Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“What the hell was that?”

“I dunno, sounded like we hit something.”

“Holy fuck – fuck!”

“Dean! I can’t – where are you?”

“Sam! Sammy!”

 Jesus Christ what a hangover.

He’d heard of the gravel mouth thing the morning after, but what he was feeling, well shit, that was ridiculous.

“What the fuck…” He blinked, and immediately groaned when a painful, scratching feeling burned through his senses. His eyes were on fire, but he knew better than to rub them. He spat out the accumulated glob of what must have been sand, and tried to get his bearings.

Keeping his eyes closed for the time being, he listened for what was around him. A rhythmic crashing of water somewhere below him, the sand in his eyes, and pretty much everywhere else, told him he was lying on a beach. He could feel the tiny particles under his fingers, crusting into his face.

“Ok, ok, get up, Dean, get up.” Talking to himself helped with his mental state, because staying quiet internalised panic and fear. He forced himself to turn over, breathing slowly and evenly. He catalogued his body’s state of fitness, and found he was surprisingly unhurt. Only his eyes were a problem.

Very slowly, he rolled back onto his stomach. Dean turned around to where he could hear the water, and headed straight for it. He gasped as the warm water hit his skin, but he had a job to get done, so he couldn’t linger in its embrace until it was over.

He knew it would hurt like a bitch.

Dean took a deep breath to prepare himself, before plunging under the soft waves. The water suppressed his screams as he washed his eyes. He knew it was the only way, but goddamn it hurt.

His eyes were still blurry and probably looked like he’d hit a blunt, but at least they worked. He dragged himself back onto the beach, and surveyed his surroundings. Palm trees fanned the edges of the beach, which was white sand and seemingly paradise.

Dean knew better.

All he saw was no fresh water, no shelter, and no way to get food.

His dad had taught him all he knew, but as far as Dean could remember, he hadn’t ever given him and Sam a scenario where they had washed up on a seemingly deserted island.

Dean didn’t know how he hadn’t thought about him sooner. His brother was a strong swimmer, but the last time he’d seen him, he was in the water. Dean scanned the beach, but the golden expanse of his private little stretch was empty. He spied a high outcrop of rock, jutting out into the sea, and he knew it would give him the height he needed to see for miles.

He wondered how long he had been unconscious. When the lights went out on the boat, it was midnight, at least, and judging by the sun, it was mid-morning when he woke up on the beach. He was huffing and puffing by the time he staggered to the top, his legs and back burning with the effort of climbing.

He needed fresh water, food and Sam, if he was going to survive.

Dean shaded his eyes and began his search. From what he could see, the island was actually huge. He didn’t know why on earth an island that size wasn’t populated. He didn’t care though, they wouldn’t be on the island long enough to find out anyway.

A dark, human shaped blob came into his sights, and it looked like it was in the cove just around from where he washed up.

Climbing down the rock was a whole lot harder than climbing up. He almost broke his legs when he fell the last few feet, but he stumbled into a roll at the last minute. Brushing himself off, Dean started in the direction of where he saw, hopefully, the Sam shaped pile of human.

It took a good hour, but he eventually made it to the beach. The forest he had to scramble through was thicker and denser than he had expected. Bursting back out into the sunshine hurt like crap, but Dean just kept going, because he could see the human shaped mound, and it was definitely human.

Falling down beside the sodden, sandy mess, Dean grabbed whatever he could, and turned it over. Sam’s lax face was revealed, and Dean panicked. He quickly checked for a pulse, thank Christ there was one, and started doing compressions. Every thirty or so pumps, he would pinch his brother’s nose and give him mouth to mouth.

Sam was an alpha, he couldn’t just fucking die. They were supposed to be stronger, tougher and more resilient than everyone else. Dean thought it was all bullshit, but at that moment he was willing to believe it, just so his little brother would draw –

A goddamned,

Breath!

Dean clenched his hands together, and brought them down forcefully onto Sam’s chest. Water erupted from his brother’s mouth, spraying everywhere, but Dean didn’t care. He set Sam into the recovery position, and rubbed his back. Sam heaved and coughed up what looked like the whole damn sea, but he was alright. He was breathing and groaning, but he was alright.

“Dude, I thought you knew how to swim?” Dean had to lighten the mood, it was the only way he knew how to avoid crumbling into a heap and crying for hours. Sam just grunted.

“Shut up, bitch. I got knocked out.” Sam’s voice was hoarse and raspy, but he didn’t sound mad. He sounded about as resigned as Dean felt.

“Hey, I just saved your life, jerk. Show some respect.” Sam managed to haul himself into a sitting position, so they both looked out over the soft, harmless looking sea. The day was warm, at least, so they heated up quickly and Sam stopped shaking. It was more to do with shock than anything else, anyway.

Dean was just about to suggest them finding some water, when something drifting in the waves caught his eye. It was – it was a body, lying face up in the water. He didn’t even think, and ignored Sam’s shouts, as he ran down the beach and jumped into the warm water. He swam as fast as his tired, aching body would let him, thinking that every second, if the guy was even alive, counted.

Not stopping to see if the guy was alive or not, Dean grabbed him and turned them back to the shore. The sea water stung his eyes, and he was almost drowning himself by the time sand appeared under his feet. Sam was at the tide line, ready to grab the body, or Dean as well, at that point. Sam was in no state to do anything but help Dean drag the guy a little ways from the water, but Dean was immediately on him, searching for a pulse.

It was weak, but it was there. The sea water had pretty much vaporised the guys scent, so he didn’t know if he was an alpha or not, but that didn’t matter. He wouldn’t treat him any different; it would just be nice to know if the guy would have that extra alpha kick.

Pinching the guy’s nose, and lowering his mouth to his, Dean sucked out as much water as he could. When it felt as if no more could be dredged from the guys lungs, Dean began his thirty compressions, with two breaths in between.

It took ages, longer than it should have, and Dean was about to call it quits, when he felt a tightening of the guy’s mouth when it touched his own. Spurred on, Dean increased the breaths until –

The dude threw water up right into his goddamned mouth.

For fuck sake, he was trying to do some good in the world, and that’s how karma repays him. He shook it off, along with Sam’s gag of disgust, and turned the shaking, coughing mess of a man into the recovery position. Dean rubbed his back, as he had done with Sam, but for some reason, there was a flicker of something more behind it.

Dean shook his head, because that was ridiculous. He’d just met the guy, and subsequently saved his life. he wasn’t going to get with anyone, especially not stuck on some deserted fucking island.

The dude groaned, shaking hands trying to touch his face. He probably had a mean ass headache, so Dean could understand. They needed to find fresh water and shade, pronto.

“Sam, you’re tall as fuck, go up there and see if you can see anyone else.” Dean waved his hand towards a slight hill; it looked like a good vantage point.

“Ok, stay here and ask him what his name is,” Sam started to walk away, but yelled back, “I have a feeling we’re gonna be here for a while.” Yeah well, he hoped not. He had about, oh, two weeks, before things would get real awkward. A loud groan drew him back to the dark haired man before him, and yeah, he was all wet and pale, but Dean could appreciate a hot guy when he saw one.

You gotta appreciate the little things in life, or all the big things gang up and beat the crap out of you. That what his mom always said, anyway.

“Hey, man, how’re you feeling?” Dean knew it was a redundant question, but he asked it all the same. His breath caught when the dark haired man turned over, so he was lying on his back, and opened his eyes. He held Dean with such a stare, even under normal circumstances, he’d have been unable to look away. At that moment though, whether it be shock, dehydration, or he’d hit his head, Dean was mesmerised.

Bright blue, ocean deep eyes captivated him, seeing him, almost as if they were delving deep inside his soul. It should have unnerved him, but instead, a feeling of deep calm and protection enveloped him, making him sigh. With that small breath, he realised two, very major things.

One, the guy in front of him was so very much an alpha, his deep musky scent was saturating the air between them. Dean was all a quiver, his inside’s turning to warm gravy at the smell of ocean, lightning and mate. The last one surprised him, but didn’t scare him. He didn’t believe in Truemates, thought it was just some fairy tale mothers told their daughters to make them believe in love and happily ever after.

No, Dean wasn’t scared because he had no need to be. Yeah, he was apprehensive, because he didn’t know the guy, but he just smelled so good. His body was telling him that his mate was right there in front of him, and he would protect him, no matter what. His mind on the other hand, was telling him to calm the fuck down and think with his front brain and not his hindbrain.

Dean wasn’t some damsel in distress, far from it, but it was nice to think he might have someone, besides Sam, in his corner.

God, he was so conflicted.

Mates could always be giant bags of dicks and treat their partners like shit.

He smiled, because what else was he supposed to do, he must have been in shock, when it hit him. The guy was scenting him back. He could – he could fucking smell him.

That was the second thing he realised.

He could very clearly smell Dean, which meant his scent blockers must have washed off in the surf. Even if the guy was his mate, he didn’t know the guy and he wasn’t about to expose himself to a fucking stranger. He knew exactly what alphas did to people like him.

A tiny bit of him swooned when he heard the gravel rough tone of the alphas voice, though.

“You’re an omega.”

Fuck fuck fuck.

Dean had managed to calm himself down in a very short space of time. He was actually surprised with himself, but it must have had a lot to do with his mate sitting a foot away from him. His alphas scent calmed him like nothing else. That didn’t mean he was going to just inexplicably trust the guy, they had only just met, after all.

“So, what’s your name?” Dean purposely ignored the omega comment, hoping like hell the guy wouldn’t press further. He really didn’t want to get into it sitting on a beach, with a stranger, with Sam nowhere in sight. The dark haired man frowned, cocked his head to the side, which Dean found horrible attractive, damn his hormones, and answered him.

“My name is Castiel, and yours is?” Cas, because hell no was he calling the alpha by his full name, that shit was a mouthful, looked at him almost thoughtfully.

“Uh, Dean. My names Dean.” Smooth as always, Winchester. He hoped Cas didn’t hear the hitch in his voice, or the colourful scents no doubt filtering out of him. The alpha, bless him, held out his hand.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Dean.” The omega took his large, soft from the water hand, and didn’t shiver, he most certainly didn’t. “I can’t thank you enough for saving my life. I will find a way, one day, to repay you.” Dean chuckled, because the guy was so damn formal. Who the hell talked like that?

“Don’t mention it, man. I was just doing what any decent person would have.” Well, he hoped so, anyway. The world was full of dick head and douchbags, him and Sam just tried to help wherever they could. They didn’t do it for thanks.

“I ah, I also will not mention about your – your orientation.” Dean swallowed, but nodded his thanks. He didn’t know what to say, he didn’t want to explain himself when the guy wasn’t asking him to. Cas actually fucking blushed, and looked up towards the trees behind them. “Actually, if we are lucky, there might be something I can mix up for you, that will hide your scent.” Dean just stared, because what the actual fuck.

“What are you, some kinda hoo doo witch doctor?” Cas had that audacity to look offended, which had Dean cackling. “Oh man, you are!” Cas stood, and went to brush the sand off his pants. When he swayed, Dean was there to catch him, and once again their faces were way to close.

“I am, in fact, a herbalist, and an Entomologist. Do you want my help, Dean?” The omega’s heart skipped at the tone the alpha was using, but Dean pushed it away. He wasn’t scared of the guy, just wary. The alpha just wanted an answer, which was fair enough.

“Yeah, man. I really do. I can’t – I can’t have anyone finding out, you know?” Dean ducked his head and moved away from the alpha. He wasn’t ashamed of being what he was, but he’d heard the stories of alphas that used Dean’s kind as nothing more than sex toys. They saw them as a slick hole to stuff a knot in, nothing more. There were so few of them, that it generally went unheard of.

Of course it wasn’t legal, he was still a human for fuck sake, but that didn’t mean it didn’t still happen.

Besides, he couldn’t afford to get knocked up, so far from the real world. Anything could happen during a pregnancy, and if he didn’t have access to basic medical equipment…

“Alright, I’ll need a few basic herbs and plants.” Cas rattled off what he needed, and sent Dean off to look for the plants. Cas described what they looked like, but Dean didn’t remember the names. He didn’t actually care, as long as it sorted his problem.

They didn’t stray too far from the beach, so they could still keep an eye out for Sam, but they eventually found everything thing they needed. Cas had found a cracked open coconut shell, so he used that as a sort of mixing bowl. When he was done, he handed Dean the mixture, that didn’t actually smell at all.

“Rub it into your scent glands, and it should mask any scent you give out.” Cas scooped out a finger full, and spread it behind Deans left ear. All the air left him in a whoosh when Cas touched him, and the alpha froze. “Oh – oh god, I am so sorry.” Cas wiped the remaining mixture back into the bowl, eyes wide and cheeks tinged with red. He obviously didn’t know what he was doing, but Dean’s heart didn’t know that.

He was pretty much scenting him, while erasing his scent.

“That’s – that’s alright, Cas. Uh, so my scent glands, yeah?” Dean scooped up the paste, before rubbing it everywhere he could reach. Behind his ears, along his neck, down his nape, his wrists, and even made Cas blush further and turn away when he tipped the rest of it down his pants. It was actually refreshingly cold, but he rubbed it in regardless. He hoped it wouldn’t cause some kind of reaction down there.

There was only so much humiliation a guy could take.

Luckily, the paste was a lot more watery than it seemed, and disappeared to nothing once it was applied to his skin.

“So, take a whiff, can ya smell me?” Dean smirked, but only to hide his fear. He needed it to work, because he wasn’t going to be one of those statistics.

He had a gift, goddamnit, and he was saving it for his mate, not some random knot head who thought he was theirs to claim.

Cas turned around from where he was shuffling some dead leaves, and tentatively moved forwards. Dean held his breath when the alpha drew near, not trusting his body at all. The alphas scent had his body reacting like it never had before, and that scared him more than anything else.

When the alpha was near enough, but not actually touching him, he took a deep breath in through his nose, taking in as much of Deans scent as he could. There were a few seconds of silence, before Cas released the breath.

“Nothing that I can detect, but you will have to apply it at least once a day, and after you go in the water.” Cas smiled at him. Dean smiled back, and wondered if the guy had a mate, or a boyfriend or girlfriend. He couldn’t see a mating mark, so that was a good sign. He’d get to know the guy better before he brought up the whole I think you’re my mate thing, but he could be patient, when it counted.

Cas opened his mouth, and Dean politely waited for him to say something, when they heard voices, coming from deeper in the bush. Cas frowned, but nodded when Dean held his finger to his lips. They didn’t know who else could be on the island; it could be drug smugglers or some undiscovered cannibal tribe, for all they knew.

Dean spotted an overhanging bunch of vines that looked like it would fit the both of them, and grabbed Cas arm. When shit got tense, and lives could be in danger, Dean dropped all his qualms about personal space. So, apparently, did Cas.

The alpha held the vines out of the way, and then crawled in just after Dean. They were practically on top of one another, and Dean was about to grumble, when Cas’ hand wrapped around his mouth. Dean would have struggled, if not for the heavy foot falls just outside their little hideout, and the deep, gruff voice of, clearly, an alpha.

“For fuck sake, we’ve been walking for hours.” Dean wondered if they had been on the boat with them, he couldn’t really remember, that night was a bit of a blur. A different voice scolded him.

“We’ve gotta find water.” Yeah, they must have been on the boat. “Do you think your pet made it? What I wouldn’t do to have a turn ooff.” Dean heard the thump of body on body, and startled back into Cas as their vines were disturbed. Cas slowly and quietly, wrapped his other arm around Dean, pulling him tight against him. Deans shaking stopped, and he was able to catch what the other man said.

“– that omega is mine, do you hear me? Aint many of them around, and he was hard to come by.” Dean shivered, and despite himself, burrowed closer into Cas. There was another omega on the island with them. “We’re gonna find that piece of trash, and I’m going to make him learn what happens, when he runs from me.” Dean didn’t even need to see the guys face, to imagine the bitter, disgusting expression.

He would never understand why some people thought male omegas were below everyone else. Everyone else accepted them for whom and what they were, hell, most people saw it as a miracle that a dude could give birth, but some people… They chose to hold on to the archaic belief that male omegas were the devils invention, only put on earth to tempt good men from their wives. They distorted those old world views, into something disgusting, evil and modern, taking omegas and using them for their own nefarious purposes.

After what seemed like an age, the men moved on. Dean was sure he had sweated through his new scent blockers. He didn’t want to even look at Cas, especially since he was still buried into the guys side. He’d seen his vulnerability, and his fear. Shame crept over him, making his heart race and plummet at the same time. That was, until Cas spoke.

“I won’t let them hurt you, Dean. I know you are perfectly capable of looking after yourself, but I must let you know,” Cas shifted his hand, and brushed the small hairs at the back of Deans neck. “I will protect you.”

Looked like Cas had smelt it too, Dean didn’t know whether he should be relieved, or scared out of his goddamned mind.

“Cas?”

“Yes?”

“We’ve gotta find that omega before they do.”

“I couldn’t agree more.”

Chapter Text

When they were absolutely sure the pack of alphas had passed, Cas and Dean deemed it safe to exit their small, vine covered shelter.

“We should head back down to the beach; Sam’s probably having a meltdown since we aren’t where he left us.” Dean started picking leaves out of his hair, but almost swallowed his tongue when he looked up at Cas. The alpha had crawled out after him, and was currently brushing dirt off his pants. What he had failed to notice, was the giant ass fucking spider, creeping over his shoulder. Dean hated bugs, and he didn’t know if the one currently fucking around on Cas’ shoulder, was poisonous or not.

Better not to take any chances.

“Dude, trust me, close your eyes and don’t move.” Cas froze, and Dean slid closer, his stomach tying itself in knots the closer he got. He watched as the alphas eyes widened, and then closed.

“I – I trust you. If it’s an insect, I can tell you if it is dangerous or not.” Cas sounded hesitant, but not afraid. Dean could smell the tension radiating off the alpha. He was waiting for Dean to make his move.

“Seriously? I’m not doubting your abilities dude, but you can’t possibly know every single insect in the world.” Dean used his voice to keep Cas distracted, as the alpha frowned around his statement. He was almost in arms reach, so Dean picked up a stick, his only weapon in his attack against arachnids everywhere.

“I will have you know that –” Dean didn’t give Cas a chance to continue, just whacked the stick, ok, log, down onto the invading insect. Cas yelped and snapped his eyes open. Once Dean saw the offending arachnid was dead, he threw the branch away and stepped closer to the other man.

“Sorry, sorry, shit, are you ok?” Dean grabbed Cas’ hand and gently touched his shoulder. Cas didn’t say anything, just stared at Dean with his head tilted to the side, almost as if studying him. Dean couldn’t help the blush that crept up his neck, but he hoped Cas didn’t notice.

At least he couldn’t smell him.

“I’m alright. I can understand your trepidation, though.” Cas nudged the spider with the toe of his boot. “It was quite big, wasn’t it?” Cas smiled at him, and Dean was immediately settled. Damn omeganess. It wasn’t so bad, though.

“So, should we head back down to the beach?” Dean wanted to ignore how close they were standing to each other, so he dropped Cas’ hand and stepped back.

“Yes, it should be safe now. Did you find anyone before you found me? You mentioned a “Sam”?” Dean smirked when Cas actually did air quotes. Who the hell did that?

“Sam’s my brother. I found him on the beach up from where I dragged you out.” Dean started walking back towards the beach, hoping Sam was close by and hadn’t decided to go looking for him. Cas caught up quickly, holding branches out of the way for him. Dean couldn’t help grinning at his dumb luck. Imagine finding his mate washed up on a desert island.

What was his life?

They broke out into almost blinding sunlight. The beautiful white sand beach spread out before them, ending in glistening blue ocean, as far as the eye could see.

“Is that your brother?” Cas was shielding his eyes, and looking towards where Dean had sent Sam to get a good vantage point. Dean held his own hand up, and blinked against the harsh sunlight. There was his massive moose of a brother, striding along next to… who the hell was that?

Dean heard Cas gasp next to him, before he was stoically striding towards the two men walking towards them. Dean ran after him; almost face planting in the sand more than once. Sam was smiling wide when he eventually reached them, but Dean was more concerned about the bodily contact Cas was having with the mystery guy.

Who was sort of hot as hell, tall and had his arms wrapped around Cas.

“Uh, who’s that?” Dean averted his eyes, and jerked his head towards the two dudes hugging. A painful thought crossed his mind, and he was sure, if he didn’t have scent blockers on, Sam would have been able to smell his pain all the way at the other end of the beach.

What if the dude hugging Cas was his mate?

“Oh, that’s Gadreel. Did you find out what your guys name is?” Dean jumped, but held in his squeak. He’d found who his body told him was his mate, but he wasn’t ready for Sam, or anyone else for that matter, to find out. Sam, obviously, hadn’t meant it like that. Stupid brain.

“Yeah, um, it’s Castiel.” Dean fought to keep his eyes averted, but it was hard. The dull ache of perceived rejection and loneliness throbbed inside him, but he just gritted his teeth and held it in, like he always did. He flinched when he felt a warm hand low on his back, but managed, just, to keep from shrugging it off. The touch burned through his thin shirt, even though the day was scorching hot itself.

“Dean, this is my brother, Gadreel.”

He didn’t know whether someone could faint from relief, but he was sure he was about a hairs width from finding out.

“Your – your brother?” Dean actually did squeak that time, but he didn’t care. Cas was still within his reach. Sam looked at him like he had grown an extra head, and Cas tilted his. The other guy, Gadreel, extended his hand.

“It’s nice to meet you, Dean. Castiel explained how you saved his life; we are forever in your debt.” Dean took a moment to absorb how weird Cas’ family were, before he cracked an easy smile and grabbed the other guy’s hand.

“Don’t worry about it, man. What decent person wouldn’t have saved his ass?” Dean was sure he heard Sam say not you, that’s for sure under his breath. He narrowed his eyes at his brother, because Sam could read him so well. There wasn’t any hiding shit from him. Speaking of, “Oh, this is Sam, my brother.” Sam smiled, and shook Cas’ hand.

“I helped pull you to shore, in case Dean embellished the story.” Dean huffed and dug his toe into the sand.

“I didn’t embellish, I just… excluded certain facts.” Everyone laughed, well, except Dean. Thank Christ for Cas.

“I think we need to find a consistent, clean, source of fresh water.” Cas frowned, and Dean bit his lip. He was so glad Sam couldn’t smell him, because god damn Cas was driving him crazy. It was so not the time for that, but Dean’s dick didn’t seem to agree. It smelt mate and alpha, and wanted to get its boogie on.

“Right! Let’s get a move on, then.” Dean took off from the group, because he really needed to distract himself. Finding water seemed like the best option. He started walking in the opposite direction the pack of alphas had headed, because he didn’t want to be anywhere near them. He meant what he said to Cas, they would find the other omega, but they needed to find some water for themselves first.

He heard the others following him, but didn’t slow down. Dean needed to sort his shit out, before it bit him in the ass. He didn’t want to push Cas away, because despite what Sam thought, he was capable of normal human feelings and communication. That didn’t mean he was going to just throw himself at the alpha and beg to be mated. He wasn’t that kind of omega. Huffing and gasping behind him, alerted him to another presence.

“Are you alright, Dean?” Cas smelt, and sounded, concerned. Dean couldn’t blame him, really. He’d all but stormed off the beach, practically running away from the group. There wasn’t any point in lying to Cas, and Dean didn’t want to start off their relationship, with lies. That didn’t mean he was just going to gush his guts out to a stranger, mate or not.

Dean forced his brightest smile, and turned on the charm. It never seemed to fail with anyone else, so why would it be any different with Cas?

“Sure am, buddy. Just gotta find some water.” Dean turned up the wattage, but Cas just narrowed his eyes. He clearly didn’t believe him, but instead of calling him on it, he just nodded.

“I know, it’s the rule of three, is it not? Three minutes without air, three days without water, three weeks without food.” To say Dean was surprised was an understatement. A lot of people didn’t know that rule, about how much the human body could take before you were in serious trouble.

“Yeah, yeah that’s right. It’s good to know you’re not just a desk jockey.” Dean grinned at Cas, before taking off again. They really did need to find a source of water, and heading towards a beach was their best bet.

Dean knew that if there was a stream or something on the island, it would most likely reach the sea towards where they were headed. They were going slightly down hill, and anyone with a brain knew water flowed downwards.   

He wanted to talk to Sam about his plan, but he was way too busy talking it up with Gadreel. He could hear them a short distance behind, laughing and freaking touching. They had been on the island, what, a day? And already Sam had found someone he was comfortable with. Sam was just that kind of person.

Dean was not.

He didn’t… he didn’t just open up to people as quickly as Sam, and that was fine. Everyone was different. It had taken him a long time, but he had accepted who he was, and what he liked. That included not sharing his life story with someone he’d just met. As much as he liked Cas, the short time he had known him, he wasn’t just going to open himself up like that. All it caused was heart break and misery, and they couldn’t afford for that to happen. If they did end up staying on the island, not that that looked likely, they would have to work together to stay alive.

Dean just hoped Sam knew what he was doing.

Wrapped up in his thoughts, Dean really did fall flat on his face when the forest opened up to another white sandy beach.

“God fucking damnit.” He pushed himself up quickly, hoping no one had seen him. Luckily they were far enough back that he had time to brush off the sand, and contain the blush on his cheeks. That was, until Cas appeared, clearly trying to hold in a smirk.

“You ah – you missed some.” Cas used his thumb to gently rub some sand off Deans cheek, and he couldn’t help the shiver that coursed through him. He heard Cas’ breath catch, but just as his touch turned more insistent, his bulldozer of a brother lumbered out of the tree line. With a pained growl, Cas dropped his hand and stepped away.

Cas knew what was up, and Dean couldn’t be more thankful.

“How about we have a rest, then go look for some water?” Everyone seemed more than happy with his idea, so Dean made his way over to a nice looking log, and lowered himself onto the hot sand. It seemed like about the middle of the afternoon, which meant they would need to find a place to sleep soon.

Hooting and hollering drew his attention, and when he saw Sam and Gadreel racing practically naked towards the crystal clear water, he smiled. At least they weren’t stressing out to much about their situation. That just led to bad decisions, and fatal mistakes.

His smile fell, and his heart rate about quadrupled when he saw Cas meandering down the beach, only in the shortest boxer briefs Dean had ever seen.

His lean, tanned body stretched and flexed as he prepared to enter the water. Dean almost swallowed his tongue when Cas bent over to touch his toes, and the perfect curve of his ass was on full display. He just couldn’t drag his eyes away, from those thick, strong looking legs, to the rippling muscles on his back.

It was all too much; Dean’s body was dehydrated, on edge and horny as hell. It was too soon for his heat to hit, but being only three times a year, it geared up for it in a big way. Including making his libido so much stronger in the couple of weeks before hand.

He had a problem, a very big, very wet, problem. No, he wasn’t talking about Cas, who was currently running into the water to tackle his brother. He was talking about the situation in his pants.

It wasn’t like he hadn’t slicked up before, but it was generally during his heats, or he’d wake up drenched in sweat and slick after a particularly vivid dream. He was panicking; he could feel it in his heart rate and more than sweaty palms. He tried to calm himself down, but a noise drew his attention to Cas, who was out of the water and –

Oh holy Jesus

His barely there boxers were water slicked to his skin, covering absolutely nothing. Dean couldn’t help the damn whimper that escaped him when he saw Cas’ junk outlined almost masterfully by the cloth. Fucking hell the guy was hung, but Dean tore his eyes away and saw Cas was staring at him.

“Fuck, fuck shit, oh god.” Dean scrambled to his feet, and just knew the damn sand was stuck to his ass. Sam and Gadreel were still fucking frolicking in the surf like two tall dolphins, so the only one there to witness Deans melt down was, of course, Cas.

“Are you alright?” Cas wandered a bit closer, but Dean took a step back. He couldn’t do it, all of his life he had hidden from alphas; it wasn’t like he could just flick a switch and submit to one, no matter what his body wanted him to do.

“I, uh, I’m gonna – gonna go and look for some water.” He didn’t wait for Cas’ reply, just took off down the beach, running as fast as he could.

As soon as Dean was sure he was out of range of the other men, he ran straight into the water, clothes and all. He knew it was a dumb idea, but he didn’t have any other choice. They would be able to smell the slick on him, so he had to wash as much of it off as he could.

Once he was sure every last bit of the offending substance had been washed from his skin, he stumbled back up to where he had left the small coconut of lotion Cas had made for him. It was the most important thing he had on the island, and he was damned without it. He smothered himself in the stuff, which meant he was going to need more, which meant asking Cas for a top up.

Dean sighed, because life really was full of shit. He found his mate, on a desert island no less, and yet he still couldn’t get over his pretty well-founded fear of alphas. He knew what they could do, what they had done, to guys like him. He was pretty sure Cas wasn’t like that at all, but he wouldn’t know for sure until he actually got to know the guy.

That meant getting close to the guy his body very obviously wanted, probably developing feelings for him, and then it would all go to shit, like it always did, just the damn circle of life.

Yeah, Cas had said he would protect him, but could he trust him? His body certainly thought so. As much as Dean just wanted to let go and lean on Cas, that little part of him that had saved his skin countless times still put up a protest.

Leaning back on the sand to dry, he closed his eyes and tried to reason with himself. He’d known Cas less than a day, yet something had just clicked when he had smelt him that first time. It was everything he had been hoping for, and dreaming of. He’d never tell Sam, of course, because everyone knew he wasn’t a typical omega.

He didn’t want to stay at home and keep house, full of pups for his alpha to lord over. No, what he wanted, was someone he could turn to when he needed them, someone that would treat him as an equal, despite his orientation. He wanted an alpha that would take him for who he was, and not make him change.

He really, really, hoped Cas was that guy.

By the time he walked back to the beach he’d left the others at, the sun was beginning to set. It was still ridiculously hot, so they could afford to sleep without a fire, at least for one night. The three alphas, because Gadreel was clearly an alpha, through and through, were sitting around a log, talking quietly.

Sam saw him first, and frowned at him. “Dude, you know better than that. What if you got lost?” He hated it when Sam treated him like a wilting fucking flower, but he knew his brother was just trying to look out for him. Dean sighed, and rubbed the back of his neck. He snuck a glance at Cas, who wasn’t looking at him. That hurt, for some reason.

“Sorry, Sammy. Just needed to wrap my head around this whole thing, you know?” Sam frowned again, bitch face at full throttle, but nodded.

“Yeah, I get it. Anyway, we found a good place to sleep, and some water.” Dean smiled, despite Cas not paying him any attention, and spread his arms out wide.

“Lead the way.”

They had found a soft looking spot not far from the edge of the forest, looked slightly more sheltered than everywhere else as well. The water gurgled in a small stream not far from their clearing, so Dean drank his fill.

He was more than confused by Cas continued silence. The alpha smelt… off, somehow, but Dean couldn’t quite put his finger on it. Dean had seen him talking in quite tones to Gadreel, who nodded and patted him on the back. Dean hoped he wasn’t the cause of Cas’ distress, but that was more than likely.

Dean took it upon himself to sleep as far away from everyone else as possible. Once he saw where Sam and Gadreel were situated, way too close in his opinion but whatever, he knew Cas would likely want to be near them. So he found a tree that had fallen in some long past storm, and made his bed behind it. It blocked everyone else out, and when Gadreel questioned it, Sam replied.

“Nah, its ok, Dean likes being by himself.”

Dean rolled over, and put his arms around his chest. So his brother didn’t know him as well as he thought he did, big deal. Dean didn’t like being by himself, he just did it for protection. It was painful and damn lonely, but he could deal. Well, he thought he could, until he felt the wetness slide down his face.

He scrubbed quietly at the tears, and he hoped the scent blocker extended to the saltiness the alphas would otherwise be able to smell. That would really top off his day, his brother, or fuck, Cas, finding him crying by himself. Jesus Christ.

Dean didn’t know what he had done to hurt Cas, but it hurt him too. He had just decided to get to know that guy, and then he stops talking? Maybe it was the running away, who knew. All he knew was he that he was being pathetic and immature, crying like a chick.

“Dean?” He was sure he left his body for a second, the shock of Cas sneaking up on him making him see black. Once his heart beat was semi under control, and he was sure his perfectly manly squeal hadn’t woken Sam and Gadreel up, he looked over at the crouching alpha.

“Christ, dude, put a bell on.” Dean meant it as a joke, but Cas just looked more pained. He really wasn’t having that good of a day. “Um, what’s up?” He was so happy Cas was talking to him again, he didn’t even care if Cas saw the tear tracks and red eyes he was no doubt sporting. Cas frowned, and sat down beside Dean.

“I wanted to apologise for my behaviour earlier.” Dean wondered what he meant by earlier, the unintentional strip show or the silent treatment. “It was rude of me to be silent, but I needed to – to think about some things.” Dean smelt Cas’ nerves, and his fear, that couldn’t be good.

“What did you have to think about, if you don’t mind me asking?” Dean picked up a stick and started drawing patterns in the dirt. It helped distract him from the obvious shit storm that was about to break.

“I believe it needs to be said, and acknowledged, what we both experienced earlier today.” Dean swallowed, because he knew what Cas was referring too. Well, chances like that weren’t gonna come around very often. The alpha wanted to talk, he’d damn well talk.

“I’m not gonna lie, it scared the crap out of me.” Dean saw Cas stiffen, and he had obviously assumed the worst. “But then I had a chance to think, you know, after I went looking for water.” Dean chuckled darkly, but relaxed when Cas let out a breath. He was relaxing, good.

“What did you think about?” Cas was so quiet, Dean could hardly hear him over the heart beat thundering away in his ears.

“That I want to get to know you.” Dean winced at how corny it sounded, but he kept going. “I want to trust you, man, I really do, but I’ve gone my whole life not really having a lot of faith in alphas. Its – it’s a hard habit to break.” Dean let out a breath, because he’d never really been so candid with anyone like that before. He guessed it was just Cas’ effect on him.

Cas surprised him by gently taking his hand, and raising it to his mouth. The soft, gentle press of his lips against Dean’s knuckles made him close his eyes, and let out a breathless, quiet moan. If just a damn kiss on the hand did that, he couldn’t even imagine what everything else would do to him.

“I want to know you too, Dean. I understand your trepidation. I don’t know what happened in your past, but I would like to know, if one day you would trust me enough to tell me.” Cas smiled at him, and Dean felt himself relaxing, bit by bit. “In saying that, we can go at your pace. However fast or slow you wish us to go, I will respect that, I promise.” Damn, if everything Cas was saying was true, Dean really had hit the jackpot.

“So, uh, where are you gonna sleep?” Yeah, he knew it was probably too early for that, but Cas smelt like protection, safety and home. Cas closed his eyes, and squeezed Deans hand.

“I think – I think I need to sleep by myself, for the time being, though.” Dean couldn’t hide his disappointment, but Cas just shook his head. He seemed, on edge, suddenly. “Your scent blockers have worn off, and I don’t – I don’t trust myself, Dean. You are very… overwhelming.” Shit, he hadn’t even noticed he’d sweated through them, but he didn’t have any more lotion.

“I don’t have any more, I used it all up.” He was slightly panicking, and Cas could clearly smell it. Dean saw his jaw clench, and his hackles rise, his omega was in distress.

“I will collect more ingredients for you in the morning, before the others wake up. I will take care of you, Dean.” Dean shivered at the pure alphaness of Cas’ tone, and for once he didn’t care that his true nature was showing. With that small act, Dean knew Cas would never force him into anything, or disrespect him.

“I know you will, you’re a good alpha, Cas.” Dean needed to give him that before he left, to make up for his shitty mood earlier. Cas puffed up before him, which made Dean grin. “Now go to bed, before I pull you down with me.” No one ever said Dean played clean.

Cas growled at him, and kissed his hand one more time, before reluctantly leaving. It didn’t miss Dean’s notice that Cas shifted his sleeping arrangements, so he had Dean in his sights.

Maybe being stuck on a desert island wasn’t so bad after all.

Chapter Text

Waking up to a random stranger peering at you from about three inches away, was not Deans idea of a good morning. Punching the random guy in the face, however, did make him feel slightly better.

“What the fuck!” Dean’s exclamation and the other guy, who was short and looked annoying, woke the alphas. Dean fully expected them to have woken first, but the little guy was quiet. Cas was immediately in front of Dean, teeth bared and growling low in his chest. To say it was a turn on, well, did bears shit in the woods?

“Who are you?” Cas’ voice was impossibly low, and it was all Dean could do to not slick up. Luckily his mind, and body, were similarly distracted. The other guy, who was holding his nose, which was streaking crimson all down his chin, put his other hand up in a supplicating gesture.

“Shit, ok, so I see I made a bad first impression.” His words were muffled and slurred by the hand covering his face, but Dean got the jist of it. Yeah, pretty bad. “My name’s Gabriel, and I’m gonna go ahead and assume we were all on the boat together.” Something clicked in Deans head, and before he even thought about it, he asked what would have made perfect sense, if the world was an easy place.

“Are you the omega?” He saw Cas stiffen with realisation in front of him, and to his left, Sam looked confused. “Yesterday, when we split up before coming here, me and Cas saw another group of alphas.” Sam let out an angry breath.

“Dude, why didn’t you say anything?” Dean knew what Sam was thinking. Maybe they should stick with them, safety in numbers and all that.

“Because those guys, were not the kind of people I like to surround myself with.” Dean let out a breath, but luckily only Cas could hear how unsteady it was. “They were looking for an omega, and whoever he was, he is not gonna have a good time if they find him.” The group were silent, clearly all absorbing the unsettling new information. The new comer, however, broke the silence.

“Well, to answer your question, I’m not the omega. I’m just a little old beta. No threat to anyone.” The little guy smiled behind his hand, and rubbed his neck. “So please don’t kill me.” Dean looked back and frowned.

“Why the hell would we kill you, man? Like you said, you’re not exactly a threat.” Dean put his hand on Cas’ shoulder, and he could feel the alpha relax under his hold. Dean ignored Sam’s wide eyed, questioning look.

“I, uh, I kinda know the alphas your talking about.” Cas immediately whipped around, growling low in his throat. So much for relaxing. “No no! I mean, shit, last night, I saw them. I stayed at the edge of their camp, and listened. I wasn’t going to just throw myself into a bunch of strangers.” Dean snorted, because wasn’t that exactly what he had done? “I know, and looked how that turned out. Anyway, I heard the way they were talking and… yeah. That’s not anything I wana be a part of.” Dean glared at the beta for a second more, before he relaxed. The guy wasn’t a threat, and he certainly talked too much to be a spy.

“Whatever. But if we find out that you’re pulling some shit, I will personally tie you to a tree and leave you there.” Dean sat down on his log, suddenly overcome with fatigue. They hadn’t eaten in over twenty four hours, and it was starting to affect him. Cas cast him a glance, but he knew better than to do anything in front of Sam. Instead, he approached Gabriel and pulled his hand away.

“I can find something to numb the pain, and prevent too much swelling.” Gabriel’s eyes widened in surprise, but he nodded. Cas lead him to the stream, probably to wash his face and cool it down.

“Dean, we need to find some food. Where do you think we should start?” One thing he loved about Sammy, was that most of the time, he treated Dean just like a big brother, and not like an omega. Dean pulled himself together, and stood.

“We should head down to the beach, see if there’s anything that washed up from the boat.” Sam and Gadreel nodded, before heading off in that direction. He looked over at Cas, who was busy poking and prodding at Gabriel’s face. “I’m gonna head to the beach with Sam and Gad, see if we can scrounge up anything.” Cas levelled him with a penetrating stare, and Dean felt the little hairs on his arms lift in pleasure.

“Be safe, Dean.”

It had been a calm night, so not a lot had washed ashore.

Sam hollered when he found a locked, metal box that looked like it could withstand the perils of the sea. It was big enough to fit anything in, even a body, but maybe not Sam’s. He was part giant, after all.

Using the two alphas, and a big ass rock, Dean managed to crush the lock enough to wrench open the lid. He didn’t know what he had been expecting, but two folded fishing rods, a small tackle box and a set net, weren’t it.

“What the hell is this doing on a pleasure cruise?” Dean still hadn’t really forgiven Sam for tricking him into going on the cruise. Said it was for him to meet someone. Sam didn’t need any help meeting someone. It was for Dean, but he had fallen for it, hook, line and sinker. Heh.

“Fucked if I know, but it’s our luck that we found it. Now we just need bait.” Sure, he was happy they had found it, but it did seem weird. He shook it off, because it didn’t seem important.

“I’m going to assume you two know how to fish?” Gadreel didn’t sound sceptical, just curious. He really wasn’t a bad guy, not that he had talked to him much. Sam grinned, all boyish glee and pride.

“Yup, sure do. Our dad taught us everything he knew.” Dean didn’t really want Sam giving Gadreel their life story, but it wasn’t like he could stop him. Sam was just like that, opened his heart up to everyone. Dean wondered how Cas was getting on with their new arrival. He didn’t miss how Sam was showing Gadreel the finer points of the fishing rod, picking up the other alphas big hands and placing them at certain intervals.

“Uh, I’m gonna go let Cas and Gabriel know what we found. You two have fun.” Sam blushed deeply, and glared at Dean. The omega just wriggled his eye brows back. He was always gonna be the big brother, no matter what.

Making his way back through the forest to their make-shift camp, Dean’s mind went over what they needed to do, to be comfortable and survive. They had their source of fresh water, even if they really should boil it before they drank it. From what Dean could see, the spring erupted out of the ground not far from where it rushed past their camp. The crystal clear water, tumbling over rocks and pebbles, looked safe enough.

To boil and cook, they needed fire, which was their next big problem. Sam and Dean both knew how to make fire from sticks and dry grass, but it took time and a lot of effort. Dean would give almost anything to have his trusty knife with him, which had a flint at the handle.

Dean followed the quiet sound of voices floating from their camp, and came upon Cas and Gabriel, deep in conversation. They both turned when Dean cleared his throat.

“I’m not interrupting anything, am I?” Dean couldn’t keep the slight edge of jealously out of his voice, but apparently, Cas liked that kind of thing. The alphas eyes darkened and he rumbled quietly. Gabriel just grinned.

“Wow, did you two meet on the cruise? Because that’s an intense reaction right there.” Dean rolled his eyes, because it would have been a pretty awesome moment, if not for the beta sitting right next to the posturing alpha.

“No, Dean saved my life when he pulled me from the sea.” Cas was staring at Dean, unflinching in his focus of the omega. Despite Gabriel sitting right there, Dean blushed.

“That’s pretty awesome, Deano. But now I feel like I’m interrupting something.” Gabriel chuckled, and went to lean up against a tree. His face didn’t look too bad, so Dean must not have punched him too hard.

“Sorry about hitting you, by the way. Sneaking up on someone while they sleep isn’t a smart move though.” Gabriel waved his apology away, shaking his head.

“Oh shush. It was totally on me.” The beta looked around, then back at Dean. “Where’s tall, dark and sexy?” Dean rolled his eyes, and Cas frowned.

“They’re down at the beach; we found some fishing equipment washed up.” Both of the other men looked pleased, and it played to Dean’s omega nature to have made that happen. Cas sniffed the air slightly, so only Dean actually noticed. He looked alarmed for a moment, before grabbing Dean’s hand.

“I need Dean to help me collect some wood for the fire we need. You – you stay here and rest.” Cas didn’t wait for Gabriel, nor did he see the betas baffled expression to their sudden departure, but Dean did. He was just as in the dark. He waited until they were far enough away from Gabriel, before he forced Cas to stop.

“Dude, what’s your problem?” Dean was slightly startled by Cas behaviour. He was no light weight, but Cas was an alpha. They were just naturally stronger. Cas turned towards him, eyes an alarming shade of red.

“Your scent. The blockers ran out last night, remember?” Cas was breathing heavily through his mouth, and clearly trying very hard not to step any closer to Dean. He was thankful for his restraint, but as he thought about it…

“Gadreel and Gabriel didn’t react. What does that mean?” It was a pain to have to constantly find the herbs and mix up the paste, so if he could go without it, he would. Gabriel hadn’t wanted to be near the asshole alphas that had spoken against omegas, so he seemed trustworthy, and Gadreel hadn’t said a word down at the beach. Dean didn’t trust easily, but living that close to people on an island, probably barely surviving, concessions would have to be made.

“They couldn’t have simply not smelt you, it would have been impossible.” Cas closed his eyes and drew in a shaky breath. “You are… enthralling.” Dean shivered, because holy shit.

“If they’re ok with it, I’d rather just go without.” Dean actually liked the idea of Cas being able to smell him, to scent him. It sent shivers up his spine and unearthed long buried omega instincts, ones he wasn’t that afraid of. “I want to go without it.” Dean actually bit his fucking lip, when he looked at Cas. The alpha shuddered, and took an unsteady step forward.

“I would like nothing more than for you to go without, Dean, but I worry about the other alphas on the island.” Cas looked so concerned, it twisted something in Deans chest. Fuck, he’d only known the guy for a little over a day, and he was already getting feelings for him. It went against everything Dean had thought before being effectively stranded on the island, but he supposed that was what happened when you found your mate in such outstanding circumstances. Things took on a different light, when your life was in danger.

“How about, we mix some up, and I’ll wear it while I’m by myself, or if we think they could be close.” Dean crept a bit closer to the alpha, who was keeping his composure like a boss.

“That – that sounds acceptable.” Dean chuckled, and reached out. With a trembling hand, because of hormones, damnit, Dean brushed his fingers against Cas’ toned, tanned arm.

“Dean.” Cas growling his name had to be the hottest thing he’d ever heard. He was quickly slicking up, despite the gnawing hunger in his belly.

“Come on, alpha, I’m not some blown glass omega,” Dean panted as Cas stalked closer, their bodies almost touching. “Show me what you’ve got.” He knew what he was doing… totally, yeah.

The alphas irises bled red, eclipsing the blue completely. A low rumbling vibrated from his chest, and Dean could feel it rattling against his own. Cas’ breath was hot against his neck, but he still held himself in check.

“Before we… give into our instincts, I do want to get to know you better. I think you would appreciate that too.” Dean had to admit, the chivalrous side of Cas was pretty damn hot. He didn’t see it often in alphas; actually, he’d never had an alpha act that way towards him.

But god damn did he want to kiss him.

“Yeah, you’re right.” Dean smiled and ducked his head, suddenly inexplicably embarrassed by his behaviour. He swore it was the omega in him, but something told him it was Cas as well.

“Don’t be embarrassed, sometimes I can’t control the alpha within me.” Cas placed a warm hand on Deans neck and stroked his thumb over Deans cheekbone. Dean met his blue eyes, totally devoid of red. “You are certainly making it very difficult.” Dean knew with a certainty that Cas would never hurt him, because his alpha would always protect him, even from himself.

Jesus fucking fuck he sounded like every omega stereotype he’d ever heard.

The weird thing was, it didn’t frighten him like it might have a month ago, or even a week ago. Maybe it was his heat coming; flushing his body with the need to find a mate and breed, or maybe it was just Cas. The alpha drew out responses and feelings from him that he’d either never felt, or buried so deep he’d forgotten about them.

He wasn’t going to fight it, he was too old and Sam had tricked him onto that fucking boat to find a mate.

As they searched for the herbs needed for the scent blocker, Dean wondered if Cas’ magical herb skills included something for heats. He didn’t relish going through it, and he had tried his best to put it from his mind. It wasn’t hard, really, with everything they had to do just to survive.

“So, you can make quite a few things?” Dean glanced at Cas, who was picking some berries a few feet away. Cas shrugged, the corners of his mouth tugging up into a bemused smile.

“I have a fairly modest repertoire, yes.” Damn Cas was cagy, but that kind of made Dean like him even more. A mystery just waiting to be unravelled.

“Anything in that repertoire that could help with a heat?” Dean blushed, not used to talking about his personal habits with, well, anyone. A heat was about as personal as anyone got. A strangled growl jerked Dean from his thoughts. Cas was clearly trying very hard to control himself, from doing what, Dean didn’t know.

“When – when is your heat due?” Cas’ low rumble flowed across the space between them, speeding up Deans breathing something fierce. His heart sped almost painfully within his chest, and his head spun. Cas didn’t even have to touch him to make him lose his mind.

“Uh two weeks.” Cas’ groan from across the clearing actually spurred Dean to action. The alpha sounded like he was in pain. “Dude, are you ok?” Dean took a chance, and laid a hand on Cas’ tense shoulders. The alpha relaxed immediately and slowly turned to face Dean.

“Your heat is in two weeks?” Dean nodded, not meeting Cas’ eyes. He wasn’t ashamed, but a week of lust fuelled fist fucking? That shit was embarrassing; no matter how it was looked at. The alpha shook his head slowly, and brought his hand up to stroke Dean’s neck. They were doing a lot of that, touching necks and barely there whispers of fingers. “Oh Dean, I’m so sorry.”

Wait, what?

“Um, its ok dude, I’ve got through every other heat without an alpha, I’m sure I’ll be sweet this time too.” Dean knew he’d said the wrong thing as soon as he saw the pain flash across Cas face. Shit. It wasn’t that Cas didn’t want to spend it with him, it was that he couldn’t, not without knocking Dean up. “Wow, I am not good with words, am I? Uh, let me try again.” Cas was watching him with sadness probably at not being able to meet his omegas needs. Well, he wasn’t his omega yet. “As soon as we get off this island, and find us some condoms, I’m all yours.” Dean grinned, and Cas snorted, breaking his morose mood.

“That’s good to know.” Cas frowned, and looked away, before looking back, and fixing Dean with his penetrating stare. “I need you to know, that, in regards to controlling myself, it’s not in the way you probably think.” Dean blinked in surprise, because that was not the way he saw the conversation going. “It’s not that I don’t want to rip off all of your clothes, knot you and claim you as mine, because I do, I really do. But I am a relatively normal male, so I can control that part of myself with ease.” Cas obviously missed Deans wide, lust blown eyes and open mouth, because what the fuck. How could someone be so unknowingly sexy? “It’s your scent – I just, I want to scent you, and its taking everything in me to keep my hands off you.” Dean was still in a state of arousal induced shock, he was sure that was a thing, so he didn’t answer right away. Cas’ scent turned worried, and disappointed.

Well, Dean couldn’t have that, and fuck going slow, he wasn’t in high school.

He pulled the alpha forward by his shirt, using the other hand to direct his face towards his neck. Hot breath flowed across his skin, and Cas’ surprised gasp ended in a groan.

“Oh Dean, your scent.” Cas’ ragged breaths and staggered moans were chubbing Dean up, he just couldn’t help it. Being scented by a hot dude, who smelt of mate, was pushing all of his buttons.

Dean buried his face in Cas’ neck, and was immediately engulfed by the alphas strong, deep musk. It was easily the greatest thing he had ever experienced. Cas’ scent was sharp as lightening, and just as frightening, but it was also velvet soft vanilla, gentle and calming. Dean felt his breathing slow as he drowned in it, letting it wash over him like a tidal wave.

He felt soft lips brush the juncture of his shoulder and neck, right where a mating bite would go. Dean shivered, and chanced a playful nip at Cas’ toned shoulder. The alpha growled, but in the best way. He was just playing with Dean, a giant cat batting at a ball of yarn. Or, more likely, a male lion growling at a tiny cub, biting at his ears. Not that Dean was a cub, or anything.

A tongue flicked out, leaving a wet line of pure arousal along Deans neck, making his eyes almost roll back in his head. Cas really knew how to turn him on. Dean moved his hands, burying one in Cas’ thick, dark hair. The other, he pulled Cas’ face back to meet his. With wide, red eyes, Cas licked his lips, staring at Deans.

His heart picked up, because finally, he’d been waiting all damn day, and -

Everything came to a screeching halt when Sam the lumbering moose ass stumbled into the clearing.

“Uh – oh, shit, sorry.” Cas dragged himself away from Dean, who was blushing something fierce. Damn his cock blocking brother. All he wanted was for Cas to kiss him, was that too much to ask?

“It’s no problem, Sam. Dean and I were just collecting some herbs. I believe we are finished for now, though.” Cas hadn’t moved more than an arm’s length away from Dean, for which he was grateful. It hid both of their hardon’s, of which Cas’ was incredibly obvious. Jesus fuck, how had he not noticed it?  It actually scared him a little. At least he hadn’t slicked up, that would have been embarrassing.

“Ok, sure. Um oh! We caught some fish, they weren’t huge, but they’ll do. Gabriel was the chef on the boat, did you know that?” Sam was rambling, which meant he was embarrassed and nervous. Dean saved him, as usual.

“Thanks bud; we’ll head back now and see if he needs a hand.” Dean grabbed Cas’ hand, and pulled the alpha in the direction of their camp.

“We are definitely continuing that discussion later.” Cas frowned, and clearly didn’t get it.

“But we weren’t having a discussion.”

Dean gave him his patented are you kidding me look, and hoped Cas at least got that.

“I don’t – oh! Oh, yes, I understand. I would very much like to continue discussing with you, Dean.” The crazy alpha actually winked at him. Oh wow, Cas was all kinds of weird, and it was awesome.

They heard his laugh all the way back at camp.

Chapter Text

Gabriel cooked the fish to perfection.

Dean had no idea how he’d done it, but holy hell, the guy was a culinary genius. Sam and Gadreel had worked for hours getting the fire started, with Cas and Dean collecting up as much dry wood as they could find.

They didn’t get the chance to continue their discussion, but it was certainly on Dean’s mind. What else was there to think about, really? They had food, fire and didn’t have any way to reach the outside world. So… there wasn’t much else to think about.

Dean had decided to bring up his orientation to the wider group, and Cas fully supported him. He found, strangely, that he trusted the annoying little beta and the stoic, formal alpha that Sam seemed to have taken an alarmingly strong liking too.

“So, I kinda need to talk to you guys about something.” He needed them to understand the seriousness of his situation, because if those other alphas found him, and he wasn’t wearing Cas’ special concoction… well, it didn’t bear thinking about. Sam looked at him sharply, because he knew how closely Dean guarded his secret.

“What’s up, Deano?” Gabriel had the most annoying nicknames for them, but he especially liked Dean’s habit of calling Sam Moose when he wasn’t in control of his monstrous body or limbs. Dean cast a glance at Sam, but just nodded his head at Sam’s questioning look. His brother seemed to relax when he realised what Dean was up to.

“Well, I’m gonna be blunt.” Dean felt Cas’ hand at the base of his spine, and he relaxed into the feeling. Having his mate there really did help. He was grown up enough to appreciate support when it came his way. “There’s a group of alphas roaming around on this island, looking for an omega -.” Dean watched the group nod, some dawning comprehension fluttering across Gadreels face.

“Are you the omega, Dean?” He looked at Gadreel, trying to get a feel of his reaction. The alpha smelt protective, underneath his general scent. It gave Dean hope, at least.

“I’m not the one they’re looking for,” Dean almost laughed, a star wars joke bubbling up, but he held it down. Serious time now. “But I am an omega.” Gabriel choked on his fish, but Gadreel just nodded, as if everything suddenly made sense.

“I knew you smelt sweeter.” Gabriel clearly had no tact, but that wasn’t a fact Dean was surprised by. Sam just stayed silent, because he knew everything anyway. It was Gadreel that broke the silence.

“We won’t let them get anywhere near you, Dean, that I’m sure we can all agree too.” Gadreel looked around the group and everyone nodded. Dean smiled, and goddamnit it, his face heated up too. He wasn’t used to people caring about him like that, apart from Sam.

“Uh, thanks guys.” Here was the clincher, though. Cas had agreed it was a good idea to tell them, because it might cause some… trouble. “So, here’s the next thing.” He was sure everyone leaned forward, waiting for his next big reveal. “Hopefully we get off this rock before then, but uh, my heat’s in just less than two weeks.” He was met with a tense silence, in which he was sure no one even breathed.

“We have to find somewhere to hide you, Dean. It’s the only way.” Sam knew what was up, but Dean still thought it was unlikely they would find anywhere to hide an omega in heat. His scent would be so potent, he didn’t think even Cas’ strongest herbs could cover it up.

“We can try, but how many of you have actually smelt a male omega in heat?” He was met with blank stares and silence. “Yeah, that’s what I thought. Cas’ got some stuff he’s gonna try, but if even store brought scent blockers can’t hide it, I doubt some jungle cream will.” Dean got to his feet and went to take a walk. It’d do him some good, clear his head. He turned back before he left their little camp, to see Cas getting to his feet, probably to follow him. That was ok; he knew Cas would respect his need for silence. “Thanks anyway, guys. I just thought I should tell you, before the shit storm hits.”

Cas was a silent spectre beside him, and Dean couldn’t be happier for it. He needed to sort his shit out, and he was so thankful he’d already worked through the whole mate thing, or his head probably would have exploded.

There really wasn’t anything they could do to hide him from the other alphas. If the wind was blowing the right way, he doubted even burying him would do any good. It was a good idea, but he couldn’t stay buried for a week.

The smell of Cas’ helpless misery was distracting him, forcing him back to the present. He could tell the alpha was trying to mask his scent, because it kept fluctuating, and Dean wished he could do that. Omegas just blasted their scents left, right and centre. Some alphas, who had all kinds of self-control, had some semblance of control over their scents, and could mask some aspects of it.

“Dude, you don’t have to do that. I know how much effort it takes.” Dean nudged Cas with his elbow, and the alpha let out a breath. Dean senses were flooded with all of Cas’ unhappiness, probably at Deans predicament.

“I am sorry, Dean. I just – I just wish there was something I could do.” Cas kept bumping his hand against Deans, so he took a chance and took the alphas hand. That, at least, turned the alphas scent sweet and happy. That was better.

“It’s fine, man. We’ll just cover me in that paste you make, and hope for the best.” Dean tried to laugh, but it came out bitter and unhappy. He knew it wouldn’t work, hell, even he could smell himself when he was in heat, and that never happened normally.

If the alphas followed the trail and found him well… he was in for a little bit of rape, wasn’t he.

No matter what people said about heats, it didn’t make omegas go out of their mind with lust. That was just alpha perpetuated bull shit. No, omegas were in complete control during the three times a year they were super fertile, it was the alphas that lost their shit. They tried, and succeeded, in blaming it on the omegas. Saying they were begging for it, or the alphas were the ones who were attacked.

Bulling fucking shit.

He expected Gadreel and Cas to remain in control, even if he didn’t really want Cas too, and Gabriel wasn’t a threat. Betas didn’t react the same as alphas and omegas. He wanted nothing more than to spend his heat with Cas, but he couldn’t afford to get knocked up, not knowing when they were going to be rescued.

That did make Dean think of the other shitty, shitty part of being stuck on a deserted island, so close to his heat.

“Fuck, I hadn’t even thought of that.” Dean sighed and sat down in the sand. They weren’t that far from the camp, just looking out over the calm water. Cas settled down beside him and took Deans hand again. It warmed him that his alpha wanted to be close to him.

“What escaped your thoughts, Dean?” Damn Cas was weird, but that was so fine. Dean was weird in his own way too, but Cas would find that out when they got back off the island. He didn’t feel the need to hide from Cas, so he went with brutally honest. He hoped he didn’t scare the guy off, or gross him out. People didn’t like talking about heats in the light of day, after all.

“I don’t have any of my uh, toys. All I’ll have is my hand.” Dean smirked at the blush forming over Cas’ cheeks and creeping up his neck. Aww, his mate was flustered.

“Oh.” Cas sounded so embarrassed, Dean only just held in his chuckle. The air around them changed, Cas’ scent saturating with a deep, woodsy musk. Dean swallowed when he realised it was arousal he was smelling. Well, time to see how far he could take it.

“Yeah, usually I’ve got these fake knots, and they do the job, but I assume they aren’t anything like the real thing.” He hadn’t meant to reveal to Cas he was a virgin, but damn was he glad he did. Cas started this fucking growl deep in his chest, and Dean just ate it up.

“You’re – you’re a virgin?” Cas didn’t even seem to be breathing, so he sounded fucking strangled when he eventually inhaled enough to talk. Dean couldn’t help his small sigh.

“Yeah, I’m keeping it for my mate, you know? It’s kinda old fashioned, but fuck what everyone else says.” Dean grinned when Cas gripped the sand in front of him, abandoning Deans hand in case he hurt it, obviously having trouble reigning in his alphaness. Dean knew Cas would never hurt him, but to see him lose control was fucking amazing.

Cas was breathing in through his nose, and out through his mouth. It took him a good few minutes to get himself calm enough to speak again, and when he did, Dean was staring out over the clear blue water, smiling to himself.

“I – I’m sorry if that sounded offensive, Dean. It is just… unusual, in this day and age.” Dean nodded, because he knew it was weird, but he was proud of the fact he’d kept his V card, despite all the offers over the years. He always felt like something was missing from the innocent hook-ups he’d had, but even his quick, intense encounters with Cas gave him everything he’d been waiting for, and then some.

“I know, and it’s all good. I’m not offended.” Dean carded his fingers through the sand, his mind wandering through the murk of past heats. “I just – I think it would be amazing, actually spending it with my mate, you know?” Dean looked up at Cas, who had his mouth open, his irises almost entirely red. Dean knew he was pressing all of Cas’ alpha buttons, but he was telling the truth. He did want to spend his heat with his mate, with Cas.

“I am like you, I suppose.” Dean raised his brows in surprise, because no way was Cas a virgin. “I have never had intercourse with an omega, nor spent a heat with anyone. All I’ve ever known have been betas.” Dean wasn’t surprised, Cas was so straight laced, he would never have sniffed out an omega for the sole purpose of sex. Cas wasn’t that kind of guy.

“I suppose there isn’t something you could mix up that would act as like, I dunno a contraceptive, or something?” Dean looked at Cas, who was still blushing and had a slight tinge of red around his irises. Cas shook his head sadly.

“I’m sorry, but no. Nothing that would be one hundred percent effective, and we can’t afford for you to become pregnant, it’s just too dangerous.” Cas had calmed down, so he threaded their fingers back together. Dean let out a heavy breath, because his heat was going to suck major balls, especially since him and his body were going to know their mate was just within reach, but still so far away.

A deep rumbling, and an ear splitting crash jerked both their heads around, just as a fork of lightening lit up the darkening sky. Dean shivered when a cool wind blew over their little beach, and the waves rose up to meet it.

“I believe a storm is rolling in.” Dean rolled his eyes but held back the no shit Sherlock. Chances are Cas would just get confused about the reference. Jesus, he had so much to teach the guy. Another rumble crashed around them, and Dean finally saw the mess of black clouds seemingly appearing from thin air above them.

“Looks like it. We better get back to camp, try and keep the fire going.” They had been lucky so far, that it hadn’t rained. Their little fire didn’t stand a chance. They stood and started making their way back to camp, hunched against the suddenly biting wind and spits of rain.

They made it back to camp just in time for it to start pouring down, rain so thick Dean could hardly even see through it. His dads lessons kicked in and he saw Sam thinking the same thing.

“We need to get to higher ground. It’s raining, there’s a stream there, and there might be a storm surge.” Dean was glad the others just nodded and didn’t protest. They really did trust each other. Dean headed the group, with Cas following close behind. Gabriel was in the middle, carrying the fish they hadn’t eaten, while Sam and Gadreel brought up the rear, carrying their fishing equipment in the big ass metal box.

Dean picked his way through the dense bush, aiming as close to uphill as he could. He didn’t go in the direction that would lead to the pack of alphas, because that was just asking for trouble. He slipped on a hidden root, but a strong, steady hand at his back kept him from falling on his ass. Dean grinned, even though Cas couldn’t see him through the downpour.

They walked for a good half an hour before Dean stumbled through a sudden clearing in the scrub, the land evening out into a distinct level field. When Dean looked up through a break in the rain, he was pretty much speechless.

“Holy fucking shit.”

The cave was small, but big enough for everyone to spread out enough to have their own space. It was everything they could have possibly hoped for, especially with the storm raging on outside.

“Dude, I have never seen wind like that before.” Sam was frowning at the entrance, bitch face in full effect at the state of the weather outside. Dean couldn’t blame him. It was horrific outside, they could barely hear each other talk, and he was so glad they weren’t out in its clutches.

Dean rubbed his hands together, and warmed them by the fire. Sam was a genius when it came to fire. Him and Gadreel had it up and running within an hour of finding the cave, while Dean and Cas made sure it didn’t have any other inhabitants. Sam must have been practising, which really made Dean proud. It was good to know Sam kept up what their dad had taught them, even if their dad and Sam hadn’t always seen eye to eye.

“I imagine there will be quite a lot of debris washed up on the beach tomorrow.” Gadreel had a surprisingly soft voice, even if it was deep and strong. Dean smirked, because that must just be a family trait. “We should endeavour to explore, see if there is anything we can scavenge.” Dean watched as Gabriel just stared at Gadreel, before cracking up laughing.

“Sorry dude, but where did you come from?” Gadreel frowned and tilted his head to the side, eerily similar to Cas’ own display of confusion. “You talk like you’ve just stepped out of some Jane Austin novel.” At least the little shit knew his literature. Cas shuffled beside Dean.

“Just because we are able to articulate our thoughts well, does not mean we will hesitate to render you unable to.” Dean coughed out a startled laugh at Gabriel’s face, the wide eyed, shocked reaction to Cas’ very well said threat.

“I – I uh, sorry – sorry, I think you got the wrong end of the stick there –” Dean and Sam could hardly contain their laughter, because it was clear, to everyone else, that the brothers were just messing with the poor beta.

“If weapons are to be involved, it wouldn’t really be a fair right, don’t you agree, Castiel?” Gadreels deep baritone swept across the floor of their cave, and only Dean saw him wink at Cas. It amazed Dean, that even though Cas was usually pretty serious and confused at the simplest of references Dean used, he was still able to totally ruin Gabriel.

“Maybe the little beta needs to be schooled in the art of disrespecting alphas.” Dean laughed, and fell backwards, not able to contain his mirth any longer. Sam was close behind, because Gabriel, the poor guy, looked like he was about to pass out. Once all three alphas, and Dean, were writhing, gasping messes on the floor, Gabriel found his voice.

“Ha ha very funny. I was just trying to make a joke, but I guess the jokes on me.” He didn’t sound upset, and seemed to be laughing with them, which was lucky. The last thing they needed was dissention within the group. At least all the good natured ribbing hid his boner, because holy fuck Cas talking about disrespecting alphas and getting taught a lesson… Dean had found a kink he wouldn’t mind exploring.

Dean went to sit up, when a face splitting yawn ripped through him. Damn he was exhausted. It always happened when his heat was near, all his energy used up to prepare his body for a baby really took it out of him.

“I think I’m gonna hit the hay.” Everyone nodded their agreement, and set about finding their spots for the night. Sam and Gadreel slept by the entrance, probably to stand guard, lying down. He could see the furtive glances they stole at each other; he didn’t know why they didn’t just get it on already. It wasn’t like either of them could get knocked up, and disease wasn’t a problem either.

Gabriel tucked himself in by the fire, close to the wall. Dean made himself a nice little nest of bare dirt and nothing more, a little further back in the cave. It made him feel safe, being tucked away in the corner. Probably more damn hormones. He couldn’t see where Cas had gone, but he just shrugged and nestled in as well as he could, facing the wall.

A few minutes past, when he felt a hand caress from his shoulder, down his folded arm, to his hip. It stalled there, before slowly starting to rub a thumb gently over the soft curve of his hip bone. Dean wasn’t scared, because he could smell it was Cas, mate.

“I was wondering…” It amazed him, and endeared him even more, that Cas sounded so sure when talking to everyone else, the big alpha in charge, but when it came to Dean, he was hesitant and nervous. It made Dean feel a little bit in control, for once in his life. Cas cleared his throat, before continuing. “I was wondering if we could – if I could lie with you.” Dean bit his lip, and shivered. Cas made it sound so damn dirty in that low, sexy voice of his. Dean turned his head up, to look at the alpha, his alpha, and nodded.

Dean watched as Cas knelt down, and carefully shuffled onto his side, never jostling Dean. He was just so mindful, aware of Deans space, what he could and couldn’t touch. Dean wanted to tell him, touch me everywhere, I’m all yours, but it was too soon for that. They would learn each other eventually, and it would be spectacular.

Eventually, Cas settled, spooning Dean from behind, his legs tucked against the omegas. One hand on his hip, the other, he slowly slipped under Dean’s head, so his bicep could be used as a pillow. Dean couldn’t help the sigh of contentment that escaped him, and he shuddered when he felt the rumble of happiness vibrating from Cas’ chest.

“Is this alright?” Cas’ hot breath whispered across Deans ear, and he barely held in the moan that threatened to escape. The cave would echo, and he didn’t want to traumatise Sam too much. So instead, he linked his fingers through the hand he was currently using as a pillow, and kissed the soft inside of Cas’ wrist. The long, low exhale afterward had Dean almost purring back himself.

“It’s perfect.”

By the morning, the storm had blown itself out, revealing a typical tropical island day. Blue skies, a gentle, welcome breeze and the sounds of the forest greeted them. Unfortunately, the fish from the day before had been mercilessly eviscerated by some unknown creature, so breakfast was out.

That was, until Cas went out to relieve himself, and came back with some kind of monstrous root.

“Cas, what the fuck is that?” Dean didn’t mince his words, because what. Cas just frown at him, and passed the root to Gabriel, who got all kinds of excited.

“It’s a type of Yam, you uncivilised ape. I thought your dad taught you how to survive in the wild?” Gabriel was using a sharp rock he had found to cut the yam into smaller chunks. He then put them straight in the fire.

“Uh, he did, but that didn’t include a go too guide on island produce, you little monster.” If Gabriel was going to call him names, so be it. Two could play at that game. Sam groaned and dragged his hand through his shaggy hair.

“Oh my god, what are you, ten?” Sam knew as well as Dean did, that when you hadn’t had a good meal in a few days, tempers started to go to shit. Cas had been suspiciously silent through the whole thing. Dean shook his head and turned to see Cas smiling at him fondly.

“What?” Dean got snappy when he was hungry, and Cas better learn that, fast. A little, very tiny part of him was preening at his alpha, having brought him food, been a good provider. Well, he was hungry, goddamnit; his omega nature could go suck a fucking yam.

Yeah, Dean Winchester wasn’t a nice guy when he was hungry.

Cas didn’t stop smiling at him, but he did shake his head. “Nothing, don’t worry.” Cas slid past him, and sat down, then grabbed Deans hand, and tugged him down too.

The cave was silent while Gabriel poked what was going to be their breakfast with a stick, before announcing it was ready. Dean looked at his lump of blackened, slightly charred root with disdain. It had to be the ugliest piece of food he’d ever seen. Cas watched him as he brought it to his mouth, and gingerly took a bite.

It actually wasn’t half bad.

Gabriel was smirking at him, and raising his eyebrows, by the time Dean had finished and gone in for seconds. “So, what do you think, Dean?” He didn’t have to sound so damn smug though.

“It’s a little on the burnt side, but I guess you can only work with what you have.” He wasn’t going to outright compliment the guy, because he was not an uncivilised ape, thank you very much. Sam groaned and shook his head, but Gabriel just cracked up.

“I’ll take that as a compliment, Deano.” Gabriel wasn’t half bad; he could even learn to like the little guy.

By the time they were done, and had banked the fire, it was mid-morning. Gadreel’s idea from the night before was prominent in everyone’s minds, so they headed down to the beach to see what they could find.

It didn’t actually take very long to get back; the rain and darkness making it seem like a long way from the beach. Once they arrived back at their camp, Dean was very glad he had made the group move. Every single piece of evidence they had even settled there had been washed away, and Dean could see by the marks on the trunks of the trees how high the water had risen.

Continuing down to the beach, Deans eyes widened at the sheer amount of wreckage that had washed up. Looking around, it took him a moment to realise they weren’t alone. Dean froze, and lifted his head to scent the air. The alphas and Gabriel were a bit behind him, so they hadn’t seen him yet, but Dean immediately knew who, and what was just ahead of them.

The other omega.

Chapter Text

Dean scented the air, just to make sure it actually was the other omega that was walking along the beach. He was down wind, so hadn’t caught the scent of the other party, which was lucky, because Dean was certain he would turn tail and run. Especially given that they had alphas with them.

Very quickly, more than anyone would give an omega credit for, Dean formulated a plan. It wasn’t very safe, but it was all he could do at such short notice. Keeping his eyes on the figure down the beach, Dean made his way back to the others.

“Ok, so, slight change of plan.” Dean was glad to see Cas put his hand up for the others to stop talking, and a rush of something a kin to happiness surged through him. “You guys are gonna stay here, hidden, and I’m gonna go and talk to the omega that’s currently wandering down the beach.” Sam’s eyes widened at the new information, but it was Gadreel, surprisingly, that found his voice first.

“Are you sure that’s wise, Dean? He could be dangerous.” Gadreel was frowning at him, and Cas nodded his agreement.

“Maybe Gabriel should go with you; he’s not an alpha so he wouldn’t be seen as a threat.” Gabriel huffed indignantly beside Cas, and Dean would have grinned if he wasn’t so nervous. Why was he nervous?

“Cas’ right, Gabriel. Go with Dean, just in case the guy tries something.” Dean smiled at Sam, and waited for the beta to get his shit together, before he turned to leave. He felt gentle fingers caress his arm, so he turned.

“Be careful.” Dean smirked at Cas, and put as much nonchalance into his expression as he could, even if he did feel increasingly nervous. Maybe it was because he was so close to his heat, he didn’t want another omega so close to his mate. Stupid hormones, making him act all crazy.

“Always am, buddy.” Dean had never been into pet names or anything like that, he just found it weird when people called their significant other babe or honey. He squeezed his alphas hand, before turning to make his way out of the dense bush.

“So, ah, I’ll just let you do the talking then?” Gabriel was nervous as well, probably because of Dean’s reaction. Betas couldn’t pick up on pheromones and scent as well as alphas and omegas, but they could still get the basics, like Dean being a fidgety mess.  

“I think that’s for the best, don’t you?” Dean turned a raised brow to the beta, who just kicked some sand and nodded. Dean found he quite liked the silent, submissive version of Gabriel.

As they walked down the beach, Dean started picking things up from the omega in front of them. He was calm, which was a good thing, but there was also something simmering just under the surface, something Dean just couldn’t place or recognise. It was clearly part of the omegas base scent, but it wasn’t something Dean had ever encountered before.

It was baffling.

Dean knew the exact moment the other omega caught their scents, when the wind changed just that little bit. The man’s head shot up, eyes fixed on them walking towards him. He was short, shorter than Dean, about the same height as Gabriel. He had dark hair, a grumpy looking face and an air about him of sarcastic sass that Dean could tell he possessed without the other man even speaking.

He also hadn’t moved.

When they got within talking distance, Dean slowed down. He didn’t want to crowd the guy, who was looking at them with a narrow eyed stare.

“Uh, hi.” No one could ever say Dean was good in social situations, but like hell that was going to stop him. “I saw you down the beach, thought you might like some help.” He saw the omega was carrying a back pack with various things poking out of it.

“I’m doing just fine on my own, if you don’t mind.” Dean blinked, somewhat surprised that the man was British. He watched as the man tilted his head, and scented the air. His eyes widened, “Huh, an omega. Well, I wasn’t expecting that.” Dean rubbed the back of his neck and smiled.

“Yeah, you got me.” Dean cut right to the chase, because the longer they stayed out on the beach, the more exposed they were. “So, it’s cool if you want to come with us, the offers there. We’ve got a good place, food and a fire. It’s um – it’s nice.” Dean smiled at the man, and tried to exude a welcoming scent.

The man narrowed his eyes again, and Dean began to think that might have been his default expression. Well, Sam had a resting bitch face, so if the guy wanted to scowl, that wasn’t his problem.

“I don’t even know your name, squirrel.” Dean baulked at the nickname, because what the hell. He didn’t look like a damn rodent. He shrugged it off, and offered his hand.

“Well, the names Dean, and this here’s Gabriel.” The beta nodded and did a little wave. Thank Christ he kept his mouth shut.

The other omega stalked forward and took Deans hand. The poor guy was probably craving touch like nothing else, being alone for days.

“Crowley.” Weird name, but whatever, he could work with that. He dropped his hand and took a step back, raking his eyes over the other two. “Why do you both stink of alpha?” Dean was sure he detected a hint of fear in the man’s scent, and voice, at the mention of alphas. Dean felt bad for the guy, knowing he must hold the same fear as Dean.

“Well, back at camp we have three alphas.” Crowley tensed at the mention of the alphas, but Dean just held up his hand. “It’s ok, they’re cool. It’s just my brother, my ma – my friend, and his brother.” Dean wasn’t ready to say it out loud, especially to a total stranger.

“How do I know you can be trusted?” Crowley was a smart bastard, which Dean liked. He didn’t just wander blindly into trouble, which had probably kept him alive.

“Well, we’re better than the other gang of alphas wandering around, and I’m pretty sure they’re looking for you.” Dean hadn’t meant to be so blunt, but if the guy didn’t want to come with them, the least he could do was warn him about the group of alphas that was apparently looking for him.

The colour drained from Crowley’s slightly sunburnt face, and the hold on his bag tightened. “What – what did you say?” Dean gulped down his second hand fear, because Crowley was practically erupting with it, and answered the omega.

“There’s – there’s a group of alphas that me and my friend came across. We uh – we hid, and heard what they were saying about some omega escaping or something. I just – I mean, we aren’t very common, so I just assumed they must have meant you, because they didn’t mean me.” Dean was sweating and cold, despite the warm tropical air. Crowley looked as if he was going to pass out. that was, until his face screwed up into a twisted mask of pure loathing.

“Damn them, damn them all to hell.” Dean stepped back and bumped into Gabriel, because the pure venom in the omegas voice was enough to wilt all the plant life around them. He’d never heard such pure hatred before, and despite himself, he was itching to know what had caused it. “I was sure those assholes had died, everybody else did, so why not them?” Dean took a few seconds, but eventually, Crowley’s statement sunk it.

“What do you mean, everyone else died?” Crowley whipped his head around and fixed him with a furious stare.

“Do you want to know what those fucking alphas did to me?” Dean was still stuck on the fact that apparently everyone else on their ship had died, when he heard Gabriel choke out a soft sob beside him. He was the chief, for fuck sake, some of those on board would have been his friends. Slowly, so he didn’t startle Crowley who was still seething, Dean hooked his arm around Gabriel so the beta could lean into him. He kept his eyes on the other omega, but Gabriel buried his head in his shoulder, and cried quietly.

“I don’t give a shit what those dudes did to you, what the fuck do you mean, everyone is dead?” Dean was quickly losing all sympathy for Crowley; because he had a sinking suspicion the Englishman knew more about the boat going down that he was letting on. Crowley levelled him with a jaw crunching stare, and screwed up his face in a grimace.

“Here I was thinking another omega would understand the tyranny of the alpha centric system, but I guess I was wrong.” Dean would have felt bad for him, hell; he would have commiserated with him, if the dude wasn’t giving of wave after wave of indifference and hatred. 

“Just answer the fucking question.” Dean growled low in his throat, enough for Crowley to bare his own teeth in challenge. It didn’t happen often, omegas fighting, but when it did… yeah; he’d rather not go there.

“I sank the boat.” Dean felt Gabriel gasp against him, but Dean wasn’t so surprised. Something about the omega had just rubbed him the wrong way. “I knew those assholes had followed me onto the cruise, so I tampered with the navigation system and interfered with the engine. It wasn’t hard to sink the old girl, once I knew where to put the right holes.” Crowley actually fucking sneered, but Dean didn’t know what to say. Such indifference for human life was astounding, and he was pretty sure Crowley was insane.

“You killed my friends you fucker!” Gabriel leapt out of Deans arms and went straight for Crowley. Dean still had the brain cells to know Gabriel couldn’t afford another punch in the face, so he grabbed him around the waist before he could get his hands on the other omega. Gabriel howled his rage, but quickly broke down again once he realised he wasn’t going anywhere. Crowley just took a step back and held Deans attention.

“They will not find me. I’ve been in their grasp for too long now to risk my freedom.” Crowley turned to leave, but threw one last thing over his shoulder.

“I’ll make sure they find you first.”

 Dean was so glad his mate’s senses were abnormally good; because Cas came crashing out of the undergrowth soon after Crowley ran off. He must have scented Dean’s anguish, and probably Gabriel’s as well. The poor beta was hiccupping into Dean’s shirt, while the omega ran a soothing hand up and down his back.

“What happened? Are you alright?” Cas came to a standstill close to Dean, but far enough away that they couldn’t touch. Dean was having none of that shit, not after the conversation he’d just had. Sam already knew, since the blundering lummox had caught them in the bushes, god he was such a teenager, and he didn’t care what the others thought.

He gently pushed Gabriel towards Sam, before wrapping himself around his mate. Cas stiffened, probably in surprise, before wrapping his arms tightly around Dean. The omega buried his face in his mate’s neck, drawing in huge breaths of calming, soothing alpha.

Cas could have so easily been one of those that had died, and Dean literally shuddered with the thought. Cas just held him tighter and bent his head to scent Dean too.

“Please tell me what happened.” Cas’ breath was warm against his ear, and Dean inhaled a shaky breath, before pulling back. He needed to tell the others, because Gabriel was still incapable of forming coherent sentences.

“That asshole, Crowley, sank the boat. He – he murdered all those people, just to get away from his alpha.” Dean shook his head sadly, and wiped his hand across his eyes. “All those people on the boat… they’re all dead.” Dean was immediately engulfed by three very angry alpha scents.

He really didn’t want to tell the alphas what else Crowley had said, but he also didn’t want them unprepared in case the crazy omega tried anything.

“There’s something else…” Dean winced when three sets of burning red eyes focused on him, but he held his ground, refusing to be cowed into submission by a poncy sounding dick bag. “Crowley said… he said that he’d make sure the pack of alphas found me first.” Cas stood for a moment, perfectly still, before he threw his head back and roared. Dean’s heart almost exploded with the surge of adrenaline that coursed through him at his mate’s reaction. Cas had almost completely flipped out, and Dean had never seen an alpha react that way, because it didn’t happen all that often.

Gadreel and Sam weren’t that much better, rumbling and growling around a still shaking Gabriel. Sam knew that Dean would tell him if he needed anything, and Dean was grateful for that connection. Who knew what Cas would do if Sam got all overprotective as well. Cas was still breathing heavily, eyes a deep, blood red. It should have scared him, but instead, Dean felt an immense feeling of protection and safety wash over him.

Cas would never let anything happen to him, not willingly, anyway.

Stepping closer to the twitching, trembling alpha, Dean ran his hands up and down his arms. “It’s alright, Cas, I’m here, I’m ok.” Cas’ blue eyes bored into Deans, but Dean held the stare, showing his alpha he wouldn’t be forced to kneel.

“Dean.” Cas barely had control, Dean could tell, and yet the alpha still put everything he felt into saying his omegas name. The sound of it sent shivers down Dean’s spine, and he smiled up at his mate.

“Yeah buddy, I’ll always be here.”

 A week past with little to no change in weather, rescue or contact with anyone else.

Crowley had disappeared into the islands massive interior, and Dean didn’t give him a second thought. He had better things to worry about, like their ever increasing need for food, and the fact that Gabriel appeared to be going through withdrawal.

“Dude, what the hell were you addicted to?” The beta had progressively become more and more neurotic, insisting on cleaning every single piece of kitchen ware they had managed to find washed up on the beach. Surprisingly, it was quite a lot. They had three large pots, two frying pans and a number of other random things Dean wasn’t even sure of. Gabriel managed the cooking, of whatever they could find, so he didn’t bother finding out their uses. As long as his fish was cooked right, he couldn’t give a rat’s ass.

Everyone was getting really sick of fish.

Then the poor beta started getting headaches, cold sweats and nausea. Cas made him some tea to drink, but said he couldn’t properly treat him without knowing what he was treating. Finally, Gabriel gave in.

“Sugar! I’m addicted to sugar, alright?” Gabriel clutched his head and groaned, clearly overcome by another bout of pain. Despite his obvious distress, Dean couldn’t help adding his two cents.

“What, you’re not sweet enough already?” Dean shot a glance at Cas, who narrowed his eyes. Dean could see him fighting back a smirk, though, so all wasn’t lost. Sam and Gadreel were off doing god only knew what, and Dean really wanted to keep it that way. He did not need to know the intimate details of his brother’s sex life.

“Go to hell, Winchester.” Gabriel’s threat was weak, considering he had slumped over a log while bringing up the entire contents of his stomach. Apparently, Gabriel was sick of fish too. Dean was going to fix that, with Sam’s help. They had rigged up some snares around their camp and further into the bush. Hopefully they would be able to catch some small wild game like rabbits or something. He’d scope the island for bigger game after his heat hit. Since it was so close, his hormones were screaming at him to stay close to his home, which turned out to be the cave.

“Well, at least now I know what to give you, to ease your suffering.” Dean almost laughed out loud at Cas’ sarcasm. His mate was continuing to surprise him, and he loved it. Sam had given him the big brother talk, even though Dean was technically the older one, but whatever. Cas had just stared at him with that penetrating stare and promised Sam that he would never let any harm befall Dean.

He actually used befall.  

By the time Sam and Gadreel returned, with more fucking fish, Gabriel was almost back to his usual annoying self. Cas had disappeared for half an hour and returned with some herbs that he made into another tea, one that Dean was glad to see made Gabriel gag. He liked the guy, but god damn could he talk. Dean liked his silence, and there was barely a breath of it around the beta.

Sam pulled Dean aside while the others helped prepare their meal of coconut fish, some kind of seaweed and some root thing Cas had found. Altogether, it didn’t taste half bad.

Deans good mood evaporated when he saw Sam’s face.

“What’s wrong?” Dean watched as Sam dragged his giant hand through his long, brown hair, a sure sign that his brother was worried. The scent coming off him didn’t particularly help either. “Dude, what?”

“I found some trails not far from the edge of our camp.” Dean suddenly felt cold, because he knew Sam didn’t mean game trails.

“Fresh or old.” He needed to know, because if they were fresh… they were in trouble. He’d been wearing the scent blockers Cas had mixed up for him, but it was getting close to when nothing would stop his scent from enticing every alpha in the vicinity. If the wind was blowing the right way… the whole island would know he was in heat.

“Fresh.”

Well, shit.

Scrubbing a hand through his growing beard, Dean closed his eyes and sighed. There was no way around it. They would just have to be prepared for when it eventually happened.

“You know we’ll protect you, no matter what, right?” Sam was looking at him with his big puppy eyes and Dean melted a little inside. Of course he knew that, he just didn’t want anyone getting hurt because of his stupid biology, and the alphas inability to keep their dicks in their pants.

“Of course I know that, same goes for you to, you know. Don’t want anyone sullying your reputation now, do we?” Dean tried to make a joke, but it fell flat, like he knew it would. There wasn’t any joking to be had when possible rape was involved.

“Dean…”

“Yeah yeah, I know. Look, we’ve still got a few days. We’ll… figure something out, ok?” Dean patted Sam on the shoulder and turned away, mainly to hide the fear he knew was all over his face. He was so glad he was wearing the paste Cas had made up for him. The longer he kept his fear from everyone, the better.

Walking back to their fire, Dean felt a prickling up his back. The feeling would come and go the closer he got to his heat. He knew it was just his instincts hyping up, looking for threats and a safe place to spend his heat. Much to his embarrassment, he had already started hoarding their meagre assortment of clothes and bedding that they had managed to find along the beach. He’d chosen a nice, dark, secluded space at the far end of the cave, which was slightly off the main tunnel.

He was nervous about spending his heat so close to the other alphas, but he knew that he could trust them. He knew Cas would protect him, even from himself.

Considering they were stranded on an island, without any apparent hope of rescue, with a pack of alphas roaming around with a penchant for sexual violence, they had a pretty good night. Everyone was happy and relaxed, despite the wind that had picked up. There was a restlessness in the air, whether it was to do with an incoming storm, or Dean himself, he couldn’t tell, all he knew, was that it drove him to distraction.

It took him hours for his lids to grow heavy, and by that time the wind was howling through the trees, wiping past the entrance to the cave wildly. Dean rolled over and snuggled tighter into Cas, inhaling the protective scent of mate.

It was a surprisingly effective sleeping pill.

A sudden, not very wind like howl, woke Dean from a particularly good dream. It seemed to involve Cas, covered in whipped cream, in the middle of a giant pie, naked. When his sleep fogged brain connected with his ears, and heard the howl again, he snapped so quickly into a sitting position, Cas woke up as well. His alpha should really have woken up first, he was supposed to be protecting him, but whatever, Dean was a big boy, and he could deal with whatever was coming through the storm.

“Dean.”

He looked over at his mate to see Cas’ eyes shining through the darkness. Cas was on all fours, tense and ready to strike. He wasn’t looking at Dean, though. He was looking towards the mouth of the cave, where the howling was growing louder and closer. Dean snapped around at movement at the entrance, but it was just Sam and Gadreel moving into defensive positions. Their eyes were similarly glowing, but they were rumbling threateningly, which really should have dissuaded any creature from coming near them.

The alpha pack, it seemed, were stubborn sons of bitches.

“Dean.” He turned back to look at Cas, and only noticed then that his mates teeth were elongated, sharpened and ready for mating.

Or battle.

Dean shifted, trying to get closer to Cas, to find out what was wrong, when he felt it, the slimy, slippery heat of slick running down his legs. It was early, too early, they still had more time, they –

“DEAN!” The omega looked into the blood red eyes of his alpha, poised to fight to the death to protect him. “RUN.”

Chapter Text

Dean had never run so hard in his life.

Tripping over logs and sliding down hidden banks, he was scratched up and panting by the time he stopped to take a breath. Cocking his head up, he could hear the distant roars and screams of alphas fighting, and panic threatened to take what little breath he had.

If something happened to any of his campmates, because of him, especially Cas, or Sammy…

An angry roar closer than he would like shocked him out of his flashing thoughts, and just like that, his break was over. He had no idea where he was going, but his instincts were telling him to keep traveling downhill. A grunting rumble had him turning to look behind him, where he saw the trees shaking and swaying in protest.

The alpha wasn’t far behind him.

It was hard, running in the dark. Roots and trees jumped out at him, ensnaring him with their gnarled branches and twisted, hanging vines. More than once, his heart almost left his chest when he became entangled in a vine, thinking surely his jig was up, the alpha would be upon him.

His luck, clearly, hadn’t run out as far as he’d thought.

A feeling of complete weightlessness overcame him, before he had even realised he was falling. Since it was dark, he had completely missed the drop, before it was too late. He braced himself for the inevitable landing, and what it would do to his soft body.

What he wasn’t prepared for, was the cool water enveloping him with a quiet splash. He doubted even the alpha would have heard it, over the howling of the wind. Wiping the water from his eyes, the first thing he noticed, was it was fresh water. It was good to know where another source of drinkable water was. The second, was the smell.

It was awful.

It was perfect.

His main problem was hiding his scent, so finding something so horribly repugnant that it covered it, well, jackpot.

The waves crested around him, jostling him this way and that. Dean followed his nose, against everything in his being that told him not to, because holy fuck that smell. It was like the rotting maw of hell had opened up around him, spilling forth its plethora of decaying flesh.

When he eventually found it, he wasn’t surprised by his body’s reaction.

Gagging and shaking, Dean treaded water as he stared at the sagging, bloated carcass in front of him. It must have been washed into the tree during some storm surge, because there it was, slightly submerged, stinking and just what he needed.

A howling roar behind him spurred him into action, and despite the gurgling in his stomach that had nothing to do with his heat, he swam towards whatever the thing had been when it was alive. It had either been eaten, or just eviscerated with age, but either way, it was relatively hollow inside.

Hollow enough for him to climb inside, anyway.

Glaring Star Wars similarities aside, Dean tried his best to hold his breath, but it was hard with the exertion needed to climb inside his new hideout.

Just in time, too, it seemed.

“Come out, come out, wherever you are, sweet little bitch.”

Dean shivered, his heat thankfully dulled by the threat of attack. At least his body was smart enough to recognise when he was in danger. The alpha stalking him was not the one his body wanted. That alpha, his alpha, was somewhere out in the forest, defending his honour.

That made him shiver for so many other reasons, despite the stench around him.

After a few minutes of no answer, and really, what omega in their right mind would actually answer a knot crazed alpha, there was an enraged howl.

“We’ll find you eventually, omega. Mark my words.” Dean grimaced, because the guy could be talking to himself for all he knew. He sounded like some crappy, C grade, eighties movie villain. Dean relaxed after a few minutes, because it was clear the alpha had moved on. The furious roaring and shredding of foliage kind of gave it away, when it became quieter and quieter.

The omega was left with nothing but his thoughts, and the stink of decaying flesh.

He was aching, stiff and sore.

None of those things were because of his heat, which pissed him off royally. Wrinkling his nose at the sight his filthy body made, he decided very quickly that it would have to be amended. With the first whisper of dawn, Dean eased himself out of the dead animal, and let the water float him away.

The water wasn’t as deep as he had first thought, so he swam to the other shore, just to be safe. The wind had died down to barely a breeze, so it was safe to wash the remnants of his hasty plan off his skin. His clothes were caked in the stuff, so he quickly stripped off, and used the sand on the small shore to scrub them clean.

After laying them out to dry on some rocks, Dean wadded back in to the warming water, and ducked under. Using the sand to his advantage, he scrubbed his skin until it was pink and stinging, anything to get rid of the smell of death. Luckily, the meaty, decaying juices of the beast hadn’t soaked through his clothes all that much, so really just his head, arms and legs needed properly cleaning, thank Christ.

He dived under again, running his hands through his hair to at least try and get the sand out. There really wasn’t any point, sand got everywhere. Chuckling to himself, despite his sad state of affairs, he almost missed the movement across the other side of the water. Dean froze, terror holding him hostage as he watched the person stop and sniff the air.

“Dean?” He almost laughed with relief. Cas was alive, and had come looking for him. His mate was right at the water’s edge, pacing frantically, looking like a big cat who didn’t want to get his paws wet.

Fuck his heat made him think strange thoughts.

Giving no head to his clothing, Dean launched himself towards Cas, who was just as eager to see his mate, judging by the little noises of happiness and worry he was making.

Dean found it adorable.

The omega flopped his way out of the water, about as gracefully as a baby giraffe, and was immediately enveloped. Strong, familiar arms wrapped around him, holding him tight. Dean closed his eyes and buried his face in his mate’s neck, inhaling as much calming, protective alpha scent as his lungs would allow.

Yeah, he was a strong, independent omega, but even he was man enough to admit, you’re always stronger when someone has your back.

“Dean, you have – you have no idea how worried we’ve all been.” Dean pulled back to get a good look at Cas, see how much damaged the alpha had sustained while essentially trying to protect him. Cas had a cut above his eye, a set of scratches down his neck, and he seemed to be favouring his left side, but apart from that, he seemed ok.

“Is everyone else ok?” If any of the others had been hurt…

“Everyone is fine, just a little beaten up. Once the alphas realised their omega wasn’t in our camp, they fled.” Dean frowned, because that didn’t sound like a bunch of riled up alphas. “Their leader took off after you, so they had no reason to stay, I assume.” Ah, that was it then. Lucky the guy had given up when he had.

“Dude, you really don’t wana know what I had to do to stay hidden.” Dean laughed and stood back a bit, the shivery, prickly feeling of his heat resurfacing with a vengeance. It wasn’t really surprising considering the object of his desires was literally within his grasp.

Cas, it seemed, must have made the same realisation.

“What – what do you want to do?” Cas’ eyes were beginning to redden, but Dean knew Cas could keep control of himself. Dean took a moment to take everything into consideration. He was only at the very start of his heat, which meant he wasn’t all that fertile. That happened at the end when his body was at its absolute peak of heat. Everything that had happened… it made him realise just how close he had come to missing out on having his mate, even for a short time.

Dean made his decision quickly, but he would never regret it. He wanted Cas, and he was pretty sure the alpha wanted him back, judging by not only the raging erection tenting his pants, but the respect he gave Dean by waiting for his choice.

The omega slowly moved forward, very aware that he was only in his underwear. At least he wasn’t totally naked. Cas’ irises were completely red by the time Dean brushed his nose against the alphas, his breath stuttering.

“Dean.” Cas’ moan set off fireworks all through Deans body, and they hadn’t even kissed. Dean bit his lip, slicking it up with his tongue. Cas’ mouth was open, panting in short little bursts. The alpha was shaking with the effort of not touching Dean, so the omega smirked and brought their lips together softly. The touch wasn’t enough, not nearly enough, to quench the bourgeoning flames erupting though him. He was done teasing, even though the sounds coming from Cas… Jesus.

Dean whined, closing the scant distance between them by wrapping his arms around his alphas neck and mashing their lips together hungrily. He couldn’t get enough. It wasn’t just his heat, that he could control. No, the purely eclipsing want he felt was all Cas.

The alphas was a lot stronger than Dean had thought, although he shouldn’t have been surprised. Alphas were known for their strength, after all. Every other thought he had was shaken from him once Cas wrapped an arm around his ass, and lifted him effortlessly. Dean fucking keened, and encircled his legs around Cas’ hips. Mainly for stability, of course.

Cas was taking them up to the tree line, and Dean would have been more than happy to have been carried all the way back to their cave, to his little nest he had made, but then he realised Sam and Gadreel would be there and no.

No other alpha would see him in heat.

Only his alpha. 

Dean came back to himself when he felt himself be lowered to the ground, and he blinked when he saw Cas panting, open mouthed, above him.

“I need – I need to know what you need, Dean.” Cas canines had extended, making his speech slurred and murky. Dean loved it. He nodded, though, because he needed to be the stable one. Cas was running on pure instinct, and Dean had to show him what he wanted. Moving slowly, Dean stood, and placed his hands on Cas’ shoulders. He guided the alpha until he was sat down against a nearby tree, breathing heavily.

They would have time for getting to know each other’s body’s later, when they were safe and protected by the rest of their pack.

Holy shit, he really was down the instinctual rabbit hole.

At that moment though, he needed Cas to complete the mating bond, to make it permanent. Plus, holy fuck was he horny.

Dean crawled over Cas, causing the alpha to bare his teeth and run his hands up and down Deans bare back. The omega shivered, eyes closing in happiness. He liked being touched, more than anything. Gentle caresses, soothing fingers running over his skin and hair. It just made him relax.

Breathing a happy sigh, Dean took off his underwear, wincing slightly at the breeze cooling his slick. It was not a nice feeling. Cas groaned when the smell hit him, and he thunked his head back against the tree. Dean grinned at the reaction, because there really was nothing like seeing an alpha loose his shit, in the best way.

“Am I being clear enough, or do you need some better –“Dean ground his wet ass down against Cas still clothed cock, and they both moaned at the sensation, it was too much and not enough, all at once. “Examples?” Dean knew he was being a shit, but hey, he wanted to have some fun losing his virginity.

Holy shit, he was losing his virginity.

A very sudden wave of fear washed over him, and Cas tensed, because of course he could smell it.

“Dean?” Cas sounded wrecked, and Dean felt slightly bad for stopping the good flow they had going. The alpha ran his hand through Dean’s hair, and the omega leaned into the touch.

“I just… I’ve never done this before, so it’s kinda – kinda scary.” Fuck he was so glad Sam wasn’t there to witness his freak out. Cas expression softened, and he smiled.

“It is a big step.” Dean snorted, because what he should have been having a panic attack over was their impending mating, but for some reason, a cock up his ass for the first time was more terrifying. “I will help you through it, as I will with everything in our lives together.” Wow, his mate was the biggest sap. What it did to his heart though, well, fuck.

“Great, I’m mating a hallmark card.” Cas cocked his head to the side, signalling that no, he did not understand that reference. Dean just shook his head and chuckled. Cas had a weird way of calming Dean down, but hell, it worked, whatever he did.

Breathing through his nerves, Dean unzipped Cas’ pants. The alpha gasped when Dean’s hand brushed over the straining fabric. With a little fiddling, because he really didn’t want to hurt Cas in his most sensitive of places, Dean managed to pull out the monster that was Cas’ penis.

Dean gulped, because holy Jesus Christ on a cracker. How in the hell was it supposed to fit?

Cas must have sensed Deans trepidation, because he tilted Deans chin up with a shaky hand, until their eyes met. “Everything will fit, don’t worry about that.” Dean’s lips turned up in a shaky smile, and he shuffled forwards until he was hovering over Cas’ cock.

“What should I worry about then?” Dean was trying to distract himself, and talking seemed like the best way to go about it. Cas closed his eyes and groaned when some slick slithered onto his cock.

“I’d worry about me not lasting very long, unfortunately.” Dean smirked because just the fact that he had got Cas to that point without even barely touching him was, in a word, awesome.

“Dude, we have the rest of our lives to figure our shit out.” Cas seemed to relax a bit, which was good. Dean didn’t know why he was worried. What was he gonna say, ‘oh god you’re an awful alpha for getting so turned on by me you can’t cope?’

Dean could be slow at times, but he wasn’t an idiot.

Wrapping his fingers around Cas’ considerable girth, he used the abundant slick pouring from his hole to lube it up. Cas was uncut and fucking glorious. He’d seen a few dicks in his time, alright, only onscreen, but still. Cas had a beautiful dick.

“I’m glad my phallus pleases you.” Dean let out a very manly squeak when he realised he’d said all of that out loud. Damn heat, messing with his filter. Cas just chuckled though, so he wasn’t mad. Dean pushed himself up on his knees and positioned himself comfortably over Cas’ red, swollen cock. He watched in fascination as a pearl of precome beaded at the head, and he had the strangest urge to lick it off.

So he did.

Cas rumbled low in his chest, the vibrations tickling Deans inner omega. “If you don’t do something very soon, I believe this will be very short lived.” Cas was sweating, and shaking, and Dean glanced back down to the hand wrapped around his cock. It was flushed and twitching, but when he moved his hand, he could see what Cas meant.

The alphas formidable knot was sitting just under the surface, threatening to expand at any moment. Despite his trepidation, Dean grinned. It was all for him.

Getting back into position, Dean let his hole rest against the head of Cas’ cock, to try and accept the sheer size of the thing he was about to shove into his ass. Cas seemed to be holding himself on a knife edge, his hands having travelled down to Deans hips. They held on almost painfully, and something possessive curled up and purred inside him when he realised he would have bruises there come tomorrow.

Everyone would know what Cas had done to him.

Taking a deep breath, Dean sank down. He gasped when he felt Cas’ cock head slip past that first ring of muscle, the one that was always a bastard when he was preparing himself for a toy. Cas though… he just slipped in perfectly. The alpha and omega groaned in unison as Cas cock slipped in further, and Dean whined low in his throat when it brushed past his prostate.

“Oh fuck, oh fuck.” When he was finally fully seated, Dean felt more full that he’d ever felt in his life. His biggest toy couldn’t compare to Cas, who was heat and flesh and an unholy amount of handsome. His alpha was actually shaking, teeth bared, eyes red as blood.

“I need you to move, please.” Cas was practically begging, and didn’t that just push a few of Deans well-hidden buttons. Clearly he had a thing for taking alphas down a peg or two. The omega rose up, careful not to let the alpha slip from his body. He wanted to keep Cas in him forever. He didn’t bother smothering his shout of pure ecstasy as Cas’ cock slid over his prostate again, the angle perfect for hitting that sweet spot just right.  

It was starting to become very clear that Cas wasn’t going to last very long at all. The alpha clearly knew his own body, because he shifted slightly so he could reach Deans neck without having to strain. Dean was practically sitting in the guy’s lap, but he didn’t give two shits. The amount of pure pleasure he was feeling was astronomical. He’d never felt anything like it before.

Another thrust down, and up, and Dean felt an unfamiliar stretch pull at his rim. Cas was gasping and groaning against his neck, nipping and licking at the skin where he would leave his mark. As rising and falling became increasingly difficult, Dean managed to wriggle his hand between their bodies to fist his own cock.

He growled when Cas grabbed his hands away. “Trust me, just – trust me.” Dean just nodded, lust drunk and pliable. Even without his heat, of course he trusted Cas. He was his alpha. He threaded his fingers together in the hair at the back of Cas’ head, mainly to keep him grounded amid the increasingly euphoric chaos that was his mind.

Cas started to grunt with each thrust, which should have sounded ridiculous, but Dean just thought it was the hottest thing he’d ever heard. Cas, with his deep timbre, telling him how beautiful he was, what a good mate he was going to make, how Cas would take care of him and whatever cubs they had.

After what felt like hours, but was probably only about fifteen minutes, Cas knot swelled to the point where it couldn’t escape the wet heat of Deans hole. The alpha shouted before latching onto Dean’s shoulder, burying his sharp teeth into the tender meat to solidify their bond, forever.

Dean’s whole body convulsed with the first pulse of Cas’ come, painting some part of him that had never been reached. His own orgasm caught him off guard, so fascinated by Cas’ ejaculation that when his cock started spreading his small amount of seed between them, he gasped and tightened his ass reflexively. Cas moaned as another load of come was pulled from him, and then it was like the flood waters had broken past their banks.

He was almost worried Cas would be a dried up husk with how much the alpha came, shuddering helplessly as his body contracted and spurted. Dean wasn’t much better, and he was sure he came at least four times too many before Cas finally stopped coming.

They lay there, collapsed against the tree, bathing in the warmth of their mating. For the first time in his life, despite having a pack of alphas roaming around the island, he felt totally and utterly at peace with himself, and the world.

Chapter Text

Despite his alphas possessive grumblings, which Dean found absolutely adorable, they decided the safest thing to do was head back to the cave.

He wasn’t especially keen for his brother, or the others, to see him in heat, but they couldn’t just stay out in the open either. The wind had died down completely, but that didn’t mean Dean didn’t stink to high heaven. He hadn’t actually realised how far he’d run from the cave, so it took them a few hours to get back.

“Dude, wait, I just – shit.” Dean bit his lip and flushed. He was fully clothed again, and the scratchy denim of his jeans was rubbing against his hard - on. Even though they were mated, he was still embarrassed to tell Cas he needed to stop to rub one out. He saw the way Cas kept glancing at his neck, where his mating mark was glaringly obvious, with dark, lust filled eyes.

“What is it?” Cas was in his space in an instant. Hell, it wasn’t like he cared much for personal space before they were mated. He curled a hand around the back of Dean’s neck, running soothing fingers through the short hairs. Dean shivered, slick starting to make its presence known.

“I, uh, I need to rub one out real quick.” Dean flushed when Cas’ eyes widened, nostrils flaring. The fingers on his neck tightened with Cas’ rumbling growl. They couldn’t have sex again; the risk was just too great. Not that Dean wasn’t absolutely on board, but Cas did have a good argument with the whole you could die in childbirth thing.

It was actually amazing the alpha was keeping his head, to be honest.

“Can I – can I help you?” Dean knew he didn’t mean penetrative sex, so he wondered what Cas would do to him. A hot curl of anticipation wrapped around him, and he nodded. At any other time, Cas was articulate and well spoken. It pained him to admit it, but Gabriel was right. Cas and his brother talked like they’d just walked out of Downton Abby.

Yeah, Dean watched Downton Abby. Lady Grantham was his fucking hero.

Cas dropped to his knees, right there in the dirt, in front of Dean. The omegas breath caught in his throat at the sight of his mate kneeling before him. Cas cast his iridescent eyes upwards and caught Deans. The alpha smiled, eyes crinkling with happiness.

“Have you had one of these before?” Cas bit his lip, the sexy son of a bitch, and started opening Deans pants. It was common for omegas to have partners but Dean… despite what Sam thought of him, he wasn’t that kinda guy. Yeah he had an easy smile, and he was a mean flirt, but it never actually lead anywhere.

So no, he hadn’t actually had a blow job before.

“Uh,” Dean had to stop and clear his throat, because holy shit, Cas had reached into his pants and pulled out his dick. “No, I ah, I haven’t. Lucky you, you’re the first.” Dean meant it as a joke, but Cas’ eyes darkened, and he let out a deep growl.

“As it should be, Dean. I am honoured to be your first.” Dean snorted, but threaded his fingers through Cas’ hair. His big, possessive alpha’s true colours were coming out, and they were fantastic. Dean’s cock was throbbing in Cas’ hand, his long, nimble fingers working to ease Deans discomfort. That clearly wasn’t the main course, though.

Dean watched as Cas dipped towards his groin, breath warm against his cock head. Cas flicked his eyes up to stare at Dean, just as his tongue slid out to lick a drop of precome off the tip of Deans cock.

“Fuck that’s hot. Oh shit.” Dean’s knees almost gave out when Cas suddenly swallowed him down to the root. Talk about no gag reflex. Dean shouted something unintelligible when he felt Cas fucking swallow. Because of his heat, yeah, definitely because of his heat, Dean felt his orgasm building quickly. Cas clearly sensed it, because he pulled off to slowly suckle at just the tip.

“I want you to come in my mouth. I want to taste you.” Well, he wasn’t going to say no to an invitation like that. Swallowing around his suddenly dry throat, Dean fisted Cas’ hair and held on for dear life as his alpha let loose. A few short deep throats later, and Dean was spilling his small load down Cas’ convulsing throat.

“Oooohhh my god, I can’t – can’t, fuck, Cas.” Dean shook through his orgasm, only staying on his feet by using Cas to balance. The alpha continued to suckle and lick at his softening cock, drawing out small twitches and shivers from the oversensitive omega. Dean whimpered when Cas finally dropped his aching flesh. “That was… I don’t have words for how good that was, Cas.”

The alpha just grinned and stood up, wiping his mouth as he went. “I’m glad you enjoyed it. I haven’t had much opportunity to practice, but I do recall a rather embarrassing incident involving Gadreel finding me with a carrot.” Dean blinked in shock at his alphas sudden vocal level up, and the fact that he’d been caught deep throating a fucking carrot. A laugh bubbled up, tensing every muscle in his upper body until he let it escape in a deep, elated rumble.

“That – that, right there, is the funniest thing I’ve heard in weeks. Thank you, god.” Cas smirked at the omega.

“Castiel, or Cas, will be fine.” Dean just doubled over again, unable to hold his mirth inside. What was the point anyway? They were stuck in the middle of fucking nowhere, with no help on the way and a bunch of psycho alphas out for his ass. He should laugh and have fun while he still had the life to do it.

“Oh fuck, just – just stop talking, or we’re never gonna get back to the cave.” Dean saw the laughter in Cas’ eyes, making them shine bright. It tugged on Deans heart to see his alpha so happy, so at ease with him. He knew then, that he’d made the right choice in choosing Cas to be his mate.

By the time they made it back to the cave, with another quick mutual handy session delaying them some, it was late into the afternoon. Deans stomach rumbled when he caught a whiff of whatever was cooking, and he realised he hadn’t actually had anything to eat since the night before.

Cas growled behind him when he heard it. “You’re hungry.” Dean rolled his eyes, because Cas had regressed back to caveman like mono syllables.

“Yeah, haven’t eaten in ages.” Dean grinned when Cas growled again, and slipped past him to run to the camp. Cas was showing his nurturing side.

Awesome.

Dean wandered into their camp, and spied Sam right away. His brother barrelled towards him, engulfing him in a giant alpha hug.

“Dean – oh god, we thought…” Sam looked devastated, and Dean immediately felt bad. He shouldn’t have spent the morning sexing Cas. Well, no, he should have, but he really should have insisted they get back to the cave earlier.

“Dude, I’m sorry.” Dean held Sam back at arm’s length, and gave him a smile. “I’m fine though, see?” Dean’s placation was interrupted by Sam being roughly pulled out of his grip, only to be replaced by a tooth baring alpha.

“Cas! What the hell man?” Cas just growled at him, fucking growled! “Sam’s my brother; he’s not a threat to you!” Sam still looked startled, and was sporting an epic bitch face.

“Any alpha is a potential threat.” Dean just rolled his eyes and grabbed Cas’ hand. He tugged him towards the cave entrance, towards where he knew were soft, comfortable things. A place where they could be together without interruption. He could talk to Sam when his heat passed.

“Sam, everything’s fine, I’m fine, and you’re fine, just – just, well, you know the drill. Stay outta the way the way and keep the others away too.” Sam just sighed and nodded. He knew the drill.

As Dean led the way deeper into the cave, he couldn’t help the thrill of excitement that prickled his super sensitive skin. He hadn’t actually gone through a heat with anyone before. There was too much temptation to go that little bit further. Along with his own hormones interfering, the effect he had on his heat partner was too intense. Cas was a fine point in his case.

The alpha had gone sub vocal again, growling softly when they entered the small alcove. Dean practically fucking purred at his alphas positive reaction. He’d built a comfortable nest for him and his mate. The omega inside him preened with pride.

“So, ah, you like it?” Cas didn’t even answer, not that Dean actually expected him to. He just rumbled happily and got all up in Deans space. The omega shivered at the contact, fresh slick coating the backs of his thighs. Guess he liked it then.

“I know we can’t – can’t copulate but – but I wish to try something else, if that’s alright.” Dean, struck dumb by his alphas sudden vocal revival, seriously, Dean didn’t know where the hell Cas found the brain cells or blood blow to string a sentence together, just nodded.

Very carefully, Cas undressed Dean.

He did it almost reverently, as if it were the first time, even though it wasn’t. When Dean’s bare chest was revealed, the alpha dipped his head, taking first one nipple, then the other, between his teeth. Dean groaned, because damn. His nips were one of his most sensitive spots.

The omega threaded his fingers through his alphas hair, tugging on the soft locks as his nipples were nipped and bitten. A shudder ran through him, and fresh slick gushed out when Cas pulled back to breathe hot air over the aching peaks.

“You’re so sensitive.”

Cas kissed the soft flesh under and around Deans belly button. The omega blushed, and tried to push Cas’ exploratory lips away. He wasn’t in his prime anymore, his body had soft edges, bits and pieces he wasn’t especially proud of. Cas though, seemed to like them a lot.

He bit the pudge Dean was trying his best to suck in and hide, catching Dean with his pure blue gaze. “You will look beautiful round and full with our pups.” Dean had to close his eyes, because goddamn. His mate had a breeding kink, which wasn’t unheard of in alphas. They loved to see their omegas pregnant and barefoot, filling their homes with their offspring. Once they were off the island, sure, Dean wasn’t getting any younger.

He’d always wanted kids, since it was just him and Sam. A big family was something Dean had always dreamed of, but it had always been a fantasy he had had to hide away. The reality of finding an alpha that wouldn’t shackle him to the house was far too real. Cas though… he wasn’t the archaic type. He would let Dean do whatever he wanted, within reason. If Dean wanted to go out and get a job, he would throw his support behind it, one hundred percent.

If Dean wanted to stay home and have a whole brood of pups, well, Cas wasn’t the only one with a breeding kink.

“Cas, fuck, you can’t just say stuff like that.” The alpha froze where he was undoing Dean’s pants, and mouthing at his dick beneath the denim. He looked up at him with an expression so stricken, Deans heart ached.

“I – I am sorry, I don’t know what came over me.” Dean worried his lip between his teeth, because seriously how was Cas even real?

The omega dropped down to Cas’ level, and took his flushed face between his hands. “I didn’t mean it like that, dummy.” Dean kissed Cas lightly, just so he could get the rest out, to make sure Cas knew everything was fine, better than fine. “That’s exactly what I want, once we’re off the island. I, ah, it turns me on that you think like that.” Cas stared at him with his unwavering gaze for a few moments before he broke out the most lecherous grin Dean had ever seen.

Next thing he knew, Dean was on his back in the middle of his nest. Cas ripped off his omegas jeans and underwear, ramping up the speed of their previously slow, delicate love dance.

“As soon as I smelt your heat, I couldn’t stop thinking about mounting you.” Cas kissed down his chest, laving his tongue in Deans belly button. The omega groaned and threw his head back. Cas had a dirty mouth, it seemed. Dean loved it. “I knew that we couldn’t, of course, but one can dream.” Cas ripped off his own shirt, revealing taught, tanned muscles. “When I found you down by that lagoon… I was beyond relieved. To think one of those other alphas might have found you before I had…” Cas stopped and looked up from where he was scenting around his groin. Dean reached down and cupped his cheek.

“But you did find me, safe and sound.” Dean slipped his fingers through Cas’ hair. “Unsullied too.” His alpha whined and buried his face in Dean’s thigh.

“It wasn’t even about the mating, Dean. It didn’t make a difference to me whether you were a virgin or not.” Dean blushed; he didn’t know it was even possible to go redder than he was. “All I wanted was for you to be safe and protected. I wanted, no, I needed to be the one to do that for you.”

Dean could barely handle the way Cas was being so gentle with him, how upfront and honest the alphas was talking. Apart from Sam, Dean had never let himself get close enough to anyone to feel protected. His parents were long dead, and Dean was worried enough about people finding out about his true designation that he didn’t really go out all that much.

Sam had long ago stopped teasing Dean about being married only to his work.

“You are my alpha, Cas.” Dean tipped his alphas head up and made him look Dean in the eyes. “You will always protect me, even if I don’t want protectin’.” Cas chuckled, and nodded. Even after only two weeks, Cas was beginning to see how Dean worked.

“Do you trust me, Dean?” The omega would have snorted, if Cas hadn’t started rubbing his dick. Cas kept his eyes fixed on Deans, so he just nodded.

“Of – of course, man. I trust you.” Dean was absolutely sure, for the first time in his life, that he actually trusted an alpha that wasn’t Sam. Ever since Cas floated into his life, he felt something bubbling just under the surface, some small voice enticing him with visions of a life he hadn’t thought he would ever get to have.

Cas was the one who could give him that.

The alpha laid him down, making sure he was comfortable and settled. Dean shivered in contentment when he looked around at the small alcove, covered in an assortment of soft things. It was a good nest, even if it would remain empty. Unrealistic sadness crept in; despite the fact Dean knew that they very well couldn’t have pups on a goddamned desert island. Cas scented the air and frowned.

“What troubles you?” Dean looked away, suddenly embarrassed. It was a stupid thing to be getting upset about, but it was mainly his heat talking. The logical part of his brain said no, not until they were rescued, and had a hospital readily available. The omega part of his brain, however, which pretty much controlled his consciousness during his heat, wanted to be bred, to be carrying his alphas pups.

“It’s stupid,” Cas angled Deans head to look at him, and held his gaze. “I know we can’t have pups here, but my omega side isn’t listening to reason.” Dean attempted a smile, but it probably just looked like a grimace. Cas rumbled low in his chest, and crawled up so he was face to face with the omega, his body draped over Deans protectively.

“It would please me a great deal to see you,” Cas trailed his hand down Deans chest, to splay his long fingers over the omegas belly. “Full and heavy with our pups, Dean.” The omega shuddered, because holy shit was that a turn on. “But I promised to protect you, and we both know it would be unwise to procreate without modern facilities at our disposal.” The alphas ran his tongue over the new mating mark, and Dean breathed a sharp moan at the sensation. “Until we can properly copulate, I will do my best to show you I do not need my penis to give you pleasure.” Whatever words the omega was going to say were lost in the moan pulled from him when Cas bit down again at the junction of his shoulder and neck.

Dean was hard and leaking, and he could feel the slick flowing freely from his hole. He could almost taste the thick scent of heat on his tongue, and Cas’ heady alpha scent was responding in kind. His head spun from the intoxicating intertwining flow of their combined scents, and when Cas scented his neck again, Dean couldn’t help the whimper of pleasure that escaped him.

“Cas, whatever you’ve got planned, please hurry the hell up.” Dean could be a pushy son of a bitch on a good day, but throw in a heat and he was Mr bossy pants. Cas just growled at him, clearly gone sub vocal again, and disappeared from Deans space. The omega was just about to open his eyes to complain, when his whole body was flipped, so he was ass up, face down, in his nest.

“What’re you –” Words became obsolete to Deans very existence, as soon as he felt his mates tongue lick from his balls, all the way up to his puffy, leaking hole. The obscene half scream it pulled from Dean was something that he had never come from him before. Between one pass of his alphas tongue and the next, Dean had buried his face in a lump of blanket to contain his embarrassing noises.

Cas was having none of that. “I want to hear you.” The alpha pulled the blanket away from the omega, who whined in desperation. He couldn’t stop the noises coming out of him, but he really didn’t want Sam to hear him. That was just beyond mortifying.

“But what if Sam –” Cas growled and nipped the sensitive skin around Deans entrance. The omega yelped and flinched away, but Cas just grabbed his hips and held him in place. Dean still felt completely safe, if anything, the added feeling of being unable to escape his mate’s pleasurable clutches ignited the spark growing inside him.

“Do not think about anyone except us, Dean.” With a hand on each of Dean’s cheeks, Cas spread him and breathed against his rim. “I will protect you in this wonderful little nest you have built for us,” the omega did purr when the alpha acknowledged his effort, “and endeavour to pleasure you throughout your heat, and beyond.”

Dean was lost to the sensation of his mates tongue, first laving thick and wet around his rim, then thin, driving into him relentlessly. At some point Dean didn’t even recognise, Cas added a finger, then another, to open him further. Cas was groaning, overwhelmed by the scent of his mate, so saturated in slick straight from the source that he seemed drunk on it.

When something, Dean didn’t know whether it was tongue, finger or both, brushed his prostate, he sobbed, because the growing pleasure was almost too great. He was on the cusp of something so powerful, he was a little afraid. With Cas’ hands holding him firm, though, he knew he was protected.

Safe.

“Cas – Cas, it’s – it’s too much.” Dean keened when his alpha licked all the way around his rim, the obscene sound of his juices being devoured causing ripples of pleasure to run up and down his body.

“You can’t even begin to imagine how euphoric you taste.” Dean had just enough brain cells left to wonder how in the hell Cas was able to articulate a sentence. “It’s taking every ounce of self-control I have to keep myself from knotting you.” Cas did sound pretty fucked out, and if it were anywhere close to what Dean was feeling, well.

“I need to come, please, please make me come.” Dean could feel the heat beginning to take over, and he never let himself get that sucked under. He always liked to stay somewhat coherent, but he knew some omegas liked to let their inner animal take over completely. Maybe one day, when they were making a baby, he’d give himself over to instinct. In the meantime, one of them had to keep their heads.

Cas seemed to take the suggestion, because Dean was definitely not begging, no sir, and ramped up his relentless effort on Deans ass. The omega reached for his cock, but Cas just batted his hand away.

“Only me.”

Well then.

Cas practically buried his face in Deans ass, freeing his hands up to grip Deans aching erection. With one hand circled around Dean’s cock, and the other carefully massaging his balls, Cas brought Dean to the edge very quickly.

“Oh god, oh fuck, I’m gonna – I’m gonna come.” Dean felt everything in his body tense, that small moment of total calm before the storm, before –

“Come for me, come for your alpha.” Jesus holy Christ, that voice.

Dean howled into the pillow of his arm, which was not nearly enough to cover the noise. It echoed around the small cave, followed closely by Cas’ own roar of satisfaction at pleasing his omega. Dean whimpered when he felt his cock expel its small amount of semen, but the real kicker was the absolute flood of slick that erupted from him at Cas’ continued assault of his prostate. The alpha cried out in pleasure as his mouth and throat were practically covered in his omegas flow.

“Dean.” The omega heard the desperation in the tone before he looked around to see the look of pure, unadulterated lust on his mates face. His eyes were an iridescent red, the ocean blue of the irises gone completely. Slick dribbled down his chin, and his mouth was a mess. His lips were pink and puffy, just aching to be kissed.

That wasn’t what Dean wanted, though, not at that moment.

The omega spun around, almost tackling his mate to the ground. Cas managed to keep his balance, while Dean tore open his pants that had somehow managed to stay on. His alphas cock was huge, red and angry when he finally pulled it to the surface. The head was engorged, fully emerged from the foreskin, shiny slick from precome. The knot, Dean saw, was pulsing, threatening to pop at any moment. He looked up at his mate, and licked his lips.

“I want you to come on me, so everyone will smell me, and know what we’ve done.” Everyone will already know what they’ve done, but his inner omega was screaming at him, telling him he should smell like his mate in the basest way possible.

Cas, it seemed, was fully on board.

“Omega.” Dean shivered and his cock gave a valiant twitch of attention at the deep resonance of his mate’s voice. Cas gripped himself, his fingers only just touching at the smallest part. Goddamn was his mate hung. “Mine.” Back to mono syllables then, that was fine, Dean was having trouble talking too.

“Do it.”

Cas roared as he came, the massive load of come alphas generally expelled splattering onto the omegas neck and chest. Cas, luckily, avoided his face. He wasn’t really a facial kinda guy. Using two hands, Cas rubbed the upper part of his cock, while the other fisted his knot. Dean knew Cas wouldn’t stop coming for a good ten to fifteen minutes, which was actually less because he wasn’t inside his mate. Dean smiled, and leaned forwards, kissing Cas’ belly button.

“That was pretty damn hot.” Cas moaned as another orgasm shuddered through him, but he cupped Deans cheek with the hand that was no longer stripping his cock.

“We do make an explosive pair, don’t we.” Dean just laughed, because his heat had cleared somewhat, and all he really wanted to do was curl up with his mate and sleep until the next wave hit.

When Cas eventually did stop coming, they didn’t even bother cleaning the mess up. It was just going to get worse, and Cas rumbled happily as he spread the sticky, drying mess into Deans chest.

“Dude, that’s kinda gross.” The orgasmic shine had worn off, and Dean just felt gross. If it made Cas happy, though, he supposed he could live with it.

“I want everyone to know that you are mine.” Dean kinda loved it when Cas was all possessive, it made him feel like Cas only had eyes for him, which, obviously, he did.

“Wasn’t the bite mark enough?” Dean yelped when Cas leaned down and bit a nipple.

“Never.”

Well then.

“I want everyone to see that an attractive, deep thinking, loving omega chose to be my mate.” Dean blushed because Cas always knew exactly what to say. He wasn’t that great.

“You’re not too bad yourself you know.” Yeah, real smooth Winchester. Cas just chuckled.

“Thank you, now why don’t we get some rest before the next surge?” That sounded like the best idea Dean had ever heard. Before Cas had even fully situated himself behind Dean, because hell yeah he was the little spoon, he was asleep.

When Dean woke up, totally relaxed, a little sore and clear headed, he was pretty damn happy.

He was a little worried, yeah, because his heat had never stopped after only two days, not since he was a teenager anyway, but he chalked it up to stress and not enough proper food.

Cas mumbled softly in his sleep, and Dean was reluctant to wake him, but he was fucking starving. He knew Cas would freak out if he woke up and Dean wasn’t there, so with some effort, he managed to wake his sleepy alpha, and coax him out of their little nest.

Sam wrinkled his nose at them when they appeared, and slapped a bitch face for the ages across his face. “Dude, that is disgusting.” Dean grinned and sat down by the fire. Gabriel was stirring something in a pot that smelt fan-fucking-tastic.

“It’s what a good ol’ mating smells like, Sammy. Better get used to it.” Dean grinned again and Gabriel burst out laughing.

“There are worse smells, Sam.” His brother narrowed his eyes, and ate what Gabriel passed to him. Gadreel entered the cave and sat down beside Sam, way to close for it not to be a thing.

“It’s good to see you both alive and well.” Gadreel nodded solemnly to his brother, who nodded back. “We thought we may have been too late to save you, Dean.” Dean shivered a bit, but relaxed when Cas pulled him close. He smiled at his mate, before looking back at Gadreel.

“Cas found me, before any of the other alphas did.” After the tension filled few days, Dean needed to let loose some steam, and there really wasn’t any better way of doing that than teasing his alpha. “Yup, he was pretty damn thorough about it, too.” Dean made a show of looking into the pot that was bubbling away on the fire. “Shame there aren’t any carrots in there, Cas loves them.” Dean grinned at the twin noises of Cas and Gadreel choking on their food, and the looks of confusion on Sam and Gabriel’s faces.

“Yup, really loves them.”

“Dean…”  

Chapter Text

Goddam fucking Gabriel and his goddamn shady assed cooking.

Dean wiped the sweat off his brow, tensing as another surge of nausea threatened to overwhelm him. He thought the fish the night before had looked suspicious. He closed his eyes and leaned heavily against the tree that was holding him up.

He’d woken early that morning, before the sun had even risen, feeling all kinds of sick. His whole body ached, he felt sick and he was exhausted. It was like he hadn’t actually slept at all that night, which was exactly what he had done, wrapped up in his mates arms.

Cas had woken slightly when he’d untangled himself from his alphas limbs, but he just feigned needing to use the bathroom. Which he did anyway, like, a whole lot.

Which goes back to Gabriel, the little shit bag.

No one else seemed to be sick, though, so at least that was something. Maybe only he got the piece that was bad. Pretty fucking par for the course, really.

The two months hadn’t gone too badly, they averaged at one storm a week, and picked up some more stuff off the beach that could be useful. Even the other alphas were staying away, clearly scared off by his alphas superior fighting skills.

Sam and Gadreel had followed the scent around their camp, back to an old one, and found something that Dean didn’t even think the slimiest mind would have ever thought of doing. Sam had told Dean that from the outer rims of that camp, where the other alphas had clearly been staying, leading all the way to their cave, were shattered coconuts, filled with slick.

Dean had been both horrified, and pretty damn respectful. Crowley clearly knew how to strategize, and if leading the other pack of alphas to Dean’s doorstep by storing up his own slick and releasing it when they had their guard down was any indication of how his mind worked, they were surely in for more surprises.

A two whole months had gone by without incident though, which they were more than happy about.

Well, there was that one incident. Dean shuddered, a new wave of a whole different kind of nausea creeping over him.

Sam and Gadreel had gone out to look at their traps, and hadn’t come back. It had been hours, and Dean had started to worry. Cas had been checking his stock of herbs and root things, and Gabriel had gone off to get their dinner, supposedly, as he’d wandered off with a fishing pole shortly after the others.

With a quick word to Cas, Dean had set off after his brother.

Ever since the alphas attack, Dean had insisted on wearing the scent blocking paste Cas made for him. Cas was on board too, although he accompanied Dean every day when he went to wash, so they could still scent each other.

So when Dean had picked his way quietly through the undergrowth, and stumbled upon his brother and Gadreel literally balls deep in his brother, they hadn’t picked up on his scent. Dean had stood there, frozen to the spot, not knowing exactly what to do. The absolute last thing he wanted to do was see his brother getting boned, but his body had refused to cooperate.

“Oohhh Gadreel.” Sam’s voice was high and whiney, not something Dean would have called sexy at all, but what the fuck. Why was he even nit picking his brothers sex??

“That’s it Sam, come for me, come…” That was it, Dean was done. He had almost fallen on his ass trying to escape the horror that was seeing his brothers ‘o’ face, and he’d been sure he had made some kind of strangled scream, but the two love birds hadn’t seemed to have heard him. He’d run all the way back to their camp, and must have sweated off the blockers, because Cas and Gabriel, who had returned with dinner, had immediately questioned him.

“What is it? Are you alright?”

“Deano?”

He couldn’t speak for the horrors he had seen, so he had just clutched his knees and waved them off. When he had finally managed to get his breath back, seriously, he was way too old for the crap he’d just done, he had explained.

“The things I have seen, man.”

He was pretty sure the entire island had heard Gabriel’s laughter.

It really wasn’t funny though, he still had nightmares. As the nausea tapered off, Dean sighed and straightened up, glancing at what he could see of the horizon. The sun was just starting to rise, so he turned back to their camp. It was his turn with Gabriel to go and check the traps today, and hopefully they held something good.

The traps Sam and Gadreel had set around their part of the island were large and small snares, designed to catch everything from small to large game. They caught birds sometimes too. They actually had a fairly varied diet, and Dean was surprised at the abundance of mammals on the small island. Usually there was the odd pig, and maybe a crocodile or two, but they had seen rabbits, deer, pigs, all kinds of birds, and Sam swore he saw goats. They were tricky bastards though, so they hadn’t caught one yet.

They managed to catch everything else though.

So they weren’t exactly starving, and between them, Cas and Gabriel had found an impressive amount of vegetables for them too. They had even started a small garden, so they didn’t have to go far to get what they needed. Dean had liked the idea, but really, they were going to be saved soon, he could feel it.

Or maybe that was just more nausea coming on.

Dean wandered back to camp, where he found Gabriel stirring the fire to life, and Cas squinting around, probably looking for his omega. Dean secretly loved that Cas wasn’t a morning person, with his sleepy grumpy eyes and cute scrunched up face.

“This island has an alarming lack of coffee.” Cas caught sight of Dean and wandered over to his mate, kissing him lightly on the forehead, before sitting down by the fire.

“I’d have to agree with you there, Cassie.” The alpha grimaced at the nick name, but didn’t say anything. Dean grinned and sat down by his mate.

“You ready for our little trek this morning, Gabe?” Dean knew full well that Gabriel hated walking anywhere, so the groan from beside him just fuelled his laughter.

“Damnit, I thought you’d forgotten.” The beta huffed and poked the fire harder, as if it were to blame for the exercise he would have to endure.

“At least you get to spend time with Dean.” Cas looked, if possible, even more grumpy at the thought of not spending time with his mate. It made the omega pretty damn warm inside. “Sam, Gadreel and I have to walk the beach, in case anything of import washed up after last night.” The storm last night wasn’t anything to write home about, but the alphas wanted to check out the beach anyway.

“Urk don’t, I’m the only one here not getting some, so don’t rub it in my face.” Gabriel said it in a light hearted tone, but Dean and Cas could smell the sadness coming from the beta.

“Sorry Gabe. Was there – is there, anyone waiting for you back home?” Dean patted the beta on the back, and he could feel the tension there. Poor guy, they’d been on the island for maybe ten weeks, and everyone else had been parading their couplings around in front of him. Dean made a mental note to be less obvious in their PDA.

Gabriel huffed a pretty sarcastic laugh. “My family didn’t exactly jump for joy when I came out to them, so they probably don’t give two shits.” Dean’s heart squeezed, knowing him and Sam were so lucky their parents accepted them for who they were. “I’m not exactly the poster boy for relationships either, so no, there isn’t anyone waiting at home.” Gabriel looked at them, and at Sam and Gadreel who had decided to grace the group with their presence. “Who knows, maybe one of those assholes in the alpha group is my one and only, my sun and fucking stars.” Dean couldn’t help it, he snorted. Referencing Game of Thrones just made the guy about twenty percent cooler on Dean’s scale.

“Moon of my life.”

Dean’s lungs just about exploded, and his heart felt twice as big, as Cas turned to look at him. His wide eyes and open mouth must have given away his slight surprise.

His mate rolled his eyes so hard he was surprised the alpha didn’t give himself brain damage. “I do read, Dean.”

Dean had to agree with Gabriel, he just wasn’t feeling the trek either. Not even an hour in and the omega was sweating, tired and sore. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been so damn uncomfortable. Nothing in his body felt right, and he was sure he was gonna be sick again.

“This is not my idea of a good time.” Gabriel braced himself against a tree while they caught their breaths, and Dean just nodded along. He fumbled with the bottle tied to his belt, and emptied the last of the scent blocker onto his hands. Cas had made the batch extra strong, because he knew Dean would be sweating it off. He rubbed the paste in everywhere he could reach and tied the bottle back on.

They had checked eight traps, but no dice. The animals clearly weren’t interested in sacrificing themselves for the human’s meal that night. Dean was just about to suggest they head back, when he heard a branch snap behind them.

“Well well well, what do we have here?” Deans heart stopped for a second, before he whirled around, facing the familiar voice. It was the same one from that first day, the alpha who had threatened Crowley, and therefore, Dean by association. His eyes darted around, and a plan formed. There were three alphas, and two betas. The betas looked scared, almost like they didn’t really want to be there. They weren’t the threat. The three alphas were. They were closing in fast, so if he was going to make a move, he had to do it, quickly.

One of the other alphas scented the air. “A beta and –” He sniffed again, nose clearly straining with trying to find Deans scent. It was only then that he realised the drawback to having no scent. They couldn’t track him, but if they actually met him, they would make one, very dangerous, conclusion. “He’s a fucking null.”

It didn’t take too much to put together that the Neanderthals standing before him would hate nulls, considering how they felt about male omegas. Nulls were born without a scent, sterile, and largely regarded by the dick bags that held onto the old ways, as absolutely useless in society. They couldn’t smell them; therefore they couldn’t get a read on them. It bred mistrust and fear, because if you couldn’t smell what someone was feeling, how could you trust them?

The fact they couldn’t breed was a moot point, really, what with suppressants and birth control in the modern age. The old crowd that perpetuated many of the rumours and myths around nulls wanted everything to stay the way it had for thousands of years. They didn’t want to meet the modern age where everyone was equal and had the rights to go with it. the alphas of old were a surprisingly large group, which was in itself, pretty scary.

Dean made a snap decision, because that’s what he had done his whole life. Put others before himself, like Sammy, or Gabriel.

Dean hunched down and ran at the closest alpha, shouldering him in the stomach. In the ensuing chaos, Dean roared at the beta. “Gabriel, RUN! Find Cas –” The other man clearly didn’t need to be told twice, and Dean watched him go with the hope he would find his mate and his brother.

That hope quickly turned to fear.

The enemy betas ran off in the opposite direction to Gabriel, startled by the fight going on around them. The alphas didn’t seem to care, with two pouncing on Dean while the other caught his breath.

“A feisty one, I like that.” He bared his teeth, snapping them at the omega. Dean’s breath was harsh and fast, but he kept his eyes on the tall, ugly alpha, because he was the boss. Everything about him was awful. From his scent, the acidic, dank smell of fuck knows what, to the way his eyes flickered between red and was that fucking black?

“You wana round with him, Lucifer?” The one on Deans left, short, old and fucking creepy, licked his lips. Dean shivered and hoped Cas arrived soon. The air around him suddenly felt pretty damn rapey.

“You don’t actually wana fuck this sack of shit, do you?” Dean really wanted to agree, but he didn’t know what the alternative was. They weren’t just going to let him go unscathed. Lucifer narrowed his eyes, and tapped a long finger against his lips.

“You know what, I think I will.” Dean went cold, like all the blood in his body just up and left him. They were going to rape him, like, probably gang rape. No, fuck no, he wouldn’t let that happen, he would die before he let them take that from him. “Then we’ll take the abomination back to camp, keep Crowelys cage warm until we get him too.” He sounded so fucking smug, like keeping people locked up against their will was just a normal hobby for him. It probably was. No way was Dean going down without a fight.

I’m sorry Sammy.

I’m so sorry, Cas.

Dean snarled, and leapt forward, taking the two alphas holding him by surprise. He tackled Lucifer to the ground, and manged to land one good punch to the guy, before he was dragged away, literally kicking and screaming. Lucifer, the freaky bastard, actually fucking laughed.

“That took balls, kid.” He brushed off the dirt on his pants, and straightened his shirt. His smirk dropped when he looked back at Dean, though. “But you’re gonna wish you took the first option, by the time I’m done with you.” He didn’t give Dean time to respond, he just punched him square in the face.

It was fast and bloody, and Dean really wasn’t present for most of the fight. It couldn’t really be called a ‘fight’, because the two other alphas, Azazel and Gordon, just held him down while Lucifer kicked and punched the shit out of him. Dean was sure his arm was broken, from when Lucifer had stomped it into the ground, but it was his stomach and chest that were worrying him. Something inside him, some strong fucking instinct was telling him to protect his stomach. He struggled and heaved against his captors, but they just laughed and held on tighter.

Lucifer’s lip curled when he saw Deans mating bite, and he punched him in the side of the head for ‘sucking in some poor unsuspecting alpha’. Dean saw stars, but didn’t miss the savage kick Lucifer delivered to his stomach. Dean howled in pain, some part of him breaking with unknown fear and loss. He didn’t even know why, apart from the fact he was sure he was going to die.

A ferocious, furious, almost feral roar echoed around the small group. The alphas stilled, looking around the dense bush for any sign of activity.

“Maybe we should just leave him.” Dean sagged in Gordons grip, but he wasn’t going anywhere. Something warm and wet obscured his vision, his head pounded something fierce, and he was starting to feel really, really cold. Maybe he was dying.

He heard muted muttering around him, before he was thrown roughly to the ground. “I’ll be back for you, sweetheart, don’t you worry.” Lucifer’s horrific breath invaded his dimming senses, but he couldn’t find it within himself to be scared. Dying was bad enough.

Footsteps, fast and quiet, disappeared off to his left. He ached, oh how he ached. He just wanted Cas to carry him back to the cave, back to their little nest so he could sleep for months.

Dean needed his mate, so he did the only thing he could do, to draw his beloved to him.

He howled.

It could have been minutes, or maybe hours, but Cas did find him.

Dean could smell the absolute panic and fear wafting from him, then his distress when he must have locked eyes on his mate’s barely conscious body.

“Dean –” Cas took him in his arms, and held him close. Dean felt a little of his pain slip away, because his mate was holding him and what more could he ask for, really? “I’ve got you. It’s ok.” Dean would have laughed, if he wasn’t silently crying. He realised the thin, warm tracks down his face were actually tears, and not blood. He was in pain, yeah, but did that warrant crying?

“We must get him back to the cave, Castiel.” Huh, Gadreel. He wondered where Sam was. He hoped he was ok.

“Tell Sam to come back, we will find the scumbags later.” Cas was lifting him up, the strong son of a bitch. He didn’t tell him how strong he was enough. He must have mumbled something, or he tried, because Cas kissed his forehead gently. “Don’t try to speak, everything will be fine.” It really wasn’t. Dean could feel it, in his body. Something was really, really wrong. He didn’t want to worry his mate though, so he stayed quite.

They were almost at the cave. He must have dozed off. Or, passed out. That was probably more likely. His thoughts were short and fast, he couldn’t actually hold one for long enough and it was super annoying. Cas was saying something, and then he felt a cool cloth wipe across his face.

“I’m just gonna clean you up a bit while the others find some herbs that Cassie needs.” Gabriel, must be him because he’s the only one that uses that stupid nick name. “I just – you saved my life back there, Dean. Thank you – thank you so much.” Dean groaned out what was meant to be a ‘no problem, dude’, but sounded more like a gurgle instead.

He blacked out again, he must have, because suddenly it was Cas, his sweet, loving alpha, talking to him instead. “You need to drink this, Dean. It will help with the healing. It’s also an anti-inflammatory and will help with any infection.” Cas sounded remarkably calm for someone who’s mate was pretty much on their death bed.

He tried to swallow, but man was his throat sore, and he did try to say something to Cas, but it didn’t want to come out. He felt a shaky hand on his cheek, and really wished he could open his eyes.

“You must drink this, Dean.” Cas didn’t sound so flash. Was he… was he crying? “You can’t – you can’t die. I’ve just found you and –” Yeah, there was definitely a snuffle there. Jesus he loved the guy. He really did. Holy shit. Dean loved Cas. He had to tell him.

“C – casss.” Fuck he sounded awful. At least he could speak, though. Cas stroked his hair, which felt pretty damn nice.

“Don’t talk, you need – you need to preserve your strength.” Damnit, Cas sounded absolutely wrecked. He couldn’t even keep the tremor from his voice. If only his fucking body would move, but no, it was like being stuck in a waking dream.

Or nightmare.

He tried again, because needed to hear what he had to say. “C – casss I lo-” Cas actually, fucking, sobbed. That wasn’t allowed. His mate was not allowed to be that hurt, and whoever had done it to him, well they would fucking pay, wouldn’t they?

It really confused him that Cas was crying because Dean looked like a prize fighter, who’d lost. Whose ass would he kick? His own? Well, if he had to, he would.

But Cas needed to know he loved him, before he kicked his ass. His own ass. Shit. “C – casss… I… lo – love y – you.” Dean sighed, having said what he needed to. It was like a weight had been lifted off his chest, and he could breathe easier. In fact, everything was getting a bit darker. Maybe he should go to sleep, since it was getting dark. He didn’t need to close his eyes, because they didn’t want to open in the first place, so he just let himself drift. Cas must have sensed it, because he was immediately trying to keep him awake, which, rude.

“Dean, you must stay awake, please.” Nah, fuck that, he was so super tired. He could actually feel his breathing and heart rate slow down, and Cas must have as well. “No Dean, no! Don’t! I love you, you infuriating asshat! You will not die on me! Dean!”

Cas loved him.

Awesome.

Dean opened his eyes, and it was light out.

Something heavy was draped over him, and something else was tucked up beside him. Moving his head hurt like a son of a bitch, but at least it was clear and he could think.

Looking down, he saw his mate was draped over his legs, head nestled on his pelvis. Must have been the only place he didn’t get supremely beaten. Looking sideways, he saw Sam was tucked right up beside him, and Gadreel was spooning him. Urg he didn’t need to see that. Gross.

He catalogued what he could feel, and pretty much his whole body was once giant bruise. His arm was wrapped up tight, so he must have broken it, his head pounded and his ribs ached like a mother fucker. Feeling around with his tongue, he still had all of his teeth, so that was a plus. He could see out of both his eyes, and his lips weren’t split. All in all, probably not the worst beating he’d ever received.

Something was bugging him, though, some weird sense of intuition. Or instinct. It was telling him, pretty sure it was his inner omega telling him, to get away, find somewhere safe and far away from everyone else. It was probably just a reflex from the fight, wanting to find safety.

A very sudden, very painful cramp had him groaning and waking up his mate. The pain happened again, and the voice inside him became a whole lot more insistent.

“Dean? You’re – you’re awake. Good - that’s good, I’ll just –” Dean cut him off because something told him he didn’t have time for his mates stammering.

“Cas, I need to get out of –” Dean grit his teeth and held in his pain. “I need to get out of here. I need it to be just you and me.” Cas seemed to sense the urgency, even if he probably thought Dean shouldn’t be moved. Their jostling to get him vertical woke the others, but it was Sam who was by Dean’s side immediately.

“Dean! Man we thought you wouldn’t wake up and –” Dean was real tired of cutting people off, but he needed to be alone with his mate, quickly. Something very very bad was either happening, or going to happen, and he didn’t want anyone around to see it.

“I’ll talk to you later, Sammy, right now I gotta take a trip to funky town.” Sam’s eyes widened, but he just nodded, serious face overriding everything. Sam knew what the deal was when either of them said those words. No questions asked, just acceptance. If they wanted to talk later, they would.

Dean stumbled out of the cave entrance, glad the dawning sun gave him some light. Cas helped him, but said nothing. The alpha was probably waiting for Dean to break the silence, to explain why exactly he needed to move when he should have been horizontal for at least a week.

He couldn’t even explain it to himself, but he knew he needed to be away, with just his mate.

They stumbled together down to the beach, far enough from the cave that Dean was sure no one could hear them, or smell them. The omega fell into the sand, his legs buckling underneath him. Cas followed him down, making sure he didn’t fall too hard or land awkwardly. Dean knelt, hands fisting his knees as another overwhelming surge of pain radiated from his stomach.

Dean shifted, to try and ease the pain, when something slippery rubbed against his ass cheeks. It didn’t – it didn’t feel like slick, but he was in no position to check. The pain was unrelenting.

“Cas.” His mate was beside him in an instant, blue eyes wide with fear. “It’s gross, but can you… there’s something leaking out of me and I can’t…” The alpha didn’t need to be told twice. He just nodded, lips thin, jaw clenched. He helped Dean onto all fours, to make his access easier. Dean grimaced, but the pain had lessened. He didn’t know if that was good or not.

“I’m going to pull your jeans off, Dean.” He silently thanked his alpha, for walking him through what he was going to do. It calmed him, a little. Cas carefully reached around and unbuttoned Deans jeans, pulling the fly down as well. They were silent in their tasks, Cas undressing Dean, the omega trying not to cry out in pain and embarrassment. When Dean heard the sharp intake of breath, though, he knew something was really wrong.

“What is it? Is it bad? Cas?” He could smell his alphas confusion, and –

“Blood, Dean. You’re– you’re bleeding, it’s coming from – from inside you.” Dean turned his eyes to the side, because that didn’t make sense. If he were bleeding internally, he probably would have kicked the bucket already, or he would have at least felt faint. It was definitely his stomach that hurt, that was where the pain was coming from –

All at once, with startling clarity, everything made sense.

The vomiting.

Being tired all the time.

Food aversion.

Dean was numb, because life couldn’t possibly be that cruel, could it?

They had only knotted once, right at the start. It couldn’t – it couldn’t possibly have happened. Another searing cramp started, and Dean knew exactly what was happening.

Even to him, his voice sounded devoid of any feeling, just the painful emptiness he felt inside. “I’m so sorry, Cas.” His mate pulled his underwear back up, but left his pants, instead coming back around to face Dean. “I didn’t know and –” Ah, there was the emotional pain. Just took a bit to sink in. his throat hurt with the effort of keeping his tears at bay. He didn’t know, but he should have, he should have. “I didn’t know and I’m so sorry.” Dean would have collapsed into the sand if it weren’t for Cas’ arms encircling him, pulling him flush with his strong, sturdy body.

“Dean, I don’t understand – what do you –” Dean didn’t even have to say anything; he could almost hear the cogs working in Cas’ head. Finally, the alpha tensed, apparently having put everything together. “You’re – but that’s not… our pup?” Dean could barely hear Cas, who’s voice had dropped to such a tortured whisper the omega was afraid his alpha would break apart with the pain he was feeling.

“I’m sorry Cas, I should have been more careful. I should have – should have fucking known!” Dean cried out, his whole body trembling with emotion. He didn’t even really know what he was feeling, anger, fear, loss, guilt, all wrapped up in a whirlwind of shit that his broken body just couldn’t deal with. Cas just held him tighter, wrapping his arms around Deans chest, and burying his face in his mates neck.

“No, Dean. You couldn’t have known. We only – we only copulated once, there was no way to tell that you had conceived.” Cas’ voice was tight and deep, Dean could tell without smelling the acrid scent of devastation around them that Cas was barely hanging on. “You listen to me; none of this was your fault. You – you didn’t do this.” One of Cas’ hands descended to rest lightly on Deans belly, which was still clenched in pain. Dean drew in a sharp breath, because how could something be so awful and so right all at once? His mates hand on his belly, so close to their child, yet so impossibly far away. “Those animals did this, and I promise you, they will not leave this island alive.” Dean shivered, because by the tone of his mate’s voice, those other alphas would be ripped limb from limb, slowly.

Dean didn’t know what to say, so he let the tears fall, and leaned back against his alpha. He covered Cas’ hand on his belly with his own, and then the words just started flowing. “Hey there little one.” Cas shook, just once, but Dean could tell he was crying too. “I’m – I’m real sorry we didn’t know you were in there.” Dean didn’t really know what to say, so he just said whatever popped into his head. “Some evil men attacked your dad, and they – they hurt me real bad, and that means they hurt you too.” Dean tried to swallow, but he couldn’t get past the lump in his throat. “Even though we – we don’t want you to go,” Dean gasped in a shallow breath, tears and emotion threatening to overwhelm him. “You’re gonna leave anyway. My – my mom and dad will help you get settled in up where you’re going, tell them – tell them I said hi.” Dean couldn’t keep going; he was surprised he was even still breathing. Cas gripped him tight, and finished what he wanted to say.

“We just wanted you to know, little one, just how much both your fathers love you.” The alpha sounded devastated, the hollow resonance of his voice betraying what Dean knew he felt inside. “We love you, so so much.” Fuck anyone that said a baby wasn’t a baby until a certain time. Dean loved his little bean as soon as he realised he was pregnant. It was a little bit of him, and a little bit of his mate. It was meant to be nestled inside him until he could deliver it safely into the world, but those fucking assholes had taken that chance from them both. 

Dean sagged in Cas’ hold, all the emotion boiling up inside him, threatening to escape in a way that would be both explosive and dangerous. Instead, he did the one thing that would channel the energy into something he could control.

The omega tipped his head back and opened his mouth, a mournful howl escaping his lips in a shuddering resonance. Cas joined him, matching his pain and loss. Every part of their suffering was echoing around them, a promise to those who had wronged them that they would pay, that there would be blood.

Dean didn’t know how many hours passed, but the cramps eventually tapered off, and so did the bleeding. He was sore, and in pain, but nothing compared to how his inner omega was rubbed raw, having lost what it was literally designed to care for. His instincts were numb, his scent must have been a mess, and Cas wasn’t much better.

He was fairly silent on their way back to camp, but he made sure Dean was able to walk properly, even offered to carry the omega. Dean had waved him off, because the pain of walking at least distracted him from the pain of everything else.

When they eventually made it back to camp, Sam was the first one to rush over. “Dude, we heard you and Cas… what happened?” Sam, his big puppy eyes and floppy hair, would have made a good uncle. Dean kept it together, only just, but he did.

“There was a – a baby.” Sam blinked, and looked all kinds of confused. “But there – there isn’t now.” Realisation dawned on his brothers face, before it crumpled entirely.

“Oh god Dean I – fuck, I don’t even know what to say.” His brother just hugged him, and held him tight. Because it was just the two of them, family meant everything to them. The small group of friends they had off the island that were probably worried sick about them, Bobby, Ellen, Jo, they were their family. Knowing someone had taken a family member from them… Dean stared as Sam pulled away from him, and looked at Cas. “You thinking what I’m thinking?” Dean had never heard Sam sound so, well, alpha before. It slightly scared him.

Cas’ face hardened, and Dean finally saw the true, deadly face of Cas the Alpha under the sweet exterior. “We leave in one hour. There will be no survivors.”

Chapter Text

He would not kill the betas, he promised Dean.

They had had no hand in hurting Dean, and therefore punishing them only for association seemed unfair, so Dean thought. Castiel always thought of himself as a fair and honest man, one who would protect his family, when and if, he ever had the opportunity to have one.

He never would of thought of willingly drawing blood, but there he was, kissing his omega goodbye for the time being, and heading off with two other alphas to avenge the death of his unborn child. The pain he felt was unlike any he had ever encountered, and it was absolutely confounding.

When he met Dean, he hadn’t thought he could ever love someone so fiercely as he did the omega. Dean Winchester was sharp, independent, and beautiful. He was everything Castiel could have ever dreamed of in a mate. When Dean had told him, crying and bleeding on the beach, that he was losing their pup… it was as if something broke lose inside him, ricocheting around his throbbing heart, piercing it indiscriminately. Some feral alpha instinct filled him, screaming at him to find those that had hurt his mate, and erase their very existence from the earth.

He scented the air, finding the wretched stench of the enemy alphas thick on the air. He turned to Sam and Gadreel, and beckoned them closer. “Put this on. It will hide our scents.” Castiel passed the other alphas bottles of scent blocker, the same mixture he made for Dean. It would hide them until they were ready to attack. Sam and Gadreel wiped the paste on their bare skin, as did Castiel.

They never saw them coming.

Having the element of surprise proved advantageous for the three of them, managing to take a man each. The betas were nowhere to be seen, so Castiel surmised they must not have returned to the alphas. He trusted Sam and Gadreel to hold their own against their opponents, so his attention was firmly focused on the light haired alpha before him. He had managed to tackle the man to the ground, before a swift kick to the side had him feinting to the left.

He felt his teeth lengthen, the adrenaline and pure, unadulterated rage coursing through him causing his muscles to bunch and tighten. He would rip the man before him limb from limb, for he knew the man had to be responsible for Dean’s injuries. He was clearly the leader of their little group.

“Well, isn’t this a surprise.” Castiel bared his teeth and growled, because he wasn’t interested in talking. The other alpha was just stalling, Castiel would kill him, it was inevitable. The only thing he could focus on. If he thought too hard about what he had lost… he himself would be lost. He had to be strong, for Dean. “That little freak mean that much to you?” To hear his mate being spoken about in such a way was enraging, but Castiel could only roar, eyes bleeding red.   

“Lucifer –” The alpha fighting Gadreel, a dark skinned man, was attempting to communicate. That wouldn’t do.

“Gadreel.” Castiel didn’t need to say anything more, just heard a strangled, gurgling scream from beside him, and then, nothing. He watched as Gadreel made his way over to Sam, who had pinned the other alpha to the ground. None of them had ever taken a life before, but living on the island seemed to have unleased the animal side of them, at least, it seemed to have in Castiel.

A short scream, cut off by a sickening crunch, ended the other alpha. Sam and Gadreel surrounded Lucifer, and Castiel stared him down. “You are outnumbered, Lucifer. Get on your knees without a word, and we will end your life quickly.” Castiel would have liked to rip him to pieces, but he was still hanging onto his humanity, if only by a thread.

Lucifer, it seemed, did not care for pain, or suffering. “You’re his mate, aren’t you?” Castiel growled, and stepped forward. Lucifer was testing his patience. “Jesus, you mated a thing like that, really? What kind of self-respecting alpha mates a null?” The alpha must have been insane, or just extremely stupid. Even if Dean was a null, Castiel would have loved him all the same.

Not that he owed the piece of scum before him an explanation, but he did owe it to Dean. His perfect, innocent, hurt omega. “My mate is an omega you insufferable maggot.” The surprise on the alphas face was almost comical, but Castiel did not laugh. “And Dean is perfect, in every way.” Castiel stepped closer, and bared his teeth. “As would our pup have been, if you had not taken that chance from us.” The alphas eyes widened, but his face cracked in a seething grin.

“Oh this just gets better! Tell me, did he cry? Did the little omega howl into the night when he realised he’d lost his pup? Was he in pain?” Castiel realised, then, that Lucifer was in fact, insane. That was a passing thought, though, and didn’t stop him roaring and launching himself at the stunned alpha. Castiel let the last pieces of his humanity slip away, until his alpha took over, using his body as a tool for violence and revenge.

Castiel felt the ripping and the tearing, tasted the blood and meat, soft and metallic in his mouth. He regressed so far, that it wasn’t until he felt someone’s hands on him, someone familiar, that he realised he was howling in agony.

“Cas – Castiel, brother, come back, come back to me.” An alphas voice, his brother’s voice, broke through the sheen of pain and loss threatening to overwhelm him. He looked up into his brother’s face, worn with worry and sadness. “It is done, brother.” Castiel didn’t bother looking at the body. He let himself be dragged away, clutching to Gadreels shoulders. He couldn’t stop the sob that finally escaped him.

“I almost – almost lost him, Gadreel.” His brother knew what he was referring too, because he alone knew Castiel had almost given up on finding a mate. Dean was everything to the alpha. “I lost – we lost, our pup, Gad.” Castiel finally let the pain he had pushed away overwhelm him, falling into his brothers arms. He was glad Dean wasn’t there to witness his breakdown. He had to be strong for his omega; Dean would need him to be strong.

“It’s alright, Castiel. No one on this island will ever harm Dean again.” Gadreel held him tightly, humming softly like their mother did when they were younger. Castiel knew he was right; after all, they had destroyed any threat to his mate by killing the alphas. If only they had struck before the attack on Dean.

“Come on, we should get back to camp. Dean will be getting worried.” Sam looked sympathetic, for which Castiel was grateful. He was a good younger brother to Dean. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell Dean about this, not if you don’t want me to.” Castiel knew Sam was referring to his emotional state, and he nodded. Sam knew very well the fragile nature of alphas, their need to appear infallible to their mates ingrained into their very beings.

Castiel gathered himself, and stood, following his brother and Sam away from the clearing. They would leave the bodies to nature. The ones they had killed didn’t deserve the respect of a proper burial.

When they finally made it back to the cave they called their home, Dean was waiting by the entrance. The omega hurried over to his mate, as fast as he could considering his injuries, and took the alpha into his arms.

Castiel kissed his omegas head, and scented him gently, careful not to exacerbate any of Deans injuries. When Dean made an enquiring sound, Castiel pulled back, and placed his forehead on his mates.

“It is done, Dean. You, and our pup, have been avenged.”

Of all the asshole things in the universe to happen, the fact that he was still vomiting a week after his attack really pissed Dean off.

“The baby’s gone, Cas.” Dean groaned and heaved as another wave of nausea rippled through him. His mate just rubbed his back and stayed silent. “Why is this still happening?” Cas sighed and kissed the back of Deans sweaty, tense neck.

“As far as I am aware, it can take a few days or weeks for the body to recognise it is no longer… carrying.” Cas’ voice tightened, and Dean reached behind him to squeeze his mates hand. It had been hard on the both of them, losing the baby, but Dean felt as if Cas took it harder, simply because he felt so helpless. “The symptoms could continue until all of the hormones have levelled out.” Dean wiped a sweaty hand over his face and rose to his feet. Cas was an awesome mate, he really didn’t know what would have happened if he hadn’t found him.

“It’s just bullshit, that’s all.” Cas turned sad, sympathetic eyes to his mate, and gently rubbed the omegas shoulders. Once Dean was done, or what felt like was done, seriously, nausea sucked, they made their way back to the cave. The others were up, cooking breakfast and getting ready to go out and check their traps. Dean’s wounds were healing well, Cas had made some kind of salve for the cuts, and the bruises had faded into a sickly, greenish hue.

“How’re you feeling?” Sam’s puppy dog eyes blinked up at him from where he was putting on his shoes. Dean just shrugged and sat down beside him.

“Still sick. I mean, I was gonna blame it on Gabes cooking, but it was actually pretty top notch last night.” Dean smirked as the beta gasped and clutched his heart in mock hurt.

“You wound me, Winchester. I’ll have you know rabbit a la banana leaf is a speciality of mine.” Dean snorted before picking up a bowl of breakfast. God only knew what it was, but the little beta hadn’t failed them so far, considering the lack of ingredients available to them.

Everyone cleared off to do their daily chores, all except Dean and Cas, who pottered around, tidying the cave. Cas wouldn’t let Dean do any strenuous work, or leave his side for even a moment. Fair enough, considering what they had been through.

Dean absently scratched his stomach, which had been goddamned itchy lately, and paused. With a shaky hand, and making sure Cas wasn’t watching, he gently cupped his belly. He pursed his lips, and frowned, a tingly, surreal feeling creeping up his back.

“Dean? Are you alright?” Dean dropped his hand and blinked rapidly. It was stupid, best not to dwell on shit that couldn’t be changed. But something… something was different, something he couldn’t put his finger on. Something had changed.

Or it hadn’t.

Another week of nausea, exhaustion and cranky assed, moody Dean had everyone on their best behaviour. No one wanted to piss off the temperamental omega that was clearly going through post miscarriage trauma. Omegas, especially male omegas, were very in tune with their bodies, or they were meant to be, anyway. Most of the time, Dean wasn’t, but of course having, or not having, a baby, he had to be the exception to that rule.

Cas made him tonics and teas, everything he could think of to get his body back into synch and running how it was supposed to. No matter what they did, though, Dean just kept getting worse.

They were having a slightly heated argument about what else they could do, when Cas suddenly stilled. Dean watched in confusion as deep, alpha red over took his mates clear blue eyes. Muffled by lengthening teeth, Cas grabbed Dean and actually fucking pushed him towards the direction of the cave mouth.

“Go!” Dean, being the stubborn mule Sam frequently described him as, stood his ground. With his hands on his hips, Dean glared back at his alpha.

“First of all, don’t you dare fucking push me, second –” He was suddenly surrounded by alphas, Gadreel and Sam having materialised out of nowhere. He had about two seconds to gather himself before they all started fucking roaring. Being that close to three alphas belting out a warning at the top of their lungs was more than deafening, but he had enough wits to look past Cas at what they were so pissed at.

Cowering in front of them, were not only the two betas from the alpha camp, but one slightly less welcome omega.

Crowley.

“They barely fed us, forced us to do unspeakable things…” Balthazar, the male beta, was busy talking while also inhaling as much of the broth Gabe could fit in a bowl. They hadn’t eaten properly for weeks, and that was no lie, judging by the state of them. Jody, the female beta, wasn’t much better. She looked haunted, and ate her food at a much more reserved pace. Yeah, despite everything, Dean felt bad for them. They hadn’t asked to be the alphas play things, and they really were lucky to be alive.

Even though the alphas didn’t understand, Dean even forgave Crowley.

He understood the other omegas fear, and what drove him to act the way he had. He didn’t know if he could trust Dean and the other alphas, for all he had known, they might have been just as bad, but not possibly worse, than the group he had managed to escape.

They fell into a sort of truce.

They didn’t talk about what had been done, and everyone was happy to have more people to talk to. Gabriel especially seemed happy with the new arrangement. No one had caught them at it, but they didn’t need to, based purely on the enthusiastic sounds most nights from Gabes side of the cave.

Gabriel really was every kind of gay.

Dean was just glad he was happy. What was even more of a surprise was when Jody and Crowley hit it off. Their mutual understanding of the horrors suffered at the hands of the evil alphas drew them together, for which Dean was glad. Everyone deserved someone to love them, for exactly who they were, regardless of what had happened to them.

The only one who wasn’t happy, it seemed, was Dean.

His body was still betraying him in the worst way, and even Cas was giving him strange, contemplative looks when he thought Dean wasn’t looking. It all came to a head weeks later, when they were alone, cleaning in the stream.

Dean had given up understanding what was happening to his body, and just accepted that he was getting fat in his old age. Cas could suck a fucking lemon if he had a problem with it though. The weird thing was, he didn’t.

The alpha had become increasingly possessive, always running his hands over the omega, everywhere he could or was allowed. Dean’s chest was absolutely killing him, so no dice there.

But still with the weird looks.

“Dude, I’ve had it up to here with the frowns and the fucking confusion.” Dean turned around and glared at Cas, who widened his eyes and blushed at having been caught. “Just tell me what’s wrong.” He waited for the alpha to find his tongue, at which point he sauntered over and lightly trailed his fingers down Dean’s naked torso.

“It’s hard to explain, Dean.” Cas ducked closer, and scented Dean, his wet lips leaving goose bumps in their wake. “It’s as if your scent has… blossomed, into something extraordinary. I can’t think of any other way to describe it.” Dean frowned and ran his hand over his fat stomach, when again that feeling that something wasn’t quite right tingled up his back.

No…

They couldn’t be that lucky, could they?

Despite his fears, he had to voice what he thought to his mate. That was what he was there for, wasn’t it? To be there for him?

“Cas…” The alpha looked at Dean, big, blue eyes shining with love and affection. God he hoped he was right; he couldn’t handle breaking the alphas heart again. “What if – what if I didn’t lose the baby?”

Cas’ gasp of shock really should have been expected, so too the tight, vice like grip of fear around his heart.

Would they really have been lucky enough to deserve such a miracle?

Chapter Text

Both the alpha and the omega decided it was best to keep their hopes to themselves, at least until they were absolutely sure Dean was in fact, in pup.

It didn’t, however, keep Cas away from Deans growing belly.

The alpha seemed absolutely enamoured with the growing bulge, stealing soft touches when the others weren’t around. Considering they didn’t have any kind of calendar, or way of knowing how many weeks or months had passed, Cas had had to make an estimated guess as to how far along Dean was.

It was easier, to begin with, to keep track of the days, but as the weeks and months blurred into each other, they had just stopped caring.

“Based on the swell of your stomach, and considering our diet and situation, I would say you’re about six months along.” Dean nodded, because that made sense. He really couldn’t get it through his head that they had been on the island for over six months though. Why hadn’t anyone found them?

“So that gives us, what, three or so months before we need to start worrying?” Dean smiled at his alpha, to try and dispel the air of fear that had settled over them. “I know it’s risky, but it’s only bad if the kid doesn’t come out the right way… right?” He wasn’t a damn doctor, and he hadn’t really had a reason to look up stuff like that before. Cas’ face scrunched up in what had to be displeasure.

“No, Dean. There are many, many things that could go wrong.” Cas dragged his fingers through his hair, making it stick up in every which way. Even with the tense topic, it was impossible not to see how damn cute Cas could be when ruffled. “What if you haemorrhage, or develop pre – eclampsia, or – or have multiples like most omegas are prone to do?” Dean bit his lip and shrugged, not knowing what to say. He couldn’t predict the future, goddamnit, but he had to be positive, wasn’t that supposed to be good for the pup?

“I don’t know what’s gonna happen, but we can’t go around with a black cloud over our heads.” Dean leaned forward and cupped his alphas face between his hands, slowly wiping away the worry lines and fear that still clouded his scent.

Cas sighed, clearly seeing he couldn’t fight what Dean was saying. “Alright, I see the logic in your argument.” Dean grinned and squirmed his way into the alphas embraced. They scented gently, careful of Deans belly cradled between them. “Despite my trepidations, I am very excited to meet our little one.” Dean hummed and kissed Cas’ neck, licking slightly to fully appreciate the heavy, musky scent of his mate.

“So am I. I mean, I’ve always wanted kids, just not really like this.” Dean snorted and shifted in Cas’ embrace. He wasn’t surprised by the hardon he found there. Apparently, Cas had a pregnancy kink. “I can take care of that later, if you want.” Dean hadn’t really been feeling all that horny lately, with all the stress, but all at once, it was back. Cas moved against him, and then Dean noticed his cheeks flaring with… embarrassment?

“I was – I was wondering, well, since we know, somewhat clearly, that you’re – you’re...” Dean was looking at Cas with wide eyes but he wasn’t getting the hint, so he poked the alpha in the chest.

“Dude, out with it! Its ok, whatever you want.” Cas shivered, and let out a fast breath.

“I wish to mount you.”

Dean blinked, and stared at his mate. He should have been used to the way Cas talked after months of knowing the guy, but sometimes it still caught him off guard. It took everything Dean had in him not to crack up laughing. He didn’t want to hurt his mates feelings, but he did have a limit to what he could handle.

“Only if you never say it like that again.”

They had to wait until everyone was asleep, or in Gabriel and Balthazar’s case, otherwise occupied. Dean couldn’t do the rough and tumble outside the cave, preferring instead to test the waters again within the soft, warm comfort of their stone sanctuary. Because it had started to get colder, they had shared the blankets, pillows and various other soft things with the other members of their pack. The fire was also banked to its limit, so it was warm, safe and homely.

As for the blankets and pillows, Dean selfishly wanted all their scents covering the items for when he eventually gave birth, knowing it would make him feel more relaxed, being surrounded by the scents of his pack.

But… they didn’t need to know that.

Cas slid in behind him, running his hands up and down Deans torso as he went. Dean shivered, closing his eyes briefly, revelling in the feeling of his mate, solid and real behind him. They couldn’t risk talking much, so with gentle touches and gestures, Dean had to relay to Cas that he was ready for their little romp.

The alpha caught on quickly, and Dean’s scent probably helped somewhat too. The sticky, sweet smell of omega arousal surrounded them, clearly filling the alphas senses, going by the hardening in his pants. Dean ground back against him, smirking when the alpha growled lowly. The vibrations travelled down his spine, ending in an explosion of slick that had his eyes rolling to the back of his head.

“Dean.” It was formed as a soft, almost soundless question, but the omega found himself nodding anyway. His heart was beating rapidly, thumping out an even rhythm that was trying to match his alphas. He held his breath when Cas’ hand slipped silently into the back of his pants, but he couldn’t hold in the sharp gasp when Cas found his slippery, fluttering hole.

“Mmmhhmm.” Dean shoved his mouth into the crook of his arm, muffling what sound he could. Cas was a damn devil with his fingers, crooking them at just the right angle to get his juices flowing. Cas’ little, almost timid thrusts with his hips just made it that much hotter.

Dean quickly, and as quietly as he could manage, divested himself of his pants. Cas was panting behind him, sucking harsh but possessive kisses into the flesh of his omegas neck. By the time Dean had rid himself of his pants, and covered them both again with the thick blanket, Cas had his fly undone, his cock out, and was rutting helplessly against Deans slick covered cheeks.

“Check me, fuck, see if I’m ready, I can’t reach.” Being pregnant was awesome, but did have its draw backs. Namely, he couldn’t reach around himself to see if he could painlessly take his mates massive cock. Cas actually whimpered when he slid three fingers straight into Deans wet heat, and the omega almost bit off his own arm trying to muffle the sound of his groan.

“Ready, you’re ready.” Once again, his mate had regressed to a near proto human, but Dean was used to that. It took a lot of blood to fill the monster Cas kept hidden in his pants. Dean was sure by the end of their love making, he would have bitten off his arm, but he found he really didn’t care. As the flared, fat head of Cas’ cock pushed against his sloppy hole, he whined, deep in his chest. Cas answered with a barely there rumble of his own, before shifting forward slightly, slipping in effortlessly, as if Deans body was hungrily awaiting that deep, personal connection with its mate.

Cas’ jerky movements to fully seat himself inside his omega, caused the alphas cock to continuously rub against Deans throbbing prostate. Dean tried his best to stay quiet, but the odd whine and whimper nevertheless escaped the cradle of his arm. Finally, finally, Cas was fully embedded within his mate.

“Are you alright?” Dean shivered when Cas’ breath caressed his ear, and he nodded, experimentally swivelling his hips and earning a sharp intake of breath from the alpha. “I’m – I’m not going to last very long, I’m afraid.” Dean snorted, because by the state of his own throbbing, dribbling cock, neither would he. He simply answered with another swivel of his hips. Cas’ growled quietly, taking Deans indication of his readiness literally by the hips, before drawing out and easing back in.

Very quickly, Dean felt the tell-tale pull of Cas’ knot tugging at his hole. Cas’ sure, steady movements started to stutter and dive deeper, so Dean knew his mate was close. He desperately wanted to kiss his mate, but the angle was all wrong and he didn’t want to risk straining himself. Instead, he grabbed a hand that was bracing his hips, laced their fingers together and brought them to cover his swollen stomach. Cas whined and dove in deep, stilling as his knot slowly swelled and tied them together. He mouthed at his mates neck, sucking on the fully healed mating bite.

Dean came with a sigh, his mates mouth and knot drawing the orgasm from him slowly, exactly how he wanted. Cas tensed behind him as the inner walls of Deans body clenched and massaged his knot, before he came with a barely stifled groan, rutting helplessly in small thrusts, as far as his knot would let him.

Dean smiled when he felt Cas kissing the back of his neck, and he wiggled, snuggling up as close as he could to his alpha. He was just about to turn as far as he could and make a joke about Cas’ sexual stamina, when he froze.

Their hands were sill joined over his belly, so he moved them lower, right where he could feel –

“Is that?” Cas sounded stunned, and Dean couldn’t blame him. It was the first time he’d felt the pup moving as well. He had been a little worried, because he assumed it should have started wriggling around sooner than it had.

But he guessed he didn’t have anything to worry about after all.

“Yeah alpha, that’s our baby.”

Chapter Text

They decided to tell their brothers separately, simply to cut down on the stress that Cas said wasn’t good for the baby. Dean had agreed, mainly because he was just so goddamned exhausted and uncomfortable, he would have agreed to pretty much anything.

As it was, Sam was looking confused and worried, as Dean led him down the beach to a sturdy looking log.

“Is everything alright, Dean?” Sam, with his big brown eyes, shaggy hair and rough beard really did look like a giant puppy. For some hormonal reason it had Dean choking up. Well fuck, going well so far. It just caused Sam to look even more alarmed.

“Uh, yeah, nah, everything’s – everything’s great, Sammy.” His brother didn’t seem to believe him, and Dean didn’t blame him. Maybe he should just lay everything out, and then let the emotions loose. “You remember a couple of months ago, uh, when Lucifer used me as a punching bag and, ah –” Sam put his hand on his shoulder, cutting him off.

“Of course I remember, how could I forget.” Goddamn it, he had sand in his eyes again or something, because they were watering like mad. Just the fact that Sam always supported him, and was always there for him, had him blubbering like a baby. He threw his arms around Sam, who yelped in surprise, but held on despite his shock. Dean mumbled into Sam’s shirt, but his brother just shook his head. “I can’t understand you, give yourself a minute.”

Dean managed to pull himself together, leaving a dirty great snot stain behind on Sam’s shoulder. “Turns out Winchesters are made of some tough shit.” Sam just stared at him, clearly uncomprehending. Of course, right at that moment, his pup decided to wake up. “Here, feel this.” Sam didn’t flinch when Dean grabbed his hand and placed it over his well-hidden baby bump. Sam still seemed to be in shock, but after a few seconds of nothing, his pup kicked at their hands, right in the perfect place for them to feel.

“Is that – I thought…” Sam looked up at Dean with a little bit of wonder, and a whole lot of happiness shining out of his eyes. The big alpha’s lips stretched wide in a big grin as the pup summersaulted away in Dean’s belly. “This is amazing, Dean. I’m – I’m so happy for you.”

Dean wiped the tears from his eyes, and smiled crookedly. He patted Sam on the shoulder, and rubbed his belly. “Alright dude, you’re gonna be an uncle, congrats, now enough with the chick flick moment, its making me gag.”

“You sure that’s not just morning sickness?”

“You shut your face.”

“You love it, admit it.”

“Yeah, yeah man, I really do.”

Everyone took the news surprisingly well, given the fact they were stuck on a deserted tropical island and Dean could very well die giving birth. He wasn’t worried though, because there wasn’t anything they could do about it. Worrying about it would just stress him out and probably hurt the baby anyway.

Cas was his usual over protect self, making various teas for him to drink and ointments for his aching back and stretchmarks. The alpha had an almost obsessive fixation on Deans growing belly, especially as the months went on and Dean grew and grew. By the time he’d reached what they assumed to be Deans due date, Cas’ eyes never left the omega, even when he really didn’t want him to watch him.

“Dude – ” Another wave of nausea overwhelmed him, and he emptied his stomach against the tree that braced him. Cas was hovering by his side, despite Deans very loud objections. “Stop watching me vomit. It’s weird.” Dean ran the back of his hand across his mouth, trying to figure out why the hell he was sick, considering he’d thought he’d left that crap behind months ago.

“I’m just concerned, Dean.” Cas certainly looked concerned, all scrunchy face and squinty, blue eyes. “You haven’t experienced sickness like this since the beginning of your pregnancy. Food poisoning or any illness at this point could be very dangerous for the both of you.” Dean sighed when Cas started massaging his lower back, nudging away all the knots and bunched muscles.

“I’m sure it’s just hormones or some shit, I’m sure everything’s –” Dean felt his stomach suddenly heat up, and his whole lower body tensed. Oh fuck. He pushed Cas away, startling the alpha. “Go, seriously, throwing up was one thing but –” Dean felt his ass clench, holding back the tide that was about to be unleashed. “Please, alpha, just trust me.” Cas finally seemed to get the message, because he nodded, kissed Deans forehead and left.

Thank fucking Christ.

Dean didn’t even want to think about what he endured over that half an hour, but by the time he stumbled back to camp, he was sweaty, shaking and embarrassed as hell. He motioned for Cas to follow him down to the beach, where he stripped everything off and waded into the surf. His alpha did the same, coming up behind him.

“I won’t ask what happened, but I need to know that you’re ok.” Cas kissed his neck gently as he scooped water up to wash Deans back. The omega purred at the attention from his alpha.

“I’m ok, I think. Guess I just needed a good cleanse.” Dean ran his hands over his enormous belly, grinning when he felt his pup kick just above his belly button, well, more right into his ribs really. Dean turned and wrapped his arms around his mate, scenting him right there in the ocean.

By the time they made it back to the shore, Dean was relaxed and happy. The events of the day seemed a distant, bad, memory.

Something was different.

He was used to waking up multiple times a night to pee, or to switch from side to side, which in itself was a mammoth effort considering his enormous belly, but something was certainly… off. When Dean woke in the middle of the night, to his mate snoring gently, curled around him, a protective arm draped over his omegas precious cargo, he just knew something had changed.

Groaning, he rolled away from Cas and sat up. The alpha smacked his lips and growled softly, but didn’t wake up. Dean sat there, trying to assess what his instincts were trying to tell him. With both hands on his belly, he tried to see if the baby was awake. It usually moved around a hell of a lot when he was trying to sleep, of course, but at that moment, he couldn’t feel anything. It wasn’t worrying, ever since his pup had dropped into his pelvis a few days before, which was the weirdest feeling; its movements had been limited to kicking him in the lungs and elbowing his bladder.

All things Cas said were good things.

He decided something else must have woken him up, because nothing was happening to him, really. At least he didn’t feel sick or anything. That had been weird earlier in the day. Just as he moved to get back to some well-earned sleep, he felt it.

A tightening sensation started around his middle, like someone had enclosed his abdomen in their large grasp and squeezed. It was unlike anything he had ever experienced, but almost immediately he knew what it meant. He waited a few minutes, just in case he was wrong, not wanting to wake his mate and freak him out for nothing.

He shivered when the tightening manifested itself again, and a tendril of fear snuck out and licked at his subconscious.

No, he could do it, he had to.

When the contraction passed, he leaned back and nudged his sleeping mate. The alpha huffed and swatted at the hand annoying him, but Dean didn’t have any time for his mate’s grumpy sleeping habits.

“Cas.”

Nothing.

“Castiel.”

A small snort, a hand gently pushed away.

After another contraction shuddered through him, Dean had had enough. Pregnancy rage was a thing, and he used it well.

“Alpha, I need you.”

That seemed to get his mates attention. He was awake and crouched over the shivering omega within moments, concerned blue eyes searching green for a hint to what he needed.

“What is it, Dean?” Cas looked ready to tear apart whole worlds to make whatever was ailing his mate cease, and Dean was glad. He would need that strength to get them all through the next few hours.

“Baby’s coming.” He wasn’t really able to form a better sentence to explain to the alpha what was happening. It was all that needed to be said. His alpha froze, blue eyes wide and a little bit scared. It took a few seconds, but the alpha came back to himself with a small shake of his head, and a determined set to his jaw.

“We must get you to the nest, can you walk?” Dean sighed, almost purring at his mate taking charge. That way he could just concentrate on delivering their pup safely into the world. He nodded at Cas, who helped him stand without too much pain. As they made their way to where Dean had prepared, having snuck their blankets and soft things back from the rest of the pack, Cas turned to Dean again. “Do you want me to alert Sam?” Dean shook his head. A birth, especially between an alpha and an omega, was a deeply personal moment. Even back in the real world, when birthing in a hospital, staff only intervened when the omega or the baby was in danger.  

They made their way deeper into the cave, slowed by Dean’s frequent need to pause during a contraction. Eventually, they were surrounded by the comforting scents of their little group, soft blankets and pillows arranged to make Dean as calm as possible.

Cas lowered Dean down onto the blankets, careful to arrange him exactly how the omega wanted. The alpha sat behind him, rubbing his back in small, deliberate circles.

“Just tell me what you need me to do, Dean, and I’ll act immediately, without question.” Cas leaned forward and kissed the back of Deans neck. The omega shivered when he felt the alpha scenting him, combining their scents to calm and sooth his mate.

“Just – just keep rubbing and I’ll be alright.” Dean hoped like hell he managed to keep his composure. Even though Cas was his mate, he didn’t want to completely loose his shit in front of him. He wasn’t one hundred percent sure how male omega births went, but he knew that his body would know what to do, even if he didn’t. He hoped for once his instincts were on point.

Everything would be fine.

It had to be.

Why the fuck did people call it the miracle of childbirth?

There was nothing fucking miraculous about having your whole lower body squeezing itself into knots, trying to force a damn bowling ball out of a very small opening.

To say Dean was raging was putting it lightly, but he used that righteous pain to his advantage, solely focused on breathing and allowing his body to do what it needed to do.

Didn’t mean he had to stay silent for it, though.

“FFFFUUUUCCCKKKKing hell, that was bad.” Dean panted and leaned against Cas, who had shed his shirt to allow easier access for Dean to scent him. Having the scent of his mate around him made the pain just that little bit more bearable, so he didn’t question the science of it. Dean had shed his clothes pretty early on, another reason he didn’t want anyone else around. Sam had stuck his head in after Dean became more vocal, luckily before he’d stripped completely, and was quickly told everything was fine and that they would let him know if they needed anything.

It was impossible to tell how much time had passed, but considering sunlight was breaching the mouth of their little alcove, it was safe to say it had been a few hours at least.

The contractions had been slowly increasing in pace and intensity, until they were less than a handful of minutes apart. Dean knew that meant the baby would be making an appearance soon. Which was lucky, because Dean had pretty much reached his point of coping. Cas was pretty much the only thing keeping him going, that, and meeting their baby.

“I don’t know how much longer I can do this, Cas.” Dean sagged against his mate, totally exhausted. Cas held him up easily, pressing a kiss to his sweat damp hair. It was hard to admit his fears, but he was a somewhat normal adult, goddammit. He knew when to ask for help, or he was learning to, anyway.

Cas opened his mouth to speak, right when Dean felt something just, give, inside him. The omega yelped at the unexpected pressure, which was followed by the most unsettling feeling of liquid running down his legs. He knew he hadn’t pissed himself, and yet in his mind he was sure he had.

“I ah, I think your water just broke.” Dean would have laughed at Cas’ blatant statement, had he not felt the pressure continue to build between his hips to an almost unbearable amount. He shuffled until his feet were wide apart, as far as he could make them without more discomfort, and gripped onto Cas’ strong shoulders.

“I think – I think I have to push.” Dean was glad Cas ignored the waver in his voice. He was scared, damn scared, because he didn’t know how it was all gonna go. All he knew was he had to push, and it was likely to hurt a fuckload. He had no choice in the matter though, he had to get their baby out, and his body was giving him all the right signals.

Cas held his gaze, his steady, deep blue eyes grounding Dean in ways the alpha wouldn’t even begin to fathom. “I’m right here, whatever you need, I’m right here.” Dean grit his teeth, and with the next contraction tightening his belly, he pushed.

He’d imagined it would hurt, but nothing could have prepared him for the feeling of his baby moving slowly through his body. With each contraction, he dug his fingers into the meat of Cas’ shoulders and pushed as hard as he could. His back ached, his thighs shook, but with each successive contraction, Dean felt the baby move lower.

To give himself time to recover, even just for a minute, Dean breathed through his next few contractions. Even then, the baby slid lower of its own accord. He wondered just how far it was until the head would start to emerge, when he realised he could just check himself.

“Cas, hold me up.” He wouldn’t be able to stand unaided, and standing seemed like the best way to do what he was doing. Gravity seemed to be helping, so he wasn’t gonna try another way. The alpha shifted his hands from Dean’s shoulders to grip him by the hips. No questions were asked, which Dean appreciated. It told him Cas trusted him with their child’s life, with his own life, which other alphas might not have.

He quickly reached a shaking hand between his legs, and was pretty surprised when he touched something that was definitely not part of him. In a way, though, it was.

The soft, filmy texture of his pups head just inside his entrance had him shivering, both with nerves and happiness. They were almost at the end. He could get there, he could do it.

“The heads right there.” Cas rumbled at Deans proclamation, the alpha showing how proud he was of his mates efforts. Dean once again placed his hands on his mate’s strong shoulders, but Cas kept his hands on Deans hips, silently telling him he would never let Dean fall.

With renewed strength, Dean waited for the next contraction. When he felt his belly tightening, he closed his eyes and squeezed, but not as hard as he could, because his body had to stretch to accommodate the baby’s head. The last thing he wanted to do was rip his ass to shreds.

The burn was horrendous, but he kept going because as he kept telling himself, it was almost over. He cried out when it felt as if his body would split apart if the pressure didn’t ease within the next push, and with the shivering convulsion of his almost spent body, it did. His baby’s head slid out, releasing an almost euphoric amount of relief. The head was the widest part, if that was out, the rest would soon follow easily.

Very carefully, he took his hands from Cas’ shoulders and reached between his legs. He trusted his mate to hold him up, so he could catch their pup. His breath knocked out of him when he felt his child’s tiny face. He whined, because it was such a fragile, precious little thing. He wanted to hold it in his hands, but was equally afraid to touch.

He had a job to do though. Checking around its neck for the cord, Dean made sure its lifeline to him was intact and secure. With no cord hampering the way, Dean prepared for the next push to expel his pup. He placed his hands on either side of his entrance, and waited for his body’s signal.

As his muscles began to bunch, he straightened his back and pushed, feeling first one tiny shoulder, then the next, emerge into the world. Gravity, his friend through the whole process, helped him with the rest.

With a slippery gush of fluid, his baby fell lightly into his waiting hands. He was glad Cas was holding him, because the amount of relief he felt was indescribable. Shaking, and not just from exhaustion and pain, Dean raised their baby between them.

A tiny, scrunched up face with a mop of dark, unruly hair stared back at him. Apparently, their child had inherited its father’s uninhibited habit of staring. Omega and baby stared at each other, unblinking, before the baby, a healthy, bright eyed, little boy, screwed up its face even more and started the best sound, at least at first, to a parents ears.

The sound of a baby crying, was the mark of a baby breathing.

“I am so proud of you, Dean.” After everything was cleaned up and dry, Dean, Cas and their tiny pup settled into the warm, safe nest. Dean was beyond exhausted, so Cas held the infant up to Deans chest, to try and get him to latch. Dean tucked the baby under his arm like a football, and brought his mouth to his nipple. His tiny, pink lips smacked open and closed, sensing the milk so near. Dean sighed and grinned when he felt the first hesitant suckles, but as soon as the milk started flowing, his son was away.

“Just like his dad.” Dean smirked at Cas, who laughed and shook his head. “I didn’t do much, just did what felt right.” Dean practically purred when Cas gently scented his neck, kissing and licking the visible mating mark. Their bond was so strong, their little family, Dean could feel it thrumming steadily, right beside his heart. It’d been just him and Sam for so long, Dean had forgotten what it was like to be part of a proper family again.

“I love you so much, you know that, right?” Dean was already all the way down the chick flick rabbit hole, so he supposed he might as well join the mad hatters tea party and completely invest himself. Cas rumbled happily, gently wiping away a small dribble of milk from their sons sleepy mouth. Having had his fill, he was sleeping quietly in Deans arms.

“I am aware, yes.” Dean nudged Cas, careful not to wake their pup. They really had to think of a name. He couldn’t just be pup forever. “You are the light of my life, Dean. I would take on the host of heaven, and even the devil himself, to protect you and our pup.” Cas stroked his child’s chubby little face, eyes crinkling with a smile of such love it made Deans heart ache. “I love you with the intensity of a thousand suns.” Dean couldn’t help himself, he snorted and grinned.

“Dude, way to blow mine out of the water.”

“I cannot help the way I feel.”

The way Cas talked was one of the things he loved about the alpha, so he couldn’t really complain. He was about to argue that they loved each other equally, and it wasn’t a damn competition, when a large, excited tangle of long limbs and shaggy hair practically fell into their cave.

“Hey Sammy.” His brother looked ridiculously embarrassed, which was funny as hell, since at least Dean was wearing pants, unlike during the labour when he’d stumbled in. “You wana meet your nephew?”

Sam’s hair went flying as he quickly nodded, before he slowly crept towards the new family. Cas didn’t even growl, which surprised Dean. Usually having another alpha around so soon after birth would be a huge no no. Just went to show how much Cas trusted Sam.

“He’s so tiny.” Sam looked scared to even touch him, so Dean lifted him carefully and deposited him in a slightly stunned Sam’s arms. The small bundle just wriggled a bit, and smacked his lips, before drifting back to sleep.

“Dude, are you crying?” Dean was more surprised than anything, because yeah Sam was emotional, more than Dean anyway, but he hadn’t expected tears.

“Shut up, this is a big moment.” Dean looked at Cas, who was grinning as well. Everything was pretty damn awesome, if he had to say. He wouldn’t think about how the hell they were gonna raise a child on a damn island in the middle of no where, because right at that moment, everything was ok.

That was, until the usually stoic, reserved Gadreel ran into their cave and smelled all kinds of agitated. Cas was immediately on edge, jumping into a crouching defensive position between Dean, their pup and the door.

“Gadreel, what is it?” The other alpha seemed to need to catch his breath, but he was soon able to stammer out a reason for his agitation.

“A boat, brother. There’s a boat and its coming straight for us.”

Chapter Text

Turned out, people had been looking for them, just not in the right place.

When they finally arrived back on the mainland, there was no fan fair, no welcome home party, nothing. Just their families waiting in a giant warehouse, surrounded by guys in black suits, wearing shady as fuck sunglasses and ear pieces.

Dean cradled his pup close to his chest, who was thankfully a pretty heavy sleeper. Cas, Sam and Gadreel had him practically surrounded, but for once he was happy for their protective alpha scent. It calmed him and allowed him to focus.

They were escorted towards the small group of people waiting impatiently behind more goons.

“Dean!” The man in question jerked his head towards the voice, so familiar it made Deans very bones ache to hear it after so long. He didn’t even think, just let his feet carry him towards the man who had stepped up and raised both him and Sam when their parents were cruelly taken from them.

He heard Cas rumble curiously beside him as he took off, but luckily his mate followed him without question. It probably helped that Sam was running right alongside him, a huge grin plastered across his goofy face.

Bobby grabbed them both by the neck, a pretty tough task when the size of Sam was factored in, and pulled them both into a crushing hug. Dean had just enough time to angle his pup away from the wall of familial love before Bobby suddenly pulled back.

“Boy, are you tellin’ me, it took being stranded on a desert island for you to find a mate and –” Bobby nodded towards the bundle in Deans arms, the skin around his eyes crinkling with happiness. “Start a family?”

Dean shrugged, shifting his pup around as he was beginning to fuss. “Yeah, well, thought I’d get with the program.” He smiled when Cas came to stand beside him, placing a protective hand over their child. “Everyone else seemed to be doing it.” He gestured towards his mate, who extended his hand towards his surrogate father. “This is Cas, my mate.”

Bobby puffed up his chest and stuck out his hand, grasping Cas’ firmly. They had their little alpha pissing contest, which had Dean rolling his eyes, but eventually they settled their alpha tendencies and broke apart. Bobby moved onto Sam, who launched into a quick summary of their events on the island.

Dean took the chance to turn to Cas, who had been joined by Gadreel. Cas hadn’t really talked a whole lot about his own family, but he expected some representation.

As if reading his mind, Cas shook his head. “No one is here for us, Dean. Gadreel and I, well, it’s only us.” Cas dropped his eyes to the ground, and the tangy waft of sadness permeated the air. Dean was having none of that.

“No, it’s not.” Cas looked up in surprise, and Gadreel cocked his head to the side, clearly eager for Deans answer. “You’ve got Sam, Bobby, Ellen, you’ll meet her later,” Dean shuffled their pup around to face his father, who he blinked sleepily at, “but most importantly, you’ve got us.” Cas couldn’t fight the smile that crossed his lips, and even Gadreel had uplifted the edges of his mouth.

“Thank you, Dean. That means so much, to the both of us.” Gadreel was a good man, he was glad Sam had such a good mate.

All around them, their small group was being reunited with their families, and Dean felt a sadness well inside him for those that wouldn’t have that reunion. So many people had died, who the hell would be held responsible for that?

Before he could ask Bobby what the hell had gone down while they had been out of contact, the crowd quietened, and turned towards an annoyingly arrogant voice.

“Now, I know you’re all wondering why you’re here.”

Dick Roman was, well, a giant dick with a capital D.

He was rich, powerful and apparently knew all the right people to make the inconvenience of a boat load of people getting stranded on one of his very private islands, mysteriously disappear. No matter that a whole lot of people died, and were essentially stranded for what they assumed was the rest of their lives.

The easiest thing to do with a whole bunch of survivors, to a man worth more than a small countries treasury, was to throw ridiculous amounts of money at them.

So that was exactly what he, or more accurately, his corporation, did.

Dean didn’t really know how to feel, looking at the amount of zeros in his bank account, but he knew he was angry. The injustice of it all, that Dick Roman wouldn’t be held to account for blocking the authorities for so long, making it impossible for them to be found. Because of course they all had to sign a damn blanket gag order that stopped them talking to anyone or pressing charges. But he had a kid to think of, and the stress of a drawn out court battle and all the media… he didn’t even like thinking about it.

Dean was inherently a private person, just like his father had been. All he wanted was a good, quiet life for him and his family, but that didn’t stop him from donating a good chunk of the money used to essentially pay them off.

Anonymously, of course.

Life continued on, as it always did, and the world kept turning. Dean found himself swept up in caring for his pup and new mate, but he couldn’t shake that feeling of something missing. Ever since their return from the island, Dean had felt so caged by society.

Bringing his feelings to the attention of his mate was easy, Cas just guessed.

“Something is troubling you,” Cas settled himself next to Dean on the couch, draping an arm protectively around the omegas shoulders. “Please let me help, if I can.” Cas was always so considerate and kind, but he showed his alpha side when he needed to. Dean chewed his lower lip, debating whether it was worth voicing his concerns at all. It wasn’t like anyone else felt the same way.

Dean sighed, and relented. “Ok, so, ever since we got back from the island, I’ve just felt, I dunno, weird.” Cas frowned, and cocked his head to the side, indicating for Dean to go on. “I just feel like, on the island, we just, we lived, you know?” Dean sighed; because of course Cas thought he was crazy.

“Our time on the island, while perilous and fraught with danger, was preferable to the way we are living now.” Dean’s head snapped up and he stared at his mate. Surely Cas couldn’t be agreeing that the island was better? “You know I am at odds with society, and the current  “regime” rubs me entirely the wrong way.” Dean almost laughed at the air quotes, but it was a serious discussion after all. It could well change their whole lives.

“What’re we gonna do, Cas?” The alpha sighed, and rubbed his chin, an indicator of a plan forming.

“Let me make some calls.”

Six months later.

Buying a national park that the new government was selling off, wasn’t as hard as the group thought. Pooling their money together, they managed to buy the Rocky Mountain National Park. It wasn’t cheap, but the money from Roman Industries bought the group what they had desperately sought, peace and quiet from the outside world.

Dean, Castiel, and their brothers moved in first, clearing out and remodelling the old hotel. There was plenty of room for everyone, by the time they were done. Gabriel and Balthazar joined them after a few months, having completed their round the world tour of debauchery. When Dean asked about it, Gabriel just chuckled and replied with “Deano, what happens on tour, stays on tour.”

To which Balthazar replied, “Except for that lovely tattoo on your ass.”

“And your crabs!”

Dean really shouldn’t have asked.

After everything was ready, they started taking clients. Teaching people how to survive in the wilderness was their calling, with Dean and Sam teaching survival skills such as building shelter, hunting and what to do in certain situations. Castiel and Gadreel handled first aid and working with what nature provided. Gabriel and Balthazar, besides providing the entertainment, taught wild food preparation and cooking.

A few months in, Dean was watching Sam give a demonstration on how to start a fire, when he felt a hand on his back. The omega turned, and smiled at his mate. He took their pup, James, after Castiel and Gadreels father, and settled him on his hip.

“You smell very happy, Dean.” Dean smiled, and kissed his stubbly cheeked alpha.

“It took me a while to find where I belonged, Cas, but I’ve finally found it.” He watched as Sam made their small group laugh. “I’ve found my home.”