduating to strangled howls as he spurted precome all over his chest. "Don't hold back, dear boy," Cas whispered, crimson eyes watching the omega's every movement. "I want to hear you scream; I want the whole palace to hear you scream."

Dean did scream at the next thrust, Cas leaning down to bite the side of the omega's shoulder and grinning as he came, hard, strips of white decorating his chest as he clenched around his alpha. Cas only lasted a couple more thrusts before his knot caught and he came, locked tight inside his newest concubine.

It took a long, long time for Dean to manage more than a few token twitches, spasmodically clenching around Cas's knot and pulling three more mini orgasms from the alpha. His nose buried in Dean's neck, Cas blindly reached down and gently clasped the omega's limp cock, teasing it to hardness against before stroking him to orgasm. Dean's howl was almost a sob, too overstimulated to know how to respond but not willing to stop. Cas let him rest for a few minutes before doing it again, Dean's third orgasm putting enough pressure on his knot for him to come one more time. "Cas," Dean gasped, tears in his eyes as he alternately tried to pull away and pull the alpha closer, not sure what he was supposed to do or how he was supposed to feel.

"It's okay, my sweet boy," Cas whispered, wrapping his arms around Dean and kissing his hair. "My knot will go down soon and I'll get you cleaned up. How do you feel?"

"I don't know. It feels good, way better than I imagined and certainly better than I was told to expect." He glanced down at his belly and grinned, quickly wiping the tears from his eyes. "I never want to give this up. I don't know why I was so worried about being a concubine."

"You know, you're pretty good at it. The girls are harder to read, though Meg, Hannah, Hester, and Daphne tell me that I give them a great deal of pleasure. Inias enjoys himself, but male betas can't have multiple orgasms like omegas can, and I have always secretly wanted to partner with one. I hate my mother's methods, but you are honestly the best gift she ever gave me. I'm never giving you up, my dearest boy."

Dean propped himself up on one elbow, the vibrant emerald of his eyes matching the lovely dark stones in his new necklace. "Good, because I never want to leave. I hope you'll let me see Sam sometime soon, because I miss my brother, but I think I can be happy here with you."

Cas smiled and pulled free, heading for the bathing chamber and the supplies stored there. He brought back a pitcher, bowl, and a couple towels, using one to clean himself as he tossed the second damp towel to Dean. Once they were both clean, Cas pulled his tunic back on and pushed Dean onto his belly on the clean side of the bed, exposing the angry red marks on his back. Ishim had obviously come into the room while they were napping and seen Dean's back, leaving a jar of ointment that would help the wounds heal and not leave a scar. "Here, let me put something on those whip marks before you get dressed."

"More of a switch," Dean murmured, sighing gratefully as the coolness of the cream sunk into his skin, calming the slight pain left from his punishment. "Thanks, Cas."

"She shouldn't have done this to you," he replied, rubbing the last of the cream in before helping the omega to his feet and handing him his clothes. He checked the bite mark on Dean's shoulder, but it had been in the meaty part and wasn't bleeding anymore. "She thought there was a possibility that she could make you unattractive and unwanted, but it only exposed the evil in her own soul. I will stop her from ever touching you again, I promise."

Dean wrapped his arms around Cas's waist, resting his chin on the alpha's shoulder as the prince returned his hug. He would never have pups or freedom, but he could see that his destiny as the future Caesar's consort wasn't going to be bleak and lonely as he had been led to believe. It was going to be wonderful.