fromfryingpantofire | Now I'm strong and I won't kneel/Except to thank who's watching over me

Entry tags:

castiel,
rp

Now I'm strong and I won't kneel/Except to thank who's watching over me

It had been a very long day so far. For Sam, that day mostly meant waiting, fidgeting with the present in his hands.

More than a few of the others had watched him as they waited, wondering what he was doing here and, more than once, Sam had found himself wondering the same. The Novaks were a family with a lot of wealth and a lot of connections, political and otherwise. He'd done his research. The family was full of Alphas and Betas, insinuated into massive companies and running more than a few of their own. They were old money and old power and most of those who had come to court were the same.

Not Sam. Certainly, the Winchesters were an old family, but they weren't wealthy by a long shot. They were involved in law enforcement, which wasn't exactly a rich occupation to begin with. Sam was going to law school, but his interest wasn't in making money but in helping people and putting away those who abused their positions and their power. But, long ago, John Winchester had made a promise to the Novak family because Mary Campbell had mated him rather than Michael Novak. That one of his children would be offered as a mate to the Novaks should there be a compatible one. It had been a sop, meant to quiet tensions between the families but nobody had thought much of it. Dean had been a Beta and Sam had been an Alpha and that seemed that.

Until the Novaks threw an Omega. Not unheard of, but rare. And, suddenly, Sam seemed to be the one Winchester with a chance, small enough though it might be.

He started when he heard his name called, pulling himself to his full height with the present clutched in his hands. He followed Zachariah Novak trying to ignore the feeling of unworthiness. He was an Alpha from a good line. There was no reason, other than money, to think he didn't have a chance here.

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"I'm a fast runner."

It's spoken softly, almost too faint to be heard at all. Castiel isn't looking at Sam when he says it, but gazing out over the pond.

There may or may not be a pleased little smile playing along his lips. Or is that just the warm sunlight softening his features? Who knows.

"There used to be cultures in which everything was passed down through the omega line. Greater importance was placed on the person to give birth to a child than to the person who allegedly sired it."

He'll get in trouble for sharing this. His library will shrink down further. But Castiel has never talked to anyone about the history of his own kind before. It's... too tempting. Too refreshing.

"Well, it makes sense. You know for certain that the child is the Omega's. An Omega might have several partners during heats in those sorts of cultures. From what I read, the heats weren't considered a fault." Not like it is in their current culture, as evidenced just the other night by those who called Omegas sluts.

But it was probably dangerous territory to take the conversation into. Sam turned, watching the lake. "Bobby used to take Dean and me out fishing when we were kids. Our dad went through a really rough patch for a while and that was Bobby's way of getting us out of his hair."

Castiel lets his eyes rest on the lake as well, allowing Sam's words to sink in. "He sounds like a good man. Bobby."

He doesn't know enough to judge their father one way or another. Just knows he's glad Sam and Dean had this Bobby in their life, because it's obvious that this meant a lot.

"I can't swim," he confesses, because he doesn't know what else to say. Hates making things about him, frowns, and shakes his head. "Is it nice? Fishing, I mean."

"He's a very good man. Though I admit, I might be a bit biased." Sam smiles over at him before looking back to the lake.

The confession makes something ache deep in Sam's chest. "Well, Bobby called it fishing. We didn't tend to catch much, though. I think it was mostly a good excuse to get us out of the house for a while, out in the open are and give us something to do for a while. But it was also his way to bond with us. And with Jo, too. He always brought her along with us." He pauses a moment, then offers, "Swimming isn't that difficult to learn. At least enough to get you where you want to go."

"Well... not very far to go around here," Castiel admits, a somewhat wry sort of amusement settling around the corners of his mouth and eyes.

Time runs by fast as he has Sam tell him more about lake, about swimming and fishing and summers spent with friends. Soon they have to leave to prepare for the nightly feast.

Castiel has to attend it despite feeling somewhat queasy. Still, he knows his duty, and after raising the issue once, he accepts his uncle's word and goes along without a fuss despite the sting of cramps. He wonders if he ate something that didn't sit well with him, and consequently merely picks at his food, sips little from his glass of wine, and struggles a bit to follow the conversation at the table.

He's glad when the meal is finished and they're all left to mingle, though being handed from conversation to conversation is almost worse.

When he's led back to Sam, he's rude, and feels ashamed for it, especially with his uncle glaring murder at the back of his head. Before Sam even has the chance to speak, Castiel raises his hand to silence him. "Please, let's go to the balcony. It's too pleasant a night to stay indoors."

Truly, he's just feeling too warm to stay inside a second longer. Maybe he should have had as little wine as he had food, to keep his cheeks from flushing, too.

The nightly feast, this time, was larger than the last had been. The suitors had each been invited to bring a guest with them. Some of them had brought more than one. Nearly every one was a Beta, though he thought that Samadriel had brought a sister or close cousin who was an Omega.

Sam, of course, brought Dean. So when the supper breaks up into mingling, they split up and talk to the others, though both keep an eye on Crowley. Neither of them trust the Alpha and they've come across his name far too many times to just leave it lie.

When Castiel approaches for the mandated conversation (Sam notices he is last, which isn't surprising), he raises an eyebrow but nods, offering his arm as he had earlier that day. "It is a bit warm in here. Some fresh air might do you some good." Because Castiel's looking flushed and uncomfortable. Sam looks up at Zachariah. "Doors open and we'll stay in view of everybody."

Because Sam's still a suitor and he's not about to make things more difficult for Castiel if possible.

With that, he leads Castiel out to the balcony, taking a deep breath of the cool night air. "Here. I hope this helps."

"It does. Thank you, Sam. Please give my apologies to your brother later, I know this was very rude of me."

He had been looking forward to meeting Dean Winchester, truth be told. So far everything about their family, their pack, has proven that much more interesting. He knows he can't possibly justify choosing Sam, his uncle would give him Hell for it. Still, it would have made his night end on a high note.

"Have you two been able to enjoy the feast, at least?"

Castiel steps to the banister to look out over the Novak grounds, let his gaze wander as the breeze fails to cool him down. He rubs at the back of his neck absent mindedly.

"I really doubt Dean's worried, but I'll pass on your apologies." Sam took a step to the side, leaving a little more room between them. "Yeah, we've enjoyed ourselves. The food's been good. We got sat next to Samadriel and his Omega sister. It was nice. He's a good kid. So's she." Not really Sam's type, but Dean had been charmed. Though Sam wasn't certain he would have brought another Omega into this group.

"I'd ask if you enjoyed it, but you didn't really look like you were enjoying much."

Samandriel is kind and sweet. Caught up in a system he can neither fully believe, nor live up to. Oh, he tries. Tries to posture, to be the alpha his knot makes him. But both he and Castiel, when talking privately in the garden, found that he's just... not. Which Castiel has assured him is a good thing. Samandriel is sweet and kind, and will one day make someone very happy. In the mean time, Castiel regards him as a little brother, and hopes that one day Samandriel will find someone who needs his sweetness more than they need the typical macho posturing. Sam is an exception, but in a different way. He's an alpha - and he doesn't need to posture. He's gentle and warm, but strong. Castiel knows Zachariah seated them together to show how much he disapproves of both as potential options - though Samandriel, at least, comes from a rich family. Instead, Castiel is glad it happened, because he knew they'd get along. He'd have liked to sit with them, too.

"I'm not in good spirits tonight, though the feast was certainly lovely."

It's a very diplomatic kind of answer. Truth be told, Castiel was bored. The food is fancy, and that often means small portions and a lack of heart. Perfection, Castiel finds, is overrated. He'd never say it - it would be exceptionally rude, after all.

Once more he dabs at his forehead, feeling too hot, feeling sweaty. Did he catch something, is he running a fever? Something smells nice, and unlike the food it doesn't make his stomach twist. At least... not unpleasantly so.

Samandriel would never be the stereotypical Alpha and Sam thinks that's a good thing, too. There need to be more Alphas like Samadriel, who look forward to a loving mating match. Which meant that, yes, he was definitely out of the running here.

Not that Sam's in the running, himself, but he's doing his best to keep things better for Castiel, at least.

"Yeah, I kind of noticed. You look tired." There was definitely something else, an undertone that was lost in the massive amount of Alpha pheromones in the air. It was drowning out everything else. "I know you can't, but it would probably be a better idea if you went to bed rather than being out here."

Bed...

"A bed sounds nice."

And his head is filled with images, quite suddenly and without prompting. They're not clear, because he's never been there, but he knows the technicalities of sex, and things just click into place as Castiel feels something wet leak from his bottom and into his underwear. His cheeks flush visibly now, and before he even realizes what's going on, he stands closer to Sam, close enough that the world smells like alpha, and all Castiel can think about is that Sam is tall, so he must be big, so his knot must be huge.

And right now that's all he wants. He's not even thinking clearly, just acting on what his body, his hormones demand, wanting a knot and barely able to care for where it comes from. The feast smelled like too much alpha, triggering what's been slowly brewing in him ever since he presented, and just then all Castiel's body tricks him into wanting and needing is a big, strong alpha with a big knot and every intention of making him their bitch.

Castiel grabs a hold of Sam's shirt, getting the sweet, dark scent of a rapidly mounting heat all over Sam.

"You should take me to bed, Sam."

Yeah, he isn't expecting that. But the moment that Castiel is that close, he can smell the start of heat. And there's a part of him, a very big part, that would love nothing better than to take Castiel to bed, to get his scent all over the Omega and knot him, get his seed deep into him and do his best to breed him.

It's almost dizzying, but Sam manages to pull away. "No, Castiel. I shouldn't. I know you want that now, but...but you'd probably regret it later." He takes hold of Castiel's hand, pulling his shirt before looking up and raising his voice. "Dean!"

His brother's nearby, of course. Probably exchanging glares with Zachariah. But he's close enough to hear the shout and he can hear when his brother gets to the doorway. "Sam? What's...oh, shit."

Sam nods. "It just started, but I think it's been building most of the evening." He looks down at Castiel. "Cas. Cas, this is Dean. You wanted to meet him, right? Well, right now, I need you to tell him where your room is. You need to not be out here."

Castiel manages to look away from Sam for a while, just long enough to regard Dean.

Dean is a beta. Dean isn't interesting right now.

He will feel ashamed for his behavior later, but right now rational thought has been disabled, and Castiel only cares about one thing. His eyes are dark when he looks back at Sam, tries to press closer. tilts his head to expose his throat, offer Sam his scent and his neck for a mating bite.

"I'll tell you where my room is. Breed me, alpha."

And then he whines, an alluring sound in the back of his throat meant to speak to an alpha's protective nature.

Dean wraps his arms around Castiel from behind, pulls him away from Sam despite his protesting whimper. "Sorry, buddy, but you'll be better off not getting to do what you want right now. First heat's rough, eh? Should've seen Sam in his first rut. I was too busy getting him to not hump a tree to be proud..." Which is of course not quite what happened, but hey. "Sam, you get out of where, I got him. If I can handle you kicking and screaming, I think I can hold him for a little. Now shoo, it'll be easier on him. I'll get him to his room."

Where he hopes someone in this goddamn family will hand him a toy and let him knock himself out. Dean is a beta, but he's been around enough omegas and has educated himself on those topics enough to know that heats without a mate are always rough on an omega, but the first heat especially is just painful and cruel. He already feels sorry for the kid.

Sam takes another breath, through his mouth this time so that fewer of the pheromones get to him. "Right, okay. Just...yeah, get him somewhere safe."

He'd give Dean shit about the lies in that story if it weren't for the fact that he's telling it to help out Castiel. He rubs at his nose before he turns and heads into the house.

And goes straight to find Zachariah, while trying very hard to ignore his hard on. "Party's over. My brother's taking Castiel back up to his room, since he just went into heat."

Zachariah glowers, than snaps his fingers at the help staff, pointing towards the balcony. "Your brother will do no such thing. I should never have left him with you without supervision, Winchester. If you have so much as breathed too hard in his direction..."

A simple diversion of course. Zachariah had counted on Castiel going into heat - just preferrably in the presence of a better alpha, one Zachariah could push him into choosing, one who could sign a contract on short notice, breed the bitch right away and apply a biting mark. What better way to get this show on the road?

"My brother's a Beta and used to dealing with Omegas who may be having difficulties. He'll make certain Castiel gets back to his room safely." Sam shifts his stance slightly, the protective instincts that Castiel's whine had brought up in him manifesting. "He's only doing what's in Castiel's best interests."

Since it seemed like Sam and Dean were the only ones in the house that had his best interests in mind.

"Oh, I'm sure."

The other alphas and their plus ones are slowly coming closer, drawn by the heated argument clearly unfolding. Zachariah is trying to gain back ground. Samandriel exchanges a worried glance with his sister, who hurries outside to help Dean with Castiel. Neither of them misses the fact that Zachariah doesn't bother checking on Castiel or asking how he is.

"Except I think you're trying to enforce your best interests, Mr Winchester. Leave the premises, at once."

"Not until my brother comes back." Sam doesn't cross his arms, but it's a near enough thing. "Out of curiosity, Mr. Novak. Did you realize how close Castiel had to be to starting his heat?"

There's no way for Zachariah to come out of the question looking good. Either he didn't realize, which means that Castiel's heats may not be regular. Something that could be difficult when it comes to the contract. Or he did know and purposefully put him into a room of posturing Alphas, where he could have gone into heat at any time. Something that could have caused a massive fight had it actually happened in the room and not slightly sequestered.

The other alphas murmur among themselves, intrigued by the situations. The scent of an omega in heat clinging to Sam is enough to get them on edge - it's unthinkable what could have happened in here, fuelled by posturing alpha scent and omega in heat scent. Zachariah looks pissed, but maintains his cool.

"I will not engage in a discussion with a man who was alone with my vulnerable nephew. You will wait in the entrance hall, where the security personnel will show you and your brother out. Good day, Mr Winchester."

And then, as if on cue, somewhere far away Castiel screams in pain, the sound of agony echoing down the hallways of the elaborate mansion, and the air is suddenly thick with alpha scents - anger, protectiveness, even arousal in a few worrisome cases. And it's becoming obvious that whatever preparations Zachariah has made to marry off his nephew - he took none to ensure his nephews comfort and wellbeing.

There's a reason why Sam is so good at his job. It's not just the fact that he's a big guy, so he makes the Omegas that they find feel safer. It's also the fact that he long ago learned how to turn his scent to what he needs in that moment. It's not something that a lot of Alphas can do, after all, but it comes in handy with Omegas who have been in traumatic situations.

There's nothing that Sam can do to help Castiel in that moment. Nothing, at least, that wouldn't require him in the same room with Castiel, which is something he's trying to avoid. It's almost unconscious, the way that his own scent changes from simply protective to both protective and warning, something that makes the big Alpha seem even bigger than he already is.

"You don't actually give a shit, do you? I'm sure we all knew that Castiel was a commodity to you, but I don't think any of us quite realized just how much you don't actually care." Sam looked Zachariah right in the eyes, voice gone low and cool. "I will not move until my brother has returned. Because somebody here has to be on Castiel's side. So until I am assured that he is safe and able to ride out his heat without interference from outside influences? I will. Not. Move."

It was bad enough that Castiel would likely have to ride out his heat with no help at all, because he didn't think Zachariah made any provisions other than having Alphas in the house. But he raises his head, looking over the other Alphas there, making it perfectly clear that he would fight any of them to keep Castiel safe.

For a moment, a certain kind of stillness hangs in the room, broken only by the distant screams and sobs echoing through the mansion. Finally, some of the alphas move. Samandriel and Meg flank Sam, and a few others at least cross their arms and glare at Zachariah. While they don't condemn the head of the Novak pack the way Sam, Meg and Samandriel are, they most certainly take offense at the poor treatment of their potential future spouse.

Zachariah snorts. "Well. Look who's feeling strong right now," he mutters, gaze showing exactly what he currently thinks of Sam Winchester. But there's nothing he can do, and he knows it.

It takes the better part of a very, very uncomfortable hour for Dean and Muriel to return. Cas is still very obviously in pain and distress, but the note of panic has left his voice. It's not long after they come that a dull noise of doors being shut cuts off Castiel's noises - much to Zachariah's visible relief.

Dean and Muriel reek of Omega, of slick, and yet Dean marches straight towards Zachariah.

"Nothing. Fucking, nothing in that room. No pills, no toys, he didn't even know how to make it a little less painful for himself. There is no reason or excuse to let the kid suffer like that, you doucheface, and if you think for just a second that I'll let you - SAM, let go of me, I'm gonna fucking..."

People always assume that Sam's the enforcer in the family. That because he's tall and muscular, because he's an Alpha in full control of himself, that he's the one to be careful of.

They're wrong, almost to a man. While Sam can certainly be dangerous and not above throwing a few punches of his own, he's the nice one. Nobody ever expects Dean to be the one to come after them with the fury of a thousand suns.

It has its uses. Today, though, Sam reins him in, pulling his brother back. "Is Castiel safe?" he asks, glancing to Meg and Samandriel. An unlikely trio, to be certain, and he's not entirely certain why Meg has sided with him, but it's just as well. They'd made a good enough front to keep any of the Alphas with the worrisome arousal at bay, at least. "I know you want to take it out of his hide and there's part of me that would love to allow that, but right now, is he safe?"

"Safe..."

Dean wants to wipe the floor with Zachariah, can still feel the blood rushing in his ears because seriously, screw the bastard.

"That son of a bitch didn't even put a lock on the kid's door. Probably wanted one of you guys to sneak off and stuff Castiel with a knot, enforce a match, reduce the dowry. You're sick, man. Just letting him suffer alone."

Muriel places a hand on Dean's arm and looks at Sam. "As safe as he can be, here. We need to get the alphas out, though. You can smell him on us, this won't be going smoothly for much longer if we stay."

Sam's still breathing through his mouth, though even that's starting to get overwhelming. Especially with Dean and Muriel so close. And Muriel may be an Omega, but the scent he WANTS is laid over top of hers and it nearly hurts.

He lets out a breath and nods to Muriel. "Dean, take Muriel back to her home, then go home yourself and shower. I'll either get a lift with somebody else here or call a cab." He couldn't be in the same car with Dean when he smelled so much like Castiel and Samandriel, while he'd probably be okay, probably shouldn't share a car with his sister smelling so much like Omega-in-heat. "I think we can safely say that this party is over for tonight, anyway, since the guest of honor is otherwise occupied." He leveled a look at Zachariah. "I'd suggest keeping all Alphas out of the house for the next day or so. You wouldn't want any accidents, would you?"

Of course he would, but it was polite. And Sam was doing his damnedest to stay polite.

Of course, the truth is that Zachariah would have very much liked for an accident to happen. Crowley would have been his first choice for that, but now that he's been called out by those meddling Winchesters, he has to preserve Castiel's virginity - anything else would now just ruin his pack's reputation.

They foiled his plans to avoid having Castiel make a choice, when he knows very well that the pup is hardly capable of making proper choices.

But for now, he can only smile thinly, eyes hard, and say: "Of course not. Let me have everyone's rides prepared. My apologies to everyone in attendance for this... inconvenience."

The inconvenience called Castiel.

They're barely outside the building when Meg falls behind to walk next to Sam, eyeing him. She's very clearly not too impressed by him, but reluctantly... "You know. He's still screaming. We could circle around and have you over the walls and in that bed in an hour, tops."

Okay, so at some point Sam and Cas have to play catch in the woods :p

They really, really do.

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