Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Dean Winchester had learned from a young age that love was not something meant for him. Born the eldest son of the prestigious Winchester family, he should have been cherished, protected. But he was an omega in a world where strength and power were revered above all else. 

Especially in the Winchester household where breaking the mold of things was not tolerated and Dean was an omega that broke the mold. He hadn’t done it on purpose, but John Winchester did not care and did everything in his power to force Dean into that mold. 

Appearances were everything for high society, magical families especially. Omegas were to be hidden, their passive magical power a boon for their alpha and never their own to use. If they should possess a rare and formidable magical gift, they had to be sure never to outshine any alpha. It would be this ability that would instantly mark them as an asset to the family name.

Unfortunately for Dean, his stepmother, Kate, had decided his fate the day she had mated his father. She had never accepted Mary’s children and had made their childhood as miserable as possible. The fact that Dean had inherited Campbell magic instead of Winchester magic like Sam had was a thorn in her side.  She had taken matters into her own hands when he started showing strong magical traits, used her own subtle power to manipulate John and make his life miserable.

“What is this supposed to be?”

Scalding hot liquid splashed Dean’s face. He tried not to wince or show any sign that the hot coffee burned every bit of skin it touched. His stepmother held an empty cup in her manicured hand, her face twisted in disgust. “This is undrinkable!” she snapped.

“Sorry, Kate,” Dean murmured, making sure to keep his head bowed in submission. 

“Make a fresh pot. Immediately.” 

Despite having brewed the coffee the same way he did every morning, Dean took the cup from his stepmother’s outstretched hand and nodded in acquiescence. He kept his head down as he passed his father, who continued eating his breakfast as if nothing had happened.

“What a useless omega, can’t even make coffee properly. When are you getting rid of him, John. He’s being a bad example for Adam.” 

Adam was his younger omega half brother, the one that would save their family’s reputation after Dean had proven to be useless and Sam had run away to join the King’s alpha army. Adam sat demurely next to their father, smirking at Dean and enjoying his mother’s mistreatment of him.

“Not to worry, Kate,” John turned to her before continuing. “I am in communication with–” 

Dean pretended not to listen to their conversation as he hurried out of the room. One might think that being the eldest son would warrant some sort of sympathy from his father, but after almost 20 years of hate, Dean had lost all hope that his family would ever love him. 

Magic defined the noble houses. The Winchesters were feared and revered for their command of powerful mental magic and their ancestral mastery of sigils, a legacy that earned them a coveted place in the King’s court. Alphas were expected to inherit the strongest abilities, their futures paved with glory, while omegas were seldom gifted with more than passive talents, if they were lucky enough to have magic at all. 

His younger brother, Sam, was barely eighteen and already a rising star in the King’s elite alpha army. With his unnerving precognition and mastery over sigils, Sam had become indispensable, praised, admired, and destined for greatness. That he had escaped during the night to join the army instead of staying to be the head of the family as his father had wanted, was never spoken about. Sammy had made it out and Dean was proud of him for it. 

Adam, too, had shown signs of powerful magic before he could even walk. His voice carried an unnatural command—whatever he asked became your deepest desire, and you’d obey without hesitation, without question, as if it were your own will all along. He had inherited this power from Kate, who could manipulate your thoughts and insert subtle ideas into your mind. Both their magical powers were inconspicuous but useful for any alpha they mated. 

Perfect omega magical power.

After Adam’s first heat, there had even been talk of marrying him off to an alpha of the King’s choosing, likely to turn him into yet another pawn of the court. But his influence over you, while potent, proved fleeting. A gift that could bend minds, but not hold them. It was impressive, yes, but ultimately useless in the King’s long game. So Adam stayed. 

Dean, unlike his brothers, had always been different. Even as a child, he could hear the whispers of spirits, feel their energy pulse beneath his skin like a second heartbeat and converse with the ones willing to talk to him. He could conjure protective barriers without a single lesson, dispel dark forces with instinct alone, and draw strength from the very spirits others feared. It was a rare and valuable gift—exorcist potential in an omega, a miracle by any standard. It was the kind of power that could have elevated him within their world.

Instead, his father saw it as an abomination. Omegas were never meant to surpass alphas, not in strength, not in skill, and certainly not in magic. The sheer force of Dean’s abilities, evident even in childhood, was not something John Winchester could tolerate. It didn't matter how rare or extraordinary the gift was—Dean’s magic was a threat. To the family’s reputation. To their carefully maintained hierarchy. And most of all, to Adam’s future.

Before Dean could even understand his magic, Kate convinced John to seal Dean’s power away using blood sigils. It hadn’t taken much convincing to lock his power away without explanation or remorse. The boy who spoke to spirits and shaped light into shields was silenced—erased—before he had the chance to become anything.

While his younger omega half-brother flourished under his mother’s gentle guidance, celebrated for his charm and power, Dean was relegated to the shadows. Treated more like a servant than a son, he lived in the house but was never truly part of it. He was a ghost among the living, watching the life he might have had slip further out of reach.

It hadn’t always been this way. His mother, Mary, had loved him. She had nurtured his power, passed down from her Campell blood. During the first two years of his life, he’d blossomed and purified the land around their home without even trying. But after Sam’s birth, Mary never fully recovered, passing away soon after. Sam was only six months old when John remarried, and just a year after that Kate bore Adam—the perfect omega. When Adam turned two, everything ended for Dean.

He was, as his step-mother constantly reminded him, an abomination.

Dean stared out the kitchen window as he brewed a fresh pot of coffee, indulging in impossible dreams where he was valued for his power, where he fought alongside his brother in service of the King.

The sigil that sealed his magic burned against the back of his neck, reminding him of reality. No omega would ever become a soldier. No matter how strong.

He knew there was a need for soldiers, for this land had been plagued by unearthly creatures since time immemorial. Some of these beings resembled humans, others were in the shape of animals, or their shape was so twisted their darkness defied description. These otherworldly monsters were malicious to humans. 

The task of hunting them fell on the magical families, descendants of bloodlines that possessed supernatural powers. Only these select families were able to fight the supernatural and were able to defend the land. Indispensable to the King and his people, the magical families enjoyed high social status. 

The Winchesters were a long established noble line, one of the families who had risen to power through their ancestral knowledge. Dean’s own grandfather, Henry Winchester, was a legend among the King’s warriors, giving his descendants a prestige others only wished they had. 

Once Dean had turned nineteen, an age when omegas of magical families usually mated, he’d been ready to fulfil his duty as a Winchester omega, but he hadn't received a single proposal. And because his father had never given him a stipend, Dean couldn’t move out. He depended entirely on his father’s cruel household where he was considered even lower in rank than the servants. 

It was strange that his father would even think of looking for a mate for Dean. 

“Your coffee, Step-mother.” Dean placed a freshly brewed pot of coffee on the table in front of his step-mother. Kate huffed but didn’t comment. Before today, Dean had been convinced he’d spend the rest of his life as their slave. Hearing that they were considering finding a mate for him made that insidious feeling of hope grow in the pit of his stomach.

Dean closed his eyes and tried to stomp all feelings out of his heart. ‘Don’t get your hopes up.’ he thought to himself . ‘As an omega stripped of his power, I am nothing after all.’

—

Later that morning, after clearing the breakfast table and washing dishes he ran outside to do any household chores he could away from his step-mother and half-brother. The servants were well aware of this and always left the laundry and outdoor chores for him to complete. This also gave him the perfect excuse for when he practiced the few martial arts and sigils Sam had been able to secretly teach him before he left. 

“Good morning, Dean.” Dean was so focused on his cleaning that he was startled to see his neighbor, Michael, standing behind him.

“Ah. Good morning, Alpha Milton.” He smiled, grateful to have a distraction for the monotony of chores. 

Alpha Michael Milton was the second son of the Milton family. They also had a strong magical inheritance and lived in the neighboring manor. Michael was one of his only friends, a calm and even tempered alpha with a handsome face and dark short hair. He was wearing a well tailored suit that morning, unlike any Dean had ever seen when Michael visited. ‘ Why is he dressed like this?’ Dean wondered with that same hopeful feeling in the pit of his stomach.

“Good weather this morning.” Michael stepped closer to Dean, subtly scenting the omega. 

Dean agreed with a short nod and a subtle scenting of Michael’s own woodsy scent. He always appreciated these short talks with Michael. He was one of the only people that even considered him part of the Winchester family and not just another of the servants. 

“Is there anything I can help you with?” Dean asked. It was strange to see Michael visiting this early and this well dressed. Michael blushed and looked away, making that spark of hope grow.

“I have an appointment with your father. There’s an important matter my family  wishes to discuss with him.” 

Dean’s eyes widened slightly. ‘Could it be?’

“O-oh. Alright. Don’t let me keep you any longer.” Dean was so curious he could feel the need to follow the alpha inside and listen in, but he silenced his wayward thoughts instead and returned to his chores. 

He was almost done in the garden when one of the servants came out of the house to call him inside. Dean tried his best to clean himself before joining his father. It was rare that John even acknowledged his presence. Anticipation grew in his gut as he knocked on his father’s office door and was let in.  

Inside sat not only his father and Michael, but also his step-mother and Adam. In spite of that, the anticipation in his gut increased and he tried his best to conceal his feelings behind an expressionless face. There was nowhere for him to sit, so he chose to stand, his back against the door he’d just entered through. 

“I would like to discuss the future of this family. Mainly the prospect of mating. Dean, I thought it best for you to be present for this conversion as well.”

‘Mating?’ Hearing his father say that word made the feeling of hope he’d stomped away with all his might grow in the pit of his belly. Perhaps the news he was about to hear would not be so bad after all? 

“There have been a few discussions on joining our families between myself and Richard Milton.” Dean had to really dig into his memory to remember Richard Milton. He was Michael alpha father and head of the Milton family. A disagreeable alpha, if Dean remembered their few and far in between interactions correctly. 

“Michael, being a second son, has the opportunity to join any family of his choosing to strengthen the bloodline. As we don’t have an alpha successor, Richard and myself have agreed that Michael will be joining our family and mating your brother, Adam.”

‘Oh.’

Of course it would be Adam.

Everything went black for a moment, he was lost in a chasm of despair as his only friend and hope, the only alpha he trusted, was suddenly taken away from him and given to his half-brother. Dean had been aware that his father had intentions of having Michael join the family, only he had hoped it would be by mating him.

But no, Michael was to mate Adam. Dean looked at the alpha, who blushed in embarrassment and looked away.

John’s voice was as cold and unyielding as ever when he spoke, interrupting Dean’s thoughts. “Dean, you will be sent away to be betrothed to the Krushnic family’s current alpha heir, Castiel Krushnic.”

Dean blinked, his throat tightening. “Krushnic?” He had heard the name whispered in quiet, fearful tones. “Sir, I—”

John’s hand slammed against the table, silencing him. “You’ll do as you’re told, boy. You think I’m keeping you here to scrub floors for the rest of your life? No, you’re gonna make yourself useful. That family’s got power, and if you’re lucky, they’ll find some use for you.”

Dean kept quiet, looking down at his hands, the loose sleeves of his white shirt dirty from the work he’d been doing this morning. His cuffs covered half of his calloused hands. Dark worn trousers covered his legs and worn out shoes finished his simple outfit. Compared to his brother’s colorful and elaborate suit he was a pitiful picture. Dean probably was being ‘mated’ off to be a breeder or a servant for the Krushnic alpha. That was what his father probably meant as ‘useful ’ anyway. With a sigh Dean accepted his fate.

“As you wish, Father.”

“What? Aren’t you glad to mate into the Krushnic family, Dean?” Adam added with insincere enthusiasm, not even bothering to hide his hateful smile as he leaned on Michael’s shoulder, who was still looking down, avoiding Dean’s gaze. 

The Krushnic family was known for producing only alphas with strength that was feared by all. Many of their lineage were gifted with exceptional celestial power that gave them unimaginable strength against all kinds of monsters. The family was one of the most powerful bloodlines in the kingdom. Their legacy was built on divine energy, and their warriors were said to be blessed by celestial forces. Castiel, their heir, was a living legend—a warrior who could wield holy energy as a weapon, cutting down enemies with ethereal blades and summoning powerful energy to wield as he commanded. His gaze could pierce through lies, revealing hidden truths and unseen forces. He was no ordinary alpha.

He also had a reputation of being heartless. 

Adam smirked and continued. “You really hit the jackpot, Dean. They say no omega lasts more than three days in that house. Alpha Krushnic chews ’em up and spits ’em out.”

Dean had heard as much from the servants. 

And now his father was telling him to potentially mate the alpha, likely intending to never allow Dean to step foot back in this house again after Krushnic rejected him. Everyone in the room knew that this arrangement was doomed to fail. He would either be claimed and used as a breeder or thrown out and homeless by the end of the whole ordeal.

“You should be grateful that we are even considering this amazing opportunity. Who would ever want a useless omega like you?” his step-mother chimed in, glee apparent in her voice. “However, we are in no position to refuse a mating request by such a powerful family, it would be rather rude.”

“Yes, you have no choice but to accept. Pack your things. Mr. Krushnic’s carriage will be here soon to take you to his estate.”

Dean nodded, turned and left the room without another word. There was nothing else for him to do except follow his father’s wishes. Although he used to look forward to leaving the Winchester home, with the Krushnic residence as his final destination he probably was going out of the frying pan and into the fire. 

When the Krushnic carriage arrived a few hours later, it was as grand as he had expected—polished wood, gilded accents, and the family crest emblazoned on its side. The man who stepped out was not Alpha Krushnic but his steward, an older beta that introduced himself as Bobby Singer. He regarded Dean with a sharp, assessing gaze before nodding gruffly.

"Get in, kid. We got a long ride ahead of us."

Dean obeyed, climbing into the carriage without a word. As the wheels began to turn, carrying him toward an uncertain future, he allowed himself one last look at the house that had never been his home. Then he let it go.

For better or worse, his life with Castiel Krushnic was about to begin.

Chapter Text

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Dean Winchester.”

Keeping a respectful distance from the alpha behind the large mahogany desk, Dean tried his best to bow with as much grace as he could muster, his threadbare black trousers and white shirt a poor choice of clothes for meeting his future mate, but the best clothes he owned. His father had given him newer clothes to use when meeting his future mate but they were so ill fitting on Dean’s thin frame, that he’d been unable to wear them. 

He tried to take a deep breath, taking in all the new and unfamiliar scents in his new, and hopefully permanent, home. He knew he was unwelcome in this place as he had been in his own family’s home. He could smell the alpha’s angry and annoyed scent fill the room quickly.

He remained in that position,  eyes closed and neck extended towards the alpha in a sign of submission, careful not to make the slightest movement as he awaited the alpha’s response to his presence. He had no problem staying in this position, as he was used to being unacknowledged or ignored but he didn’t want to risk angering the alpha in front of him any further.

“How much longer do you plan on staying in that position?”

The alpha’s voice is distinctly deep, gravelly and measured, as if wasting words was not something this man did often. He spoke in a calm deliberate tone, making Dean hope for something unknown. 

“Sorry.” 

“...I wasn’t asking for an apology.” The alpha sighed. “Stand up straight, my back hurts just by looking at you.” Dean stood up straight and got a better look at the man sitting in front of him. 

He is beautiful.

The alpha was stunning, even more so than the rumors had implied. His skin was sunkissed and smooth, no imperfections marred it, making it look slightly ethereal. His eyes were a deep, piercing blue and were directed straight at him. Dean could only imagine what it would be like to be stared at by this alpha with anything other than this present contempt.

Beauty is never a sign of goodness, he tried to remind himself. Appearances can be deceiving. Dean knew first hand never to judge a person by their looks. Even the most beautiful people possessed cruel hearts. This alpha was probably one of those people. Why else would all the previous omegas have fled within days of their engagement?

The tales Dean had heard of this alpha’s coldness and mercilessness in the battlefield were comparable to what he had heard about his attitude towards omegas. Everyone knew that this man would not hesitate to put his opponents to the sword, and his omegas out the door. And I’m probably next.

The alpha’s magic was rumored to be the strongest of this generation. The back of Dean’s neck started stinging, the sigil there responding to the magic in the room —the pain was sharp and piercing-– an uncomfortable reminder that his own magic was useless, a disgrace to his family and that this man was strong. So strong that his mere proximity was making his own dormant magic react. 

Unfortunately for Dean, there was no other choice but to appeal to this alpha. If he was turned away there was nowhere he could go. He would not be accepted back home and there was no one else he could rely on for help. Regardless of what cruelties awaited him with this alpha, he had no choice but to stay. 

“Are you the latest omega candidate?” 

Dean nodded. “Yes, alpha.”

Castiel frowned. “Then listen carefully. You will follow my orders without question. If I tell you to leave, you leave. If I tell you to lay down your life, you do it. No arguments. No hesitation.” His voice was cold, resolute.

Dean stared in disbelief. He came prepared for harsh humiliation and verbal abuse. Was obedience really all this alpha required? 

“Yes, alpha.”

“What?” The alpha seemed surprised by his acquiescence, but Dean kept his expression void of any relief, hoping his scent followed along as well. 

“Is there anything else I can do for you?” 

The alpha stayed quiet. Castiel tilted his head and stared at Dean with an odd expression on his face. When nothing else was said Dean bowed his head in respect.

“In that case, if you please excuse me…”  Then he left the room without another word. 

Outside Castiel’s office, Dean met with Naomi Novak, the housekeeper. She was a no nonsense woman in her late fifties who had welcomed him into the house and guided him to Castiel’s office. 

The house had been closer to the city than he expected, but still hidden in the forest by the most amazing foliage he’d ever seen. It was smaller than he expected, after hearing rumor after rumor of the Krushnic riches, but he couldn’t let anything distract him from his new goal. 

Obey the alpha or be thrown away. 

“Is the meeting over, Omega Winchester?” Naomi asked in a friendly but serious tone of voice. Dean had expected all servants in this household to be cold and emotionless, closer to dolls than people. His experience so far, with Bobby and Naomi, had been completely different than imagined. 

“Yes.”

“Then follow me please, and I will show you to your rooms.” Naomi turned motioning for Dean to follow her. “You’ve had a long journey.”

—

Dean woke up early the next morning, used to waking before the sun to start with chores around the house. Once Naomi had shown him into his new room, which was sparsely furnished but still better than the small servant’s room he’d used back home, Dean had unpacked his few possessions and fallen instantly asleep in the cozy bed.

Now he was awake and feeling fresh, ready to get started with his day. He stood up from bed, wearing his threadbare nightshirt, and looked around the room.

What should I do now…? 

Alpha Krushnic hadn’t given him any orders last night. Was he expected to do the cooking and cleaning like he did back home? Surely when, if, he mated Alpha Krushnic he would not need to do any house chores… or would he?

Those are my only skills after all.

He’d learned to read and write with his younger brothers, and had taken some lessons on omega etiquette. He’d also learned as much as he could from Sam’s fighting and magic lessons, but even if it was an acceptable choice, as an omega with his magic suppressed there was only so much he could do on that front. 

Still, he couldn’t just stay in his room and do nothing. He straightened his room up, making the bed and changing clothes quickly and set out to look for the kitchens. 

While it would be out of place for Krushnic’s omega to do the cooking, he tried to remind himself that his presence here was temporary at best and he should try to make a good impression. He could never pretend to be an educated omega like Adam, if he was going to be rejected regardless of what he did, he might as well make himself useful until then. 

Once he reached the kitchen Dean made a mental list of the ingredients he needed and where all the utensils were. Deciding on a traditional breakfast like his family enjoyed every morning he set out to start preparing bread rolls, fruit preserves and a few cold meats. He wondered what Alpha Krushnic liked and hoped going for simple instead of elaborate was the right choice. 

“Omega Winchester..?” Naomi called from the kitchen entrance. 

“Good Morning, Naomi. I’m sorry for using the kitchen without asking. I thought getting breakfast started would be of some help.” 

“Good morning, Omega Winchester. Don’t apologize, you are our alpha’s intended mate, feel free to do as you please.” Naomi smiled pleasantly at the omega, dismissing Dean’s worries with a kind wave of her hand. 

Maybe I shouldn’t have done this…

It seemed Dean had only made more work for the older beta, he was a clean cook but he still dreaded being a burden on anyone. Naomi probably sensed his distress because she placed a calming hand on his back.

“As you can see, Omega Winchester, I am an old woman. I am truly grateful for your help this morning.”

“Please, it’s nothing.”

Naomi gave him a gentle smile. “Alpha Krushnic won’t be waking up for a while. Shall I tend to my other duties and leave you to finish here? You seem to be doing an amazing job so far.” 

“If that is fine with you…?”

Naomi nodded, satisfied with Dean’s answer and quickly hustled out of the kitchen to get started on other household chores. Dean was still worried he had overstepped but Naomi kept reassuring him every time she checked on him as she worked. 

Dean was just finishing plating everything when Naomi came in to tell him Alpha Krushnic was awake and waiting for his breakfast. Dean was quite proud of what he’d accomplished that morning: soft boiled eggs, light fluffy white rolls with warm sweet creamy butter, slices of glazed ham, soft goat cheese and fresh berries. When he asked where all the food came from, Naomi claimed everything in the kitchen was fresh and from nearby farms owned by the family, brought in every evening and ready to use for every meal. 

Naomi guided Dean to a small parlour where Alpha Krushnic was sitting alone on the head of a small dining table reading what appeared to be a newspaper. It was the first time he’d seen Alpha Krushnic in his military uniform. He cut a dashing figure with the top two buttons left unbuttoned. 

“Good Morning, Alpha Krushnic.”

Castiel looked up from the paper slowly, folding it with the precision of someone who hated chaos in any form. His blue eyes flicked over Naomi and directly towards Dean, taking in every detail—from the modest tray in his hands to the careful way he carried himself, trying not to take up space.

Naomi motioned for Dean to go ahead and the omega walked in towards the dining table, set the tray down in front of him, hands trembling just slightly and leaned down showing his neck in submission. “I hope this is to your liking, Alpha. I wasn’t sure of your preferences, so I kept things simple.”

Castiel didn’t respond right away, his gaze moving slowly from Dean and on to the food. Then, without a word, he reached for one of the rolls and broke it in half, steam rising delicately into the air. He took a bite,then another. His expression remained neutral.

Dean stood there, silent and stiff, waiting for some sort of reaction. A reprimand. A command to leave. Anything.

Instead, Castiel gestured toward the chair across from him.

Dean blinked. “I’m sorry…?”

“Sit,” Castiel said plainly, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “There is plenty of food here for both of us.”

With a hesitant look at Naomi, who smiled softly and nodded, Dean obeyed, perching on the edge of the seat like a bird ready to flee but made no move to eat any of the food. He didn’t remember the last time he had shared a meal with another person. This alpha was not what he expected at all. Also, his stomach was in knots, there was no possible way he would eat any food this morning.

Castiel continued eating, “You cooked this yourself?” he asked, without looking up. 

“Yes, Alpha.”

Castiel nodded once. Looked up at Naomi, who was still standing near the door, and dismissed her with a look. 

Dean didn’t know how to behave—was he supposed to say something else? He glanced up, but Castiel had gone back to reading the newspaper, his expression unreadable. 

The silence stretched between them, but for once, it wasn’t suffocating. 

Castiel pushed the tray slightly towards Dean. “Eat.” 

Dean stared at the alpha, cold and unapproachable with his uniform opened at the neck, but kind in a way.  A moment passed, then he hesitantly took one of the rolls and shared his first breakfast ever with his intended alpha.

—

In the days that followed, Dean slipped easily into routines he’d known all his life—cleaning, cooking, arranging rooms just so, even helping Naomi with laundry and Bobby with errands on the outside of the manor. He didn’t expect gratitude, or even acknowledgment.

But Alpha Krushnic noticed.

When Dean brought fresh tea to his study, Alpha Krushnic looked up from his writing and simply said, “Thank you, Dean.”

When Dean adjusted the curtains in the sitting room, Castiel nodded and invited Dean to sit with him for a few minutes. 

It wasn’t much, but it was enough. Enough for  Dean to start feeling a sliver of something that he hadn’t felt in years—dignity. No one had ever acknowledged the world he did before. Not his father or brothers, his step-mother even less so. 

But here, in Krushnic manor, Naomi and Bobby treated him as if he were someone valuable, not because of magic or mating potential, but because he was kind, respectful, and helpful to both. 

—

Earlier that week Dean had been outside helping Bobby  with some garden work. The older beta had started calling him "kid" with the same easy, unspoken fondness he always used when he talked about Alpha Krushnic. 

“Damn thing’s warped from the rain,” Bobby muttered, hammering at a loose board on the fence by the vegetable garden Dean was working on. “Knew I should’ve reinforced it sooner.”

Dean, kneeling directly on the garden soil looked up with a smirk. “Or maybe the goats just have it out for you.”

Bobby snorted. “I knew you were mouthy. Just needed some time to come out with it.”

Dean chuckled under his breath.

Bobby’s work slowed a bit as he took it. “You’re settling in, huh?”

Dean glanced away. “Trying to.”

“You’re doin’ fine.” Bobby paused. “Krushnic ain’t like the stories they tell.”

“No,” Dean murmured, gaze lowering. “He’s not.”

Bobby’s voice softened. “You ever feel like he ain’t treating you right, you come find me. Ain’t no shame in speaking out when you need it, kid.”

Dean didn’t trust himself to speak. But he nodded, and Bobby squeezed his shoulder once before going back to work.

That small gesture, that brief moment, had settled something in Dean. Bobby had worked for Castiel for years, and clearly respected him. That the older beta was looking out for him meant more than Dean could admit.

—

During the second week of his stay at Krushnic manor Dean was resting after his morning chores were done, enjoying a hot cup of tea. He was about to take his first sip of the hot beverage when a sharp tinge on the back of his neck made him flinch. The pain passed quickly but it startled him enough that he splashed some hot tea down the front of his shirt. The fabric, already thin and frayed from years of use, absorbed the liquid instantly. Dean hissed quietly, pulling the shirt away from his chest before it could harm him. He muttered a soft curse under his breath as he tried to scrub the mess with a small tea towel. There was no point, the stain was staying. The worst part was, he didn’t have anything else suitable left to wear. 

By lunch time, the worn, now stained shirt clung awkwardly to him. He kept his head down as much as he could, praying that no one noticed. But of course, Naomi noticed.

She appeared in his room right after lunch, quiet as she always was and dropped a neatly folded bundle wrapped in soft linen. Dean looked up from where he sat by his window, still fidgeting with the stain on his ruined shirt. 

“These are for you,” Naomi said warmly, motioning with her hand at the bundle she had just dropped off. 

“What–what is it?” Dean blinked owlishly. No one ever brought him anything. 

“Clothes,” she said simply.

Dean hesitated, but stood to walk over to the package. He touched it lightly, fingers ghosting over the linen. When he opened it, he saw shirts and trousers inside. They were simple, but finely made, soft to the touch, durable, and unlike anything he’d worn in years. Folded on the very bottom was a long nightshirt, pale gray in color, with nearly invisible sigils embroidered into the hem and neckline. 

‘Protective wards? ’ Dean thought as he traced the symbols with his hand. They were gentle wards, meant for sleep and peace. 

Dean’s throat tightened as he looked up at Naomi. 

“I can’t…” He had to swallow before continuing. “I don’t… deserve this.”

Naomi shook her head as she stepped closer. She reached out and squeezed his forearm, firm but careful. Then she said, “Alpha Krushnic wouldn’t want his mate to live in anything but the most comfortable clothes. It took him long enough, you’ve been here almost two weeks.” Then she leaned in, her lips close to his ear, and added softly, “And you do deserve it, more than you know.”

Dean’s breath hitched. No one had given him clothes like this in a long time, and no one had told him he deserved a gift either. He didn’t know what he had done to deserve such kindness but he just nodded slightly, eyes shining but dry.

__

Later that afternoon, Dean found Castiel in his library, seated at a desk with an open book in front of him and a steaming mug of something fragrant beside it. The Alpha looked up as Dean entered, his eyes softening noticeably when he saw Dean was wearing the new clothes he’d gifted him.

Dean cleared his throat as he approached. “Alpha, I…wanted to thank you. For the clothes.”

“There is no need for thanks. Those clothes are the least I could do.”Castiel tilted his head slightly. 

Dean shifted uncomfortably. “Still. It’s a lot. I’m not used to–” 

“They are not,” Castiel interrupted, tone firm but kind. “And there’s more coming soon.”

“More?” Dean blinked in confusion.

“I ordered a few additional sets for different weather. Some will arrive as soon as next week.”

“But…why?”

Castiel closed his book and turned his body towards Dean, looking at the omega straight in the eyes. “Because you need them. Because you’ve gone long enough without anyone taking care of you.”

The library was quiet for a long moment. 

Dean looked down at his worn hands and said in a quiet whisper. “But you barely know me.”

“I know enough,” Castiel replied, voice gentler now. “I know what it looks like when someone has been abandoned and ignored. I know what it looks like to work hard and get no reward. I know what it looks like when someone expects pain instead of a kind word. I know you don’t expect anything out of me, Dean, because no one has taken care of you in a long time.”

Dean’s eyes found Castiel’s when he finally looked up.

“I don’t offer you these things out of pity,” Castiel continued, taking both of Dean’s hands in his. “I offer them because you work hard every day, because I want to take care of you, because you are to be my omega.”

Dean’s breath caught in his chest. “I…am?”

“Yes,” Castiel said plainly. “You are.” And then quieter he added, “You are not a burden here, Dean.”

The words settled over Dean like a warm cloak. Had he finally found a place where he belonged? 

So Dean took a step closer to the alpha, and lifted their hands to give the alpha a soft kiss on his knuckles as he whispered, “Thank you.”

Castiel pulled Dean’s hands towards himself, kissing them in return. “You are welcome.”

—

The nightshirt was too soft.

Dean sat on the edge of the bed, fingers bunching the fabric where it pooled at his thighs, and tried not to overthink things. 

He’d worn all sorts of clothes before, mostly hand-me-downs, but never something like this. Something made for him. The sigils sewn into the hems were subtle, but even without formal training, he could feel their effect instantly. It was like a calming pulse, like a heartbeat, steady and warm. 

This is what a protection charm felt like. And it was made just for him. 

A quiet knock pulled him out of his thoughts.

“Come in,” he called, voice barely above a murmur.

Castiel entered, closing the door softly behind him. He wore a loose shirt, sleeves rolled, hair a little messy.

“I saw the light from the hall,” he said. “Is everything alright?”

Dean nodded, then hesitated. “I was just… thinking.”

Castiel’s gaze swept the room, pausing on the bundled outer clothes atop the dresser and finally settling on the nightshirt Dean wore. A subtle smile flickered at the corner of his mouth. “It fits.”

“Too well,” Dean said, echoing the words he’d spoken earlier to Naomi.

Castiel approached slowly. “Do you like it?”

Dean nodded, then looked away. “It feels strange. Not bad—just… like I shouldn’t be allowed to have something like this.”

“You are.”

Dean drew in a shaky breath. “So you’ve said.”

Castiel remained quiet, listening.

“I think—I think this is the first place that doesn’t feel like I’m trespassing.”

A beat passed. Then Castiel stepped closer and spoke gently.

“You’re not. This is your home now.”

Dean looked up, met his eyes. “Do you mean that?”

“I do.” Castiel’s voice was steady. “And I think you’ve known that for a while now. You just needed to believe it.”

Dean didn’t answer, but his eyes burned.

Castiel didn’t touch him—he didn’t need to. The space between them was already intimate.

But after a pause, Dean whispered, “Stay?”

Castiel nodded once. “Of course.”

He sat beside him, and this time when Dean leaned against his shoulder, he didn’t pull away.

And in the quiet, with the sigils humming gently against his skin and the now familiar scent of Alpha Krushnic filling his room, warmth grew in his chest. 

Dean let himself rest, not just sleep, but truly rest for the first time in years.

Chapter Text

Time passed. Dean still woke early, still cleaned and cooked. But now Castiel lingered in the doorway while Dean worked, occasionally offering a soft-spoken suggestion or helping him bring back fresh produce from the garden.

Sometimes they would share quiet meals, Castiel reading while Dean drank tea. Other times Castiel would ask about Dean’s life, not as an interrogation, but as a quiet curiosity. His tone was always gentle, his gaze steady, never demanding.

Dean found himself laughing softly when Castiel dryly commented on court gossip, or the absurdity of noble tradition. The sound startled both of them the first time it happened.

“You have a nice laugh,” Castiel said, not looking up from his tea.

Dean flushed to the tips of his ears.

There was no dramatic confession, no sweeping declarations. Just warmth, growing between them slowly, like light filtering through a dense forest.

But as soon as Castiel left the manor and Dean had a moment to himself, he worried. 

The pain on the back of his neck was getting worse and worse. Bobby and Naomi had both noticed something was wrong. The twinges were unpredictable and had happened when Dean was in front of them more than once. Dean always dismissed their worries with reassurances and soft smiles. 

He was scared of what the alpha would do if he found out how strong his magic really was. His father constantly reminded him how an omega’s power should always be subtle. How he should be a quiet asset to his alpha. 

It all came to a head one evening.  Castiel walked beside him through the garden paths, silent but calm. It wasn’t the first time they’d spent quiet time together. It was becoming somewhat of a ritual before bed.

“Did you know…I never wanted a mate,” Castiel sighed before continuing. “Every omega I met seemed…irritating. They had unreasonable expectations and treated my people with disdain. It was disgusting.”

Dean’s heart clenched. “So… why am I here then? Did you not want me here?”

“At first I did not.” Castiel’s voice was serious, but Dean kept quiet and listened. His future alpha always explained what he meant. He wouldn’t let himself despair. “When you first got here I didn’t expect any difference, but you quickly showed me how wrong I was. Ever since our first meeting, you showed me how different you are from all other omegas.”

“Even though you were the one who asked for me?” Dean remembered his father mentioning how the Krushnic Alpha had asked for Dean directly. 

“You were chosen because I was told you had potential. It was mentioned that you were like no other omega and that I wouldn’t regret giving you a chance.”

Dean’s breath caught. “Potential? Who would say that?”

“It was your brother, Samuel.” 

“You know Sammy?” 

“We have crossed paths before,” Castiel said without offering any specifics. Dean wondered when his younger brother had ever crossed paths with his alpha-to-be but didn’t ask. Dean stared at Castiel’s profile for a moment longer instead and shook his head in denial, a twinge on the back of his neck reminding him of his shortcomings. “Sammy is wrong. I’m nothing special.”

Castiel stopped walking. “After knowing you only for a few weeks, I know that statement to be a lie you’ve been told so often you’ve started to believe it.”

Dean didn’t know what to say. For a moment, he couldn’t speak at all. The wind stirred the trees above them, and for the first time in years, Dean felt something stir inside of him. 

His knees buckled, fingers trembling as ghostly light sparked across his vision. He felt… something, heard voices whispering in the shadows of the forest, voices he hadn’t heard in over a decade. 

The seal at the nape of his neck throbbed, burning.

“Dean,” Castiel helped him kneel on the floor. “What— Is that a seal?”

Dean flinched at the word. His shame, it had finally been revealed to his alpha-to-be. “I-I didn’t mean—” he whispered, clutching at his neck.

“Who did this to you?” Castiel demanded, crouching beside him. There was no pity in his voice, only fury, white-hot and shaking. “Who had the audacity to cripple you in such a way?”

“Father… and Kate…” Dean breathed.

Castiel’s anger surged like a wildfire, his celestial energy crackling in the air. “They stole your birthright. This—this is abuse. It’s unacceptable.” He lifted the omega in his arms and carried him out of the forest and back to the house. “I must talk to Bobby, he has more experience with seals like these than me.”

“What are you planning to do, Alpha?” Dean asked between gritted teeth. 

“We must break it. Now.”

Dean panicked. “Wait, I—what if it’s too much? Omegas are not supposed to have this much power.”

“I will not even ask who has made you believe that.” Castiel said firmly, stopping and cupping his cheek. “You were never not allowed your power. You were only ever made to feel that way. Your power is a gift.”

Dean was speechless as his alpha continued to walk towards the manor. “The wrong they have done to you must be fixed.”

—

The ritual was held in the heart of the manor, beneath the house in a sanctified chamber lined with ancient celestial sigils and spirit-forged stone. Naomi placed calming incense around the room, and Bobby traced the protective wards in salt and ash.

Dean kneeled shirtless in the center, his back bare, the sigil, a twisted, red-black marking of suppression, glowed faintly at the base of his neck. It pulsed like a wound, alive and resentful.

Castiel approached him, sleeves rolled, magical markings glowing faintly on his forearms.

“Are you ready?” he asked softly. “Once we begin, there’s no turning back.”

Dean met his gaze. “I’ve spent years not knowing who I am. I’d rather break the seal than go one more day as a shadow of what I am supposed to be.”

Castiel nodded once. “Then let’s begin.”

He stepped into the magic circle, his hand rising to hover just above the sigil. His voice dropped into a low, reverent chant. The air thickened, pressure building like a storm. The runes in the chamber lit one by one in response to his words.

Dean’s body tensed, breath hitching. The sigil seared to life, reacting violently to the approaching magic. 

Castiel’s voice rose, clearer, stronger, light blooming beneath his palm. “By the will of the Divine, I call forth what was bound in cruelty! I reject the chains of blood and false obedience. Let this soul be free!”

The sigil screamed.

A howl of cursed magic tore from Dean’s throat. His back arched, light pouring from his mouth and eyes, flooding the room. The seal flared red, then black, then—

Shattered.

The sound was like breaking glass and tearing silk. Dean collapsed to his knees, gasping for breath.

And then... the silence.

Golden light rippled around him in gentle waves. His magic—no longer sealed—unfolded like wings of light and shadow, beautiful and terrible. 

Castiel stepped forward, kneeling before him.

“Dean,” he whispered, awe softening his voice. “You’re…”

Dean looked up at him through tear-streaked cheeks. “I’m not broken.”

“No,” Castiel said. “You’re brilliant. ”

A smile broke across Dean’s face, breathless and real. “I can feel it. The magic. Everything.”

“As you should.” Castiel offered his hand.

Dean took it.

And rose.

—

Castiel became Dean’s steady hand during training, helping the omega control his newfound power. They practiced tracing sigils, and exorcism patterns, his magic tuned to defence, purification, and resistance. What he lacked in technical finesse and control, he made up for with sheer force of will. 

“Don’t forget to control your breathing with casting,” Castiel said one morning, stepping in behind Dean and placing his hands on the omega’s shoulders. Dean took a deep breath and sketched sigils in the air. “Trust your power. You already know what you are writing, that is half the battle won.”

“I’m trying,” Dean muttered, his hands still glowing faintly. “It just feels like my magic will disperse if I take a deep breath.”

“It won’t,” Castiel said. “You just have to trust in yourself.”

Dean wished he could trust himself as much as Castiel trusted in him. 

—

Wanting to thank his alpha-to-be for everything he’d done for him so far, Dean asked Naomi to help him think of a possible gift. 

“How about a bracelet?” Naomi suggested, showing Dean a book of protective spells that could be infused on handmade jewelry. “I’m sure Master Krushnic will love anything you give him, but especially if you make it yourself.”

“Do you think he will let us leave the manor and go into town?”

“Of course,” Naomi nodded. “We can go tomorrow.”

It didn’t take long for Dean to find the perfect collection of stones and cord to craft a bracelet infused with protective sigils.

“This black tourmaline is perfect, I can add a protection sign and it will help keep Alpha Krushnic protected against negative energies.” Dean showed Naomi a small piece of black stone. 

“That sounds excellent, Master Dean, and maybe add a piece of amethyst for shielding?” 

“Yes, I know exactly what to carve on this one.” Dean and Naomi bought what they needed quickly and left the shop in good spirits. 

 While they walked back home Naomi remembered she needed to shop for ingredients for dinner that night. Dean decided to wait outside, enjoy a little sunlight while Naomi stepped into the shop. 

He was thinking about what sigils he would etch on the stones he’d just bought when a familiar voice interrupted his thoughts. 

“Well, well. I thought I smelled something foul.” His half brother Adam stood in front of him, Michael following behind carrying some shopping bags that probably belonged to his half brother. 

“Adam,” Dean whispered. 

“If it isn’t my useless half brother. Did you get a job around town?” Adam asked, smirking arrogantly. 

Dean didn’t respond but looked down at his threadbare clothes. He regretted deciding to wear his old clothes that morning, but he wanted to save the clothes Castiel had bought for him for special occasions. Going shopping didn’t seem like one. 

“Nothing to say?” Adam scoffed. “Aren’t you glad you are not mating him, Michael? He’s so stupid, can never respond to even the simplest questions.”

Michael didn’t respond, but he did look at Dean with longing and pity. Dean looked away from the alpha quickly, he didn’t want his pity.

“Master Dean? Is everything alright?” Naomi asked as she walked to stand next to Dean. “Do you know these people?”

“Oh,” Adam faked surprise. “Are you his coworker? Is he in trouble?”

“Of course not,” Naomi stared  at Adam with a serious face. “Master Dean is the future omega of House Krushnic, he is Alpha Castiel Krushnic’s omega-to-be. I work for him.”

“What? I thought for sure Krushnic had kicked him out of his manor by now.” Adam frowned. “Why would anyone want to keep Dean around, he’s useless.”

“I would stop talking about the future omega of House Krushnic if I were you.” Naomi took Dean by the shoulder and pulled him along with her. “Now, if you excuse us, we have to be back in the manor.”

“Do you think he’ll really mate you, Dean?” Adam said before Dean was out of earshot. “You are useless, he will get rid of you soon enough.”

Dean stiffened. “I’m not—”

“Not what? Not useless?” Adam laughed. “You’ve always been a sad little good for nothing omega. Don’t think Alpha Krushnic can’t see it. Eventually, he’ll realize what a mistake he’s doing, keeping you around.”

The words cut deep. Dean’s hands trembled. The bag of materials slipped slightly in his grip. By the time Naomi pulled him away, the damage was done. 

“Have you noticed anything wrong with Dean? He seems…sad,” Castiel asked Naomi a few days later. The omega had been avoiding him outside of training. 

“We met his half brother when we went shopping a few days ago. The brother wasn’t very kind to him.”

Castiel glared. How dare the Winchesters keep bringing his future mate such pain. It was time to formalize their mating, he didn’t want Dean’s family to have any power over him any longer.

“Tell Dean I will be back for dinner and evening training, I have an errand to run today.” Castiel didn’t wait for Naomi to respond before he turned to leave his office, taking the papers he’d been working on for weeks with him. 

His trip to the Winchester manor was quick. He strode inside, determination in his bright blue eyes. 

“Master Krushnic, to whom do we owe this pleasure?” John Winchester didn’t even bother standing. He sat next to his mate, who didn’t even try to hide her displeasure at being interrupted by Castiel’s unexpected visit. 

“You will sign,” Castiel said coldly, placing the documents he’d brought on the table with precision. 

“What is this?” John asked, taking the papers and leafing through them. “A mating contract? For Dean?”

“Of course. He is the one that has been living in my manor for the last three months.” Castiel’s voice was cold; trying to control his anger but  failing. 

Kate scoffed. “Who would even want to mate such a —-”

“You will cease speaking ill of my future mate or you will regret it.” The atmosphere in the room turned cold, Casitel’s blue eyes bright with magic he was barely restraining. 

"You will sign," he repeated, pointing at the documents on John’s hand. "And you will do so without delay."

John arched a brow. "We haven’t even discussed the omega price—"

“There is nothing to discuss,” Castiel interrupted sharply. “There will be no omega price.”

Kate’s face tightened. “But Dean is your intended. It’s customary—”

“Custom does not excuse cruelty,” Castiel said. “You discarded your son. You let him be bound. Treated him differently than his siblings, even going as far as punishing him for things out of his control.”

“You don’t know what you speak of,” Kate sneered.

“I know enough,” Casitel snapped. “You used him. Left him to care for himself while parading your other omega son as your pride. And now that Dean’s worth has been proven, you think to profit from his bond?”

Castiel leaned forward, eyes like steel. “You lost all rights the moment you gave him up. There will be no payment for your neglect. If anything, you should be paying him for what you made him suffer.” Magic surrounded them making furniture tremble. 

Kate paled. 

“Sign the papers. Make this final. Or I will tell the council myself of your failures as parents.” If they dared not sign, Castiel would do it. The council would never accept sealing another’s powers and they knew it. 

John glanced at Kate. Her mouth trembled, but she nodded. With one last glare Castiel’s way, John signed the papers. Castiel took them and stood and made his way out of the office.

Adam stood outside the office, his surprise at Catiel’s presence obvious on his face. He could feel the alpha’s power radiating all around him. He could see how handsome he was, how strong. This alpha was everything Adam had ever wanted. 

“Father, who was that?”

“Your brother’s future mate.”

“What?” Adam turned to see the alphas retreating back. “That was Castiel Krushnic?”

“Yes. He’s finally taking Dean out of our hands,” Kate said with disdain.

“He’s really mating Dean? Why?” Adam could not accept such a fine alpha mating his brother. He had to be the one to mate with Alpha Krushnic.

“I have no idea, but it’s done.” John said with a disgruntled tone. “And good riddance.” 

But Adam could not accept it. Such an alpha had to be his. Adam wanted him. He clenched his fists and began to plot.

Having his parents sign the mating documents should have been a relief for Dean. Castiel shared what had happened and the agreement that was, finally, signed. 

And yet, despite everything that Castiel, Naomi and even Bobby had done for him, Dean couldn’t silence the whispers in his mind. 

He only did it out of obligation.

He’ll grow tired of you eventually.

You are useless, a burden.

Adam’s words were relentless and echoed in his mind. “He will realize what a mistake he’s doing, keeping you around.”

Dean knew he should ignore his half-brother. That his words shouldn’t matter. 

But he couldn’t. 

Especially when Castiel was gone on missions, when the manor felt too big, too quiet with just him.  The fear in Dean’s chest was creeping through precious moments and he couldn’t stop it. He knew Castiel was ready to mate him. His alpha-to-be knew about his powers and even encouraged Dean to train and grow stronger every day. 

But his doubts ran deep.

A few days after the mating contract was signed, Castiel returned to the manor to find Dean quiet and withdrawn. 

“You haven’t had dinner yet,” Castiel said, glancing at the untouched food on Dean’s tray. 

“I’m not hungry,” Dean muttered, unable to meet his alpha-to-be’s eyes.

Castiel sat beside him. Silent for a moment, his hand resting softly on Dean’s back. Finally he said, “Talk to me.”

Dean swallowed thickly, keeping his eyes on the floor, but Castiel’s quiet insistence drew him to look up at his bright blue eyes. Those eyes, full of love and patience, finally pushed him to talk. “What if…what if this is a mistake? What if you wake up one day and realize I’m really not what you thought? That I’m not worth all this effort?”

Castiel tilted his head to the side but didn’t reply. He slowly caressed Dean’s cheek and finally nodded once. He stood, crossed the table and pulled something from a small satchel he’d set down earlier. He showed Dean a sealed scroll, with the royal military marking it as important. 

“What is this?” Dean asked, not even wanting to touch such important papers. 

“There’s a case nearby.” Castiel explained calmly. “A spirit is haunting a shrine down by the cemetery. I want you there with me.” 

Dean blinked. “What?”

Castiel stayed calm and repeated, “Come with me.” 

“Why?” Dean asked. “You don’t need me.”

“I do.” Castiel met Dean’s gaze once more, quiet and steady. “You need to acknowledge your power. You need to believe in yourself. And I need you to see what I see: that you are unique and extraordinary.” 

—

They arrived at the cemetery just before dusk. 

The old stone steps by the shrine were cracked, overgrown with weeds. A priest greeted them nervously, explaining how the spirits had turned violent when one of the monuments inside had been disturbed by the neighborhood teenagers. The priest had tried calming them with offerings but it hasn't seemed to work. The offerings had spoiled and the air had turned cold with spite. 

Dean stepped carefully behind Castiel, he could instantly feel the darkness creeping all around the shrine making the back of his neck prickle. The pressure in the air was tangible. Ever since he started training with Castiel and Bobby he’d discover the area around his neck where the seal had been was the most sensitive. It pulsed with warning, not with pain. 

“Here.” Castiel handed Dean a small charm made of blessed material. “For focus. But you won’t need it.”

Castiel’s confidence made Dean feel better, but he took the charm anyway and held it in his trembling hand. “You really think I can do this?”

“I know you can,” Castiel said, stepping behind him, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Listen. Breath. Feel the spirits. Help them heal.”

Dean closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. Soon the world shifted. He could see them. The spirits in the shrine were angry. Darkness radiated from them, transforming them into bitter spirits. 

Dean reacted without thinking. His hands rose, and light flared from his fingertips. 

“Exorcizamus te…” he began chanting, forming a sigil midair as he spoke. The spirits reeled, screamed as the light cleansed them of their anger, making everything around them tremble with the combined power of darkness and light, but Dean didn’t stop chanting. Castiel stayed behind him, hand on his shoulder. 

Together, they advanced into the building. Dean’s cleansing barrier caught the spirits before they could do any more harm, Castiel provided support for his omega, completely trusting that Dean could finish the job on his own. Dean, still changing, drew cleansing sigils on the walls surrounding them. 

“...te rogamus, audi nos." The darkness still surrounding them and corrupting the spirits around them dissolved into mist with a brightness Dean had never experienced during his training with Castiel, but the feeling after was the right one. Dean was panting when the chant ended, sweat slicking his brow and smiling. Everything around them was cleansed and peaceful. 

“I did it,” he whispered, eyes wide with disbelief. “I did it.”

Castiel stepped in close, cupping his cheeks. “You are amazing, my omega, and everyone that has told you otherwise is wrong. Never doubt that I love you, trust you and believe in you.”

Dean closed his eyes and leaned into the touch, the doubt quieted for now by the undeniable truth around him: he had done it. He had stood beside an alpha like Castiel and held his own. 

In the shadows, someone else took notice of Dean’s power. 

Michael’s father, Richard Milton, had accompanied a group of exorcists to the shrine. He was surprised to see the Winchester omega accompanying Alpha Krushnic into the building. 

“Why is there an omega in a cursed site, priest?” he asked. 

“Alpha Krushnic brought his intended,” the priest explained with a soft voice. 

“That is absurd. No omega should be allowed—” He was rendered silent by what he was witnessing. An unbound omega, wielding an unimaginable  amount of power. It was unheard of. 

He observed as Alpha Krushnic praised the Winchester omega and his mind turned quickly. 

That kind of power should not be wasted on a family like the Krushnics. 

That kind of omega could elevate a different family.

—

Later that evening, Alpha Milton visited the Winchester manor and found Adam Winchester waiting outside his father’s office. 

“Alpha Milton, you wanted to speak to my father?” the omega asked as soon as he saw his future father in law.

Milton smiled politely. “That can wait for now, you are the one I wanted to talk to, actually.”

“Me?” Adam asked. His shrill voice had always grated on Milton’s nerves but he was perfect for what he had planned. Every omega wanted Krushnic for one reason or another; this one was probably no different, and he knew this omega was dissatisfied with the union they had planned with Michael.

“I understand you’re… dissatisfied with how things have turned out between your family and my son.”

Adam tensed. “Has he mentioned anything?”

“Not in so many words.” Milton leaned a little closed. “He mentioned you showed interest in the Krushnic Alpha?”

The omega’s response was immediate. “That alpha should be mine!”

Milton stepped even closer, lowering his voice. “Then perhaps it’s time to correct that mistake.”

Adam frowned. “What do you mean?”

Milton’s smile turned cold. “You want Alpha Krushnic. I want your brother. Let’s help each other.”

He leaned in, whispering the beginnings of a plan into Adam’s ear, one that would bring Dean into Milton hands… and Castiel into Adam’s desperate grasp.

Could Adam keep the Krushnic alpha? Probably not, but that was not his problem.

Chapter Text

Dean had been working on the bracelet for a few days now. He had to make sure that the protection sigils he wanted to add were etched into the stones correctly before he braided it. Adding silver clips on each end was the last step before it was ready for his mate-to-be. 

Alpha Krushnic had promised to meet him for a special dinner today. Naomi had even forbidden him from helping her with food preparations. She had pushed him towards his bedroom and ordered him to rest and make sure he was cleaned up and ready for dinner. 

He was planning on presenting his mate-to-be with the bracelet tonight, as a sign of his devotion to the alpha. Smiling down at the completed bracelet, he held it carefully in between his open palms and said a short cleansing prayer. The bracelet glowed for a second before it was ready for his alpha. 

“I hope he likes it,” Dean said to his empty room, he couldn’t wait for dinner tonight.

A noise startled him and made him turn to his open window. There, amongst the trees was a bird. It looked like a crow. Dean stood and walked over to get a closer look. As soon as he was close enough the crow flew into his room  and stood on his shoulder. 

“What?” Dean froze in surprise. “What are you—”

The crow sank its small claws into Dean’s neck and cawed. Before Dean could do anything, a feeling of being yanked by his belly overpowered anything else. A moment later bright light blinded him and he was gone. 

Castiel did not think anything was wrong when Dean did not appear in time for dinner. It had happened a few times before, when Dean had been too focused on some sigil or on a housetask he’d decided he wanted to do. 

So he walked over to Dean’s room, where Naomi had confirmed the omega had been all afternoon, and knocked on the door. 

When there was no answer Castiel knocked again and called out, “Dean?” 

He tried the handle. The door was unlocked.

It swung open slowly, revealing a room that was, at first glance, undisturbed. The bed was neatly made, a small gift box lay on the table near the window, carefully placed on a square of cloth. The window itself was slightly ajar, the sheer curtain fluttering faintly. 

“Dean?” Castiel repeated, stepping into the room. 

Then he felt it. The hum of magic prickled at the edge of his senses. It felt wrong, like something that didn’t belong in the manor. 

He turned down towards the floor, his eyes narrowing. The surface bore a faint glassy shine. 

On a hunch he lifted a hand, palm down, in front of him and called on his power. Dean’s presence hung heavy in the room, but it had been gone for a while, cut off so suddenly it had left a strange magical residue.

That’s when he knew.

Someone had taken his omega.

He was already halfway down the hallway when he called out, “Naomi! Bobby!”

Both came running, Naomi from the kitchen, apron still tied around her waist, and Bobby from the courtyard where he had been working on the carriage’s wheels. 

“Dean is gone,” Castiel said before either could speak. “Someone used magic to take him.”

Naomi paled instantly. “What? How is that possible?”

“I need you both to check the perimeter,” Castiel ordered. “No one should have been able to cross it. Bobby, make sure nothing has been disturbed. Go now!”

All three of them spread out looking for any evidence that would tell them who or how Dean had been taken. Bobby was the first to find evidence of foreign invasion.  “The wards around the western tree line have been disrupted, Alpha.”

“Whoever did this knew our protections and how to bypass them,” Naomi added. “They masked their magical signature, but not enough to be untraceable. With your permission, Alpha, I can try to reveal more from the residue in Omega Winchester’s bedchambers.”

Castiel stood staring at the horizon, quiet fury radiated from him in quiet magical waves. “Do it.” 

His mood only darkened when it was revealed by Naomi’s spell that the magical signature had come from the direction of the Winchester Manor. “Do you think his family would dare? Even with a contract already signed?” Naomi’s voice was tight with exhaustion.

Castiel’s silence was answer enough.

“We will bring him back,” Bobby said, resting a hand on Castiel’s shoulder. 

Castiel’s voice was low and ominous when he said. “He’s mine. I will bring him home.”

When Dean woke, there was a faint hum beneath his skin. Magic. 

He looked around and instantly recognized the old bricked shed on the outskirts of his Father’s estate. Why was I brought here? Dean thought, looking around the familiar place. 

Suddenly light burst in his vision, distracting him from any more wondering thoughts. A sudden, sharp pull on his chest made him stumble and then he slammed onto the wall behind him. His arms and legs were pulled apart and magically held in place. 

Then he heard a very familiar voice.

“Don’t move.” Adam said smugly, voice reeking with magic forcing Dean to stop moving. 

Dean tried to pull on the magical restraints his brother’s voice commanded, but they held surprisingly strong. “Why the hell am I here?”

“My my, dear brother, you kiss your alpha with that mouth?” Adam asked sarcastically as he approached with slow deliberate steps. 

Dean looked down, shame filled him, like it usually did when in his brother’s presence. Why did he always feel this way? Why did Adam have such power over him?

“Nothing to say?” Adam continued taunting, now standing almost nose to nose with Dean. “Look up.”  Magic forced Dean to move his head upwards, looking straight into his half-brother’s cruel eyes. “Were you dreaming of something pleasant?” 

“Why are you doing this, Adam? What did I ever do to you?” That had always been the question. Dean always wondered why Adam hated him so profoundly.

“So whiny,” His step-mother’s voice came from the shadows behind Adam. “Your voice is like a dying animal on the side of the road.” 

Closing his eyes in resignation, Dean knew he was done for. Adam might’ve tired eventually, giving Dean some hope that he could’ve escaped. But his step-mother was involved as well and outmaneuvering her would be impossible. 

“Listen, boy, you are here for a very simple reason. You will deny Alpha Krushnic and step down as his omega immediately.”

“What?” Dean whispered in surprise, eye widening in surprise. Renounce his alpha?

“I was thinking, the responsibility of being Omega Krushnic, would be too much for you to bear, dear brother,” Adam continued in the same cruel tone he had learned from his mother. Adam placed his hand directly on Dean’s chest and pushed, making his magic pull on Dean’s arms and legs uncomfortably. 

“Come on. Promise me that you’ll reject his proposal. Or else, I’ll have to leave you here to rot.” His half-brother leaned closer, his magic pulling on Dean until he felt his shoulders were about to pop out of their sockets. Then he whispered directly into Dean’s ear. “When Alpha Krushnic mates me, you’ll be free to be with Michael.”

Dean took short breaths, trying his best not to move anymore than necessary. Even then, the pain in his body did not compare to the pain he felt in his heart. If his half-brother had offered to trade places with him from the beginning, he would’ve done it in a heartbeat. But now? 

“N-no,” Dean said simply. 

Kate growled in anger and pushed Adam away forcefully. His half-brother’s magic lost strength and Dean tried to take a breath, but Kate didn’t wait a second before she slapped him, the magic in her hand breaking the skin on his cheek.

“You spoiled brat!” she screamed. “Who do you think you are?”

“Mother,” Adam said from behind her. “Let me handle this.”

Before Dean could respond or defend himself he felt his brother grab him by the hair and push him down to his knees. “Kneel!” 

Dean was sure if his half-brother had kept him against the wall he would’ve died in this shed, but Adam had made a mistake. He’d freed Dean’s hands. 

Taking a couple of deep breaths and ignoring the pain in his scalp and knees Dean thought of his new family. Of Bobby and Naomi, and especially his Alpha. They had taught him so many things, so he wouldn't give them up.

Not ever.

“I am Castiel Krushnic’s omega betrothed. He promised himself to me. He’s not yours, not now or ever.” He glared up at his half-brother through his eyelashes, doing his best to keep Adam’s attention away from his hands.

“That is enough! You will not ruin this for me! Stay down!” Adam pushed Dean’s face down until the older omega had his face on the floor. 

“You will do as we say, you useless omega,” Kate screamed and pulled on Adam’s hand, forcing Dean to lift his body up and kneel. “Adam deserves this more than an omega like you, who doesn’t know his place!”

Her hand struck him again before he could react.

The crack echoed in the room.

Dean’s head snapped to the side, pain blooming across his bleeding cheek.

“You ungrateful brat,” Kate hissed. “Do you think we suffered all those years just to watch you run off and throw yourself at the first powerful alpha who looked your way?”

“ You suffered ? ” Dean snarled, still on the floor. “You were the one that sealed my magic. You let me think that what you did to me was normal, that my magic was an abomination. You have no idea the pain I suffered every day of my life because of you."

 “I only did what needed to be done,”  Kate said coldly. 

Dean stared up at her, breathing hard. His magic rose behind his ribs, tight and hot.

“Alpha Krushnic doesn’t love you,” Adam said behind his mother. “You’re a novelty to him. That’s all. He’ll tire of you eventually.”

Dean met his half-brother’s eyes. “If he doesn’t love me, then why is he here?”

“What are you talking about?” Adam asked. 

“Why would he bother to come for you? Kate sneered.

Dean clenched his fists. His magic sparked against his skin, creating an invisible shield around his skin. 

“Because he loves me.” Dean said confidently.

Somewhere outside, Castiel’s magic exploded.

No one was able to stop him.

The estate gates burst open in a flash of celestial fire, the runes meant to ward off evil spirits and magical intent crumbling like ash in the wake of Castiel’s fury. The two guards hired by the Winchesters barely raised their hands before being pinned to the walls by invisible force.

Castiel didn’t even bother to knock.

He shattered the front doors with a flick of his fingers.

“Where is he.” His voice was cold and quiet but carried through the corridor clearly.

John Winchester rose from his chair in the study, startled by the sound of splintering wood echoing through the house. Richard Milton stood nearby, calm even in the presence of Castie’s power, cradling a glass of wine as if it was just a normal meeting between associates.

“Alpha Krushnic,” Milton said, all polished charm. “This is highly irregular.”

Castiel stepped into the room. His power flared in his eyes making them look almost white. His power dragged wind and frost in his wake. The scent of righteous fury filled the air instantly, burning through any composure John had left.

“You took my intended mate,” Castiel said. Each word cold as ice. “You trespassed on my lands. You breached a contract signed and sealed. Ignored a bonded omega’s protections. And you used forbidden magic to do it.”

John's hands twitched by his sides. “I had nothing to do with this—”

“ Lies. ” Castiel’s voice shook the glass on the table. “Your magical signature is all over the spell remnants in Dean’s room. Yours and Milton’s. It guided me straight here.”

Milton took a slow sip of wine, eyes unreadable. “If he was taken, perhaps it’s because he was never yours to keep.”

Castiel turned to him, deadly calm. “You dare.”

Milton didn’t flinch. “Your attachment to that omega is clouding your judgment. He’s not meant to be yours, Krushnic.  An omega whose powers were unstable even before they were sealed? My son could stabilize him. Breed the magic out of him.”

Castiel moved before either man could react.

Milton was slammed into the wall with a snap of force. The wine glass exploded in his hand.

“You will never speak of my intended like that again,” Castiel growled. “He is not property. He is not a breeder to be used by others. He is mine—by bond, by vow, and by choice.”

He turned toward John next.

“You stood by while your son was bound and discarded by your mate. You signed him away to an alpha who you thought would treat him cruelly without question. You lost any right to his life the day you signed our contract.”

John’s face had gone pale. “This wasn’t my decision alone—”

“Enough.”

Castiel stepped forward. The ground seemed to shake beneath his feet.

“I am giving you one chance,” he said coldly. “Tell me where Dean is. Or I will tear this estate apart stone by stone until I find him myself.”

Milton glared through bloodied knuckles, still pinned to the wall. “He’ll reject you eventually. He’s still in love with my son.”

Castiel didn’t respond. But the pressure in the room grew thick enough to choke.

“Winchester?” Castiel asked, without looking.

John faltered.

“They took him to the shed in the outskirts of the property,” he admitted finally, voice shaking. “Kate said it would give him time to ‘see sense.’ Adam went with them.”

Castiel turned on his heel.

“In one hour the king’s army will come for you,” he said. “You better be here to receive your judgement or they will not be merciful.”

And with that, he vanished in a crackle of light and storm.

A deafening crack split the air.

The shed’s door buckled inward, splinters flying as Castiel appeared before Dean, his eyes glowing faintly with magical light. A cold gust of wind followed him like the beginning of winter. 

He didn’t speak.

He simply raised one hand, and Adam was thrown back against the wall with a dull thud , pinned by force stronger than whatever force he had used against Dean.

Kate stepped forward. “Alpha Krushnic, what are you doing? My son—”

Castiel glared at her. “You struck my mate.”

The room pulsed with magical tension. Kate stumbled back, unable to meet the furious alpha’s gaze.

Dean blinked up at him, disoriented but alert. “Alpha?”

Castiel crossed the space between them in three strides, kneeling beside him with a gentleness that contrasted sharply with the violence in the room. When he tried to touch Dean a crackle of magic stopped his hand. 

“You’re safe now,” he murmured, waiting for Dean to lower his shield.

Dean nodded shakily and dispelled his shield. Castiel brushed the hair from Dean’s temple. “I have you.”

Dean took a deep breath. “You came.”

“I will always come for you.”

Castiel’s hands were sure as he lifted his omega from his kneeling position on the floor, careful not to cause any pain by touching bruised skin. When at last they were standing, Dean threw his arms around him and buried his face in Castiel’s shoulder.

Behind them, Adam whimpered as Castiel’s power continued to hold him immobile.

“You shouldn’t have taken him,” Castiel said softly, without turning around. “Your family might’ve kept their pride if you’d have let him go. Now you will lose everything.

Kate moved as if to speak but Castiel’s eyes flicked toward her, and she froze.

“Do not dare move,” he ordered. “The King’s army will come and judge you. You’ll answer for every mark and every spell.”

Then he scooped Dean into his arms and vanished with a gust of wind and light.

—

They reappeared in Dean’s room.

Even after they landed, Castiel didn’t let go. He held Dean against his chest until the trembling stopped, until Dean’s fingers unclenched from the back of his coat.

“I didn’t think I was going to get out,” Dean whispered.

“You fought back,” Castiel said. “That’s what matters.”

Dean pulled back enough to look into his eyes. “They said you didn’t love me. That I was just… convenient.”

The silence that followed was oppressive, but before Dean could despair Castiel took his hand.

“You are not convenient. You are not temporary. You are not replaceable.”

His voice stayed steady as he pulled Dean up by his chin and locked eyes with him. 

“I love you,” Castiel said. “Not as a possession. Not as a conquest. I love you as my equal. My mate. The soul that calls to mine.”

Dean stared, wide-eyed, searching his face for any flicker of doubt. He found none.

“I don’t want your submission,” Castiel continued. “I want you beside me. I want to stand together in battle and in peace. I want your strength, your magic and your heart . And I will give you mine in exchange. Not because you’re mine to keep. Because you’re you .”

Dean’s throat tightened. “Alpha…”

Castiel leaned in and pressed their foreheads together.

“I’m not asking for a response,” he said. “Only that you believe me when I say: I choose you. Every day. In every way.”

Dean breathed out a shaky laugh, tears shining in his lashes. “I believe you. And I choose you, too.”

They sat in silence for a long moment, the kind that made time feel eternal.

The end.